cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Higher dimensional Apollonian packings, revisited

The Apollonian circle and sphere packings are well known objects that have attracted the attention of mathematicians throughout the ages. The historically natural generalization of the procedure for generating the packing breaks down in higher dimensions, as it leads to overlapping hyperspheres. There is, however, an alternative interpretation that allows one to extend the concept to higher dimensions and in a unique way. For relatively small dimensions (2 through at least 8), those packings can be thought of as ample cones for classes of K3 surfaces. We describe the packings in some detail for dimensions 4 (with plenty of pictures), 5, and 6.
String Figuring: A Story of Reflection, Material Inquiry, and a Novel Sensor

We describe a process of materials inquiry that gave rise to a new kind of sensor: a string figure sensor that correlates resistance changes with the topology of a closed loop of string. We describe the critical and reflective process from which our string figure sensor emerged, how the sensor works, and the future applications we envision our sensor supporting.
Cryogenic Liquids in the Absence of Gravity

Capillary action In an ordinary gravitational field was studied by prominent mathematicians and physicists, among them Gauss, Laplace, Young, Rayleigh, and Kelvin. Numerical and graphical solutions to the capillary equation were published by Bashforth and Adams as early as 1883. Simple equilibrium configurations In the absence of gravity were experimentally determined by Plateau by matching densities of a liquid—liquid model In 1873; important works on dynamical problems of liquid were incorporated in Chapters XI and XII of Lamb’s book, “Hydrodynamics.”
In vitro Inhibition of Nascent Polypeptide Formation by HSP70 Proteins

Highly purified preparations of three kinds of HSP70 can inhibit formation of polypeptides made in vitro utilizing either extracts of rabbit reticulocytes or wheat germ and several different mRNAs. Inhibition was dose-dependent over a range of 0.1–0.4 nmoles of HSP70 and more pronounced at low temperatures. When bromo mosaic virus mRNAs were tested, inhibition was greater for the larger polypeptides indicating that HSP70 blocks nascent polypeptide elongation. With Sindbis virus 26S mRNA, the addition of HSP70 affected the formation of the capsid autoprotease activity leading to larger translation products. All of these data suggest that high concentrations of HSP70 can perturb the normal folding of nascent polypeptides and could explain why cells carefully autoregulate the level of HSP70.
Predictive factors for adverse outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing low-risk skin and soft tissue surgery: A database analysis of 6730 patients.

Background There is a paucity of data regarding risk stratification of pediatric patients presenting for low-risk skin and soft tissue surgery. Aims We sought to determine the incidence and independent predictors of postoperative complications and unplanned 30-day readmission in a cohort of children undergoing low-risk skin and soft tissue surgery. Methods The study included pediatric patients who underwent minor procedures of the skin and soft tissue at continuously enrolled American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Pediatric hospitals over a two-year period. The primary outcome was a 30-day postoperative complication composite. The secondary outcome was unplanned 30-day readmission. Results The final analysis included 6,730 patients. There were a total of 170 postoperative complications among 152 patients (2.23%) with the majority of complications being either wound-related or postoperative mechanical ventilation. The independent predictors for an increased risk of postoperative complication were American Society of Anesthesiologists classification ≥3 and nutritional deficiency. There were 41 unplanned readmissions (0.61%). The presence of a postoperative wound complication or a postoperative pulmonary complication during the index hospital stay was an independent risk factor for unplanned 30-day readmission. Conclusion Pediatric patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists classification ≥3 and nutritional deficiency undergoing low-risk surgery are at risk for the development of postoperative complications. Patients who develop wound and postoperative pulmonary complications are at higher risk for unplanned 30-day readmission. Identification of these higher risk patients may allow the anesthesiologist to implement targeted therapies to minimize the likelihood of occurrence of these complications.
Covariant equations of motion beyond the spin-dipole particle approximation

The present paper studies the post-Newtonian dynamics of N-body problem in general relativity. We derive covariant equations of translational and rotational motion of N extended bodies having arbitrary distribution of mass and velocity of matter by employing the set of global and local coordinate charts on curved spacetime manifold M of N-body system along with the mathematical apparatus of the Cartesian symmetric trace-free tensors and Blanchet-Damour multipole formalism. We separate the self-field effects of the bodies from the external gravitational environment and construct the effective background spacetime manifold by making use of the asymptotic matching technique. We make worldline of the center of mass of each body identical with that of the origin of the body-adapted local coordinates by the appropriate choice of the dipole moments. The covariant equations of motion are obtained on the background manifold $\bar{M}$ by applying the Einstein principle of equivalence and the Fermi-Walker law of transportation of the linear momentum and spin of each body. Our approach significantly extends the Mathisson-Papapetrou-Dixon covariant equations of motion beyond the spin-dipole particle approximation by accounting for the entire infinite set of the internal multipoles of the bodies which are gravitationally coupled with the curvature tensor of the background manifold $ \bar{M}$ and its covariant derivatives. The results of our study can be used for much more accurate prediction of orbital dynamics of extended bodies in inspiraling binary systems and construction of templates of gravitational waves at the merger stage when the strong gravitational interaction between the higher-order multipoles of the bodies play a dominant role. The covariant theory of the post-Newtonian equations of motion beyond the spin-dipole approximation is a solid foundation for future improvements in long-term accuracy of relativistic celestial ephemerides of the solar system bodies.
The Ferredoxin-Like Protein FerR Regulates PrbP Activity in Liberibacter asiaticus.

ABSTRACT In Liberibacter asiaticus, PrbP is an important transcriptional accessory protein that regulates gene expression through interactions with the RNA polymerase β-subunit and a specific sequence on the promoter region. The constitutive expression of prbP observed upon chemical inactivation of PrbP-DNA interactions in vivo indicated that the expression of prbP was not autoregulated at the level of transcription. This observation suggested that a modulatory mechanism via protein-protein interactions may be involved. In silico genome association analysis identified FerR (CLIBASIA_01505), a putative ferredoxin-like protein, as a PrbP-interacting protein. Using a bacterial two-hybrid system and immunoprecipitation assays, interactions between PrbP and FerR were confirmed. In vitro transcription assays were used to show that FerR can increase the activity of PrbP by 16-fold when present in the PrbP-RNA polymerase reaction mixture. The FerR protein-protein interaction surface was predicted by structural modeling and followed by site-directed mutagenesis. Amino acids V20, V23, and C40 were identified as the most important residues in FerR involved in the modulation of PrbP activity in vitro. The regulatory mechanism of FerR abundance was examined at the transcription level. In contrast to prbP of L. asiaticus (prbPLas), mRNA levels of ferR of L. asiaticus (ferRLas) are induced by an increase in osmotic pressure. The results of this study revealed that the activity of the transcriptional activator PrbPLas is modulated via interactions with FerRLas. The induction of ferRLas expression by osmolarity provides insight into the mechanisms of adjusting gene expression in response to host environmental signals in L. asiaticus. IMPORTANCE The rapid spread and aggressive progression of huanglongbing (HLB) in the major citrus-producing areas have raised global recognition of and vigilance to this disease. As a result, the causative agent, Liberibacter asiaticus, has been investigated from various perspectives. However, gene expression regulatory mechanisms that are important for the survival and persistence of this intracellular pathogen remain largely unexplored. PrbP is a transcriptional accessory protein important for L. asiaticus survival in the plant host. In this study, we investigated the interactions between PrbP in L. asiaticus (PrbPLas) and a ferredoxin-like protein (FerR) in L. asiaticus, FerRLas. We show that the presence of FerR stabilizes and augments the activity of PrbPLas. In addition, we demonstrate that the expression of ferR is induced by increases in osmolarity in Liberibacter crescens. Altogether, these results suggest that FerRLas and PrbPLas may play important roles in the regulation of gene expression in response to changing environmental signals during L. asiaticus infection in the citrus host.
Children's Unsolicited Drawings of Violence as a Site of Social Contradiction.

Children's unsolicited drawings of violence are common and arouse heated debate. Some argue that depicting violence is harmful to children's wellbeing; others, that depicting violence serves important developmental functions. This paper argues that the issue needs to be addressed not only in terms of the psychological health of the individual, but in wider social terms. Children's drawings of violence and attitudes towards them are constitutive of a central social contradiction, of a society which is violent but champions peace. This contradiction is present, unexamined, in many types of cultural production. Having resolved to understand their world through reworking cultural symbols constitutive of dominant social meanings, it is not surprising that children's own work should embody much the same contradictions as are evident in their models. Recognizing that there are no easy solutions to educating in a contradictory society, avenues for action by art educators concerned to facilitate children's develop...
Consumer movement dynamics as hidden drivers of stream habitat structure: suckers as ecosystem engineers on the night shift

Ecosystem engineering can control the spatial and temporal distribution of resources and movement by engineering organisms within an ecosystem can mobilize resources across boundaries and distribute engineering effects. Movement patterns of fishes can cause physical changes to aquatic habitats though nesting or feeding, both of which often vary in space and time. Here we present evidence of ecosystem engineering by the Sonora sucker Catostomus insignis, a dominant fish in streams of the southwestern United States, and show how cryptic nocturnal movement patterns and bioturbation activities control heterogeneity in benthic substrates, and in sediment and carbon export. Sonora suckers exhibit distinct diel movement patterns, spending daylight hours in refuge habitats (typically deep pools) while moving into shallow habitats at night to feed. Feeding by suckers creates substantial disturbance in soft sediments that are patchy in space and time. These disturbances moved up to 2.4 × 10⁴ cm³ of sediment per square meter per week in locations that are up to hundreds of meters away from sucker daytime refuges. The diel cycles in feeding activity (i.e. nocturnal digging in benthic substrates) caused nighttime pulses in suspended sediment that comprised up to 32% of the daily suspended load and organic matter transport of a stream reach. During the daytime, this particulate transport settles in habitats beyond the location of the initial disturbance, thus redistributing both sediment and organic matter. Our data indicate that cryptic movement by ecosystem engineers can distribute their effects in space and time generating heterogeneity in resources and suggest that habitat modifications restricting consumer movement may alter the impact of engineering activities.
Swallows and Sparrows in the Human Street-Market Interface of Urban Nepal: Towards a First Open Access GIS Data and Model Inference on the Role of Religion and Culture in Bird Distribution

Birds are widely described as powerful environmental health indicators. In Nepal, 15% of the naturally occurring bird species are nationally threatened due to human-caused habitat alteration, largely because of urbanization. However, little research and data are available allowing for science-based conservation such as species distribution models and richness/evenness calculations for birds living in urban spaces. In Nepal, the large majority of people follow Hindu or Buddhist traditions, and culturally many people see birds and other animals as spiritually divine and deserving of respect and welcoming. It is therefore common for shop owners to encourage birds to visit shops in the mornings via the spreading of birdseed, and it is customary to leave alone any nests birds have built inside of shops, religious sites, restaurants, homes and the living quarters. With first explorations in 2014 and 2015 we conducted during May and June 2016 and 2017 a rapid assessment street study of avian species roosting and nesting in and around shops and restaurants in urban centers, monasteries and religious sites in Nepal. Georeferenced avian point counts with photos, vegetation/urbanization assessments, and nest detection surveys were conducted within Kathmandu, Pokhara, and smaller mountain villages in Nepal. This was done in order to assess and describe the level of urbanization preferred by different functional groups of birds, and to determine whether birds and nests would be found in a shop and restaurant given the urbanization level of the surroundings and the religious background of the business and property owner. Our Urban ecology study closely focuses on distribution and population numbers of urban-associated species, including swallows, sparrows, pigeons, parrots and kites. We used opportunistic but representative point counts and nest surveys to provide first open access data on the effect of urbanization on generalist bird diversity. The GIS layers are the first of their kind but are globally available for most cities. Data mining and machine learning algorithms are used here to predict and extrapolate the effect of religious affiliation and urban variables on bird nest acceptance, distribution, population spread and nesting habits of avian species. This study creates the first open access and open source geographic information systems (GIS) database of bird species nesting and roosting in urban spaces within Nepal to inform and advise future management and research decisions. We promote it as a study template and rapid assessment method for urban birds worldwide for a better avian and habitat management.
Revisiting the WHO classification system of bone tumours: emphasis on advanced magnetic resonance imaging sequences. Part 2

Similarly to soft tissue tumours, the World Health Organisation (WHO) classification categorises bone tumours based on their similarity to normal adult tissue. The most recent WHO classification provides an updated classification scheme that integrates the biological behaviour of bone tumours, particularly cartilage-forming tumours, and tumours are now further subdivided as benign, intermediate (locally aggressive or rarely metastasising), and malignant. Radiologists play an important role in the detection and initial characterisation of bone tumours, with careful analysis of their matrix mineralisation, location, and overall anatomic extent including extra-compartmental extension and neurovascular invasion. Radiography remains central to the detection and characterisation of bone tumours; however, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the ideal modality for local staging. This review will discuss the most recent updates to the WHO classification of bone tumours that are relevant to radiologists in routine clinical practice. The utility of advanced MRI sequences such as diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast enhanced sequences, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy that may provide insight into the biological behaviour of various bone tumours is highlighted.
Enteral Antibiotics Stimulate Small Intestinal Mucosal Growth in Mice and May Act Synergistically with the Serotonin Signaling System

Background: The intestinal microbiome participates in numerous mucosal processes with previous work demonstrating intestinal mucosal growth in gnotobiotic mice. Others have suggested that certain indigenous gut bacteria are capable of stimulating host serotonin synthesis. Furthermore, potentiation of serotonin signaling has been shown to enhance small intestinal mucosal growth in mice. Thus, we hypothesized that altering the microbiome with enteral antibiotics would enhance small intestinal mucosal growth …
Selection of patients and transesophageal echocardiography guidance during balloon mitral valvuloplast

Cardiac ultrasound has evolved rapidly over the past 20 years. In addition to its powerful diagnostic role, echocardiography has expanded into what has been termed interventional echocardiography, that is, the use of echocardiography to guide and monitor more invasive techniques, such as pericardiocentesis, cardiac surgery, endomyocardial biopsy, transseptal puncture, transcatheter closure of atrial septal defects, balloon and blade atrial septostomy, positioning of radio frequency ablation catheters, implantation of ventricular assist devices, and guidance of percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (PBMV).
Tricuspid valve endocarditis in pregnancy: a case report and review of the literature

Infective endocarditis (IE) is a rare complication in pregnancy that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality to both mother and fetus. We present a case of a 27-year-old female at 22...
Wave energy resources assessment for the multi-modal sea state of Hawaii

Abstract This paper describes development and validation of a 32-year wave hindcast for Hawaii as part of the energy resources assessment for the US and affiliated territories. The nested model system comprises structured WAVEWATCH III for the globe and unstructured SWAN around the Hawaiian Islands with wind forcing from the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis and its regional downscaling. The development effort follows the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. The hindcast is first validated with buoy measurements in terms of the six IEC wave energy resources parameters. The comparison shows good overall agreement but with greater uncertainties for some of the parameters intended for narrowband spectra. The sea state of Hawaii includes a mix of short-period wind seas, long-period north and south swells as well as waves with moderate periods from multiple sources. We partition the hindcast spectra based on the respective period ranges and directions and validate the partitioned spectral energy and parameters with measured values. The partitioned hindcast spectra allow separate seasonal descriptions of dominant components from wind seas to swells for in-depth understanding of the wave climate and proper categorization of wave energy resources in terms of the six IEC parameters for Hawaii.
Phase II trial of cisplatin, gemcitabine and pembrolizumab for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

Objective To evaluate the combination of pembrolizumab, cisplatin and gemcitabine in recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Methods Patients received six cycles of chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin on day 1 and day 8 of a 21-day treatment cycle. Pembrolizumab was administered on day 1 of cycles 3-6 and as maintenance monotherapy in cycles 7-34. Palliative radiation to a non-target symptomatic lesion was allowed. The primary objective was overall response rate by RECIST 1.1 criteria. Secondary objectives included safety, progression-free survival, time to progression, duration of response and overall survival. Results An interim analysis for futility was performed at 18 evaluable patients. Overall response rate was 60%, duration of response was 4.9 months and time to progression was 5.2 months. Progression-free survival at 6 and 12 months was 43% and 5%. Median progression-free survival was 6.2 months and median overall survival was 11.3 months. In all patients, CA125 levels reflected response and progression. There were no pseudoprogression events. After receiving palliative radiation during pembrolizumab maintenance, a patient with recurrent ovarian clear cell carcinoma had an exceptional and durable response that is ongoing for greater than 2 years. After consultation with the sponsor, based on the modest duration of response observed at the interim analysis for futility, the decision was made to close the trial to further accrual. Conclusions The addition of pembrolizumab to cisplatin and gemcitabine did not appear to provide benefit beyond chemotherapy alone in patients with recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.
Management of Chronic Dissection of the Descending Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aorta: Open Approach

Chronic dissection in the distal aorta (i.e., the descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta) occurs in survivors of acute DeBakey type I and III dissection events. In the past decade, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as an appealing alternative to traditional open repair for treating limited aortic disease. Regarding extensive distal aortic repair (i.e., of the thoracoabdominal aorta), endovascular approaches remain experimental, although a handful of related devices are nearing FDA approval. The main risks associated with surgical repair of distal aortic dissection—namely operative death, paraplegia, and renal failure necessitating dialysis—are commonly related to the distal ischemia that occurs during aortic clamping and the disruption of vital branching arteries. To alleviate these complications, we use a multimodal approach to organ protection during these operations. Techniques for protecting the spinal cord include mild passive hypothermia, cerebrospinal fluid drainage, left heart bypass, and reimplantation of crucial intercostal or lumbar arteries. Whenever possible, the renal arteries are perfused with cold solution to protect the kidneys from ischemic injury. Selectively, the visceral arteries are perfused with isothermic blood from the left heart bypass circuit, which minimizes the duration of abdominal-organ ischemia. Here, we describe in detail our approach to surgical repair of distal aortic dissection.
AIDA: an adaptive immersive data analyzer

In this demonstration, we show various querying capabilities of an application called AIDA. AIDA is developed to help the study of attention disorder in kids. In a different study [1], we collected several immresive sensory data streams from kids monitored in an immersive application called the virtual classroom. This dataset, termed immersidata is used to analyze the behavior of kids in the virtual classroom environment. AIDA's database stores all the geometry of the objects in the virtual classroom environment and their spatio-temporal behavior. In addition, it stores all the immersidata collected from the kids experimenting with the application. AIDA's graphical user interface then supports various spatio-temporal queries on these datasets. Moreover, AIDA replays the immersidata streams as if they are collected in real-time and on which supports various continuous queries. This demonstration is a proof-of-concept prototype of a typical design and development of a domain-specific query and analysis application on the users' interaction data with immersive environments.
Strand-selective repair of DNA damage in the yeast GAL7 gene requires RNA polymerase II

We examined the role of transcription in directing repair of DNA damage in active genes by comparing the repair of thymine glycols produced by H2O2 and of UV-induced pyrimidine dimers on each strand of the GAL7 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Repair of both thymine glycols and pyrimidine dimers on the transcribed strand of the gene occurs two to three times faster than on its nontranscribed strand or in the genome overall. When the gene is inactive, no preferential or strand-selective repair is observed. Using a yeast strain containing a temperature-sensitive mutation in one of the subunits of RNA polymerase II, we find that inactivating RNA polymerase II by shifting the cells to the nonpermissive temperature during repair eliminates the strand selectivity of repair under conditions where repair on the nontranscribed strand of the gene and in the genome overall are only slightly affected. Our observation of strand-selective repair of thymine glycols in the GAL7 gene is the first evidence that this repair process occurs for a nonbulky lesion. In addition, we demonstrate that the transcriptional complex plays a critical role in directing repair to the transcribed strand of active genes.
Discrete Quantile Estimation

We consider estimation of a quantile from a discrete distribution. This gives rise tothree new ideas, the confidence set for such a quantile, the notion that the associatedconfidence level can be increased after the data are collected, and that it is legitimateto strive to obtain a singleton confidence set. We develop properties of the samplequantile noting that the behavior for discrete populations is very different from the behavior for continuous populations. We illustrate the results with simulations andexamples.
Hormone-free mouse glucocorticoid receptors overexpressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells are localized to the nucleus and are associated with both hsp70 and hsp90

In this work, we examine the cellular localization and protein interactions of mouse glucocorticoid receptors that have been overexpressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells (Hirst, M. A., Northrop, J. P., Danielsen, M., and Ringold, G. M. (1990) Mol. Endocrinol. 4, 162-170). We demonstrate that wild-type unliganded mouse glucocorticoid receptor, which is expressed in CHO cells to a level approximately 10 times that of L cells, is localized entirely to the nucleus by indirect immunofluorescence with the BuGR antireceptor monoclonal antibody. Overexpressed receptors that have either no hormone binding activity or no DNA binding activity because of point mutations also localize to the nucleus, providing genetic proof that the nuclear localization cannot reflect a steroid-mediated shift of the receptor from the cytoplasm to the nucleus and that DNA binding activity is not required for nuclear localization. Like unliganded progesterone receptors, which also associate in a loosely bound "docking" complex with the nucleus, the mouse glucocorticoid receptor overexpressed in CHO cells is associated with both hsp90 and hsp70. This is in contrast to the untransformed mouse glucocorticoid receptor in L cell cytosol, which is associated with hsp90 but not hsp70. The difference in hsp70 association between cell types could reflect overexpression of the receptor in CHO cells. However, like receptors in CHO cells selected for very high levels of overexpression, receptors in CHO cells selected for an intermediate level of receptor expression that is comparable to that of L cells are also bound to hsp70. This observation argues against an explanation of hsp70 association based purely on receptor overexpression, and we speculate that association of the unliganded glucocorticoid receptor with hsp70 might be a consequence of its nuclear localization in the CHO cells. Although there are differences between the mouse receptor in CHO cells and L cells, the nuclear localization signal of the untransformed mouse receptor reacts equivalently with the AP64 antibody against NL1 in cytosols prepared from both cell types.
Mental Illness, Sociology of

The sociology of mental illness studies the social causes and consequences of mental illness and the processes and consequences of societal reactions to presumed cases of mental illness. Three primary theories in the area are stress theory, structural strain theory, and labeling theory. Epidemiological studies indicate that just under half of the US population has ever had a mental disorder, and just over a quarter of the population has had one in the past year. Though mental illness is stigmatizing, there have been recent increases in the use of mental health treatment facilities. Keywords: sociology of deviance; sociology of emotions; sociology of mental health
The Characteristics of Historically Black College and University Presidents and Their Role in Grooming the Next Generation of Leaders

Background/ContextAlthough research on college and university presidents has grown in recent decades, historically Black college and university (HBCU) presidents have rarely been included in this r...
Error bounds in boundary layer theory

The two dimensional steady laminar boundary layer of an incompressible medium is treated. The paper consists of two sections. In the first section a priori error bounds for the unknown solution of the Prandtl equation are given. Included are bounds for the wall shear stress, for the displacement thickness and for the momentum loss thickness; also an a priori upstream bound for the separation point is evaluated. In the second section for a given approximate solution error bounds are computed with the aid of the theory of parabolic inequalities. The bounds converge toward zero if the residual error vanishes.
Remembering the 'Forgotten Man' (and Woman): Hidden Taxes and the 1936 Election

Hidden (indirect) taxes were a major theme in the Republican Party’s attempt to defeat Roosevelt in the 1936 presidential election. Republicans argued that New Deal programs were not free, but rather, were funded by the very people they were supposed to help — the common or “forgotten” men and women — who paid in the form of increasingly heavy hidden taxes on everything from bread to electricity. By stressing the issue of hidden taxes, Republicans hoped to reveal Roosevelt’s hypocrisy, raise the average voter’s ‘tax consciousness,’ and thereby undermine support for Roosevelt. Once sensitized to taxes, the masses would — Republicans believed — vote for Landon because he would provide the necessary relief and economic stimulants in a less costly manner and would reform the tax system to rely more on direct taxes such as the income tax.Experts versed in public relations — including advertising professionals and journalists — ran the campaign using modern advertising techniques and media to "sell" Landon to the public, just as they would sell any product. Although the hidden tax campaign was aimed at all the forgotten people, women were both major targets and active participants in their traditional private roles as wives and mothers and in their public roles as voters, workers, and investors.Despite its ultimate failure to defeat Roosevelt or to initiate the tax reform which many contemporaries hoped would follow the exposure of hidden taxes, the hidden tax campaign did successfully gain media attention and engage many voters in political action. Its tactics remain in use today. Modern anti-tax campaigns, using populist rhetoric and exploiting modern media, are remarkably similar to those used in the 1936 campaign: partisan attacks that confuse more than they illuminate (estate tax effects and burdens), catchy phrases (the death tax), attention getting gimmicks (reenacting the Boston Tea Party), and the same strident rhetoric about soaking the rich and burdening the forgotten (middle class) taxpayer. The end results also appear to be the same today as they were in 1936. The masses do not achieve any better understanding of the true tax burdens and establishing the foundations of a better tax system through tax reform remains a dream.
Abtragung von Verbrennungsnarben mit dem Erbium: YAG-Laser

Der Erbium: YAG-Laser bietet aufgrund seiner Wellenlange von 2940 nm, die einem Absorptionsmaximum von Wasser entspricht, optimale Voraussetzungen fur eine exakte schichtweise oberflachliche Ablation der Haut bei minimaler thermischer Schadigung des umgebenden Gewebes. Deshalb wird dieser Laser seit August 2001 im Schwerbrandverletztenzentrum des Unfallkrankenhauses Berlin regelmasig zur Korrektur von Verbrennungsnarben eingesetzt.
Three‐dimensional modeling of the electromagnetic characteristics of equatorial plasma depletions

[1] We derive and employ an algorithm for the three-dimensional fluid treatment of ionospheric plasma, including the complete set of electromagnetic fields. Traditionally, simulations of ionospheric plasma instabilities assume electrostatic physics and/or simplify the problem in two dimensions while the dynamics along the Earth's magnetic field lines are neglected. Explored are the 3-D electric and magnetic fields resulting from current divergence, current flows, and Alfven waves associated with low-latitude plasma irregularity dynamics. We investigate both dynamic and static electromagnetic properties. For the first time, we present simulations of the Alfvenic dynamics that map electric fields along the Earth's magnetic field lines. We also find that 1-D theory can significantly overestimate 3-D ambipolar electric fields.
Streaming data driven applets and pages

Streaming data driven applets and pages are what drives today's internet. It is because of this that ways need to be made to create interfaces between today's technologies. Using formats such as Macromedia's SWF (shockwave) files, for its strength in streaming multimedia and animation, the PHP Group's PHP (Personal Home Page) files, for their easy access to databases, and either mySQL or Microsoft SQL Server 2000, one can create professional, dynamic presentations on the web that can be modified while unattended on the server side.One may either store the binary information from the images in a database, or simply link to the location on the web, creating either a secure way to get to the data, or a network of resources, that can then be processed by the PHP to be used dynamically; changing the image that is linked to will change the image in the data-driven application immediately, cutting down on any publishing or compiling time for the programmer.This was done to create a single location for data that is easily transported between servers. It may be expanded by creating more applications that use the same set of data, or through other tables, accessible through either a drop-down menu, or links, or in the case of flash, buttons. Different data sets may be chosen through time events, as well. A major result in this was the addition of an extra layer of protection for image files stored in this way. While previously images could just be clicked and saved, the end-users of web sites now must either figure out some method of dissecting the content of the flash movie or worse, doing a screen capture. This would result in the loss of fidelity of the original flash image.
The rs387907171 SNP in TYRP1 is not associated with blond hair color on the Island of Bougainville.

Objectives The aims of this study are to characterize the frequency of the derived allele at rs387907171 in populations from the islands of New Britain and Bougainville in Northern Island Melanesia, to confirm its association with lighter hair color, and to refine hypotheses regarding its evolutionary history. Methods rs387907171 was genotyped in 93 individuals from New Britain and 101 from Bougainville for whom quantitative assessments of skin and hair pigmentation were available. Combining these with existing data from other Melanesian islands we tested for differences in allele frequencies between islands and for associations with skin and hair pigmentation using ANOVA, including sex, age, and island affiliations as covariates. Results The derived allele at rs387907171 was observed in a single copy in the New Britain and Bougainville populations genotyped here. Its frequency differs significantly among islands in the region (χ2 = 206.5, df = 3, P < 0.001). rs387907171 remains significantly, although weakly, associated with lighter hair pigmentation (F = 10.28, R2 = 0.0125, P = 0.0014). This association increases when sex and age (F = 20.68, R2 = 0.074, P < 7.92 × 10−13) are included as covariates. Conclusions The rs387907171 SNP exhibits strong allele frequency differences among islands in Northern Island Melanesia. Its absence from Bougainville, as well as the weak association with decreased hair color, indicates that additional alleles contribute to the blondism phenotype. Its geographic distribution suggests that a Lapita-mediated model for the dispersal of the derived allele at rs387907171 remains a viable evolutionary scenario. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ON GIVING BIRTH TO A NEW ORGANISM AND HELPING TO SHAPE A DISCIPLINE: REFLECTIONS ON THE IDEA OF THE JOURNAL OF MILITARY ETHICS AND ITS RELATION TO DEVELOPING THINKING ABOUT ETHICS AND WAR

Abstract [Remarks at the 10th-anniversary conference for the Journal of Military Ethics, Oslo, Norway, 9 September 2011, arranged by the journal in collaboration with the Norwegian Defence University College, the Peace Research Institute Oslo, and Bjorknes College.]
Peasant archaeology in Nubia

Abstract It is now acknowledged that nearly all the great achievements of the early civilizations were based on the work of mostly impoverished peasants. It is through the studies undertaken during the Aswan High Dam Salvage Campaign, of the 1960s, that we have obtained, for the first time, an adequate picture of what their life in Nubia was like for the last 2000 years. This paper gives an account of that life, based on the archaeological work in Lower Nubia and the Batn el-Haggar, from Meroitic until modern times. Information is presented under a number of themes, comprising patterns of settlement, subsistence, housing, material wealth, the limited evidence for manufactures, the workings of an economy that was never monetized, and evidence for the degree of social stratification in settlements as compared to cemeteries. It is concluded that for Nubian peasants, the material circumstances of life hardly changed from Meroitic times to the beginning of the twentieth century. Once the saqia was introduced, ...
Fuzzy GIS‐based multi‐criteria evaluation for US Agave production as a bioenergy feedstock

SARAH M. LEWIS*, STEPHEN GROSS†,AXEL VISEL†‡, MAGGI KELLY* andWILLIAM MORROW§*University of California, 130 Mulford Hall #3114, Berkeley, CA 94720-3114, USA, †DOE Joint Genome Institute, WalnutCreek, CA USA, ‡Genomics Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720,USA, §Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, One Cyclotron Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USAAbstractIn the United States, renewable energy mandates calling for increased production of cellulosic biofuels willrequire a diversity of bioenergy feedstocks to meet growing demands. Within the suite of potential energy crops,plants within the genus Agave promise to be a productive feedstock in hot and arid regions. The potential distri-butions of Agave tequilana and Agave deserti in the United States were evaluated based on plant growth parame-ters identiﬁed in an extensive literature review. A geospatial suitability model rooted in fuzzy logic wasdeveloped that utilized a suite of biophysical criteria to optimize ideal geographic locations for this new crop,and several suitability scenarios were tested for each species. The results of this spatially explicit suitabilitymodel suggest that there is potential for Agave to be grown as an energy feedstock in the southwestern region ofthe United States – particularly in Arizona, California, and Texas – and a signiﬁcant portion of these areas areproximate to existing transportation infrastructure. Both Agave species showed the highest state-level renewableenergy beneﬁt in Arizona, where agave plants have the potential to contribute 4.8–9.6% of the states’ ethanolconsumption, and 2.5–4.9% of its electricity consumption, for A. deserti and A. tequilana, respectively. This analy-sis supports the feasibility of Agave as a complementary bioenergy feedstock that can be grown in areas tooharsh for conventional energy feedstocks.
Arsenite stabilizes IκBα and prevents NF-κB activation in IL-1 β-stimulated Caco-2 cells independent of the heat shock response

Recent studies suggest that sodium arsenite downregulates NF-kappaB activity by inhibiting phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of IkappaBalpha. Many effects of sodium arsenite are secondary to induction of heat shock proteins. The role of the heat shock response in arsenite-induced inhibition of NF-kappaB, however, is not known. We examined the involvement of the heat shock response in arsenite-induced inhibition of NF-kappaB activity in IL-1beta-stimulated Caco-2 cells, a human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line with enterocytic properties. Treatment of the cells with IL-1beta resulted in increased IkappaB kinase activity, reduced levels of IkappaBalpha and increased NF-kappaB DNA binding activity. Sodium arsenite blocked all of these responses to IL-1beta without inducing changes in heat shock factor activity or heat shock protein levels. Results from additional experiments showed that the protective effect of sodium arsenite on IkappaBalpha was not influenced by the oxygen radical scavenger catalase or by inhibitors of the MAP-kinase signaling pathway. The present results suggest that sodium arsenite stabilizes IkappaBalpha and prevents NF-kappaB activation in IL-1beta-stimulated Caco-2 cells independent of the heat shock response. In addition, stabilization of IkappaBalpha by sodium arsenite does not require oxygen radical formation or activation of the MAP kinase signaling pathway.
Chris Smith and the Bowmans

Chris Smith (1979–1949) is regularly considered to have performed in vaudeville and written songs with one Bowman, Elmer. In fact, he collaborated in both vaudeville and songwriting far more frequently with another Bowman, Theodore. This article specifies which Bowman worked with Smith at which times and clarifies issues relating to these relationships.
The effects of estradiol and testosterone on mullerian-duct regression in the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis).

Abstract Female hatchling alligators were castrated and implanted with a graft of either skeletal muscle tissue or testicular tissue from male hatchlings. Following surgery, each female also received a sustained-release pellet (Innovative Research of America, Rockville, MD) implanted subcutaneously that delivered one of the following treatments: a control substance (0.1 mg), 17β-estradiol (0.01 mg), or testosterone propionate (0.1 mg). Treated and final control females were sacrificed 8 weeks after surgery, and the mullerian and wolffian ducts were removed and examined histologically. The testis graft induced regression of the mullerian ducts in both the testosterone- and control-treated females. In the estradiol-treated females, however, no mullerian-duct regression occurred, indicating that estradiol prevented testis-induced regression. In the females that received a muscle graft, the mullerian ducts of placebo-treated females were morphologically similar to those of the intact final control females, but they were smaller in size. On the other hand, estradiol-treated mullerian ducts exhibited significant hypertrophy, but differentiation of muscle tissue in the stroma was not induced. Some of the testosterone-treated ducts were also slightly stimulated, but none showed any signs of regression. This suggests that testosterone does not induce regression in this species. Finally, there was no effect of either graft treatment or steroid treatment on the wolffian ducts. The evolutionary significance of these results is discussed.
Underestimation of substance abuse in psychiatric patients by conventional hospital screening.

Abstract Psychiatric diagnosis mainly relies on behavioral signs and symptoms. Substance abuse can mimic the clinical presentation of primary psychiatric disorders and can also complicate the management of psychiatric patients. The reliability and accuracy of urine toxicology is a vital tool in the optimal treatment of these patients. Current demographics of substance abuse suggest that in addition to the most conventional drugs of abuse (e.g. cocaine, cannabis) that are of concern to treating physicians, prescription medications and new designer drugs also should be when evaluating patients who present with symptoms of psychosis/drug addiction or altered mental status. Methods Urine samples from 220 psychiatric inpatients admitted to either an acute drug and alcohol unit or acute psychiatric unit were analyzed for drugs by the standard hospital assay (KIMS) and by a more sensitive ELISA and GC–MS basic drug screening protocol. Results The standard hospital toxicology (KIMS) was inferior to the ELISA and GC–MS methods in terms of both assay sensitivity and in detecting a broader number of drugs. The KIMS tests failed to identify opiates and amphetamine/methamphetamine in 50% of the patients. The KIMS screen did not identify zolpidem, buprenorphine and a number of synthetic drugs of abuse including cathinone and tryptamines. Conclusion In order to reliably identify substance abuse in patients with altered mental status in inpatient settings, analytical methodologies with adequate assay sensitivity and range to detect the vast majority of commonly abused illicit drugs and prescription medications are required for optimal clinical assessment and treatment.
Generativity in Elderly Oblate Sisters of Providence

Purpose of the Study: W e explored how generativity and well-being merged in a group of childless older women: African and Hispanic Roman Catholic Religious Sisters, linking two minority identity characteristics. Design and Methods: W e qualitatively interviewed 8 Oblate Sisters of Providence (OSP), by providing a framework for examining the range of the women’s generativity—cultural spheres in which generativity is rooted and outlets for generativity. Results: Early neg ative experiences, such as fleeing despotism in Haiti and Cuba and racism within the Catholic Church, occurred alongside positive experiences—families who stressed education, and Caucasian Religious who taught children of color. This became a foundation for the Sister’s generative commitment. Implications: Findings highlight that research gains from a phenomenological understanding of how religious faith promotes generative cognitions and emotions. Findings also reveal that the experiences of a subculture in society—African-American elderly women religious—add to theories and definitions of generativity.