cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol problems and sense of coherence among older adults

The relation between alcohol problems and sense of coherence (SOC), a salutogenic model developed by Antonovsky, was assessed on a sample of 952 older members of a health maintenance organization. Data on alcohol problems (5-item index) and SOC (9-item scale) were obtained from mailed questionnaires. Multiple regression analyses indicated that SOC was a significant negative predictor of alcohol problems while controlling for alcohol consumption level, frequency of drunkenness and demographic characteristics. In addition, SOC scores were significantly higher for a subsample of lighter drinkers who reported no alcohol problems in the last year and had not been drunk in the last year (n = 419) as compared to heavier drinkers who reported at least one alcohol problem in the last year, and reported being drunk at least once in the last year (n = 107). These findings emphasize the importance of assessing factors which contribute to healthier behaviors as opposed to focusing exclusively on predictors of pathogenic outcomes.
The Neurobiology and Neuropsychology of Adult Learning Disorders

The area of adult learning disabilities is reviewed from a neurobiological and neuropsychological perspective. The seminal contributions of Galaburda's neuroanatomic studies, Duffy's neurophysiologic findings, and recent magnetic resonance imaging studies have illustrated various possible pathophysiologic bases in dyslexia and are reviewed along with other neurobehavioral disorders that may coexist with learning disorders. Neuropsychological assessment methods in evaluating learning disabilities are reviewed and test results in a case of traumatically induced dyslexia are compared to those obtained in three adults with residual developmental dyslexia. The problems associated with treatment of adult learning disorders are discussed in the context of brain plasticity and recovery of function from the perspective of a brain-injury model. Lastly, the basis common to neurologic factors subserving learning disability and emotional dysfunction is explored.
Re-adaptation hypothesis: explaining health benefits of caloric restriction

For the effectiveness of under-eating or caloric restriction a simple evolution-based re-adaptation hypothesis is offered. Our ancient ancestors, whose bodies we inherited, ate and weighed a good deal less in relation to their size than we do. Over hundred thousands of years their desire for food was checked by its scarcity and the effort it took to collect it daily from all over the countryside. Thereby they set the reference standard for living and eating normally and healthily, not we. We eat as much as we like. No creature has ever been adapted to that. By practicing caloric restriction and daily exercise, we simulate to some degree the essentials of the way of life of our well adapted forbears. By such re-adaptation to our generic heritage, we re-gain their health at least approximately.
FURTHER OBSERVATIONS ON THE RELATIVE ABSORPTION RATES OF PELLETS OF VARIOUS CRYSTALLINE COMPOUNDS IMPLANTED SUBCUTANEOUSLY IN RATS

THIS PAPER CONSTITUTES a second report on the relative absorption rates of uniformly-made pellets of various crystalline compounds which were implanted subcutaneously in rats. Also included is a consideration of the factor of crystal size in the absorption of pellets made in the author's apparatus. Study of relative absorption rates. The apparatus and technique for preparation, implantation, and recovery of the pellets has already been fully described (i). Briefly, the apparatus consists of a steel plate in which perforations form molds for cylindrical pellets. Uniform compression was achieved by subjecting the crystals in each mold to 35 blows from a ‘pile driver,’the weigh on the latter always being dropped from the same height. No excipieht was used. Fifteen pellets of desoxycorticosterone acetate, 8 of estriol, 15 of androsterone, 6 of α-estradiol, 9 of α-estradiol dipropionate, 15 of estrone, 13 of cholesterol, and 6 of α-estradiol benzoate, carefully weighed, were implanted in 56 male and 31 female ...
Teenage Motherhood, Mother-Only Households, and Teacher Expectations

Abstract In two studies, the authors examined teachers' academic expectations for students who differed by (a) racial group (Anglo-American vs. African American), (b) gender, (c) SES, (d) parental structure (2-parent vs. mother-only families), and (e) whether or not female students were teenage mothers. SES and teenage motherhood proved the strongest predictors of expectations. For girls, having a child resulted in lower expectations for high school grades, likelihood of finishing high school, and going on to college. The negative effect of teenage motherhood increased as the predicted event became more distant in the future. Students coming from middle-class families were expected to be more academically successful than were students coming from lower class homes. Higher expectations were reported for students from middle-class families where only the father worked outside the home than for students from middle-class families where both parents worked outside the home. Among boys, these differences were ...
Reticular perineurioma : a distinctive variant of soft tissue perineurioma

Soft tissue perineurioma is a relatively recently characterized, uncommon tumor composed of perineurial cells exhibiting immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA). These lesions occur preferentially in adults and may arise in a wide variety of anatomic sites. We report the clinicopathol
On the asymmetric polymerization of aspartic acid enantiomers by kaolin

Two recent reports in the literature claim thatl-aspartic acid polymerizes significantly faster thand-aspartic acid in the presence of kaolin in aqueous solution at 90°. The novelty of these observations and their potential significance for molecular evolution and the origin of optical activity in nature has prompted us to attempt a duplication of the experiments involved—using, however, analytical criteria which we felt would be more reliable than those previously employed. In our experimentsl- andd,l-aspartic acid in 0.01M solution were incubated with kaolin at 90° for 8 days. Careful examination of the aqueous residues from such experiments, however, failed to demonstrate any preferential polymerization ofl- overd-aspartic acid under the influence of kaolin, or indeed any significant gross polymerization of aspartic acid at all.
Performance modeling of secondary users in CRNs with heterogeneous channels

The goal of this paper is to model heterogeneous channel Access in Cognitive Radio Networks (CRNs). In CRNs, when licensed users, known as Primary Users (PUs), are idle, unlicensed users, known as Secondary Users (SUs) can use their assigned channels. In the model we consider in this paper, there are two types of licensed channels, where one type has a larger bandwidth, and hence a higher service rate for SUs. Therefore, SUs prefer to use such channels, if available, over channels in the second type which have a lower service rate. SUs may also switch from the second to the first type of channels when they become available, even if their current channels are still available. Moreover in our performance model, we model the SUs' sensing process, and its dependence on the system load, and number of sensing users. We use a Continuous Time Markov Chain (CTMC) modeling approach, and derive SUs' performance metrics, which include SUs admission and blocking probabilities, and their average waiting time in the system. We also develop a baseline model and compare its performance to our proposed model.
Reactive sputter-coated reaction-bonded silicon nitride

Abstract A coating technique was developed to provide high temperature oxidation resistance and hot corrosion resistance to gas turbine components made of reaction-bonded silicon nitride. Thick coatings of reactively sputtered silicon nitride were deposited onto reaction-bonded silicon nitride surfaces to form an effective oxygen diffusion barrier by eliminating all potential short-circuit paths. To accomplish this, hard crystalline coatings were produced by subsequent heat treatment of the as-deposited silicon nitride. The as-deposited and annealed films were characterized by a variety of methods to determine the phase content, extent of crystallinity, grain size and morphology. With this coating technique, the oxidation of the underlying silicon nitride was substantially reduced in the temperature range 1000–1200°C.
A Principle of Duality and the Causal Law

THE possibility of a causal space-time description of experience has recently been often denied, and emphasis has been laid upon the purely statistical validity of quantum-theoretical relations. This denial of a possible causal space-time description has aroused suspicions and diffidence in regard to the newer physics. The purpose of this note is to show that there is no need for the above denial and that we have not only one possibility of a causal space-time description of experience, but actually two of them. This superabundance of possibilities of description is the very reason, as we shall see presently, why some relations can have only statistical validity.
Method for the determination of the optical properties of highly conjugated pigments

Measurements of the near-normal solid-state-pellet reflectance of five commercially available color pigments are used to calculate the frequency-dependent complex index of refraction with the Kramers–Kronig relationship. Although it is conceptually simple, the Kramers–Kronig analysis is very sensitive to the choice of extrapolation constants that describe the reflectance behavior outside the accessible frequency range, especially in the ultraviolet. We develop a method to obtain accurate optical property data in the visible region by minimizing the difference between the absorbance calculated from the refractive index and the separately measured absorption spectrum through an appropriate choice of the high-frequency extrapolation exponent. Root-mean-square differences as low as 3% can be achieved.
A kinetic pressure effect on the experimental abiotic reduction of aqueous CO2 to methane from 1 to 3.5 kbar at 300 °C

Abstract Aqueous abiotic methane concentrations in a range of geologic settings are below levels expected for equilibrium with coexisting CO 2 and H 2 , indicating that kinetics can control the speciation of reduced carbon-bearing fluids. Previous studies have suggested that mineral catalysts or gas-phase reactions may increase the rate of methanogenesis. Here, we report on experiments that indicate pressure can also accelerate aqueous reduction of CO 2 to CH 4 . Four series of cold-seal hydrothermal experiments were performed from 1 to 3.5 kbar at 300 °C for two weeks and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The starting fluids were 10–20-μL solutions of 70-mmolal 13 C-labeled formic acid (H 13 COOH) contained in welded gold capsules. Increasing pressure ( P ) resulted in a systematic, reproducible log-linear increase in 13 CH 4 yields. The pressure effect could be quantified the log-linear slope, Δlog[ 13 CH 4 ]/Δ P (log mmolal per kbar). The mean slope was 0.66 ± 0.05 (±1s.e.), indicating that 13 CH 4 yields increased by an average factor of 40–50 over a P range of 2.5 kbar. Pressure-independent variations in [ 13 CH 4 ] were observed as scatter about the log-linear regressions and as variations in the y -intercepts of the regressions. These variations were attributed to trace amounts of catalytic Fe along the inner capsule wall that remained despite cleaning the Au capsules in nitric acid prior to each experimental series. The mechanism for the pressure-dependent effect was interpreted to result from one or more of the following three processes: reduction of a metastable reaction intermediate such as methanol, formation of Fe-carbonyl complexes in the fluid, and/or heterogeneous catalysis by Fe. The results suggest that pressure may influence aqueous abiotic CH 4 yields in certain geological environments, particularly when the relative effects of other kinetic factors such as temperature are diminished, e.g., in cool forearcs or other settings with a steep geothermal gradient. Because the experiments were performed over a limited pressure range, even modest isothermal increases in pressure may substantially enhance CH 4 yields. A kinetic pressure effect may be especially important on the deep ocean floors of planetary bodies where pressure may compensate for the otherwise sluggish reaction kinetics expected at low T .
Non-Contact Area Measurement Techniques for Cross Sectional Properties of Soft Tissues

In this study, a non-contact optical three-dimensional digitization technique is described to account for area measurement problems related to soft tissue. The technique is used to generate digitized models of human knee ligaments (collateral and cruciate ligament bundles). Cross-sectional area of knee ligaments is determined by applying Green’s theorem on data obtained from the digitized models. The surface concavity features of different ligaments shown in this study signify the extent of approximation done by projection based methods. The study also reports the variation in cross-sectional shape of a ligament along its long axis, indicating the importance of deciding the appropriate cross section for stress calculation measurements.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Computing the Kontorovich–Lebedev Integral Transforms and their Inverses

The numerical evaluation of the transforms in the title, and their inverses, is considered, using a variety of decomposition, truncation, and quadrature methods. Extensive numerical testing is provided and an application given to the numerical evaluation of the kernel of a Fredholm integral equation of interest in mixed boundary value problems on wedge-shaped domains.
Complex langevin equation and the many-fermion problem

We study the utility of a complex Langevin ~CL! equation as an alternative for the Monte Carlo ~MC! procedure in the evaluation of expectation values occurring in fermionic many-body problems. We find that a CL approach is natural in cases where nonpositive definite probability measures occur, and remains accurate even when the corresponding MC calculation develops a severe ‘‘sign problem.’’ While the convergence of CL averages cannot be guaranteed in principle, we show how convergent results can be obtained in two simple quantum mechanical models, as well as a nontrivial schematic shell model path integral with multiple particles and a noncommuting interaction ~the Lipkin model!.
African Americans and Homelessness: Moving Through History

The story of African Americans is usually absent from the mainstream textbook study of homeless people. This research begins to address this absence. It provides an overview by using eight distinct...
Tourists and retailers' perceptions of services.

Abstract This paper describes a study which measures tourist and retailers' perceptions of service levels in a tourism destination. A service quality model was used to develop survey items and interpret the results. The service dimensions used to evaluate a tourism experience included reliability, responsive, assurance, and access. The results indicate tourists evaluate tourism services based on “who” delivers as opposed to the nature of the services (as outlined in the Service Quality model). This has implications for those who create and service tourism destinations, such as city planners and leaders, tourism convention and visitor bureaus, and retailers.
Spacetime analysis of reaction at RHIC

Spacetime information about the Au-Au collisions produced at RHIC are key tools for understanding the evolution of the system and especially assessing the presence of collective behaviours. Using parametrization of the system's final state relying on collective expansion, we show that pion source radii can be tied together with transverse mass spectra and elliptic flow within the same framework. The consistency between these different measures provides a solid ground to understand the characteristics of collective flow and especially the possible peculiar behaviour of particles such as Ξ, Ω or Φ. The validity of the short time scales that are extracted from fits to the pion source size is also addressed. The wealth of new data that will soon be available from Au-Au collisions at √s NN = 200 GeV, will provide a stringent test of the spacetime analysis framework developed in these proceedings.
From Peacemaker to Advocate: A Preservice Teacher's Case Study of an Emergent Reader.

This is a case study of a case study. In order to examine the impact of conducting case-study research on preservice teacher Carrie's professional development, I followed her work with emergent reader Beth. Field-based research provided a context for posing meaningful questions and promoted professional reflection for Carrie in two areas: prior beliefs (autobiography, education, professional identity) and contexts for literacy development (child, family, school). Qualitative procedures (prolonged engagement, persistent observation, peer debriefing, examining self-as-instrument, triangulation) emerged as vital sources for focusing research questions and framing reflections. Points that deserve further study include (a) structured discussion uncovered assumptions that written reflection often did not, (b) the role of researcher encouraged Carrie to consider novel ways to negotiate professional relationships, and (c) autobiography proved a factor in case-study selection and research questions.
Lymphangiosarcoma of the gingiva

Abstract A 66-year-old woman who underwent a radical mastectomy in 1950 subsequently developed post-mastectomy lymphedema followed by lymphangiosarcoma. Twenty-two years after the mastectomy and two years after the diagnosis of lymphangiosarcoma, a metastatic gingival lesion developed. This apparently represents the first reported case of lymphangiosarcoma metastatic to the gingiva.
Language constructing language: the implications of reflexivity for linguistic theory

Abstract The reflexive (meta-linguistic) properties of language are typically represented as supplemental and inessential. Language, so the story goes, could get along perfectly well without them. The characteristics of language are independent of reflexive discourse — independent of how in metadiscourse we talk about language and its characteristics. This paper challenges this web of received opinion by asking: What might ‘first-order’ language be like if there were no way to talk, write, or sign about it — that is, if there were no ‘second order’ metalanguage? By considering the consequences for writing, translation, pragmatics, semantics, and language acquisition and evolution, the conclusion arrived at is that without ‘second-order’, reflexive properties, ‘first order’ language itself could not exist.
A note on lorentz-invariant markov processes

This note will remove some unnecessary regularity assumptions from my first paper on the subject [1]. There, beyond the conditions of spatial and temporal homogeneity, Lorentz-invariance, the Markov property, and the requirement that speeds be less than that of light, there were additional assumptions: continuity in probability ((E), p. 248) and existence of derivatives with probability one at each time (first half of (C), p. 248). Both these assumptions will be shown to follow from the others. This makes easier the proof of the converse part of the main theorem of [1], Theorem 8.2, as will be indicated below.
Preparation of Red Blood Cells Containing Exogenous Hemoglobin

A technique is described for opening the membrane of a red blood cell by electroporation in a manner which permits free exchange of the native hemoglobin with exogenous hemoglobin in the surrounding medium. After resealing the RBC's demonstrate near normal size and hemoglobin content and retain an effective methemoglobin reduction system. This method can be used to introduce natural or genetically engineered hemoglobins with altered oxygen binding characteristics. Allosteric effectors and other non-diffusible small molecules can be encapsulated during the same procedure. A fish Root effect hemoglobin exchanged into rat RBC's produced oxygen transport characteristics, unloading at high pressure at acidic pH, which should be useful to treat tissue hypoxia from a variety of causes.
Worldwide asthma epidemic

Overall, an increasing trend has been reported in the prevalence of asthma in recent decades; however, large variations in the prevalence of childhood and adult asthma have been reported. Prevalences are generally higher in affluent countries than in poorer countries. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain these trends. These theories most often relate to socioeconomic status, family size, early-childhood infections and hygiene, allergen exposure, diet and obesity, perinatal risk factors, and environmental pollution. Asthma is a complex syndrome rather than a single entity. Different phenotypes with varying prognosis and determinants have been described, particularly those that occur during the childhood years [1]. Transient early wheezing is characterized by the occurrence of wheezing symptoms in infants up to age 2 to 3 years, after which the symptoms disappear. The main predictor of these wheezing illnesses is premorbid, reduced lung function [2,3]. These impairments in pulmonary function in part are determined by passive smoke exposure in utero [4] and result in symptoms of airway obstruction in infants who are infected with respiratory viruses. Atopy and a family history do not influence the incidence and natural course of this wheezing phenotype. In contrast, wheeze among school-aged children most often is associated with atopic sensitization, airway hyperresponsiveness, and a familial predisposition for asthma [1]. The severity of symptoms and degree of atopic sensitization and airway responsiveness determine the prognosis of this wheezing phenotype [5]. It seems likely that a third wheezing phenotype exists among preschool children that mostly is related to viral infections [6]. These children have a better prognosis than atopic wheezers, and their symptoms often disappear around school age. Most epidemiologic studies have been cross-sectional surveys and do not enable examination the different wheezing phenotypes. Only prospective studies
Photoacoustic analysis of proteins: volumetric signals and fluorescence quantum yields

A series of proteins has been examined using time-resolved, pulsed-laser volumetric photoacoustic spectroscopy. Photoacoustic waveforms were collected to measure heat release for calculation of fluorescence quantum yields, and to explore the possibility of photoinduced nonthermal volume changes occurring in these protein samples. The proteins studied were the green fluorescent protein (GFP); intestinal fatty acid binding protein (IFABP), and adipocyte lipid-binding protein (ALBP), each labeled noncovalently with 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate (1,8-ANS) and covalently with 6-acryloyl-2-(dimethylamino)naphthalene (acrylodan); and acrylodan-labeled IFABP and ALBP with added oleic acid. Of this group of proteins, only the ALBP labeled with 1,8-ANS showed significant nonthermal volume changes at the beta = 0 temperature (approximately 3.8 degrees C) for the buffer used (10 mM Tris-HCI, pH 7.5) (beta is the thermal cubic volumetric expansion coefficient). For all of the proteins except for acrylodan-labeled IFABP, the fluorescence quantum yields calculated assuming simple energy conservation were anomalously high, i.e., the apparent heat signals were lower than those predicted from independent fluorescence measurements. The consistent anomalies suggest that the low photoacoustic signals may be characteristic of fluorophores buried in proteins, and that photoacoustic signals derive in part from the microenvironment of the absorbing chromophore.
CONSTITUTIVE MODEL FOR GEOLOGICAL AND OTHER POROUS MATERIALS UNDER DYNAMIC LOADING

An effective stress model is described for use in numerical calculations on porous materials which are partially or fully saturated with water. The flow rule chosen for the shear failure portion of the model is examined and shown to have significant influence on wave propagation results. A flow rule which produces dilatancy results in less attenuation than a rule producing shear-enhanced void collapse. The dilatancy producing rule is less prone to producing liquefaction and results in significantly higher stress levels behind the wave front. 8 refs., 6 figs.
Mercury cadmium telluride short- and medium-wavelength infrared staring focal plane arrays

Short and medium IR wavelength 64 x 64 hybrid focal plane arrays (FPAs) have been developed using sapphire-grown HgCdTe. The short wavelength arrays were developed for a prototype airborne imaging spectrometer, while those of medium wavelength are suitable for tactical missile seekers and strategic surveillance systems. Attention is presently given to results obtained for these FPAs' current-voltage characteristics, as well as for their characterization at different temperatures. The detector arrays were also mated to a multiplexer and characterized under different operating conditions. The unit cell size used is 52 x 52 microns.
Stress Analysis of O.D. Notched Thick-Walled Cylinders Subjected to Internal Pressure or Thermal Loads

Abstract : Finite element stress analysis has been performed to determine the effects of two OD notch configurations in a cylinder subjected to internal pressure, or containing autofrettage residual stress. The effects on the residual stresses were determined by simulating these stresses with active temperature loads. The results show that the deeper of the two notch configurations is far more severe resulting in a maximum stress concentration factor of 2.9. The shallower notch has a maximum stress concentration factor of 2.0. An additional result is that by introducing notches in autofrettaged cylinders a significant amount of the residual stresses are relieved which indicates that smaller applied pressures can be contained by these cylinders, than in smooth cylinders before yielding occurs. The results also show that the possibility of OD initiated fatigue failure is greatly increased.
The value of alkaline phosphatase in peritoneal lavage.

The accuracy of peritoneal lavage for diagnosis of intra-abdominal injury in trauma is limited by its relative lack of sensitivity for hollow viscus injury. Peritoneal lavage in the dog indicates that alkaline phosphatase is an early marker of intestinal injury. If these results were confirmed in human patients, alkaline phosphatase determination would improve lavage sensitivity for hollow viscus injuries. A study was conducted to determine the usefulness of alkaline phosphatase in lavage in human beings. Alkaline phosphatase was measured in all trauma lavage samples sent for laboratory assay during a one-year period. Two hundred ninety-two lavages were performed: 25 were positive by laboratory criteria, and 66 were grossly positive. There were 13 intestinal injuries — nine were grossly positive, and four were diagnosed by laboratory results. Three of these four patients with intestinal injuries had elevated lavage alkaline phosphatase. All three (lavaged from 30 minutes to two hours after injury) also had elevated white blood cells or bile in the lavage fluid. The remaining intestinal injury was diagnosed by lavage bile but had no elevation of alkaline phosphatase (lavaged 15 minutes after injury). Two patients with elevated alkaline phosphatase in otherwise negative lavages were observed for at least five days; neither demonstrated any evidence of intra-abdominal injury. We conclude that alkaline phosphatase is no better than traditional determinants of intestinal injury in peritoneal lavage. In no patient was alkaline phosphatase helpful in diagnosing a hollow viscus injury, and its use would have prompted two unnecessary laparotomies. These data do not support the use of lavage alkaline phosphatase to identify hollow viscus injuries.
Solar tides as revealed by measurements of mesosphere temperature by the MLS experiment on UARS

Abstract Temperatures between 25 and 86 km measured by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) experiment on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) are analyzed to delineate diurnal, semidiurnal, and terdiurnal tidal structures and stationary planetary waves. These Fourier components are determined from temperatures averaged in bins covering 5° latitude, 30° longitude and 1 h in local time. This study confirms the presence of diurnal nonmigrating tides with zonal wavenumbers s = 0, 2, −3 [s > 0 (s < 0) implying westward (eastward) propagation] and semidiurnal tides with s = 1 and 3, and some components of lesser importance that were previously determined from UARS wind measurements near 95 km. The seasonal–latitudinal and height structures of these components are now revealed, and utilized to aid in interpreting their behaviors and ascertaining their origins. New discoveries include the terdiurnal s = 2 and s = 4 components, and trapped nonmigrating diurnal tides with s = 0 and s = 2. The former are like...
Optical Probes of C60 Thin Films

Abstract Data obtained from thin films of C60 using the techniques of absorption, photoluminescence, resonance Raman scattering, electroabsorption, and transient photomodulation are presented to develop an understanding of the energy levels and their dynamics in this fullerene solid.
Characterization of Mixed Cobalt‐Molybdenum Oxides Prepared by Evaporative Decomposition of Solutions

The synthesis of Co-Mo oxides by the evaporative decomposition of solutions method has been investigated. The oxides were prepared from atomized metal salt solution precursors decomposed in less than 3 s in air at 700°C. The materials obtained were primarily hollow spheres (1 to 6 μm) composed of fine (100 to 500 A (10 to 50 nm)) crystallites. CoO, Co2Mo3O8, and CoMoO4 were the major crystalline phases identified. The Co-Mo oxides were depleted in Mo relative to the precursor solutions and could not be prepared with Co/Mo atom ratios less than unity. A schematic Co-Mo-O isothermal section was constructed to explain the compositions, morphologies, and phase distributions observed for materials having different Co/Mo ratios. The loss in Mo was explained by the high vapor pressure of MoO3.
Mechanistic Role of MicroRNA in Cancer Chemoprevention by Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs

Over the past several decades, studies have documented the cancer chemopreventive activity of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) by lowering incidence and slowing down progression of malignant disease, which consequently lead to decline of cancer-related mortality and improvement of disease progression-free survival (PFS). Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) has been primarily believed to be the key mechanism responsible for anticancer activity of NSAIDs, while the serious toxicity caused by COX inhibitory effect reduces the enthusiasm to use NSAIDs as chemopreventive agents in the clinic. Recently, more and more studies demonstrate that non-COX inhibitory mechanisms may, at least partially, account for anticancer properties of NSAIDs, which potentially support the indication of NSAIDs on cancer chemoprevention. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a set of non-coding and small RNA molecules with the master regulatory effect on over 30 % human genes through the post-transcriptional and translational modulation. Although miRNAs have been reported to be involved in many normal and pathological processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, as well as tumorigenesis; their roles in NSAIDs’ properties of cancer chemoprevention have not yet been studied exclusively. Here, we will review the prior studies reporting the interactions between miRNAs and COX/non-COX pathways with the intent to provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for NSAIDs’ anticancer activity.
dSno Facilitates Baboon Signaling in the Drosophila Brain by Switching the Affinity of Medea Away From Mad and Toward dSmad2

A screen for modifiers of Dpp adult phenotypes led to the identification of the Drosophila homolog of the Sno oncogene (dSno). The dSno locus is large, transcriptionally complex and contains a recent retrotransposon insertion that may be essential for dSno function, an intriguing possibility from the perspective of developmental evolution. dSno is highly transcribed in the embryonic central nervous system and transcripts are most abundant in third instar larvae. dSno mutant larvae have proliferation defects in the optic lobe of the brain very similar to those seen in baboon (Activin type I receptor) and dSmad2 mutants. This suggests that dSno is a mediator of Baboon signaling. dSno binds to Medea and Medea/dSno complexes have enhanced affinity for dSmad2. Alternatively, Medea/dSno complexes have reduced affinity for Mad such that, in the presence of dSno, Dpp signaling is antagonized. We propose that dSno functions as a switch in optic lobe development, shunting Medea from the Dpp pathway to the Activin pathway to ensure proper proliferation. Pathway switching in target cells is a previously unreported mechanism for regulating TGFβ signaling and a novel function for Sno/Ski family proteins.
Unified canonical forms for linear time-varying dynamical systems under D-similarity transformations. II

For pt.I see ibid., p.74-81. The linear differential equation operators, D spaces, and D-similarity transformations introduced in pt.I, are used to establish a number of results for the analysis of time-varying linear dynamical systems. In particular, the concepts of D-characteristic equations (which include the well-known Riccati equation as a special case), essential D (ED) eigenvalues, ED eigenvectors, and ED eigenspaces for vector and scalar time-varying linear systems are presented. Two spectral canonical forms for time-varying linear systems and four canonical D-similarity transformations that relate the classical companion canonical forms with the time-varying spectral canonical forms are developed. These canonical forms serve to unify the classical Jordan and diagonal canonical forms and the classical (generalized) Vandermonde matrix for the general class of time-varying linear systems. >
A Silent Killer—Often Preventable

Deep vein thrombosis and its potentially fatal complication, PE, accounts for more than 250,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. Pulmonary embolism is the most serious complication and has a 3-month mortality of 17%. Two million people each year are affected by VTE, and the prevalence is rising because of the aging population. Deep vein thrombosis and its potential complication, PE, is preventable. However, there still is widespread failure to screen, diagnose, and initiate prophylactic therapy in patients at risk. This failure can be corrected by development of a heightened awareness of risk factors among emergency department physicians and nurses and by similar personnel caring for bedridden hospitalized patients. A recent landmark study Prophylaxis in Medical Patients With Enoxaparin Study (MEDENOX) revealed the risk factors of VTE in order of frequency: (1) previous VTE, (2) acute infectious disease, (3) cancer, (4) age greater than 75 years, and (5) chronic respiratory disease. This study confirmed the effectiveness of a LMWH, enoxaparin, in the prevention of VTE.
Quantitative single-molecule conformational distributions: a case study with poly-(L-proline).

Precise measurement of the potential of mean force is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the dynamics and chemical reactivity of a biological macromolecule. The unique advantage provided by the recently developed constant-information approach to analyzing time-dependent single-molecule fluorescence measurements was used with maximum entropy deconvolution to create a procedure for the accurate determination of molecular conformational distributions, and analytical expressions for the errors in these distributions were derived. This new method was applied to a derivatized poly(l-proline) series, PnCG3K(biotin) (n = 8, 12, 15, 18, and 24), using a modular, server-based single-molecule spectrometer that is capable of registering photon arrival times with a continuous-wave excitation source. To account for potential influence from the microscopic environment, factors that were calibrated and corrected molecule by molecule include background, cross-talk, and detection efficiency. For each single poly(...
Language Without Linguistics

Though Mr. Lin purports to attack “Chomsky's view of language” and to defend the “common sense view of language”, he in fact attacks “views” that are basic and common to linguists, psycholinguists, and developmental psychologists. Indeed, though he cites W. V. O. Quine, L. Wittgenstein, and J. L. Austin in his support, they all sharply part company from his views, Austin particularly. Lin's views are not common sense but a set of scholarly and philological prejudices that linguistics disparaged from its inception as an organized science a hundred years ago.
Femoral Nerve Block Is Associated With Persistent Strength Deficits at 6 Months After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients

Background:Femoral nerve block (FNB) has become a popular method of postoperative analgesia for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in pediatric and adolescent patients. Successful rehabilitation after surgery involves return of quadriceps and hamstring strength.Purpose:To compare knee strength and function 6 months after ACL reconstruction in pediatric and adolescent patients who received FNB versus patients with no nerve block.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Patients 18 years or younger who underwent primary ACL reconstruction between 2000 and 2010 at a single institution were identified. If the patient was skeletally immature, a transphyseal ACL reconstruction was performed. Of these patients, 68% underwent reconstruction with a patellar tendon autograft, and in 32% of patients a hamstring autograft was utilized. There were 124 patients who met the study inclusion criteria, including 62 in the FNB group (31 males, 31 females) and 62 patients in the control group (25 ...
Rate control for permanent atrial fibrillation: a Race (II) worth running?

The first attempt to control the ventricular rate in a patient with atrial fibrillation (AF) was likely the description by William Withering of a patient whose pulse became “more full and more regular” after the administration of digitalis leaf in 1785 ([1][1]). In the 1931 edition of “
Convergence of Web 2.0 and SOA: Taking Advantage of Web Services to Implement a Multimodal Social Networking System

The term Web 2.0 describes Web-based applications such as social networking sites, wikis, and blogs that facilitate collaboration, creativity, and sharing among users. Web 2.0 applications are often enabled by reusing content from other Web-based applications or Web services. This trend is largely parallel to the principles of service-oriented architecture (SOA), which encourages integration and reuse of online services. In this paper, we discuss the possibility of convergence of Web 2.0 and SOA, which is illustrated by a multimodal social networking system, built using Web services. We also present the results of benchmarking experiments aimed to study the latency caused by Web service composition and integration and its effects on the end-user experience.
Fusion of inertial, vision, and air pressure sensors for MAV navigation

Traditional methods used for navigating miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (MAVs) consist of fusion between Global Positioning System (GPS) and inertial measurement unit (IMU) information. However, many of the flight scenarios envisioned for MAVs (in urban terrain, indoors, in hostile (jammed) environments, etc.) are not conducive to utilizing GPS. Navigation in GPS-denied areas can be performed using an IMU only. However, the size, weight, and power constraints of MAVs severely limits the quality of IMUs that can be placed on-board the MAVs, making IMU-only navigation extremely inaccurate. In this paper, we introduce a system for fusing information from two additional sensors (an electro-optical camera and differential air pressure sensor) with the IMU to improve the navigation abilities of the MAV. We discuss some important implementation issues that must be addressed when fusing information from these sensors together. Results demonstrate an improvement of at least 10x in final position accuracy when fusing together information from these sensors as outlined in this paper.
Application Conditions of Effective Medium Theory in Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer Between Multilayered Metamaterials

This work addresses the validity of the local effective medium theory (EMT) in predicting the near-field radiative heat transfer between multilayered metamaterials, separated by a vacuum gap. Doped silicon and germanium are used to form the metallodielectric superlattice. Different configurations are considered by setting the layers adjacent to the vacuum spacer as metal–metal (MM), metal–dielectric (MD), or dielectric–dielectric (DD) (where M refers to metallic doped silicon and D refers to dielectric germanium). The calculation is based on fluctuational electrodynamics using the Green's function formulation. The cutoff wave vectors for surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) and hyperbolic modes are evaluated. Combining the Bloch theory with the cutoff wave vector, the application condition of EMT in predicting near-field radiative heat transfer is presented quantitatively and is verified by exact calculations based on the multilayer formulation.
The Value of Ethnography

As an anthropologist whose main methodological approach to the study of media industries is long-term ethnographic fieldwork, in my essay I want to highlight the importance of the issues of practice, social relations, and subjectivity to the study of mass media production as well as the utility of ethnography as a method. My approach to a large-scale market-driven media industry differs considerably from the legacy established by the Frankfurt School’s “culture industry” approach to the analysis of mass media, whereby the political economic structures of production preclude discussions of subjectivity, agency, and meaning. I contend that in order to understand the complexities of media production, it is necessary to examine producers’ sentiments and subjectivities in conjunction with questions of political economy. Regarding media producers as agents grounded in specific social, historical, and interpretive locations and their activity of production as comprising a domain of social practice complicates the discussion of commercial mass media production and takes it beyond simplistic assertions of the “bottom-line”—that somehow the pursuit of profit provides the limits of analysis.
Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) for base of tongue neoplasms.

Objective: To develop a minimally invasive surgical technique for the treatment of base of tongue neoplasms using the optical and technical advantages of robotic surgical instrumentation. Study Design: Ten experimental procedures including tongue base exposure and dissections were performed on three cadavers and two mongrel dogs. Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) was then performed on three human patients with tongue base cancers in a prospective human trial. Methods: Using the da Vinci Surgical Robot (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA), we performed a total of 10 base of tongue resections on edentulous and dentate cadavers as well as live mongrel dogs. In the cadaver models, exposure was evaluated using three different retractors, the Dingman, Crowe Davis, and FK retractors. The three human patients underwent TORS surgery of their tongue base cancers under an institutional review board approved prospective clinical trial. The ability to identify and preserve or resect key anatomic structures such as the glossopharyngeal, hypoglossal, and lingual nerves as well as techniques for identifying the lingual artery and achieving hemostasis were developed. Results: The da Vinci Surgical Robot provided excellent visualization and enabled removal of the posterior one third to one half of the oral tongue in cadavers, dogs, and human patients. Among the three retractors evaluated, the FK retractor offered the greatest versatility and overall exposure for robotic instrument maneuverability. Complete resection to negative surgical margins with excellent hemostasis and no complications was achieved in the live patient surgeries. Conclusions: TORS provided excellent three-dimensional visualization and instrument access that allowed successful surgical resections from cadaver models to human patients. TORS is a novel and minimally invasive approach to tongue neoplasms that has significant advantages over classic open surgery or endoscopic transoral laser surgery.
Origin of marine barite deposits: Sr and S isotope characterization

Barite can precipitate in microenvironments in the water column (marine barite), from supersaturated pore fluids at the oxic-anoxic boundary within marine sediments and where Ba-rich pore fluids are expelled and come into contact with sulfate-rich seawater (diagenetic barite), or from hydrothermal solutions (hydrothermal barite). Barite is relatively resistant to alteration after burial and has been used in paleoceanographic studies to reconstruct seawater chemistry and productivity through time. For such applications it is very important to determine the origin of the barite used, because both diagenetic and hydrothermal barite deposits may not accurately record the open-ocean contemporaneous seawater chemistry and productivity. We show here that it is possible to distinguish between the different types of barite by using Sr and S isotopes along with crystal morphology and size characteristics.
Small School Ritual and Parent Involvement

Inner-city and rural schools have the common problem of increasingly distant (literally and figuratively) populations. Often these same schools desire parents to be involved in their children's education. If their involvement is to improve, parents may need to be socialized about school ways, even while the school transforms itself to address the same issues. School rituals can be vehicles for socializing parents as rituals construct changes of identity. In addition, rituals are useful for imagining how things could be otherwise. This paper presents the ritual socialization of parents into a school community at the annual school potluck of a small, rural elementary school. The ritual is analyzed for how the communication and construction of values and beliefs take place.