cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The elusive mantle plume

Abstract Mantle plumes are hypothetical hot, narrow mantle upwellings that are often invoked to explain hotspot volcanism with unusual geophysical and geochemical characteristics. The mantle plume is a well-established geological structure in computer modeling and laboratory experiments but an undisputed seismic detection of one has yet to be made. Vertically continuous low shear velocity anomalies in the upper mantle, expected for plumes, are present beneath the Afar, Bowie, Easter, Hawaii, Iceland, Louisville, McDonald, and Samoa hotspots but not beneath the other 29 hotspots in Sleep’s 1990 catalog. Whether and how plumes form remain fundamental multi-disciplinary research questions. Should they exist, detection of whole-mantle plumes will depend on deployments of dense (50–100 km station spacing), wide-aperture (>1000 km) seismic networks to maximize model resolution in the transition zone and uppermost lower mantle since plume impingement upon the 660-km phase transition leaves a unique seismic imprint.
Synthesis, characterization, and solution properties of a novel cross-bridged cyclam manganese(IV) complex having two terminal hydroxo ligands.

A novel monomeric tetravalent manganese complex with the cross-bridged cyclam ligand 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazabicyclo[6.6.2]hexadecane (Me2EBC), [MnIV(Me2EBC)(OH)2](PF6)2, was synthesized by oxidation of MnII(Me2EBC)Cl2 with H2O2 in the presence of NH4PF6 in aqueous solution. The X-ray crystal structure determination of this manganese(IV) compound revealed that it contains two rare terminal hydroxo ligands. EPR studies in dry acetonitrile at 77 K show two broad resonances at g = 1.96 and 3.41, indicating that the manganese(IV) exists as a high-spin d3 species. Resonance Raman (rR) spectra of this manganese(IV) species reveal that the dihydroxy moiety, MnIV(OH)2, is also the dominant species in aqueous solution (pH < 7). pH titration provides two pKa values, 6.86(4) and 10.0(1), associated with stepwise removal of the last two oxygen-bound protons from [MnIV(Me2EBC)(OH)2]2+. The cyclic voltammetry of this manganese(IV) complex in dry acetonitrile at 298 K demonstrates two reversible redox processes a...
Abstract 3794: BAX maintains mitochondrial bioenergetics in colon cancer cells

The dual functionality of the tumor suppressor, BAX, is implied by the non-apoptotic functions of other pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins. To explore this, the mitochondrial morphology and ATP producing capability in both BAX-containing and BAX-deficient HCT-116 colon cancer cells were examined. While BAX deficient cells maintain the same mitochondrial mass as their BAX containing counterparts, these mitochondria were visibly smaller, more compact, and unable to maintain an organized network. Oxygen consumption and ATP levels were also reduced in these cells, a phenomenon that was replicated upon treatment of BAX-containing cells with the uncoupling agent, FCCP. These results, coupled with a marked decrease in citrate synthase activity, suggested that cells lacking BAX have a deficiency in the ability to generate ATP through oxidative phosphorylation. Inhibition of endogenous BAX through treatment with small interfering RNAs reinforced the necessity of BAX activity in the maintenance of aerobic respiration and the production of ATP. An examination of the localization of full length and C-terminal truncated BAX in non-apoptotic, BAX deficient cells, indicated that a small fraction of the existing cytosolic BAX is needed at the mitochondrial membrane to maintain ATP production. However, this function is not dependent upon the C-terminal helix. Co-expression of BAX and BCL-2 resulted in a subsequent loss of ATP production, implying that, even under non-apoptotic conditions, an antagonistic interaction exists between the two proteins. These findings infer that a basal amount of BAX associated with the mitochondria is necessary to maintain mitochondrial bioenergetics. The discovery of this novel, non-apoptotic role for BAX in the maintenance of ATP synthesis and suggests that complete abrogation of BAX would be detrimental to cancer cells dependent on energy production via aerobic respiration. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3794. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3794
The Most Effective Approaches to Increasing Parental Involvement

The paper is by a first year master’s student in the introductory educational research class. Her problem was “What is the most effective approach to increasing parental involvement with positive student achievement outcomes in grades K-8 She found educators must use a variety of methods to obtain and sustain parental involvement. Schools must be proactive by explicitly inviting parents to be their partners Interactive homework (student notebooks, checklists, quick notes, and reminders) has powerful potential for promoting family-school partnerships which increase constructive learning outcomes. Using technology can help make home-school links more effective. When parents and the educational system join together, positive benefits abound. Attendance, test scores, and high-school graduation rates improve. Teachers have higher expectations for parents and students and they develop more positive feelings about teaching. Extensive parental involvement promotes healthy neighborhoods and good schools.
Impact of nurses' uniforms on patient and family perceptions of nurse professionalism

Background Patients and visitors may perceive nurses as professional based on uniform color and style. Nurse image may affect patient and visitor trust and satisfaction with nursing care. Fitted white dresses have been replaced by loose-fitting or scrub white, colored, or patterned pant sets. Objectives This study examines nurse professionalism by assessing the nurse image traits of eight pant uniforms as perceived by pediatric patients, adult patients, and adult visitors. We also examined if uniform preference is congruent with nurse image traits. Method A convenience sample of 499 patients and visitors were surveyed at a large Midwestern tertiary health care center. Subjects viewed photographs of the same registered nurse identically posed in eight uniforms and rated each by image traits. Kruskal-Wallis, Steel-Dwass multiple comparison method, and Wilcoxon signed-rank sum tests were used to test for differences in the Nurse Image Scale (NIS) score by uniform style and color and subject demographics. Results Subjects were 390 adult patients and visitors (78%) and 109 pediatric patients (21.4%); 66% were female, and 78% were Caucasian. In adults, NIS scores for white uniforms (two styles) were higher than NIS scores for uniforms with small print, bold print, or solid color (all p Discussion With aging, adults create perceptions of nurse professionalism based on uniform color and style. Traits of nurse professionalism were highest in white uniforms. Future research is needed to determine if transition to white nurse uniforms improves patient and family satisfaction with nursing care.
Should women be given a choice about fetal assessment in labor

Continuous electronic fetal monitoring (EFM) in labor is one of the most commonly used interventions during intrapartum care. However, randomized controlled trials, observational studies, and meta-analyses about the use of continuous EFM on low-risk intrapartum patients have found no significant differences in infant outcomes between infants whose mothers had EFM or intermittent auscultation (IA) of the fetal heart rate. In addition, research shows a higher incidence of cesarean birth when EFM is used. Although evidence-based practice is supposed to be our goal, the evidence about the lack of efficacy of EFM has not been used in practice. In fact, EFM has become the standard of practice in this country. Considering these facts, should EFM continue to be the standard of practice for low-risk laboring women? Is informed consent indicated, giving women the choice between EFM and IA? Should IA be offered to all low-risk laboring women? Ethical decision-making models are used to examine those questions and to help nurses better delineate their advocacy role.
A modified and parallelized Viterbi algorithm on hypercube machines

A Viterbi Algorithm is formally modified to select a set of k state sequences with top a posteriori probabilities, where k is a prespecified positive integer. A hypercube parallel algorithm is then developed along with a performance evaluation.
Models of continental drift.

Abstract Because of inhomogeneity between the upper and lower mantle, the flow in the mantle associated with continental drift must be confined to the upper mantle. This restriction makes it unlikely that a layer of fluid heated from below or from within can be the driving mechanism. A more likely mechanism is drift associated with moving heat sources. Lateral inhomogeneity of heat production in crustal matter between oceanic and continental regions is of the correct magnitude to drive the continents apart.
An adaptation of the fast multipole method for evaluating layer potentials in two dimensions

Abstract Standard implementations of the fast multipole method, which compute fields due to point sources or dipoles, cannot be used to accurately evaluate the single- and double-layer potentials of potential theory close to the boundary, or on the boundary when the boundary curves back on itself. We describe the modifications necessary to accurately evaluate layer potentials in two dimensions, which include quadrature rules for the short-range contributions to the field, continuous multipole moments for long-range contributions, and a more complex bookkeeping procedure. We give formulae for second-, third-, and fourth-order methods. We show tests to verify the correctness of the method and numerical results which demonstrate the usefulness of the method for evaluating layer potentials near the boundary.
Comparative effect of experimental injury and hydrocortisone injection on liver and plasma composition of rats.

Abstract Rats on a diet constant in nitrogen and calories but varying in fat and carbohydrate were injured by femur fracture or treated daily with 5 mg. of hydrocortisone, and sacrificed after two days. Both procedures caused a reduction of weight gain. The liver was heavier and the total liver nitrogen and RNA were increased. The elevation of RNA in the injured rats was relatively much greater than in the hydrocortisone treated rats. Total liver fat was elevated by both treatments in rats on the normal and high carbohydrate diets but not in those on the high fat diet. Total liver glycogen and plasma non-esterified fatty acids were reduced in the injured rats and extremely high in the hydrocortisone rats. The biochemical response to injury involves not only the adrenal cortex and the sympathetic systems but also some regulatory factor which stimulates the liver to synthesize a great excess of RNA probably at the expense of glycogen stores.
ACM workshop on mobile cloud media computing

Smart mobile devices such as camera phones typically will be carried by people all the time. These devices are true "multimedia" devices that acquire, process, transmit and present text, image, video and audio data. However, due to the limitations in hardware and networking, multimedia applications and systems have not been adequately supported on mobile devices. With the recent developments mobile hardware, wireless network, and cloud computing, it is now the prime time for us to realize intelligent mobile device centered multimedia applications with the support of a cloud computing platform. The focus of this workshop is on exploring challenges and opportunities of intelligent multimedia technologies, applications and systems on mobile devices, especially when a media cloud computing platform can be appropriately leveraged.
Ecology of Soil Erosion in Ecosystems

Each year, about 75 billion tons of soil are eroded from the world's terrestrial ecosystems. Most agricultural land in the world is losing soil at rates ranging from 13 tons/ha/year to 40 tons/ha/year. Because soil is formed very slowly, this means that soil is being lost 13–40 times faster than the rate of renewal and sustainability. Rain and wind energy are the two prime causes of erosion from tilled or bare land. Erosion occurs when the soil lacks protective vegetative cover. Soil erosion reduces the productivity of the land by loss of water, soil organic matter, nutrients, biota, and depth of soil. The greatest threat to providing food for a rapidly growing human population is soil erosion. Abandoned, eroded agricultural land is replaced by clearing forested ecosystems.
Recent experiments in novel nuclear excitations at the BNL AGS

Recent experimental work at the AGS dealing with unusual nuclear excitations is summarized. Three examples are given: the deexcitation of A hypernuclei by γ transitions, the production of A hypernuclei by the (π+, K+) reaction, and the search for η-nuclear excitations. The status of each field and the implications of the research for nuclear theory are discussed.
Double Face of VEGF

The Roman god Janus (Figure) was the guardian of gates and doors and was believed to represent beginnings and endings; he is hence represented by a double-faced head. He particularly presided over all that is double-edged in life and represented the transition between the primitive and civilization, between the countryside and the city, peace and war, and the growing-up of young people. The controversy over vascular endothelial growth factor’s (VEGF) role in pathologic angiogenesis and the transition from a healthy to a diseased state is thus symbolized to a certain extent by the “gatekeeper” function that Janus played in Roman mythology. The Roman god Janus. See p 1347 The concept of angiogenesis as a disease pathophysiology was borne out of observations made by Folkman and colleagues regarding the enhanced vascularity of tumors. Folkman “simply” noted that tumors were bloodier than surrounding healthy tissues, positing that the tumors must have an auxiliary means of augmenting vessel growth to accommodate the expansion of unhealthy tissue. The Folkman laboratory then demonstrated that tumors produced substances capable of stimulating vessel growth,1 igniting an entirely new field of research. One of these angiogenic factors, of course, is VEGF, and the supporting role of VEGF in tumor growth has been established by the success of VEGF neutralizing antibody for the treatment of certain solid tumors in humans.2–4 VEGF expression has also been noted in human atherosclerotic plaque.5 Accordingly, the notion that VEGF may also be a key component of …
How cool is that: an interview with Caroline Dean.

Having grown up in Pennsylvania, I recall that late winter's delight in spotting a purple crocus piercing through desiccated gray snow, a harbinger for warmer days ahead. The eruption of the crocus, the bloom of the magnolia, and the flowering of winter wheat are all examples of plant processes that are not simply delayed by winter, but indeed require a sustained period of cold to proceed. Today's interview journeys into the molecular underpinnings of one such cold-dependent process: “vernalization.” Our guide is Caroline Dean from the John Innes Centre in Norwich in the United Kingdom, and our destination is an ∼10-kb genomic stretch of the humble Arabidopsis thaliana, a small white-flowering bit of greenery also known variously as thale or mouse-ear cress.
Using X-parameters to model mixers

Most of the traditional mixer models are behavioral model and are time-consuming to get. Using X-parameters, also referred to as the parameters of the Poly-Harmonic Distortion (PHD) nonlinear behavioral model, the models could be obtained either through actual components measurement using Nonlinear Vector Network Analyzer (NVNA) or from X-parameter generator with circuit-level design in ADS software. In this paper, the two ways are introduced and the nonlinear simulation was involved to investigate the mixer model based on X-parameters.
Optimal placement of energy storage and demand response in the Pacific Northwest

As more and more wind is added onto the transmission grid, there has been an increasing impact for system operators with respect to dealing with the additional variability from wind energy. Transmission line thermal violation is one of the problems that should be considered when integrating variable wind power. It is found that large controllable loads or energy storage resources can provide a large benefit to the grid during times of acute stress. Sourcing or sinking power at critical buses during critical times could make a difference between grid collapse and stable operation. This paper builds a reduced power flow model for the Pacific Northwest (PNW) area to identify transmission line congestion in stressed scenarios, and utilizes a sensitivity analysis method to investigate if adding energy storage devices to certain locations contributes to reducing the transmission congestion. System congestion is evaluated as a function of injected power at many different buses. Simulation results reveal critical locations have the capability to improve congestion with the addition of energy storage or controllable load.
Effects of a Web-based Educational Module on Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physicians' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Regarding Youth Violence

Introduction: Youth seen in the emergency department (ED) with injuries from youth violence (YV) have increased risk for future violent injury and death. Pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) physicians rarely receive training in, or perform, YV screening and intervention. Our objective was to examine effects of a Web-based educational module on PEM physicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding YV screening and interventions in the ED. Methods: All PEM fellows and attendings at an urban Level I pediatric trauma center were invited to complete an interactive Web-based education module (and 1-month booster) with information on YV’s public health impact and how to screen, counsel and refer YV-involved patients. Consenting subjects completed electronic assessments of YV prevention knowledge and attitudes (using validated measures when possible) before and after the initial module and after the booster. To measure behavior change, chart review identified use of YV-specific discharge instructions in visits by YV-injured PEM patients (age 12-17; identified by E codes) 6 months before and after the intervention. Survey data were analyzed with Fisher’s exact for binary outcomes and Kruskal-Wallis for Likert responses. Proportion of patients given YV discharge instructions before and after the intervention was compared using chi-square. Results: 18 (67%) of 27 PEM physicians participated; 1 was lost at post-module assessment and 5 at 1 month. Module completion time ranged from 15-30 minutes. At baseline, 50% of subjects could identify victims’ re-injury rate; 28% were aware of ED YV discharge instructions. After the initial module and at 1 month, there were significant increases in knowledge (p<0.001) and level of confidence speaking with patients about avoiding YV (p=0.01,df=2). Almost all (94%) said the module would change future management. In pre-intervention visits, 1.6% of patients with YV injuries were discharged with YV instructions, versus 15.7% in the post-intervention period (p=0.006, 95%CI for difference 3.6% - 24.5%). Conclusions: A brief Web-based module influenced PEM physicians’ knowledge and attitudes about YV prevention and may have affected behavior changes related to caring for YV victims in the ED. Further research should investigate Web-based educational strategies to improve care of YV victims in a larger population of PEM physicians.
Mutual coherence of two coupled multiline continuous-wave HF lasers

Two multiline cw HF lasers employing unstable resonators were coupled by injecting 20% of each laser output into the other laser. The mutual coherence of the two output beams was measured by recording the visibility V of the interference fringes generated when the beams are overlapped. Both single-line and multiline interference patterns were observed. The output from the two lasers in the present experiment (20% coupling) was completely coupled, indicating that the achievement of stable coupling is not dependent on careful adjustment of the length of each laser resonator.
Sulfur emission control for geothermal power plants

Abstract Hydrogen sulfide gas is present in hydrothermal waters that are useful for electric power production. Previous schemes for H2S emission control increase the costs of geothermal power. A modification of the classical Claus process for producing sulfur from H2S is compatible with many geothermal plant designs. In the presence of a market for sulfur, use of the process could decrease geothermal power costs.
GeoLife2.0: A Location-Based Social Networking Service

GeoLife2.0 is a GPS-data-driven social networking service where people can share life experiences and connect to each other with their location histories. By mining people’s location history, GeoLife can measure the similarity between users and perform personalized friend recommendation for an individual. Later, we can predict the individual’s interest level in the locations visited by their friends while have not been found by them. The locations with relatively high interesting level can be recommended. Therefore, GeoLife2.0 can expand a user’s social network, provide them with a trustworthy resource matching their interests and help them sponsor geo-related activities like cycling with minimal effort.
On the Conceptual and Linguistic Activity of Psychologists: The Study of Behavior from the 1890s to the 1990s and beyond

In the early twentieth century psychology became the study of "behavior." This article reviews developments within animal psychology, functional psychology, and American society and culture that help explain how a term rarely used in the first years of the century became not only an accepted scientific concept but even, for many, an all- encompassing label for the entire subject matter of the discipline. The subsequent conceptual and linguistic activity of John B. Watson, Edward C. Tolman, Clark L. Hull, and B.F. Skinner, as they attempted to explain "behavior" throughout the course of the twentieth century, is then discussed. Finally, the article suggests the need for greater conceptual and linguistic diversity in psychology. In this last regard, reference is made to cognition and consciousness, to William James and John Dewey, and to the fact that prediction and control might not be the most relevant aims of contemporary psychology.
A framework for understanding large scale digital storage systems

The digital revolution is now underway. The use of binary zeros and ones to store data is increasing at a steady rate. They may represent text, images, pictures, sounds, maps, books, music, instructions, programs, or just about anything else which can be represented digitally. As the sizes of the digital data holdings have continued to grow, so too has the need to provide meaningful access to this data. There are a number of efforts now underway to provide such access. In most cases the efforts have been domain specific and progress in one area has been hard to replicate in a different domain. Part of this difficulty has been the lack of a general set of concepts and vocabulary that are sufficiently broad enough to bridge the gaps. The paper presents a general taxonomy of knowledge that is independent of subject matter domain. It begins with knowledge as the most general class and then proceeds to subdivide knowledge into its constituent parts: factual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and judgmental knowledge. Definitions of each type of knowledge are given along with examples sufficient to understand each subclass. A vocabulary is introduced that provides a means to discuss the topic in a manner independent of a specific problem domain. Understanding of the differences between different types or classes of knowledge is necessary if a person or an organization is to begin to build systems that acquire, organize, store, and retrieve various types of knowledge. The paper concludes with a discussion of some tools that are currently available to assist in the building and maintaining of a knowledge resource.
Multiresolution Matrix Factorization

Large matrices appearing in machine learning problems often have complex hierarchical structures that go beyond what can be found by traditional linear algebra tools, such as eigendecomposition. Inspired by ideas from multiresolution analysis, this paper introduces a new notion of matrix factorization that can capture structure in matrices at multiple different scales. The resulting Multiresolution Matrix Factorizations (MMFs) not only provide a wavelet basis for sparse approximation, but can also be used for matrix compression (similar to Nystrom approximations) and as a prior for matrix completion.
Cross-Lingual Latent Topic Extraction

Probabilistic latent topic models have recently enjoyed much success in extracting and analyzing latent topics in text in an unsupervised way. One common deficiency of existing topic models, though, is that they would not work well for extracting cross-lingual latent topics simply because words in different languages generally do not co-occur with each other. In this paper, we propose a way to incorporate a bilingual dictionary into a probabilistic topic model so that we can apply topic models to extract shared latent topics in text data of different languages. Specifically, we propose a new topic model called Probabilistic Cross-Lingual Latent Semantic Analysis (PCLSA) which extends the Probabilistic Latent Semantic Analysis (PLSA) model by regularizing its likelihood function with soft constraints defined based on a bilingual dictionary. Both qualitative and quantitative experimental results show that the PCLSA model can effectively extract cross-lingual latent topics from multilingual text data.
The Possible Importance of Primary Amino Nitrogen in Nitrogen Regeneration by Coastal Marine Sediments in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts

To investigate the role of primary amino nitrogen (PAN) in nitrogen regeneration by marine sediments, the distribution and fluxes of PAN in organic-rich coastal sediments off Massachusetts (USA) were investigated. Decreases with depth in the sediment of total organic carbon, organic nitrogen, and PAN contents indicate that organics with C to N ratios of about 6, such as primary amines, are selectively consumed. Near the sediment surface, dissolved PAN (DPAN) accumulates and supports a large DPAN flux into the water column and this flux greatly exceeds the inorganic nitrogen flux. Consumption of C, N, and PAN was investigated using diagenetic equations describing their exponentially decreasing distributions with depth and which included the effects of sediment mixing, sediment accumulation, and consumption, considered to be a first-order reaction rate. Calculations showed that the reaction rate constant for PAN was between 5.1 and 26.1 times faster than that for the utilizable organic N and the depth-integrated consumption of PAN accounted for between 8.6 and 43.9% of the N disappearance rate. These ranges are estimated when sediment accumulation dominates over sediment mixing (the lower values) and when mixing dominates over accumulation (the upper values). Although the magnitude of D is unknown, these calculations indicate that PAN, which comprises less than 2% of the organic N, has an important role in sedimentary nutrient dynamics because of its enhanced reactivity.
On geometric transfer in real twisted endoscopy

We prove the existence of a transfer of orbital integrals in endoscopy for real reductive groups when there is twisting by an automorphism dened over the reals and by a character on the real points of the group. Our proof contains a relatively short self-contained argument for the already known case of standard endoscopy.
Are adolescents harmed when asked risky weight control behavior and attitude questions? Implications for consent procedures.

Objectives This study explores whether asking minors about risky weight control behaviors and attitudes increases the frequency of those behaviors and attitudes. Methods Participants were 115 sixth-grade girls who responded to questions on risky weight control behaviors and attitudes at baseline and at 12-month follow-up. An additional 107 girls, who had not been part of the baseline, provided data only at follow-up. The two groups were compared on risky weight control behaviors and attitudes at follow-up using chi-square analyses, Mann-Whitney U tests, Cohen's effect sizes, and odds ratios. Results No evidence of a negative effect in the twice-assessed group was found. All rates decreased from baseline to follow-up. Conclusions There is only minimal risk and perhaps even some benefit of asking questions about risky weight control behaviors and attitudes. Implications for determining appropriate consent procedures are discussed. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 34: 251–254, 2003.
Genetic variants in root architecture-related genes in a Glycine soja accession, a potential resource to improve cultivated soybean

Root system architecture is important for water acquisition and nutrient acquisition for all crops. In soybean breeding programs, wild soybean alleles have been used successfully to enhance yield and seed composition traits, but have never been investigated to improve root system architecture. Therefore, in this study, high-density single-feature polymorphic markers and simple sequence repeats were used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) governing root system architecture in an inter-specific soybean mapping population developed from a cross between Glycine max and Glycine soja. Wild and cultivated soybean both contributed alleles towards significant additive large effect QTLs on chromosome 6 and 7 for a longer total root length and root distribution, respectively. Epistatic effect QTLs were also identified for taproot length, average diameter, and root distribution. These root traits will influence the water and nutrient uptake in soybean. Two cell division-related genes (D type cyclin and auxin efflux carrier protein) with insertion/deletion variations might contribute to the shorter root phenotypes observed in G. soja compared with cultivated soybean. Based on the location of the QTLs and sequence information from a second G. soja accession, three genes (slow anion channel associated 1 like, Auxin responsive NEDD8-activating complex and peroxidase), each with a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism mutation were identified, which may also contribute to changes in root architecture in the cultivated soybean. In addition, Apoptosis inhibitor 5-like on chromosome 7 and slow anion channel associated 1-like on chromosome 15 had epistatic interactions for taproot length QTLs in soybean. Rare alleles from a G. soja accession are expected to enhance our understanding of the genetic components involved in root architecture traits, and could be combined to improve root system and drought adaptation in soybean.
The effects of dim cyclic light on pigment epithelial function in the albino rat.

Most pathologies of the outer retina include physiological and morphological changes in the pigment epithelium. The question of pigment epithelial involvement in retinal light damage caused by low intensities of light is still unresolved. In the present study, we investigated the effects of low intensity cyclic light on pigme nt epithelial function in albino rats. The functioning of the pigment epithelium was assessed electrophysiologically from d.c. recordings of ERG c-waves and sodium azide induced changes in the resting potential. Responses obtained from albino rats raised under low intensity cyclic light [0.63 ft cd, 12:12 L:] were compared to those obtained from albino rats raised under minimal light exposure conditions (dark-reared] and pigmented rats housed under low intensity cyclic light. We report, for the first time, that albino rats raised from birth under low intensity cyclic light possess c-waves. Their responses were comparable in amplitude and latency to those recorded from pigmented rats ...
Beyond the frontstage: trust, access, and the relational context in research with refugee communities.

This paper examines the role of trust and the concept of access as they affect the relational context in which community research, and research with refugee communities in particular, is conducted. Sociologist Irving Goffman’s metaphor of frontstage and backstage behavior is used to illustrate the complexity and importance of developing of relations of trust, and thereby gaining “backstage” access, in communities that are generally closed to outsiders. It is argued that gaining authentic (“backstage”) access to refugee communities, as well as other communities that have developed a self-protective insularity, is essential if we are to gather data that accurately reflect the actual beliefs, feelings, and experiences of community members. The paper then examines the puzzling lack of discussion regarding issues of trust, access, and the relational context in the literature on refugee mental health. Explanations for this apparent inattention are sought in the influence of the prevailing scientific paradigm that guides most research with refugees, and that shapes the values of the field’s “gatekeepers,” the editors and reviewers of scholarly journals. Throughout the paper, key points are illustrated with examples drawn from the author’s research with refugees from Guatemala, Bosnia, and Afghanistan.
Autonomous microfluidics with stimuli-responsive hydrogels

There has been increasing interest in integrated microfluidic systems because performing biological and chemical laboratory tasks on a single chip is appealing. One straightforward approach to constructing these ‘lab on chips’ is to fabricate individual components and to assemble them for desired functionalities. As the functionalities of the microfluidic systems become increasingly complicated, more functional components and relevant controls need to be integrated on a miniaturized chip, especially when a closed loop is needed for autonomous functionality. Instead, an emerging approach is to incorporate stimuli-responsive hydrogels directly into microfluidics to reduce the system complexity. Due to the hydrogels' ability of transducing stimuli into mechanical actions in response to their surrounding aqueous environment, hydrogel-based microfluidic elements can act as both sensors and actuators simultaneously, alleviating the requirement of most controls and even power sources. This provides microfluidic systems with autonomous functionalities. In this article, we will focus on a few autonomous microfluidic devices including valves, flow sorters, pH regulators, pumps, mixers, drug-delivery devices, fluidic cooling devices, and liquid microlenses.
Predictors of Health-related Quality of Life in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Background: Most studies that have identified variables associated with the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with colorectal cancer have been cross-sectional or included patients with other diagnoses. The objectives of this study were to identify predictors of HRQL in patients with colorectal cancer and interpret the clinical importance of the results. Methods: We conducted a population-based longitudinal study of patients identified through three regions of the California Cancer Registry. Surveys were completed by 568 patients approximately 9 and 19 months post-diagnosis. Three HRQL outcomes from the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – Colorectal (FACT-C) were evaluated: social/family well-being (SWB), emotional well-being (EWB) and the Trial Outcome Index (TOI), which is a colorectal cancer-specific summary measure of physical function and well-being. Sociodemographic, cancer/health, and healthcare variables were assessed in multivariable regression models. We computed the difference in predicted HRQL scores corresponding to a large difference in a predictor variable, defined as a 1 standard deviation difference for interval variables or the difference relative to the reference category for nominal variables. The effect of an explanatory variable on HRQL was considered clinically meaningful if the predicted score difference was at least as large as the minimally important difference. Results: Common predictors of better TOI, SWB and EWB were better general health and factors related to better perceived quality of cancer care. Predictor variables in addition to general health and perceived quality of care were identified only for SWB. Being married/living as married was associated with better SWB, whereas being male or of Hispanic ethnicity was associated with worse SWB. Among the sociodemographic, cancer/health, and healthcare variables evaluated, only Hispanic ethnicity had a clinically meaningful effect on an HRQL outcome. Conclusion: Our findings, particularly the information on the clinical importance of predictor variables, can help clinicians identify patients who may be at risk for poor future HRQL. Potentially modifiable factors were related to perceived quality of cancer care; thus, future research should evaluate whether improving these factors improves HRQL.
Invasive insects impact forest carbon dynamics

Invasive insects can impact ecosystem functioning by altering carbon, nutrient, and hydrologic cycles. In this study, we used eddy covariance to measure net CO2 exchange with the atmosphere (NEE), and biometric measurements to characterize net ecosystem productivity (NEP) in oak- and pine-dominated forests that were defoliated by Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar L.) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Three years of data were used to compare C dynamics; 2005 with minimal defoliation, 2006 with partial defoliation of the canopy and understory in a mixed stand, and 2007 with complete defoliation of an oak-dominated stand, and partial defoliation of the mixed and pine-dominated stands. Previous to defoliation in 2005, annual net CO2 exchange (NEEyr) was estimated at � 187, � 137 and � 204gCm � 2 yr � 1 at the oak-, mixed-, and pine-dominated stands, respectively. Annual NEP estimated from biometric measurements was 108%, 100%, and 98% of NEEyr in 2005 for the oak-, mixed-, and pine-dominated stands, respectively. Gypsy moth defoliation strongly reduced fluxes in 2006 and 2007 compared with 2005; NEEyr was � 122, 1103, and � 161gCm � 2 yr � 1 in 2006, and 1293, 1129, and � 17gCm � 2 yr � 1 in 2007 at the oak-, mixed-, and pine-dominated stands, respectively. At the landscape scale, Gypsy moths defoliated 20.2% of upland forests in 2007. We calculated that defoliation in these upland forests reduced NEEyr by 41%, with a 55% reduction in the heavily impacted oakdominated stands. ‘Transient’ disturbances such as insect defoliation, nonstand replacing wildfires, and prescribed burns are major factors controlling NEE across this landscape, and when integrated over time, may explain much of the patterning of aboveground biomass and forest floor mass in these upland forests.
Implications of different degrees of arytenoid cartilage abduction on equine upper airway characteristics

Summary Reason for performing study: The necessary degree of arytenoid cartilage abduction (ACA) to restore airway patency at maximal exercise has not been determined. Objectives: Use computational fluid dynamics modelling to measure the effects of different degrees of ACA on upper airway characteristics of horses during exercise. Hypothesis: Maximal ACA by laryngoplasty is necessary to restore normal peak airflow and pressure in Thoroughbred racehorses with laryngeal hemiplegia. Methods: The upper airway was modeled with the left arytenoid in 3 different positions: maximal abduction; 88% cross-sectional area of the rima glottis; and 75% cross-sectional area of the rima glottis. The right arytenoid cartilage was maximally abducted. Two models were assumed: Model 1: no compensation of airway pressures; and Model 2: airway pressure compensation occurs to maintain peak airflow. The cross-sectional pressure and velocity distributions for turbulent flow were studied at peak flow and at different positions along the airway. Results: Model 1: In the absence of a change in driving pressure, 12 and 25% reductions in cross-sectional area of the larynx resulted in 4.11 and 5.65% reductions in peak airflow and 3.68 and 5.64% in tidal volume, respectively, with mild changes in wall pressure. Model 2: To maintain peak flow, a 6.27% increase in driving tracheal pressure was required to compensate for a cross-sectional reduction of 12% and a 13.63% increase in driving tracheal pressure was needed for a cross-sectional area reduction of 25%. This increase in negative driving pressure resulted in regions with low intraluminal and wall pressures, depending on the degree of airway diameter reduction. Conclusion: Assuming no increase in driving pressure, the decrease in left ACA reduced airflow and tidal volume. With increasing driving pressure, a decrease in left ACA changed the wall pressure profile, subjecting the submaximally abducted arytenoid cartilage and adjacent areas to airway collapse. Clinical relevance: The surgical target of ACA resulting in 88% of maximal cross-sectional area seems to be appropriate.
Does Cuff Location for FMD Matter in Smokers

To the Editor: The community of physiological investigators who evaluate vascular function in intact humans have used the reactive hyperemia stimulus to measure conduit artery endothelium-dependent vasodilation for more than a decade. One component of this measure varies among the different groups: the location of the cuff that provides the ischemia that generates reactive hyperemia. Although theoretical variations have been postulated,1 the …
Urban crowding and the family

Results from a probability sample of 560 Toronto families living in high density census tracts are summarized as regards the impact of crowding on family life and child development. Objective and subjective scales of household and neighborhood crowding were employed. Scales were also derived for dependent measures rep resentative of spousal relations, reproductive behavior, and child development. Generally, insignificant relationships obtained. How ever, the objective household condition slightly influenced the development of children on a variety of measures.
Reads meet rotamers: structural biology in the age of deep sequencing

Structure has traditionally been interrelated with sequence, usually in the framework of comparing sequences across species sharing a common fold. However, the nature of information within the sequence and structure databases is evolving, changing the type of comparisons possible. In particular, we now have a vast amount of personal genome sequences from human populations and a greater fraction of new structures contain interacting proteins within large complexes. Consequently, we have to recast our conception of sequence conservation and its relation to structure — for example, focusing more on selection within the human population. Moreover, within structural biology there is less emphasis on the discovery of novel folds and more on relating structures to networks of protein interactions. We cover this changing mindset here.
On a theorem of Rigby

Let \({\Delta = BAG(2, q)}\) denote the classical biaffine plane of order q, that is, the symmetric \({((q^2 - 1)_q)}\) configuration obtained from the classical affine plane \({\Sigma = AG(2, q)}\) of order q by omitting a point of \({\Sigma}\) together with all lines through this point. Now let \({q \geq 4}\) be a power of a prime p and assume that \({\Delta}\) admits an embedding into the projective plane \({\Pi = PG(2, F)}\), where F is a (not necessarily commutative) field. Then this embedding extends to a projective subplane \({\Pi_0 \cong PG(2, q)}\) of \({\Pi}\); in particular, F has characteristic p. Consequently, \({BAG(2, q)}\) with \({q\geq 4}\) admits an embedding into \({PG(2, q')}\) if only if q′ is a power of q. This strengthens a result of Rigby (Canad J Math 17:977–1009, 1965) in a special case while simultaneously providing a more elegant proof.
Challenging Paths to Mecca: West African Takruri Pilgrims in British-Administered Eritrea, 1941-1952

This paper focuses on the relationship between the Islamic institution of the hajj and the British Military Administration (BMA) in Eritrea by examining the experiences of West African Muslim pilgrims along the African shores of the Red Sea in the middle of the twentieth century. It focuses on those men, women and children - often referred to as Takruris - who usually walked on foot from northern Nigeria, Niger, Mali, Chad and other parts of the Sudanic Sahel and Savanna towards the Red Sea with the aspiration to perform the hajj. The study shows how during the 1940s the British authorities made efforts to control space and mobility across northeastern Africa and the Red Sea area, and describes the ways by which Takruri pilgrims tried to subvert such measures by taking considerable risks, which sometimes resulted in the loss of their own lives. British channeling measures created new categories of “illegality”, both on land and sea, and spurred the activities of various traffickers and smugglers who – in exchange for money – crossed pilgrims to the Arabian shores of the Red Sea. The study is based on a collection of hitherto unstudied British archival documents (preserved in Eritrea) that include several rare testimonies of West African pilgrims who have either been caught trying to “illegally” cross the Red Sea, or who have been rescued by British vessels after having been shipwrecked or stranded on uninhabited islands by dishonest passers. The staunch determination and obstinacy that characterize some testimonies are strikingly reminiscent of recent statements made by sub-Saharan Africans trying to smuggle themselves into southern Europe. In 1942, one British official summarized such fearless attitude quite chillingly: “Restrict them how you will, divert them where you choose, they will always get to Mecca – or die on the road.”
Alex Laats and NBX Corporation

This case describes the evolution of an entrepreneur's venture-capital fundraising, from seed-stage financing through later-round efforts. The case focuses on where the "action" is in venture finance: the exploitation of social capital by an entrepreneur and investors. Much of the teaching materials on venture finance focus on the economics of financing; while these materials provide useful information about the mechanics of valuation and how to structure venture-capital agreements, they miss the social side of venture-capital investing. The case illustrates the theoretical concept that social capital (i.e., a person's relationship to other people in society) influences venture finance. The case can be used in a class on entrepreneurship or venture finance.
Litigation and Settlement Under Uncertainty with Endogenous Litigation Expenditures

This paper studies litigation and settlement in two models with endogenous litigation expenditures. In both models one party has private information and the other party makes a take it or leave it offer. If the offer is rejected then the uninformed party spends either a high or low amount at trial. The paper demonstrates that endogenous litigation expenditures causes the uninformed party to make either the same or a higher settlement offer. For this reason endogenous litigation expenditures may make settlement more likely if the plaintiff has private information and less likely if the defendant has private information. This paper also shows that endogenous litigation expenditures can create incentives for an uninformed party to withdraw his offer after it has been accepted.