cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prospective association between consumption frequency of organic food and body weight change, risk of overweight or obesity: results from the NutriNet-Santé Study.

A lower BMI has been reported among consumers of organic foods, but this relationship has never been examined in a prospective design study. Our aim was to prospectively investigate the association between frequency of organic food consumption and weight change. We analysed data from 62 224 participants of the NutriNet-Sante cohort (78 % women, mean age=45 years) with information on consumption frequency of organic foods, dietary intake and repeated anthropometric data. For sixteen products, participants reported their consumption frequency of labelled organic foods (never, occasionally, most of the time). An organic score (OS) with a maximum of thirty-two points was computed. The associations of the OS (modeled as quartiles (Q)) with change in BMI during follow-up (on average 31 years) and with the risk of overweight and obesity were estimated by ANCOVA and multivariable logistic regression. A lower BMI increase was observed across quartiles of the OS (mean difference Q4 v. Q1=-016 (95 % CI -032, -001). An increase in the OS was associated with a lower risk of overweight and obesity (among non-overweight and non-obese participants at inclusion): OR for Q4 v. Q1 were 077 (95 % CI 068, 086) and 069 (95 % CI 058, 082), respectively. Concerning obesity risk, the association was stronger among participants with higher adherence to nutritional guidelines. This study supports a strong protective role of consumption frequency of organic foods with regard to the risk of overweight and obesity that depends on overall dietary quality. Upon confirmation, these results may contribute to fine-tune nutritional guidelines by accounting for farming practices in food production.
ogttMetrics: Data structures and algorithms for oral glucose tolerance tests

We describe an open source software package, ogttMetrics , to compute diverse measures of glucose metabolism derived from oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). Tools are provided to organize, visualize and compare OGTT data from large cohorts. Numerical difficulties in estimation of parameters of the Bergman minimal model are described, and in one large clinical trial, the simpler closed form index of Matsuda is observed to lead to similar rankings of individuals with respect to insulin sensitivity, and similar inferences concerning effects of modifications to carbohydrate content and glycemic index of experimental diets.
Analyzing the eICU Collaborative Research Database

Patients in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) are physiologically fragile and unstable, generally have life-threatening conditions, and require close monitoring and rapid therapeutic interventions. Staggering amounts of data are collected in the ICU daily: multi-channel waveforms sampled hundreds of times each second, vital sign time series updated each second or minute, alarms and alerts, lab results, imaging results, records of medication and fluid administration, staff notes and more. Reducing the barriers to data access has the potential to accelerate knowledge generation and ultimately improve patient care. In this interactive tutorial we introduce the eICU Collaborative Research Database: a large, publicly available database created by the MIT Laboratory for Computational Physiology in partnership with the Philips eICU Research Institute. The database contains routinely collected data from over 200,000 admissions to intensive care units across the United States, with representation from 10-12% of US ICU beds. The data facilitates a breadth of research studies, such as investigations into treatment efficacy, discovery of clinical markers in illnesses, and the development of decision support models. Participants in the tutorial gain an overview of the eICU Collaborative Research Database, in particular being introduced to its structure, content, and limitations. Following this overview, participants explore a demo version of the database using a laptop in a hands-on project. This exercise requires minimal technical expertise and gives an insight into the type of study that can be carried out using the database. We also highlight the growing online community centered around secondary analysis of this data. All tutorial materials are open source and publicly available. The eICU Collaborative Research Database offers an unparalleled insight into ICU care. Access to the database is granted to legitimate researchers who request it, following completion of a training course in human subjects research and acceptance of a data use agreement. We anticipate that the research community will use this unique resource to further human knowledge in the field of critical care.
Abstract 16082: HDAC1 Plays an Essential Role in the Differentiation of Embryonic and Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells into Cardiovascular Lineages.

Despite advancements in the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI), the majority of patients are at increased risk for developing heart failure due to the loss of cardiomyocytes and microvasculature. Therefore regenerative medicine is considered one of the most promising therapies in this field. However, reasons that continue to hinder in the realization of the full potential of iPS/ES cells include incomplete understanding of the molecular mechanisms and epigenetic modifications that result in the reprogramming of somatic cells and directed cardiovascular differentiation. Real-Time array experiments revealed that HDAC1 is highly expressed in pluripotent cells. Additionally the lack of this molecule is embryonically lethal, suggesting it plays a key role in development. Thus, we hypothesized that HDAC1 plays a critical role in maintaining pluripotency and directing cardiovascular differentiation of mES and iPS cells in vitro. HDAC1 was stably knocked down in mES cells (C57BL/6) and iPS cells using a shRNA vector. Differentiation was induced in wild type mES and iPS cell as well as in their clones in which HDAC1 was selectively knocked down. We monitored the ability of these cells to differentiate into any of the three early embryonic lineages and more specifically cardiovascular lineage. RNA was isolated from embryoid bodies on day 4, 6, 8 and 10. Embryoid bodies lacking HDAC1 differentiated slower and showed delayed suppression of pluripotent genes such as Oct4 and Nanog. In addition cells lacking HDAC1 showed differential expression of early endodermal, mesodermal and ectodermal markers. Beating of the embryoid bodies in HDAC1 knocked down cells was also delayed and fewer embryoid bodies showed spontaneous beating. Expression of cardiomyocyte markers as well as markers of other cardiovascular lineage cells was significantly repressed in HDAC1 knocked down cells. Taken together our data suggests that HDAC1 plays a critical role in directing cardiovascular differentiation of mES and iPS cells. Further research in the molecular mechanisms involved in this process will greatly aid our understanding of the epigenetic circuity of pluripotency and cardiovascular differentiation in ES and iPS cells.
Juvenile drug courts: emerging outcomes and key research issues

Purpose of review In consideration of the widespread adoption of juvenile drug court programs during the past decade, the purpose of this review is to examine the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts and suggest priorities for juvenile drug court research. Recent findings Consistent with the much more extensive adult drug court literature and the few uncontrolled evaluations of juvenile drug court, findings from a recent randomized clinical trial suggest that juvenile drug court is more effective than family court in decreasing participant criminal behavior and substance use. Perhaps due to the intensive surveillance that juvenile drug court participants receive, however, these favorable outcomes did not translate to reduced rates of rearrest or incarceration during the 12-month study period. In addition, the integration of evidence-based substance-abuse treatments into juvenile drug court enhanced participant substance-related outcomes and rates of juvenile drug court completion. Summary Although the widespread dissemination of juvenile drug courts has exceeded clear and unambiguous evidence of their effectiveness, few other criminal justice programs have shown such promise with drug-abusing offenders. Moreover, the integration of evidence-based treatments of adolescent substance abuse holds the potential to further enhance the effectiveness of juvenile drug courts.
Assessing the effects of mobile OS design on single-step navigation and task performance

When working on a task, mobile device users want to complete their work as quickly and efficiently as possible. In order to accomplish this they must use the navigational tools available on the system's interface. The importance of control design to user success requires system designers to consider all aspects of interface design: control tool characteristics, target audience demographics, and even frequency of use, to name a few. This research investigates characteristics (shape, location, and depth vs. breadth) of navigational control tools in order to determine their impact on user performance during common tasks on a mobile device. Cue theory predicts that performance is enhanced when cues are provided during decision-making situations. In the current research, controls with appropriate differentiation are expected to provide the cues necessary for users to more quickly identify their desired target.
Constructing the Platform-Specific Self-Brand: The Labor of Social Media Promotion:

With the widespread uptake of social media, discourses and practices of self-branding have become a pervasive feature of social and economic life. However, the way in which the digital self-brand g...
Interpretation of Eye Tracking Findings in Usability Evaluation

The eye tracking technique has been widely used in usability evaluation of screen-based user interfaces. Eye tracking collects user’s visual scanning behaviors during task performance (e.g., shopping holiday gifts on an online store). While eye tracking data contain rich information about user’s performance, meaningful use of eye tracking requires accurate recording of eye movements which has been a challenge to usability practitioners. In the present paper, we will (1) analyze the structure of a saccadic eye movement and its association with cognitive processes, (2) describe today’s most commonly used eye tracking technique, and (3) propose a systematic approach to improving spatial accuracy. The approach includes 6 steps: (1) test design, (2) participant’s seating, (3) test instructions, (4) manufacturer-provided calibration, (5) customer-tailored calibration, and (6) statistical adjustment to calibration.
The consequences to analyst involvement in the IPO process: Evidence surrounding the JOBS Act

Abstract The JOBS Act allows certain analysts to be more involved in the IPO process, but does not relax restrictions on analyst compensation structure. We find that these analysts initiate coverage that is more optimistically biased, less accurate, and generates smaller stock market reactions. Investors purchasing shares following these initiations lose over 3% of their investment by the firm's subsequent earnings release. By contrast, issuers, analysts, and investment banks appear to benefit from this increased bias, as optimism is more positively associated with proxies for firm visibility and investment banking revenues when analysts are involved in the IPO process.
Psychological Underpinnings of Post-Truth in Political Beliefs

Although both the idea and the reality of so-called fake news or disinformation campaigns long precede the Trump administration, the frequency and intensity of the discussion around its prevalence and influence have increased significantly since Donald Trump took office. In an era when technological innovations support increasingly inexpensive and easy ways to produce media that looks official, the ability to separate real from artificial has become increasingly complicated and difficult. Some of the responsibility for public manipulation certainly rests with those who present false or artificial information as real. However, their relative success depends on, at least in part, universal psychological processes that often make humans susceptible to believing things that are not true. For example, people often weigh emotional feelings more heavily than abstract facts in their decision making. This discussion examines the psychological foundations that render individuals susceptible to a post-truth media environment and allow it to emerge, escalate, and persist.
The Inequitable Effects of Raising the Retirement Age on Blacks and Low-Wage Workers

Increasing the Social Security Full Retirement Age (FRA) adversely affects all workers because an increase is equivalent to an across-the-board cut in benefits. Raising the FRA leaves workers with ...
Do I book at exactly the right time? Airfare forecast accuracy across three price-prediction platforms

Customers are uncertain about the best time to get the lowest airfares due to the practice of dynamic pricing in revenue management. Even with the help of price-prediction platforms, the optimal time to buy the lowest-priced airfare remains unclear. This study compares airfare forecasts across the prediction outcomes suggested by Hopper, KAYAK, and FareHack. The data were recorded daily over a 77-day period, focusing on ten one-way route airfares during this time. The results show that, despite the importance of accurate forecasting, there is no best website for the optimal recommendation—prediction accuracy varies based on the number of days before the departure date.
Simulating the Suicide Prevention Effects of Firearms Restrictions Based on Psychiatric Hospitalization and Treatment Records: Social Benefits and Unintended Adverse Consequences.

Objectives. To estimate the number of lives saved from firearms suicide with expansions of gun restrictions based on mental health compared with the number who would be unnecessarily restricted.Met...
Detecting Thermal Discomfort of Drivers Using Physiological Sensors and Thermal Imaging

Recent technological developments have been used extensively in manufacturing vehicles in order to improve the driving experience and add multiple safety features. This article introduces a novel machine learning approach using physiological sensors and thermal imaging of the subjects to detect human thermal discomfort in order to develop a fully automated climate control system in the vehicles that does not need any explicit input from individuals. To achieve this goal, a dataset of thermal videos and physiological signals from 50 subjects is collected, an extensive analysis of different feature sets is conducted, a multimodal approach is experimented, and a cascaded classification system is proposed. Our results evidently show the capability of specific feature sets of detecting human thermal discomfort as well as the superior performance of integrating multimodal features.
Patterns of nasoorbitalethmoid fractures in the pediatric population

There is an absence of literature regarding nasoorbitoethmoid (NOE) facial fractures. Although NOE fractures are uncommon, there are a significant number in the pediatric population. These fractures also often occur in conjunction with other facial fractures because the NOE region adjoins the nose, orbit, maxilla, and cranium. They can also be a harbinger for more serious concerns such as traumatic brain injury and intracranial hemorrhage. For this reason, NOE fractures can be highly complicated and a challenge to manage. We aim to define the etiologies and patterns of NOE fractures to guide hospital and surgical management strategies. From 2001 to 2014, 15 pediatric patients were identified as having sustained an NOE fracture. Four (26.7%) of the patients were female and 11 (68.8%) were male. Average age was 11.40. The most common etiologies recorded were motor vehicle accident (n = 8), pedestrian struck (n = 3), and assault (n = 2). Orbital fracture (n = 13), nasal fracture (n = 13), and frontal sinus fracture (n = 10) were the most commonly associated facial fractures sustained alongside NOE fracture. Several patients sustained traumatic brain injury (n = 11) and loss of consciousness (n = 13). The mean Glasgow Coma Score was 10.5. In addition, eight required intubation and five required a surgical airway. Thirteen of the patients were admitted to the ICU and eight required surgical management for their fractures. Titanium plates were most commonly used (n = 4) for surgical management. Alternatively, resorbable implants were used for two patients. The remaining two were treated with closed reduction.
Restratification at a California Current Upwelling Front. Part II: Dynamics

AbstractA coordinated multiplatform campaign collected detailed measurements of a restratifying surface intensified upwelling front within the California Current System. A companion paper outlined ...
Abstract 117: Fixed Compared to Autoregulation-oriented Blood Pressure Thresholds After Mechanical Thrombectomy for Ischemic Stroke

Background: Loss of cerebral autoregulation in the acute phase of ischemic stroke leaves patients vulnerable to blood pressure (BP) changes. Effective BP management after endovascular therapy (EVT)...
Latent Sheep Dreaming:: Machine for Extrapolated Visual Inception

Latent Sheep Dreaming is a physical-digital installation exploring cohesion and conflict between human and machine agents in generative processes. With a stylus-based console, users sketch sheep captured by the machine and reimagined through rule- and neural network-based generative algorithms. The machine's imagination process is projected on a display wall and physicalized via a pen plotter, documenting imagined shapes that emerge from user and machine collaboration.
Identifying Young Students At Risk for Antisocial Behavior: The Utility of “Teachers as Tests”:

The purpose of this study was to determine whether teachers are equally as effective in differentiating between students at risk and those who are not at risk at an early age when the discrepancies...
Population Activity in Motor Cortex is Influenced by the Contexts of the Motor Behavior

Most sensorimotor studies investigating the covariation of populations of neurons in primary motor cortex (M1) have considered only a few trained movements made under highly constrained conditions. However, motor behaviors in daily living happen in a far more complex and varied contexts. It is unclear whether M1 neurons would have different population responses in a more naturalistic, unconstrained setting, including requirements to accommodate multiple limbs and body posture, and more extensive proprioceptive inputs. Here, we recorded M1 spiking signals while a monkey performed hand grasp movements in two different contexts: one in the typical constrained lab setting, and the other while moving freely in a large plastic cage. We compared the covariance patterns of the neural activity during movements across the two contexts. We found that the neural covariation patterns accompanying two different hand grasps in the unconstrained context were largely preserved, while they differed across contexts, even for the same type of grasp. We also found that the M1 population activity was confined to context-dependent neural manifolds, but these manifolds were not completely independent, as some dimensions appeared to be shared across the contexts. These results suggest that the coordinated activity of M1 neurons is strongly dependent on behavioral context, in ways that were not entirely anticipated.
Use of Spinal Cord Stimulators in Patients With Pacemakers or Implantable Cardiac Defibrillators: A Review of Documented Accounts of Interference

Objectives To assess the currently available evidence regarding associations between spinal cord stimulator (SCS) lead type, clinical indications for device placement, and interference between SCSs and cardiac pacemakers (CPMs)/implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs). Study design Review of case reports and original research studies assessing the interference between SCS and CPM/ICD. Materials and methods PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched for articles commenting on the interference between SCS and CPM/ICD. The search criteria which generated the greatest number of relevant studies was (spinal cord stimulator AND [pacemaker OR implantable cardioverter defibrillator]). Additional, empiric review was conducted using JSTOR, ScienceDirect, and EBSCOhost databases; however, no additional eligible studies were identified. Data were extracted, summarized into tables, and quantitatively analyzed using LibreTexts and MedCalc software. Results There was no statistically significant interference observed between SCS and CPM/ICD devices in patients regardless of indication for SCS placement and SCS lead polarity. Limitations Limited by variability of patient cases and variability in maximum frequency and amplitude of SCS devices tried in individual cases. Also limited by small sample size and the absence of a standard definition for device interference across studies. Conclusions Interference between cardiac devices and SCSs is a rare occurrence. As there are currently no published guidelines, devices should be interrogated on a case-by-case basis in the SCS trial period (if implanted after cardiac device), during permanent implantation, and during scheduled follow-up visits. Peri-operative testing should include increasing the SCS settings to maximally tolerated levels with cardiac device set at its maximum sensitivity.
Resiliency from Violent Victimization for People with Mental Disorders: an Examination Using a Community Sample

Researchers have established that people with mental disorders are at an elevated risk to experience a victimization event when compared to the general population, and several risk factors related to victimization for this population have been identified. Despite this knowledge, there is little known about potential factors that may protect this population from such experiences. In other words, what is currently missing in the literature is the assessment of why, despite elevated risk, some persons with mental illness are not victimized — a phenomenon known as resiliency. Using the National Comorbidity Study-Adolescent Supplement data, protective factors that promote resiliency from victimization are explored. Results indicate that domains of protective factors related to social support and domains of protective factors related to institutions are significantly associated with resiliency from victimization for people with mental disorders. Theoretical implications and future research are discussed.
Network survivability performance evaluation with applications in WDM networks with wavelength conversion

Network survivability gauges the ability of a network to support the committed quality of service (QoS) continuously in the presence of various failure scenarios. We perceive that both performance and availability are integral components of survivability. Therefore, we propose a composite model for survivability that consists of performance and availability analysis. A analytical technique is presented to find the excess loss due to failure (ELF) when the system is operating in gracefully degraded states. An algorithm is proposed to carry out the availability analysis of the network, even when the available paths between nodes are non-disjoint. These two models are combined to construct a hierarchical model to evaluate the network survivability performance. We consider single and multiple link failures, and also node failures. A WDM network with wavelength conversion is used as an example for this evaluation.
Understanding and Reducing Inconsistency in Seatbelt-Use Decisions: Findings From a Cardinal Decision Issue Perspective

This article has two aims. The first is to present results that partly explain why some automobile drivers choose to use their seatbelts only part time, thereby exposing themselves to unnecessary risk. The second is to offer and illustrate the "cardinal decision issue perspective"((1)) as a tool for guiding research and development efforts that focus on complex real-life decision behaviors that can entail wide varieties of risk, including but not limited to inconsistent seatbelt use. Each of 24 young male participants drove an instrumented vehicle equipped to record continuously seatbelt use as well as other driving data. After all trips were finished, each participant completed an interview designed to reconstruct how he made randomly selected seatbelt-use decisions under specified conditions. The interview also examined whether and how drivers established "decision policies" regarding seatbelt use. Such policies were good predictors of inconsistent seatbelt use. Drivers who had previously adopted policies calling for consistent seatbelt use were significantly more likely than others to actually drive belted. Meta-decisions about seatbelt policy adoption appeared to rest on factors such as whether the driver had ever been asked to consider selecting a policy. Whether a driver made an ad hoc, on-the-spot seatbelt-use decision was associated with a perceived need to make such a decision. Finally, participants with full-time policies were especially likely to deploy their seatbelts by default, without recognizing the need to decide about belt use on a trip-by-trip basis. We end with recommendations for reducing inconsistencies in seatbelt use in actual practice.
Effect of topographic curvature on near-surface stresses and application to sheeting joints

[1] Sheeting joints have attracted attention for more than two centuries, yet their cause has remained unclear. Sheeting joints are opening mode rock fractures that form subparallel to the topographic surface and develop to depths of at least 100 m. They are best developed beneath convex surfaces in massive rocks where the compressive stress parallel to the surface (P) is high. A tensile stress normal to a convex traction-free surface will arise if the product of P and the surface curvature (k) exceeds the product of the unit weight of rock (ρg) and the cosine of the slope (cosβ). The tensile stress contributes fundamentally to sheeting joints; erosion of overburden, by itself, does not. Rocks with high uniaxial compressive strengths host sheeting joints because they can sustain the high compressive stresses necessary to generate surface-normal tensile stresses given typical curvatures in landscapes.
Resolution of portopulmonary hypertension (POPH) following liver transplantation

Background. Pulmonary artery hypertension, a consequence of portal hypertension, is referred to as portopulmonary hypertension (POPH). Untreated moderate to severe POPH is a relative contraindication to liver transplantation (LT). Aims: To summarize the Mayo Clinic medical management and LT outcomes in moderate to severe POPH. Methods: From 2002-2012, we analyzed the pulmonary vasomodulating (PV) treatments and LT outcomes in consecutive POPH patients with right heart catheterization (RHC) criteria: mean pulmonary artery pressure - MPAP ≥ 35 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance - PVR ≥ 3 Wood units). All patients underwent sequential transthoracic echocardiography (TTE; both pre and post-LT) and RHC (pre-LT baseline, with therapy and intraop; not done post-LT). TTE assessed right ventricle (RV) size, function and RV systolic pressure estimate (RVSP). Results : We managed 65 POPH patients; LT was attempted in 13/65 patients only if PV therapies resulted in MPAP Conclusions; LT can result in POPH resolution (defined by sequential TTE) and liberation from PV therapies in selected patients.
A Shear Lag Anomaly

This technical note reports an interesting phenomenon associated with shear lag in the flanges of box girders that is quite contrary to well established ideas concerning this subject. A brief description of a beam model and solution technique are given. It is shown that if a cantilever tube is loaded laterally under non-uniform shear, a reversal of the shear lag distribution may occur at some point in the beam; the centerline stress may exceed the edge stress. Although the practical significance is not clear, further study is encouraged to explain the phenomenon and explore its significance.
Holographic Approach to Deep Inelastic Scattering at Small-x at High Energy

We focus on a holographic approach to DIS at small-x in high energy where scattering is dominated by exchanging a Reggeized Graviton in AdS5. We emphasize the importance of confinement, which corresponds to a deformation of AdS5 geometry in the IR. This approach provides an excellent fit to the combined HERA data at small x. We also discuss the connection of Pomeron/Odderon intercepts in the conformal limit with anomalous dimensions in strong coupling. This work was presented at the 7 International Conference on Quarks and Nuclear Physics 2 6 March 2015 Valparaiso, Chile Also presented at XXIII International Workshop on Deep-Inelastic Scattering, 27 April May 1 2015 Dallas, Texas ar X iv :1 50 8. 05 06 3v 1 [ he pph ] 2 0 A ug 2 01 5
Reaction of Chromium(III) Chloride with the Cycloheptadienyl Anion: Susceptibility of Edge Bridges To C−H Activation Reactions

The reaction of CrCl3 with 3 equiv of the cycloheptadienyl anion leads to Cr(η7-C7H7)(η4-C7H10) (C7H10 = cycloheptadiene), through a process in which one ligand loses two hydrogen atoms while the other ligand gains one. The same complex had been reported from an entirely different route, involving the reaction of chromium(III) salts with Grignard reagents in the presence of cycloheptadiene and cycloheptatriene. The formulation of the complex has been confirmed by a low-temperature X-ray diffraction study. Related reactions have been found to lead to M(η7-C7H7)(η5-C7H9) (M = Ti, V; C7H9 = cycloheptadienyl) complexes. The preferential formation of one aromatic ηn-CnHn ligand seems to provide the driving force favoring the isolated products and related species having other values of n.
Calcium Inhibition and Calcium Potentiation of Orai1, Orai2, and Orai3 Calcium Release-activated Calcium Channels *

The recent discoveries of Stim1 and Orai proteins have shed light on the molecular makeup of both the endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) sensor and the calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channel, respectively. In this study, we investigated the regulation of CRAC channel function by extracellular Ca(2+) for channels composed primarily of Orai1, Orai2, and Orai3, by co-expressing these proteins together with Stim1, as well as the endogenous channels in HEK293 cells. As reported previously, Orai1 or Orai2 resulted in a substantial increase in CRAC current (I(crac)), but Orai3 failed to produce any detectable Ca(2+)-selective currents. However, sodium currents measured in the Orai3-expressing HEK293 cells were significantly larger in current density than Stim1-expressing cells. Moreover, upon switching to divalent free external solutions, Orai3 currents were considerably more stable than Orai1 or Orai2, indicating that Orai3 channels undergo a lesser degree of depotentiation. Additionally, the difference between depotentiation from Ca(2+) and Ba(2+) or Mg(2+) solutions was significantly less for Orai3 than for Orai1 or -2. Nonetheless, the Na(+) currents through Orai1, Orai2, and Orai3, as well as the endogenous store-operated Na(+) currents in HEK293 cells, were all inhibited by extracellular Ca(2+) with a half-maximal concentration of approximately 20 mum. We conclude that Orai1, -2, and -3 channels are similarly inhibited by extracellular Ca(2+), indicating similar affinities for Ca(2+) within the selectivity filter. Orai3 channels appeared to differ from Orai1 and -2 in being somewhat resistant to the process of Ca(2+) depotentiation.
Body Weight and Goal Setting among Multiracial Young Women: Results from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)

Increasing body weight among multiracial young women has become a national health disparity. Few research studies explore plans focused upon after high school. Therefore, the objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between differing body weights (as measured by age adjusted body mass index percentiles) and plans after high school for 1,962 adolescent women using the 2003 California Health Interview Survey data. Significant differences existed between adjusted BMI figures and racial background. Multinomial logistic regression revealed significant differences for age, receiving food stamps, general good physical health, some physical activity, and identifying a role model as influencing plans after high school. Increasing role models for overweight African American young women might decrease the disparity in future goal setting.
The Mixed Blessings of Graduate School

Many political scientists wonder why so few people in our discipline play key roles in presidential campaigns. After all, we have much to offer. In graduate school, we learn about statistics, policy analysis, voting behavior, and other topics with practical applications. During my own political experience-with the New York Legislature, the U.S. Congress, the Bush campaigns and other political organizations-I have often used my formal training in political science. The problem is that graduate school supplies only part of what political activists need. And in some ways, it can actually be a handicap.
Influence of Nitrite and Chloride Concentrations on Survival and Hematological Profiles of Striped Bass

Abstract The 24-h median lethal concentration of nitrite (NO2 –) for striped bass Morone saxatilis was 163 mg/L in static toxicity tests. Exogenous chloride ions increased the tolerance of the fish for NO2 –; CaCl2 was more than twice as effective as NaCl. Plasma NO2 –, cortisol, and methemoglobin were correlated positively with environmental NO2 –. Plasma NO2 – and methemoglobin were correlated negatively with environmental Cl–, but cortisol was not reduced by the presence of environmental Cl–. Striped bass maintained NO2 – in the plasma (0–45 mg NO2 –/L) at concentrations below those in the environment (0–250 mg NO2 –/L). However, striped bass were sensitive to NO2 – that entered the plasma; methemoglobin levels greater than 60% and plasma NO2 –, levels greater than 70 mg/L resulted in significant mortalities.
Racism in Professional Settings: Forms of Address as Clues to Power Relations:

Since the Reagan administration, commitments to affirmative action programs have waned precipitously, inner cities have been decimated, high-paying manufacturing jobs have been replaced by high-tech service sector jobs, and a burgeoning Black middle class has developed; yet racial inequality persists. Although great strides have been made, people of color still confront racism in various arenas. One of the most difficult areas in which to identify subtle but pernicious forms of racism is professional office settings. This article explores how power relations are signified by subtle cultural rules. Specifically, it demonstrates how the cultural rules used by co-workers to address each other emerge as a way of articulating interethnic power relations in office settings. The research concludes that even the best efforts to diversify the workforce of an organization often perpetuate racial inequality because members of various ethnic groups are still under-represented in the top management positions.
Effect of Temperature on the Stress Corrosion Cracking of Tempered Type 403 Martensitic Stainless Steel in Sodium Sulfate Solution

Abstract Tempered martensitic Type 403 stainless steel has been found to suffer pitting corrosion and intergranular stress corrosion cracking in 0.01 M Na2SO4 at temperatures of 75 and 100 C, but n...
Mural Rights: Establishing Standing for Communities Under American Moral Rights Laws

The origins of mural art have been traced back more than 30,000 years, evidenced by prehistoric images of animals found painted on the walls of the Chauvet Cave in Southern France. 1 Throughout history, murals have been employed by man to tell stories and to convey artistic expression. The Ajanta Caves in Maharashtra, India, date back to the third century B.C. and contain intricate mural art depicting the Jataka stories. 2 The San Bartolo murals in Guatemala were created in the first century B.C. and represent an important part of Mayan history. 3 The significance of mural art still exists in society today and remains an effective way of communicating expression to a large, public audience. Public murals create accessible artistic expression for the enjoyment of all classes of people, help to define urban neighborhoods and offer aesthetic relief from blight and abandonment.
DDE residues in blood and other tissues of white-faced ibis

Abstract Adult white-faced ibis were collected three times during the nesting season to study the relationship of DDE levels in blood and in subcutaneous fat and breast muscle. DDE residues in blood serum were strongly related to DDE levels in both fat and breast muscle lipids. Residues of DDE varied significantly throughout the season in all tissues sampled. This variation was associated with the seasonal cycle of body fat mobilisation and accumulation. Males apparently utilised more fat during the nesting season than did females and consequently had higher levels of DDE in the blood. Blood samples from white-faced ibis may be used to monitor body burdens of DDE provided variation due to seasonal fat deposition is eliminated.
The Circulation of Chisme and Rumor: Gossip, Evidentiality, and Authority in the Perspective of Latino Labor Migrants in Israel

Cross-culturally, the types of interactions that anthropologists have studied as “gossip” or “rumor” are opposed to types that constitute more authoritative texts. Instead of using participant structures to define such types of interactions, this opposition is used as a means to consider the evidential function of such descriptors. The discussion considers these issues from the perspective of non-Jewish, Latino labor migrants in Israel, whose usage of chisme (“gossip”) versus rumor (“rumor”) maps to in-group and out-group sources. The paper further considers how such frames were used in a short-lived weekly magazine, centered on the ritual chronotope of La Cancha (the soccer field), and also how a denunciation was quashed by producing an authoritative voice that condemned it as “chisme.” [gossip, evidentiality, authority, publicity, voice]
Dynamic message prioritization in tactical wireless MANET

Normal design practice is to decouple the design of applications using a network from the design of the network itself. Designers optimize network performance by only focusing on network transport layer mechanisms for robustness (connectivity), efficiency (throughput), & speed of service (latency). Applications offer loads to the network and rely on the QoS function in the network to prioritize the traffic flows. By contrast, network centric operations focus on application layer features like situation awareness and synchronization to enhance force effectiveness. Therefore, in contrast to enterprise networks in which QoS processes messages based on fixed priorities by data type, in mission orientated MANET, QoS must be a cooperative function between application and network resource management that uses dynamic priority allocation derived from task priorities established by commanders within echelon hierarchies1,2.
Evaluation and prediction of fluoroquinolone pharmacodynamics in bacterial keratitis.

Observational studies suggest that a pharmacodynamic index helps to predict the therapeutic outcome of respiratory and other infections. This study explored the prognostic importance of a ratio of ...
Functions forMHC class I carbohydrates inside and outside the cell

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I heavy chain glycoprotein have an invariant N -linked glycosylation site at Asn86, which is found between two extremely variable protein domains. For human MHC class I molecules, Asn is the only site of glycosylation and the attached oligosaccharides are remarkably uniform. The carbohydrate initiates interactions with calnexin in the endoplasmic reticulum that facilitate the assembly of MHC class I molecules and their delivery to the cell surface. However, recognition of MHC class I molecules by antibodies and T cells is indifferent to the carbohydrate, although lines of circumstantial evidence implicate lectins and carbohydrates in the recognition of MHC class I glycoproteins by natural killer cells.
Changes in Frequency of Moderate-Size Earthquakes and Coulomb Failure Stress before and after the Landers, California, Earthquake of 1992

Changes in the frequency of moderate-size events before and after the 28 June 1992 Landers earthquake are investigated, and their implications are discussed in the context of Coulomb failure stress (CFS) evolution since 1812 in southern California. We systematically considered circular regions and equal-area annuli centered on the epicenter of the Landers earthquake. Frequency-magnitude relationships for two 10-year periods before and two 5-year periods around the Landers event are compared. Only events with magnitude, M ≥ 4.0 are included; aftershocks are removed. For the larger circular regions with radii of 140 to 160 km, the rate and slope of the frequency-magnitude distribution for moderate-size events just before the mainshock appear to be anomalous compared to those for either the preceding or subsequent periods. For areas closer to the 1992 epicenter, however, the number of events is few, and the differences in the distributions are less obvious. When we examined the seismic activity in annuli of equal area, however, the largest changes occurred about 150 km from the epicenter of the mainshock, not closer as would be expected for a precursor to the Landers event. We also derive an index value to better quantify differences in the frequency of occurrence of moderate-size events as a function of time. The index value and the frequency-magnitude distribution show similar spatial dependence. Since 1812 a large region near Landers has moved closer to failure in terms of changes in CFS for faults of San Andreas type. These changes, however, are dominated by coseismic changes associated with the 1812 and 1857 earthquakes and by tectonic stress buildup related to the San Andreas fault, not by stress buildup associated with the Landers faults themselves, which are characterized by very slow long-term displacements. Hence, the most pronounced changes in the frequency of moderate-size earthquakes before 1992 do not appear to be related to stress buildup to the Landers sequence itself. They, along with the Landers sequence, may be indicative of a broad region that is approaching a high stress state prior to an eventual future great earthquake. The failure to find a pronounced increase in moderate-size shocks close in to Landers is in accord with the idea that such increases on a timescale of years to decades are associated with the regional buildup of stress to large earthquake along faults of high (not low) long-term slip rates.
Review of the Mechanism of Processive Actin Filament Elongation by Formins

We review recent structural and biophysical studies of the mechanism of action of formins, proteins that direct the assembly of unbranched actin filaments for cytokinetic contractile rings and other cellular structures. Formins use free actin monomers to nucleate filaments and then remain bound to the barbed ends of these filaments as they elongate. In addition to variable regulatory domains, formins typically have formin homology 1 (FH1) and formin homology 2 (FH2) domains. FH1 domains have multiple binding sites for profilin, an abundant actin monomer binding protein. FH2 homodimers encircle the barbed end of a filament. Most FH2 domains inhibit actin filament elongation, but FH1 domains concentrate multiple profilin-actin complexes near the end of the filament. FH1 domains transfer actin very rapidly onto the barbed end of the filament, allowing elongation at rates that exceed the rate of elongation by the addition of free actin monomers diffusing in solution. Binding of actin to the end of the filament provides the energy for the highly processive movement of the FH2 as a filament adds thousands of actin subunits. These biophysical insights provide the context to understand how formins contribute to actin assembly in cells. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Teachers' Evolving Conceptions of One-to-One Tutoring: A Three-Tiered Teaching Experiment.

This article describes a three-tiered teaching experiment in which teachers were studied over a protracted period of time as they attempted to understand and improve their approaches to oneto-one tutoring. In a three-tiered teaching experiment model, emphasis is placed on (a) establishing a collaborative relationship between the research staff and the teachers, (b) careful choice of tasks for teachers and their students, (c) the development of "learning environments" for the study, and (d) the use of continuous and diverse dependent measures. The study documented the initial and revised strategies of teachers as they tutored children over a period of 10 weeks. Various indices of teacher change are reported, and some of the strengths and limitations of the methodology are discussed. This article attempts to broaden the traditional teaching experiment format so that assumptions made about how children's mathematical models develop are not divorced from assumptions made about how teachers' models of teaching develop, which, in turn, are not divorced from assumptions made about how researchers model the processes that they study. That is, a teaching experiment for students was used as the context for a teaching experiment for teachers, which, in turn, was used as the context for a teaching experiment for researchers.
TRANSFORMATION KINETICS OF A ZIRCONIUM-URANIUM-HYDROGEN ALLOY

Abstract The kinetics of the eutectoid transformation of a zirconium-uranium-hydrogen alloy with an atom ratio of 1:0.03:1 has been studied. During quenching through the eutectoid temperature, the transformation of the beta solid solution, in equilibrium in this alloy at 600° C, to metastable alpha prime occurred above 490° C. The decomposition of alpha prime occurred rapidly above 450° C, being initiated in less than 10 sec and going to completion in about 30 min. Below 450° C, the decomposition rate of alpha prime decreased rapidly. The reverse reaction of alpha zirconium and zirconium hydride to form beta at 600° C was very rapid, being initiated in less than 10 sec and being 50 % complete in 100 sec.
Modulation of the proestrous surge of luteinizing hormone by electrochemical stimulation of the amygdala and hippocampus in the unanesthetized rat

Abstract The roles played by the amygdala and hippocampus in controlling the release of pituitary luteinizing hormone (LH) were studied in the freely moving rat. Monopolar stainless steel electrodes were implanted into the corticomedial (CM) amygdala, basolateral (BL) amygdala and dorsal hippocampus of female rats. When the animal had recovered from surgery and shown two consecutive 4-day estrous cycles, a chronic atrial cannula was introduced during the afternoon of diestrus II. On the following day (proestrus) electrochemical stimulation (ECS) was applied (20–50 μA anodal DC 120 sec) bilaterally to the amygdala or hippocampus and blood samples were taken every 90 min from 12.00 to 21.00 h for radioimmunoassay (RIA) of LH. Next day, uterine tubes were examined for ova as evidence of ovulation. ECS of the amygdala exerted two divergent influences on LH release. Stimulation of the BL amygdala at 13.45 h, just before the critical period (14.00–16.00 h), was effective in delaying and reducing the LH surge, whereas ECS of the CM amygdala at 12.00 h resulted in an early synchronization in the timing of the LH curves. All of the rats in both groups ovulated, in contrast to the results of applying ECS to the dorsal hippocampus; there the LH surge and ovulation were completely blocked in 7 out of 9 rats. Thus, in the freely moving rat, the hippocampus can exert a potent inhibitory influence on LH release whereas the amygdala plays a modulatory role in the process.