cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Communicating with head and neck cancer patients.

BACKGROUND Head and neck cancer is only 3 to 5% of all the cancers in the United States. The disease causes major changes in the appearance and functional ability of patients. PURPOSE To explore how caregivers communicate with head and neck cancer patients who have impaired communication abilities from the disease and from treatment. DESIGN A qualitative grounded theory approach was used. METHODS Thirty-nine caregivers of head and neck cancer patients were recruited from three east coast academic-affiliated hospitals with dedicated head and neck cancer units. Each person was interviewed, while being audiotaped for 1 1/2 hours. Open-ended questions were used to elicit comprehensive responses to the issues and concerns most important to care for these patients. The tapes were transcribed and inputted using Ethnograph v.5. The analysis of the interviews used grounded theory methods. Methods to ensure rigor and trustworthiness were incorporated into the design. FINDINGS The results of the data collection revealed the majority of participants were women age 47 (average). For most, their beginning and highest education was the baccalaureate degree. The entire sample averaged 23 years in their profession and a more than 15.1 years caring for head and neck cancer patients. The sample represented caregivers from primarily the inpatient setting, but also included clinic, administrative, research and education. The results of the data analysis revealed engaging and distancing behaviors based the caregivers' level of comfort. The central topic was communication impairment. The core category was "Reading the Patient". The strategies used to identify problems, and meet the needs of the patients were "Giving Voice", "Being There", "Giving Control", "Saving Face", "Normalizing", "Relieving Pain", and "Giving Hope". CONCLUSIONS A hypothesis emerged from the analysis of the interviews. Successfully meeting the physical and psychosocial needs of head and neck cancer patients requires an intensive effort and the use of creative methods of communication which are primarily self-taught. Much more research needs to be done on low and high technology tools to assist caregivers of nonverbal patients to meet their needs, including understanding body image change from disfiguring facial surgery. The evidenced-based literature is still unavailable to provide direction to meet these complex patients' needs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE This study is a beginning effort to identify the complex needs of head and neck patients and suggest how to meet these needs. Lessons learned from this study might be applied to other patients with impaired communication ability.
America's Constitutional Rule of Law: Structure and Symbol

American Constitutional Law would seem to be closely related to the principle of the rule of law, although it is not at first clear whether that is because our Constitution exemplifies the rule of law or, instead, its antithesis. Ordinary Americans would likely consider themselves as living under a rule of law regime, though some academics might dispute that claim. To most of us, the United States Constitution serves as an example of a rule of law, in what we believe is more generally our rule of law state. We seem to believe this even though our Constitution exemplifies the uniquely American notion of an indeterminate rule, as contrasted with the European paradigm of a very clear and circumscribed, positive law rule.
Changes in the fecal bacterial microbiota associated with disease severity in alcoholic hepatitis patients

Alcoholic hepatitis is the most severe form of alcohol-related liver disease. While the gut microbiome is known to play a role in disease development and progression, less is known about specific c...
Heparin-modified alginate microspheres enhance neovessel formation in hiPSC-derived endothelial cells and heterocellular in vitro models by controlled release of VEGF

A formidable challenge in regenerative medicine is the development of stable microvascular networks to restore adequate blood flow or to sustain graft viability and long-term function in implanted or ischemic tissues. In this work, we develop a biomimetic approach to increase the binding affinity of the extracellular matrix for the class of heparin-binding growth factors to localize and control the release of proangiogenic cues while maintaining their bioactivity. Sulfate and heparin moieties are covalently coupled to alginate, and alginate microspheres are produced and used as local delivery depots for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Release of VEGF from sulfate-alginate and heparin-alginate bulk hydrogels and microspheres was sustained over 14 days. In vitro evaluation with human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived endothelial cells and aortic ring assay in a chemically-defined hydrogel demonstrates development of primitive three-dimensional vessel-like networks in the presence of VEGF released from the chemically modified alginate microspheres. Furthermore, our results suggest that the sulfate groups available on the chemically modified alginate microspheres promote some new vessel formation even in VEGF-free samples. Based on this evidence, we conclude that sulfate- and heparin-alginate hydrogels are adaptive and bioactive delivery systems for revascularization therapy and translational vascular tissue engineering.
Explaining New Patterns in Family Leave Policies in Latin America: Competing Visions and Facilitating Institutions

Recent years have seen the rapid passage and modification of family leave policies in Latin America, a surprising trend, given the region’s historically conservative gender norms. This article argues that the rise of new paternity leave policies—as well as the modifications to longer-standing maternity leave policies—reflects contending visions of gender and the family, mediated by the institutions and actors that populate the region’s political landscape. Using an original dataset of family policy measures, this article finds that the factors facilitating the adoption of new, vanguard policies, such as paternity leave, function in ways different from those that shape the expansion of longer-standing policies, including maternity leave.
The Interleukin-1 Receptor–Associated Kinase 4 Inhibitor PF-06650833 Blocks Inflammation in Preclinical Models of Rheumatic Disease and in Humans Enrolled in a Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective To investigate the role of PF-06650833, a highly potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor of interleukin-1-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4), in autoimmune pathophysiology in vitro, in vivo, and in the clinical setting. Methods Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) inflammatory pathophysiology was modeled in vitro through 1) stimulation of primary human macrophages with anti-citrullinated protein antibody immune complexes (ICs), 2) RA fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) cultures stimulated with Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands, as well as 3) additional human primary cell cocultures exposed to inflammatory stimuli. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) pathophysiology was simulated in human neutrophils, dendritic cells, B cells, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with TLR ligands and SLE patient ICs. PF-06650833 was evaluated in vivo in the rat collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model and the mouse pristane-induced and MRL/lpr models of lupus. Finally, RNA sequencing data generated with whole blood samples from a phase I multiple-ascending-dose clinical trial of PF-06650833 were used to test in vivo human pharmacology. Results In vitro, PF-06650833 inhibited human primary cell inflammatory responses to physiologically relevant stimuli generated with RA and SLE patient plasma. In vivo, PF-06650833 reduced circulating autoantibody levels in the pristane-induced and MRL/lpr murine models of lupus and protected against CIA in rats. In a phase I clinical trial (NCT02485769), PF-06650833 demonstrated in vivo pharmacologic action pertinent to SLE by reducing whole blood interferon gene signature expression in healthy volunteers. Conclusion These data demonstrate that inhibition of IRAK4 kinase activity can reduce levels of inflammation markers in humans and provide confidence in the rationale for clinical development of IRAK4 inhibitors for rheumatologic indications.
Real-World Incidence of Pneumonitis in Patients Receiving Durvalumab.

Abstract Introduction/Background Durvalumab is a programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor indicated for stage III, unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) consolidation therapy following concurrent platinum-based chemoradiation based on results of the PACIFIC trial. Safety data of durvalumab demonstrates an increased risk of immune-related adverse effects (irAEs), most notably pneumonitis. Pneumonitis is a serious and potentially fatal complication of immunotherapy. It is important to investigate the incidence of pneumonitis in clinical practice to evaluate the generalizability of published data. The objective of this study is to assess and characterize real-world incidence of pneumonitis in patients with NSCLC receiving durvalumab. Materials and Methods This retrospective study included patients who were initiated on durvalumab for unresectable stage III NSCLC from February 2018 through November 2019. The data analysis utilized descriptive statistics to determine the incidence of pneumonitis associated with durvalumab. Results Of the 83 patients who were evaluated, 21 patients (25.3%) experienced pneumonitis, with 5 cases (6%) being grade 3/4. Seven patients were re-challenged with durvalumab, while 14 patients permanently discontinued durvalumab. There were no clearly identifiable risk factors leading to an increased incidence of pneumonitis. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that real-world incidence of pneumonitis in stage III NSCLC patients receiving durvalumab consolidation therapy is congruent with the incidence reported in the PACIFIC trial.
Supervisor companionate love expression and elicited subordinate gratitude as moral-emotional facilitators of voice amid COVID-19

Emerging research shows that moral emotions can promote individual prosocial behaviors and adaptation during adversity. Integrating Affective Events Theory (AET) with two functionalist theories of emotions (social functions of emotions and broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions), we extend this line of research by focusing on other-oriented moral emotions as facilitators of individuals' adaptive behavior of voice during a major crisis. We conducted a four-wave survey study with 111 U.S. working adults during the early (acute) stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our path analyses in AMOS, coupled with PROCESS-aided analyses in SPSS, indicated that supervisors' companionate love expression elicited gratitude in subordinates, particularly when subordinates perceived high uncertainty of the crisis, which, in turn, broadened subordinates' in-role perceptions of, and promoted engagement in, voice behaviors. Our findings extend AET in meaningful ways and contribute to research on the moral emotions of companionate love and gratitude, stressing their value in managerial practice.
Preparation of Human Epidermal Keratinocyte Cultures

Cultured keratinocytes have been used by a number of investigators in studies investigating wound repair and carcinogenesis, and they have also proven useful as a model for differentiation. This unit describes a protocol for establishing human keratinocytes in tissue culture. Human newborn foreskins are proteolytically digested to separate the epidermis and the dermis, and keratinocytes are obtained from the epidermis. Keywords: keratinocyte cultures; establishment of epidermal keratinocyte culture keratinocytes; human keratinocytes; murine keratinocytes; morphological features
GaN‐Based Modulation‐Doped FETs and Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on modulation doped field-effect transistors (MODFETs) based on the gallium nitride (GaN) material system. With its reduced impurity scattering and unique gate capacitance-voltage characteristics, the MODFET has become the dominant high-frequency device. Among the MODFET's most attractive attributes are close proximity of the mobile charge to the gate electrode and high drain efficiency. In MODFETs, the carriers that form the channel in the smaller bandgap material are donated by the larger bandgap material, and ohmic contacts or both. Unlike the GaAs-based MODFETs on surfaces, polarization-induced charge in the GaN-based devices on the polar surfaces is quite large. An in-depth discussion of polarization effects for normal and inverted MODFETs is presented and experimental data and theoretical results is provided on the particulars of the interface charge in relation to parameters such as the AlGaN mole fraction and thickness. In addition, calculation results for electron distribution and current-voltage characteristics of MODFETs are presented.
Analysis and Modeling of Multistatic Clutter and Reverberation and Support for the FORA

Abstract : The long-term goals of this effort are to: Assess capability of directional arrays for inversion and reverberation studies Characterize acoustic clutter in a manner that will lead to its mitigation Improve geo-acoustic parameter extraction from reverberation data Construct suitable high fidelity reverberation and scattering models for model/data comparison and inversion Operate and maintain the Five Octave Research Array (FORA) for ONR-OA Help plan, participate in, and analyze data from the GULFEX12 pilot and TREX13 Reverberation and Scattering Experiments and the 2014/2015 pilot and Bottom Characterization Experiments. The PI s technical objectives for the experiments are to characterize and model multistatic bottom clutter and demonstrate inverse methods on reverberation data. Continue improvement and validation of a new range-dependent reverberation and clutter model (a more accurate forward model for inversion) and the automated geo-acoustic inversion technique from reverberation data developed by the PI and D. Ellis of DRDC. Continue Reverberation Modeling Workshop follow-on activities. Use nearfield triplet data from the Five Octave Research Array (FORA) to extract bottom information for the upcoming ONR experiments and fold it into inversion schemes using reverberation data (together with C. Holland). Continue investigations of optimum triplet processing to enhance the quality of extracted clutter and reverberation data. Continue to investigate statistical differences between sonar clutter from the sea bottom interface and the bio-clutter masses seen in select data sets.
Mantle solidus: Experimental constraints and the effects of peridotite composition

[1] A review of experiments on natural peridotites allows improved constraints on the location of the mantle solidus. Available constraints on the location of the nominally dry peridotite solidus show considerable scatter, owing to interlaboratory uncertainties and the effects of bulk composition. When experiments on enriched peridotite are filtered from the database, the best fit to the solidus between 0 and 10 GPa is given by T(°C) = aP2 + bP + c where a = −5.104, b = 132.899, and c = 1120.661 and P is in gigapascals. Compared to previous models, the solidus in this parameterization is at lower temperature between 2 and 6 GPa, with the largest differences near 4 GPa, where it is 30°–60°C cooler. Consideration of experimental constraints on the peridotite solidus and of a theoretical model of melting in a simple analogue system suggests that a key variable affecting peridotite solidus temperature is the near-solidus liquid alkali concentration. The effect of alkalis on the solidus increases with bulk concentration in the peridotite but decreases with bulk partition coefficient. Thus small bulk concentrations of K can have a significant influence on the peridotite solidus, and the effect of Na diminishes with increasing pressure, as it becomes more compatible in the solidus residua. Mg # [=100 × MgO/(MgO + FeO)] variations are subordinate to alkali variations in controlling solidus temperature at lower pressures but may increase in relative importance as alkalis become more compatible in peridotite residua with increasing pressure. Increased clinopyroxene mode has the effect of making Na more compatible in residual solids and so diminishes the solidus-lowering tendencies of alkalis. As a consequence, experiments performed on a range of peridotite compositions may not reflect the likely effect of variable mantle composition on solidus temperature if they do not match the appropriate correlation between alkali content and clinopyroxene mode.
The primary cilium at the crossroads of mammalian hedgehog signaling.

Abstract Cilia function as critical sensors of extracellular information, and ciliary dysfunction underlies diverse human disorders including situs inversus, polycystic kidney disease, retinal degeneration, and Bardet‐Biedl syndrome. Importantly, mammalian primary cilia have recently been shown to mediate transduction of Hedgehog (Hh) signals, which are involved in a variety of developmental processes. Mutations in several ciliary components disrupt the patterning of the neural tube and limb bud, tissues that rely on precisely coordinated gradients of Hh signal transduction. Numerous components of the Hh pathway, including Patched, Smoothened, and the Gli transcription factors, are present within primary cilia, indicating that key steps of Hh signaling may occur within the cilium. Because dysregulated Hh signaling promotes the development of a variety of human tumors, cilia may also have roles in cancer. Together, these findings have shed light on one mechanism by which primary cilia transduce signals critical for both development and disease.
The Incomplete Hydroxylation of Individual Prolyl Residues in Collagen

The amino acid compositions of two peptides, obtained from homologous regions of the α1 chains of rat skin and tail tendon collagen by CNBr cleavage, were found to differ only in their contents of hydroxyproline and proline. Sequence analyses of these peptides, each of which contained 36 amino acids, indicated that their primary structures prior to the hydroxylation of proline were identical and that the prolyl residues susceptible to hydroxylation were the same. However, hydroxylation of individual residues was incomplete in both peptides, the degree of hydroxylation of several residues being greater in the peptide from skin collagen. The data indicate that the primary structure of collagen is heterogeneous as a consequence of this incomplete hydroxylation, and provide preliminary information regarding the substrate specificity of proline hydroxylase.
Ultrahigh field single-refocused diffusion weighted imaging using a matched-phase adiabatic spin echo (MASE).

Purpose To improve ultrahigh field diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the presence of inhomogeneous transmit B1 field by designing a novel semi-adiabatic single-refocused DWI technique. Methods A 180° slice-selective, adiabatic radiofrequency (RF) pulse of 4 ms duration was designed using the adiabatic Shinnar-Le Roux algorithm. A matched-phase slice-selective 90° RF pulse of 8 ms duration was designed to compensate the nonlinear phase of the adiabatic 180° RF pulse. The resulting RF pulse combination, matched-phase adiabatic spin echo (MASE), was integrated into a single-shot echo planar DWI sequence. The performance of this sequence was compared with single-refocused Stejskal-Tanner (ST), twice-refocused spin echo (TRSE) and twice-refocused adiabatic spin echo (TRASE) in simulations, phantoms, and healthy volunteers at 7 Tesla (T). Results In regions with inhomogeneous B1, MASE resulted in increased signal intensity compared with ST (up to 64%). Moderate increase in specific absorption rate (35–39%) was observed for adiabatic RF pulses. MASE resulted in higher signal homogeneity at 7T, leading to improved visualization of measures derived from diffusion-weighted images such as white matter tractography and track density images. Conclusion Efficient adiabatic SLR pulses can be adapted to single-refocused DWI, leading to substantially improved signal uniformity when compared with conventional acquisitions. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Project Selection for NASA's R&D Programs

The purpose of NASA s Research and Development (R&D) programs is to provide advanced human support technologies for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). The new technologies must be sufficiently attractive and proven to be selectable for future missions. This requires identifying promising candidate technologies and advancing them in technology readiness until they are likely options for flight. The R&D programs must select an array of technology development projects, manage them, and either terminate or continue them, so as to maximize the delivered number of potentially usable advanced human support technologies. This paper proposes an effective project selection methodology to help manage NASA R&D project portfolios.
Assistive Technology for Students with Visual Impairments: Challenges and Needs in Teachers’ Preparation Programs and Practice:

This article reports on a survey of 165 teachers of students with visual impairments in Texas to examine their perceptions of their knowledge of assistive technology. The results showed that they h...
Evidence (2004-2005 Survey of New York Law)

This article is a survey of developments in evidence rules over 2004-2005. Topics include: Procedural Concerns, Relevancy, Witnesses, Hearsay, and Experts. These topics are broken into specific areas to update the Procedural law of res ipsa Loquitur, judicial notice, presumptions, appeals of evidentiary rulings. Relevancy covers character evidence and other crimes or Acts, Consciousness of Guilt , Spoliation, Missing Witness and Collateral Source Payments Witnesses includes: Dead Man's Statute, Juror Competency, Opinions, Refreshing Recollection, Leading Questions. Hearsay includes: Party Admissions, Speaking Agent, Excited Utterance, Present Sense Impression, and Business Records. Expert Opinion covers: Appropriateness, Basis For Expert Opinion, and Frye.
N‐Morpholinomethyldiphenylphosphine Oxide

[20684-76-8] C17H20NO2P (MW 301.35) InChI = 1S/C17H20NO2P/c19-21(16-7-3-1-4-8-16,17-9-5-2-6-10-17)15-18-11-13-20-14-12-18/h1-10H,11-15H2 InChIKey = ZDEKTDYYYBITIR-UHFFFAOYSA-N (Horner–Wittig reagent useful for the preparation of homologous aldehydes,2 their morpholino enamines,2a,b,3 and α-morpholinomethyl ketones4) Physical Data: mp 159 °C. Solubility: insol H2O; sol THF, CHCl3. Form Supplied in: white crystalline solid, not commercially available. Preparative Methods: has been prepared in several ways, most efficiently by two related sequences involving an Arbuzov reaction (eqs 1 and 2).3, 5 In both approaches the crude product is sufficiently pure for use in subsequent synthesis applications. (1) (2) Purification: most easily purified by recrystallization from benzene or from CH2Cl2/hexane. It can also be purified by column chromatography on silica gel. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: stable for extended periods of storage under nitrogen; its toxicity is unknown.
AN EXAMPLE OF A THERMALLY METAMORPHOSED AGGLUTINATE

The nature and properties of lunar agglutinates in relation to the kind of metamorphism described by Albee et al. (1973) are briefly considered. The properties of the agglutinates are compared with those of a lunar metaclastic particle which is believed to be the product of the extreme thermal metamorphism of an agglutinate. The results of electronprobe microanalyses of selected agglutinitic glasses are presented in a table. Attention is also given to the bulk chemical composition of some noritic metaclastic rocks and several highland rock types.
Tunable Fabry-Perot Waveguide Microcavities with High Index Contrast Mirrors

Tunable micromachined SOI Fabry-Perot waveguide cavities with high-index-contrast silicon/air Bragg mirrors are demonstrated. The devices can be tuned thermo-optically or using integrated micro-electro-mechanical systems. Device fabrication, experimental data, and simulation results will be presented.
A variational principle for weak stimulated absorptions with energy minimizing fields

Abstract Optimal time-dependent perturbations in agreement with the Bohr condition for spectroscopic transitions are obtained variationally for two-level systems via the first-order perturbation model. The criterion of optimality is that specified weak absorptions are achieved with minimal applied energy. Results obtain for fixed perturbation intervals of arbitrary length.
Fast-stacking off-energy injection into the Aladdin electron storage ring

Abstract Injection into an electron storage ring may be performed at a low energy where the radiation damping time constant is several seconds. When the horizontal dispersion at the injection location is sufficiently large, injection may be enhanced by fast-stacking off-energy injection, in which the injection repetition period is much smaller than the radiation damping time and the energy of injected electrons differs from the ring energy. Assuming that betatron oscillations and synchrotron oscillations fully decohere within one injection repetition period, we obtain analytical formulas for the probability that an electron survives the injection process, the accumulation rate of stored ring current, and the maximum ring current. For 108-MeV injection into the Aladdin electron storage ring, the measured survival probability, accumulation rate, and injected beam energy agree with the formulas, while the maximum ring current is smaller than predicted because of trapped ions. The formulas and measurements confirm the benefit of fast-stacking off-energy injection.
Signal transduction in endothelin-induced contraction of rabbit pulmonary vein

Abstract The effect of porcine endothelin (endothelin 1) on rings of isolated rabbit pulmonary vein was studied using tissue bath techniques. Endothelin was found to be a potent constrictor of these vessels, producing concentration-dependent contractions with an EC50 value of 3.2 ± 0.6 × 10−9 M. Contractions were not significantly affected by the Ca2+ channel antagonists verapamil, nifedipine, or nicardipine. Contractions were greatly attenuated by 3 mM LaCl3 (85.8 ± 8.0% relaxation) and were diminished in Ca2+-free media (51 ± 9% of control). The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor H7 (20 μM) potently and reversibly inhibited endothelin-induced contractions by 82 ± 6% when used as a post-treatment. Incubation of tissues with 20 μM H7 did not significantly affect either the strength of contractions induced with endothelin or the time required for contraction to reach plateau, but these contractions were poorly sustained compared to controls. The phospholiphase C (PLC) inhibitor neomycin (10 mM) inhibited endothelin-induced contractions and it also affected the rate of force development. The phopholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor quinacrine had no significant effect on endothelin-induced contractions. Thus, both extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ are required for full development of endothelin-induced contractions. Extracellular Ca2+ appears to enter the cell via non-potential dependent channels that can be blocked by La3+. Moreover, the potent vasoconstrictor properties of endothelin on rabbit pulmonary veins involves activation of both PLC and PKC, but not PLA2. PKC is intimately associated with maintaining the tonic phase of smooth muscle contraction.
Histopathological Study Following Catheter Guided Radiofrequency Current Ablation of the Slow Pathway in a Patient with Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia

The present study examined histological changes induced by catheter guided radiofrequency current in a patient with AV nodal reentrant tachycardia who underwent cardiac transplantation 1 week after ablation of the slow pathway. During the electrophysiology study AV nodal conduction curves were discontinuous and AV nodal reentry was induced. At the conclusion of the procedure there was no evidence of slow pathway function. Histological sections from the explanted heart demonstrated a sharply demarcated atrial lesion (5 × 5 × 4 mm) extending from the septal portion of the tricuspid annulus to the posterior border of the AV node. The lesion did not encompass the compact AV node. These observations support the hypothesis that the slow pathway is comprised of atrial approaches to the AV node and is distinct from the compact AV node.
Bounded socio-technical experiments as agents of systemic change: The case of a zero-energy residential building

Abstract Large-scale shifts in dominant technologies are the necessary components of a transition toward sustainability. Such shifts are difficult because, in addition to technological innovation, they require changes in the existing institutions, professional norms, belief systems and, in some cases, also lifestyles. In the languages of cognitive and policy sciences, higher order learning on a scale ranging from individuals to professional and business communities, to the society at large, is needed. Higher order learning is especially crucial in the types of innovations that depend mainly on synthesis of existing technologies and know-how to achieve radical reductions in energy and material consumption, as is the case with high performance buildings. One way to facilitate this type of learning is through experimentation with new technologies and services. Drawing on our earlier concept of a Bounded Socio-Technical Experiment, in this paper we propose a four-level conceptual framework for mapping and monitoring the learning processes taking place in a BSTE, and apply it to an empirical case study of a zero-fossil-fuel residential building in Boston. Three major conclusions are that: learning took place both on the individual and team level, that individual learning primarily (but not exclusively) involved changes in problem definitions; and that team learning consisted of participant turnover until congruence in worldviews and interpretive frames was achieved. This case study also shows that we must think of innovating in building design as both a process and a product, and that both must be considered in the future efforts to replicate this building. This study highlights that technological innovation about technology as much as about people, their perceptions, and their interactions with each other and with the material world. Sustainability will not be reached by technology alone, but by deep learning by individuals, groups, professional societies and other institutions.
The Null Dynamical Effect, and Some Frequency Spectra, of Resonant Inertial Pressure Waves in a Rapidly Rotating, Right Circular, Sectored Cylinder

It is shown that inertial waves in the form of standing asymmetrical pressure waves can exist in an incompressible liquid in a rotating sectored cylinder in a rigid body (e.g., a top or a missile) executing a small amplitude gyroscopic motion about its center of mass. Some of the frequency spectra of these waves are presented along with the result that sectoring the cylinder into any number of equal sectors results in eliminating the destabilizing effect of these waves (i.e., the amplitude growth of the motion of the rigid container) when there is a “Stewartson” resonance between the frequency of one of the inertial modes and the frequency of the nutational component of the motion of the container. Experimental results are in reasonable agreement with the theory.
Additional Evidence for the Plastic Blunting Process of Fatigue Crack Propagation

Current workers who deal with fatigue crack propagation mechanisms express the view that fracture surface striations are formed at the start of a tensile stroke instead of the end of a compressive stroke, as required by the older mechanism of the “plastic blunting process” (PBP). The current views are criticized and new fractographic evidence is presented in support of the PBP mechanism. The effects of a nonzero mean stress and of environment are also discussed. Variable amplitude tests are shown to be useful in dealing with questions about crack propagation kinetics.
Verbal Dichotic Listening in Right and Left-Handed Adults: Laterality Effects of Directed Attention

Dichotic listening performance of consonant vowel stimuli was studied in 51 adult right- and left-handers in three attention conditions: non-directed and directed to either the right or left ear. In the non-directed condition, a significant right-ear advantage was found in both handedness groups with a stronger asymmetry in right-handers. There are at least three explanations for this ear bias. The classic or structural hypothesis suggests that to the right ear projects more strongly to the language dominant left hemisphere. The callosal relay hypothesis is based on the influence of inhibitory connections via the corpus callosum. The attentional hypothesis suggests that each hemisphere primarily directs attention to contralateral space and because the left hemisphere is dominant for language in both groups, and is aroused by speech stimuli, attention is primarily directed to the right ear. Neither hypothesis can explain why greater than 95% of right-handers have left hemisphere language dominance, but only 70-80% have a right ear bias. Our results demonstrate that in the directed attention conditions both groups increased their lateral biases when directed to either the right or left. The classic or structural hypothesis cannot account for these changes, thereby providing support for the attentional hypothesis. In addition, the right-handed subjects exhibited a greater shift of bias than did the left-handed subjects, when directing their attention leftward. This finding suggests that right-handed people are better able to shift their attention than left-handed people.
Metacognición: mente y cerebro

Durante alrededor de 10 anos, nuestro equipo se ha dedicado al estudio de la metacognicion y su posible correlacion con la comprension y produccion de textos escritos. En uno de los ultimos trabajos resumiamos lo que habia sido nuestro objetivo a lo largo de esas investigaciones, a saber, “comprobar si el conocimiento consciente de ciertos procesos cognitivos y de las caracteristicas de los textos escritos contribuye a mejorar el desempeno de adolescentes en actividades relacionadas con el lenguaje escrito, es decir, a hacer de ellos comprendedores y productores de textos escritos mas estrategicos” Peronard (2001).
Separating Fact From Fiction: A New Role For Health Affairs

Although policymakers may become sensitized on an issue by compelling anecdotes and may be motivated by ideology, increasingly, actual decision making requires the presentation and acceptance of ha...
Security and synchronization in watermark sequence

In a mature watermarking and steganography application, the security should lie in the unknow random keys not in the embedding algorithms. In this paper, the problem of the selection of watermarking random sequences is investigated. In the widely used Spread Spectrum modulation schemes, a white sequence and a Low-Pass (LP) type sequences are analyzed, including its security level and synchronization requirements. It is found that the white independent is more secure but not robust against LP attack. Also it is not energy efficient. Actually The random sequence selection is usually the tradeoff between these factors. To be resilient to the removal attacks, the watermark spectrum should be similar to the spectrum of the cover signal. A watermarking sequence with fixed amplitude spectrum shape and random phase is proposed in the last part of the paper and its properties are discussed in detail.
Lactose crystallization : effects of minerals and seeding

Abstract Individual and combined effect of five minerals, which exist as the major part of ash in the milk and whey were studied as they affect the gross yield of lactose crystallization. These were analyzed by the Fractional Factorial Design method using simulated condensed whey solutions prepared with different combinations of major minerals. Results showed that K+, Ca2+, PO43−, and K+ together with PO43− have significant effects on the residual lactose concentration in supernatant in the crystallization step of lactose recovery. While seeding in the crystallization process assisted nucleation and crystallization, extending the aging period made little difference. This study suggests that pretreatment and partial demineralization along with seeding would improve lactose recovery from whey or milk permeates.
Origin and nature of vessels in monocotyledons. 5. Araceae subfamily Colocasioideae

Tracheary elements from macerations of roots and stems of one species each of five genera of Araceae subfamily Colocasioideae were studied by means of SEM (scanning electron microscopy). All of the genera have vessel elements not merely in roots, as previously reported for the family as a whole, but also in stems. The vessel elements of stems in all genera other thanSyngoniumare less specialized than those of roots; stem vessel elements are tracheid-like and have porose pit membrane remnants in perforations. The perforations with pit membrane remnants demonstrate probable early stages in evolution of vessels from tracheids in primary xylem of monocotyledons. The vessel elements with such incipient perforation plates lack differentiation in secondary wall thickenings between perforation plate and lateral wall, and such vessel elements cannot be identified with any reliability by means of light microscopy. The discrepancy in specialization between root and stem vessel elements in genera other thanSyngoniumis ascribed to probable high conductive rates in roots where soil moisture fluctuates markedly, in contrast with the storage nature of stems, in which selective value for rapid conduction is less.Syngoniumstem vessels are considered adapted for rapid conduction because the stems in that genus are scandent. Correlation between vessel element morphology and ecology and habit are supported. Although large porosities in vessel elements facilitate conduction, smaller porosities may merely represent rudimentary pit membrane lysis.
Kinetics of urea hydrolysis in wheat residue

Abstract When urea granules dissolve on crop residue, the concentration near the point of dissolution may be high enough to slow the hydrolysis rate. Our objective was to determine urease activity in wheat residue at a wide range of urea concentrations (0.007-5 M urea). Urease was assayed in the laboratory at 35°C with l g ground wheat residue (1 mm size), toluene, THAM-buffer (pH = 8.0) and urea solutions. The rate of urea hydrolysis was measured as the rate of ammonium appearance. A Michaelis-Menten model modified for uncompetitive substrate inhibition was fitted to the hydrolysis rate data using a non-linear regression procedure Rate = Vmax(1 + (Km/[U]) + ([U]/Ki) where Rate is the rate of urea hydrolysis, [U] = urea concentration (m); Vmax, Km and Ki, are the maximum rate (mgNH4+-Nkg residue−1 h−1), the concentration at 1 2 V max (M urea), and inhibition constant [or dissociation constant of enzyme substrate complex (m−1) which does not form product], respectively. The values of Vmax, Km and Ki, for the wheat residue urease were 792, 0.003 and 5.94, respectively. The urea hydrolysis rate increased with increasing concentrations up to 0.05 M urea, remained steady between 0.05 and 0.5 m urea, and then declined above 0.5 m urea. The model adequately described the hydrolysis rate up to 2.0 m urea, but overestimated it at higher concentrations. Thus, the decreased rate of urea hydrolysis above 2.0 M urea could not be attributed to uncompetitive inhibition alone but to a combination of factors. Since high urea concentrations cause denaturation of proteins, the rate declines not explained by the model may be due to denaturation of the urease enzyme.
Platelet activating factor-antagonist improves survival in experimental staphylococcal septicemia

Platelet activating factor (PAF) amplifies the cytokine cascade in experimental models. This study was designed to investigate the role of PAF blockade during experimental Gram-positive shock by pretreatment with platelet activating factor-antagonist (PAF-A). Three groups of anesthetized rabbits were studied. Control animals received either saline or PAF-A only, and all survived, without hemodynamic changes. Animals in the second group received an infusion of Staphylococcus epidermidis, and all died in septic shock. Animals in the third group were pretreated with PAF-A and given the staphylococcal infusion; five of the six were alive at 200 minutes, with near-normal hemodynamics. The survival rate for animals pretreated with PAF-A was significantly higher than that for animals receiving staphylococci alone (P < .02). These results suggest that PAF is an important mediator of Gram-positive sepsis. Antagonism of PAF may be an effective potential therapy for sepsis.
Plant community response to the East Amarillo Complex wildfires in the Southern High Plains, USA

Severe wildfires are increasing in extent in the western US. We used a matched-pairs design with plots in burned and non-burned areas to study effects of the East Amarillo Complex (EAC) wildfires on mixed grass prairie mean community composition and variability in composition. Species composition and ground cover data were collected at 5 study sites each year for three years following the EAC. Fire effects on mean species composition were analyzed with permutational analyses of variance; temporal patterns were analyzed with permutational anova and nonmetric multidimensional scaling; and an index of multivariate dispersion was used to assess variability in plant community composition. We found weak immediate impacts (year 1) of wildfire on mean species composition, but strong impacts by year three. Two general patterns of changes in mean species composition emerged: at 3 study sites, there was a progressive divergence in similarity between burned and non-burned areas following wildfire whereas at 2 study sites, wildfire effects lessened over time. In contrast, a trend of increased homogeneity in burned vegetation relative to non-burned vegetation was apparent at all 5 study sites 2 to 3 years post-fire; burned areas also had higher species diversity, higher evenness but similar species richness 3 years post-fire. Ground cover composition, which was immediately impacted by wildfire through removal of residual dry matter, was fully recovered to non-burned conditions 3 years after wildfire. We observed little seedling recruitment either of native or exotic species following wildfire. Community composition changes in burned areas were likely the result of changing dominance relationships among plants that survived the wildfires rather than the result of recruitment of new individuals in gaps created by dead plants. Given the growth form of perennial C4 grasses and the fact that these grasslands evolved in the context of repeated fire, it is likely that changes in mean species composition and compositional variability are short-term responses.
Theoretical models for cooperative binding—II. two-site creator of sites and destruction of pre-existing sites

Abstract A theoretical model is derived which describes the creation of new binding sites as a result of ligand binding by a two-site creator on the macromolecule. This model may account for unusual Scatchard plots seen in the literature. In addition, a theoretical model is derived to describe ligand-macromolecular interactions in which pre-existing sites are destroyed as a result of macromolecular binding of ligand. Scatchard plots are presented for each model that show the manifestations of the particular ligand-macromolecular interaction.
Modeling Heat, Water Vapor, and Carbon Dioxide Flux Distribution Inside Canopies Using Turbulent Transport Theories

This study reports recent developments in mulitlayer turbulent transport methods to compute distributions of strengths of scalar sources and sinks S(c) as well as turbulent fluxes F(c) within the plant-atmosphere continuum. In particular, we focus on the so-called "inverse methods" that estimate S(c) from measured mean scalar concentration (or temperature) distribution within the canopy without resorting to any ecophysiologically based input. These approaches are able to reproduce measured turbulent fluxes above and within the canopy without relying on gradient diffusion formulation. Comparison between measured and modeled sensible heat flux vertical attenuation within the canopy suggests that all three methods provided comparable root-mean squared error (RMSE) (approximately 50 W m-2). Furthermore, correcting for local atmospheric stability significantly improved the agreement between model calculations and measurements. Comparisons between measured and modeled land surface fluxes of sensible heat, latent heat, and CO2 above the canopy are conducted using wavelet spectral methods applied to a wide range of temporal scales (30 min-2 yr). This study is the first to rigorously assess the performance of several inverse methods for such a broad range of time scales. We found that the three inverse modeled flux spectra bound the measured one. Hence, spectral agreement among the three models provides the necessary confidence in calculated fluxes and scalar sources. Conversely, large disagreement between the inverse models "flags" large uncertainties at those particular time scales.
Dietary Sources of Methylated Arsenic Species in Urine of the United States Population, NHANES 2003–2010

Background Arsenic is an ubiquitous element linked to carcinogenicity, neurotoxicity, as well as adverse respiratory, gastrointestinal, hepatic, and dermal health effects. Objective Identify dietary sources of speciated arsenic: monomethylarsonic acid (MMA), and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA). Methods Age-stratified, sample-weighted regression of NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) 2003–2010 data (∼8,300 participants ≥6 years old) characterized the association between urinary arsenic species and the additional mass consumed of USDA-standardized food groups (24-hour dietary recall data), controlling for potential confounders. Results For all arsenic species, the rank-order of age strata for median urinary molar concentration was children 6–11 years > adults 20–84 years > adolescents 12–19 years, and for all age strata, the rank-order was DMA > MMA. Median urinary molar concentrations of methylated arsenic species ranged from 0.56 to 3.52 µmol/mol creatinine. Statistically significant increases in urinary arsenic species were associated with increased consumption of: fish (DMA); fruits (DMA, MMA); grain products (DMA, MMA); legumes, nuts, seeds (DMA); meat, poultry (DMA); rice (DMA, MMA); rice cakes/crackers (DMA, MMA); and sugars, sweets, beverages (MMA). And, for adults, rice beverage/milk (DMA, MMA). In addition, based on US (United States) median and 90th percentile consumption rates of each food group, exposure from the following food groups was highlighted: fish; fruits; grain products; legumes, nuts, seeds; meat, poultry; and sugars, sweets, beverages. Conclusions In a nationally representative sample of the US civilian, noninstitutionalized population, fish (adults), rice (children), and rice cakes/crackers (adolescents) had the largest associations with urinary DMA. For MMA, rice beverage/milk (adults) and rice cakes/crackers (children, adolescents) had the largest associations.