cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating impacts of snow, surface water, soil and vegetation on empirical vegetation and snow indices for the Utqiaġvik tundra ecosystem in Alaska with the LVS3 model

Abstract Satellite observations for the Arctic and boreal region may contain information of vegetation, soil, snow, snowmelt, and/or other surface water bodies. We investigated the impacts of vegetation, soil, snow and surface water on empirical vegetation/snow indices on a tundra ecosystem area located around Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow) of Alaska with the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) images in 2001–2014. Empirical vegetation indices, such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), the index of near infrared of vegetation (NIRv), and modified EVI (EVI2), have been used to monitor vegetation. Normalized difference snow index (NDSI) has been widely applied to monitor snow. The vegetation cover fraction (VGCF), the soil cover fraction (SOILCF), the snow cover fraction (SNOWCF), the surface water body cover fraction (WaterBodyCF), the fractional absorption of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) by vegetation chlorophyll (fAPARchl), the fractional absorption of PAR by non-chlorophyll components of the vegetation (fAPARnon-chl), and the fractional absorption of PAR by the entire canopy (fAPARcanopy) are retrieved with the MODIS images and a coupled Leaf-Vegetation-Soil-Snow-Surface water body radiative transfer model, LVS3. The vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, EVI2 and NIRv) differ from VGCF, fAPARchl, fAPARnon-chl, and fAPARcanopy. In addition to vegetation, we find that soil, snow and surface water also have impacts on vegetation indices NDVI, EVI (EVI2), and NIRv. Presence of snow makes lower the observed values of NDVI, EVI2 and NIRv. After snowmelt is gone, the vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, EVI2 and NIRv) linearly decrease with SOILCF and WaterBodyCF, and WaterBodyCF has stronger impacts on these vegetation indices than SOILCF. The relationship between EVI and snow is complicated. NDSI non-linearly increases with SNOWCF, but linearly increases with sum of SNOWCF and WaterBodyCF (sum = 0.5893 × NDSI +0.4342, R2 = 0.976). NDSI linearly decreases with VGCF, and the relationship between NDSI and SOILCF is complex. Retrievals of VGCF, fAPARchl, fAPARnon-chl and fAPARcanopy with the LVS3 model provide alternatives for vegetation monitoring and ecological modeling.
Severe acute interstitial nephritis secondary to minocycline use in an adolescent girl.

Acute interstitial nephritis is an uncommon but classic complication of minocycline therapy for acne. A 14-year-old African American girl was started on oral minocycline for the treatment of acne 6...
“Asymptomatic” Flash Pulmonary Edema by Point-of-Care Ultrasound: A Novel Bedside Finding of Transient Global Ischemia

Abstract A 65-year-old man with remitted chest pain and no tachypnea was taken urgently to catheterization because of diffuse lung ultrasound B-lines on bedside examination. He was found to have severe left-main disease. This case emphasizes the value of ultrasound to recognize acute cardiogenic interstitial pulmonary edema despite minimal symptoms. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.)
Vertical-surface navigation in the Neotropical whip spider Paraphrynus laevifrons (Arachnida: Amblypygi)

Studies on whip spider navigation have focused on their ability to locate goal locations in the horizontal plane (e.g., when moving along the ground). However, many species of tropical whip spiders reside and move along surfaces in the vertical plane (e.g., trees). Under controlled laboratory conditions, the current study investigated the ability of the tropical whip spider, Paraphrynus laevifrons, to return to a home shelter on a vertical surface in the presence of numerous, similar and competing refuge sites, as well as the distribution of navigational errors in the vertical, horizontal and diagonal plane. We also assessed the relative importance of sensory cues originating from a previously occupied home shelter compared to the position of a previously occupied shelter in guiding shelter choice. It was found that P. laevifrons displays robust fidelity in re-locating a home shelter on a vertical surface. When navigational errors did occur, they were not significantly different in all three directions. Additionally, cue-conflict test trials revealed that cues associated with an original home shelter, likely self-deposited chemical signals, were more important than sources of positional information in guiding the shelter choice of P. laevifrons.
Biochemical Control and Toxicity Outcomes of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Versus Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy in the Treatment of Low- and Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer.

Purpose Low-dose-rate (LDR) brachytherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) have both shown acceptable outcomes in the treatment of low- and intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Minimal data have been published directly comparing rates of biochemical control and toxicity with these 2 modalities. We hypothesize that LDR and SBRT will provide similar rates of biochemical control. Methods and Materials All low- and intermediate-risk patients with prostate cancer treated definitively with SBRT or LDR between 2010 and 2018 were captured. Phoenix definition was used for biochemical failure. Independent t tests were used to compare baseline characteristics, and repeated measure analysis of variance test was used to compare American Urologic Association (AUA) and the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC) scores between treatment arms over time. Biochemical control was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Differences in acute and late toxicity were assessed via Pearson χ2. Results In the study, 219 and 118 patients were treated with LDR and SBRT. Median follow-up was 4.3 years (interquartile range, 3.1-6.1). All patients treated with LDR received 125.0 Gy in a single fraction. SBRT consisted of 42.5 Gy in 5 fractions. Five-year biochemical control for LDR versus SBRT was 91.6% versus 97.6% (P = .108). LDR patients had a larger increase in mean AUA scores at 1 month (17.2 vs 10.3, P Conclusions Our data show similar biochemical control and genitourinary toxicity rates at 5 years for both SBRT and LDR, with slightly higher gastrointestinal toxicity with SBRT and higher AUA and EPIC scores with LDR.
Pleuropulmonary Blastoma in Pediatric Lung Lesions.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric lung lesions are a group of mostly benign pulmonary anomalies with a broad spectrum of clinical disease and histopathology. Our objective was to evaluate the characteristics of children undergoing resection of a primary lung lesion and to identify preoperative risk factors for malignancy. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted by using an operative database of 521 primary lung lesions managed at 11 children’s hospitals in the United States. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between preoperative characteristics and risk of malignancy, including pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB). RESULTS: None of the 344 prenatally diagnosed lesions had malignant pathology (P CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric lung masses initially diagnosed after birth, the risk of PPB approached 10%. These results strongly caution against routine nonoperative management in this patient population. DICER1 testing may be helpful given the poor sensitivity of CT for identifying malignant pathology.
Sharp Global Guarantees for Nonconvex Low-Rank Matrix Recovery in the Overparameterized Regime.

We prove that it is possible for nonconvex low-rank matrix recovery to contain no spurious local minima when the rank of the unknown ground truth $r^{\star}<r$ is strictly less than the search rank $r$, and yet for the claim to be false when $r^{\star}=r$. Under the restricted isometry property (RIP), we prove, for the general overparameterized regime with $r^{\star}\le r$, that an RIP constant of $\delta<1/(1+\sqrt{r^{\star}/r})$ is sufficient for the inexistence of spurious local minima, and that $\delta<1/(1+1/\sqrt{r-r^{\star}+1})$ is necessary due to existence of counterexamples. Without an explicit control over $r^{\star}\le r$, an RIP constant of $\delta<1/2$ is both necessary and sufficient for the exact recovery of a rank-$r$ ground truth. But if the ground truth is known a priori to have $r^{\star}=1$, then the sharp RIP threshold for exact recovery is improved to $\delta<1/(1+1/\sqrt{r})$.
Temperature-Induced Plasmon Excitations for the α-T3 Lattice in Perpendicular Magnetic Field.

We have investigated the α–T3 model in the presence of a mass term which opens a gap in the energy dispersive spectrum, as well as under a uniform perpendicular quantizing magnetic field. The gap opening mass term plays the role of Zeeman splitting at low magnetic fields for this pseudospin-1 system, and, as a consequence, we are able to compare physical properties of the the α–T3 model at low and high magnetic fields. Specifically, we explore the magnetoplasmon dispersion relation in these two extreme limits. Central to the calculation of these collective modes is the dielectric function which is determined by the polarizability of the system. This latter function is generated by transition energies between subband states, as well as the overlap of their wave functions.
The Vascularized Occipital Fascial Flap (OFF): A Novel Reconstructive Technique for Posterior Fossa Surgery.

Background Posterior fossa surgery is particularly prone to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage. Several methods have been introduced to address and/or prevent this complication. However, to the best of our knowledge, the use of a vascularized fascial flap based on the occipital artery for the purpose of reconstruction has not been reported. We introduce the occipital fascial flap (OFF) for reconstruction of a craniectomy defect after the retrosigmoid approach. Methods A 57-year-old woman with a large cerebellar metastasis underwent gross total resection of the mass followed by reconstruction of the craniectomy defect using OFF. Results Postoperative imaging showed flap viability and no CSF leak occurred during follow-up. Conclusions We report the first use of OFF for reconstruction of a craniectomy defect in a retrosigmoid approach. The vascularized fascial flap in posterior fossa surgery is a potentially helpful technique to reduce the risk of CSF leak in high-risk patients.
A Curriculum and Pedagogy of Prison Abolition: Transforming the Civics Classroom Through an Abolitionist Framework

Recent research on the school-to-prison pipeline has exposed the disciplining and punishment of Black and Brown youth in today’s school system. Given the convergence of racism and capitalism in the prison system, various marginalized community groups have called for its abolishment. Using teacher practitioner inquiry, this article asserts prison abolition as both curriculum and pedagogy in the civics classroom. Reflecting on the author’s experience teaching a twelfth-grade civics class through prison abolition, this article highlights the transformative potential of an abolitionist framework for both curriculum and pedagogy, illustrating the possibilities and challenges of applying this work in practice.
Optical Detection of Stress Waves in Glass Fiber Reinforced Plastic Composite Material

Owing to the different mechanical properties of the various components of a composite material, there exist several sources for stress waves which correspond to various stress relief mechanisms. In a glass fiber reinforced plastic material such mechanisms include matrix cracking, fiber breakage, and fiber pull-out. Since the glass fibers, plastic matrix, and glass fiber/plastic matrix bond have differing strengths, they will fail under different loads. This fact, coupled with geometrical and dimensional considerations, leads to discrete stress wave signatures of the sources which are manifested in the frequency content and morphology of the stress waves generated.
Astronomical Research with a Large Orbiting Telescope

Research with an orbiting telescope of large diameter, with an aperture of 120 inches or more, would be of unique importance for solving some of the most important problems in modern astronomy. The performance characteristics of such a telescope will be briefly reviewed, together with some discussion of the relative advantages of manned and unmanned operation. Some of the research areas that would particularly benefit from such a powerful instrument will be discussed, including, in particular: (1) The large-scale characteristics of the universe, including its geometry, homogeneity, size and curvature. (2) The structure of galaxies and their evolution in time. (3) The density distribution, chemical composition and physical state of the interstellar gas and the role of this gas in the formation of new stars and in the evolution of our galaxy. (4) The density and temperature of the gas in the galactic halo or corona, which may originate from in-falling intergalactic material or from gas shot out of the nucleus of our own galaxy. (5) Continuing and systematic study of planetary atmospheres, including changes of structure with position and with time. (6) The surface detail of the planet Mercury and its implications for the early history of the solar system.
Oblique plate convergence and interseismic strain accumulation

[1] A simple, half-space elastic model is used to investigate interseismic strain accumulation above a subduction zone associated with oblique plate convergence. The horizontal surface velocity field near the leading edge of the upper plate is found to rotate as distance from the trench increases. Above the locked portion of the plate interface, surface velocity is more oblique than the plate convergence vector. Farther back, toward the interior of the upper plate, the surface velocity is less oblique than the plate convergence vector. Surface velocity fields emphasize the strike-slip component of plate convergence near the locked zone and emphasize the dip-slip component farther back. This interseismic “strain partitioning” is purely elastic: interseismic straining will be reversed during the eventual rupture of the locked zone.
Ripening of cheddar cheese with Lactobacillus helveticus as adjunct culture produces peptides that protect human vein endothelial cells against inflammatory markers relevant to cardiovascular disease (1034.12)

Lactobacillus helveticus has been recognized as an adjunct culture that contributes to flavor development in cheddar cheese. However changes in peptides profiles throughout ripening and their anti-...
Encapsulation of high molecular weight DNA in large unilamellar phospholipid vesicles: Dependence on the size of the DNA

Liposomes, phospholipid vesicles, have been used for the past several years as a gentle and simple means of introducing into mammalian cells biologically active agents for which the cell surface membrane is not permeable. Multilamellar vesicles and small unilamellar vesicles have been used as carriers for small molecules, drugs and enzymes (reviewed in [ 11). A preparation similar to multilamellar vesicles has also been used to entrap DNA [2] and as a carrier for chromosomes [3]. Recently two procedures have been described for the preparation of large unilamellar vesicles [4,5]. Using these techniques, globin mRNA was introduced into differentiated mammalian cells resulting in the production of a globin-like prdtein [6,7]. In addition, after encapsulation intact poliovirus and purified poliovirus RNA were shown to be infectious in cells normally resistant to infection with poliovirus [8,9]. We report here that large unilamellar phosphatidylserine vesicles (LUV) are capable of encapsulating fragments of phage T7 DNA, prepared by digestion with restriction endonucleases with mol. wt 0.27-14.19 X 106. The encapsulated DNA is resistant to nuclease digestion. The efficiency of encapsulation of DNA is shown to be dependent upon the size of the DNA molecules.
The Doctor Crisis: How Physicians Can, and Must, Lead the Way to Better Health Care by Jack Cochran, MD, and Charles Kenney

Claire B. Joseph, Column EditorAlthough most Americans are well aware of the health care crisis in this country, many do not know how this crisis is affecting dedicated physicians and other health ...
Integrating Spirituality and Culture with End-of-Life Care in Medical Education

ABSTRACT To provide high-quality care that is responsive to spiritual concerns within a multicultural context, student physicians and other health care professionals must develop skills in spiritual care and be able to do so with patients from different cultures and different spiritual and religious backgrounds, particularly at the end of life. This article describes the experience of successfully introducing a curriculum on spirituality and multicultural literacy into the required Family Medicine Clerkship at Stanford University School of Medicine. Rather than a program of separate classes on spirituality, culture, and end-of-life care, an effective curriculum includes a matrix of learning activities that address: 1) a cross-cultural approach to spiritual needs, 2) spirituality at the end of life, 3) the impact of cultural values at the end of life, 4) the ways in which cultural and spiritual needs interact at the end of life, and 5) the interface between medical culture and a patient's culture. Integrat...
Standardizing the Presentation of Financial Data: Does XBRL's Taxonomy Affect the Investment Performance of Nonprofessional Investors?

Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) is mandated in the United States to make financial information easier to analyze and more useful for investors. When the technology is implemented as intended, it can standardize the information presented in the financial statements. The format is especially beneficial for nonprofessional investors, which represent approximately 41 million investors investing the United States stock exchange. In this study, we conduct an experiment comparing standard and non-standard financial statements, displayed either online or as traditional paper statements. Results suggest that XBRL’s ability to standardize financial information facilitates investment performance for nonprofessionals, offering evidence on the value of standardizing the presentation of financial statements and additional benefits of XBRL technology.
The devil is in the details: Judgments of responsibility and absenteeism from work

This paper presents and tests a model suggesting that individual episodes of absenteeism, and the circumstances surrounding these events, are an important avenue for research and can help us understand the outcomes related to this behaviour. Through an experimental design using vignettes describing the absence of a co-worker, this paper tests how reason for absence and context (i.e., work demands related to deadlines) surrounding an episode influences judgments of responsibility, emotional reactions, and behavioural intentions. The findings indicate that reasons for absence and context are important determinants of the reactions of others following an absence episode.
DdrB Protein, an Alternative Deinococcus radiodurans SSB Induced by Ionizing Radiation

Deinococcus radiodurans exhibits an extraordinary resistance to the effects of exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). DdrB is one of five proteins induced to high levels in Deinococcus following extreme IR exposure and that play a demonstrable role in genome reconstitution. Although homology is limited, DdrB is a bacterial single-stranded DNA-binding protein. DdrB features a stable core with a putative OB-fold, and a C-terminal segment with properties consistent with other bacterial SSBs. In solution, the protein functions as a pentamer. The protein binds single-stranded DNA but not duplex DNA. Electron microscopy and assays with two RecA proteins provide further structural and functional identification with bacterial SSB. Overall, the results establish DdrB as the prototype of a new bacterial SSB family. Given the role of SSB as a mobilization scaffold for many processes in DNA metabolism, the induction of an alternative and quite novel SSB following irradiation has potentially broad significance for the organization of genome reconstitution functions.
Mesoscale Downdraft Influences on Vertical Vorticity in a Mature Mesoscale Convective System

Abstract The vorticity dynamics of a lower-tropospheric mesovortex within a mature mesoscale convective system (MCS) is investigated with observations from a special sounding network and with dual-Doppler radar measurements. The data show that the vorticity distribution and tendency were dictated by the mesoscale downdraft, which formed within the storm's trailing stratiform region, and not by the mesoscale updraft. At midlevels, preexisting vertical vorticity was amplified by convergence as environmental air overtook the storm from the rear and funneled into the evaporatively cooled mesoscale downdraft. Vertical vorticity within the stratiform region also increased by the twisting of horizontal vorticity associated with a backing wind. The horizontal vorticity vector pointed opposite the velocity vector and tipped into positive vertical vorticity when the Row encountered the mesoscale downdraft. At lower-middle storm levels the twisted vorticity was subsequently amplified by convergence along with preexi...
A new method for FMRI activation detection

The objective of fMRI data analysis is to detect the region of the brain that gets activated in response to a specific stimulus presented to the subject. We develop a new algorithm for activation detection in event-related fMRI data. We utilize a forward model for fMRI data acquisition which explicitly incorporates physiological noise, scanner noise and the spatial blurring introduced by the scanner. After slice-by-slice image restoration procedure that independently restores each data slice corresponding to each time index, we estimate the parameters of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) model for each pixel of the restored data. In order to enforce spatial regularity in our estimates, we model the prior distribution of the HRF parameters as a generalized Gaussian Markov random field (GGMRF) model. We develop an algorithm to compute the maximum a posteriori (MAP) estimates of the parameters. We then threshold the amplitude parameters to obtain the final activation map. We illustrate our algorithm by comparing it with the widely used general linear model (GLM) method. In synthetic data experiments, under the same probability of false alarm, the probability of correct detection for our method is up to 15% higher than GLM. In real data experiments, through anatomical analysis and benchmark testing using block paradigm results, we demonstrate that our algorithm produces fewer false alarms than GLM.
A study of curiosity, divergent thinking, and test-anxiety.

Summary A review of the literature suggested that curiosity was positively related to divergent thinking, and negatively related to test-anxiety. Subjects were male and female 9th and 10th graders (N = 67), 11th and 12th graders (N = 67), and college undergraduates (N = 69). Curiosity was measured by an 80-item self-report scale and an adjective checklist, test-anxiety by a 37-item self-report scale, and divergent thinking by two verbal paper-and-pencil tests. The results showed that both measures of curiosity were positively related to divergent thinking in all three groups studied, but that test-anxiety was not significantly related to either curiosity or divergent thinking. Differences in performance by the three groups of subjects were discussed.
Fragment Anisotropies in Neutron-, Deuteron-, and Alpha-Particle-Induced Fission

Fragment anisotropies have been measured from fission of several compound nuclei each formed by two different projectile-target combinations: ${\mathrm{U}}^{234}$ by $n$+${\mathrm{U}}^{233}$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$+${\mathrm{Th}}^{230}$, ${\mathrm{U}}^{236}$ by $n$+${\mathrm{U}}^{235}$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$+${\mathrm{Th}}^{232}$, ${\mathrm{Np}}^{238}$ by $n$+${\mathrm{Np}}^{237}$ and $d$+${\mathrm{U}}^{236}$, ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$ by $d$+${\mathrm{Np}}^{237}$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$+${\mathrm{U}}^{235}$, and ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{240}$ by $n$+${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$ and $\ensuremath{\alpha}$+${\mathrm{U}}^{236}$. These measurements extended over an energy range of approximately 12- to 25-MeV excitation energy of the compound nucleus. Transmission coefficients were calculated to estimate the mean-square orbital angular momentum ${〈{l}^{2}〉}_{\mathrm{av}}$ of the fissioning nuclei required for the theory of fragment angular distributions. At the higher energies attained in the present experiment, uncertainties in ${〈{l}^{2}〉}_{\mathrm{av}}$ introduced by Coulomb-barrier penetration effects were small, and it was therefore possible to make comparisons between measurements and theory which indicate that the distortion of the compound nucleus at the saddle-point configuration before fission is independent of the total angular momentum and the identity of the bombarding particle. At the lower energies, where the Coulomb parameter $\ensuremath{\eta}=\frac{{Z}_{1}{Z}_{2}{e}^{2}}{\ensuremath{\hbar}v}$ is roughly 15, this comparison has shown that calculations of transmission coefficients for alpha particles give values of ${〈{l}^{2}〉}_{\mathrm{av}}$ in agreement with the data only if careful attention is given to the effects of barrier penetration. At the lowest energies, comparisons of data from ${\mathrm{U}}^{236}$ and ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{240}$ indicate that the effect of target spin on fission anisotropy is small. Additional angular distributions from neutroninduced fission of ${\mathrm{Th}}^{232}$, ${\mathrm{U}}^{233,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}234,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}235,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}236,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}238}$, ${\mathrm{Np}}^{237}$, and ${\mathrm{Pu}}^{239}$ and anisotropies of alpha-particle-induced fission of ${\mathrm{U}}^{233,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}235,\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}238}$ are also reported.
Feasibility study of acoustic sensing for the welding pool mode in variable-polarity plasma arc welding

The relationships between the acoustic signal and the modes of the welding pool, such as no-keyhole (melt-in), keyhole and cutting, in variable-polarity plasma arc welding are investigated. The Welch power spectral density (PSD) estimate and short-time Fourier transformation are implemented to analyse and identify the diVerent modes of the welding pool. The results show that the no-keyhole mode (melt-in welding process) can be clearly distinguished from the keyhole and the cutting modes. The keyhole size is inversely proportional to the Welch PSD estimate of the acoustic signal.
LISA: A Space-Based Gravitational Wave Detector

The space-base detector LISA uses three spacecraft separated by 5Gm in a triangular formation to measure gravitational waves at sub Hz frequencies. LISA science and technology with an emphasis on laser interferometry will be discussed.
c-myc mRNA is elevated as differentiating lens cells withdraw from the cell cycle

Abstract Explants of the central region of lens epithelia from early chicken embryos differentiate in vitro to form lens fiber cells when cultured in the presence of chicken vitreous humor. Hybridization of a 32 P-labeled v- myc viral oncogene DNA probe to RNA extracted from differentiating expiants and immobilized on nitrocellulose filters indicates that levels of 2.5 kb c- myc mRNA are transiently elevated 5–10-fold in the differentiating cells. Increased levels of c- myc mRNA are observed within 30 min of the initiation of differentiation in vitro and persist for 8–9 h. Thymidine labeling of nuclei in differentiating expiants indicates that entry of cells into S phase is inhibited during this period, as differentiating cells complete a final round of mitosis and withdraw from the cell cycle. Levels of c- myc mRNA are also elevated in the peripheral region of the lens epithelium, which contains cells undergoing differentiation in vivo, suggesting that the regulation of c- myc mRNA which occurs in vitro may also occur in vivo. c- myc mRNA, c- fos mRNA, and c- src mRNA showed distinct patterns of regulation associated with lens fiber formation in vivo, thus providing evidence that the regulation of c- myc mRNA is specific to this proto-oncogene. The finding that c- myc mRNA undergoes a specific, transient elevation in differentiating lens cells as they withdraw from the cell cycle contrasts with a large body of evidence linking enhanced c- myc expression with increased cell proliferation.
Ship Traffic Modeling Methodology for Ports

Simulation is a very powerful tool for the analysis and planning of seaport operations. A well-designed and calibrated simulation model can provide useful insights about complex port operations that analytical models cannot capture accurately. An important part of any port operations simulator is the module that produces the ship traffic. This paper presents a ship traffic modeling methodology based on statistical analysis of containership traffic and cargo data obtained from a port in the United States. Implementation of the described procedure led to the creation of a simulation algorithm that captured ship traffic characteristics well. Functional relationships are also developed between ship length and ship draft and between ship length and cargo capacity. The relationship between the average number of handled containers and the number of cranes used is described. The information and conclusions provided here are intended to give guidance on achieving time efficiency and accuracy in the modeling of ship traffic and calibration of container port simulation models.
Effect of Institution-Wide Policy of Colonoscopy Withdrawal Time ≥7 Minutes on Polyp Detection

Background & Aims Practice guidelines recommend that endoscopists spend at least 7 minutes examining the colonic mucosa during colonoscopy withdrawal to optimize polyp yield. The aim of this study was to determine if the implementation of an institution-wide policy of colonoscopy withdrawal time ≥7 minutes was associated with an increase in colon polyp detection. Methods All 42 endoscopists at our institute were asked to attain a colonoscopy withdrawal time of at least 7 minutes. Compliance with 7-minute withdrawal time was recorded for all nontherapeutic colonoscopies. Polyp detection ratio (number of polyps detected divided by number of colonoscopies performed) was computed. Regression models were used to assess the association between compliance with 7-minute withdrawal time and polyp detection. Results During the study period, 23,910 colonoscopies were performed. The average age of patients was 56.8 years, and 54% were female. Colon cancer screening or surveillance was the indication for 42.5% of colonoscopies. At the beginning of the study, the polyp detection ratio was 0.48. Compliance with 7-minute withdrawal time for nontherapeutic procedures increased from 65% at the beginning of the initiative to almost 100%. However, no increase in polyp detection ratio was noted over the same period for all polyps (slope, 0.0006; P = .45) or for polyps 1–5 mm (slope, 0.001; P = .26), 6–9 mm (slope, 0.002; P = .43), or ≥10 mm (slope, 0.006; P = .13). No association was detected when only colonoscopies performed for screening or surveillance were analyzed. Conclusions An institution-wide policy of colonoscopy withdrawal time ≥7 minutes had no effect on colon polyp detection.
New insights into HIV impact on hematopoiesis.

In this issue of Blood , Nixon and colleagues report on the impact of HIV infection on hematopoiesis. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs)/progenitor cells were subjected to HIV infection in vitro and in vivo using a humanized mouse model. They conclude that direct infection of intermediate progenitor
Cross-Sectional TEM Sample Preparation for Multilayer Electronic Materials

The preparation of cross-sectional TEM samples from multilayer materials commonly encountered in electronic industry is difficult in general due to the large variation in chemical and physical etching rate. We have developed a technique consisting of a median incidence angle ion sputtering to perforation followed by a short time (<2 hours) low incidence angle sputtering with the glue line direction shielded from the ion beams. This technique takes advantage of the fast sputtering rate associated with the median incidence angle sputtering initially. The near normal (relative to the glue line direction) low angle sputtering in the second step smooths out any non-uniformity in thickness due to the strong dependence of sputtering rate on the sputtering angle. High quality TEM samples prepared from many different types of multilayer structures using this technique are demonstrated.
Visions of Empire: Patriotism, Popular Culture and the City, 1870–1939. By Brad Beaven. (Manchester, England: Manchester University Press, 2012. Pp. xiii, 234. $105.00.)

For several decades, critics in a variety of related fields—history, literary studies, and postcolonial studies, to name a few—have challenged rigid, simplistic conceptions of the opposition betwee...
The possible role of the ethanol-inducible isozyme of cytochrome P450 in the metabolism and distribution of carbon disulfide

Abstract Acute treatment with ethanol and other alcohols has been shown to potentiate the hepatotoxicity of certain xenobiotics, in part via induction of the mixed-function oxidase (MFO) system. Carbon disulfide (CS2)-induced hepatotoxicity and inhibition of the MFO system have been shown to be a consequence of MFO metabolism. In the present study, the ability of several different alcohols to induce the hepatic MFO metabolism of CS2 and the effects of this induction on CS2 distribution and hepatotoxicity were examined in rats. Eighteen hours after alcohol administration ( 1 2 LD50 dose, po), CS2 microsomal MFO metabolism was significantly enhanced, in order of descending potency, by isopropanol, methanol, and ethanol pretreatments, but not by isobutanol pretreatment. The degree of enhancement of CS2 metabolism by different alcohols paralleled the enhancement of nitroanisole O-demethylation and aniline hydroxylation, MFO activities associated with the ethanol-inducible isozyme of cytochrome P450. CS2 (1 mg/kg, ip, 3 hr) inhibited only the cytochrome P450-mediated activities enhanced by alcohol pretreatment. These results suggest that CS2 metabolism is catalyzed by the ethanol-inducible isozyme. Alcohol-induced rats had significantly more 14CS2-derived radioactivity in the liver than control and isobutanol-pretreated rats 3 hr after dosing (1 mg/kg, ip). However, only methanol pretreatment resulted in an increased retention of 14CS2-derived radioactivity in plasma, brain, and kidney. Unlike other alcohol pretreatments, methanol decreased the total 14C expired during the 3-hr period after CS2 dosing and caused a significant (twofold) increase in plasma glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, measured 24 hr after CS2 exposure (625 mg/kg). These data indicate that alcohol induction of MFO-dependent CS2 metabolism per se is not sufficient to result in CS2-induced hepatic damage although it does lead to loss of specific cytochrome P450 function.
Premorbid factors in relation to motor, memory, and executive functions deficits in adult schizophrenia

This study examined two areas of premorbid adjustment (attentional functioning and social adaptation) and three areas of adult neuropsychological performance (executive functions, learning/memory, and motor functions) in a clinically stable outpatient sample of schizophrenics (n=61). The study examined three components of premorbid attentional functioning (concentration, hyperactivity, and requiring supervision for organizing activities or tasks) and three components of premorbid social adaptation (socialization skills, disciplinary problems, and antisocial behavior) in relation to the neuropsychological variables assessed in adulthood. Findings indicated that premorbid difficulties in all three attentional functioning areas and two of the three social functioning areas were related to adult neuropsychological performance. Childhood concentration deficits were not as significant an influence as distractibility on adult neuropsychological functioning, nor was excessive premorbid activity level as important as inhibiting impulsivity. Premorbid socialization deficits were related to motor dysfluency in adulthood. A history of disciplinary problems but not antisocial behavior in childhood had an adverse influence on adult neuropsychological deficits. This study demonstrated selective influences of premorbid attentional and social adjustment impairments on a broad range of cognitive abilities in adult schizophrenia.
Reactions leading to the 7Li and 8Li systems: Shell model and R-matrix calculations

Abstract Level energies and reduced width amplitudes obtained from shell model calculations for 7 Li and 8 Li are incorporated into multilevel, multichannel R -matrix calculations of cross sections for reactions leading to these compound systems. With changes to a very few of the large number of parameters obtained from the model calculations, cross sections for eight reactions leading to the 7 Li system and for five reactions leading to the 8 Li system are calculated. For reactions where data are available, the calculated cross sections are in good agreement with experimental measurements. Comparisons of the present work to other structure studies are made and suggestions as to possible improvements in the model calculations are given. The applicability of the technique used here to other nuclear structure studies is discussed.
Space-time supersymmetry in large radius expansion of superstring compactification

Abstract An explicit calculation is carried out to show that compactified solutions of superstring theory may be arrived at by a large radius perturbative expansion. These compactified solutions provide a generalization of the compactification on the Calabi-Yau spaces. The gauge connection is not an embedding of the spin connection but rather a connection on a more general holomorphic vector bundle over a complex manifold. We show explicitly that space-time supersymmetry is maintained under the expansion. The compactified dimensions are a complex hermitian manifold having SU(3) holonomy for a connection. The corresponding sigma model has the type (0, 2) supersymmetry.
Bone Microarchitecture and Stiffness in Premenopausal Women with Idiopathic Osteoporosis

Context: Idiopathic osteoporosis (IOP) is an uncommon disorder in which low areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and/or fractures occur in otherwise healthy premenopausal women. Objectives: Our objectives were to characterize bone mass, microarchitecture, and trabecular bone stiffness in premenopausal IOP and to determine whether women with low aBMD who have never fractured have abnormal microarchitecture and stiffness. Design, Setting, and Patients: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 27 normal controls and 31 women with IOP defined by low trauma fracture (n = 21) or low BMD (Z score ≤−2.0; n = 10). Main Outcome Measures: We assessed aBMD by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry; volumetric BMD and cortical and trabecular microarchitecture of the radius and tibia by high-resolution (82 μm) peripheral quantitative computed tomography; and trabecular bone stiffness (elastic moduli), estimated by micro-finite element analysis. Results: Fracture subjects did not differ from controls by age or body mass index, which was lower in low-BMD subjects than controls. Fracture subjects also had lower aBMD than controls at all sites (P < 0.05–0.0001). Bone size was similar in controls and fracture subjects but 10.6% smaller in low-BMD subjects (P < 0.05). Every trabecular parameter in both fracture and low-BMD groups was markedly worse than controls (P < 0.01–0.0001). Cortical thickness was significantly lower in both fracture and low-BMD groups at the tibia but not radius. Bone stiffness estimated by micro-finite element analysis was comparably reduced in low-BMD and fracture groups. Conclusion: Premenopausal women with IOP had marked trabecular microarchitectural deterioration at the radius and tibia. Cortical parameters were affected only at the tibia. Although they had not fractured, microarchitectural deterioration was similar in IOP women with low BMD and those with fractures.
Noncontact textile electrodes for wireless ECG system

Conductive fabrics have become an area of research interest due to the emerging applications and rapid development in e-textile industry. Advances in conductive fabrics, metal coated textile, and flexible electronics have lead to the development of novel biomedical embedded wearable system with integrated sensors, circuits and antennas. The object of the research is to develop a non-contact Ag/AgCl electrode using silver coated polyurethane fabrics. Polyurethane is considered as one of the best textiles materials for such applications [1]. Pure silver is a highly electrical and thermal conductive material. Electroplated thin film silver retain these characteristics which makes it useful in many applications such as printed circuit boards and systems [2]. Unlike electroplating, where externally supplied electrons from external energy source act as the reducing agent, electroless plating depends upon catalytic reduction of the metal ion in an aqueous solution containing reduction agent. The deposition takes place without any external electrical energy. In our research, we are using chemical plating, an autocatalytic deposition method, to depositing active metals on nonconductive passive textile surface.
Reference values for peroneal nerve motor conduction to the tibialis anterior and for peroneal vs. tibial latencies.

Objective To generate a large normative database for the peroneal study to the tibialis anterior and to analyze differences between the peroneal latency to the extensor digitorum brevis and the tibial latency to the abductor hallucis. Design A total of 244 asymptomatic subjects without risk factors for neuropathy were tested for latency, amplitude, area, duration, and nerve conduction velocity to the tibialis anterior. For the peroneal/tibial analysis, 221 subjects were included. Temperature control was used, and demographic characteristics were recorded. Results Latency to the tibialis anterior increased and nerve conduction velocity decreased with increasing height. Amplitudes, area, and nerve conduction velocity were lower in older persons. The upper limits of normal (97th percentile) were 4.9 msec (latency) and 15.0 msec (duration). The lower limits of normal (3rd percentile) were 1.7 mV (amplitude), 6.8 microV/sec (area), and 43 m/sec (nerve conduction velocity). The upper limits of normal side-to-side difference was 1.2 msec (latency), 6.3 msec (duration), 50% (amplitude), 47% (area), and 20% (nerve conduction velocity). The upper limits of normal drop from below- to above-fibular-head stimulation was 36% (amplitude) and 43% (area). For the peroneal/tibial comparison, the upper limits of normal latency increase of peroneal over tibial was 1.8 msec and tibial over peroneal was 1.5 msec. Conclusion A large normative database was collected. Upper and lower limits of normal were calculated, and side-to-side differences were analyzed. For the peroneal/tibial comparison, an upper limits of normal difference was described.
Are Two Heads Really Better than One

For oncogenes, perhaps two really is better than one. Cancer development and progression involve the sequential alteration of tumor suppressor and oncogene function, which allows for both the activation of growth-promoting pathways with inactivation of inhibitory signaling networks. Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. However, although a number of key therapeutically targetable genetic alterations that drive lung adenocarcinoma have been identified, the comparable drivers of squamous cell lung cancer have yet to be fully characterized. Justillien et al. report that protein kinase C1 (PRKCI) and SOX2 cooperate to drive a stem-like phenotype in lung squamous cell carcinoma and together drive tumorigenesis by establishing a cell-autonomous PKC-dependent Hedgehog (Hh) signaling axis. The authors used an oncosphere assay and total RNA sequencing to identify three main PKC-regulated pathways—Wnt, Hh, and Notch—associated with stem cell maintenance. A small-molecule inhibitor of PKC signaling, auranofin, inhibited oncosphere proliferation in cell-based studies. Similar results were seen with inhibitors of Hh signaling pathways in this same experimental system. Moreover, cells transduced with RNA interference to various components of the PKC-HH signaling pathway exhibited altered orthotopic lung tumor initiation in vivo. Taken together, these data indicate that cell-autonomous PKC-dependent Hh signaling is critical for oncogenic tumorigenesis in vivo. Genomic analysis and subsequent functional validation identified amplification of SOX2 as being critical for the PKC-mediated oncosphere phenotype. Interestingly, both of these genes are coamplified in a substantial percentage of lung squamous cell carcinomas. These studies identify a set of driver oncogenes in squamous cell lung cancer progression, highlight the virtues for cancer cells of cooperativitiy, and potentially define therapeutically targetable pathways for lung cancer treatment. V. Justilien et al. , The PRKCI and SOX2 oncogenes are coamplified and cooperate to activate Hedgehog signaling in lung squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Cell 25 , 139–151 (2014). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.cell.com/cancer-cell/retrieve/pii/S1535610814000336
A scattered data approximation tool to map single-walled carbon nanotube dispersion to the processing parameters in polymer nanocomposites

The relationship of nanocomposite dispersion to dispersion techniques and other processing parameters was studied. Examining all permutations of the various factors in the laboratory is a challenging task. In this paper, we propose to map a correlation between inputs and output via a self-adaptive scattered data approximation method. The proposed greedy algorithm, sequential function approximation (SFA), reveals the multidimensional behaviour of the system, provides the sensitivity of each input and presents the combination of inputs that is most suitable for a specific output. In this research, we have collected data from various research institutions and applied it to SFA. The results show that SWNT weight percent, sonication time, SWNT modification and high shear mixing time are key factors that affect the dispersion. This text discusses SFA, the data and the results in detail. This work serves as a proof of concept for functional mapping to be applied to polymer processing.
Effects of the gay publishing boom on classes of titles retrieved under the subject headings "Homosexuality," "Gay Men," and "Gays" in the OCLC WorldCat database.

What do searchers find when they look for literature on homosexuality? This question has profound implications for older as well as younger gays in their coming out, as well as in their subsequent identity development. Library records provide credible data to answer the question, since they represent relatively free sources of information, unlike data from bookstores, publishers, and some World Wide Web sites. The records of WorldCat, the world’s largest union database of library records, comprise over 30 million records listed in the Online Computer Library Center. For the purposes of the study, 18,757 records listed under "Homosexuality," "Gay Men," and "Gays" were downloaded; records for "Lesbian" and "Lesbians" were not examined. Findings of the study suggest that while there has indeed been considerable growth in terms of the quantity of gay literature produced since 1969, such gains maybe offset by the deteriorating quality of cataloging copy, which makes the experience of browsing records a discouraging and confusing one.