cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Reward System in Sociology Departments: What We Always Knew — Or Did We?

The paper examines the criteria said to determine sociologists' salary increases, promotions, or tenure appointments and the factors which influence these criteria. Of specific interest is the weig...
Qualitative Variation in Proanthocyanidin Composition of Populus Species and Hybrids: Genetics is the Key

The literature on proanthocyanidins (tannins) in ecological systems is dominated by quantitative studies. Despite evidence that the qualitative characteristics (subunit type, polymer chain length) of these complex polyphenolics are important determinants of biological activity, little is known about genetic and environmental controls on the type of proanthocyanidins produced by plants. We tested the hypothesis that genetics, season, developmental stage, and environment determine proanthocyanidin qualitative characteristics by using four Populus “cross types” (narrowleaf [P. angustifolia], Fremont [P. fremontii], F1 hybrids, and backcrosses to narrowleaf). We used thiolysis and HPLC analysis to characterize the proanthocyanidins, and found that genetics strongly control composition. The narrowleaf plants accumulate mixed procyanidin/prodelphinidins with average composition epicatechin11-epigallocatechin8-catechin2-catechin(terminal). Backcross genotypes produce mixed procyanidin/prodelphinidins similar to narrowleaf, while Fremont makes procyanidin dimers, and the F1 plants contain procyanidin heptamers. Less striking effects were noted for genotype × environment, while season and developmental zone had little effect on proanthocyanidin composition or chain length. We discuss the metabolic and ecological consequences of differences in condensed tannin qualitative traits.
Regeneration of herbicide resistant transgenic rice plants following microprojectile-mediated transformation of suspension culture cells.

Suspension cells of Oryza sativa L. (rice) were transformed, by microprojectile bombardment, with plasmids carrying the coding region of the Streptomyces hygroscopicus phosphinothricin acetyl transferase (PAT) gene (bar) under the control of either the 5′ region of the rice actin 1 gene (Act1) or the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. Subsequently regenerated plants display detectable PAT activity and are resistant to BASTATM, a phosphinothricin (PPT)-based herbicide. DNA gel blot analyses showed that PPT resistant rice plants contain a bar-hybridizing restriction fragment of the expected size. This report shows that expression of the bar gene in transgenic rice plants confers resistance to PPT-based herbicide by suppressing an increase of ammonia in plants after spraying with the herbicide.
“A part of the neighbourhood?”: negotiating race in American suburbs

Compares race relations in two suburban communities in order to show that middle‐class blacks meet with some success when they temporarily exchange their racial identity for a class‐based identity. Collects data through ethnography and individual interview to examine the conditions under which middle‐class blacks construct and assert a sub‐urban identity. States that success varies with the racial composition of the suburban community and the white neighbours’ level of the satisfaction with the community.
Vitiligo-Inducing Phenols Activate the Unfolded Protein Response in Melanocytes Resulting in Upregulation of IL6 and IL8

Vitiligo is characterized by depigmented skin patches caused by loss of epidermal melanocytes. Oxidative stress may have a role in vitiligo onset, while autoimmunity contributes to disease progression. In this study, we sought to identify mechanisms that link disease triggers and spreading of lesions. A hallmark of melanocytes at the periphery of vitiligo lesions is dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We hypothesized that oxidative stress results in redox disruptions that extend to the ER, causing accumulation of misfolded peptides, which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). We used 4-tertiary butyl phenol and monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone, known triggers of vitiligo. We show that expression of key UPR components, including the transcription factor X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1), is increased following exposure of melanocytes to phenols. XBP1 activation increases production of immune mediators IL6 and IL8. Co-treatment with XBP1 inhibitors reduced IL6 and IL8 production induced by phenols, while overexpression of XBP1 alone increased their expression. Thus, melanocytes themselves produce cytokines associated with activation of an immune response following exposure to chemical triggers of vitiligo. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying melanocyte loss in vitiligo and pathways linking environmental stressors and autoimmunity.
Autoantigens: the critical partner in initiating and propagating systemic autoimmunity.

: The increasing recognition that cancer is frequently associated with an autoantibody response, and observations that systemic autoimmunity is sometimes associated with the diagnosis of a variety of malignancies (many detected near the onset of autoimmune disease), strongly underscore a potential mechanistic connection between cancer immunity and systemic autoimmunity. Accumulating data suggest that autoantigens are critical partners in driving the autoimmune response. Futhermore, unique changes in antigen expression and conformation in the immunizing tumor and the target tissue may play a role in antigen selection and ongoing damage. This construct has important implications for disgnosis, monitoring, and treatment of autoimmunity and, potentially, cancer immunotherapy.
Offshore caisson structures for very weak soils

Abstract Thirteen offshore caisson structures are now under construction for North Sea sites. One, the Ekofisk Caisson, has now been in service through two winters. Three more were successfully founded during the summer of 1975. All of these are founded in relatively firm soils. Extension of this structural concept to other areas of the oceans will frequently involve founding on weaker and more unstable sediments. The requirements of the foundation are reviewed here, including the interaction between soil, structure, and environment. It then explores a number of means of solving the problem including reduced net weight of structure, penetration of the structure into the seafloor, development of passive resistance to sliding, and increasing the bearing and passive resistance by drainage, overloading, preloading, chemical injection, and freezing.
Comparison of the effects of sevoflurane and isoflurane anesthesia on the maternal-fetal unit in sheep.

Purpose The aim of this study was to determine the hemodynamic and blood gas effects of inhalational anesthetics on the maternal-fetal sheep unit. The principal hypothesis, tested in chronically instrumented near-term pregnant ewes, was that sevoflurane anesthesia may be safe and useful for the mother and fetus during pregnancy, compared with isoflurane.
Effect of Length of Time on Measured Demand Elasticities: The Problem Revisited

This study centers attention on the effect of varying lengths of time (weekly, biweekly, monthly observations) on measured demand elasticities for disaggregate fresh beef products. Parameter estimates and elasticities based on monthly data differ from those based on biweekly or weekly data. Generally, inventory adjustment dominates with the latter time intervals. On the other hand, for three of the six disaggregate fresh beef products analyzed, habit formation is the dominating effect with monthly data.
Cyber Security Concerns for Ubiquitous/Pervasive Computing Environments

The computing paradigm of ubiquitous/pervasive computing has changed the way in which nomadic computer users interact with computer devices and network systems. Modern ubiquitous computing devices have enabled nomadic computer users to interact with computer and network systems anywhere and at anytime. Although the issue of cyber security has been overlooked by many within the community, these devices provide users with a rich set of context-relevant information including location, usage data, and even the location/state of similar devices within the reach. Cyber Security has become a matter of national, economic, and societal importance. Present-day attacks on the nation's computer systems do not simply damage an isolated machine or disrupt a single enterprise system. Instead, modern attacks target infrastructure that is integral to the economy, and daily life. Computer networks have joined food, water, transportation, and energy as critical resources for the functioning of the national economy. As a result of our interconnected world no device is an island, and security still remains a significant obstacle for ubiquitous and pervasive environments, partially in terms intrusions. This paper examines intrusion detection within ubiquitous and pervasive environments within the context of plan recognition as means to classify attacks both quantitatively and qualitatively.
Distributed Medium Access for a Large Wireless Mesh Network with Multiple Antenna Elements on Each Node

This paper proposes a distributed MAC scheme for a large network of wireless routers with multiple antennas and characterizes its throughput gain over its single antenna counterpart in large network communications.
Using Homomorphic Encryption For Privacy-Preserving Collaborative Decision Tree Classification

To conduct data mining, we often need to collect data from various parties. Privacy concerns may prevent the parties from directly sharing the data. A challenging problem is how multiple parties collaboratively conduct data mining without breaching data privacy. The goal of this paper is to provide solutions for privacy-preserving decision tree classification which is one of data mining tasks. Our goal is to obtain accurate data mining results without disclosing private data
In silico gene function prediction using ontology-based pattern identification

Motivation: With the emergence of genome-wide expression profiling data sets, the guilt by association (GBA) principle has been a cornerstone for deriving gene functional interpretations in silico. Given the limited success of traditional methods for producing clusters of genes with great amounts of functional similarity, new data-mining algorithms are required to fully exploit the potential of high-throughput genomic approaches. Results: Ontology-based pattern identification (OPI) is a novel data-mining algorithm that systematically identifies expression patterns that best represent existing knowledge of gene function. Instead of relying on a universal threshold of expression similarity to define functionally related groups of genes, OPI finds the optimal analysis settings that yield gene expression patterns and gene lists that best predict gene function using the principle of GBA. We applied OPI to a publicly available gene expression data set on the life cycle of the malarial parasite Plasmodium falciparum and systematically annotated genes for 320 functional categories based on current Gene Ontology annotations. An ontology-based hierarchical tree of the 320 categories provided a systems-wide biological view of this important malarial parasite. Availability: A web accessible P. falciparum e-annotation database containing the results of this study can be accessed online at http://carrier.gnf.org/publications/OPI Contact: [email protected]
On leaky mode approximations for modal expansion in multilayer open waveguides

We propose an analytic method to calculate the leaky mode functions to enable modal expansion without encountering the normalization and orthogonality problems of the unphysical mode shape. The wave functions of leaky modes are derived from the explicit formulas of normalized radiation modes. Using leaky modes to approximate a continuum of radiation modes greatly simplifies the analysis of excitation, transitions, propagation, and radiation of light waves in multilayer waveguide structures. Upon comparison with the beam propagation method and modal propagation method, we show that the leaky mode approximation while requiring a much simpler computation is as accurate. This method can also provide better physical insight to device operations. >
Effect of contact precautions for MRSA on patient satisfaction scores

Summary Contact precautions may have an adverse effect on a patient's hospital experience and the delivery of care. This case–control study compared patient satisfaction scores between 70 patients isolated for MRSA and 139 non-isolated patients. Based on an adjusted analysis, there was no difference in patient satisfaction between the two groups. Age and educational status were found to affect patient satisfaction.
Perovskite membranes by aqueous combustion synthesis: synthesis and properties

The objective of this work is to identify optimum synthesis, compacting and sintering conditions in order to achieve a pure phase fully densified La0.8Sr0.2CrO3 (LSC) perovskite membrane. The aqueous combustion synthesis of LSC powders was investigated over a wide range of synthesis conditions by using the metal nitrates (oxidizer)‐glycine (fuel) system. The powders were pressed and sintered to create dense materials, which were characterized. It was shown that depending on fuel/oxidizer ratio, , the reaction can proceed in three different modes: Smoldering Combustion Synthesis (SCS), 0.7, with maximum temperature, Tm 600°C; Volume Combustion Synthesis (VCS), 0.71.2, 1150°CTm1350°C; Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis (SHS), 1.2 1.6, 800°CTm1100°C. In turn, the characteristics of synthesized powders depend on the combustion mode. The crystalline structure of as-synthesized powders becomes more defined as increases (amorphous for SCS; crystalline for VCS and SHS). The specific surface area decreases slightly when mode changes from SCS ( 25 m 2 g − 1 )t o VCS (20 m 2 g −1 ), however, it increases substantially under SHS conditions (up to 45 m 2 g − 1 ). It was also shown that calcination is beneficial only for SCS powders, while VCS and SHS powders may be sintered directly as synthesized, thus bypassing the time and energy consuming calcination step. The measured oxygen permeation values for the membranes are comparable with the best candidate materials reported in the literature. © 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Stable and Unstable Solitary-Wave Solutions of the Generalized Regularized Long-Wave Equation

Investigated here are interesting aspects of the solitary-wave solutions of the generalized Regularized Long-Wave equation $$u_t + u_x + \alpha \left( {u^p } \right)_x - \beta u_{xxt} = 0.$$ For p>5, the equation has both stable and unstable solitary-wave solutions, according to the theory of Souganidis and Strauss. Using a high-order accurate numerical scheme for the approximation of solutions of the equation, the dynamics of suitably perturbed solitary waves are examined. Among other conclusions, we find that unstable solitary waves may evolve into several, stable solitary waves and that positive initial data need not feature solitary waves at all in its long-time asymptotics.
Cutaneous Laser Doppler Flowmetry: Applications and Findings

Objective To examine the historical development, evolution, strengths and weaknesses, and applications (current and future) of laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Design A review and summary of the literature on the cutaneous uses and successful applications of LDF are presented as well as a brief discussion of the noncutaneous and nonvascular applications. Material and Methods LDF measures Doppler-shifted quantities of reflected laser light at a superficial level to determine cutaneous and noncutaneous microcirculatory flux of erythrocytes. LDF is noninvasive and inexpensive. Results This relatively recent technologic development has shown considerable potential as a tool for evaluating the cutaneous circulation. Although early studies suggested that LDF had substantial difficulties with sampling, stability, and reproducibility, subsequent refinements in equipment and application have led to technical acceptability. Conclusion LDF seems to be particularly valuable for assessing the microcirculation and real-time changes in skin blood flow. It has been used successfully in many investigations of the cutaneous and noncutaneous blood flow in patients with fixed or vasospastic vascular disorders, neuropathies, tumors, or ulcers as well as those who have undergone intestinal, orthopedic, or plastic surgical procedures.
The Capsule Encoding the viaB Locus Reduces Interleukin-17 Expression and Mucosal Innate Responses in the Bovine Intestinal Mucosa during Infection with Salmonella enterica Serotype Typhi

The viaB locus contains genes for the biosynthesis and export of the Vi capsular antigen of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhi. Wild-type serotype Typhi induces less CXC chemokine production in tissue culture models than does an isogenic viaB mutant. Here we investigated the in vivo relevance of these observations by determining whether the presence of the viaB region prevents inflammation in two animal models of gastroenteritis. Unlike S. enterica serotype Typhimurium, serotype Typhi or a serotype Typhi viaB mutant did not elicit marked inflammatory changes in the streptomycin-pretreated mouse model. In contrast, infection of bovine ligated ileal loops with a serotype Typhi viaB mutant resulted in more fluid accumulation and higher expression of the chemokine growth-related oncogene alpha (GROα) and interleukin-17 (IL-17) than did infection with the serotype Typhi wild type. There was a marked upregulation of IL-17 expression in both the bovine ligated ileal loop model and the streptomycin-pretreated mouse model, suggesting that this cytokine is an important component of the inflammatory response to infection with Salmonella serotypes. Introduction of the cloned viaB region into serotype Typhimurium resulted in a significant reduction of GROα and IL-17 expression and in reduced fluid secretion. Our data support the idea that the viaB region plays a role in reducing intestinal inflammation in vivo.
A-Harmonic Equations and the Dirac Operator

We show how -harmonic equations arise as components of Dirac systems. We generalize -harmonic equations to -Dirac equations. Removability theorems are proved for solutions to -Dirac equations.
CSAW: A Dynamical Model of Protein Folding

CSAW (conditioned self-avoiding walk) is a model of protein folding that combines the features of SAW (self-avoiding walk) and the MonteCarlo method. It simulates the Brownian motion of a chain-molecule in the presence of interactions. We begin with a simple model that takes into account the hydrophobic effect and hydrogen bonding. The results show that the hydrophobic effect alone establishes a tertiary structure, which however has strong fluctuations. When hydrogen bonding is added, helical structures emerge, and the tertiary structure becomes more stable. The evolution of the chain exhibits a rapid hydrophobic collapse into a ”molten globule”, whose slow transition to the final equilibrium state mimics experimental data. The model is designed so that one can add desired features step by step.
Neurocognitive impairment in obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common disorder with far-reaching health implications. One of the major consequences of OSAS is an impact on neurocognitive functioning. Several studies have shown that OSAS has an adverse effect on inductive and deductive reasoning, attention, vigilance, learning, and memory. Neurocognitive impairment can be measured objectively with tests such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, the Psychomotor Vigilance Task, the Steer Clear Performance Test, and tests of repetitive finger tapping. In children, OSAS may cause attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder in addition to behavioral problems and learning disabilities. Risk factors for cognitive impairment include increasing age, male sex, apolipoprotein E ɛ4 allele positivity, current cigarette smoking, obesity, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, Down syndrome, hypothyroidism, significant alcohol consumption, stroke, and the use of psychoactive medications. At a cellular level, OSAS likely causes cognitive impairment through intermittent hypoxia, hormonal imbalance, and/or systemic inflammation, either independently or via the resultant endothelial dysfunction that occurs. Excessive daytime sleepiness should be measured and minimized in all studies of neurocognitive impairment. Recent studies have used functional and structural neuroimaging to delineate the brain areas affected in patients with OSAS with neurocognitive dysfunction. A common finding in several of these studies is decreased hippocampal volume. Other affected brain areas include the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain, which show focal reductions in gray matter. These changes can be reversed at least partially with the use of CPAP, which highlights the importance of early recognition and treatment of OSAS. The currently available data in this field are quite limited, and more research is needed.
Generation of anti-tumor responses by primary human T cells through expression of a chimeric NKG2D receptor

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 622 In order to create more effective CTLs against human tumors, we have designed a strategy to allow T cells to recognize tumor cells using NK cell receptors but retain the effector responses of T lymphocytes. NKG2D is an activating cell-surface receptor expressed on natural killer (NK) cells and some T-cell subsets. Its ligands are primarily expressed on tumor cells. We have shown that by linking mouse NKG2D to the CD3 zeta chain we were able to generate a chimeric NKG2D receptor (chNKG2D) that allowed direct activation of murine T cells upon engagement with NKG2D ligand-positive tumor cells leading to anti-tumor responses in mice. In this study, a human version of the chNKG2D receptor was expressed on human T cells and anti-tumor responses determined. Human PBMC-derived T cells were retrovirally transduced with the human chNKG2D receptor gene. These chNKG2D-bearing human T cells responded to NKG2D ligand-positive tumor cells by producing T-helper 1 (Th1) cytokines, proinflammatory chemokines and significant cellular cytotoxicity. This response was dependent upon NKG2D ligand expression on the target cells but not on expression of MHC molecules, and this response was blocked by anti-NKG2D antibodies. In addition, the activity of chNKG2D-bearing T cells remained unimpaired after exposure to a soluble NKG2D ligand, soluble MICA, at a concentration as high as 150ng/ml. These data indicate the feasibility of developing chimeric NKG2D receptors on human T cells and suggest this approach may be a promising means for cancer immunotherapy.
Shallow and Deep Current Variability in the Southwestern Japan/East Sea

Abstract : We seek to understand the physics of the mesoscale circulation in the Japan/East Sea, with our efforts focusing on the southwestern region where the variability is especially energetic.
A Stochastic Model for the Evolution of a Quasispecies

We introduce a discrete time model for a virus-like evolving population with high mutation probability. Different genomes correspond to different points (or sites) in the interval [0, 1]. Each site has one or more individual on it (corresponding to the number of individuals with that genome). When a birth with mutation occurs a new site is selected uniformly in [0, 1] and we put one individual on it. When a birth is without mutation we select one existing site at random and increase its population (or size) by 1. When a death occurs we kill the smallest site and all its population. From previous work we know that there is a critical value $$f_c$$ in (0, 1) such that the distribution of sites in $$(f_c,1)$$ converges to a uniform distribution as time tends to infinity. We prove here that the number of individuals per site converges to a geometric distribution whose parameter can be computed exactly, and that the size of the population at a site above $$f_c$$ is independent of the location of the site. We argue that this picture is consistent with quasispecies theory.
Case 18-2013: A 32-Year-Old Woman with Recurrent Episodes of Altered Consciousness

A 32-year-old woman was seen in the neurology clinic because of episodes of altered consciousness — staring, aphasia, and occasional sudden loss of postural tone and collapse. EEG revealed left-temporal-lobe seizures; brain imaging revealed a left-temporal-lobe mass.
Can age-related decline in speech understanding be explained by peripheral hearing loss?

Speech audiometric scores were compared across the age range from 50 to 90 years in 137 subjects selected in such a way that average audiometric thresholds were matched across four age groups. Thus any age-related changes in speech audiometric scores could not be attributed to age-related differences in peripheral hearing sensitivity . Four speech audiometric measures were studied; phonemically-balanced words (PB), Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) test for both high- and low-predictability sentences, and the Synthetic Sentence Identification (SSI) test. There was an age trend for all four speech measures but only the change in SSI (30%) was statistically significant . The argument that the change in SSI can be explained by subtle changes in the auditory periphery, not reflected in audiometric thresholds, is weakened by the fact that the change in SSI was greater than the change in either of the two monosyllabic word tests (PB and SPIN-low). The argument that the change in SSI can be explained by concommitant cognitive decline is not supported by correlations among SSI performance and any of several neuropsychological measures of cognitive function in the same subjects. Finally, the lack of a significant interactive effect between hearing sensitivity level and cognitive status does not support a model in which a peripherally degraded speech signal interacts with a deficit in cognitive function to produce the decline in speech audiometric scores. We conclude that the observed age-related decline in SSI performance cannot be satisfactorily explained by peripheral hearing sensitivity loss.
Evaluation of Oxygen Concentrators and Chemical Oxygen Generators at Altitude and Temperature Extremes

Oxygen cylinders are heavy and present a number of hazards, and liquid oxygen is too heavy and cumbersome to be used in far forward environments. Portable oxygen concentrators (POCs) and chemical oxygen generators (COGs) have been proposed as a solution. We evaluated 3 commercially available POCs and 3 COGs in a laboratory setting. Altitude testing was done at sea level and 8,000, 16,000, and 22,000 ft. Temperature extreme testing was performed after storing devices at 60°C and -35°C for 24 hours. Mean FIO2 decreased after storage at -35°C with Eclipse and iGo POCs and also at the higher volumes after storage at 60°C with the Eclipse. The iGo ceased to operate at 16,000 ft, but the Eclipse and Saros were unaffected by altitude. Oxygen flow, duration of operation, and total oxygen volume varied between COGs and within the same device type. Output decreased after storage at -35°C, but increased at each altitude as compared to sea level. This study showed significant differences in the performance of POCs and COGs after storage at temperature extremes and with the COGs at altitude. Clinicians must understand the performance characteristics of devices in all potential environments.
A Successful Repair of a Giant Abdominal Aortic Aneurism

Dear Editor, We report a case of 15.4 cm abdominal aorta aneurysm, which underwent an emergent open repair. Our patient is a 64-year-old female, with past medical history of Type 2 di- abetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia who presented to the emergency department with a two-day history of constant progressively worsening abdominal pain. Phys- ical exam was remarkable for a distended abdomen with pulsatile tender mass in the right peri-umbilical region. CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast showed a fusiform tortuous abdominal aortic aneurysm immedi- ately distal to the renal artery ostia at the level of the L1 vertebrae measuring 1.8 cm with extension into the bilat- eral common iliac arteries at the level of the bifurcation with sparing of the celiac and SMA (Figure 1). The patient was relatively healthy, but had stopped her hypertensive medications for the last year due to monetary issues and had no cardiac workup upon admission. The patient's transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) showed LVEF of 60% - 65%, PASP 35 - 40 mmHg, mild MR and TR with no wall motion abnormalities. Cardiology was consulted for risk stratification where she was declared to be low risk for a high-risk procedure. Patient was observed overnight in the intensive care unit and surgery was planned for the following morning. In the operating room, standard ASA monitors were applied. A left axillary arterial line for invasive monitor- ing of blood pressure and a right internal jugular cordis was inserted under local anesthesia. Gentle anesthetic in- duction was achieved with intravenous propofol, fentanyl and rocuronium. Tracheal intubation was uneventful with tight control of systolic blood pressure, as there was a high risk of rupture due to size. Baseline echocardiography exam was obtained via TEE. Estimated EF was 50% - 55%. ACT's were monitored throughout the procedure. Open surgical repair was carried out with a midline incision in three stages using a Hemashield bifurcated il- iac graft. The third and fourth portions of the duodenum were contiguous with the aneurysm. Firstly, after systemic heparinization the external iliac arteries were clamped fol- lowed by infra-renal aortic clamping, dissection and evac- uation of thrombus with end-to-end anastomosis of the graft to the infra-renal aorta. A clamp was applied to the graft itself followed by slow release of aortic clamp to ver- ify suture line haemostasis. The second and third stages of repair involved clamping the internal iliac arteries, dissec- tion and end-to-end anastomosis the graft to distal com- mon iliac arteries. Fluid was restricted prior to cross clamping. As in- traoperative hypotension has been associated with post-
Relation of transpiration water consumption and drought resistance of six wild drought-resistant flower cuttings during drought stress

In order to understand drought resistant mechanism of six wild drought-resistant flowers, relation of transpiration water consumption and drought resistance of the six flower cuttings during drought stress was researched with BP3400 electronic balance. The results showed that amount and rate of transpiration per plant were decreased gradually with soil drought stress. The average amounts of transpiration per plant in order from high to low were Securinega suffruticosa, Euonymu phellomanus, Elaeagnuas multiflora, Celastrus orbiculatus, Grewia biloba, Myripnois dioica during the periods of the control, drought stress for 5 days, temporary wilting point, permanent wilting point, and the average rates of transpiration in order from high to low were Securinega suffruticosa, Myripnois dioica. , Euonymu phellomanus, Celastrus orbiculatus, Elaeagnuas multiflora, Grewia biloba. Securinega suffruticosa and Myripnois dioica consumed much more water than the other plants, Grewia biloba did the least, and Euonymu phellomanus, Celastrus orbiculatus, Elaeagnuas multiflora consumed the same water, which belong to the middle consumption water plants. The fluctuation of the daily change of transpiration is in accordance with the fluctuation of air temperature and air relative humidity. There was no inevitable relation between the rate, the amount of transpiration and drought resistance, which indicated that different plants had various ways to resisting drought.
NEW LIMITS ON T-VIOLATION: FIRST RESULTS FROM A SUPERSONIC TIF BEAM.

The first results in our search for T-violation using a supersonic jet beam of TIF have allowed us to improve on previous limits by a factor off our and impose new constraints on fundamental T-violation.
The Fragility Index: a P-value in sheep's clothing?

This editorial refers to ‘How robust are clinical trials in heart failure?’, by K.F. Docherty et al. , doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehw427. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are designed to assess objectively the safety and efficacy of a specific intervention. While public reporting of the study design, conflict of interest declarations, and the peer review process strive to fortify study findings, the veracity of published research studies has been called into question.1 Recently, the Fragility Index (FI) has been introduced as an intuitive measure of the robustness of RCTs.2 This new statistic has been recently reported in the critical care setting,3 and studied and advocated for heart failure in the paper by Docherty et al .4 In this Editorial, we will provide a brief explanation of the FI and express why caution needs to be exercised when interpreting FI. The FI is a statistical summary of an RCT that utilizes 1:1 randomization and an outcome measure that can be categorized into two levels (e.g. 30-day mortality, yes or no). When a study reaches a statistically significant difference (and the sample size per group is fixed), one can show that the number of positive responses differs between the groups. Without loss of generality, assume that a study is comprised of a novel intervention and a control condition and that fewer events will be observed in the intervention group (i.e. the intervention provides a protective effect to the patients). Suppose that the study results suggest that the intervention is protective and that the result is statistically significant. Upon careful observation, it is noted that the number of events is reasonably small and that in absolute number there is not a large difference between the two study groups. One might naturally ask the question ‘how would the results be interpreted if one of …
A methodological refinement for studying the STEM grade-point penalty

We present a study that explores the grade-point average (GPA) penalties that students face when taking introductory STEM courses. Previous work has found that there is a large and significant grade point penalty for women and minorities in most STEM classes (that is, these students perform worse in these classes than their overall GPA would suggest). We recreated this work using a new, large data set (63,012 students over 10 years) of student performance, and found that the initial results held when using the original approach. We argue that there are methodological shortcomings to the original approach, however, as there is no attempt to control for individual student program difficulty (STEM majors and non-STEM majors share some classes, but have very different overall suites of courses that determine their overall GPA). As the female/male and racial ratios vary across majors it is therefore likely that a division by gender is not comparing equivalent sample populations. By controlling for student test scores or major most of the penalty is removed. The initial findings of large GPA penalties in STEM courses appears to be an example of “Simpson's Paradox”.
Burn injury increases replication and apoptosis in murine brown adipose tissue

1345 Objectives: Burn injury has been shown to stimulate the in vivo uptake of FDG by brown adipose tissue (BAT) in mice. Although we have recently demonstrated that this effect is associated with a marked increase in expression Uncoupling Protein-1 (UCP-1) mRNA, additional factors may modulate the process. Specifically, changes in FDG uptake may be affected by cellular replication and/or apoptosis in BAT. Proliferation can be evaluated using radiolabeled 123I-FIAU; a uridine base that is incorporated into DNA. Apoptosis, or programed cell death, can be monitored using radiolabeled 99mTc Annexin-V which binds to phosphotidyl serine residues that become exposed at the cell surface during apoptosis. In the present study, we examined the effect of burn injury on uptake of 125I-FIAU and 99mTc Annexin-V by BAT and white adipose tissue (WAT)in mice. Methods: Male CD-1 mice weighing approximately 18 grams (Charles River Breeding Labs., Boston MA) were anesthetized with ether and the dorsum was shaven and subjected to thermal injury (20 % Total Body Surface Area, 90oC, 9 seconds) followed by saline resuscitation (2 ml, IP). 123I-FIAU was prepared by treating the precursor FAU (2’-fluoro-2’-deoxy-1β-D-arabinofuranosyluracil) with carrier-free Na123I. 99mTc Annexin-V was prepared by combining HYNIC-Annexin-V stannous tricine, (Thesus Imaging, North American Scientific) with 99mTc sodium pertechnetate. Twenty four hours after burn injury, groups of 6 burned or sham control mice were injected with 30 μCi of 125I-FIAU or 20 μCi of 99mTc Annexin-V by tail vein. The 125I-FIAU treated mice were sacrificed 24 hrs after injection and the 99mTc Annexin-V treated mice were sacrificed 1 hour after injection by CO2 asphyxiation and samples of BAT and WAT were collected. Radioactivity was measured with a well-type gamma counter. All results were expressed as % Injected Dose (mean ± sem). Results: As indicaed in the table, thermal injury resulted in an approximately 2-fold increase in uptake of 123I-FIAU in BAT of burned compared with control animals (p Conclusions: Burn injury produced a significant elevation in BAT uptake of both 125I-FIAU and 99mTc Annexin-V, suggesting that both cell replication and apoptosis are increased in this condition.
Evaluation of Korean Text Entry Methods for Smartwatches

This paper presents results from a user study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of Korean text entry methods for smartwatches. Specifically, the study compares the four popular text entry methods for smartphones in the context of smartwatch use (three multi-tap 3x4 keypad methods and a QWERTY-like method). A distinctive feature of text entry in Korea is that traditionally different manufacturers have developed their own text entry methods starting with particular physical layouts on feature phones that are now available as soft keypads on smartphones. This research considers the next step in this progression by studying the viability of adopting these text entry methods on smartwatches. The results from the user study indicate that existing methods can be effective for text entry on smartwatches; analysis of the data offers suggestions for improving the effectiveness of the methods.
Nonlinear Response of Iceberg Side Melting to Ocean Currents

Icebergs calving into Greenlandic Fjords frequently experience strongly sheared flows over their draft, but the impact of this flow past the iceberg is not fully captured by existing parameterizations. We present a series of novel laboratory experiments to determine the dependence of submarine melting along iceberg sides on a background flow. We show, for the first time, that two distinct regimes of melting exist depending on the flow magnitude and consequent behaviour of melt plumes (side-attached or side-detached), with correspondingly different meltwater spreading characteristics. When this velocity dependence is included in melt parameterizations, melt rates estimated for observed icebergs in the attached regime increase, consistent with observed iceberg submarine melt rates. We show that both attached and detached plume regimes are relevant to icebergs observed in a Greenland fjord. Further, depending on the regime, iceberg meltwater may either be confined to a surface layer or distributed over the iceberg draft.
Strongyloides sp.: Strongyloides stercoralis (Bavay 1876) and Strongyloides fuelleborni (Von Linstow 1905)

Strongyloides stercoralis is an intestinal nematode found throughout the tropical and subtropical world. It is also present in certain temperate zones, including North America where it has been reported with a high frequency among Southeast Asian immigrants and in parts of Appalachia.1,3 Dogs and nonhuman primates can harbor Strongyloides, and there have been zoonotic outbreaks of this infection among animal handlers.2 S. stercoralis can exist in a nonparasitic, free-living state in the soil, so there are many potential sources of human infection with this pathogen.
The Loewner-FitzGerald Theorem

In this chapter we consider a function φ(x) in P(a, b) which corresponds to the Pick matrix K(x, y). As we have seen, K(x, y) is a positive matrix on (a, b) × (a, b) and indeed admits a sesqui-analytic continuation to a Bergman kernel function K(z, w) defined on D × D where D is the union of the interval (a, b) and the open upper and lower half-planes. The remarkable theorem which follows gives a necessary and sufficient condition for φ(z) to be univalent, that is to say, for that function to be a conformal mapping of D onto φ(D).
Quantifying I/O and Communication Traffic Interference on Dragonfly Networks Equipped with Burst Buffers

HPC systems have shifted to burst buffer storage and high radix interconnect topologies in order to meet the challenges of large-scale, data-intensive scientific computing. Both of these technologies have been studied in detail independently, but the interaction between them is not well understood. I/O traffic and communication traffic from concurrently scheduled applications may interfere with each other in unexpected ways, and this behavior may vary considerably depending on resource allocation, scheduling, and routing policies.In this work, we analyze I/O and network traffic interference on burst-buffer-equipped dragonfly-based systems using the high-resolution packet-level simulations provided by the CODES storage and interconnect simulation framework. The analysis is performed using realistic I/O workload sizes, a variety of resource allocation and network routing strategies employed in production environments, and a dragonfly network configuration modeled after current vendor options. We analyze the impact of interference on both I/O and communication traffic.We observe that although average network packet latency is stable across a wide variety of configurations, the maximum network packet latency in the presence of concurrent I/O traffic is highly sensitive to subtle policy changes. Our simulations reveal a worst-case single packet latency of 4,700 times the average latency for sub-optimal configurations. While a topology-aware mapping of compute nodes to burst buffer storage nodes can minimize the variation in maximum packet latency, it can slow down the I/O traffic by creating contention on the burst buffer nodes. Overall, balancing I/O and network performance requires careful selection of routing, data placement, and job placement policies.
A System on FPGA for Fast Handwritten Digit Recognition in Embedded Smart Cameras

This paper presents the first FPGA SoC implementation solution to the hand-written multi-digit numbers recognition problem. Our proposed solution employs a novel digit extraction method which relies on the identification of images' non-zeros columns instead of the widely used computationally-expensive segmentation method. Digit prediction is performed by a multi-layer neural network. The paper presents a design and an FPGA implementation of the proposed solution; and also discusses various optimization techniques in the neural network implementation that lead to increased performance. Our proposed solution achieves a 96.76% detection accuracy and up to 2.47x speed-up in comparison to software solutions.
Comparison of iatrogenic articular cartilage injury in canine stifle arthroscopy versus medial parapatellar mini-arthrotomy in a cadaveric model.

OBJECTIVE To assess iatrogenic articular cartilage injury (IACI) resulting from arthroscopy versus medial parapatellar mini-arthrotomy of the stifle. STUDY DESIGN Paired comparison of canine cadaver stifles treated with arthroscopy or mini-arthrotomy ANIMALS: Paired canine stifles from 14 cadavers (≥20 kg). METHODS Stifles (N = 28) were assigned to arthroscopy or arthrotomy. Full stifle joint exploration and meniscal probing were performed. Joints were disarticulated and India ink assay performed. IACI was defined as sharply delineated lesions with India ink uptake. Incidence, number, and lesion area in defects articular cartilage, incision length, surgery duration, and joint structures visualized were recorded. RESULTS Arthroscopy resulted in greater IACI than mini-arthrotomy, including incidence of IACI (arthroscopy: 13 stifles, mini-arthrotomy: 4 stifles; P = .009), number of IACI per stifle (arthroscopy: 3.4 ± 2.90, mini-arthrotomy: 0.9 ± 1.96; P = .04), and IACI area (arthroscopy: 5.9 ± 7.58 mm2 , mini-arthrotomy: 1.7 ± 4.50 mm2 ; P = .003). Incision length was shorter with arthroscopy (1.0 ± 0.38 cm) versus mini-arthrotomy (5.3 ± 0.61 cm; P < .0001). Surgical duration was not significantly different between groups (arthroscopy: 12.5 ± 3.49 minutes, mini-arthrotomy: 11.05 ± 1.60 minutes; P = .21). Visualization of articular structures was incomplete in 14/14 mini-arthrotomy stifles and 1/14 arthroscopy stifles (P < .001). CONCLUSION Incidence, number, and area of IACI were greater in the arthroscopy group versus the mini-arthrotomy group. Mini-arthrotomy resulted in a longer incision and incomplete joint visualization. Methods of preventing IACI and clinical significance of IACI warrant further investigation.
Peer-to-Peer Mentoring for African American Women With Lupus: A Feasibility Pilot.

OBJECTIVE To examine the feasibility and potential benefits of peer mentoring to improve the disease self-management and quality of life of individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS Peer mentors were trained and paired with up to 3 mentees to receive self-management education and support by telephone over 12 weeks. This study took place at an academic teaching hospital in Charleston, South Carolina. Seven quads consisting of 1 peer mentor and 3 mentees were matched, based on factors such as age, area of residence, and marital and work status. Mentee outcomes of self-management, health-related quality of life, and disease activity were measured using validated tools at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention. Descriptive statistics and effect sizes were calculated to determine clinically important (>0.3) changes from baseline. RESULTS Mentees showed trends toward lower disease activity (P = 0.004) and improved health-related quality of life, in the form of decreased anxiety (P = 0.018) and decreased depression (P = 0.057). Other improvements in health-related quality of life were observed with effect sizes >0.3, but did not reach statistical significance. In addition, both mentees and mentors gave very high scores for perceived treatment credibility and service delivery. CONCLUSION The intervention was well received. Training, the peer-mentoring program, and outcome measures were demonstrated to be feasible with modifications. This result provides preliminary support for the efficacy, acceptability, and perceived credibility of a peer-mentoring approach to improve disease self-management and health-related quality of life in African American women with SLE. Peer mentoring may augment current rheumatologic care.
Predicting student performance via NAEP secondary art analysis using partial least squares SEM

ABSTRACTThis article describes a secondary analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress 2008 eighth-grade visual arts data (N = 3,912). These assessments occur under government mandate on a periodic schedule and data on the arts were collected in 1997 and again in 2008. The purpose of this study was to predict students' visual art response performance using students' home environment, personal characteristics, in-school curriculum, and art-related not-for-school (extracurricular) activities. Formative measurement models and structural paths were modeled in structural equation modeling (SEM) using Smart PLS. The initial SEM model included four latent constructs and one endogenous variable measuring students' performance. Both direct and indirect effects between latent constructs were modeled and assessed. Altogether, the four latent constructs explained 21.3% of the variance students' responding performance, out of which home environment construct had the strongest impact. School-related art...