cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations between environmental stress, selection history, and quantitative genetic variation in Drosophila melanogaster.

Stressful environments may increase quantitative genetic variation in populations by promoting the expression of genetic variation that has not previously been eliminated or canalized by natural selection. This “selection history” hypothesis predicts that novel stressors will increase quantitative genetic variation, and that the magnitude of this effect will decrease following continued stress exposure. We tested these predictions using Drosophila melanogaster and sternopleural bristle number as a model system. In particular, we examined the effect of high temperature stress (31°C) on quantitative genetic variation before and after our study population had been reared at 31°C for 15 generations. High temperature stress was found to increase both additive genetic variance and heritability, but contrary to the selection history hypothesis prediction, the magnitude of this effect significantly increased after the study population had been reared for 15 generations under high temperature stress. These results demonstrate that high temperature stress increases quantitative genetic variation for bristle number, but do not support the selection history hypothesis as an explanation for this effect.
Variability of Soil Physical Properties in a Clay-Loam Soil and Its Implication on Soil Management Practices

We assessed the spatial variability of soil physical properties in a clay-loam soil cropped to corn and soybean. The study was conducted at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. Soil samples were taken at four depths: 0–10 cm, 10–20, 20–40, and 40–60 cm and were oven dried at 105°C for 72 hours. Bulk density (BDY), volumetric (VWC) and gravimetric (GWC) water contents, volumetric air content (VAC), total pore space (TPS), air-filled (AFPS) and water-filled (WFPS) pore space, the relative gas diffusion coefficient (DIFF), and the pore tortuosity factor (TORT) were calculated. Results showed that, in comparison to depth 1, means for AFPS, Diff, TPS, and VAC decreased in Depth 2. Opposingly, BDY, Tort, VWC, and WFPS increased in depth 2. Semivariogram analysis showed that GWC, VWC, BDY, and TPS in depth 2 fitted to an exponential variogram model. The range of spatial variability ( <path id="x30" d="M241 635q53 0 94 -28.5t63.5 -76t33.5 -102.5t11 -116q0 -58 -11 -112.5t-34 -103.5t-63.5 -78.5t-94.5 -29.5t-95 28t-64.5 75t-34.5 102.5t-11 118.5q0 58 11.5 112.5t34.5 103t64.5 78t95.5 29.5zM238 602q-32 0 -55.5 -25t-35.5 -68t-17.5 -91t-5.5 -105 q0 -76 10 -138.5t37 -107.5t69 -45q32 0 55.5 25t35.5 68.5t17.5 91.5t5.5 105t-5.5 105.5t-18 92t-36 68t-56.5 24.5z" /> ) for BDY, TPS, VAC, WFPS, AFPS, DIFF, and TORT was the same (25.77 m) in depths 1 and 4, suggesting that these soil properties can be sampled together at the same distance. The analysis also showed the presence of a strong (≤25%) to weak (>75%) spatial dependence for soil physical properties.
Automatic 3D to 2D registration for the photorealistic rendering of urban scenes

This paper presents a novel and efficient algorithm for the 3D range to 2D image registration problem in urban scene settings. Our input is a set of unregistered 3D range scans and a set of unregistered and uncalibrated 2D images of the scene. The 3D range scans and 2D images capture real scenes in extremely high detail. A new automated algorithm calibrates each 2D image and computes an optimized transformation between the 2D images and 3D range scans. This transformation is based on a match of 3D with 2D features that maximizes an overlap criterion. Our algorithm attacks the hard 3D range to 2D image registration problem in a systematic, efficient, and automatic way. Images captured by a high-resolution 2D camera, that moves and adjusts freely, are mapped on a centimeter-accurate 3D model of the scene providing photorealistic renderings of high quality. We present results from experiments in three different urban settings.
Braided-River Deposits in A Muddy Depositional Setting: The Molina Member of the Wasatch Formation (Paleogene), West-Central Colorado, U.S.A.

The Molina Member is a Paleogene, sand-rich interval, up to 125 meters thick, found within the otherwise mud-dominated, nonmarine Wasatch Formation of west-central Colorado. Sandstone beds of the Molina Member form sheet-like units interbedded with subordinate volumes of mudstone. The sandstones contain a low-diversity assemblage of sedimentary structures that is commonly dominated by horizontal, planar laminae, and bedding is locally contorted by large-scale soft-sediment deformation. A braided fluvial model best explains the characteristics of these strata, yet the existing braided-river models do not fully account for the assemblage of sedimentary structures or the relatively high volumes (up to half of the section) of interbedded mudstones. Two modern braided rivers, Medano Creek (Colorado) and the Prairie Dog Town Fork of the Red River (Texas), have rapid, shallow flows that form horizontal, planar bedding. In both systems the presence of large volumes of easily mobilized sandy sediment, a flashy discharge regime, and a lack of reworking between flood stages lead to the development of high-energy, shallow-water bedforms and the preservation of the resulting high-energy sedimentary structures. Similar conditions and processes are suggested to have controlled deposition of the sand-dominated Molina Member, which is a depositional anomaly within the otherwise muddy Wasatch Formation. Short-term availability of readily eroded, second-cycle sandstones from a newly elevated source area to the southeast is the most likely reason for the abrupt change from a mud-dominated fluvial system to the sandy Molina system.
Learning with Dynamic Programming

We consider the role of dynamic programming in sequential learning problems. These problems require deciding which information to collect in order to best support later actions. Such problems are ubiquitous, appearing in simulation, global optimization, revenue management, and many other areas. Dynamic programming oers a coherent framework for understanding and solving Bayesian formulations of these problems. We present the dynamic programming formulation applied to a canonical problem, Bernoulli ranking and selection. We then review other sequential learning problems from the literature and the role of dynamic programming in their analysis.
Supporting systems development by capturing deliberations during requirements engineering

Support for various stakeholders involved in software projects (designers, maintenance personnel, project managers and executives, end users) can be provided by capturing the history about design decisions in the early stages of the system's development life cycle in a structured manner. Much of this knowledge, which is called the process knowledge, involving the deliberation on alternative requirements and design decisions, is lost in the course of designing and changing such systems. Using an empirical study of problem-solving behavior of individual and groups of information systems professionals, a conceptual model called REMAP (representation and maintenance of process knowledge) that relates process knowledge to the objects that are created during the requirements engineering process has been developed. A prototype environment that provides assistance to the various stakeholders involved in the design and management of large systems has been implemented. >
An empirical analysis of the relation of foreign exchange reserves and currency supply M2 in China

In China, with the foreign exchange reserves sustainable growth funds outstanding for foreign exchange has been the main channel for the center bank to put monetary base and one of the main reasons which causes the currency supply to increase greatly. Through the empirical analysis and test in this paper, the conclusions have been drawn empirically: the increase of foreign exchange reserves truly has impelled the supply of China currency to augment because of the mutual long-term equilibrium; in short-term, foreign exchange reserves has the impact on currency supply, but it is not distinct. There is Granger causal relationship between foreign exchange reserves and M2, which shows that currency supply boost the foreign exchange reserves in return. In order to eliminate the pressure of inflation and keep the monetary policy independent, we should speed up the development of money market, perfect the monetary policy tool, and carry on the financial innovation positively. Moreover, we should control the scale of foreign exchange reserves suitably by eliminating the system reason which causes the excessive growth of foreign exchange reserves, deepen the reform of the foreign exchange system and speed up the development of the foreign exchange market.
Optical-electrical printed circuit boards--Part II

This is a two-part series that introduces the optical-electrical printed circuit board (O-EPCB) technology and its challenges. Part I covers a survey of current copper-based printed circuit boards and their limitations. It also introduces the optical communication system and its features. In the March/April 2009 issue, Part II will feature the challenges of manufacturing and adapting O-EPCBs.
Embracing a weight-of-evidence approach for establishing NOAELs for nanoparticle inhalation toxicity studies.

The goal of this article is to evaluate a recently published subchronic inhalation study with carbon nanofibers in rats and discuss the importance of a weight-of-evidence (WOE) framework for determining no adverse effect levels (NOAELs). In this Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 413 guideline inhalation study with VGCF 2 -H carbon nanofibers (CNFs), rats were exposed to 0, 0.54, 2.5 or 25 mg/m 3 CNF for 13 weeks. The standard toxicology experimental design was supplemented with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and respiratory cell proliferation (CP) endpoints. BAL fluid (BALF) recovery of inflammatory cells and mediators (i.e., BALF– lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], microprotein [MTP], and alkaline phosphatase [ALKP] levels) were increased only at 25 mg/m 3 , 1 day after exposure. No differences versus control values in were measured at 0.54 or 2.5 mg/m 3 exposure concentrations for any BAL fluid endpoints. Approximately 90% (2.5 and 25 mg/m 3 ) of the BAL-recovered macrophages contained CNF. CP indices at 25 mg/m 3 were increased in the airways, lung parenchyma, and subpleural regions, but no increases in CP versus controls were measured at 0.54 or 2.5 mg/m 3 . Based upon histopathology criteria, the NOAEL was set at 0.54 mg/m 3 , because at 2.5 mg/m 3 , ‘‘minimal cellular inflammation’’ of the airways/lung parenchyma was noted by the study pathologist; while the 25 mg/m 3 exposure concentration produced slight inflammation and occasional interstitial thickening. In contrast, none of the more sensitive pulmonary biomarkers such as BAL fluid inflammation/cytotoxicity biomarkers or CP turnover results at 2.5 mg/m 3 were different from air-exposed controls. Given the absence of convergence of the histopathological observations versus more quantitative measures at 2.5 mg/m 3 , it is recommended that more comprehensive guidance measures be implemented for setting adverse effect levels in (nano)particulate, subchronic inhalation studies including a WOE approach for establishing no adverse effect levels; and a suggestion that some findings should be viewed as normal physiological adaptations (e.g., normal macrophage phagocytic responses—minimal inflammation) to long-term particulate inhalation exposures.
Arterial abnormalities of the hand in athletes

Vascular lesions of the hand may be seen in athletes exposed to repetitive blunt trauma. Thirteen athletes seen from 1983 to 1988 experienced symptoms related to hand ischemia. Nine were professional baseball catchers. The majority of patients complained of chronic symptoms, including cold hypersensitivity (four pa tients), finger numbness (one), finger coolness (three), and finger blanching (three). Two patients had acute symptoms with sudden posttraumatic hand ischemia with finger and palmar pain. Diagnosis was established by history and physical examination and confirmed by noninvasive testing. Testing included use of Doppler examination and cold tolerance examination with thermistors. Two athletes required angiographic eval uation because of severe ischemia and continuous pain.All patients in this group were managed nonopera tively. Those with chronic complaints were counseled regarding cold avoidance and instructed to increase their glove padding. The two patients with acute symp toms required vasodi...
A Trail Across Time: American Environmental Planning From City Beautiful to Sustainability

Problem: It would be useful to identify and connect the major ideas of American environmental planning from the late 19th century up to today, to show its evolution over time and anticipate its potential future direction. Purpose: I aim to tie together the major ideas of American environmental planning, showing how they have evolved, and suggest what additional changes will be required to progress further toward sustainability. Methods: I review the literature, defining five time periods that are useful for understanding and analyzing environmental planning successes and shortcomings. Results and conclusions: Environmental planning has its roots in the physical design of cities and the tension between conserving natural resources for human use and protecting wilderness. In the 1920s, regional environmental planning emerged. Federal environmental impact statements were first required in the 1970s, along with efforts to clean up and prevent pollution. A backlash against government command and control began ...
From mesh generation to scientific visualization: an end-to-end approach to parallel supercomputing

Parallel supercomputing has traditionally focused on the inner kernel of scientific simulations: the solver. The front and back ends of the simulation pipeline - problem description and interpretation of the output - have taken a back seat to the solver when it comes to attention paid to scalability and performance, and are often relegated to offline, sequential computation. As the largest simulations move beyond the realm of the terascale and into the petascale, this decomposition in tasks and platforms becomes increasingly untenable. We propose an end-to-end approach in which all simulation components - meshing, partitioning, solver, and visualization - are tightly coupled and execute in parallel with shared data structures and no intermediate I/O. We present our implementation of this new approach in the context of octree-based finite element simulation of earthquake ground motion. Performance evaluation on up to 2048 processors demonstrates the ability of the end-to-end approach to overcome the scalability bottlenecks of the traditional approach
Shaking service requests in peer-to-peer video systems

Peer-to-peer (P2P) video system is characterized by two features: 1) a video is usually available on many participating hosts, and 2) different hosts typically have different sets of videos, though some may partially overlap. From a client's perspective, it can be served by any host having the video it requests. From a server's perspective, it will be used to serve any client requesting the videos it has. In this paper, we refer to the problem of who-serves-whom as service scheduling and show that different matches between clients and servers can result in significantly different system performance. Finding a right server for each client is challenging not only because a client can choose only the servers that are within its limited search scope, but also because clients arrive at different times, which are not known a priori. To address these challenges, we propose a novel technique called shaking and our performance study shows that it can effectively boost the overall system performance.
Supercritical devolatilization of polymers

An increasing number of studies have been reported on the use of supercritical fluids to process polymers. The presence of impurities such as residual solvents, unreacted monomers, catalysts, and side reaction products can adversely affect the end-use properties of polymeric materials. Therefore, these impurities must be reduced to a level below the maximum permissible limit. Conventional devolatilization techniques for the purification of polymers have limited effectiveness. Devolatilization with supercritical fluids, however, can enhance impurity removal by increasing the thermodynamic driving force and molecular diffusivity. A model for supercritical devolatilization developed incorporates swelling of the polymer film and convection induced by the diffusion that arises because of the nonideal volumetric behavior. The perturbed soft-chain theory is used to predict the nonideal thermodynamic behavior. Free volume theory is utilized to predict the influence of plasticization and relaxation on impurity mass transfer. The removal of benzene from polystyrene film with supercritical carbon dioxide was simulated. This analysis, which is consistent with experimental results in the literature, indicates that, contrary to conventional wisdom, impurity extraction can be dominated by mass transfer during the quick depressurization step at the end of a supercritical-fluid extraction process.
The Effects of Ca2+ on the Dynamics of PIP2 Containing Lipid Bilayers

Changes of intercellular Ca2+ concentrations are one of the most ubiquitous signaling events that accompany or precede large scale cellular responses. These fluctuations control such responses as: T-cell activation, cell motility, neuronal signaling, and muscular contractions. One particular Ca2+ pathway includes Phospholipase-C (PLC) acting on phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) in the presence of calcium ions. We are in particular interested in the direct modulation of PIP2 organization in the membrane in such events due to Ca2+. At physiological conditions, PIP2's headgroup is multiply negatively charged (>3 effective charges) and interacts with the cationic Ca2+. By coordinating several PIP2 head-groups, calcium ions can induce condensation and aggregation of PIP2. A series of experiments were conducted on supported lipid bilayers containing physiological quantities of PIP2. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) was used to study the response of the PIP2 to changes in the concentration of Ca2+ ions in the surrounding buffer solution. As Ca2+ concentration increases, the FCS indicates that PIP2 goes from a freely diffusing single species to a multiple species system. The diffusion rates of the additional species decrease with increasing [Ca2+], thus indicating increasing aggregate sizes with increasing, but physiological relevant Ca2+ concentrations. An intriguing effect was observed at very low Ca2+ levels. The diffusion rate was consistently measured to increase upon addition of small concentrations of Ca2+ before decreasing as the concentrations increased. This effect was seen on different bilayers with a negative net charge but is absent from bilayers without a net charge. A series of polymer cushioned bilayers were used to attempt to gain greater insight into the nature of the membrane - support interaction and the nature of this effect.
The body electric: thin‐ideal media and eating disorders in adolescents

The aim of this study was to replicate survey research demonstrating a correlation between adults' thin-ideal media exposure and eating disorders (Harrison & Cantor, 1997) with a sample of 366 adolescents. Measures included interest in body-improvement media content, exposure to thin-ideal television and magazines, exposure to fat-character television, exposure to sports magazines, and eating-disorder symptomatology. Exposure to fat-character television, thin-ideal magazines, and sports magazines predicted eating-disorder symptomatology for females, especially older females. Exposure to fat-character television also predicted body dissatisfaction for younger males. Relationships remained significant when selective exposure based on interest in body-management content was controlled. Discussion centers on the importance of age and sex in moderating the effects of exposure to thin-ideal media on eating disorders.
Challenges in post-silicon verification of IBM’s Cell/B.E. and other game processors

Recent IBM processors used in various computer systems including gaming systems are a very aggressive design, addressing three main challenges of the processor design -Memory wall, Power wall and ILP wall. To break these walls the some designs utilized multi threaded, multi core and yet high frequency. These kinds of designs increased the complexity of the test stream generation for processor verification especially in a stress test environment. Moreover Cell Broadband Engine TM (Cell/B.E.) utilizes heterogeneous multi core, multi threaded with high. This further increased the complexity of the verification. This paper describes some of the scenarios, the Post Silicon Verification team addressed in their effort of verification of the Cell/B.E. and other game processors.
Plate-kinematic Constraints from Mantle Bénard Convection

General kinematic implications for plate tectonics are determined for Rayleigh-Benard convection of the mantle. The continuum of all possible configurations of Benard polygons is probed by large random samples of global configurations (450,000 to 54,000,000), for each of which the Euler poles are determined on the basis of viscous coupling across the asthenosphere. Two computationally related methods lead first, to Euler pole restrictions for fourteen plates, and second, to restrictions on the Benard cell configuration. Result No. 1: Euler poles occur in global “preference-patterns,” which are determined exclusively by the shape of the plate. The observational HS2-NUVEL1 model poles occur near regions preferred by Benard convection (Eurasia excluded); the agreement is best for the most accurate observational poles. Result No. 2: Seven specific mantle Benard cells are indicated by present-day plate motions. The upwelling centers correlate with hotspot domains; the major global subduction zones correlate with Benard model downwelling. This result is independent of the Euler pole accuracy used in its determination, and is consistent with the distribution of low seismic p-wave propagation velocities determined by tomography, and with shear-wave splitting analysis within the asthenosphere. Conclusions: The results suggest that the bulk mantle is divided into less than ten Benard convection cells globally (cf., Fohlmeister and Renka, 2002), each of which extends from the asthenosphere to the core-mantle boundary; turbulent flow, and other perturbations of the Benard kinematics appear to be limited. These primally poloidal flow kinematics provide basal shear forces as a major component in driving plate tectonics, and are specifically configured for the directions of plate motions. The Benard model is incomplete without a dynamic contribution from the lithosphere, which represents a separate convection layer of the distinct polar kinematics of rigid plates. The complete hybrid mechanism for driving plate tectonics includes lithospheric buoyancy dynamics, specifically from the subducting Pacific plate slabs to compensate for plate-slowing due to the “back-flow sector” of the Hawaiian convection cell, and collision-drag dynamics principally for smaller plates or continental margins.
ABDO BAAKLINI, GUILAIN DENOEUX, AND ROBERT SPRINGBORG, Legislative Politics in the Arab World: The Resurgence of Democratic Institutions (Boulder, Colo.: Lynne Reinner, 1999). Pp. 287. $59.95 cloth, $22.50 paper.

In Legislative Politics in the Arab World, Abdo Baaklini, Guilain Denoeux, and Robert Springborg provide a long-overdue and important step toward understanding legislative institutions in the Arab world. In the first part of this work, they redirect scholars' attention to Arab legislatures, which they argue both reflect and affect the “dynamics of democratic transition and consolidation in the Arab world” (p. 6). In the second part of the book, they provide detailed case studies of legislative institutions in Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, and Yemen. Throughout the book, they leave us with the simple but important message: “Arab legislatures matter.”
Impact of Body Mass Index on Survival After Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis: The Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort

Purpose The impact of body mass index (BMI) on survival after colorectal cancer diagnosis is poorly understood. This study assessed the association of pre- and postdiagnosis BMI with all-cause and cause-specific survival among men and women diagnosed with colorectal cancer in a prospective cohort. Patients and Methods Participants in the Cancer Prevention Study-II Nutrition Cohort reported weight and other risk factor information via a self-administered questionnaire at baseline in 1992 to 1993. Updated information on current weight and incident cancer was reported via periodic follow-up questionnaires. This analysis includes 2,303 cohort participants who were diagnosed with nonmetastatic colorectal cancer between baseline and mid 2007 and were observed for mortality from diagnosis through December 2008. Results A total of 851 participants with colorectal cancer died during the 16-year follow-up period, including 380 as a result of colorectal cancer and 153 as a result of cardiovascular disease (CVD). In ...
Research and Development (and Other Life and Death Matters)

Research and development has been a fundamental element of the human performance technology heritage. This treatise is intended to refocus the profession on the importance of research and development (R& D). Included is the nature of R & D and the R& D cycle. The R& D cycle is particularly important to reflective practitioners who are attempting to advance the knowledge of the profession through creative efforts in the midst of actual field-based performance problems. A classification scheme for R & D is presented that includes purposes, methods, and categories for embracing multiple views of R & D. Agents of R & D are also discussed with an emphasis on the practitioner's contribution. The manuscript concludes with a R & D agenda for the human performance technology profession and a challenge to the reader.
MACROPHAGE-MELANOMA CELL HETEROKARYONS : IV. UNMASKING THE MACROPHAGE-SPECIFIC MEMBRANE RECEPTOR

Mouse peritoneal macrophages possess a specific plasma membrane receptor for antibody-coated particles. Sheep red cells coated with rabbit 7S antibody attach readily to the macrophage surface and are subsequently interiorized. The fusion of macrophage with nonphagocytic mouse melanoma cells produces heterokaryons in which the macrophage receptor is drastically altered. The receptor is present shortly after fusion and heterokaryons are actively phagocytic. The ability to bind and ingest red cells is, however, progressively lost over the next 12–24 hr and does not reappear thereafter. Exposure of heterokaryons to trypsin (1–100 µg/ml for 30 min at 37°C) results in the reappearance of initial receptor activity and the unmasking of the surface receptor. This property is again lost upon subsequent cultivation. The masking process takes place when cells are cultivated in the absence of IgG so that the adsorption of antibody from the medium is not responsible for this phenomenon. Inhibition of heterokaryon protein synthesis preserves phagocytic activity in a reversible fashion and prevents the masking of macrophage receptors. Inhibition of melanoma RNA synthesis before fusion is also able to block subsequent masking, but is ineffective if delayed until after fusion. Ultraviolet irradiation of the melanoma cell before fusion prevents subsequent masking, whereas similar treatment of the macrophage has no effect. Cells differ markedly in their ability to mask the macrophage phagocytic receptor after fusion. Ehrlich ascites tumor cells mask the receptor rapidly, primary chick fibroblasts minimally, and embryonic chick erythrocytes not at all.
A Doctor’s Worth Bonus Criteria and the Gender Pay Gap among American Physicians

Pay-for-performance (P4P) programs, based on productivity, patient satisfaction, quality of care, efficiency profiling, or unspecified criteria have become popular in American medicine. Theoretical...
The use of carbon dioxide laser for the ablation of meibomian gland adenomas in dogs.

Twelve eyelid meibomian gland adenomas in dogs were surgically ablated using the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser. The laser site was not sutured. All procedures resulted in complete removal of the adenoma with no recurrences at 6 months. In addition, no dogs developed corneal disease secondary to the procedure, and the cosmetic appearance of the eyelid margins was good at the end of the 6-month study. Based on results of this study, CO2 laser ablation of canine meibomian gland adenomas is an effective alternative to standard surgical removal.
Strategies to Control Vomiting Caused by Anticancer Drugs

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the strategies to control vomiting caused by anticancer drugs. A recommended plan of management for acute emesis is presented. It couples specific antiemetic and chemotherapeutic programs based on the degree of nausea and vomiting associated with each antineoplastic drug regimen. Surveys have shown that patients associate vomiting with all forms of chemotherapy. The potential for emesis should be addressed with each individual prior to treatment, either to educate that a particular drug is unlikely to cause emesis or to reassure that the most effective antiemetic program available will be employed if potent emetic drugs are used. Vomiting prevention is the goal of management. Dexamethasone, 20 mg IV, should be administered prophylactically to all individuals receiving chemotherapy likely to cause emesis in 10% or more of patients. All published trials have shown that this dose and schedule of dexamethasone is safe and effective, and no contraindications to its use. It is found that for patients receiving combination chemotherapy, combination antiemetics, including dexamethasone and a 5-HT, antagonist are indicated.
The Right Intentions but Wrong Prevention: On Informed Consent for Preventive Services of Controversial Effectiveness

Physicians are urged to discuss with their patients only those screening tests whose effectiveness has been proven. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Interventional stem cell therapy

The ability to deliver cells in appropriate doses to their targeted site of action is a well-known obstacle to optimising stem cell therapy. Systemic administration of cells results in pulmonary "trapping," which significantly decreases the number of available circulating cells to impact underlying disorders. Directed delivery of stem cells in interventional radiology may provide an additional option for bypassing the lungs, as well as introduce novel potential avenues for decreasing doses required to effect cellular therapy, efficiently obtain local paracrine effects, and/or to simplify targeting strategies.
Search Differences for the Presence and Absence of Features in Sustained Attention

The present study examined the ability of individuals to look for the presence or absence of stimulus features in a vigilance paradigm. Forty participants monitored a computer display comprised of either 2 or 5 circles for 40 min. Half of the participants were instructed to respond when a line was present in one of the circles, and the other half responded when the line was absent from one of the circles. Although performance declined throughout the vigil in all conditions, the overall level of performance was dependent upon both display size and type of signal. Specifically, performance was worse when searching for the absence as opposed to the presence of the feature, and this effect was exacerbated with the five-stimulus display. On the other hand, display size had no effect when searching for the presence of the feature. These results are discussed with respect to the feature integration theory and the nature of the critical signal in vigilance.
Liquid-Surface-Level Sensing Based on Transverse Pulse Train Technique

A novel technique of liquid-surface-level sensing using a transverse pulse train is reported. Liquid level was detected by the reflection time of pulse train propagation on vertical, straight hollow wire partially immersed in liquid using two kinds of reflections. One is the echo from the liquid surface and the other is from the end of the sensing wire in which propagation speed is influenced by the liquid. Both the signals can be detected in a single measurement. In this paper, the standard deviation of the interface echo method and the end echo method is 26 and 199 $\mu \text{m}$ , respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the error of the interface echo method is the lowest among all acoustic-based liquid-surface-level sensors in the current market. The attenuation coefficient of the interface echo method and the end echo method in water is 0.19 and 3.77 dB/m, respectively. The combination of the end echo and the interface echo techniques and low attenuation make it suitable for long distance and highly accurate liquid-surface-level sensing.
Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy: Toward a Modern Clinical and Genomic Understanding

Since its first description in the 1700s by the pope’s physician, a professor of anatomy in Rome,1 the condition known to some as arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) has resisted attempts at categorization. In 1982, when the first major case series was published in Circulation , Marcus et al2 described patients with recurrent ventricular tachycardia, RV enlargement, and partially or totally absent RV myocardium replaced instead by fibrofatty tissue. Thought to be a congenital developmental defect of the RV musculature, the condition was classified as a dysplasia. Although this thinking was later revised, the initial observation is memorialized in the hybrid name arrythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia/cardiomyopathy (ARVD/C), still in wide use. In the intervening years, new information about this progressive, hereditary disease has repeatedly forced us to redraw the lines between categories that, for mental clarity, we like to think of as distinct: cardiomyopathy versus arrhythmia syndrome; hereditary versus lifestyle-induced. In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Genetics , 2 leading groups in ARVC research, from Johns Hopkins University and from an interuniversity consortium in The Netherlands, have joined their patient registries to help better define the natural history of this still-perplexing disease. The result is the largest, most comprehensive long-term outcomes study yet—involving 439 ARVC index patients who were followed for a median of 7 years, and 562 of their family members.3 The results, in line with previous observations, are a valuable contribution. Article see p 437 The hallmark of this disease is ventricular arrhythmias, which predispose patients to syncope and sudden cardiac death—often during exercise. The first signs of ARVC typically do not appear until adolescence or early adulthood.1,4,5 Disease expression is highly variable, both between and within families, and penetrance is reduced: estimated at perhaps 60% during a lifetime.6 …
Optical Techniques for Studying Bone Regeneration and Bone Marrow Transplantation

The bone marrow contains blood stem cells as well as skeletal progenitor cells. Intravital microscopy and image-guided laser microsurgery are useful tools for creating local injury, tracking stem cells and monitoring the regenerative process. Article not available.
Genomics in Surgery, Trauma, and Critical Care: How Do We Control the Future?

The technical, statistical, and methodological challenges of handling human genomic information and translating it into reliable tools applicable in clinical decision-making must overcome one major hurdle preventing the widespread use of genomics in clinical medicine, and that is translating basic science discoveries into new and better patient-centered treatments. Over the past 30 years a cadre of clinicians and researchers alike has described the genomic and proteomic response to inflammation and severe injury in leukocyte populations from humans with cancer and trauma. Now is the time to take advantage of the large scientific database of information and use it to implement a diagnostic test for predicting outcome and appropriateness for therapy in the critically ill trauma patient, cancer patient, or acute care surgery patient. The future of improved outcomes is rooted in new genomic diagnostics that can accurately identify patients who may benefit from therapies aimed at disease prevention and not just therapeutic reaction. Rather than focus on disease treatment, we as physicians should focus on patient-centered disease identification before the symptomatology and sequelae are manifest and rampant. By applying genomics and other high-throughput technologies, clinicians and researchers will have a robust platform for using the human transcriptome as a reliable and convenient diagnostic tool to not only treat but also prevent disease in the clinical setting.
Empiric therapy for infections in the febrile, neutropenic, compromised host

In the years to come, it is likely that with the advent of cytokines and even more with possibility to insert drug-resistant genes into hematopoietic stem cells, the risk of infection will be decreased because the severity and duration of neutropenia will be minimized. It is true that the ideal empiric antimicrobial regimen--a single antibiotic with a low incidence of superinfection and a low toxicity, without need for subsequent additions and readjustments--is still a wish. In the meantime and while living in the neutropenic area, physicians, for the benefit of patients, have to follow guidelines and create algorithms (see Fig. 1). Recommendations, however, should be always adjustable to the individual characteristics of the patient and the institution and to progress in antimicrobial chemotherapy. It is inevitable that research and clinical practice should go "hand in hand" in these "difficult-to-manage" and "difficult-to-treat" patients. After all, it should never be forgotten that the ultimate goal of empiric antimicrobial regimens in febrile neutropenia is to ensure patients' survival.
Extreme sexual size dimorphism, sexual selection, and the foraging ecology of Montezuma Oropendolas

Sexual differences in body size usually are considered to be a product of ei- ther sexual selection or ecological divergence between the sexes. I tested the predictions of these hypotheses to explain extreme sexual dimorphism in size in a Neotropical blackbird, the Montezuma Oropendola (Psarocolius montezuma). Sexual dimorphism was more pro- nounced in wing length and relative mass, traits that appear to be important in courtship and competition for mates, than in bill length or tarsus length. Male dominance rank, which is an indicator of mating success, was positively associated with body size (i.e. high-ranking males were larger than low- ranking males). These results suggest that sexual selection acts to increase male body size, and hence contributes to sexual size dimorphism in this species. Differences in foraging behavior and diet also existed between the sexes and were related to sexual size differences. The small size of females allowed them to forage on food resources that were difficult for the larger males to reach (e.g. insects in rolled leaves at the ends of branches). Females, though, did not appear to be restricted from those resources exploited by males (primarily epiphytal bromeliads). Although it was not possible to reject the eco- logical-divergence hypothesis, my results suggest that sexual foraging differences are a con- sequence rather than a cause of sexual dimorphism in size in this species. Received 23 Augus t 1996, accepted 18 March 1997.
An Interdisciplinary Approach for a Water Sustainability Study

ABSTRACTInterdisciplinary research is often challenging as a result of the different backgrounds of researchers from different disciplines. Such difficulty frequently hinders the understanding, communication, and collaboration among researchers from different disciplines. Meanwhile, research methods in geography can effectively link and synthesize different discipline-specific information. In this study, we show the application of geographic information systems (GIS) for the spatial analysis in a water sustainability project. We also show that GIS, as a spatial decision support system, could be effectively used for managing both hydrologic and social factors. With GIS, the project was able to integrate multidisciplinary data sets and visualize spatial information via a Web platform for sharing and communication. Our study demonstrated that geographic research methods could be effective when facilitating collaborations among the humanities, social science, and engineering to quantify social objectives and ...
An Analysis of Ovarian Cancer Incidence and Mortality in Cancer Registry Areas of Zhejiang Province,2000~2009

[Purpose] To investigate the ovarian cancer incidence and mortality in cancer registry areas of Zhejiang province from 2000 to 2009. [Methods] The data of ovarian cancer new cases and deaths cases were collected from 6 cancer registry areas in Zhejiang province. Crude incidence,crude mortality,age-standardized incidence,age-standardized mortality,age-specific incidence,age-specific mortality were calculated respectively. Trends of incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer from 2000 to 2009 in the 6 cancer registres in Zhejiang province were estimated by annual percentage change(APC). [Results] The incidence of ovarian cancer in Zhejiang cancer registry areas was 7.83/105from 2000 to 2009,the mortality was 2.14/105. The age-specific incidence showed different trends as age increased,it increased significantly after 20 years-old, peaked in 55 ~ years-old group. While the age-specific mortality rates gently raised as age increased,peaked in 70~ years-old group. The ovarian cancer incidence increased from 6.86/105in 2000 to 8.04/105in 2009 with an annual percent change(APC) of 6.40%(95%CI:3.78%~9.08%). The mortality showed a gentle upward trend with an APC of 6.63%(95% CI:-2.85% ~7.00%). [Conclusion] The incidence and mortality of ovarian cancer has been rising year after year. Measures should be taken to strengthen the prevention and control for ovarian cancer.
Bounding of Frame Buckling Loads

Frame stability calculations are recast into the form of a low order, nonlinear eigenvlaue problem. It is shown that at each stage of the iterative solution of the problem, upper and lower bounds on the sway buckling load are established. The conditions needed for convergence and bounding are examined and verified by several numerical problems. It is shown that under usual conditions bounding and convergence are obtained for any reasonable starting assumption of load factor. For unusual cases, the use of submembers is interpreted to be a means of avoiding numerical difficulties.
Neutron Flux Energy Distribution

During fission an atomic nucleus generally splits into two fission products and between two and three neutrons. These neutrons are extremely energetic having energies in the low MeV range. These neutrons lose energy through scattering collisions, and if they are not captured by a nucleus will eventually reach thermal equilibrium at energies of a fraction of an eV. It is found that light nuclei such as hydrogen and beryllium are the most effective at slowing-down neutrons. During this slowing-down process, the neutron population will take on a spectrum of energies which will depend upon other things, the amount of fissionable material, the probability of the neutrons being scattered as opposed to being absorbed, and so on.
Crosstalk between autophagy and inflammatory signalling pathways: balancing defence and homeostasis

This article provides a comprehensive overview of the general functions of autophagy in immunity, the interactions between autophagy and immune signalling pathways and the role of autophagy–immune crosstalk in multicellular immune responses and disease.
Diabetes in native populations and underserved communities in the USA

In the USA type 2 diabetes mellitus affects roughly 9 % of the population with a disproportionate burden in racial/ethnic minorities. The prevalence of diabetes is highest in American Indians/Native Alaskans followed by non-Hispanic blacks, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, and non-Hispanic whites. Many causes exist for the disparity in rates of prevalent diabetes spanning from biology and genetics to healthcare delivery and prevention programs for diabetes. Racial/ethnic minorities also have higher rates of microvascular complications suggesting a need for examination of delivery of care, non-pharmacological treatment, and selection of antidiabetes medications. In this article we review the epidemiology, classification, and unique pathophysiological aspects of type 2 diabetes in minority populations in the USA including race/ethnic differences in biological factors (obesity, fat distribution, glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance) and nonbiological factors (acculturation and health behaviors). We evaluate the genomic and epigenetic landscape including novel diabetes-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and epigenetic factors specific to native populations and underserved communities. We assess the limitations of current diagnostic criteria including racial/ethnic differences in hemoglobin A1c. We examine issues related to management of diabetes in native and underserved populations from a multilevel perspective, beginning with the coordination and delivery of diabetes care services progressing to pharmacologic and non-pharmacological management of diabetes, including lifestyle and surgical interventions. Last, we evaluate the current models of translation of primary prevention of diabetes in native and underserved populations and finish with a discussion of unmet research needs. In this manner we aim to provide a comprehensive review of important aspects of diabetes and its management in native populations and underserved communities.
Maternal plasma-soluble ST2 concentrations are elevated prior to the development of early and late onset preeclampsia - a longitudinal study.

AbstractObjective: The objectives of this study were to determine (1) the longitudinal profile of plasma soluble ST2 (sST2) concentrations in patients with preeclampsia and those with uncomplicated pregnancies; (2) whether the changes in sST2 occur prior to the diagnosis of preeclampsia; and (3) the longitudinal sST2 profile of women with early or late preeclampsia.Materials and methods: This longitudinal nested case–control study included singleton pregnancies in the following groups: (1) uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 160); and (2) those complicated by early ( 22 weeks of gestation; cases with late p...
“I Don’t Know Everything, But Ethan Would Know”: Language, Expertise, and the Cultural Mismatch for Women Scientists

Using participant observation and interview data, the author explores interactional styles that men and women chemists-in-training (graduate students and postdoctoral fellows) use to navigate expertise within their research groups. The author finds that men are more likely than women to employ styles that feature their expertise when in group situations, while women are more likely to minimize theirs. Specifically, the author discusses peer-to-peer challenges and gender differences in self-deprecating comments, as well as the consequences of these tactics for success in the natural sciences.