cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiative Heat Transfer Calculation on 16384 GPUs Using a Reverse Monte Carlo Ray Tracing Approach with Adaptive Mesh Refinement

Modeling thermal radiation is computationally challenging in parallel due to its all-to-all physical and resulting computational connectivity, and is also the dominant mode of heat transfer in practical applications such as next-generation clean coal boilers, being modeled by the Uintah framework. However, a direct all-to-all treatment of radiation is prohibitively expensive on large computers systems whether homogeneous or heterogeneous. DOE Titan and the planned DOE Summit and Sierra machines are examples of current and emerging GPU-based heterogeneous systems where the increased processing capability of GPUs over CPUs exacerbates this problem. These systems require that computational frameworks like Uintah leverage an arbitrary number of on-node GPUs, while simultaneously utilizing thousands of GPUs within a single simulation. We show that radiative heat transfer problems can be made to scale within Uintah on heterogeneous systems through a combination of reverse Monte Carlo ray tracing (RMCRT) techniques combined with AMR, to reduce the amount of global communication. In particular, significant Uintah infrastructure changes, including a novel lock and contention-free, thread-scalable data structure for managing MPI communication requests and improved memory allocation strategies were necessary to achieve excellent strong scaling results to 16384 GPUs on Titan.
Counselors' Social Class and Socioeconomic Status Understanding and Awareness

Nine licensed professional counselors participated in semistructured interviews designed to reveal their awareness and understanding about social class and socioeconomic status (SES). Findings suggest that participants' descriptions of social class and SES often are incongruent with how they use the terms, and their awareness and understanding may be limited because of developmental factors, indicating potential clinical liabilities. The authors suggest that counselors should develop stronger social class consciousness to provide affirming counseling services and that further research on such strategies is needed.
Airborne Fine Particles and Risk of Hospital Admissions for Understudied Populations: Effects by Urbanicity and Short-Term Cumulative Exposures in 708 U.S. Counties.

Background:Evidence of health risks associated with ambient airborne fine particles in nonurban populations is extremely limited.Objective:We estimated the risk of hospitalization associated with s...
The Little Markets: The Story of Unit Banks

The controversy between branch banking and unit banking in the United States is a very old one, essentially dating back to the drawing up and ratification of the Constitution. Branch banking means that the same bank can open multiple branches, either within a particular state or across state lines. Unit banking means that one bank can only have one branch, leading to a proliferation in the number of banks. The Hamiltonians were in favor of a strong federal government along with federal and state banks with multiple branches; only large banks could provide the finances that were required to bring the Industrial Revolution to the young nation. The Jeffersonians, on the other hand, favored a more decentralized power structure. Not only were they in favor of greater political rights being given to the states, but this devolution would also extend to the financial system; banks that were many in number and smaller in size were seen as the best setup for serving the agricultural interests of the country.
Epidemiology of intravenous fluid use for headache treatment: Findings from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

Abstract Background Headache is one of the most common reasons for patients to seek care in emergency departments. While the administration of intravenous fluids is frequently recommended for emergency department patients with migraine, the epidemiology of the use of this intervention is unknown. Objectives To describe the epidemiology of intravenous fluid use in emergency department patients with headache. Methods This retrospective study utilized the 2011 US National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Survey, a multi-stage weighted survey providing nationally representative estimates of ED visits. Patients with chief complaints of non-traumatic headache or migraine headache were included. We determined the frequency of intravenous fluid administration among patients presenting with headache, and among specific subgroups including those with migraine headache. Results There were 1251 sample cases representing 5,981,000 visits for a chief complaint of headache. Intravenous fluids were administered at 40% (95% CI 35–44%) of these visits. Among the 222 migraine cases, 47% (95% CI 39–56%) received fluids. Fluids were commonly administered regardless of pain severity, and fluid administration was not significantly associated with pain severity among patients diagnosed with migraine (p = 0.39). After adjusting for patient characteristics, ED visit duration remained greater for patients receiving fluids than for those who did not among both patients with a headache complaint and among those with a diagnosis of migraine headache. Conclusions Despite a lack of efficacy data, patients treated in United States EDs for headache frequently receive IV fluids. Studies are needed to determine the efficacy of this basic treatment intervention.
Combining eddy-covariance and chamber measurements to determine the methane budget from a small, heterogeneous urban floodplain wetland park

Abstract Methane (CH4) emissions and carbon uptake in temperate freshwater wetlands act in opposing directions in the context of global radiative forcing. Large uncertainties exist for the rates of CH4 emissions making it difficult to determine the extent that CH4 emissions counteract the carbon sequestration of wetlands. Urban temperate wetlands are typically small and feature highly heterogeneous land cover, posing an additional challenge to determining their CH4 budget. The data analysis approach we introduce here combines two different CH4 flux measurement techniques to overcome scale and heterogeneity problems and determine the overall CH4 budget of a small, heterogeneous, urban wetland landscape. Temporally intermittent point measurements from non-steady-state chambers provided information about patch-level heterogeneity of fluxes, while continuous, high temporal resolution flux measurements using the eddy-covariance (EC) technique provided information about the temporal dynamics of the fluxes. Patch-level scaling parameterization was developed from the chamber data to scale eddy covariance data to a ‘fixed-frame’, which corrects for variability in the spatial coverage of the eddy covariance observation footprint at any single point in time. By combining two measurement techniques at different scales, we addressed shortcomings of both techniques with respect to heterogeneous wetland sites. We determined that fluxes observed by the two methods are statistically similar in magnitude when brought to the same temporal and spatial scale. We also found that open-water and macrophyte-covered areas of the wetland followed similar phenological cycles and emitted nearly equivalent levels of CH4 for much of the year. However, vegetated wetland areas regularly exhibited a stronger late-summer emission peak, possibly due to CH4 transport through mature vegetation vascular systems. Normalizing the eddy covariance data to a fixed-frame allowed us to determine the seasonal CH4 budget of each patch and the overall site. Overall, the macrophyte areas had the largest CH4 fluxes followed by the open water areas. Uncertainties in the final CH4 budget included spatial heterogeneity of CH4 fluxes, the tower footprint, measurement in the data to be scaled, and gap-filling. Of these, the spatial placement of the chambers provided the largest source of uncertainty in CH4 estimates. This reinforces the need to utilize site-level measurements when estimating CH4 fluxes from wetlands as opposed to using only up-scaled point measurements.
The Effect of Electronic Health Record Use and Patient-Centered Communication on Cancer Screening Behavior: An Analysis of the Health Information National Trends Survey

The present study used the 2013 Health Information National Trends Survey (N = 3185) to examine the effects of patient-centered communication (PCC) and the use of electronic health records (EHRs) on the likelihood of patients receiving a recommended screening for cancer (i.e., mammogram, PSA test). Self-determination theory, a framework of self-initiated extrinsic behaviors, was applied to test mediation models of PCC and EHR use, respectively, through patient activation. The results demonstrated that PCC and EHR use predicted cancer screening (mediated through patient activation), but only for women recommended for biannual mammograms. The aforementioned relationship was not found for men who are recommended for prostate cancer screening. PCC and EHRs do appear to facilitate a patient’s ability to take care of their own health, but only under certain circumstances. It was additionally found that men were more likely to report higher degrees of physician PCC when their physicians maintained an EHR, wherea...
Movies Meet the Rainbow

Motion pictures matured from the short, silent, black-and-white films of the early 1900s into a finely tuned, studio-driven technological system entrenched in Hollywood. By 1930, the industry had embraced sound, the first important disruptive technology of the studio era, and was on the brink of repeating the process for color. Although techniques for adding color to movies were nearly as old as motion pictures themselves, Technicolor emerged triumphant after years of experimentation and proof-of-concept testing, convincing the industry to take a chance on color. Bedi chronicles Technicolor’s cycles of technical promise and failure, as well as complementary advances in makeup and color design that brought full color to the silver screen.
Behavioral and SCN neurophysiological disruption in the Tg-SwDI mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Disruption of circadian rhythms is commonly reported in individuals with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Neurons in the primary circadian pacemaker, the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), exhibit daily rhythms in spontaneous neuronal activity which are important for maintaining circadian behavioral rhythms. Disruption of SCN neuronal activity has been reported in animal models of other neurodegenerative disorders; however, the effect of AD on SCN neurophysiology remains unknown. In this study we examined circadian behavioral and electrophysiological changes in a mouse model of AD, using male mice from the Tg-SwDI line which expresses human amyloid precursor protein with the familial Swedish (K670N/M671L), Dutch (E693Q), Iowa (D694N) mutations. The free-running period of wheel-running behavior was significantly shorter in Tg-SwDI mice compared to wild-type (WT) controls at all ages examined (3, 6, and 10 months). At the SCN level, the day/night difference in spike rate was significantly dampened in 6-8 month-old Tg-SwDI mice, with decreased AP firing during the day and an increase in neuronal activity at night. The dampening of SCN excitability rhythms in Tg-SwDI mice was not associated with changes in input resistance, resting membrane potential, or action potential afterhyperpolarization amplitude; however, SCN neurons from Tg-SwDI mice had significantly reduced A-type potassium current (IA) during the day compared to WT cells. Taken together, these results provide the first evidence of SCN neurophysiological disruption in a mouse model of AD, and highlight IA as a potential target for AD treatment strategies in the future.
Genetics of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, are immune-mediated disorders resulting in chronic, relapsing inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The complex nature of IBD supports the notion that its origin is likely multifactorial, constituting both genes and environmental factors. It has been hypothesized that environmental factors and maladaptive immune responses to gastrointestinal flora generate a dysregulated inflammatory cascade creating mucosal injury in genetically susceptible individuals. Over the last decade, considerable interest and research has focused on the genetic aspect of IBD. The identification of linkage between Crohn disease and the pericentromeric region of chromosome 16 (IBD1) by Hugot in 1996 spawned a series of genome scans and linkage analyses in search of susceptibility and phenotypic modifier genes (Nature 379:821–3, 1996). In 2001, the discovery that specific polymorphisms in the CARD15/NOD2 gene at the IBD1 locus were associated with Crohn disease engendered a new era of genotype–phenotype investigations (Nature 411:599–603, 2001; Nature 411:603–6, 2001). The advent of genome-wide association studies has resulted in the successful identification of new, well-replicated disease associations. The heterogeneity of IBD phenotypes suggests that it is a polygenic disorder in which susceptibility loci act in epistasis with other disease-modifying genes and the environment to produce disease. Understanding genetic associations of IBD can provide patients and their families with useful information that may help them cope with the disease. Furthermore, as our knowledge of genotype–phenotype associations grows, it is anticipated that genotyping at the onset of disease may enable physicians to predict disease course and tailor medical therapies specific for each patient.
Self-reported physical activity levels and clinical progression in early Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction This study investigates longitudinal changes in self-reported physical activity, measured by Physical Activity Scale of the Elderly (PASE), in early Parkinson's disease (PD) and matched healthy control (HC) participants in the Parkinson's Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) and evaluates associations between physical activity and PD progression. Methods PPMI is a prospective, longitudinal study evaluating markers of progression in PD participants who are unmedicated at enrollment. PASE, a self-reported measure of physical activity, was administered to early PD (N = 380) and HC (N = 174). PASE was introduced after study launch and therefore administered at years 2, 3, and 4. PASE scores for PD and HC were compared with t-tests and changes over time were evaluated with generalized estimating equations. Results There were no differences in activity levels between PD and HC at any time point. However, PD participants had a longitudinal decrease in PASE from years two to four (p = 0.034), while HC did not (p = 0.89). In exploratory analyses controlling for age, sex, and disease duration, higher self-reported activity at year 2 were associated with slower progression of motor symptoms (p = 0.018), ADL performance (p Conclusion There are no differences in self-reported physical activity between HC and early PD, but activity levels decline longitudinally in PD. Exploratory analyses show that higher self-reported physical activity is associated with less disease progression. Therefore, interventions to increase physical activity in early PD could potentially modify the disease course.
A comparison of metatarsophalangeal joint center locations on estimated joint moments during running.

Abstract The forefoot functions as the base of support during late stance, rotating about the dual-axis of the metatarsophalangeal joints. Previous research has shown that joint axis definition affects estimated joint moments about the forefoot. However, little is known about how metatarsophalangeal joint center definition affects estimated joint kinetics. This study compared moments about the metatarsophalangeal joint using four different defined joint centers. There was a significant difference (p
State of the Practice: Sustainability Standards for Infrastructure Investors

Infrastructure development and investment has a profound impact on the environment and local communities, and governments worldwide have continued to develop and refine regulatory reviews for large infrastructure projects to better asses their environmental impacts. Environmental and social metrics for the institutional investors and fund managers that invest in and manage infrastructure, however, are a relatively new development. Today several sustainability assessment tools have been developed to assist infrastructure investors in measuring and managing the environmental and social impacts of their portfolios. This study includes a detailed review of a dozen assessment tools available to infrastructure investors with cross-sector investment portfolios. They include project screening tools, which may be used for the detailed assessment of an individual project, and accounting tools designed to standardize sustainability reporting across investors. The reviews include assessments of environmental criteria addressed, the assessment process, and the specific metrics included. The study draws conclusions as to the future of sustainability assessment in the infrastructure sector and the challenges in environmental and social metric development for infrastructure.
Existe uma cultura jurídica moderna

The following essay aims to delineate the concept of legal culture and explore the idea of a legal culture in modern law, i.e. that of our times, in the tradition of the Law and Society movement. Part of the tradition involves studying the role legal systems play in society, with this “in” reflecting a particular point of view, or a particular means of observing how law and legal systems do, in fact, function; what they do and how they do it. Our aim is to provide explanations, exploring their very essence, not so much by means of a prescriptive or dogmatic perspective, but rather based on observation.
A Guide to the Preventive Care of Archaeological Collections

Preservation knowledge is important for those preparing archaeological collections for curation or requesting access to collections for research. Literature about the fields of archaeological conservation and curation is plentiful, but there are scant resources that offer a basic introduction to the knowledge needed to facilitate preservation of and access to archaeological collections. Much of the literature focuses on conservation in the field and in the lab. Archaeological curation standards and the importance of sustainable management of archaeological collections also are well documented. In contrast, this article serves as an introductory guide to preventive care, specifically to the agents of deterioration and the storage considerations that affect preservation of and access to archaeological collections. Collections specialists who work in museums, government repositories, or historical societies, as well as field archaeologists, academic archaeologists teaching and conducting research on collections, and descendant communities in tribal historic preservation offices and other repositories will find this guide useful as a reference and teaching resource.
Using Facebook for Qualitative Research: A Brief Primer

As Facebook continues to grow its number of active users, the potential to harness data generated by Facebook users also grows. As much of Facebook users’ activity consists of creating (and commenting on) written posts, the potential use of text data for research is enormous. However, conducting a content analysis of text from Facebook users requires adaptation of research methods used for more traditional sources of qualitative data. Furthermore, best practice guidelines to assist researchers interested in conducting qualitative studies using data derived from Facebook are lacking. The purpose of this primer was to identify opportunities, as well as potential pitfalls, of conducting qualitative research with Facebook users and their activity on Facebook and provide potential options to address each of these issues. We begin with an overview of information obtained from a literature review of 23 studies published between 2011 and 2018 and our own research experience to summarize current approaches to conducting qualitative health research using data obtained from Facebook users. We then identify potential strategies to address limitations related to current approaches and propose 5 key considerations for the collection, organization, and analysis of text data from Facebook. Finally, we consider ethical issues around the use and protection of Facebook data obtained from research participants. In this primer, we have identified several key considerations that should aid health researchers in the planning and execution of qualitative studies involving content analysis of text data from Facebook users.
Model-Based Design of Closed Loop Deep Brain Stimulation Controller using Reinforcement Learning

Parkinson’s disease (PD) currently Influences around one million people in the US. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a surgical treatment for the motor symptoms of PD that delivers electrical stimulation to the basal ganglia (BG) region of the brain. Existing commercial DBS devices employ stimulation based only on fixed-frequency periodic pulses. While such periodic high-frequency DBS controllers provide effective relief of PD symptoms, they are very inefficient in terms of energy consumption, and the lifetime of these battery- operated devices is limited to 4 years. Furthermore, fixed high- frequency stimulation may have side effects, such as speech impairment. Consequently, there is a need to move beyond (1) fixed stimulation pulse controllers, and (2) ‘one-size-fits- all’ patient-agnostic treatments, to provide energy efficient and effective (in terms of relieving PD symptoms) DBS controllers. In this work, we introduce a deep reinforcement learning (RL)- based approach that can derive patient-specific DBS patterns that are both effective in reducing a model-based proxy for PD symptoms, as well as energy-efficient. Specifically, we model the BG regions as a Markov decision process (MDP), and define the state and action space as state of the neurons in the BG regions and the stimulation patterns, respectively. Thereafter, we define the reward functions over the state space, and the learning objective is set to maximize the accumulated reward over a finite horizon (i.e., the treatment duration), while bounding average stimulation frequency. We evaluate the performance of our methodology using a Brain-on-Chip (BoC) FPGA platform that implements the physiologically-relevant basal ganglia model (BGM). We show that our RL-based DBS controllers significantly outperform existing fixed frequency controllers in terms of energy efficiency (e.g., by using 70% less energy than common periodic controllers), while providing suitable reduction of model-based proxy for PD symptoms.
Asking the Right Questions: Benchmarking Fault-Tolerant Extreme-Scale Systems

Much recent research has explored fault-tolerance mechanisms intended for current and future extreme-scale systems. Evaluations of the suitability of checkpoint-based solutions have typically been carried out using relatively uncomplicated computational kernels designed to measure floating point performance. More recent investigations have added scaled-down “proxy” applications to more closely match the composition and behavior of deployed ones. However, the information obtained from these studies (whether floating point performance or application runtime) is not necessarily of the most value in evaluating resilience strategies. We observe that even when using a more sophisticated metric, the information available from evaluating uncoordinated checkpointing using both microbenchmarks and proxy applications does not agree. This implies that not only might researchers be asking the wrong questions, but that the answers to the right ones might be unexpected and potentially misleading. We seek to open a discussion on whether benchmarks designed to provide predictable performance evaluations of HPC hardware and toolchains are providing the right feedback for the evaluation of fault-tolerance in these applications, and more generally on how benchmarking of resilience mechanisms ought to be approached in the exascale design space.
Randomized Trial of 2 Self-Titrated Oral Appliances for Airway Management:

The effectiveness and predictability of 2 different oral appliance (OA) designs to reduce the respiratory event index (REI) in moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients requires el...
Management of Dental Trauma

Dental trauma is a relatively common injury, especially within the context of facial trauma. Proper management of dental trauma can lead to improved outcomes. A comprehensive oral exam as part of an overall head and neck exam during the secondary survey will identify the degree and nature of dental/dentoalveolar injury and allow for the indicated treatment. The severity and nature of the injury as well as the adjacent dentoalveolar structures will determine the proper treatment.
“Blind passes” and the production of green security through violence on the Guatemalan border

Abstract Guatemalan protected areas have been sites for genocidal massacres, drug trafficking landing strips, and remilitarized “states of emergency,” but these activities are rarely considered in relation to conservation practices. This paper employs a political ecology approach to analyze interpellations of transboundary spaces as security threats, arguing that threat narratives produce insecurity in conservation spaces. Instead of assuming the primacy of neoliberalism in producing protected areas as sites of violence in the service of capitalism, the analysis traces the changing meanings of security in relation to Guatemala’s borderlands, from Cold War National Security Doctrine to discourses of citizen security in the twenty-first century Drug War. It is in the unmanned “blind passes” (pasos ciegos) of the Guatemalan–Mexican border, rendered as insecure spaces through the state’s putative absence, that policing paradoxically seeks to ensure “citizen security” through violence.
Occupational health and safety standards

This chapter describes occupational health and safety standards. These standards depend upon an assessment of what is socially acceptable and what is not. These standards are based on highly technical and scientific considerations. A standard is a judgment of the social acceptability of risk. Legal jurisdictions regarding the setting of standards are confused by the sheer multiplicity of governmental agencies having diverse authorities, the relative role of legislative, executive, and judicial functions, and the proliferation of professional organizations. A safety and health standard regarding a particular hazard may be based on historical experience with the hazard (usually in the workplace), laboratory studies (of animals and, to a much lesser extent, humans), and epidemiological studies. Laboratory studies provide essential data on the relationship between quantitative exposure to a hazardous agent and the effect of exposure.
Partner support and anxiety in young women with breast cancer

Objective Using a large prospective cohort of women age 40 or younger diagnosed with breast cancer, we examined the relationship between perceived partner support and anxiety. Methods Six hundred seventy-five young women with breast cancer Stages I–III, median age 36, completed a self-report baseline questionnaire. Perceived partner support was assessed using items extracted from the marital subscale of the Cancer Rehabilitation Evaluation System; generalized social support was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study–Social Support Survey. Anxiety was measured using the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Multivariable logistic regression analyses evaluated the association between partner support, other sociodemographic factors, and anxiety. Results Mean age at diagnosis was 35.4 years. Fourteen percent of the women were not partnered, and among those who were partnered or in a significant relationship, 20% were categorized as unsupported. In univariate and multivariable analysis adjusting for sociodemographic factors, women in an unsupported-partnered relationship had higher odds of anxiety symptoms compared with women in a supported-partnered relationship. Young age and being financially insecure were also both independently associated with anxiety. Conclusions Our findings suggest that partner support may play a key role in a young woman's adjustment to a serious stressor such as breast cancer. In addition, younger age increases vulnerability to anxiety as does struggling with finances. Because supportive efforts of a partner have potential to protect against the impact of stress, interventions to enhance partner support and reduce anxiety might be beneficial to address challenges experienced as a couple in this setting. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effects of Hypermedia Instruction on Stages of Concern of Students with Varying Authoring Language and Prior Hypermedia Experience.

AbstractIn this study, 15 research participants were exposed to 15 weeks (approximately nine hours per week when including out-of-class assignments) of hypermedia instruction. Stages of Concern responses at the pretreatment, midtreatment (week 7), and posttreatment points were compared. We grouped them according to growth in hypermedia knowledge and compared their responses at the same intervals. These responses were correlated with prior experience with authoring languages and prior experience with hypermedia. As an entire group, the research participants’ Awareness and Informational concerns decreased and their Consequence and Refocusing concerns increased. The participants with the most hypermedia-based knowledge growth maintained the highest concerns at the Awareness and Informational stages; whereas, the medium-growth group maintained the highest concern at the Management stage. The low-growth group had the lowest concerns at all stages. Those participants with more prior experience with hypermedia a...
The activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and Δ4–5isomerase in human follicular tissue☆

Abstract The steroidogenic enzymes 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and Δ 4–5 isomerase (3β-HSD) that convert Δ 5 -hydroxysteroids to Δ 4 -ketosteroids were measured in human follicular tissue collected during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. This study was done in order to determine whether 3β-HSD enzyme activity fluctuated during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle and, if so, whether these changes were reflected by the concentration of steroids in the follicular fluid. A microsomal fraction was prepared from each of 14 follicular-phase follicles, and 3β-HSD enzyme activity was estimated by the amount of androstenedione synthesized in the presence of excess substrate (dehydroepiandrosterone) and cofactor (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide). Androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, and progesterone were measured in the aspirated follicular fluid of each follicle. 3β-HSD enzyme activity was undetectable in the smallest (3 to 5 mm) follicles, increased in 5 to 6 mm follicles to 363.2 ± 60 pmol of androstenedione per milligram per hour, and increased still further in 9 to 11 mm follicles to 5,000 ± 200 pmol of androstenedione per milligram per hour. The increase in 3β-HSD enzyme activity was accompanied by an increase in the concentration of androstenedione in the follicular fluid as well as of progesterone in larger follicles. These data indicate that 3β-HSD activity increases during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. It is suggested that the primary product of the increased enzyme activity is androstenedione. Since androstenedione is the principal C 19 steroid produced by the ovulatory follicle and serves as a substrate for estradiol production, this increase in 3β-HSD activity may be important for the associated changes in the late follicular phase that lead to ovulation.
Heparin structure and interactions with basic fibroblast growth factor.

Crystal structures of heparin-derived tetra- and hexasaccharides complexed with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) were determined at resolutions of 1.9 and 2.2 angstroms, respectively. The heparin structure may be approximated as a helical polymer with a disaccharide rotation of 174° and a translation of 8.6 angstroms along the helix axis. Both molecules bound similarly to a region of the bFGF surface containing residues asparagine-28, arginine-121, lysine-126, and glutamine-135; the hexasaccharide also interacted with an additional binding site formed by lysine-27, asparagine-102, and lysine-136. No significant conformational change in bFGF occurred upon heparin oligosaccharide binding, which suggests that heparin primarily serves to juxtapose components of the FGF signal transduction pathway.
The end of the Pleistocene: a general critique of chronostratigraphic classification

Formal Chronostratigraphic Units are defined in the International Stratigraphic Guide on the basis of boundary stratotypes and then extended globally as isochronous units. They are unrealistic for application to late-Quaternary history, which involves events that are demonstrably time-transgressive owing to measurable lags between the causative force and the geologic response. Natural geologic time units that are diachronous globally are preferred because they represent events identifiable in the stratigraphic record. A similar objection is raised against formal Chronostratigraphy for the pre-Quaternary: recognizable biostratigraphic or lithostratigraphic units on which the geologic time scale has been built are diachronous globally, for they depend on slow evolutionary or tectonic processes. The imposition of Chronostratigraphic Units that are unrecognizable stratigraphically at a distance away from the type locality introduces an unnecessary terminology in the efforts of stratigraphers to econstruct the geologic history.
Synthetic studies on halichondrins: A new practical synthesis of the C.1–C.12 segment

Abstract A practical, scalable synthesis of the C.1C.13 segment of halichondrin B has been developed starting from L-mannonic-γ-lactone, using C-allylation/oxy-Michael cyclization and Ni(II) Cr(II) -mediated vinyltrimethylsilane addition to set the C.6 C.3 and C.11 stereocenters, respectively.
Multiple wavelength reference based on interleaved, sample fiber gratings and molecular absorption

We present a wavelength calibration reference based on sampled fiber gratings stabilized to a molecular absorption line. Such a hybrid reference can provide multiple stable calibration peaks over a wide range of wavelengths.
Randomized trial of dual antibody induction therapy with steroid avoidance in renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND Given our previous experience using dual-induction therapy with antithymocyte globulin (ATG)/daclizumab (Dac) (each with fewer doses than if used alone), we chose to compare two distinct dual-induction strategies. METHODS Single-center, open-label randomized trial of 200 primary kidney transplant recipients was performed: (group I, n=100) ATG/Dac (3 ATG, 2 Dac doses) versus (group II, n=100) ATG/alemtuzumab (1 dose each), with maintenance consisting of reduced tacrolimus dosing (rTd), enteric-coated mycophenolate sodium (EC-MPS), and early corticosteroid withdrawal. One half of standard EC-MPS dosing was targeted in group II to avoid severe leukopenia previously seen with alemtuzumab. The goal in both arms was to achieve rapid and effective lymphocyte depletion while simultaneously allowing reduced maintenance immunosuppression. Primary endpoint was the incidence of biopsy-proven acute rejection (BPAR). RESULTS With median follow-up of 38 months, there were no differences in BPAR rates: 14 of 100 vs. 13 of 100 (including borderline) and 10 of 100 vs. 9 of 100 (excluding borderline) in groups I and II, respectively (nonsignificant). Actuarial patient/graft survival at 48 months was 96%/91% in group I vs. 92%/83% in group II (N.S.). Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (±standard error) at 36 months was 72.1±3.3 vs. 67.5±3.3 in groups I and II (N.S.). Greater incidence of leukopenia occurred in group II at month 1 only (P=0.002). Percentages having EC-MPS withheld/discontinued due to leukopenia, gastrointestinal symptoms, and infection were 12 of 100, 7 of 100, and 0 of 100 in group I vs. 19 of 100, 0 of 100, and 2 of 100 in group II, respectively (P=0.01). Rates of new onset diabetes mellitus after transplantation and infections were equally low in both groups (no lymphoproliferative disorders were observed). CONCLUSIONS These two distinct dual-induction therapies with rTd, EC-MPS, and planned early corticosteroid withdrawal resulted in favorable rates of BPAR and all secondary outcomes.
Can motion of individual body segments identify dynamic instability in the elderly

Abstract Objective. To determine if medio-lateral motion of the head, trunk, or pelvis demonstrates dynamic stability as well as whole-body center of mass during obstructed walking. Design. Group comparison of two elderly populations using whole-body motion analysis. Background. Detection of imbalance through analysis of center of mass motion is commonly adopted, requiring three-dimensional reconstruction of a multi-link biomechanical model. It would be advantageous clinically if similar detection could be made by analyzing segmental displacements of the pelvis, trunk, or head. Methods. Healthy elderly adults and elderly patients with balance disorders walked over level ground and crossed obstacles of height ranging from 2.5% to 15% of body height. Whole-body center of mass was calculated as the weighted sum of segmental centers of mass. Group differences in medio-lateral displacements and peak velocities of head, trunk, pelvis, and the center of mass were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA with repeated measures for obstacle height. Results. Elderly patients with balance disorders exhibited greater medio-lateral displacement and peak velocities of all segments. However, significant group differences were only detected in the center of mass displacement and peak velocity. Conclusion. Whole-body center of mass motion distinguishes elderly patients with balance disorders from healthy peers more consistently than markers representing the head, trunk, or pelvis. Large variation of individual segment motion makes dynamic stability difficult to assess. This study demonstrates that center of mass motion allows more sensitive detection of dynamic instability. Relevance Detection of dynamic instability in at-risk individuals before falls occur will allow preventative interventions, preserving quality of life in the elderly population.
cPSA and fPSA elimination in African-American men.

In all, 22 African-American males undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate adenocarcinoma had serum drawn for tPSA, cPSA, and total protein concentrations prior to, during, and after operation to determine the respective elimination rates. African-American cPSA was found to fit best a simple first-order exponential elimination kinetic, with a half-life of 44.6 h. fPSA followed a two-compartment elimination with an α-phase elimination of 0.50 h and a β-phase half-life of 4.2 h. Our results suggest higher rates of elimination for both cPSA and fPSA in an African-American male population with respect to Caucasians and may account for differences in PSA values between races.
Large area 3-D updateable holographic displays using photorefractive polymers

Photorefractive polymers are shown to be suitable for large area dynamic 3-D holographic display. We have demonstrated 6
Thermophilic Temperature Optimum for Crenarchaeol Synthesis and Its Implication for Archaeal Evolution

The isoprenoid lipid crenarchaeol is widespread in hot springs of California and Nevada. Terrestrial and marine data together suggest a maximum relative abundance of crenarchaeol at ∼40°C. This warm temperature optimum may have facilitated colonization of the ocean by (hyper)thermophilic Archaea and the major marine radiation of Crenarchaeota.
Designing Sealing Glasses for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Thermal and chemical properties of “invert” glasses and glass-ceramics developed for hermetic seals for solid oxide fuel cells are described. The glasses crystallize to form thermally stable pyro- and orthosilicate phases with the requisite thermal expansion match to the Y-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) electrolyte. In addition, the glasses bond to Cr-steel substrates at 800–850 °C without forming extensive interfacial reaction products. The thermal expansion characteristics of the glass-ceramics remain essentially unchanged after 28 days at 750 °C. Compositions with lower (≤2 mol%) B2O3 contents exhibit the lowest volatilization rates when exposed to wet forming gas at 750 °C.
Summary of findings on electric power financing and cost recovery

Analyse succincte de 5 etudes consacrees au financement et a la recuperation des couts d'investissement des centrales electriques
Two cheers for the professional: some Anglo‐American comparisons

(1985). Two cheers for the professional: some Anglo‐American comparisons. The International Journal of the History of Sport: Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 290-304.
Selecting the Past: The Politics of Memory in Moscow's History Museums

Moscow's historical museums reflect a complex interrelationship of power, knowledge, and memory in contemporary Russia. Social and political changes in the country have produced enormous rifts between new and old values and memories, and the museums as mediums for the interpretations of die past are prone to manipulation by different political forces. History is contested. However die Moscow historical museums, especially those that belong to die state, still do not demonstrate a fundamental break from Soviet interpretation of the past. At best they are only beginning to develop a multi-focused approach to the Russian and Soviet past. (Moscow, museums, politics, contested history, collective memory]
VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMOGENESIS AND SUDDEN DEATH: Histologic Correlates in Two Young Females

Two female Pts. ages 5 and 14, with history of ventricular dysrrhythmia (VD) died suddenly. Pt I, had post-natal chaotic AV block and a prolonged QT interval. The infant required transvenous ventricular pacing which controlled the arrhythmia by overdrive suppression. A permanent epicardial unipolar VVI pacemaker was implanted at one week of age. The Pt had a normal hemodynamic study and complete RBB block pattern with left axis deviation with pacing. Febrile seizures occurred at age 5. Holter studies demonstrated normal pacemaker function and capture and no ventricular ectopy. Two weeks prior to her sudden death, a short self terminated run of VT was noted. Autopsy revealed an enlarged heart. Conduction system (CS) revealed chronic, patchy infiltration of cells in the myocardium and neuritis, with fibrosis of the bundle and the beginning of the bundle branches. Pt 2, had a 6 year history of paroxysmal VT, normal EP studies, was asymptomatic and was free of VD on proprananol. A brother with an identical condition had documented clinical and EP evidence of catechol induced ventricular premature beats and VT. Autopsy revealed cardiomegaly, a left sided His bundle, and markedly dilated veins pressed on the AV node. A conal muscle from the right side pressed on the bifurcating bundle, and the RBB was intramyocardial. In summary, arrhythmogenicity could have been triggered by changes in the CS resulting in sudden death in both pts.
Improved allocation of costs through analysis of variation in data: planning of laboratory studies.

Abstract Background: When developing a new laboratory test for study of human diseases, it is important to identify and control internal and external sources of variation that affect test results. It is also imperative that the precision of the test not only meets pre-established requirements and not exceed allowable total error, but also that these objectives are reached without undue expenditure of either time or financial resources. Methods: This study applies statistical principles in designing a cost-effective experimental approach for determining the analytical precision of a new test. This approach applies the statistical concept of variance components to the problem of balancing a pre-established level of analytical precision against expenses incurred in achieving this precision. Results: We demonstrated (1) estimation of variance components, (2) use of these estimates for improving allocation of costs within the experiment, and (3) use of these estimates for determining the optimal number of replicate measurements. Conclusions: Although elimination of all sources of variation that can affect laboratory test results is unlikely, the application of analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical techniques can lead to a cost-effective allocation of resources for estimating the precision of a laboratory test.
The role of prow-deposits in the wear of abrasive grits by superficial fracture

Abstract Prevailing concepts of wear of abrasive grits assume a mechanism of slow attritious wear land formation or one of cutting edge destruction by chipping. A second attritious wear mechanism is reported, involving rapid land wear by superficial fracture. Transfer of prow-deposits from the workpiece to wear lands accompanies rapid land wear by fracture. Crack nucleation, in the region of tensile stress generated at asperity junctions, leads to crater generation. Fragment production yields larger individual wear particles than competing attrition processes. The resulting wear rate of an abrasive is 10 to 50 times larger than attrition wear rates generating polished surfaces. Differences in fracture wear rate, among the abrasives studied, result from the varied character of microstructural flaws in the grits. The spacing, size and shape of these flaws affect the fragment size and fracture frequency. Adherent prow-deposits of various sizes form on abrasive grits contacting metal workpieces during sliding, micromilling and grinding. Deposition on the wear lands depends on workpiece properties and environmental conditions. Strong adhesion and ductility of the workpiece favor formation of prow-deposits on grit asperities.
House Party Switchers and Committee Assignments: Who Gets “What, When, How?”

What are the political consequences for members of Congress who switch parties? Roll-call and electoral consequences of congressional party switching have been studied, but other implications of party defections have yet to be systematically explored. In this article, I examine the committee assignments of House party switchers and argue that party leaders seek to reward members of the opposing party who join their ranks. Using committee assignment data from the 94th House (1975�76) through the 107th House (2001�02), I show that party switchers are more likely than nonswitchers to be the beneficiaries of violations of the seniority norm. The findings from this article are of interest to students of political parties and legislative institutions, and fill a gap in the literature on party switching. When you joined the Republican Conference on August 6, 1995, the elected leadership �determined that your accumulated seniority in the Congress would be credited when you joined the Republican Conference�. Therefore, the Republican Steering Committee's Seniority List ranks you nineteenth in overall conference seniority and designates May 22, 1980, as the beginning of your tenure in the House for purposes of Republican seniority.