cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiotherapy Alone or With Chemotherapy in the Management of Carcinoma of the Supraglottic Larynx: A 25-Year Community Hospital Experience.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to retrospectively review outcomes for patients treated with definitive radiotherapy for carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx at a community hospital and to compare our results with the literature. MATERIALS AND METHODS Treatment records of 46 patients with localized carcinoma of the supraglottic larynx treated from January 1987 through January 2012 were reviewed. Overall, 18 (39%) presented with stage I or II disease, whereas 28 (61%) presented with stage III to IV. In total, 30 patients (65%) were treated using hyperfractionation, whereas 16 (35%) received once-daily fractionation. Twelve patients (26%) received concurrent chemotherapy with weekly cisplatin. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess outcomes. RESULTS The median follow-up for the living patients was 6.7 years (range, 1.7 to 23.1 y). At 5 years, the local-regional control (LRC), ultimate LRC, laryngeal preservation, and overall survival (OS) rates were 70%, 82%, 65%, and 53%, respectively. At 5 years, disease-free survival and cause-specific survival rates were 75% and 76%, respectively. The 5-year OS rates by American Joint Committee on Cancer stage were as follows: I to II, 61%; III, 51%; and IV, 44%. For those receiving concurrent chemotherapy, there was no improvement in 5-year LRC (83% vs. 66%; P=0.4081) or OS (55% vs. 50%; P=0.7697). For those receiving hyperfractionation, there was no improvement in 5-year LRC (75% vs. 63%; P=0.3369) or OS (55% vs. 50%; P=0.4161). CONCLUSIONS Our outcomes are similar to those reported in the literature. Neither hyperfractionation nor chemotherapy appeared to confer a benefit for disease control or OS possibly owing to small sample size and the inherent bias of a retrospective review.
Asymptotic properties of principal component projections with repeated eigenvalues

Abstract In FPCA methods, it is common to assume that the eigenvalues are distinct in order to facilitate theoretical proofs. We relax this assumption, provide a stochastic expansion for the estimated functional principal component projections, and establish their asymptotic normality.
Single-Incision Laparoscopic Ileostomy and Colostomy Creation

While not necessary, an ileostomy or colostomy can be created laparoscopically. In cases where a stoma is planned, stoma creation is an ideal single-incision case, as placing the port through the predetermined stoma site leads to an “incisionless surgery.” If placed at the end of a procedure for protection or stand alone, reduced ports can be used to assist with safe entry, running the bowel, and assuring proper orientation. As in any operation, come prepared – know your patient, know the pathology, and be prepared to have a backup plan if the operation originally planned is not feasible. When there is flexibility in the stoma created, keep in mind that a loop ileostomy is usually the easiest stoma to maintain.
Coronary artery spasm and perioperative cardiac arrest.

There has been increasing interest in coronary artery spasm as an etiopathogenic mechanism for various syndromes associated with myocardial ischemia. A case with documented organic coronary artery disease is presented, in which coronary artery spasm was the probable cause of intraoperative and early postoperative cardiac arrest. We recommend that coronary spasm be considered in the differential diagnosis of perioperative cardiac arrest.
Evaluation of hybrid and pure DFT methods for the binding of novel ligands in the tyrosine hydroxylase enzyme

Abstract The M06-2X, M06-L, and M06 functionals were used to evaluate the interaction energies of novel ligands in the TyrOH active site. TyrOH is the rate determining enzyme in the catecholamine-dopamine pathway, converting tyrosine to l -DOPA. The inhibition of TyrOH, however, reduces dopamine in the brain to undetectable levels (Spector et al., 1965). A crystal structure of the active site of tyrosine hydroxylase with a known inhibitor bound was obtained from the protein data bank (PDB ID: 2TOH ) (Goodwill et al., 1998). In this work, dopaminergic derivatives, which could be potential treatments for Parkinson’s disease were inserted into the enzymatic active site in silico in order to test the strength of the interactions between the ligand and active site, to determine if any of these derivatives could be effective inhibitors. M06 and M06-2X are hybrid functionals, while M06-L is a pure DFT method; all of these functionals were used to optimize structures and to analyze interaction energies. The novel dopaminergic derivatives were optimized in the active site with implicit solvent with either M06-2X, M06-L, or M06 and 6-31G with relaxed amino acid side chains. Counterpoise corrected interaction energies between the ligands and protein were determined using the same DFT methods mentioned above with the 6-311+G∗ basis set. This work shows significant differences between the methods within the same complex. The analysis has also helped to determine promising ligands for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease that would not inhibit TyrOH.
A sociolinguistic consideration of free and open source software teams as virtual communities of practice

A sociolinguistic exploration of free and open source software (FOSS) development teams as virtual communities of practice will offer further conclusions about the identity of these groups and their relevance to linguistic inquiry. Making use of the "third wave" notion of style laid out by Eckert (2012), it is revealed how a FOSS community may make use of certain language norms to cement their identity both against their opponent of proprietary software groups and within the larger spheres of the Internet.
A Systematic Review of Etiological Risk Factors Associated With Early Mortality Among National Football League Players.

Background:Multiple risks predispose professional football players to adverse health outcomes and, in extreme cases, early death; however, our understanding of etiological risk factors related to e...
DeDoS: Defusing DoS with Dispersion Oriented Software

This paper presents DeDoS, a novel platform for mitigating asymmetric DoS attacks. These attacks are particularly challenging since even attackers with limited resources can exhaust the resources of well-provisioned servers. DeDoS offers a framework to deploy code in a highly modular fashion. If part of the application stack is experiencing a DoS attack, DeDoS can massively replicate only the affected component, potentially across many machines. This allows scaling of the impacted resource separately from the rest of the application stack, so that resources can be precisely added where needed to combat the attack. Our evaluation results show that DeDoS incurs reasonable overheads in normal operations, and that it significantly outperforms standard replication techniques when defending against a range of asymmetric attacks.
Development and Testing of Physically-Based Methods for Filling Gaps in Remotely Sensed River Data

Abstract : The specific objectives of the research work carried out under this grant are to develop and test two methods for filling in gaps in remotely sensed river data. The first method is based on developing a new numerical method to fill in missing information in remotely sensed data sets using the equations expressing conservation of mass and momentum. The second method is based on using existing models for coupled computations of flow, sediment transport, and bed evolution to predict where remotely sensed data is likely to be incorrect and to repair errors using predictions of morphologic evolution of the bed. This method is directed primarily at errors in bathymetry, although we believe it could potentially be used in conjunction with the first method to repair other kinds of remotely sensed information. For the first year of this grant, our goals were (1) to develop and test the second method by using existing river bathymetry data sets to evaluate the capability of morphodynamics models for finding and correcting errors, (2) to collect data sets in the laboratory suitable for testing the first method, and (3) to collect at least one large-scale field data set for testing the second method.
A Family in Iran: Women Teachers, Minority Integration, and Family Networks in the Jewish Schools of the Alliance Israélite Universelle in Iran, 1900–1950

The Alliance Israelite Universelle, an international Jewish educational philanthropy based in Paris, began to establish modern, secularized schools for girls and boys in North Africa, the Middle Ea...
Age-related decrease in collagen proton fraction in tibial tendons estimated by magnetization transfer modeling of ultrashort echo time magnetic resonance imaging (UTE-MRI).

Clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences are not often capable of directly visualizing tendons. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI can acquire high signal from tendons thus enabling quantitative assessments. Magnetization transfer (MT) modeling combined with UTE-MRI—UTE-MT-modeling—can indirectly assess macromolecular protons in the tendon. This study aimed to determine if UTE-MT-modeling is a quantitative technique sensitive to the age-related changes of tendons. The legs of 26 young healthy (29 ± 6 years old) and 22 elderly (75 ± 8 years old) female subjects were imaged using UTE sequences on a 3T MRI scanner. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and all recruited subjects provided written informed consent. T1 and UTE-MT-modeling were performed on anterior tibialis tendons (ATT) and posterior tibialis tendons (PTT) as two representative human leg tendons. A series of MT pulse saturation powers (500–1500°) and frequency offsets (2–50 kHz) were used to measure the macromolecular fraction (MMF) and macromolecular T2 (T2MM). All measurements were repeated by three independent readers for a reproducibility study. MMF demonstrated significantly lower values on average in the elderly cohort compared with the younger cohort for both ATT (decreased by 16.8%, p = 0.03) and PTT (decreased by 23.0%, p < 0.01). T2MM and T1 did not show a significant nor a consistent difference between the young and elderly cohorts. For all MRI parameters, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was higher than 0.98, indicating excellent consistency between measurements performed by independent readers. MMF serving as a surrogate measure for collagen content, showed a significant decrease in elderly leg tendons. This study highlighted UTE-MRI-MT techniques as a useful quantitative method to assess the impact of aging on human tendons.
Serum deprivation initiates adaptation and survival to oxidative stress in prostate cancer cells.

Inadequate nutrient intake leads to oxidative stress disrupting homeostasis, activating signaling, and altering metabolism. Oxidative stress serves as a hallmark in developing prostate lesions, and an aggressive cancer phenotype activating mechanisms allowing cancer cells to adapt and survive. It is unclear how adaptation and survival are facilitated; however, literature across several organisms demonstrates that a reversible cellular growth arrest and the transcription factor, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB), contribute to cancer cell survival and therapeutic resistance under oxidative stress. We examined adaptability and survival to oxidative stress following nutrient deprivation in three prostate cancer models displaying varying degrees of tumorigenicity. We observed that reducing serum (starved) induced reactive oxygen species which provided an early oxidative stress environment and allowed cells to confer adaptability to increased oxidative stress (H2O2). Measurement of cell viability demonstrated a low death profile in stressed cells (starved + H2O2), while cell proliferation was stagnant. Quantitative measurement of apoptosis showed no significant cell death in stressed cells suggesting an adaptive mechanism to tolerate oxidative stress. Stressed cells also presented a quiescent phenotype, correlating with NF-κB nuclear translocation, suggesting a mechanism of tolerance. Our data suggests that nutrient deprivation primes prostate cancer cells for adaptability to oxidative stress and/or a general survival mechanism to anti-tumorigenic agents.
Distinguishing Periprosthetic Crystalline Arthropathy from Infection in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review.

Distinguishing periprosthetic crystalline arthropathy from periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) remains a diagnostic challenge as both symptom presentation and diagnostic tests overlap. Accurate differentiation is important as treatment plans vary significantly. We sought to systematically review all cases of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) periprosthetic crystalline arthropathy reported in the literature and summarize clinical, diagnostic, and operative findings in the context of guidelines for diagnosing PJI. The goal of this systematic review is to determine the amount of diagnostic overlap and to identify best practices for differentiating between these two diagnoses. MEDLINE and Google Scholar were searched to identify cases of crystalline arthropathy following TKA. Case reports were reviewed for patient characteristics, clinical symptoms, physical exam, laboratory results, and treatment outcomes. These findings were summarized across patients and dichotomized based on current thresholds for diagnosing PJI according to Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. Twenty-six articles were identified which included 42 cases of periprosthetic crystalline arthropathy (17 gout, 16 pseudogout, one both, and eight not specified). Of these cases, 25 presented over 1 year after their index arthroplasty and 15 had no prior history of crystalline arthropathy. Only six cases had a superimposed infection based on aspiration or intraoperative cultures. For cases without a culture-positive infection, several diagnostic tests overlap with PJI thresholds: 95% of patients had C-reactive protein greater than 1 mg/dL, 76% had an erythrocyte sedimentation rate greater than 30 mm/hour, 91% had a synovial white blood cell greater than 3,000 cells, and 76% had a synovial polymorphonuclear cells percent greater than 80%. Patients without co-infection were managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, colchicine, allopurinol, steroids, or a combination of these treatments and most had complete resolution of symptoms within 1 week. Commonly used markers of PJI fail to reliably distinguish periprosthetic crystalline arthropathy from infection. Though clinical judgement and consideration of the implications of delayed treatment for acute PJI remain paramount, in the setting of synovial crystals, surgeons may wish to consider this alternate etiology as the source of the patient's clinical symptoms.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Review

Importance The prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in the United States is between 7% and 16%, most common in women and young people, with annual direct costs estimated at more than $1 billion dollars in the United States. Traditionally, the diagnosis of IBS has been based on the positive identification of symptoms that correlate with several different syndromes associated with disorders such as IBS diarrhea, IBS constipation, functional diarrhea, functional constipation, chronic functional abdominal pain, or bloating. Several peripheral and central mechanisms initiate gastrointestinal motor and sensory dysfunctions leading to IBS symptoms. Those dysfunctions may require evaluation in patients whose symptoms do not respond to first-line treatments. Observations Validation studies of consensus symptom-based criteria have identified deficiencies that favor a simpler identification of the predominant symptoms of abdominal pain, bowel dysfunction, and bloating and exclusion of alarm symptoms such as unintentional weight loss, rectal bleeding, or recent change in bowel function. Symptom-based diagnosis of IBS is enhanced with additional history for symptoms of somatoform and psychological disorders and alarm symptoms, physical examination including digital rectal examination, and screening tests to exclude organic disease (by measuring hemoglobin and C-reactive protein concentrations). The initial treatment plan should include patient education, reassurance, and first-line treatments such as fiber and osmotic laxatives for constipation, opioids for diarrhea, antispasmodics for pain and for management of associated psychological disorders. For patients who do not respond to those IBS treatments, testing for specific functional disorders may be required in a minority of patients with IBS. These disorders include rectal evacuation disorder, abnormal colonic transit, and bile acid diarrhea. Their identification is followed by individualized treatment, such as pelvic floor retraining for rectal evacuation disorders, sequestrants for bile acid diarrhea, and secretory agents for constipation, although there is only limited evidence that this individualized management approach is effective. Conclusions and Relevance Advances in the identification of specific dysfunctions as causes of individual symptoms in the “IBS spectrum” leads to the potential to enhance the diagnosis and management of symptoms for the majority of patients for whom first-line therapies of IBS and management of comorbid psychological disorders are insufficient.
Memory binding and theta EEG during middle childhood.

The ability to bind together the contextual details associated with an event undergoes dramatic improvement during childhood. However, few studies have examined the neural correlates of memory binding encoding and retrieval during middle childhood. We examined age-related encoding and retrieval differences using continuous electroencephalogram (EEG) measures in a sample of 6- and 8-year-olds. For the memory binding task, children were tested on memory for individual items (i.e., objects and backgrounds only) and combined object-backgrounds pairings (combination condition). Memory for individual item information was comparable across both age groups. However, younger children experienced greater difficulty (i.e., higher false alarm rate) in the combination condition. Theta (4-7 Hz) neuronal oscillations were analyzed to compare memory encoding and retrieval processes. Widespread retrieval-related increases in theta band EEG power (compared with baseline and encoding-related activation) were evident in both 6- and 8-year-olds. Regression analyses revealed that parietal theta EEG power during retrieval accounted for variability in memory binding performance. These findings suggest that theta rhythms are intricately linked to memory binding processes during middle childhood.
Policy recommendations from causal inference in physics education research

The field of physics education research should be more rigorous in creating causal conclusions in quantitative data analyses.
Association Between Sleep Disturbances With Neurodevelopmental Problems and Decreased Health-Related Quality of Life in Children With Fontan Circulation

Background Children with Fontan circulation are known to be at increased risk for neurodevelopmental problems and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL), but many factors that may contribute to this risk are unknown. Sleep disturbances may be one previously unidentified factor that contributes to this risk. Methods and Results We analyzed data from the Pediatric Heart Network Fontan cross-sectional study to evaluate associations between a parent or child report of sleep disturbance with reported neurodevelopmental concerns and HRQOL in 558 children with Fontan circulation. Parent-reported sleep disturbance was present in 11% of participants and child-reported sleep disturbance was present in 15%. Parent-reported sleep disturbance was associated with a significantly higher risk of attention problems, anxiety, depression, behavioral problems, and developmental delay (P<0.001 for all). Similarly, parent-reported disturbance was associated with decreased HRQOL on both parent and child-reported HRQOL (P<0.001 for most domains). Child-reported sleep disturbances were associated with increased odds of anxiety, depression, and attention problems as well as worse HRQOL. These associations were present even after adjustment for cardiac, demographic, and socioeconomic factors that may affect HRQOL and neurodevelopmental status. Conclusions Sleep disturbances in children with Fontan circulation are associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental problems as well as reduced HRQOL compared with those without sleep disturbance. Better understanding of sleep disturbances is needed in children with Fontan circulation, as sleep disturbances may represent a reversible cause of neurodevelopmental problems and decreased HRQOL in this population.
Peptide binding to the major histocompatibility complex molecules: Current Opinion in Structural Biology 1992, 2:300–304

Abstract Each major histocompatibility complex molecule must bind any one of a large spectrum of peptides for presentation to the T cells of the immune system. Results on the sequences, biochemistry and three-dimensional structure of peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex molecules offer new insights into this interaction.
Reform, violence, and personal integrity

The popular slogan that one ought to fight for what he believes right appears to point a way for persons to witness the moral seriousness of their interest in reform. But exactly what way does it point, and, in particular, does it enjoin resort to violence for the sake of what one believes right ? Pursuit of this question exposes some roots of our indecisive and often confused views about the acceptable means of revolution and reform and the eventual r61e of violence therein. Common understandings of ‘violence’ and ‘fight for’ do not carry us far. Further, there are doubtless differences in how the slogan's enjoinment of ‘fighting’ (and thus, if at all, of violence) is understood to be limited. These differences and the issues underlying them are exposed when we ask whether the slogan is to be understood to enjoin fighting or manners of fighting that might be called premature, gratuitous, or wasteful, and when we ask whether the ‘ought’ in the slogan is to be understood as, at best, a prima facie ought.
Spatio-temporal association mining for un-sampled sites

In this paper, we investigate interpolation methods that are suitable for discovering spatio-temporal association rules for unsampled points with an initial focus on drought risk management. For drought risk management, raw weather data is collected, converted to various indices, and then mined for association rules. To generate association rules for unsampled sites, interpolation methods can be applied at any stage of this data mining process. We develop and integrate three interpolation models into our association rule mining algorithm. The performance of these three models is experimentally evaluated comparing interpolated association rules with rules discovered from actual raw data.
Nitrification and utilization of ammonium and nitrate during oil bioremediation at different soil water potentials

Bioremediation of petroleum spills requires aerobic soil conditions and readily available N, which may be susceptible to leaching. Our objectives were to determine the influence of soil water potential on nitrification in the presence of crude oil, the toxicity of oil to NHj‐oxidizing bacteria, and the preferences of microorganisms for NH+ 4 or NO− 3. A Weswood clay loam was amended with crude oil to contain 0, 5, and 10% by soil dry weight, and N was added to achieve C:N ratios of 90:1 and 120:1. Soil water potentials were maintained at ‐0.02, ‐0.1, and ‐1.0 kJ/kg or allowed to fluctuate between ‐0.02 and ‐3 kJ/kg. Concentrations of NH+ 4 and NO3 −were measured during an incubation period of 40 d. Nitrification in soil not amended with oil was rapid at water potentials of ‐0.02 and ‐0.1 kJ/kg but inactive at a water potential of ‐1.0 kJ/kg. Oil reduced nitrification rates and populations of NH+ 4‐oxidizing bacteria. Little NO− 3 accumulated when the C:N ratio was 120:1, but when the C:N ratio was 90:1, u...
Regulation of development in Dictyostelium discoideum: II. Regulation of early cell differentiation by amino acid starvation and intercellular interaction.

Abstract The regulation of cell differentiation during the early phase of development in D. discoideum has been examined. Evidence is presented that amino acid starvation, in addition to initiating the growth to development transition, must be maintained for early development to proceed. Although amino acid starvation is necessary for initiating development, it is not sufficient. One or more cell density-dependent regulatory events are also necessary. These events operate during the first few hours of development, before overt differentiation occurs. Induction of development is dependent on close cell proximity and is not mediated by either a stable, diffusible effector or by cyclic AMP.
Ionic and osmotic disruptions of the lily pollen tube oscillator: testing proposed models

Two mechanisms have been proposed as the primary control of oscillating tip growth in Lilium longiflorum Thunb. pollen tubes: changes in cell wall strength (Holdaway-Clarke et al. 1997) or alternatively, changes in turgor pressure (Messerli et al. 2000). Here we have modified the ionic and osmotic concentrations of the growth medium to test predictions derived from both models. Raising the [Ca2+]o tenfold above normal reduced the amplitude of the [Ca2+]i oscillations and growth oscillations while it raised the basal [Ca2+]i and growth rate such that the average growth rate did not change. Raising the [H+] of the growth medium tenfold reversibly decreased and sometimes eliminated the [Ca2+]i and growth oscillations without changing the average growth rate. Lowering the [H+] tenfold led to irregular frequency and amplitude [Ca2+]i oscillations, reduced the average growth rate of tubes and led to cell bursting in 33% of tubes. Addition of 50 mM H+ buffer, MES, to prevent pH changes in the cell wall increased the period, amplitude and duration of both [Ca2+]i and growth oscillations. Changing the [K+]o did not markedly effect [Ca2+]i oscillations. Reducing the osmolarity of the medium led to transient large-amplitude [Ca2+]i and growth oscillations while reducing large-amplitude oscillations over long periods. In many different conditions under which growth still occurs, lily pollen tubes maintain growth oscillations, albeit with modified frequency, amplitude and duration. We conclude that modifications to both proposed models are necessary to explain oscillating growth in this system.
Beliefs about Alcohol and the College Experience, Locus of Self, and College Undergraduates’ Drinking Patterns*

The purpose of this study is to assess the extent to which locus of self (institutional versus impulse), measured using the Twenty Statements Test (TST), moderates the relationship between beliefs about alcohol and the college experience (BACE) and alcohol use among college undergraduates. Although the majority of our respondents listed more idiosyncratic personal characteristics and preferences than consensual social roles in response to the TST, the number of students classified as institutionals was notably higher than what has been reported within the literature. In opposition to our hypothesis that BACE would affect levels of alcohol consumption primarily among these individuals, our results indicated that the perception that alcohol use is integral to the college experience had a relatively minimal effect on drinking among respondents who defined themselves in terms of institutional roles. Moreover, multiple social roles themselves appeared to reduce the effects of BACE on levels of alcohol consumption. More impulse-oriented personal characteristics and preferences did not exhibit this moderating influence. Thus, our findings suggest that role occupation may be more important than locus of self in shaping students’ susceptibility to beliefs about drinking and college life.
Influence of Agents of Leisure Socialization on Leisure Self-Efficacy of University Students

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between degree of influence of agents of socialization and leisure self-efficacy among a young adult sample of university students. Four hu...
Biochemical and ultrastructural characterization of the molecular topography of the rat intestinal microvillous membrane. Asymmetric distribution of hydrophilic groups and anionic binding sites.

The topography of the intestinal microvillous membrane and its surface components was examined using biochemical and ultrastructural techniques. Microvillous membrane surface glycoproteins were labeled using everted intact intestinal sacs, prepared from rat proximal small intestine. Galactosyl residues were identified by labeling with galactose oxidaselsodium boro[ 3 H]hydride and free amino groups with pyridoxal phosphatelsodium boro[ 3 H]hydride. Membranes were purified, solubilized in sodium dodecyl sulfate, and protein labeling analyzed by acrylamide electrophoresis. Using the intact intestine, only microvillous membrane surface amino groups were labeled. However, when microvillous membrane vesicles were purified first and then labeled, radioligand binding to galactoproteins and free amino groups substantially increased. Ultrastructural and cytochemical studies with ruthenium red revealed the intact intestinal surface to have a strong electronegative charge due to the presence of anionic sites in both the thick mucopolysaccharide surface coat and its underlying glycocalyx. During purification of microvillous membrane, the mucous coat was detached from the membrane surface, leaving the glycocalyx directly exposed to the external environment. Enzymatic probing of microvillous membrane vesicles with papain left the vesicles intact and revealed the membrane to be asymmetric with the majority of its integral proteins located at the outer membrane surface. This orientation of ga1actosy1 and amino groups towards the intestina11umen plus the overlying thick mucopolysaccharide coat should theoretically afford a greater degree of protection against destruction by luminal proteases and bile acids. Moreover, the shedding of membrane-bound hydro1ases into the mucous layer may allow the "membrane surface" phase of digestion to commence before nutrients have diffused completely through the surface coat to reach the enterocyte surface.
Clergy Role Stress: Interactive Effects of Role Ambiguity and Role Conflict on Intrinsic Job Satisfaction

The present study examined relationships between role conflict, role ambiguity, and three facets of clergy job satisfaction: Relationships and Support, Denominational Involvement, and Intrinsic Aspects. Web survey data from 179 United Methodist clergy indicated that role ambiguity and role conflict had negative relationships with each of the three facets of job satisfaction, as well as with overall job satisfaction. Interactions between role conflict and ambiguity were not significant for overall job satisfaction or for two of the three facets, suggesting that the effects of role conflict and role ambiguity on these aspects of job satisfaction were linear and cumulative. However, the effects of role ambiguity and role conflict considered together were nonlinear and interactive for the Intrinsic Aspects facet of job satisfaction, indicating that when role ambiguity was low, the relationship between role conflict and intrinsic job satisfaction was not significant, whereas when role ambiguity was high, there was a significant negative relationship between role conflict and intrinsic job satisfaction.
Tradeoffs in fine-grained heap memory protection

Different uses of memory protection schemes have different needs in terms of granularity. For example, heap security can benefit from chunk separation (by using protected "padding" boundaries) and meta-data protection. However, such protection can be done at different granularity (eg. per-word, per-block, or per-page), with different performance, cost and memory overhead tradeoffs for different applications. In this paper, we explore these tradeoffs for the purpose of heap security in order to discover whether the "right" granularity exists and how the granularity of protection affects design decisions.We evaluate such tradeoffs based on the current heap-security approaches in a single address spare operating system. The access control granularities we use are word, 8-byte, 16-byte, 32-byte, and page. We find that none of these schemes is optimal across all applications. In some applications, excessive padding degrades caching performance for coarse-granularity schemes, while in others, large-block permission changes introduce large overheads for finer granularities. To overcome these limitations, we propose a new two-granularity scheme, which uses word- and page-granularity protection to eliminate padding but allow fast page-size permission changes for large memory blocks. On all applications, this new scheme performs as well or better than the best single-granularity scheme. It also performs on par with the more complex Mondrian Memory Protection, which uses a complex trie structure and multiple permissions caching mechanisms to support a hierarchy of protection granularities.
Synthetic Control of Pt...Pt Separation and Photophysics of Binuclear Platinum Complexes

A new series of luminescent mu-pyrazolate-bridged cyclometalated platinum binuclear complexes having the formula CwedgeNPt(mu-pz')2PtCwedgeN (CwedgeN = 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridyl, pz' = pyrazolate for 1, 3,5-dimethylpyrazolate for 2, 3-methyl-5-tert-butylpyrazolate for 3, and 3,5-bis(tert-butyl)pyrazolate for 4) have been synthesized and characterized. The two Pt(CwedgeN) moieties are bridged by two mu-pyrazolate ligands in an exo-bidentate fashion. A mononuclear complex with an isolated Pt center, CwedgeNPt(pz)2BEt2, 5, is also described. The X-ray crystal structures of 1-4 show the following Pt-Pt spacings: 1 = 3.3763(7) A, 2 = 3.1914(9) A, 3 = 3.0457(7) A, and 4 = 2.8343(6) A. At 77 K, the emission energy of the complexes varies from blue (for 1, 2, and 5) to green (for 3) to red (for 4). The changes in the photophysical properties of the binuclear complexes can be correlated with the decreasing Pt-Pt distance; the emissive state changes from a mixed ligand center triplet/metal-to-ligand charge transfer excited state (for 1 and 2) to a lower-energy, Pt-Pt metal-metal-to-ligand charge transfer state (for 3 and 4).
Dedolomitization, Dolomitization, and Chertification in Fort Payne Formation: Relative Timing and Mechanism: ABSTRACT

Samples of the Fort Payne Formation (Lower Mississippian) of central Tennessee typically contain 50% or more chert, with the bulk of the balance consisting of replacive dolomite. Low-iron calcite and ferroan calcite are common and minor ankerite is also present. The relative sequence of diagenetic replacement was established by cross-cutting relations as: low-iron calcite replaced by chert replaced by dolomite, introduction of ankerite, and finally, replacement by ferroan calcite of both chert and dolomite (dedolomitization). Thus dedolomitization was the last diagenetic phase. Complete replacement, rim replacement, and replacement of cores of dolomite rhombs by ferroan calcite was observed. Ferroan calcite fills veins, vugs, and intergranular pores and replaces sponge sp cules. Dedolomite occurs in both surface and subsurface samples, and there is no evidence for an unconformity within or adjacent to the Fort Payne, suggesting that the dedolomite is not related to exhumation and weathering. Minor mineralogy and sedimentary structures suggest a subtidal shelf, quiet-water environment of deposition. Stratigraphic relations suggest shallow burial. Dedolomitization of the Fort Payne occurred after lithification, probably during shallow burial, when ferrous iron was derived from indigenous minerals. End_of_Article - Last_Page 501------------
A centrally cracked thin circular disk, Part II: mixed mode fatigue crack propagation

Abstract Under mixed mode plane stress condition, the fatigue crack growth trajectory has been determined by performing experiments on the center cracked thin disk specimen of aluminum 2024. With two mixed mode loading ratios, the subsequent propagation of the main crack has been performed by producing a series of kinks and forks. For practical applications such as the case of a flaw or a crack in aircraft or ship structure in which the loading axis (with respect to the crack) frequently changes, a zig-zag or complicated crack trajectory is very important in both experimental and theoretical studies. In order to apply any specific crack growth criterion for the analysis of the experimental results, a detailed analysis for the stresses near the crack front and the extent of yielding was given in Part I ( Paul and Khan, 1998 ). This is due to the reason that the center crack specimen shows a significant difference in the size of the plastic zone, distribution of stresses and crack tip opening displacement with the result obtained from boundary layer solution even at the load level lower than that specified by ASTM for small scale yielding in plane strain condition ( Larsson and Carlsson, 1973 , Al-Ani and Hancock, 1990 , O'Dowd and Shih, 1991 ). Betegon and Hancock (1991), Al-Ani and Hancock (1990), O'Dowd and Shih (1991) have shown that due to the loss of triaxiality of stresses at the near crack tip, the dominance of J (RICE's J-integral, 1968) is lost in this type of specimen under small scale yielding to fully plastic state. Thus, in the description of the elastic-plastic crack tip stress field, J loses the credit to be a similitude parameter. The complex crack trajectory has been analyzed on the basis of the strain energy density criterion for the prediction of propagated crack path under subsequent changes in orientation of the crack to the loading axis or equivalently saying the changes in loading direction with respect to the crack. For the prediction of the number of load cycles, Sih's strain energy density concept extended to fatigue crack growth studies by Sih and Barthelamy (1980) has been followed. These have been performed by calculating the appropriate stress intensity factors on the basis of the solution presented for kinked and curved crack by Cotterell and Rice (1980) . In order to calculate the stress intensity factors on successive kinks the procedure followed by Suresh (1983) for a doubly kinked crack has been followed. Some of the merits and demerits of the criterion have been discussed. The predicted number of load cycles corresponding to the values observed in the experiments at the different positions on the trajectory are not in close agreement.
On the propagation of harmonic acoustic waves in bubbly liquids

Abstract The propagation of harmonic acoustic waves in a half-space (i.e., x >0) filled with a viscous, isothermal bubbly liquid is studied. The exact solution to this problem, which corresponds to the compressible Stokes' second problem for the van Wijngaarden–Eringen equation, is obtained and an in-depth analytical and numerical investigation is carried out. Specifically, high- and low-frequency asymptotic results are given for the attenuation coefficient, the wave number, as well as several other propagation parameters, and special/limiting cases are noted. In addition, general features of the solution are illustrated via numerical computations. Most significantly, the analysis shows the following: (i) the attenuation coefficient and wave number are equal at the natural bubble frequency; (ii) the bubbly liquid exhibits anomalous dispersion; (iii) for high-frequencies, there exists a layer adjacent to x =0 that oscillates virtually in phase with the boundary (driving) motion; (iv) for low-frequencies, there exists a layer adjacent to x =0 that is essentially transparent to harmonic waves; (v) the penetration depth exhibits an absolute minimum.
Waveform design for pulse-and-hold electrostatic actuation in MEMS

Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) ohmic switches for radio-frequency (RF) signals have certain advantages over solid-state switches, such as lower insertion loss, better linearity, and lower static power dissipation. The RF MEMS switch discussed in this paper consists of a plate, suspended over an actuation pad by four double-cantilever springs. Closing the switch with a step actuation voltage typically causes the plate to rebound from the electrical contacts. This interrupts the signal continuity and degrades the performance, reliability and durability of the switch. This paper presents a procedure to design shaped waveforms to close the switch with low impact speed. The soft landing waveform is designed with a synergy of a three-dimensional finite element model (3-D FEM), a reduced-order model, and experimental refinement with a laser Doppler velocimeter. This integrated approach enables the switch to close with low impact speeds that do not result in significant mechanical rebound.
Facing The Influence of Poverty on Graduation Rates in Public High Schools

Abstract 46.2 million Americans live below the official poverty line (Census Bureau, 2011). Nationally, only about two-thirds of all students who enter 9th grade are able to graduate with traditional high school diplomas. This paper examines the influence of poverty on graduation rates in public high schools in the United States for the 2007-2008 school year. We seek a correlation between the graduation rates and the poverty rates in 50 states and the District of Columbia. Graduation rates and poverty rates were analyzed through Correlation Analysis (bivariate analysis). The result indicates that there is a negative moderate association between graduation and poverty rates (r=- 0.530).
Vibratory Compacting of Metal and Ceramic Powders

This investigation was concerned primarily with the forming of alumina, chromium-alumina, and nickel-titanium carbide powders by low-frequency vibration. The effect of a wide variety of particle-size distributions on the forming properties of these compositions was studied. An instrumentation system was developed for measuring the vibratory forces employed. Results obtained with various low-frequency vibratory forming procedures are reported. Similar compositions were formed by dry pressing followed by hydrostatic repressing, and the properties of the specimens formed by the two methods are compared. The vibratory forming method offers a number of advantages over the hydrostatic method.
Representative Communication: Web Site Interactivity and Distributional Path Dependence in the U.S. Congress

We examine the speed and extent to which members of the U.S. House of Representatives adopt emerging Web-based communication technologies. Given the growing centrality of communication for governance and the Web's growing role in effective public outreach, a rational actor approach would suggest that members of Congress should aggressively exploit online communication technology. And this should especially be true for freshman members. We test these expectations using two waves of data coded from the official Web sites of the U.S. House of Representatives, for the years 2006 and 2007. We observe that incumbents show considerable path dependence in their Web site technology adoptions, while the sites of the freshmen who won election in 2006 are largely independent of the Web designs of their corresponding predecessors. This independence does not mean, however, that freshmen are fully exploiting communication technology. Instead, the Web design practices of freshmen appear to be governed by the distribution...
The pattern of neuronal injury following seizures induced by intranigral kainic acid

The substantia nigra pars reticulosa (SNpr) is involved in the initiation and propagation of seizures within the limbic system (cingulate and parahippocampal gyri and associated connections in the brain stem, e.g. amygdala, hypothalamus, some thalamic nuclei, and parts of basal ganglia). We have investigated the pattern of neuronal injury (using heat shock protein (HSP) expression) and cell death (acid-fuchsin (AF) staining) in SNpr and limbic structures following seizures evoked by bilateral intranigral injection of kainic acid. Affected cells were observed predominantly in piriform cortex, amygdala, hippocampal formation, and thalamic nuclei; massive necrosis or hemorrhage occurred in bilateral piriform cortices following prolonged seizures. The piriform cortex may play an important role in the activation of limbic seizures under the regulation of the SNpr.
ANTIGENIC ANALYSIS OF CHIMERIC AND TRUNCATED G PROTEINS OF RESPIRATORY SYNCYTIAL VIRUS

Extensive antigenic variation occurs on the attachment glycoprotein G between the two major respiratory syncytial (RS) virus groups. Restriction fragment exchanges were performed among regions of the group A and group B G protein cDNAs to produce chimeric molecules to use in a study of the antigenic structure of the G protein. Proteins were expressed from these chimeric cDNAs using the vaccinia virus T7 bacteriophage polymerase system. Region 1 [A1 or B1, G protein amino acids (aa) 1 to 173] included the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains and part of the ectodomain, region 2 (A2, aa 174 to 214 in the group A; or B2, aa 174 to 215 in the group B G protein) included the central portion of the ectodomain, and region 3 (A3, aa 215 to 298 in the group A; or B3, aa 216 to 292 in the group B G protein) included the C-terminal region of the ectodomain. The chimeric proteins comprised regions A1B2B3, B1A2A3, A1A2B3, and B1B2A3. Truncated proteins were also produced and consisted of regions A1A2, B1B2, A1, and B1. The expressed proteins were tested by immunofluorescence for reactivity with group-cross-reactive or group-specific G protein monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). Most group-cross-reactive MAbs required the presence of G protein regions 1 or 2 for reactivity. G protein MAbs specific for either group A or group B were dependent on the presence of regions 1, 2, or 3 for reactivity. Thus, each of the three regions of the G protein were found to play a role in reactivity with MAbs, including for each region MAbs with neutralizing activity against RS virus.
An update on the physiology of the components of the upper esophageal sphincter

The upper esophageal sphincter is defined as the components of the pharyngoesophageal region which contribute to the opening and closing of the pharyngo-esophageal junction during various physiologic states.
Circulating levels of plasma IGF-I during recovery from size-selective harvesting in Menidia menidia.

Abstract Selection for growth-related traits in domesticated fishes often results in predictable changes within the growth hormone-insulin-like growth factor (GH-IGF-1) axis. Little is known about the mechanisms controlling changes in growth capacity resulting from fishery-induced evolution. We took advantage of a long-term study where Menidia menidia were selected for size at age over multiple generations to mimic fisheries-induced selection. This selection regime produced three populations with significant differences in intrinsic growth rate. These growth differences partially rebounded, but persisted even after selection was relaxed, resulting in fast, intermediate, and slow-growing lines. Plasma IGF-1 was measured in these populations as a potential target of selection on growth. IGF-1 was significantly correlated with current length and mass, and was positively correlated with growth rate (g d −1 ) in two lines, indicating it may be an appropriate indicator of growth capacity. The slow-growing line exhibited higher overall IGF-1 levels relative to the depressed IGF-1 seen in the fast-growing line, contrary to our prediction. We offer possible explanations for this unusual pattern and argue that somatic growth is likely to be under control of mechanism(s) downstream to IGF-1. IGF-1 provides an interesting basis for understanding endocrine control of growth in response to artificial selection and recovery.