cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Posttranslational Regulation of Membrane Type 1-Matrix Metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) in Mouse PTEN Null Prostate Cancer Cells: Enhanced Surface Expression and Differential O-Glycosylation of MT1-MMP

Membrane type 1 (MT1)-matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) is a membrane-tethered MMP that has been shown to play a key role in promoting cancer cell invasion. MT1-MMP is highly expressed in bone metastasis of prostate cancer (PC) patients and promotes intraosseous tumor growth of PC cells in mice. The majority of metastatic prostate cancers harbor loss-of-function mutations or deletions of the tumor suppressor PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten). However, the role of PTEN inactivation in MT1-MMP expression in PC cells has not been examined. In this study, prostate epithelial cell lines derived from mice that are either heterozygous (PTEN(+/-)) or homozygous (PTEN(-/-)) for PTEN deletion or harboring a wild-type PTEN (PTEN(+/+)) were used to investigate the expression of MT1-MMP. We found that biallelic loss of PTEN is associated with posttranslational regulation of MT1-MMP protein in mouse PC cells. PTEN(-/-) PC cells display higher levels of MT1-MMP at the cell surface when compared to PTEN(+/+) and PTEN(+/-) cells and consequently exhibited enhanced migratory and collagen-invasive activities. MT1-MMP displayed by PTEN(-/-) cells is differentially O-glycosylated and exhibits a slow rate of turnover. MT1-MMP expression in PTEN(-/-) cells is under control of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, as determined using pharmacological inhibitors. Interestingly, rapamycin, an mTOR inhibitor, upregulates MT1-MMP expression in PTEN(+/+) cells via PI3K activity. Collectively, these data in a mouse prostate cell system uncover for the first time a novel and complex relationship between PTEN loss-mediated PI3K/AKT activation and posttranslational regulation of MT1-MMP, which may play a role in PC progression.
Impact of pediatric rehabilitation services on children's functional outcomes.

OBJECTIVES. Relatively little is known about the treatment effectiveness and functional outcomes of pediatric rehabilitation therapies. This study was conducted to gain knowledge of the type and quantity of inpatient rehabilitation services provided to children who received acute inpatient rehabilitation and compare functional gains by age and diagnosis. METHOD. A retrospective cohort design was used. Records of rehabilitation therapies and functional assessments of 814 pediatric patients who received inpatient rehabilitation during 1996, 1997, and 1998 were collected. The admission and discharge item ratings of the WeeFIM® instrument were first transformed into interval-level measures of self-care, mobility, and cognition. Parametric analyses were used to compare functional gains across impairment groups and to examine the relationship between amount of treatment and functional gains. RESULTS. Occupational therapy and physical therapy were the primary rehabilitation services received by patients across impairment groups (98% and 99%, respectively). A large proportion of children with traumatic brain injuries also received speech therapy (97%) and psychology services (60%). Across domains (self-care, mobility, cognition), the largest gains were made by children who were older than 7 years and had traumatic injuries. Functional gains were significantly related to the amount of discipline-specific treatment received, after controlling for age, impairment, and functional status at admission. CONCLUSION. Rehabilitation therapy provision in pediatric inpatient rehabilitation varies greatly depending on children's age and the nature of the impairment. Systematic reporting of type and quantity of rehabilitation therapies along with functional assessments before and after hospitalization would allow researchers to track functional changes and study the determinants of functional improvement.
Optimal Digitizing Method with Application to the Design of Digital Control Systems

In digital control systems, the discrete equivalents to analog models are traditionally designed to process sequences of input and output samples such that each new output value accurately reproduces the corresponding analog output at the current sampling time. This paper addresses the fact that the performance of the resulting discrete equivalents is decreased by the inherent phase delay of analog models that alters the correlation between input and output sequences. Accordingly, a mini-max procedure is proposed to reduce the digitizing error by shifting the entire output sequence with respect to the input sampling times. Then, a previously proposed interpolation based digitizing method is used to provide (i) a synchronous output, or (ii) an output that compensates for both the latency in computing the control law and the delay due to the zero-order hold in the D/A converter, or (iii) a state-space design with a hybrid controller that eliminates the zero-order hold altogether
Mitochondria and Mitophagy: The Yin and Yang of Cell Death Control

Mitochondria are primarily responsible for providing the contracting cardiac myocyte with a continuous supply of ATP. However, mitochondria can rapidly change into death-promoting organelles. In response to changes in the intracellular environment, mitochondria become producers of excessive reactive oxygen species and release prodeath proteins, resulting in disrupted ATP synthesis and activation of cell death pathways. Interestingly, cells have developed a defense mechanism against aberrant mitochondria that can cause harm to the cell. This mechanism involves selective sequestration and subsequent degradation of the dysfunctional mitochondrion before it causes activation of cell death. Induction of mitochondrial autophagy, or mitophagy, results in selective clearance of damaged mitochondria in cells. In response to stress such as ischemia/reperfusion, prosurvival and prodeath pathways are concomitantly activated in cardiac myocytes. Thus, there is a delicate balance between life and death in the myocytes during stress, and the final outcome depends on the complex cross-talk between these pathways. Mitophagy functions as an early cardioprotective response, favoring adaptation to stress by removing damaged mitochondria. In contrast, increased oxidative stress and apoptotic proteases can inactivate mitophagy, allowing for the execution of cell death. Herein, we discuss the importance of mitochondria and mitophagy in cardiovascular health and disease and provide a review of our current understanding of how these processes are regulated.
Children's School Behavior and Performance: Relations to Marital and Familial Characteristics

The relation between marital andfamilial relationships and children's performance and behavior in school was examined in a sample of 143families with children in early or middle childhood. Correlational analyses indicated a complex set of relations dependent on the gender of the child, the relationship being assessed, the means of assessment, and the type of outcome measure used. Results are discussed in terms of implications for researchers and clinicians.
Glycoproteins of submaxillary saliva of the cat: differences in composition produced by sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve stimulation.

— Saliva samples were obtained from the cannulated submaxillary ducts of the cat during stimulation of the peripheral cut end(s) of (1) the cervical sympathetic nerve, (2) the chordalingual (parasympathetic) nerve and (3) both nerves at the same time. In nine experiments the ratios of neuraminic acid to fucose and to hexosamine were consistently 2·5–4 times higher in saliva evoked by sympathetic nerve stimulation than in that produced by parasympathetic stimulation. This was not attributable to differences in the rate of synthesis of the carbohydrate of the glycoproteins or in salivary flow rate. The presence of glycolipids and blood glycoproteins was excluded. Saliva produced by stimulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves each showed a single, but different, peak after ultracentrifugation in 0·1 m-NaCl with 0·01 m-phosphate buffer (pH 7·4). The S20, w of the former was 6·5 and of the latter, 39. Both peaks were demonstrable in saliva produced when both nerves were stimulated at the same time.
A Concept of Word in Text: A Pivotal Event in Early Reading Acquisition

The purpose of this study was to examine a model of early reading acquisition that hinged on a phenomenon seldom explored in beginning reading research: a child’s concept of word in text. Previous research in early literacy acquisition has centered on the role phonological awareness—the ability to consciously attend to and manipulate the sound structure of spoken language—plays in early reading development. However, a small but promising line of research suggests that children’s ability to match spoken words to written words while reading connected text—a concept of word in text—is a pivotal event in early reading acquisition that bridges a primitive form of phonological awareness with a more sophisticated form of phonological awareness. In this study, 56 kindergarten children were assessed on measures of beginning consonant awareness, concept of word in text, full phoneme segmentation ability, spelling ability, and word recognition ability. Analysis of the data supported the proposed model and essentially replicated a previous study (Morris, 1993). Most important, the findings of this study strongly support the notion that a child’s concept of word in text plays a linchpin role in early reading acquisition. The results of this general line of work may inform early identification for children at risk of reading failure, beginning reading instruction, and future research in early literacy acquisition.
Augmentation of an optimal controller by a steady-state trimmer†

The effect of an integral feedback loop on the performance of a non-linear plant regulated by a linear-quadratic-gaussian controller is investigated. It is shown that such a loop can be designed to greatly reduce the nominal equilibrium errors, which would otherwise result when operating conditions or plant parameters change, without significantly degrading the optimal regulator performance. The theory for such a controller (OPCON + SST) and its application to a towed sonar vehicle are discussed.
Idiopathic eosinophilic esophagitis in adults: the ringed esophagus.

PURPOSE: To retrospectively assess the findings of idiopathic eosinophilic esophagitis (IEE) at barium studies and determine the frequency of the ringed esophagus in patients with this condition. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The institutional review board approved all aspects of this retrospective study and did not require informed consent from patients whose records were included in the study. The study was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. A review of the pathology and radiology databases at the authors' institution revealed 14 patients (11 men and three women; mean age, 41.3 years) with IEE (defined as more than 20 eosinophils per high-power field in biopsy specimens) who had undergone barium studies and endoscopy. The radiographs were reviewed for strictures, esophagitis, or other abnormalities. The endoscopic reports, clinical records, and laboratory data were also reviewed and compared with the radiographic findings. RESULTS: Seven of the 14 patients (50%) had a histo...
Teaching Money Computation Skills to High School Students with Mild Intellectual Disabilities via the TouchMath© Program: A Multi-Sensory Approach

This study investigated the effects of the TouchMath© program (Bullock, Pierce, & McClellan, 1989) to teach students with mild intellectual disabilities to subtract 3-digit money computational problems with regrouping. Three students with mild intellectual disabilities in high school received instruction in a special education mathematics self-contained classroom. A multiple-probe across participants design (Alberto & Troutman, 2009) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the TouchMath© program using the "touch-points" strategy to facilitate the student's mathematics performance. The results revealed the TouchMath© program improved all three of the students' ability to subtract 3-digit mathematics operations using money applications; however, maintenance results were mixed, as the students exhibited difficulty with maintaining the necessary skills once the intervention was withdrawn. Limitations, recommendations for classroom teachers and future research directions are presented. With the growing trend of providing proven, scientifically-validated practices in the class- room, teaching students' mathematics instruc- tion at the secondary-level, especially those
Airid-An Application Of The KAS/Prospector Expert System Builder To Airplane Identification

The Knowledge Acquisition System /Prospector expert system building tool developed by SRI, International, has been used to construct an expert system to identify aircraft on the basis of observables such as wing shape, engine number/location, fuselage shape, and tail assembly shape. Additional detailed features are allowed to influence the identification as "other favorable features." Constraints on the observations imposed by bad weather and distant observations have been included as contexts to the models. Models for Soviet and U.S. fighter aircraft have been included. Inclusion of other types of aircraft such as bombers, transports, and reconnaissance craft is straightforward. Two models permit exploration of the interaction of semantic and taxonomic networks with the models. A full set of text data for fluid communication with the user has been included. The use of demons as triggered output responses to enhance utility to the user has been explored. This paper presents discussion of the ease of building the expert system using this powerful tool and problems encountered in the construction process.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Convection in TOGA COARE: Horizontal Scale, Morphology, and Rainfall Production

Abstract The occurrence frequency and rainfall production of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) relative to smaller groups of convective clouds over the tropical oceans is not well known. Eighty days of shipboard radar data collected during the recent Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE) were used to provide a detailed view of convection in the western Pacific warm pool, a region of global climatological significance. The aim of this study was to document the frequency of occurrence, rainfall production, and depth of convection observed during TOGA COARE within a simple and meaningful framework of convective horizontal organization. Organization was characterized in terms of the horizontal scale and morphology of convective systems. Precipitation events were defined based on whether they attained the length scale of an MCS, and on whether convection was organized into lines. About four-fifths of rainfall during COARE was associated with MCS-scale squa...
Cenários em educacao quimica: Instrumentos necessarios

Enquanto eu procurava uma boa maneira para iniciar este artigo, que pretende falar da importância de identificarmos os cenarios futuros desejados para a educacao quimica, para que sirvam de norteadores dos educadores em quimica, chegou-me as maos um recente trabalho de Freeman Dyson,1 entitulado Mundos Imaginados (1998), publicacao resultante de suas conferencias proferidas na Universidade Hebraica de Jerusalem.
Mechanisms of Differentiation of Autonomic Neurons

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the transcriptional regulatory code that underlies the development and neurotransmitter identity determination of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Several key determining transcription factors—such as Mash1, Phox2a, and Phox2b—have been identified to be responsible for the development of the ANS. These key transcription factors regulate not only development but also the final properties of differentiated neurons, such as neurotransmitter identity. These factors directly or indirectly regulate the expression of both cell type-specific markers and panneuronal markers. These transcription factors function in an intricate regulatory cascade, starting from key signaling molecules, such as bone morphogenic proteins. Gene regulation, multitudes of cell type-specific factors (for example, Phox2a and Phox2b), and general transcription factors cooperatively regulate the expression of cell type-specific marker genes.
An efficient and faithful in vitro replication system for threose nucleic acid.

The emerging field of synthetic genetics provides an opportunity to explore the structural and functional properties of synthetic genetic polymers by in vitro selection. Limiting this process, however, is the availability of enzymes that allow for the synthesis and propagation of genetic information present in unnatural nucleic acid sequences. Here, we report the development of a transcription and reverse-transcription system that can replicate unnatural genetic polymers composed of threose nucleic acids (TNA). TNA is a potential progenitor of RNA in which the natural ribose sugar found in RNA has been replaced with an unnatural threose sugar. Using commercial polymerases that recognize TNA, we demonstrate that an unbiased three-letter and two different biased four-letter genetic alphabets replicate in vitro with high efficiency and high overall fidelity. We validated the replication system by performing one cycle of transcription, selection, reverse transcription, and amplification on a library of 1014 D...
Effect of Freezing on the Recovery of Mesophilic Bacteria from Temperature-Abused Broiler Chicken Carcasses

The effects of freezing on the recovery of mesophilic bacteria from broiler chicken carcasses were determined. Fifty fresh broiler carcasses were used in each of three independent trials. Ten carcasses were sampled at time of collection (Treatment 1: Day 0 control). The other 40 carcasses were sampled at Day 7 following one of four additional treatments with 10 carcasses each: held at 3 C (Treatment 2: 7-d control), frozen and then held at 3 C (Treatment 3: frozen control), temperature abused at 25 C for 12 h and held at 3 C (Treatment 4: temperature abused), and temperature abused at 25 C for 12 h, frozen, and held at 3 C (Treatment 5: temperature abused and frozen). Carcasses were sampled by rinsing, and total plate counts (TPC) expressed as log10 colony-forming units per milliliter and impedance detection times (DT) in hours were determined using incubation temperatures of 42 and 43 C, respectively. Results for TPC for Treatments 1 to 5 were 3.89, 3.52, 2.86, 6.53, and 5.57 log10 cfu/mL, respectively. Results for DT for Treatments 1 to 5 were 5.41, 6.50, 7.10, 2.55, and 3.42 log10 cfu/mL, respectively. Freezing reduced the ability to detect temperature abuse because of a significant reduction in the number of mesophiles recovered using either microbiological technique. Freezing appears to decrease, but may not completely eliminate, the ability of selective incubation to detect temperature abuse.
Arthropod Predators of Velvetbean Caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), Eggs and Larvae

Arthropod predators of velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hubner, eggs and larvae were determined using a direct observation technique. Observations of predation events were made on soybean foliage and the ground below the foliage. Predation on eggs and three size classes of larvae is presented as proportional seasonal consumption over 14 to 16 h by each arthropod predator species. On the foliage, Spanogonicus albofasciatus (Reuter) (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Geocoris punctipes (Say) (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) were observed eating velvetbean caterpillar eggs in 1981. For small velvetbean caterpillar larvae, Tropiconabis capsiformis (Germar) (Hemiptera: Nabidae) was the major consumer in 1981, whereas in 1982, G. punctipes and Calleida decora (F.) (Coleoptera: Carabidae) were the major consumers. For medium and large velvetbean caterpillar larvae in 1981, tettigoniids (Orthoptera) consumed the largest proportion. On the ground, the ant Pheidole morrisi Forel (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) was the major consumer of all three size classes of velvetbean caterpillar larvae in 1981. In 1982, the earwig Labidura riparia (Pallas) (Dermaptera: Labiduridae) ate the greatest proportion of small velvetbean caterpillar larvae on the ground.
Dependency Centrality from Bipartite Social Networks

This paper introduces dependency centrality, a node-level measure of structural leadership in bipartite networks. The measure builds on Zhou et al.’s (2007) flow-based method to transform bipartite data and captures additional information from the second mode that existing measures of centrality typically exclude. Three previously published bipartite networks serve as test cases to demonstrate the extent of correlation among node-level centrality rankings derived from dependency centrality and those derived from canonical centrality measures: degree, closeness, betweenness, and eigenvector. Ultimately, dependency centrality appears to offer a novel means to measure importance in bipartite networks depicting social interactions. Author Luke M. Gerdes is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. Notes This work was supported by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Minerva Initiative. The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not purport to represent the official policy or position of the United States Military Academy, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the United States Government. Please send all correspondence to Luke M. Gerdes, Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership, United States Military Academy. Email: luke.gerdes@usma.edu
Structural features of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates as observed in13C magnetic resonance spectra

Fourier-transform13C{1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the internally substituted phenylhexadecanes and theirpara-sulfonates has been done as a part of a general study of alkylaryl sulfonates thought to be of significance in complex surfactants, such as the petroleum sulfonates and various synthetic products. The systematics of structural variations and their effects on observed chemical shifts of specific carbon atoms is detailed with the aim of developing rapid, nondestructive methods of analysis of complex mixtures of both hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon sulfonates. Advantages and restrictions of the13C spectrometric method are illustrated in the case of a mixture of alkylbenzene sodium sulfonates typical of a synthetic surfactant.
Effect of Albumin on the in Vitro Conjugation of Bilirubin by Rat Liver Microsomes

These studies were carried out to determine whether bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is usually included in the incubation mixture for the in vitro determination of bilirubin-UDP-glucuronyl transferase (GT) activity, affects GT activity. Using bilirubin as substrate, addition of BSA to the enzyme reaction mixture at concentrations varying from 2 to 30 mg/ml resulted in a dose-related inhibition of "native" GT activity of rat liver microsomes. When detergent-activated enzyme was employed, increasing concentrations of BSA also required higher concentrations of deoxycholate, digitonin, or Triton X-100 to produce maximal bilirubin conjugation. Low BSA concentrations (2 mg/ml) prevented enzyme activation by both detergents and UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine. When BSA was omitted and bilirubin dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide, UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine failed to enhance GT activity, and activation by detergents was only 15-25% of that observed in the presence of optimal concentrations of BSA. When rat albumin was substituted for BSA, a similar dose-related inhibition of in vitro bilirubin conjugation by untreated microsomes was observed, although at any given albumin concentration, GT activity was lower with rat than with bovine albumin. Additionally, both detergents and UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine produced similar GT activation regardless of the rat albumin concentration. Finally, these effects of BSA and rat albumin could not be reproduced when beta-lactoglobulin was employed and/or when p-nitrophenol was the acceptor substrate of GT. These findings indicate that albumin, in particular BSA, profoundly and selectively influences the in vitro activity of microsomal GT toward bilirubin as the acceptor substrate.
Research on Automatic Checking of Protection Functions for Smart Substation

The considerable variability of architecture and function realization of smart substations,which differ from traditional substations,makes the range of protection function check no longer restricted to one device,so it is necessary to carry out thorough monitoring and testing for various links of functional implementation.For this purpose,the automatic checking of protection functions for smart substation is researched,and a scheme for the implementation of the automatic checking is designed.By means of adding various checking manners to application software implementation of the devices of protection system for smart substation,the checking and detection of various function implementation links of the protection system are performed,and by use of the expert system based on Dempster-Shafer theory a real-time virtual checking scheme is configured and through real-time analysis on checking information the conclusion of the checking is obtained.The proposed scheme enhances the self-diagnosis and self-monitoring ability of protection system for smart substation and gives full play to the superiority in digital information acquisition and information interaction of digital substation,so it can be used to the checking during on-site commissioning,besides,partial functions can be also used to perform on-line monitoring of protections being operated.
The Application of Population Viability Analysis in the Conservation and Management of Endangered Wildlife

Population viability analysis(PVA) is one of the main methods to protect endangered species.After it had been proposed,PVA is mainly used in the prediction of extinction probabilities of endangered species.With the emergence of PVA software,its application has been further extended,and the abuse of PVA has appeared.As a result a discussion about its accuracy has emerged.However,most conservation biologists believe the PVA is significant in the protection of endangered species.At present,PVA primarily apply to the conservation and management of endangered species.We summarized the application of PVA in the making out and assessment of management strategies,the evaluation of reintroduction plans,and the design and management effective assessment of the Nature Reserves.We also discussed the data collection and the selection,establishment and application of models in the use of PVA.Based on the previous studies,we suggested,in the future,the PVA could be more concerned in the use of genetic data,the development of individual-based population models,inbreeding depression and decreasing the threaten of invasive species.
Isolation of Brucella from blood of Brucellosis patients in Fushun area

Objective:To understand Brucella infection and distribution of Brucella biotype in Fushun area.Methods: Reference the 2008 first edition of "Brucellosis prevention manual".Results: Two strains of Brucella were isolated from blood of Brucellosis patients.Conclusion: Two strains of Brucella were confirmed as Brucella melitensis biotype 3,and it is the main pathogen.
Epidemiological Analysis of SARS in Guangxi Province

Objective To identify the source and epidemic characteristic of SARS in Guangxi, and provide basis for SARS prevention and control. Method Active and passive surveillance systems were used. Questionnaire surveys were conducted among SARS patients to study the characteristics of SARS epidemic. Serological method (ELISA) and PCR were used to test for the SARS virus in sera and throat secretions collected from patients, individuals with a close contact with patients, wild animals, and domestic animals. Result 22 SARS patients were reported in Guangxi between 17 December 2002 and 10 May 2003. The incidence rate was 0.046 per 100 thousand. The fatality rate was 13.64%. The epidemic patterns were outbreak in the families and sporadic. Most of the patients were farmers and had a history of working in Guangdong province. The ratio of male to female was 1.75∶1. The main signs and symptoms were fever, cough, throat or chest ache, cold, nausea, vomit, and fatigue. X-ray check of the lungs showed that 91% of the patients had shadows in one or both side of the lung. Number of white blood cell count was ranged from normal to reduced. The positive rates of anti-SARS IgG and IgM from the patient sera were 100% and 81.8% respectively. SARS viral RNA was found in the plasma of one serum sample. 1% of the serum samples from individual with a close contact with SARS patients had anti-SARS IgG. Samples from some wild animals such as sanrui turtle, cobra, and eagle had antibodies against the SARS virus. Conclusion There are 3 major sources of SARS, namely imported from the nearby regions, local and secondary. SARS patients are the major source of infection. Wild animals are probably the origin of SRAS.
Bedeutung antinuklearer Faktoren wahrend einer D-Penicillamintherapie

Die Verabreichung von D-Penicillamin (D-Pa) als Basistherapeutikum bei Patienten mit chronischer Polyarthritis wird durch die hohe Rate an Nebenwirkungen limitiert. Besonders gravierend sind autoimmun bedingte Nebenwirkungen wie Lupus erythematodes, Myasthenia gravis, Pemphigus, Immunkomplexnephritis und Goodpasture-Syndrom, die durch D-Pa induziert werden konnen. Im Verlauf dieser Krankheitsbilder werden regelmasig Autoantikorper festgestellt (1–12).
A Microcomputer Based DTA

Most workers in thermal analysis are undoubtedly aware that Perkin-Elmer has been the exclusive manufacturer of thermal null Differential Scanning Calorimeters, which embody our patented power compensation principle, since 1963. Because of their unique construction and operating principle, thermal null DSC’s inherently have unprecedented calorimetric accuracy, faster response, and exceptional resolution. However, as a direct consequence of their unique construction, it has not been possible to design a thermal null DSC that operates to high temperatures. For example, the upper temperature limit of the DSC-2C is 725°C. Consequently, at Perkin-Elmer we have been involved in designing a high temperature DTA, which will take full advantage of the available microcomputer technology and greatly help the advance of this important technique. The result of this project is the Model DTA 1700 High Temperature Differential Thermal Analyzer, shown in Figure 1. The Model DTA 1700 is a high temperature microcomputer based DTA which offers a highly sophisticated degree of instrument control and signal conditioning.
Awareness of United States' Law for Nursing Mothers among Employers in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Abstract Background The U.S. Federal Reasonable Break Time for Nursing Mothers Law to support breastfeeding employees was passed in 2010, as part of the Affordable Care Act. However, few data are available assessing employers’ awareness of the law or its implementation. Objectives The study aims were to 1) describe New Orleans employers' awareness of the law, 2) determine the extent of the law implementation within workplaces, and 3) determine the associations between workplace characteristics and employers’ awareness and implementation. Methods A cross-sectional survey was mailed to 652 workplaces with more than 50 employees in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the fall of 2013. A random sample of those who did not respond was called. The survey included questions about the industry category, number and type of employees, the employers’ awareness of the law, if they had begun to implement the law, and their perceptions of barriers to implementation. Results The final sample included 182 workplaces (27.9% response rate). Eighty-seven participants (47.8%) reported having heard of the law. However, 52.7% of the participants (n = 96) responded that they had begun to implement the law. Large workplaces (≥100 employees) were more than four times as likely to be aware of the law compared with smaller workplaces (odds ratio, 4.23; 95% confidence interval, 1.69–10.59). The results were similar for beginning implementation. Conclusions The proportion of large workplaces who are aware of the law remains lower than it should be, even 3 years after the institution of the Affordable Care Act. Outreach to all workplaces, including smaller ones, is needed to inform employers about the law and give them tools for implementation.
Simplifying with Free Choice

This paper offers a unified semantic explanation of two observations that prove to be problematic for classical analyses of modals, conditionals, and disjunctions: (1) the fact that disjunctions scoping under possibility modals give rise to the free choice effect and (2) the fact that counterfactuals license simplification of disjunctive antecedents. It shows that the data are well explained by a dynamic semantic analysis of modals and conditionals that uses ideas from the inquisitive semantic tradition in its treatment of disjunction. The analysis explains why embedding a disjunctive possibility under negation reverts disjunction to its classical behavior, is general enough to predict less studied simplification patterns, and also makes progress toward a unified perspective on the distinction between informative, inquisitive, and attentive content.
Models of inhibitory control

We survey models of response inhibition having different degrees of mathematical, computational and neurobiological specificity and generality. The independent race model accounts for performance of the stop-signal or countermanding task in terms of a race between GO and STOP processes with stochastic finishing times. This model affords insights into neurophysiological mechanisms that are reviewed by other authors in this volume. The formal link between the abstract GO and STOP processes and instantiating neural processes is articulated through interactive race models consisting of stochastic accumulator GO and STOP units. This class of model provides quantitative accounts of countermanding performance and replicates the dynamics of neural activity producing that performance. The interactive race can be instantiated in a network of biophysically plausible spiking excitatory and inhibitory units. Other models seek to account for interactions between units in frontal cortex, basal ganglia and superior colliculus. The strengths, weaknesses and relationships of the different models will be considered. We will conclude with a brief survey of alternative modelling approaches and a summary of problems to be addressed including accounting for differences across effectors, species, individuals, task conditions and clinical deficits.This article is part of the themed issue 'Movement suppression: brain mechanisms for stopping and stillness'.
Disentangling data, information and knowledge

Information, data and knowledge constitute the fundamental 'stuff' of computing and one might assume that in the seven decades since the advent of the modern computer theorists and practitioners of computing can differentiate between the concepts they denote. And, of course, computer scientists do not have exclusive claims over these terms or concepts: sociologists, cultural scholars, economists, historians, natural scientists, philosophers, and the managerial class have them as part of their vocabularies. The surprising fact is that these terms and the concepts they denote are far from distinct. They form a tangled web. In this essay I address the question: what is the relationship between data, information and knowledge? I attempt to disentangle -and clarify -how these terms are in fact interpreted by practitioners in such diverse disciplines as information science, historical research, empirical sciences, cognitive science, data mining and computer programming and to identify what appears to be a common thread.
Incidence, Characteristics, and Clinical Course of Device-Related Thrombus After Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Device Implantation in Atrial Fibrillation Patients.

Abstract Objectives This study investigated characteristics and clinical impact of device-related thrombus formation after Watchman device implantation in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Background Left atrial appendage occlusion using the Watchman device is an effective alternative to anticoagulation for stroke prevention in AF patients. However, device-related thrombus formation remains an important concern after Watchman implantation. Methods From 2006 to 2014, 119 consecutive AF patients underwent Watchman implantation. Transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) follow-up was scheduled at 45 days, at 6 months, and at 12 months after the procedure. The incidence, characteristics, and clinical course of device-related thrombus formation detected by TEE were assessed. Results Follow-up TEE identified thrombus formation on the Watchman device in 4 patients (3.4%). The prevalence of chronic AF was 100% in patients with thrombus, which was higher than that for patients without thrombus (40.0%). Deployed device size was numerically larger in patients with thrombus (29.3 ± 3.8 mm vs. 25.7 ± 3.2 mm, respectively). All patients with thrombus discontinued any of the anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy which was required under the study protocol. After restarting or continuing warfarin and aspirin therapy, complete resolution of the thrombus was achieved in all patients at subsequent follow-up TEE. Warfarin therapy was discontinued within 6 months for all cases, and there was no thrombus recurrence. The mean follow-up duration was 1,456 ± 546 days, with no death, stroke, or systemic embolization events in patients with thrombus. Conclusions AF burden, device size, and anticoagulant/antiplatelet regimens can be associated with device-related thrombus after Watchman device implantation. Short-term warfarin therapy was effective, and the clinical outcomes were favorable.
A Taxonomy of Sequential Decision Support Systems

Advances in information technology and explosion of internet technology is creating new professional users, across and within countries. These users are looking at technology to provide decision support for non-recurring tasks, to provide prototyping capabilities and to provide research support. However, organizational decision environment is also changing, creating havoc for system builders who must match changing technology to changing decision environment. This paper focuses on one such technology, namely, Decision Support System (DSS) and one such decision environment, namely, sequential decisions. It is argued that the next millennium DSS must focus on the 'D' of DSS because of the complexities of the decisions they are trying to support. These DSSs, called SDSSs, are further examined in the context of data-dialog-model-communication. Communication component is needed because of the complexity of sequential decision-making which spans across several hierarchical levels or involves several decision makers at the same level.
Psychosocial functioning and risk factors among siblings of children with cancer: An updated systematic review.

Objectives Siblings' psychosocial adjustment to childhood cancer is poorly understood. This systematic review summarizes findings and limitations of the sibling literature since 2008, provides clinical recommendations, and offers future research directions. Method MEDLINE/Pubmed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and PsycINFO were searched for articles related to siblings, psychosocial functioning, and pediatric cancer. After systematic screening, studies meeting inclusion criteria were rated for scientific merit, and findings were extracted and synthesized. In total, 102 studies were included (63 quantitative, 35 qualitative, 4 mixed-methods). Results Methodological limitations are common. Mean levels of anxiety, depression, and general adjustment are similar across siblings and comparisons, but symptoms of cancer-related posttraumatic stress are prevalent. School-aged siblings display poorer academic functioning and more absenteeism but similar peer relationships as peers. Quality of life findings are mixed. Adult siblings engage in higher levels of risky health behaviors and may have poorer health outcomes than comparisons. Risk factors for poor sibling adjustment include lower social support, poorer family functioning, lower income, non-White race, and shorter time since diagnosis, but findings are inconsistent. Qualitative themes include siblings' maturity, compassion, and autonomy, but also strong negative emotions, uncertainty, family disruptions, limited parental support, school problems, altered friendships, and unmet needs. Conclusion Despite methodological limitations, research indicates a strong need for sibling support. Clinical recommendations include identifying at-risk siblings and developing interventions to facilitate family communication and increase siblings' social support, cancer-related knowledge, and treatment involvement. Future longitudinal studies focusing on mechanisms and moderators of siblings' adjustment would inform timing and targets of psychosocial care.
Russkaia poeziia XX veka, 1961–1991: Bibliograficheskii spravochnik, edited by Lev Turchinskii, Moskva, Truten’, 2016, 632 pp., ISBN: 9785904007133 5904007132

L.V. Turchinskii’s Russkaia poeziia XX veka, 1961–1991 is an indispensable bibliographic reference book for scholars of Russian poetry. It contains the most comprehensive alphabetical list of poets...
Without a Guru

As I came out of the jungle I approached a missionary bungalow. I seemed to be in either India or Africa. I told the couple who came to the door that I was only dreaming and wanted to know where I was before I woke up. They said nothing. I went into the house and looked for maps that might indicate where I was. I found some maps, but they were inconclusive. In another room, I found two old friends to whom I told my problem. They did not respond. I thought at the time, “You know, I can just open my eyes and make you disappear.” Soon I woke up.
Telomerase and Malignant Transformation

Recent progress in our understanding of the role of telomeres and telomerase in cell proliferation, malignant transformation, and genomic stability has opened new possibilities for cancer diagnosis, detection, and treatment. Novel approaches based on this knowledge are being investigated in different laboratories and are likely to have a significant impact on cancer management protocols in the future. This chapter gives an overview of our current knowledge of the function of telomeres and of the mechanisms responsible for their maintenance, followed by comments on potential applications of this knowledge in clinical medicine.
Understanding learning across lessons in classroom communities: A multi-leveled analytic approach

This chapter presents a methodology for studying classroom communities as microcultures, with a focus on processes of teaching and learning over significant spans of time. In Sect. 11.1, we present a conceptual framework that treats classroom activity at two levels of analysis, collective and individual. Both levels are geared for understanding the reproduction and alteration of a common ground of talk and action through time. Key concerns are the emergence of collective norms and individuals’ use of representational forms to serve varied functions in classroom communicative and problem solving activity. In Sect. 11.2, we show how the conceptual framework was used to organize two related programs of empirical research. First, we present design research that led to a 19-lesson sequence on integers and fractions , which uses the number line as a central representational form. Second, we use the framework to organize an empirical analysis of a single classroom community over the 19-lesson sequence. We illustrate empirical techniques for capturing the reproduction and alteration of a common ground with shifting lesson topics. The chapter concludes with an analysis of the way the analytic approach illuminates core processes of teaching and learning and the utility of the approach for future work.
Time-Resolved Microwave Thermoreflectometry for Infrastructure Inspection

This paper describes the development of time-resolved microwave thermoreflectometry (TRMT) as a potential NDE technique for the detection of corrosion of reinforcing bar (rebar) in concrete structures. The approach in this technique is as follows: rebar inside a concrete structure is heated in a noncontacting fashion using an induction heating source the temperature of the surface of the rebar is monitored directly through the concrete using a microwave reflectometer degradation of the structural integrity of the bond between the concrete and the rebar affects heat flow from the heated rebar to the surrounding concrete.
Dynamics of Photorefractive Fibers

Publisher Summary This chapter introduces a laser-heated pedestal growth technology for single-crystal fiber fabrication. A phase conjugate fiber holographic construction architecture is also presented that has the advantage of minimizing the intramodal noise excitation. Angular and wavelength selectivities for photorefractive (PR) fiber hologram storage using coupled wave theory are analyzed. Because the reflection-type wavelength-multiplexed holograms offer a higher and uniform selectivity over a wider range of the construction angles, the focus is on this type of fiber holograms. Cross-talk noise between the wavelength-multiplexed channel is evaluated, and it is found that narrowing the laser linewidth lowers the cross-talk between the holographic channels. Successive recordings partially erase the previous recorded holographic gratings; therefore, the recording-erasure dynamics of the fiber hologram is evaluated. The storage dynamics of the PR fiber hologram is also demonstrated experimentally.
Quantifying the risk of heat waves using extreme value theory and spatio-temporal functional data

Abstract Heat waves and other extreme weather events have attracted a great deal of attention due to their socioeconomic impacts and relation to climate change. A heat wave is defined through a general loss function that captures its amplitude, temporal persistence, and spatial extent. The proposed statistical framework is at the nexus of extreme value theory (EVT) and functional data analysis (FDA) and enables computation of probabilities of yet unobserved rare events that are not seen in historical records. Data from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program, which has produced computer model predictions of current and future temperatures across much of North America, are used. The approach allows for the computation of probabilities for heat waves of any pre-specified temporal duration, spatial extent, and overall magnitude. It can be applied to the computation of probabilities of other extreme weather events, including cold spells and droughts.