cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment with dimethyl fumarate ameliorates liver ischemia/reperfusion injury

AIM To investigate the hypothesis that treatment with dimethyl fumarate (DMF) may ameliorate liver ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI). METHODS Rats were divided into 3 groups: sham, control (CTL), and DMF. DMF (25 mg/kg, twice/d) was orally administered for 2 d before the procedure. The CTL and DMF rats were subjected to ischemia for 1 h and reperfusion for 2 h. The serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), NO × metabolites, anti-oxidant enzyme expression level, anti-inflammatory effect, and anti-apoptotic effect were determined. RESULTS Histological tissue damage was significantly reduced in the DMF group (Suzuki scores: sham: 0 ± 0; CTL: 9.3 ± 0.5; DMF: 2.5 ± 1.2; sham vs CTL, P < 0.0001; CTL vs DMF, P < 0.0001). This effect was associated with significantly lower serum ALT (DMF 5026 ± 2305 U/L vs CTL 10592 ± 1152 U/L, P = 0.04) and MDA (DMF 18.2 ± 1.4 μmol/L vs CTL 26.0 ± 1.0 μmol/L, P = 0.0009). DMF effectively improved the ATP content (DMF 20.3 ± 0.4 nmol/mg vs CTL 18.3 ± 0.6 nmol/mg, P = 0.02), myeloperoxidase activity (DMF 7.8 ± 0.4 mU/mL vs CTL 6.0 ± 0.5 mU/mL, P = 0.01) and level of endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression (DMF 0.38 ± 0.05-fold vs 0.17 ± 0.06-fold, P = 0.02). The higher expression levels of anti-oxidant enzymes (catalase and glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit and lower levels of key inflammatory mediators (nuclear factor-kappa B and cyclooxygenase-2 were confirmed in the DMF group. CONCLUSION DMF improved the liver function and the anti-oxidant and inflammation status following I/RI. Treatment with DMF could be a promising strategy in patients with liver I/RI.
Manifolds and Maps

Differential topology is the study of differentiable manifolds and maps. A manifold is a topological space which locally looks like Cartesian n-space ℝ n ; it is built up of pieces of ℝn glued together by homeomorphisms. If these homeomorphisms are differentiable we obtain a differentiable manifold.
Current Evidence Does Not Warrant Frozen Section Evaluation for the Presence of Tumor Spread Through Alveolar Spaces

Context.— Tumor spread through alveolar spaces (STAS) has been correlated with unfavorable prognosis in lung adenocarcinomas treated with sublobar resection, but it is unknown whether STAS can be reliably identified in frozen section (FS) to help stratify patients for lobectomy or sublobar resection. Objective.— To evaluate STAS in FS. Design.— Tumor spread through alveolar spaces was evaluated in hematoxylin-eosin–stained FS, FS control slides, and all additional slides with lung tissue adjacent to tumor (AdLT) from 48 pT1–2 adenocarcinomas operated on using video-assisted thoracotomy (n = 25) or open thoracotomy (n = 23). The samples included lobectomies (n = 27) and sublobar resections (n = 21). The STAS incidences were compared by FS versus FS control versus AdLT, video-assisted thoracotomy versus open thoracotomy, and lobectomy versus sublobar resection. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of STAS+ findings were calculated. The literature was queried for best evidenc...
Critical Learning Periods in Deep Neural Networks

Similar to humans and animals, deep artificial neural networks exhibit critical periods during which a temporary stimulus deficit can impair the development of a skill. The extent of the impairment depends on the onset and length of the deficit window, as in animal models, and on the size of the neural network. Deficits that do not affect low-level statistics, such as vertical flipping of the images, have no lasting effect on performance and can be overcome with further training. To better understand this phenomenon, we use the Fisher Information of the weights to measure the effective connectivity between layers of a network during training. Counterintuitively, information rises rapidly in the early phases of training, and then decreases, preventing redistribution of information resources in a phenomenon we refer to as a loss of "Information Plasticity". Our analysis suggests that the first few epochs are critical for the creation of strong connections that are optimal relative to the input data distribution. Once such strong connections are created, they do not appear to change during additional training. These findings suggest that the initial learning transient, under-scrutinized compared to asymptotic behavior, plays a key role in determining the outcome of the training process. Our findings, combined with recent theoretical results in the literature, also suggest that forgetting (decrease of information in the weights) is critical to achieving invariance and disentanglement in representation learning. Finally, critical periods are not restricted to biological systems, but can emerge naturally in learning systems, whether biological or artificial, due to fundamental constrains arising from learning dynamics and information processing.
Relationships of Rainy Season Precipitation and Temperature to Climate Indices in California: Long-Term Variability and Extreme Events

AbstractTo better understand the change in California’s climate over the past century, the long-term variability and extreme events of precipitation as well as minimum, mean, and maximum temperatures during the rainy season (from November to March) are investigated using observations. Their relationships to 28 rainy season average climate indices with and without time lags are also studied. The precipitation variability is found to be highly correlated with the Tropical/Northern Hemisphere pattern (TNH) index at zero time lag with the highest correlation in Northern California and the Sierra, and the correlation decreasing southward. This is an important finding because there have been no conclusive studies on the dominant climate modes that modulate precipitation variability in Northern California. We find that the TNH modulates California precipitation variability through the development of a positive (negative) height anomaly and its associated low-level moisture fluxes over the northeast Pacific Ocean...
Charge Trapping in SiO 2

Avalanche injection techniques are extensively used to inject electrons and holes from silicon into the thin SiO2 layer of the type used in MOS transistors. This makes it possible to evaluate the electron and hole trapping kinetics in this material using only simple MOS devices. The simplicity of these devices makes it relatively easy to study the effect of variations in the processing technology used. The results show that processing dependencies are different for “bulk” traps and traps located at the Si-SiO2 interface. It is interesting to note that both the hole and electron traps located at the interface have the same processing dependence and are very sensitive to treatments in oxygen suggesting that these traps are related to an oxygen deficiency in the SiO2 near the interface.
Hair Characteristics of East and Southeast Asians

Hair characteristics of Asians differ from Caucasians in that Asians have lesser density and thick-caliber hair shafts compared to Caucasians. The hair is usually black and straight. However, there are also particular differences even among Asians themselves. Chinese scalps with androgenetic alopecia were reported to have an average of 68.07 FU/cm2. Meanwhile in the Asian textbook by Pathomvanich et al., Koreans have an approximate density of 120 hairs/cm2. This chapter outlines the different characteristics of East and Southeast Asian hair with reference to its average density in different regions of the scalp, the total number of hairs, and the degree of miniaturization.
Allometric Fallacies and the Evolution of Gryphaea: A New Interpretation Based on White’s Criterion of Geometric Similarity

I have often imagined that La Gioconda’s enigmatic smile is directed towards the scholars who write turgid books to explain her beauty. In length alone, literature about Shakespeare must exceed the Bard’s works by an order of magnitude usually reserved for interstellar distances. Yet if every profession must have its Drosophila, shall we begrudge a Jurassic oyster yet one more article?
Family-Based Mindful Eating Intervention in Adolescents with Obesity: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial.

Mindfulness has gained attention in the treatment of obesity. However, there is a paucity of data on family-based training in mindful eating in children. The objective of this pilot randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a family-based mindful eating intervention (MEI) in adolescents with obesity, and to compare the efficacy of the MEI versus standard dietary counseling (SDC) for decreasing weight and improving cardiometabolic risk markers. Twenty-two adolescents (age 14.5–17.9 years) and parent pairs were randomized to the MEI or SDC. The MEI was administered in four 90-min sessions over 10 weeks and SDC was provided at baseline, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks. Despite the requirement of more frequent visits with the MEI, adolescents and parents attended 100% of the sessions and there were no dropouts in that group. High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol increased in the SDC group, but not in the MEI group. Adolescents receiving the MEI demonstrated an increase in awareness at 24 weeks (p = 0.01) and a decrease in distraction during eating at 12 weeks (p = 0.04), when compared with the SDC group. The family-based MEI showed feasibility and acceptability in adolescents with obesity. Future studies with more intense therapy and larger sample sizes are warranted to examine the role of mindful eating in treating pediatric obesity.
Ultrasound diagnosis of unilateral axial myopia

Seven patients presenting for cataract surgery were diagnosed by ultrasonography to have Unilateral Axial Myopia in the cataractous eye. Bilateral axial length measurements revealed a difference of 4.5 to 6.7 mm between the two eyes. All patients were amblyopic in the cataractous eye and ultrasonography established the correct diagnosis, preoperatively.
Can I Speak and Do You Hear Me? Quest(ion)s for R/Evolution

Young people have been and will always be the vanguards and visionaries of civil rights movements and liberation-oriented communities. Young queers, however, are still struggling to be heard, even within gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities. The author offers the Encounter-Reaction Model as an analytical framework to explore the dynamics of power and oppression from the “top-down” perspective. He also raises probing questions to those in authority on their knowledge of disenfranchised communities' identities and realities, their strategies for leadership development, inclusion and accountability, and their motivations in regard to working and structuring their relationships with those at the margins. Finally, he unpacks the roots and manifestations of being silenced.
Neurocognitive and theory of mind deficits and poor social competence in schizophrenia: The moderating role of social disinterest attitudes.

Abstract Neurocognitive and theory of mind deficits, dysfunctional attitudes, and negative symptoms have all been linked to poor functioning in schizophrenia, but interactions among these factors have not been extensively examined. We investigated whether dysfunctional attitudes (e.g., defeatist performance beliefs and social disinterest attitudes) moderated associations between neurocognition and theory of mind and poor everyday functioning and social competence in 146 participants with schizophrenia. We examined whether cognitive deficits are more likely to influence functioning in participants with more severe dysfunctional attitudes. Social disinterest, but not defeatist performance, attitudes were found to moderate associations between cognitive deficits and social competence but not everyday functioning, such that neurocognition and theory of mind deficits were only associated with poorer social competence in participants with more severe social disinterest attitudes. In contrast, no significant moderation effects were found for defeatist performance beliefs. Findings indicate that deficits in abilities were less likely to impact social competence in participants with greater interest in socializing. It may be that greater motivation for socializing engenders increased practice and engagement in social interactions, which then leads to greater social competence despite poor cognitive abilities. Treatments that target social disinterest attitudes may lead to greater social competence and engagement.
Adoption of the Six Traits Analytic Writing Model with a Low-Income Student Population: A Comparative Study of Improvement in Student Writing

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) have renewed attention on writing instruction. This study investigates the impact of teachers’ use of the Six Traits Analytic Writing model on random stratified s...
The multiple mechanisms that regulate p53 activity and cell fate

The tumour suppressor p53 has a central role in the response to cellular stress. Activated p53 transcriptionally regulates hundreds of genes that are involved in multiple biological processes, including in DNA damage repair, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and senescence. In the context of DNA damage, p53 is thought to be a decision-making transcription factor that selectively activates genes as part of specific gene expression programmes to determine cellular outcomes. In this Review, we discuss the multiple molecular mechanisms of p53 regulation and how they modulate the induction of apoptosis or cell cycle arrest following DNA damage. Specifically, we discuss how the interaction of p53 with DNA and chromatin affects gene expression, and how p53 post-translational modifications, its temporal expression dynamics and its interactions with chromatin regulators and transcription factors influence cell fate. These multiple layers of regulation enable p53 to execute cellular responses that are appropriate for specific cellular states and environmental conditions.
Facial Feminization Surgery

Facial plastic and reconstructive surgical procedures performed on the transgender patient to feminize the facial skeleton and soft tissue are collectively referred to as the field of facial feminization surgery. Many surgeons are unfamiliar with the evaluation and considerations that are critical to a successful gender affirmation process. This chapter first reviews the key differences in facial analysis between the biologic male and female facial structure and an evidenced-based approach using literature suggesting that forehead modification results in the highest recognition of a stereotypically feminine appearance, as compared to changes to the middle or lower thirds of the face. The range of procedures and surgical techniques available for facial feminization surgery, with a focus on the upper face, will be discussed. As with any facial procedure, proper preoperative patient counseling, collaboration with other providers, and management of expectations are imperative for successful outcomes.
Structure, function and therapeutic potential of adhesion GPCRs

Abstract Due to their essential roles in many cellular functions such as myelination, angiogenesis, and synapse formation as well as their unconventional extracellular regions, Adhesion G Protein-Coupled Receptors (aGPCRs) have emerged as intriguing molecules to study and to target for therapeutics. Here, we summarize the important findings, which have led to our better understanding of the structure and function of aGPCRs. Importantly, the discovery of the structure of the autoproteolysed GPCR-Autoproteolysis- Inducing domain and studies on aGPCR cell-signaling have led to new models of receptor activation. In addition, structural and biochemical work on aGPCRs and their ligands have helped elucidate the role of cell-adhesion in receptor function and allowed for a pathway toward developing drugs that can modulate receptor activity.
Electronic Transduction for Acoustic Sensors

Chapter 10 was concerned mainly with the mechanical response of a sensing element to sound. In the following, we focus on the problem of how to convert that mechanical motion into an electronic signal. Because the mechanical sensing element must normally be very compliant, the design of the electronic transduction can result in significant forces applied that has a marked influence on the sensor motion. As a result, great care must often be taken to ensure that the transduction system leads to the desired performance.
Substrate Effects in GaN-on-Silicon RF Device Technology

The influence of the semiconducting Si substrate on the performance of GaN-on-Si RF technology is reviewed. Firstly, the formation of a parasitic conduction channel at the substrate-epitaxy interfa...
2019 ITAA Special Topic Session: Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes for TAPAC Accreditation

A Special Topic Session discussed the learning outcomes section of TAPAC Accreditation Standard 7.0--Curricula and Learning Outcomes.
The intersection between stress responses and inositol pyrophosphates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Saccharomyces cerevisiae adapts to oxidative, osmotic stress and nutrient deprivation through transcriptional changes, decreased proliferation, and entry into other developmental pathways such as pseudohyphal formation and sporulation. Inositol pyrophosphates are necessary for these cellular responses. Inositol pyrophosphates are molecules composed of the phosphorylated myo-inositol ring that carries one or more diphosphates. Mutations in the enzymes that metabolize these molecules lead to altered patterns of stress resistance, altered morphology, and defective sporulation. Mechanisms to alter the synthesis of inositol pyrophosphates have been recently described, including inhibition of enzyme activity by oxidation and by phosphorylation. Cells with increased levels of 5-diphosphoinositol pentakisphosphate have increased nuclear localization of Msn2 and Gln3. The altered localization of these factors is consistent with the partially induced environmental stress response and increased expression of genes under the control of Msn2/4 and Gln3. Other transcription factors may also exhibit increased nuclear localization based on increased expression of their target genes. These transcription factors are each regulated by TORC1, suggesting that TORC1 may be inhibited by inositol pyrophosphates. Inositol pyrophosphates affect stress responses in other fungi (Aspergillus nidulans, Ustilago maydis, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Cryptococcus neoformans), in human and mouse, and in plants, suggesting common mechanisms and possible novel drug development targets.
6 – Photosynthetic Generators of Protonmotive Force

A photosynthetic organism captures energy from light in order to drive the otherwise endergonic synthesis of molecules needed for the growth and maintenance of the organism. Bacteria and green plants use similar strategies, capturing photons via light-harvesting (antennae) complexes, funnelling the energy to reaction centres where the energy is used to change the redox potential of a special chlorophyll assembly from electropositive to electronegative, and releasing ‘high-energy’ electrons into electron transport pathways generating a protonmotive force. In green plants, two such reaction centres act in series to take very electropositive (low-energy) electrons from a water-splitting centre and deliver them at a sufficiently negative redox potential to reduce NADP+, at the same time generating a protonmotive force. Finally, certain microorganisms, mainly halophiles, utilise a totally different approach to generating Δp.
Born to RUNX1.

In this issue of Blood, Simon et al evaluated 430 samples from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) for germline and somatic mutations in RUNX family transcription factor 1 (RUNX1). They found that nearly 30% of the identified variants were germline.
A Comparative Study on Reduced System Thermal Models for Transient Simulations

Semiconductor packaging and interconnect technologies today rely more and more on system solutions with increased modularity and functionality. Profound understanding of the heat transfer mechanisms at any steady or transient loading is essential for optimizing the new systems designs. Detailed transient thermal analysis conducted with commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool is time-consuming and laborious especially when the analysis scope ranged from package, to handheld device, to laptop, even a single parameter optimization requires lengthy simulation run time. Reduced system models are simple and efficient for quick thermal analysis especially during early design stages, where board layout, CPU powermap, and system geometry details are not completely available. This quick analysis helps to decide new architecture level changes in the early stage of design.In this paper, zoom-in transient model i.e. dual-region approach is proposed for reducing the computational time with almost same accuracy compared to the full detailed model. In this approach, one region is drawn across the area of interest i.e. die or full package or some part of system and enveloped by another region to calculate the local boundary condition over the surfaces. In the baseline study, the proposed model reduces computational time 70-80% with a marginal accuracy trade-off based on the size of regions across the area of interest. The zoom-in transient model results i.e. temporal plot of junction temperature and burst time are compared with the available different compact approaches including the unit-level and Docea models for the detailed system level transient simulation.
Psychiatric challenges and management in kidney transplantation

Abstract The kidney transplant journey presents numerous psychosocial challenges for recipients, donors, caregivers, and clinicians. Renal disease itself is accompanied by physiological and psychological changes. The transplant process adds the risks associated with chronic immunosuppression, a complex pharmacologic regimen that may cause physical and mental health side effects, and life-changing psychosocial adaptations. Medication treatments require adjustments for renal disease before transplantation and an awareness of drug-drug interactions with immunosuppressant agents after transplantation. Preexisting psychiatric conditions can heighten risk factors, as can the emergence of new psychiatric problems that may develop due to renal failure or changes after transplantation. Psychiatric management of patients as they (1) approach kidney transplantation, (2) during the immediate posttransplant time frame (0–3 months), and (3) as posttransplant issues emerge over time (> 3 months) may differ. Attention to these time frames may help clinicians better prepare patients with psychiatric issues to successfully navigate this unique course of physical and psychological transformation.
CO2 geological sequestration in heterogeneous binary media: Effects of geological and operational conditions

Realistic representation of subsurface heterogeneity is essential to better understand and effectively predict the migration and trapping patterns of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) during geological carbon sequestration (GCS). Many candidate aquifers for GCS have sedimentary architectures which reﬂect ﬂuvial deposition, where coarser-grained facies with higher-permeability (e.g., sandstone) are juxtaposed within ﬁner-grained facies with lower-permeability (e.g., shale). Because the subsurface is difﬁcult to access and sample, geostatistical methods are often used to model the spatial distribution of geological facies across different scales. We use a transition-probability based approach to simulate heterogeneous systems with binary facies distributions and the resulting petrophysical properties at the ﬁeld scale. The approach produces heterogeneity ﬁelds which honor observable and physical facies attributes (e.g., volumetric proportions, mean lengths, and juxtapositional tendencies). Further, we use the associated facies-dependent properties for both relative permeability and capillary pressure relations and their hysteretic behavior. Heterogeneous facies models are used to investigate the sensitivity of different trapping mechanisms (i.e., dissolution, residual trapping) as well as CO 2 plume dynamics to variability in (1) the spatial organization and connectivity of sedimentary facies types; (2) aquifer temperature; (3) CO 2 injection period; (4) perforation length; and (5) the level of impurity, represented here as methane (CH 4 ) present in injected CO 2 streams. Model results show that the magnitudes of residual and solubility trapping are reduced by increasing the percentage and degree of connectivity of high-permeability facies. An increase in aquifer temperature leads to a decrease in residual trapping and an increase in solubility trapping. Results also reveal that for a given volume of injected CO 2 , shorter injection times yield higher total amounts of trapped CO 2 . Similarly, wells perforated over a shorter thickness of the aquifer contribute to an increase in both residual and solubility trapping. We also ﬁnd that increased CH 4 concentrations in the injected CO 2 streams decrease residual trapping while increasing solubility trapping. This effect is more pronounced at shallower depths, where the pressure and temperature of the aquifer are lower. Cited as : Ershadnia, R., Wallace, C.D., Soltanian, M.R. CO 2 geological sequestration in heterogeneous binary media: Effects of geological and operational conditions. Advances in Geo-Energy Research, 2020, 4(4): 392-405, doi: 10.46690/ager.2020.04.05
Utility of Procalcitonin in Differentiating Acute Chest Syndrome from Vaso-Occlusive Crisis in Sickle Cell Disease

Background: Acute chest syndrome (ACS) frequently complicates sickle cell disease (SCD) and is a leading cause of hospitalization and mortality. Many factors have been implicated in ACS, including infections, thrombosis, fat and pulmonary emboli. However, a clear etiology is not defined in 50% of the cases and ACS is considered a clinical endpoint for different pathogenic processes (Vichinsky et al 2000). The non-specific nature of ACS makes diagnostic tests challenging, and there are no serum tests clinical used to aid diagnosis. Procalcitonin (PCT) is a prohormone of calcitonin and serum PCT rises within hours of an inflammatory stimulus. PCT has clinical utility as a marker of severe systemic inflammation, infection, and sepsis (Becker et al. 2008). Few studies have evaluated PCT as a biomarker for ACS in patients presenting with vaso-occlusive crises (VOC). Two studies have reported no difference in PCT (Biemond et al. 2018 and Stankovic et al 2011), while one study reported higher PCT between ACS and VOC (Patel et al 2014). Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 106 patients with SCD who presented to the emergency department with fever and painful crises during 2015-2019. The patients were divided into two categories based on discharge diagnoses - patients with VOC only (n=88) and patients with ACS (n=18). Inclusion criteria for both groups were patients with SCD, 17 years and older and PCT measurement on presentation. Exclusion criteria were defined as patients who had received empiric antibiotics prior to PCT testing. Data collected on presentation included genotype, age, gender, complete blood count, PCT, creatinine, total bilirubin and hydroxyurea use. Length of stay was recorded. Data was analyzed between the two groups using descriptive statistics and accounting for unequal variances, withp-value set at 0.05 for significance. Results: Demographics and clinical characteristics are summarized in Table 1 (Figure). The sample included primarily adult males (77%), with about two-thirds on hydroxyurea. Genotype HbSS (73.6%) was most prevalent followed by HbSC (22.6%) and HbSβ (3.8%). The ACS group had a higher percentage of HbSS, lower use of hydroxyurea and higher mean bilirubin. Mean PCT for the ACS group was 0.52 ng/mL (range, 0.05-2.04), compared to 0.31 ng/mL (range, 0.02-6.82) in the VOC group; withp=0.084. ROC analysis showed a PCT>0.5ng/mL had 39% sensitivity and 85% specificity for ACS in this sample. Conclusion: In this sample, PCT on presentation was higher in those with ACS compared to VOC, but this difference did not achieve statistical significance. Further study in a larger population would be useful to evaluate this finding. Download : Download high-res image (507KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Reconstructing patchy reionization with deep learning

The precision anticipated from next-generation cosmic microwave background (CMB) surveys will create opportunities for characteristically new insights into cosmology. Secondary anisotropies of the CMB will have an increased importance in forthcoming surveys, due both to the cosmological information they encode and the role they play in obscuring our view of the primary fluctuations. Quadratic estimators have become the standard tools for reconstructing the fields that distort the primary CMB and produce secondary anisotropies. While successful for lensing reconstruction with current data, quadratic estimators will be sub-optimal for the reconstruction of lensing and other effects at the expected sensitivity of the upcoming CMB surveys. In this paper we describe a convolutional neural network, ResUNet-CMB, that is capable of the simultaneous reconstruction of two sources of secondary CMB anisotropies, gravitational lensing and patchy reionization. We show that the ResUNet-CMB network significantly outperforms the quadratic estimator at low noise levels and is not subject to the lensing-induced bias on the patchy reionization reconstruction that would be present with a straightforward application of the quadratic estimator.
“Leave to quit boundaries”: Danger, precarity, and queer diasporas in the South Asian Caribbean

Caribbean writer A.R.F. Webber’s 1917 Those That Be in Bondage is the first novel of the South Asian Caribbean. In it, he locates migration and sexuality within larger colonial systems spanning eco...
The Heart of Judgment: Practical Wisdom, Neuroscience, and Narrative

Introduction 1. An intellectual history of judgment 2. The indispensability of experience 3. The power of the unconscious 4. The imperative of affect 5. The riches of narrative Conclusion.
Electrochemical growth of composite hydroxyapatite coatings for controlled release

Abstract An electrochemical method was used to load ionic molecules into hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings during electrochemical synthesis. A metal cathode surface was first electrochemically coated with a thin layer of HA. Then, a second electrochemical coating step was conducted with non-reactive ionic molecules added to the synthesis solution. The loading and release from the HA films are driven in large part by the sign and valence of charge on the ionic additive. Cationic additives are attracted to the cathode surface and effectively loaded to form composite HA films, while anionic species are repelled from the cathode and not effectively incorporated. Divalent cations are released more slowly than monovalent cations. This simple method may be used to create drug eluting bioactive coatings for controlled release. The loading and release of streptomycin, a common antibiotic, was measured as a representative pharmaceutical example.
The role of non-monetary and strategic considerations in the public good games

The goal of the paper is to test the importance of such factors as fairness, reciprocation and altruism in subjects' reasoning. I consider the phantom treatment where subjects are randomly matched with the decisions that were made in the (separate) benchmark treatment, and two-type treatments where one type of subjects gets fixed payment regardless of the outcome, and the second type has a standard payoff function, with only the opponent's type being known. The main result is that removal of non-monetary and strategic considerations decrease the average over-contribution only by 40%, which means that these considerations are not the main cause of subjects' suboptimal behavior in the benchmark.
Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis

Many metals and metal-containing compounds have been identified to be potent mutagens and carcinogens. Recently, a new sub-discipline of molecular toxicology and carcinogenesis has been developed. The combination of newly developed molecular techniques and free radical approach makes it possible to insightfully examine metal-induced carcinogenesis in precise molecular terms so that intricate biological interrelationships can be elucidated. In consideration of the increased amount of new findings deciphered by utilizing these new methods, the 1st Conference on Molecular Mechanisms of Metal Toxicity and Carcinogenesis was held. In this conference, more than 50 scientists from nine countries presented their novel discoveries concerning metal-induced carcinogenesis, delineated molecular mechanism of metal carcinogenesis, and proposed novel therapeutic intervention and prevention strategies. This article reviewes some of the state-of-the-art information presented at the meeting regarding the molecular mechanisms of metal cytotoxicity and carcinogenesis.
Metabolism of Basic Amino Acids in Pseudomonas putida γ-GUANIDINOBUTYRATE AMIDINOHYDROLASE

Abstract γ-Guanidinobutyrate amidinohydrolase, the third enzyme of l-arginine catabolism in Pseudomonas putida, has been purified 68-fold from extracts of cultures grown on l-arginine. Synthesis of the amidinohydrolase is induced by growth on l-arginine or γ-guanidinobutyrate, but not by growth on γ-aminobutyrate or on urea plus dl-malate. Hydrolysis of γ-guanidinobutyrate to γ-aminobutyrate and urea proceeds essentially to completion at pH 7 to 11. The purified enzyme specifically requires Mn2+ and exhibits optimum activity at about pH 10 and 50°. The Km for γ-guanidinobutyrate is 32 mm at pH 10. While δ-guanidinovalerate and e-guanidinocaproate also are hydrolyzed, the value of both Km (δ-guanidinovalerate = 206 mm; e-guanidinocaproate = 163 mm) and of Vmax (606, 27, and 11 e.u. per mg for γ-guanidinobutyrate, δ-guanidinovalerate, and e-guanidinocaproate, respectively) suggest that γ-guanidinobutyrate is the natural substrate. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 178,000 by gel permeation chromatography and 190,000 by sucrose density gradient centrifugation.
Modeling of CO 2 homogeneous condensation plumes

A direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) based homogenous condensation model is developed to study CO2 free expanding condensation plumes. It is found that initial condensation onset locations are less sensitive to gas pressure or plume stagnation pressure than temperature. Gas translational and rotational temperatures are found to be in the equilibrium state for both condensation and noncondensation simulations. Numerical gas and cluster temperatures are compared to the experimental data, and the simulation results show that cluster temperatures are higher than gas temperatures due to condensation latent heat. The numerical simulation results of CO2 cluster size, number density, and gas mole fraction in homogenous condensation plume are compared with experimental data of Ramos et al.
Exploring the Space Between: Social Networks, Trust, and Urban School District Leaders:

A number of scholars are exploring the district context in which schools are embedded. These studies suggest the importance of the district office as a support or constraint to the work of schools ...
An Alternative Spatial Hedonic Estimation Approach

Housing studies typically use parcel level distance variables or some variant of the spatial weights matrix approach to incorporate spatial effects into hedonic regression models. In this paper, using very detailed data on household attitudes and parcel attributes, hedonic regression residuals are used in a structural equations framework to check for additional spatial effects in the hedonic coefficients beyond those captured in the hedonic regression itself. In this way, a "nearest neighbors" approach utilizing parcel level distance variables is compared directly to OLS estimation using spatial variables, showing the relative efficiency of the estimates in the former approach.
THE ROLE OF EDUCATION IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION

The basic problem in childhood accident prevention is one of education involving physicians, parents and children. The physician must learn more about the causes of accidents, he must also perfect his techniques of teaching parents how to assume their role in accident prevention. The ultimate responsibility for juvenile accident prevention falls on the parents, but this should be conveyed to them in a non-frightening manner and with an assurance of possible achievement. This is possible with a theory of accident prevention which embraces a reciprocal relationship between protection and education related to age. It is essential that parents realize the importance of parental example in the education of their children. The most stimulating educational device is supervised participation. If parental example is good and supervised experience is imaginatively conceived, then and then only can didactic instruction of the child be effective. Finally, attention is called to the fact that here presented is a paper on accident prevention in childhood which is devoid of statistics.
Welfare Regimes in Latin America: Capturing Constellations of Markets, Families and Policies

This article presents both a theoretical framework and a methodology that attempt to capture the complex interactions among labor markets, families, and public policy that currently constitute Latin American welfare regimes. Drawing on cluster analysis based on available data for 18 countries, the study identifies three welfare regimes. Two are state welfare regimes: protectionist (e.g. Costa Rica) and productivist (e.g. Chile); one is nonstate familiarist (e.g. Ecuador and Nicaragua). In a region where people's well-being is deeply embedded in family relationships, closer scholarly attention to how social structures interact with public policy bears not only academic interest but also policy implications, particularly for adapting particular welfare regimes to the local welfare mix.
Towards an understanding of discernment: a conceptual paper

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to define the concept of “discernment”.Design/methodology/approach – The paper defines and presents discernment in a manner that sheds light on the construct and sets the stage for future research.Findings – Discernment, is a significantly more involving kind of approach to decision making for the leader. It does not rely on precedents, best practices, or benchmarking. It is to understand the self and organization in a holistic way, inviting constant self‐evaluation and adjustments in order to make good judgments that serve the greater whole.Research limitations/implications – Additional research is needed to empirically validate the concept through systematic investigations and devise a means to measure it.Practical implications – The paper assists leaders in understanding the “what” and “why” of discernment and provides an opportunity for self‐evaluation by leaders as to how well each leader engages in discernment.Originality/value – The paper is original and makes...
Growth regimes of the oxygen-deficient TiO2(110) surface exposed to oxygen

Abstract We use low-energy electron microscopy (LEEM) to systematically investigate how the (1 1 0) surfaces of oxygen-deficient rutile crystals grow epitaxially when exposed to oxygen. Distinct growth processes occur, depending primarily on temperature and oxygen pressure. The temperature dependence of these growth regimes has been systematically determined for a slightly reduced crystal of medium-blue color. At high-temperature, TiO2 growth occurs by pure step flow without the nucleation of new islands. At relatively low-temperatures, crystal growth proceeds by two-dimensional islands nucleating and spreading laterally. In this layer-by-layer growth regime, the surface periodically oscillates between structures with 1 × 1 and 1 × 2 periodicity. The threshold temperature above which island nucleation does not occur depends upon the local terrace width. For a range of temperatures around the threshold, nucleation occurs on wide terraces but not on narrow terraces. We demonstrate how to use the different growth regimes to efficiently increase a crystal’s oxygen content, smooth its surface, and synthesize island arrays and stacks.
Simultaneous Optimal Estimation of Mode Transition Times and Parameters Applied to Simple Traction Models

An optimization-based estimation method is presented to determine mode transition times and model parameters for hybrid systems. First- and second-order optimality conditions are derived, including cross-derivative terms between transition times and parameters. Second-order optimization methods are shown to provide superior convergence to correct values in simulation, and to values within expected ranges experimentally for traction estimation of a skid-steered vehicle.
Modeling Concept Dependencies for Event Detection

Event detection is a recent and challenging task. The aim is to retrieve the relevant videos given an event description. A set of training examples associated with the events are generally provided as well, since retrieving relevant videos from textual queries solely is not feasible. Early attempts of event detection are based on low-level features. High level features such as concepts for event detection have been introduced as an alternative to low-level features since high-level features provide semantically richer information. In this work, we focus on object-based concepts and exploit their dependencies using a Markov Random Field (MRF) based model for event detection. This enables us to model likelihood of concepts, either pairwise or individually, present in the videos. Here, we propose a method incorporating the strengths of concepts and MRF based model for event detection task. We evaluate our models on an Multimedia Event Detection (MED) dataset from NIST's 2011 TRECVID Multimedia, which consists of approximately 45,000 unconstrained videos. This type of work is beneficial from several respects. First, we focus on the task of concept-based event detection using a very large number of unconstrained Youtube videos. Second, we introduce the application of MRF's for the event detection purpose, which can further be enhanced incorporating other features or temporal information. At last but not means least, we exploit the occurrence and co-occurrence of object based concepts for event detection that enables us to reveal interactions of such concepts in the video level. Experimental results show that revealing these interactions provide promising event detection results.
Piezoelectric micro-scale mechanical computing system

Near-zero leakage current, nearly ideal on to off-state current ratios, sharp voltage to current relationship slopes and potential for intrinsic immunity to radiation have made MEMS-based mechanical logic an attractive area of research. This work builds upon an ongoing research effort, which aims to develop a lead zirconate titanate (PZT)-based, mechanical logic architecture, in order to demonstrate a fully capable digital MEMS system. The work presented here demonstrates an integration of combinational and sequential mechanical logic elements to provide a 1-bit counter without the aid of semiconductor technologies. The system demonstrates both proper functionality and data retention over multiple cycles.
Distinct functionalities of bone morphogenetic protein antagonists during fracture healing in mice

The bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) family of growth factors plays critical roles in bone formation. BMPs are regulated at multiple levels by various BMP antagonists. This study investigated how BMP antagonists are integrated into the cascade of events of bone formation during fracture healing. Forty mice underwent a controlled femur fracture; tissue samples at the fracture site were harvested at days 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 after fracture, for quantification of the expression of BMPs and BMP antagonists. During fracture healing, BMP-2, -4 and -7 were up-regulated, but BMPR-1A and BMPR-2 showed reduced expression after day 14. Among BMP antagonists, the expressions of PRDC, SOST, Smad7, GREM1 and CERBERUS were generally down-regulated during fracture healing. In contrast, Noggin was significantly up-regulated in the first week after fracture; 7 days after fracture, other BMP antagonists, including DAN, CHRD, Smad6 and BAMBI, also showed significantly increased expression. In conclusion, this study indicates that BMP antagonists can be divided into two functional groups in relation to fracture healing: (1) those whose suppression may be essential for the initiation of osteogenesis; (2) those that are upregulated and may function in the remodeling of newly formed bone.
A 3-D boundary element formulation of viscoelastic media with gravity

This paper presents a boundary element formulation for 3-D linear and viscoelastic bodies subjected to the body force of gravity. The Laplace transformation is first used to suppress the time variable, and solutions of displacements and stresses are found in the transformed domain. The time domain solutions are then found by an accurate and efficient numerical inversion method which requires only real calculations for all quantities. Input and output data, and solutions in the transformed and time domains are connected through an Interactive Data Language code written by the authors. While particular solutions of stresses and displacements related to the body force of gravity (which is applied at time t = 0 and is kept constant) are derived, the Green's functions in the Laplace domain are obtained through the correspondence principle. The new formulation has been implemented into an existing 3-D BEM program, and several numerical examples involving 3-D viscoelastic bodies are presented. Although the discussion in this paper focuses on Maxwell viscoelastic and isotropic media, other linear isotropic and even anisotropic viscoelastic models can also be incorporated, without difficulty, into the 3-D viscoelastic BEM program.
Serotonin response in sweet- food craving Alzheimer’s disease subjects

Abnormal sweet-food craving may occur in subjects with Alzheimer's disease. This behavior may be due to abnormalities in the brain serotonin system. Fenfluramine stimulates the brain serotonin neurosystem, producing an increase in systemic prolactin. Using the fenfluramine stimulation test, brain serotonin system response was evaluated in 12 subjects with probable Alzheimer's disease. The subjects' caregivers completed questionnaires concerning subject food preferences and behaviors. Alzheimer's disease subjects with sweet-food craving were found to have a significantly higher response to fenfluramine than non sweet-food craving subjects. This preliminary study is limited by small sample size. Allowing for assumptions concerning central nervous system regulatory processes, the data suggest a possible role for the serotonin system in sweet-food craving in Alzheimer's disease.
A provisional model to predict blood pressure response to biofeedback-assisted relaxation

Blood pressure (BP) response to biofeedback-assisted relaxation is not uniform among hypertensive individuals. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if selected psychophysiological variables could be used to identify individuals able to lower blood pressure using biofeedback-assisted relaxation. Responders were defined using a preset criterion of 5 mm Hg or greater decrease in mean arterial pressure. A logistic regression model derived from five variables (heart rate, finger temperature, forehead muscle tension, plasma renin response to furosemide, and mean arterial pressure response to furosemide) provided significant predictive power for BP response, exhibiting a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 80.0%. With future validation, the proposed model may provide useful information to identify patients likely to benefit from biofeedback-assisted relaxation.