cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The process of parenting a child with a disability: normalization through accommodations.

Professionals commonly advise parents of disabled children to raise their children as they would children who were not disabled. The purpose of this study was to describe the management styles used by the parents of 15 children and adolescents with osteogenesis imperfecta. In particular, the behavioural strategies related to providing a normalized existence for the child and the family are discussed. Sources of threats, validation, and support for the process are also described. The convenience sample of parents was selected from the appointment calendar of a specialty clinic in a midwestern philanthropic, paediatric-orthopaedic referral hospital. Qualitative interview data were gathered using a semi-structured guide. During interviews parents described behavioural strategies they used to normalize their child's and family life. Data were analysed using a previously developed framework of normalization. This work of normalization was described as a constant process of active accommodation to the changing physical and emotional needs of the child or adolescent. It was initiated out of practical necessity at birth as a conscious solution to problems with activities of daily living, relating to the child, and engaging in family activities. Certain events constituted ‘threats’ to normalization and served as an impetus for parents to alter behavioural strategies. Implications for clinical practice and research are explicated.
Remotely sensed ammonia emission from fumarolic vents associated with a hydrothermally active fault in the Salton Sea Geothermal Field, California

[1] Airborne hyperspectral imaging surveys were conducted over a geothermally active region straddling the southeastern shore of the Salton Sea in Southern California. The imagery was acquired across the 7.6–13.5 μm longwave-infrared region with a ground sample distance of approximately 1 m. Prominent thermal hot spots associated with fumaroles along a known fault line were observed to coincide with emission of free ammonia, presumed to originate from geothermally induced pyrolytic decomposition of nitrogenous compounds that permeate the lake water, sediment, and adjacent agricultural terrain. It is shown that the inferred fluxes of ammonia constitute a significant fraction (10–25%) of the total atmospheric ammonia burden assessed for the Salton Sea environs and represent a previously unreported source for that locale.
Magnetic resonance imaging of peripheral soft tissue hemangiomas.

Ten patients with soft tissue hemangiomas outside the central nervous system were studied with MR imaging. Eight patients were studied at 1.5 Tesla (T) with T1-weighted and triple echo T2-weighted sequences. Two additional patients were imaged on a 0.5-T system. The MR images were correlated with images from other modalities. Histologie diagnosis was obtained in all cases. It was found that prolonged T2-weighted imaging together with standard spin echo T1 and T2 pulse sequences is a good substitute for contrast-enhanced CT and arteriographic evaluation of soft tissue hemangiomas.
Investigating the existence of a threshold stress intensity for slow crack growth in high-density polyethylene

The existence of a threshold stress intensity for failure by slow crack growth under plane strain conditions for single-edge notched tensile specimens and for three-point bending was investigated at 42° C. It was found that the threshold for the nucleation of damage was between 0.074 and 0.063 MPa m1/2 and the threshold for complete failure was about 0.08 MPam1/2.
A qualitative and systematic assessment methodology for course outcomes from formal laboratory work products in electrical engineering

Laboratory courses should provide students with practical hands-on skills and knowledge pertinent to their field. Formal lab reports, the work products of lab courses, can be used to quantitatively assess these competencies. However, the requirements of formal lab reports, their structure, and the assessment methodology are often ambiguous. Additionally, the lack of an established assessment method can result in inconsistent and subjective assessments if multiple teaching assistants are involved in teaching the same course. This can lead to confusion and dissatisfaction for both student and teaching assistant. The Electrical Engineering program at Vanderbilt University has developed a quantitative and systematic method for assessing formal technical lab reports. This method utilizes scoring matrices, which are divided into categories based on predetermined criteria. By assessing these categories and combining their results, a quantitative measure of various practical abilities and outcomes can be evaluated from the labs. This paper presents the new quantitative and systematic assessment method.
Follow-up study of chronically ill patients discharged from hospital

Abstract A study was made of 82 patients with selected illnesses of specified severity before and after discharge from the ward services of three general hospitals in a metropolitan community. An initial appraisal was made by a resident physician who evaluated the health status of each patient and made recommendations for care and supervision following discharge from hospital. After an average period of 3 months, each patient was visited by a student of social work who reconstructed the course of events following discharge and determined the extent to which the physicians' recommendations were complied with and the reasons for non-compliance. The usual consequences of chronic illness—persistent disability, unemployment and recurrent and lengthy institutionalization—were amply evident in this group. So was the fact that the burden of continued care falls heavily upon the members of the family. Other sources of help were trivial by comparison. The recommendations made by the discharging physician constitute an interesting, and sobering, inventory of continued need for care. More than a half of all patients did not comply with one or more recommendations made by the physician. In addition, about 40 per cent of patients reported unmet need for one or more services touching upon many aspects of medical care. A variety of lessons relevant to the organized provision of care may be drawn from a consideration of the services needed and desired by patients and of the reasons for, and factors related to, non-compliance with medical recommendations.
Dynamics of Covert Role Analysis: Small Groups.

The proposition that covert roles within a group are assigned to individual group members based on their propensity to verbally or nonverbally express certain patterns of unwanted, disowned, and pr...
Sex differences in the cannabinoid regulation of energy homeostasis

This review highlights the progress made thus far in characterizing the behavioral and cellular mechanisms through which cannabinoids regulate energy homeostasis. We performed microstructural analysis of feeding behavior in gonadectomized guinea pigs and gonadally intact, transgenic CB1 receptor knockout mice to determine how cannabinoids affect circadian rhythms in food intake and meal pattern. We also implanted data loggers into the abdominal cavity to correlate the appetite-modulating properties of cannabinoids with changes in core body temperature. We then coupled the effects on feeding behavior and temperature regulation with synaptic changes in the hypothalamic feeding circuitry via whole-cell patch clamp electrophysiological recording from neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), in order to gain a more global perspective on the cannabinoid modulation of energy homeostasis. We observed marked sex differences in cannabinoid effects on food intake and core body temperature--with male guinea pigs exhibiting a comparatively greater sensitivity to the hyperphagia and hypophagia, as well as the hypothermia and hyperthermia, produced by CB1 receptor agonists and antagonists, respectively. In addition, male but not female CB1 receptor knockout mice show a diminished nocturnal food intake and average daily body weight relative to their wildtype littermate controls. The disparity in the CB1 receptor-mediated hyperphagia is paralleled by sex differences in the cellular effects of cannabinoids at anorexigenic, guinea pig proopiomelanocortin (POMC) synapses. Postsynaptically, cannabinoids potentiate an A-type K+ current (I(A)) in POMC neurons from female guinea pigs, whereas in males the activation of an inwardly rectifying K+ current is observed. Presynaptically, while cannabinoids inhibit glutamatergic input onto POMC neurons in males and females to similar degrees, males are more refractory to the cannabinoid-induced inhibition of convergent GABAergic input than females. These data reveal pervasive sex differences in the cannabinoid regulation of energy homeostasis that are consistent with changes in the excitability of POMC neurons.
Alfacalcidol treatment increases bone mass from anticatabolic and anabolic effects on cancellous and cortical bone in intact female rats.

It has been reported that alfacalcidol had an anticatabolic and anabolic effect on bone in ovariectomized and aged male rat models, but this has not been tested on intact female rats. The current study was to determine the effects of alfacalcidol on cancellous and cortical bone in intact female rats with or without exercise. Seventy-four, 8.5-month-old, intact female rats were orally treated with 0, 0.005, 0.025, 0.05, or 0.1 μg/kg alfacalcidol alone or in combination with raised cage (RC) exercise for 3 months. In vivo peripheral quantitative computerized tomography (pQCT) of the proximal tibial metaphyses (PTM) and ex vivo histomorphometric analyses of the PTM and tibial shaft (TX) were performed. Only the 0.1 μg alfacalcidol/kg dose proved to be anabolic. pQCT analysis showed that this dose increased total and cortical bone mineral content and density and trabecular bone mineral density. Histomorphometrically, it induced an anabolic response by increased trabecular mass and microarchitecture from stimulated cancellous bone and bone bouton formations, and suppressed bone resorption more than bone formation on the trabecular and endocortical surfaces, to produce a positive bone balance. A positive correlation between trabecular connectivity and bone bouton numbers occurred. These findings suggest alfacalcidol treatment augments bone mass by increased cancellous bone mass and improved trabecular architecture through its anticatabolic and anabolic properties in the intact adult female rat. Last, raised cage exercise alone or the combination of raised cage and alfacalcidol was no more effective than alfacalcidol alone.
Performance evaluation of the CCSDS file delivery protocol - latency and storage requirement

To support robotic and human explorations of Mars in the coming decade, the 2005 Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) and the 2009 Mars Telecommunications Orbiter (MTO), as part of the Mars Network, will provide file transfer services to other Marscrafts using the CCSDS File Delivery Protocol (CFDP). CFDP was designed to provide file-based data and storage management, store-and-forward relay, and reliable data transfer over space links characterized by large propagation delay and intermittent availability. This paper will describe how MTO can use CFDP to relay operational data and bulk science data for surface missions such as the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL). Performance metrics for latency and storage requirement are derived from mathematical analysis as well as simulation of anticipated MTO-MSL mission scenarios
The class of 1976: Publication and type of location

Work on the effects of department location on publishing has been disproportionately based on the “hard sciences,” disciplines dependent on expensive equipment. The present work explores productivity in sociology, a less capital‐intensive discipline. An ordinary least squares analysis of the careers of 100 PhD graduates from the class of 1976 finds that sustained employment in a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)‐level department is associated with increased productivity. The amount of variance explained is similar to that in studies of the hard sciences. This suggests that human resources and incentive systems in sociology are salient to publishing. Unlike the hard sciences, however, gender was unrelated to productivity.
Some effects of gas-supersaturated seawater on Spisula solidissima and Argopecten irradians

Abstract Two size classes of the surf clam, Spisula solidissima, and the bay scallop, Argopecten irradians, were exposed to different concentrations of gas-supersaturated seawater in a flowing seawater system. Both species tested experienced no mortality when held in the control treatment maintained at 96% oxygen and 109% nitrogen. Mortality, gill tissue damage, gas emboli, membranous tissue blisters, and abnormal secretion of shell material were induced experimentally at elevated levels of gas supersaturation. Results indicate significant mortalities of surf clams and scallops held at 114% O2 and 195% N2, and at higher levels of gas concentration. These values suggest a point of reference for the bivalve culturist in identifying potential problems which can be caused by gas-supersaturated seawater.
Relationship Between Fungicide Sensitivity and Control of Gummy Stem Blight of Watermelon Under Field Conditions

Gummy stem blight (GSB), caused by the fungus Didymella bryoniae, is the most destructive disease of watermelon and is managed primarily with fungicides. D. bryoniae has developed resistance to many fungicides that were once very effective, including azoxystrobin, boscalid, and thiophanate-methyl. Field experiments were conducted in Tifton (TN) and Reidsville (RV), GA in 2009 and 2010 to establish a relationship between frequency of resistance to a fungicide based on in vitro assays and its efficacy in the management of GSB. Frequency of resistance to boscalid, thiophanate-methyl, and azoxystrobin was >0.80 in isolates collected from nontreated plots in both locations and years. All isolates collected after six applications of boscalid, thiophanate-methyl, or azoxystrobin were resistant to the respective fungicide. All isolates collected from treated and nontreated plots were sensitive to tebuconazole and difenoconazole. GSB severity was assessed on a weekly basis from 63 days after planting. GSB severity in plots treated with boscalid, thiophanate-methyl, or azoxystrobin was not significantly different from that in the nontreated plots (39%, TN-2009; 45%, TN-2010; and 16%, RV-2010). GSB severity in tebuconazole-treated plots (27%, TN-2009; 14%, TN-2010; and 4%, RV-2010) was significantly lower than all other treatments and the nontreated control. There was a consistent negative association between frequency of fungicide resistance and disease control in the field. Thus, knowledge of the frequency of fungicide resistance in the pathogen population will be helpful in selecting the most effective fungicides for the management of GSB in watermelon fields.
Enantioseparations by subcritical fluid chromatography at cryogenic temperatures

Abstract Two chiral stationary phases, the Whelk-O 1 and its polysiloxane-borne analog, the polyWhelk-O, have been used to separate enantiomers using subcritical carbon dioxide at cryogenic temperatures. As the temperature is decreased, greater enantioselectivity and resolution is obtained, usually without significant loss in column efficiency. Indeed, an increase in chromatographic efficiency with the reduction of temperature has been observed in several instances. The enantiomers of several compounds that show low enantioselectivity at room temperature have been cleanly separated at temperatures as low as −47°C. Additionally, the enantiomers of atropisomers having low configurational stability at ambient temperature have been fully separated under similar cryogenic conditions. The ability to retain good chromatographic efficiency at low temperature is attributed to the rapid adsorption-desorption kinetics of this type of brush-type stationary phase.
An Apical-Membrane Chloride Channel in Human Tracheal Epithelium

The mechanism of chloride transport by airway epithelia has been of substantial interest because airway and sweat gland-duct epithelia are chloride-impermeable in cystic fibrosis. The decreased chloride permeability prevents normal secretion by the airway epithelium, thereby interfering with mucociliary clearance and contributing to the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Because chloride secretion depends on and is regulated by chloride conductance in the apical cell membrane, the patch-clamp technique was used to directly examine single-channel currents in primary cultures of human tracheal epithelium. The cells contained an anion-selective channel that was not strongly voltage-gated or regulated by calcium in cell-free patches. The channel was also blocked by analogs of carboxylic acid that decrease apical chloride conductance in intact epithelia. When attached to the cell, the channel was activated by isoproterenol, although the channel was also observed to open spontaneously. However, in some cases, the channel was only observed after the patch was excised from the cell. These results suggest that this channel is responsible for the apical chloride conductance in airway epithelia.
Magnetogasdynamic shock polar: exact solution in aligned fields

BS>The shock conditions for a perfect gas in aligned-fields magnetogasdynamics are solved to give all variables downstream as rational functions of the density ratio. The thermodynamically admissible, evolutionary shock solutions are classified into seven shock polar types, including a new type of supersonic, subAlfvenic polar. Example polars of each type are presented in the magnetograph (dimensionless magnetic induction vector plane) and in the Taniuti-Resler diagram (M, A plane) to display, respectively, the shock geometry and the state of the gas. A short discussion of the relation of the shock properties to flow over bodies is presented. (auth)
Meditation and Treatment of Female Trauma Survivors of Interpersonal Abuses: Utilizing Clients’ Strengths:

Clinical challenges encountered by trauma survivors revolve primarily around (a) recognizing and differentiating current emotional experiences and physical cues from trauma-based responses and (b) learning how to regulate emotions and behaviors that allow beneficial fulfillment of needs and goals as defined by current life context and not past trauma. Meditation provides a different and complementary “technology” for conceptualizing and providing treatment to trauma survivors. By training clients to attend to the present, enhancing their ability to stay physiologically calm, and increasing positive emotions, meditation practice allows clients to manifest their internal resources to address the problems of trauma. This article discusses meditation practice for treating trauma survivors and describes the meditation experience of two clients to illustrate the potential benefits of meditation in their recovery process.
“Ultra”-Fast Fracture Strength of Advanced Structural Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures: An Approach to High-Temperature ‘Inert’ Strength

The determination of “ultra”-fast fracture strengths of a total of 17 advanced ceramics at elevated temperatures has been made by using constant stress-rate testing in flexure with a series of “ultra”-fast test rates. The test materials included two aluminas, eleven monolithic silicon nitrides, two SiC whisker-reinforced composite silicon nitrides, and two silicon carbides. Of the 17 ceramic materials tested, 15 advanced ceramics exhibited elevated-temperature strengths that approached (within 90%) their respective room-temperature strengths at an “ultra”-fast test rate of 3.3 × 104 MPa/s. This indicates that slow crack growth responsible for elevated-temperature failure can be eliminated or minimized by using a sufficiently fast test rate. These ongoing experimental results have shed light on laying a theoretical and practical foundation on the concept and definition of elevated-temperature “inert” strength behavior of advanced ceramics. The elevated-temperature, “inert” strength of a ceramic material could be determined by using test rates equal to or greater than the “ultra”-fast test rate of 3.3 × 104 MPa/s
Inhibition of Cancer Cell Growth by Calcium Channel Antagonists in the Athymic Mouse

The calcium channel antagonists (CCAs) amlodipine, diltiazem, and verapamil inhibited HT-39 human breast cancer cell proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner. The apparent 50% inhibitory dose values were 1.5 microM for the dihydropyridine amlodipine, 5 microM for the benzothiazapine diltiazem, and 10 microM for the phenylalkylamine verapamil. Amlodipine treatment caused a rapid concentration-dependent decrease of intracellular calcium concentration in the HT-39 cell line. Addition of 1 microM amlodipine had no effect on intracellular calcium levels, 3 microM amlodipine lowered intracellular calcium levels in the HT-39 cells by 13.7%, and 10 microM amlodipine lowered intracellular calcium levels by 33.2%. Also, lowering medium calcium levels from 2.0 mM to 0.5 microM resulted in a rapid 41.3% decrease in intracellular calcium and a concomitant 60% inhibition of HT-39 cell DNA synthesis. When HT-39 cells were transplanted into athymic mice, marked hypercalcemia developed. Serum calcium levels from control mice were 8.3 +/- 0.6 mg/dl (mean +/- SE; n = 4); those from tumor-bearing mice were 11.3 +/- 0.08 mg/dl (mean +/- SE; n = 17). Blood calcium levels correlated directly with tumor size (r = 0.91, P less than 0.01). We examined the capacity of three CCAs to specifically inhibit HT-39 tumor growth in vivo. One week after inoculation of HT-39 cells, mice were acclimated to vehicle or 0.1 mg/day amlodipine, 1.0 mg/day diltiazem, or 1.0 mg/day verpamil, in their drinking water, for 7 days. Oral administration of the dihydropyridine amlodipine (0.35 mg/day) for 10 days inhibited HT-39 breast tumor growth by 83.5 +/- 20.1% (mean +/- SE). Oral administration of diltiazem (3.5 mg/day) inhibited HT-39 breast tumor growth rate by 46.5 +/- 6.6% over a 2-week measurement period, and verapamil (3.5 mg/day) inhibited tumor growth rate by 68.2 +/- 9.7% (mean +/- SE). The CCAs had no effect on mouse body weight or gross organ morphology at the concentrations used. Lack of depolarization-induced calcium fluxes in the HT-39 cell line suggests that these cells do not express voltage-operated calcium channels. Thus, our study correlates an effect of amlodipine to lower intracellular calcium levels, by a mechanism not known at present, with its effect to inhibit HT-39 cell proliferation. These findings are important since they demonstrate that amlodipine and other CCAs with known pharmacodynamics and side effects act to blunt breast tumor progression in vivo.
Can a checklist reduce SOS errors in chest radiography

Rationale and Objectives A previous study demonstrated unexpected protection from satisfaction of search (SOS) effects when observers verbalized the focus of their attention during visual search and interpretation of chest radiographs. We suggested that protection from SOS might have occurred if each observer developed an informal checklist to help generate the verbal descriptions. The objective of this study is to determine whether a formal checklist reduces SOS effects in chest radiology. Materials and Methods Fifty-seven chest radiographs, half of which demonstrated diverse, native abnormalities were read twice by 20 observers, once with and once without the addition of a simulated pulmonary nodule. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for detecting the native abnormalities was estimated for each observer in each treatment condition using the contaminated binormal ROC model. Radiologists in the current experiment used a checklist during the interpretation, rather than describing their visual search. Results were compared with those of the verbalization study, which used the same set of radiographs. Results Although no SOS effect was found when the checklist was used, ROC performance was, on average, much poorer with the checklist than when ongoing search was reported verbally (0.68 versus 0.75, F(1,37) = 17.26, P Conclusions Our results indicate that the recommendation to use a self-prompting checklist to counteract SOS is not warranted. The relative superiority of verbalizing search over using an imposed checklist may be based on the consistency of each of these interventions with the observer’s internal strategy for searching radiographs.
Dopamine modulates novelty seeking behavior during decision making.

Novelty seeking refers to the tendency of humans and animals to explore novel and unfamiliar stimuli and environments. The idea that dopamine modulates novelty seeking is supported by evidence that novel stimuli excite dopamine neurons and activate brain regions receiving dopaminergic input. In addition, dopamine is shown to drive exploratory behavior in novel environments. It is not clear whether dopamine promotes novelty seeking when it is framed as the decision to explore novel options versus the exploitation of familiar options. To test this hypothesis, we administered systemic injections of saline or GBR-12909, a selective dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitor, to monkeys and assessed their novelty seeking behavior during a probabilistic decision making task. The task involved pseudorandom introductions of novel choice options. This allowed monkeys the opportunity to explore novel options or to exploit familiar options that they had already sampled. We found that DAT blockade increased the monkeys’ preference for novel options. A reinforcement learning (RL) model fit to the monkeys’ choice data showed that increased novelty seeking after DAT blockade was driven by an increase in the initial value the monkeys assigned to novel options. However, blocking DAT did not modulate the rate at which the monkeys learned which cues were most predictive of reward or their tendency to exploit that knowledge. These data demonstrate that dopamine enhances novelty-driven value and imply that excessive novelty seeking—characteristic of impulsivity and behavioral addictions—might be caused by increases in dopamine, stemming from less reuptake.
Penile rehabilitation protocol after robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy: assessment of compliance with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor therapy and effect on early potency

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 OBJECTIVE To evaluate factors that affect compliance in men who enrol in a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5I) protocol after nerve-sparing robot-assisted prostatectomy (RAP), and report on short-term outcomes, as PDE5Is may help restore erectile function after RAP and patient adherence to the regimen is a factor that potentially can affect outcome. PATIENT AND METHODS We prospectively followed 77 men who had nerve-sparing RAP and enrolled in a postoperative penile rehabilitation protocol. The men received either sildenafil citrate or tadalafil three times weekly. The minimum follow-up was 8 weeks. Potency was defined as erection adequate for penetration and complete intercourse. Compliance was defined as men adhering to the regimen for ≥2 months. RESULTS The mean age of the cohort was 57.8 years and the median follow-up was 8 months. In all, 32% of the men discontinued the therapy <2 months after RAP and were deemed noncompliant with an additional 39% discontinuing therapy by 6 months, with the high cost of medication being the primary reason (65%). Long-term compliance and preoperative erectile dysfunction were independent predictors of potency return after adjusting for age and nerve sparing. CONCLUSIONS The high cost of medication remains a significant barrier to maintaining therapy. Noncompliance to PDE5I therapy in a tertiary care centre was much higher than reported in clinical trial settings. With longer-term follow-up, we need to further define the factors that improve overall recovery of sexual function after RAP.
Chromatin configuration during meiosis I prophase of spermatogenesis

During the pachytene stage of meiotic prophase in male mammals, the X and Y chromosomes become transcriptionally inactive and establish a chromatin domain, the sex body, that is visually distinct from the transcriptionally active autosomes. We used objective criteria to assess these chromatin differences by DNase I sensitivity (DS) of sex chromosome and autosomal sequences at both the cytological and molecular levels. For cytological studies, in situ nick translation techniques were used on air-dried preparations of testicular cells. For molecular studies, nuclei from pachytene spermatocytes were subjected to nuclease sensitivity assays. Both sex-linked and autosomal sequences were assessed, including some gene sequences that are expressed and some that are not expressed in pachytene spermatocytes. There was a wide range of DS in different genomic sequences; however, the sex-linked sequences generally were less nuclease sensitive than were autosomal sequences. Interestingly, a hot spot of recombination (within the Eb gene) showed a high level of nuclease sensitivity, while a cold spot of recombination (centromeric satellite region) exhibited lower sensitivity, more similar to that of sex-linked sequences. We also examined the nuclease sensitivity of a tyrosinase transgene insert, TyBS. In one line of mice, the transgene insert is X-linked, whereas in another, it is autosomal. The transgene was less nuclease sensitive when X-linked than as an autosomal insert. These results support the hypothesis that in pachytene spermatocytes the XY chromosome pair is more condensed and inaccessible to enzymatic digest, whereas the autosomal chromatin is in a more open configuration. In addition, we examined the nuclease sensitivity of some of the same genes in the earlier leptotene/zygotene prophase stage, when the sex chromatin is not maximally condensed. We found that while autosomal gene nuclease sensitivity was equivalent to that at the pachytene stage, X-linked sequences were more nuclease sensitive. Overall, these differences in chromatin nuclease sensitivity correlate with differences in meiotic recombination activity and may be mechanistically related.
Plant Screening for Chromium Phytoremediation

ABSTRACT Thirty-six plant species of different agronomic importance, size, dry matter production, and tolerance to heavy metals were evaluated for Cr(III) and Cr(VI) uptake and accumulation as influenced by rate, form, source, and chelate application to a Cr-contaminated soil. There was a significant difference in the degree of tolerance, uptake, and accumulation of Cr among plant species. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) was the least tolerant to Cr, and Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) were the most tolerant. Indian mustard (Brassica juncea, cv 426308) and sunflower accumulated more Cr than other agricultural plant species. There was no inhibition of growth and little Cr accumulation in the presence of Cr(III) in soil, but most of the plant species that were treated with Cr(VI) hyperaccumulated Cr and died. EDTA chelate added to soil enhanced Cr(III) accumulation in some plants. The phytoremediation potential of the plant species tested was limited because Cr was accumulat...
Evaluating How Hunters See and React to Telemetry Collars on White-Tailed Deer

Fates of individuals outfitted with radiotransmitters commonly are used for estimating survival rates in populations of large animals that are hunted. Despite precautions, this practice may be subject to complex biases associated with hunter reaction to presence of radiotransmitters. To assess this potential bias we conducted an experiment using artificial deer (i.e., decoys) to measure hunters' abilities to see deer and determine if deer seen were wearing radiocollars. We used logistic regression to quantify probabilities that seeing deer and subsequently seeing radiocollars might be influenced by distance, percent visual obstruction, body orientation, hunter experience, and antler characteristics of deer. Additionally, we evaluated how experience and antler characteristics of deer might influence a hunter's decision to harvest a radiocollared deer. We found that 25.8% of the potentially observable collared deer (n ¼ 663) were subsequently observed by hunters. Odds of observing deer and radiocollars increased 95% and 230%, respectively, for each additional log(yr) of hunting experience. Willingness to harvest radiocollared deer increased 89% for each additional log(yr) of hunting experience and 144% for large-antlered deer relative to antlerless deer. When hunting is an important source of mortality, analysts need to understand how potential biases associated with observing deer are associated with hunters' reactions to and subsequent decisions to harvest radiocollared animals. Our study suggested that presence of radiocollars may influence a deer's potential risk of being harvested and in turn bias telemetry-based estimates of survival, given that hunting mortality is the largest component of total mortality in hunted deer populations. Collar-based telemetry is used nearly universally by wildlife managers and researchers throughout North America and elsewhere to estimate and monitor the survival of big game populations that are managed through hunting. Our findings demonstrate that these estimates are likely subject to complex and systematic biases that managers should consider when evaluating future population-level effects of managed hunting. 2011 The Wildlife Society.
Modeling and intelligent aiding for cooperative work in mission operations

This paper describes operator modeling and functional requirements for intelligent aiding in cooperative satellite ground control. Based on a field study of flight operations, we discuss the capabilities and limitations of previous related work, propose extended modeling constructs, and provide an example application. >
Sexual Dysfunction After Radical Prostatectomy

Prostate cancer is the most prevalent cancer among men. The most common treatment for localized prostate cancer is surgery: complete removal of the prostate, a procedure called “radical prostatectomy” (RP). With advances in prostate cancer detection, patients are diagnosed and treated earlier, at a younger age, when sexual function is an important constituent of their quality of life and well-being. Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a well-reported adverse outcome of RP; however, there are additional sexual function related sequelae that are not as often discussed with the patient, before or after surgery. Erectile dysfunction preservation has become feasible with the introduction of nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy in 1982, a surgical technique that allows removal of the prostate without transaction of the neighboring erection nerves, preventing complete loss of erections. However, “nerve-sparing" is not synonymous with “erection quality sparing" and even with excellent nerve-sparing by a highly experienced surgeon men do experience some degree of temporary or permanent decline of their erection hardness. In addition to its effect on erection quality, RP renders all patients unable to ejaculate, and consequently men are infertile after surgery. Advanced reproductive procedures are required if pregnancy is desired. Additional consequences of RP may also include changes in the nature of orgasm, penile length shortening, and penile curvature. With advances in sexual medicine research, today we have a wider knowledge of prevalence of various forms of sexual dysfunction after RP and a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in their evolution. Hence, experts are able to better address sexual function issues, provide men and their partners with counseling, and tailor treatment individually according to patient’s needs. Sexual dysfunction issues should be discussed early, preferably before surgery, despite thoughts of inappropriateness in the light of a recent cancer diagnosis, to avoid any delay in patient and partner education and treatment. Prompt rehabilitative treatment after surgery maximizes the chances of returning to full sexual function. Unaddressed sexual health concerns may have deleterious psychogenic consequences on men and their partners as individuals as well as their well-being as a couple and may include loss of self-esteem and body image, feelings of guilt and shame, and loss of self-confidence and intimacy.
Charity, Philanthropy and Law School Fundraising: The Emergence and the Failure, 1880-1930

Since the founding of the first colonial college in 1636, leaders in American higher education have sought funds for their institutions by means such as soliciting wealthy individuals, conducting lotteries and enlisting subscribers. But full-fledged campaigns—nationally organized and conducted by paid staff over several years—first appeared in the late 1910s.1 In legal education, the first effort to mount such a campaign developed in three stages over the half century between 1880 and 1930. Not previously studied, this evolution occurred at Harvard Law School (HLS), the wealthiest and preeminent school during this period.2 In 1882, recognizing that legal education was “The Worst Endowed of All the Great Departments of Professional Education,” HLS mounted an informal drive to raise money.3 Supported by the president and rationalized by the dean, the six-month effort was organized and led by one professor who recruited a small network of alumni and acquaintances to help. Then, in observance of its centennial in 1917, the school planned and conducted the first formal campaign in legal education from 1915 to 1920. Finally, between 1925 and 1927 it mounted a more elaborate campaign, headquartered in New York City and organized into 18 regions, which sought to employ all the strategies of successful university drives.
That '70s Show: Post-Kelo Eminent Domain Reform and the Administrative Law Revolution

This Essay contributes to a conference on Kelo v. City of New London sponsored by the Santa Clara University School of Law in February 2006. The Kelo decision has prompted many state legislatures to reconsider the organic statutes that enable local governments to use eminent domain to transfer land between private parties. This Essay suggests that these legislatures update these enabling statutes to the 1970s. Most state eminent-domain enabling statutes give localites extremely broad powers to decide when to condemn and transfer land. Courts typically read these statutes to trigger extremely deferential judicial review. During the 1960s and 1970s, in both state and federal case law, courts developed hybrid doctrines of administrative law to increase the scrutiny they apply to agency decisions in many areas of law, including spot zoning. These principles, however, have not really been applied to eminent domain, and particularly not to blight and economic-redevelopment actions. The backlash against Kelo provides an opportune time to bring the '70s' administrative law revolution to eminent domain. Many of the complaints about local eminent-domain policy echo the public-choice concerns that fueled the '70s administrative-law revolution. If state legislatures update eminent-domain statutes to incorporate these principles of means-end scrutiny, they will probably make modest improvements in eminent-domain practice, by making decision making more rational and transparent, and less likely to be influenced unduly by special interests. These improvements are also politically realistic. The administrative-law doctrines in question do not categorically rule out any types of private land transfers. Moreover, because policy and legal elites are familiar with and largely accept the hybrid administrative-law doctrines in question, those doctrines should not threaten any of the major constituencies with an interest in eminent domain.
Joint uplink/downlink and offloading optimization for mobile cloud computing with limited backhaul

Mobile cloud computing enables the offloading of computationally heavy applications, such as for gaming, object recognition or video processing, from mobile users (MUs) to a cloud server connected to wireless access points. The optimization of the operation of a mobile cloud computing system amounts to the problem of minimizing the energy required for offloading across all MUs under latency constraints at the application layer. In a scenario with multiple MUs transmitting over a shared wireless medium across multiple cells, this problem requires the management of interference for both the uplink, through which MUs offload the data needed for computation in the cloud, and for the downlink, through which the outcome of the cloud computation are fed back to the MUs, as well as the allocation of backhaul resources for communication between wireless edge and cloud and of computing resources at the cloud. In this paper, this problem is formulated for general multi-antenna, or MIMO, channels, and tackled by means of successive convex approximation methods. The numerical results illustrate the advantages of a joint allocation of computing and communication resources.
Abstract C157: Syndecan1 is required for oncogenic Kras-driven PDAC tumorigenesis and maintenance

Although the universal presence of KRAS mutations and their critical role in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) designates it as an ideal therapeutic target, oncogenic KRAS (KRAS*) is still regarded as ‘undruggable’ to date. Therefore, to identify therapeutic points of intervention, it is critical to understand the impact of KRAS*-mediated pathways on in vivo tumor pathogenesis. We have recently generated an inducible KrasG12D-driven (iKRAS*) mouse PDAC model and established a critical role for sustained KRAS* activity in tumor maintenance, providing a model to characterize pathways required for KRAS*-dependent tumorigenicity. Cell surface proteins are relatively accessible and can not only provide candidates for biomarker discovery, but also be utilized as therapeutic targets. To characterize the KRAS*-specific organization of cell surface proteins for the development of possible diagnostic or therapeutic tools, we conducted an unbiased surfaceome analyses of tumor cells in the presence and absence of KRAS* signaling using the iKRAS* mouse PDAC model. Syndecans (SDC), a family of heparin sulfate proteoglycans, were identified as candidates whose membrane expression is correlated with KRAS* activity. SDC1 expression is increased in premalignant and malignant pancreatic lesions of primary human PDAC and various KRAS*-driven pancreatic cancer mouse models. In addition, SDC1 expression is specifically upregulated in response to KRAS* induction in acinar-ductal metaplasia (ADM) and early pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN), but not in cerulin-induced chromic pancretitis. Moreover, SDC1 membrane expression was abolished upon KRAS* extinction in PDAC cells and our data indicated that MAPK pathway, but not PI3K pathway, is important for KRAS*-mediated SDC1 surface localization. To further study the role of SDC1 in KRAS*-driven pancreatic cancers, SDC1 knockout mouse model was generated and crossed with LSL-KrasG12D-PDAC models. Our preliminary data indicated that genetic ablation of SDC1 expression effectively suppressed KRAS*-driven PDAC initiation and progression. The mechanisms of KRAS*-mediated SDC1 membrane localization and its impact on PDAC initiation and progression is being further explored. SDC1 might potentially be the drug target and diagnostic marker for PDAC. Citation Format: Wantong Yao, Haoqiang Ying, Giulio Draetta. Syndecan1 is required for oncogenic Kras-driven PDAC tumorigenesis and maintenance. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr C157.
Accurate Quantification of C-Reactive Protein Across a Wide Dynamic Range

C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase reactant synthesized by the liver, is widely used clinically to evaluate patient health, and is employed in basic science studies as a biomarker of inflammation. CRP levels vary with age and differ among racial groups. From 2004 to 2009, blood samples were collected from 1,244 participants in the Midlife Development in the United States …
Detection of problem drinkers: the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)

This study was conducted to test the predictive validity of a new alcohol screening test, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), in a general medicine teaching clinic and to assess physician recognition and treatment of alcohol and drug disorders. The research procedures included completion of the AUDIT, a standardized diagnostic alcohol and drug assessment, an exit interview, and a chart review. The random sample comprised 132 recruited subjects. The internal reliability of the AUDIT was .77. The optimal cutoff score for the AUDIT in this sample was 5, with a sensitivity of .61 and specificity of .84. The exit interviews revealed that physicians asked their patients about alcohol use and drug use with 20% (n = 26) and 17% (n = 23) of the sample, respectively. Five of the 28 patients who met DSM-IIIR criteria had a diagnosis recorded in the chart.
Origin of Surface-Driven Passive Liquid Flows

Passive liquid flow occurs in nature in the transport of water up tall trees and is desired for high-heat flux removal in thermal management devices. Typically, liquid–vapor surface tension is used to generate passive flows (e.g., capillary and Marangoni flows). In this work, we perform a fundamental molecular study on passive liquid flow driven by the solid–liquid surface tension force. Such surface tension values are first estimated by placing a liquid film over the surface and simulating various surface temperatures, followed by which simulations are performed by differential heating of the liquid film over the surface. Very strong passive liquid flows are obtained that lead to steady-state, continuous, and high-heat flux removal close to the maximum theoretical limit, as predicted by the kinetic theory of evaporation. Nondimensional empirical relations are developed for surface tension gradient, flow velocity, and evaporation rate.
DECISIONS UNDER UNCERTAINTY

Firms often make decisions with limited information. Sometimes the decisions are made under conditions of known probabilities—that is, they are made under risk; at other times the results or events of the future are completely unknown. Under such circumstances, one uses probabilistic and Bayesian models in the decision-making process. Probability is the chance that a given event will occur. Thus, when one tosses a coin, there is a 50% chance that the coin will turn up heads. This chapter discusses certain models that make use of probability information. One category of decision making under conditions of chance is the theory of games. The tactics suggested by such theories are not unlike those employed, for example, in chess where each player analyzes several possible moves—based on the anticipated moves of the opponent, before he or she actually makes a move. Maximax policy is decision making under conditions of optimism. If a firm follows a maximax strategy, it is out to get all it can regardless of the outcome.