cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gaussian mixture model classifiers for small objects in images

Previous work has shown Gaussian mixture vector quantization (GMVQ) based classifiers to be effective in classifying image blocks, image regions and whole images. A significant attraction of GMVQ for whole image classification is that simple local features can be used, thereby avoiding time-consuming feature design and selection. Unfortunately, however, this approach does not work so well when the artifact of interest occupies a small area relative to the size of the image. We propose a simple weighting approach to focus the classifier's attention on the artifact blocks. This extends the usefulness of whole image GMVQ classification without compromising the simplicity of feature selection. The algorithm is motivated by difficulties in classifying pipeline images. Results on this dataset show the weighted GMVQ approach to be effective for classifying images with small artifacts of interest.
Salt-sensitive hypertension is associated with dysfunctional Cyp4a10 gene and kidney epithelial sodium channel

Functional and biochemical data have suggested a role for the cytochrome P450 arachidonate monooxygenases in the pathophysiology of hypertension, a leading cause of cardiovascular, cerebral, and renal morbidity and mortality. We show here that disruption of the murine cytochrome P450, family 4, subfamily a, polypeptide 10 (Cyp4a10) gene causes a type of hypertension that is, like most human hypertension, dietary salt sensitive. Cyp4a10-/- mice fed low-salt diets were normotensive but became hypertensive when fed normal or high-salt diets. Hypertensive Cyp4a10-/- mice had a dysfunctional kidney epithelial sodium channel and became normotensive when administered amiloride, a selective inhibitor of this sodium channel. These studies (a) establish a physiological role for the arachidonate monooxygenases in renal sodium reabsorption and blood pressure regulation, (b) demonstrate that a dysfunctional Cyp4a10 gene causes alterations in the gating activity of the kidney epithelial sodium channel, and (c) identify a conceptually novel approach for studies of the molecular basis of human hypertension. It is expected that these results could lead to new strategies for the early diagnosis and clinical management of this devastating disease.
Donor CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T cells are necessary for posttransplantation cyclophosphamide-mediated protection against GVHD in mice.

Posttransplantation cyclophosphamide (PTCy) is an effective prophylaxis against graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). However, it is unknown whether PTCy works singularly by eliminating alloreactive T cells via DNA alkylation or also by restoring the conventional (Tcon)/regulatory (Treg) T-cell balance. We studied the role of Tregs in PTCy-mediated GVHD prophylaxis in murine models of allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation (alloBMT). In 2 distinct MHC-matched alloBMT models, infusing Treg-depleted allografts abrogated the GVHD-prophylactic activity of PTCy. Using allografts in which Foxp3+ Tregs could be selectively depleted in vivo, either pre- or post-PTCy ablation of donor thymus–derived Tregs (tTregs) abolished PTCy protection against GVHD. PTCy treatment was associated with relative preservation of donor Tregs. Experiments using combinations of Foxp3– Tcons and Foxp3+ Tregs sorted from different Foxp3 reporter mice indicated that donor Treg persistence after PTCy treatment was predominantly caused by survival of functional tTregs that retained Treg-specific demethylation and also induction of peripherally derived Tregs. Finally, adoptive transfer of tTregs retrieved from PTCy-treated chimeras rescued PTCy-treated, Treg-depleted recipients from lethal GVHD. Our findings indicate that PTCy-mediated protection against GVHD is not singularly dependent on depletion of donor alloreactive T cells but also requires rapidly recovering donor Tregs to initiate and maintain alloimmune regulation.
Proapoptotic Gene Silencing Via Methylation in Human Tumors

Apoptosis, or programmed cell death (PCD), is an active process whereby individual cells, responding to internal and/or external stimuli, commit suicide. This process plays a crucial role in the normal life cycle of organisms, facilitating embryonic development, metamorphosis, cellular specialization; maintaining homeostasis (1,2). Apoptosis is characterized by a complex set of tightly controlled biochemical and molecular events leading to cell death, disassembly of various cellular components, and eventual engulfment of the resulting cellular debris (3,4). Inappropriate apoptosis has been associated with a variety of pathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative disorders, autoimmune phenomena, mitochondrial disorders, ischemic damage and cancer (5,6).
The cost of enzyme synthesis in the genetics of energy balance and physiological performance

The study of metabolism has traditionally focused upon factors that influence metabolic rate, at levels of both the metabolic pathway and the whole organism. This paper focuses on the cost, and thereby the efficiency, of metabolic processes. The genotype-dependent cost of enzyme turnover is proposed as a biochemical genetic mechanism for relating genetic variation at single genes to phenotypic variation in quantitative traits of energy metabolism. Decreased costs of maintenance metabolism can accompany artificial selection for increased production (e.g. growth, reproduction, etc.) and lower maintenance is correlated with multiple locus heterozygosity in outbred populations. In both cases, high production has been associated with lower rates of protein turnover. Several factors influence the ATP-equivalent cost of enzyme turnover. These factors are used to calculate the cost of turnover for a single enzyme. This cost can conservatively constitute up to several percent of the total daily mass-specific energy demands of maintenance metabolism. Genetic variants of an enzyme can differ in the cost of turnover. These differences can constitute the basis for metabolic changes associated with artificial selection for production and the metabolic differences that are associated with individual levels of heterozygosity. The metabolic and evolutionary significance of genotype-dependent turnover costs is a function of individual energy balance. The strength of selection against increases in cost will be an inverse function of individual energy balance and is therefore influenced by both environmental and genetic factors.
Proton MR Spectroscopy in Patients with Acute Temporal Lobe Seizures

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Decreases in N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) as seen by proton MR spectroscopy are found in hippocampal sclerosis, and elevated levels of lipids/lactate have been observed after electroconvulsive therapy. Our purpose was to determine whether increased levels of lipids/lactate are found in patients with acute seizures of hippocampal origin. METHODS: Seventeen patients with known temporal lobe epilepsy underwent proton MR spectroscopy of the mesial temporal lobes within 24 hours of their last seizure. Four of them were restudied when they were seizure-free. Five healthy individuals were used as control subjects. All MR spectroscopy studies were obtained using a single-voxel technique with TEs of 135 and 270. The relationship between the presence of lipids/lactate and seizures was tested using Fisher9s exact test. Mean and standard deviations for NAA/creatine (Cr) were obtained in the hippocampi in patients with seizures on initial and follow-up studies and these values were compared with those in the control subjects. RESULTS: Seizure lateralization was obtained in 15 patients. Of the 17 seizure locations that involved hippocampi, 16 showed lipids/lactate by proton MR spectroscopy. Of the 13 hippocampi not directly affected by seizures, 10 showed no lipids/lactate and three showed lipids/lactate. The relationship between lipids/lactate and seizure location was confirmed. A comparison of NAA/Cr ratios for the involved hippocampi with those in control subjects showed significant differences on initial MR spectroscopy; however, no significant difference was found between acute and follow-up NAA/Cr ratios in hippocampi affected by seizures. CONCLUSION: Lipids/lactate were present in the hippocampi of patients with acute seizures and decreased when the patients were seizure-free. Thus, lipids/lactate may be a sensitive marker for acute temporal lobe seizures.
Response to the Letter: “About a new method to measure fractional Ca2+ currents through ligand-gated ion channels”

In the February 2009 issue of the Journal of General Physiology, we published a paper in which we presented (among several other results) a novel, single-channel–based approach to estimating the fractional Ca2+ currents through neurotransmitter-gated ion channels (Elenes et al., 2009). We applied the method to a variety of mutant and wild-type muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) and to the NMDA receptor composed of NR1 and NR2A subunits, all heterologously expressed in HEK-293 cells. Our goal was to estimate the impact of a panel of naturally occurring mutations on the Ca2+-permeation properties of the AChR.
Regenerative medicine applications in combat casualty care

The purpose of this report is to describe regenerative medicine applications in the management of complex injuries sustained by service members injured in support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Improvements in body armor, resuscitative techniques and faster transport have translated into increased patient survivability and more complex wounds. Combat-related blast injuries have resulted in multiple extremity injuries, significant tissue loss and amputations. Due to the limited availability and morbidity associated with autologous tissue donor sites, the introduction of regenerative medicine has been critical in managing war extremity injuries with composite massive tissue loss. Through case reports and clinical images, this report reviews the application of regenerative medicine modalities employed to manage combat-related injuries. It illustrates that the novel use of hybrid reconstructions combining traditional and regenerative medicine approaches are an effective tool in managing wounds. Lessons ...
Has “Be Here Now” become “Me Here Now”?

Dickens’ (1859) famous phrase, “the best of times and the worst of times” seems to fit most any era. We continue to be a society marked by contradictory sociocultural patterns and trends. A recent ...
A task and problem focused approach to the development and regulation of drugs

This paper describes an approach by which the pharmaceutical industry and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can communicate and interact more effectively in the drug development process. An electronic system is proposed that with constant updating would organize data and other information by issues. These issues—tasks and problems—would be carefully expressed, only as can be justified by available data. Using a shared task and problem list and an electronic space in which communication is captured, developers and evaluators would interactively resolve these issues in a stepwise fashion. This approach encompasses aspects of information and project management. It would also support the evolution of good review practice and increase understanding of the drug evaluation process. This proposal is intended to improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and speed of drug review at FDA without adding any burden to drug developers.
Object oriented design of a power electronics circuit simulator

The features of object oriented programming (OOP) are explained and contrasted with the traditional procedural programming paradigm. Incorporating any or all of the OOP features of encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance results in faster, less error prone, code implementation which promotes code reuse with the further benefit of ease of maintainability. The basic functions of a power electronics circuit simulator are described. A class structure for the simulator is outlined. This class structure has been successfully implemented using the C++ language which supports OOP. Experience with this project has indicated that C++ shines in numerical applications in comparison with FORTRAN and C. >
Differential Geometric Inference in Surface Stereo

Many traditional two-view stereo algorithms explicitly or implicitly use the frontal parallel plane assumption when exploiting contextual information since, e.g., the smoothness prior biases toward constant disparity (depth) over a neighborhood. This introduces systematic errors to the matching process for slanted or curved surfaces. These errors are nonnegligible for detailed geometric modeling of natural objects such as a human face. We show how to use contextual information geometrically to avoid such errors. A differential geometric study of smooth surfaces allows contextual information to be encoded in Cartan's moving frame model over local quadratic approximations, providing a framework of geometric consistency for both depth and surface normals; the accuracy of our reconstructions argues for the sufficiency of the approximation. In effect, Cartan's model provides the additional constraint necessary to move beyond the frontal parallel plane assumption in stereo reconstruction. It also suggests how geometry can extend surfaces to account for unmatched points due to partial occlusion.
A Yahgan for the killing: murder, memory and Charles Darwin

In March 1742, British naval officer John Byron witnessed a murder on the western coast of South America. Both Charles Darwin and Robert FitzRoy seized upon Byron's story a century later, and it continues to play an important role in Darwin scholarship today. This essay investigates the veracity of the murder, its appropriation by various authors, and its false association with the Yahgan people encountered during the second voyage of the Beagle (1831–1836). Darwin's use of the story is examined in multiple contexts, focusing on his relationship with the history of European expansion and cross-cultural interaction and related assumptions about slavery and race. The continuing fascination with Byron's story highlights the key role of historical memory in the development and interpretation of evolutionary theory.
Development of a three-dimensional computational slag flow model for coal combustion and gasification

Abstract Slagging and fouling are important phenomena associated with ash handling and discharge in coal combustion and gasification. Slagging may have strong impact on the heat transfer characteristics in the reactor, and may cause reliability and safety concerns. A novel, fully three-dimensional slag model has been developed for modeling the slag flow characteristics including char/ash deposition and molten slag flow on the reactor wall. The model couples two multiphase flow models, i.e., the Volume of Fluid (VOF) model and the Discrete Phase Model (DPM), to describe the gas phase, slag phase, and solid particle phase in slagging coal combustion. The model is implemented in the form of User Defined Functions (UDFs) in a three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code, and applied for the simulation of slag flow in a full three-dimensional pilot scale coal slagging combustion facility. Including the particle dispersion model is necessary for accurate prediction of particle deposition rate near the wall. The simulation result shows that a thin molten slag layer up to 1–2 mm is built up on the refractory wall in about 5 h. The slag flows downward on the side wall, accumulates on the bottom and exits at the bottom end of the reactor, mainly driven by gravity. The average slag flow velocity is generally about 0.1 mm/s. Experimental result in the test facility was compared with the simulation results, and the simulation results on ash particle deposition, slag thickness and flow velocity agree qualitatively well with the experimental observations.
FINE-SCALE GENETIC STRUCTURE AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATION IN FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER

Abstract Social behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can have important management implications. The formation of matrilineal social groups among female deer has been documented and management strategies have been proposed based on this well-developed social structure. Using radiocollared (n = 17) and hunter or vehicle-killed (n = 21) does, we examined spatial and genetic structure in white-tailed deer on a 7,000-ha portion of the Savannah River Site in the upper Coastal Plain of South Carolina, USA. We used 14 microsatellite DNA loci to calculate pairwise relatedness among individual deer and to assign doe pairs to putative relationship categories. Linear distance and genetic relatedness were weakly correlated (r = −0.08, P = 0.058). Relationship categories differed in mean spatial distance, but only 60% of first-degree-related doe pairs (full sibling or mother–offspring pairs) and 38% of second-degree-related doe pairs (half sibling, grandmother–granddaughter pairs) were members of the...
Sclerosing Epithelioid Fibrosarcoma of the Cecum: A Radiation-Associated Tumor in a Previously Unreported Site

Data from the nuclear reactor explosion in Chernobyl and the atomic bomb detonations in Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrated an association between ionizing radiation and tumoriogenesis. There is a significant association between external beam radiation and radiation-induced sarcoma. Sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma is a rare form of malignant fibrosarcoma that is low grade and indolent with distinct immunohistopathologic characteristics that usually occurs in the soft tissues of the extremities. A 62-year-old man from Kiev who aided in the cleanup at Chernobyl presented with crampy abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. His workup revealed a cecal mass, and the final pathology from his laparotomy confirmed sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma with metastasis to the liver. In addition to a review of the literature, we report the first case of sclerosing epithelioid fibrosarcoma arising from the large bowel. Exposure to ionizing radiation from Chernobyl could have played a role in the development of his tumor.
A Model for Orographic Precipitation in the North-Central Great Basin

Abstract The orographic effect, measured as the ratio of mountain to valley precipitation at 72 pairs of stations in the north-central Great Basin, was tested against 29 relief, location and synoptic parameters. Parameters found significant were then subjected to stepwise multiple regression to develop equations explaining the spatial variation of precipitation for each calendar month, two synoptic seasons and the year. The monthly and seasonal equations explained 52–83% of spatial variance and the annual equation 65%. They showed that the ratio increased with station elevation difference and in winter with proximity to the Pacific Ocean; significant relationships also occurred with station pair orientation, and in summer with ocean direction and Pacific storm rainfall. Best results were obtained either for pairs with long-term records or those with both stations topographically close together. An equation using mean monthly Great Basin wind speed and Pacific storm rainfall explained 88% of the annual var...
Role of the Emp Pilus Subunits of Enterococcus faecium in Biofilm Formation, Adherence to Host Extracellular Matrix Components, and Experimental Infection

Enterococcus faecium is an important cause of hospital-associated infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), bacteremia, and infective endocarditis. Pili have been shown to play a role in the pathogenesis of Gram-positive bacteria, including E. faecium We previously demonstrated that a nonpiliated ΔempABC::cat derivative of E. faecium TX82 was attenuated in biofilm formation and in a UTI model. Here, we studied the contributions of the individual pilus subunits EmpA, EmpB, and EmpC to pilus architecture, biofilm formation, adherence to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and infection. We identified EmpA as the tip of the pili and found that deletion of empA reduced biofilm formation to the same level as deletion of the empABC operon, a phenotype that was restored by reconstituting in situ the empA gene. Deletion of empB also caused a reduction in biofilm, while EmpC was found to be dispensable. Significant reductions in adherence to fibrinogen and collagen type I were observed with deletion of empA and empB, while deletion of empC had no adherence defect. Furthermore, we showed that each deletion mutant was significantly attenuated in comparison to the isogenic parental strain, TX82, in a mixed-inoculum UTI model (P < 0.001 to 0.048), that reconstitution of empA restored virulence in the UTI model, and that deletion of empA also resulted in attenuation in an infective endocarditis model (P = 0.0088). Our results indicate that EmpA and EmpB, but not EmpC, contribute to biofilm and adherence to ECM proteins; however, all the Emp pilins are important for E. faecium to cause infection in the urinary tract.
TROPISMS IN THE MUSHROOM PSILOCYBE CUBENSIS

The growth of the mushroom Psilocybe cubensis was studied in a wind tunnel under controlled conditions of wind velocity, humidity, temperature, and light. The basidiocarp stipe grew into the wind up to the time of spore formation. When rotated with the long axis of the stipe perpendicular to the wind, fruitbodies grew upright. When spores began to be formed a negative geotropic curvature of the stipe occurred but no recurvation occurred in a sporeless mutant.
CasExpress reveals widespread and diverse patterns of cell survival of caspase-3 activation during development in vivo

Caspase-3 carries out the executioner phase of apoptosis, however under special circumstances, cells can survive its activity. To document systematically where and when cells survive caspase-3 activation in vivo, we designed a system, CasExpress, which drives fluorescent protein expression, transiently or permanently, in cells that survive caspase-3 activation in Drosophila. We discovered widespread survival of caspase-3 activity. Distinct spatial and temporal patterns emerged in different tissues. Some cells activated caspase-3 during their normal development in every cell and in every animal without evidence of apoptosis. In other tissues, such as the brain, expression was sporadic both temporally and spatially and overlapped with periods of apoptosis. In adults, reporter expression was evident in a large fraction of cells in most tissues of every animal; however the precise patterns varied. Inhibition of caspase activity in wing discs reduced wing size demonstrating functional significance. The implications of these patterns are discussed.
Vision-Based Recovery and Guidance for Small Unmanned Air Vehicles

Current methods to enable the automatic recovery of unmanned air vehicles require that additional equipment be installed on the aircraft. This equipment in many cases can be costly, large, or require substantial power limiting these methods to large vehicles. This paper describes a technique for using the existing video camera and transmitter typically found on small unmanned air vehicles as the source for additional guidance information to facilitate automatic recovery of these small vehicles on board ships. The techique couples information from the vehicle autopilot with machine vision to generate guidance commands which the vehicle will attempt to track. A description of the machine vision algorithm and target along with the guidance law is presented. Simulation examples show that the performance of the guidance system in presence of wind and other sensor errors is sufficient to enable recovery of these vehicles with accuracy within one wingspan of error.
Biologically Inspired Design: A New Paradigm for AI Research on Computational Sustainability?

Much AI research on computational sustainability has focused on monitoring, modeling, analysis, and optimization of existing systems and processes. In this article, we present another exciting and promising paradigm for AI research on computational sustainability that emphasizes design of new systems and processes, and, in particular, on biologically inspired design. We first characterize biologically inspired design, then examine its relationship with environmental sustainability, next present a computational model of the process of biologically inspired design, and finally describe a few computational systems for supporting biologically inspired design practice.
Do Teachers Need Structure or Freedom to Effectively Teach Urban Students? A Review of the Educational Debate

This article presents both sides of the debate as to whether urban teachers need structure or freedom, and then takes a stand on urban teaching in the current high-stakes assessment climate. First,...
The Ensminger Program 2010: The First School in Lleida, Spainand Other Activities in International Animal Agriculture

and Implications The Ensminger Program is an effort to improve and expand activities in international animal agriculture in the Department of Animal Science and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The program is funded by an endowment created by ME Ensminger and his wife. This program has several purposes and includes development of conferences in locations around the world, improving training and collaboration of foreign scientists and improved education and opportunities for Iowa State University undergraduates with interests in international animal agriculture. This year a very successful school was held in Lleida, Spain.
[Study on the effects of timely initiation and completion of hepatitis B vaccine on hepatitis B on virus prevention in Fujian, China].

乙型肝炎(乙肝)疫苗免疫是预防儿童HBV感染策略的重要组成部分.既往研究表明及时接种乙肝疫苗首针可有效降低儿童HBV感染风险,并促进儿童完成3剂次乙肝疫苗和其他疫苗系列接种[1,2].但福建省目前尚无乙肝疫苗首针接种时问和接种完成状况与预防HBV感染影响关系的报道,为此本研究利用2006年全国乙肝血清流行病学调查中福建省资料进行相关分析. 关键词：乙型肝炎疫苗;免疫时间;免疫效果
A serendipitous path to a famous inequality

The mysterious path of discovery – the tireless experimentation in search of patterns, the veiled connections that suddenly unfold, serendipity – all these elements combine to make mathematics so magical. The purpose of this note is to show how a routine algebraic identity, the binomial expansion of ( x - 1) 2 , can be used to give a new proof of the fundamental inequality between the arithmetic and geometric means. The proof will provide further evidence that a great deal of useful mathematics can be derived from the obvious assertion that the square of a real number is never negative.
Komplikationsprofile von Hinterkammerlinsen: Eine Analyse 586 faltbarer und 2.077 rigider (PMMA-)explantierter Intraokularlinsen

BACKGROUND Foldable intraocular lenses (IOL) have become increasingly preferred choice for IOL implantation after cataract removal. However, both foldable as well as rigid IOLs are not yet complication-free and may need explanation. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 2663 explanted posterior chamber IOLs (PCIOLs) were accessioned at the Center for Research on Ocular Therapeutics and Biodevices between January 1988 and September 2000. The lenses were examined grossly using a Leitz/Wild M-8-Zoom stereomicroscope. The clinical reasons for explanation were documented for foldable as well as for rigid lenses. RESULTS Of a total of 2663 explanted PCIOLs, 586 were foldable lenses and 2077 were rigid PMMA lenses The most frequent reason for explantation of all 2663 IOLs studied was decentration/dislocation. Optic and haptic damage and posterior capsule rupture were significantly more often a reason for explantation in several foldable designs compared to rigid PCIOLs. Whereas rigid designs lead more often to corneal decompensation. The percentage of explanted IOLs because of inflammatory reactions decreased significantly from 1994 to 2000. CONCLUSIONS The complication profiles of rigid and foldable IOLs revealed some apparent differences due to the nature of the IOL biomaterials and designs. IOL optic/haptic damage was a common complication for foldable IOLs, whereas it was only discovered in single digits for rigid PMMA IOLs. The possible explanation for this is, that the soft and flexible biomaterials, from which all the foldable IOLs were manufactured, are easier to be damaged during folding, unfolding and insertion procedure. In our opinion this relative disadvantage of foldable IOLs is by far outweighed by the numerous advantages of the small incision cataract surgery. The decreasing inflammatory reactions can be explained by advances in surgical techniques, especially the secure in-the-bag fixation of IOLs.
Re)constructing rurality through skilled trades training

ABSTRACTThere is a growing body of research interrogating the discursive construction of ‘rural’ in negative terms – as lacking, in decline or in crisis. This paper contributes to this body of literature by taking as its point of departure skilled trades training in Canada’s most easterly province, Newfoundland and Labrador. To meet the labour demand associated with industrial projects in rural and remote areas, the provincial government has invested in strategies to encourage youth to enrol in certified training programmes in the skilled trades. This paper examines the contradictory and incomplete ways in which individualized labour market subjects are produced through a combination of economic restructuring and government policy initiatives related to training and apprenticeships, and considers what this means for how young people think about and experience the rural. I argue that rural places are largely framed in economic terms, either as in decline and crisis or as industrial sites of resource extrac...
Temperature-dependent anisotropic charge-carrier mobility limited by ionized impurity scattering in thin-layer black phosphorus

Anisotropic charge-carrier transport in black phosphorus limited by ionized impurity scattering at finite temperature is explored theoretically. The anisotropic electronic structure enters the calculation for the polarizability (screening), the momentum relaxation time, and the mobility. For finite temperature, elastic scattering is not limited to the Fermi surface and the polarizability is temperature dependent. The impact of screening is investigated in detail with its dependence on carrier density and temperature. Competing with the thermal excitation effects, the temperature dependence of the polarizability is found to dominate for $Tl100$ K. As a result, the charge-carrier mobility slowly decreases with increasing temperature. The weak temperature dependence of the mobility and its anisotropy ratio of 1.9--3.2 agree with published experimental data.
Instrument Constituencies and the Advocacy Coalition Framework: an essay on the comparisons, opportunities, and intersections

The purpose of this essay is to analyze two theories. One is a relatively new approach called Instrument Constituencies. The other is an established approach called the Advocacy Coalition Framework...
Sedimentological Signatures of Riverine-Dominated Phases in Estuarine and Barrier Evolution Along an Embayed Coastline

Embayed coastlines with fluvial bedload contribution are found in many parts of the world. Due to limited longshore sediment transport, fluvial sediment supply, sea-level history and changes in accommodation space are the primary factors controlling the formation and evolution of a variety of coastal accumulation forms (Barnhardt et al., 1997; FitzGerald and van Heteren, 1999; FitzGerald et al., 2000; 2002; Storlazzi and Field, 2000; Ballantyne, 2002). However, few studies have addressed the sedimentological relationships between fluvial systems and associated barrier sequences at millennial time scales, particularly along formerly glaciated coasts (FitzGerald et al., 1994; Forbes and Syvitski, 1994; van Heteren, 1996; Barnhardt et al., 1995; 1997; Buynevich, 2001; Belknap et al., 2002). In areas where the geological record of an initial fluvial vs. inner shelf sediment contribution is ultimately related to a common fluvial source, it may be difficult to establish the link between sediment transport pathways and coastal depocenters. In addition, such records are often confined to the deeper parts of the barrier sequences and require extensive coring efforts. The mouth of the Kennebec River, Maine, USA, and the associated Holocene barrier systems of Popham and Seawall Beaches (Fig. 1) provide an ideal setting for evaluating the use of bulk sedimentological properties of recent fluvial-estuarine and nearshore sediments in barrier-stratigraphic research.
Flow of Water in Saturated Soil

I can fortell the way of celestial bodies, but can say nothing about the movement of a small drop of water.
Introduction to the Accra School: An Overview of Health, Poverty, and Place in Accra

Most of the future growth of population in the world is expected to take place in cities of developing countries. This fact alone provides a rationale for this volume, but there are also broad policy and programmatic reasons for our interest in the demography, health and well-being of urban centers in low income countries. Cities in developing countries are the power-houses of national economic growth, not least because they contain some of the most skilled, best educated and economically productive people in their respective countries. Despite these advantages, there are major threats to the future success of such cities, including those related to governance, provision of water, sanitation and housing, as well as the emergence of stark inequalities in income, wealth, and health. These issues offer challenges to our knowledge and understanding of the processes of urbanization and economic growth, provoking comparisons with the late nineteenth and early twentieth century transitions in health, mortality, fertility and economic activity in the industrializing cities of northwest Europe and North America. Today’s high income countries are struggling with the administration and financing of their modern welfare states, while leaders in low income countries are casting around for equitable solutions that produce full employment and rising incomes without leaving large sections of the population impoverished and resentful of the success of their neighbors.
Don't blame the stents*

Diabetes mellitus portends excessive adverse clinical outcomes for coronary artery disease (CAD) patients, including those undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) [(1–5)][1]. Causes for adverse outcomes in diabetic patients include more stent hyperplasia [(3)][2], smaller vessels,
A General Equilibrium Model

The appendix to this chapter (pages 75–78 below) contains a comprehensive presentation of two variants of a general equilibrium model based on the same fundamental utility and production functions (respectively equations 8 and 12)21. In the narrative account of the model contained within the body of the chapter, equations will not be sequentially numbered, but will rather be designated by their numbers within the chapter appendix. Equations for the capitalist variant are preceded by a “C”; corresponding equations for the pragmatic market socialist variant are preceded by an “S.” The basic general equilibrium model contains n skill levels of households, subscripted with an i, which in the empirical implementation are identified with ten income deciles of the United States population. Within each decile, all households are taken to be identical. Thus we may ordinarily envision each decile of the population as consisting of a single representative household. The wealthiest (highest productivity) decile is labeled “1,” while the poorest (lowest productivity) decile is labeled “10.”
Metallography in the Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope

The scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) is a combination of the conventional transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) that has revolutionized the amount of information that can be obtained from a thin-foil TEM specimen. Figure 11–1(a) shows the range of signals generated when a high-energy (usually ~ 100 kV) electron beam interacts with a thin-foil specimen. Although all of these signals are theoretically accessible in the STEM, visible light and absorbed and Auger electrons are rarely sought. In practice, detectors are used to pick up the remaining signals [see Fig. 11–1(b)], as described in appropriate sections of this chapter. It will be assumed that the reader is familiar with the conventional TEM and SEM and the information that is available about them. Several standard texts describing TEM and SEM techniques are available, for example, see References 1, 2, and 3.
Voice in Electronic Music: Handling Limitations in Stockhausen’s Gesang der Jünglinge and Lansky’s Six Fantasies

Electronic music, as any art form, has always presented composers with unique compositional obstacles. While composers can overcome many of these obstacles by simply becoming more proficient with the given tools, there are obstacles that result from circumstances unique to electronic media. Gesang der Junlinge (1956) by Karlheinz Stockhausen and Six Fantasies on a Poem of Thomas Campion (1979) by Paul Lansky, the respective composers deal with these limitations in different ways. A study of these two pieces will show that, despite being twenty-three technologically important years apart, the composers must still find effective artistic solutions to technical limitations. For each piece, this paper will discuss the impetus behind its creation, the materials and techniques employed, the limitations each composer faced and how they dealt with them, and the effectiveness of the results in the form of the piece.
WINNER PLAYS STRUCTURE IN RANDOM KNOCKOUT TOURNAMENTS

Suppose there are n players, with player i having value vi > 0, and suppose that a game between i and j is won by i with probability vi/(vi + vj). In the winner plays random knockout tournament, we suppose that the players are lined up in a random order; the first two play, and in each subsequent game the winner of the last game plays the next in line. Whoever wins the game involving the last player in line, is the tournament winner. We give bounds on players’ tournament win probabilities and make some conjectures. We also discuss how simulation can be efficiently employed to estimate the win probabilities.
“Something prety out of very little”: Graniteville Mill Village, 1848

In “Something prety out of very little”: Graniteville Mill Village, 1848 , Lisa Goff describes how Charleston entrepreneur William Gregg built Graniteville, South Carolina, to prove the viability of southern manufacturing, which he believed could help avert war between South and North, and to quell planters’ fears that industry would mar the beauty of the South. The village9s whitewashed Carpenter Gothic cottages, with matching hotel, school, and church designed by Richard Upjohn, were intended to instill virtues of hard work, clean living, and respect for authority in a white workforce drawn from surrounding farms. Gregg exercised a patriarch9s control over his industrial utopia, but the nicknames workers gave the place, and what they told visiting missionaries, show that they experienced Gregg9s Gothic hamlet on their own terms. An avid gardener and horticulturist active in the Episcopal Church, Gregg would have been aware of the claims to moral superiority associated with the Gothic Revival style. Goff9s analysis of letters, published articles, corporate reports, and advertisements in local newspapers reveals that Gregg9s strategies of social contol—adapted from his study of Robert Owen and David Dale—had sinister underpinnings: programmed for hard work at low wages by the “ethical” architecture and orderly “natural” landscape, a white, largely female workforce would insulate the Graniteville Mill from the effects of abolition, should it come.
Classifying Melanoma by TERT Promoter Mutational Status.

Although TERT promoter mutations have been associated with a worsened prognosis in melanoma, the relationship between mutation status and downstream telomerase activity and telomere length remains convoluted. Using Sanger sequencing and techniques based on quantitative reverse transcriptase in real time, we evaluated 60 melanoma cell lines for TERT promoter mutational status, copy number, gene expression, and telomere length to provide a comprehensive analysis of the TERT/telomere pathway and establish a classification system whereby the associations between TERT mutations and their downstream molecular manifestations can more easily be ascertained. Mutations at positions -124/125 and -146 were associated with the highest levels of TERT gene expression but had no appreciable impact on absolute telomere length. In contrast, the common variant rs2853669 (at position -245) was significantly associated with longer telomere length via a recessive model in our cohort (P = 0.003). Our results, which are from assays performed on purified melanoma cell lines, suggest that the TERT promoter harbors a more complex mutational landscape than previously thought. Furthermore, the failure of TERT promoter mutations to consistently correlate with TERT expression and telomere length suggests an alternative method whereby tumor cells escape the critical shortening of telomeres.
Nursing Surveillance for Deterioration in Pediatric Patients: An Integrative Review.

Abstract Problem Adverse events occur in up to 19% of pediatric hospitalized patients, often associated with delays in recognition or treatment. While early detection is recognized as a primary determinant of recovery from deterioration, most research has focused on profiling patient risk and testing interventions, and less on factors that impact surveillance efficacy. This integrative review explored actions and factors that influence the quality of pediatric nursing surveillance. Eligibility criteria Original research on nursing surveillance, escalation of care, or cardiopulmonary deterioration in hospitalized pediatric patients in non-critical environments, published in English in peer reviewed journals. Sample Twenty-four studies from a literature search within the databases of CINAHL, PubMed, and Web of Science were evaluated and synthesized using a socio-technical systems theory framework. Study quality was assessed using The Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Results Assessment, documentation, decision-making, intervening and communicating were identified as activities associated with surveillance of deterioration. Factors that influenced nurses' detection of deterioration were patient acuity, nurse education, experience, expertise and confidence, staffing, standardized assessment and communication tools, availability of emergency services, team composition and opportunities for multidisciplinary care planning. Conclusions Research provides insight into some aspects of nursing surveillance but does not adequately explore factors that affect clinical data interpretation and synthesis, and role integration between nurse and parents, and nurse and other clinicians on surveillance of clinical stability. Implications Research is needed to enhance understanding of the contextual factors that impact nursing surveillance to inform intervention design to support nurses' timely recognition and mitigation of clinical deterioration.
Substrate sensing institutes sequential and asymmetric electron transfer in the nitrogenase-like DPOR Complex

Dark-operative protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase (DPOR) catalyzes the reduction of protochlorophyllide (Pchlide) to chlorophyllide (Chlide), a key penultimate step in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophyll. DPOR shares structural homology with nitrogenase and is made of electron donor (BchL) and electron acceptor (BchNB) component proteins. ATP driven assembly of the BchL and BchNB proteins drives electron transfer and Pchlide reduction. BchNB is composed of two subunits each of BchN and BchB arranged as an a2b2 heterotetramer. Here, we describe extensive allosteric communication between the two identical active sites in BchNB that drives sequential and asymmetric electron transfer. Pchlide binding and electron transfer activities in one half of the BchNB tetramer allosterically regulates activities in the other half. Pchlide binding is sensed and recognized in trans by an Asp274 from the opposing half and is positioned in the active site to likely serve as the initial proton donor. An Asp274 to Ala substituted DPOR binds to two Pchlide molecules in the BchNB complex but is unable to conformationally poise one Pchlide molecule; thus stalling Pchlide reduction in both active sites. The [4Fe-4S] cluster of the BchNB protein is pre-reduced and donates the first electron to Pchlide, a mechanism similar to the deficit-spending model observed in nitrogenase. In half-reactive DPOR complexes, incapacitating proton donation in one half generates a stalled intermediate and Pchlide reduction in both halves is abolished. The results showcase long-range allosteric communication and sequential ET in the two symmetric halves. The findings shed light on the functional advantages imparted by the oligomeric architecture found in many electron transfer enzymes.
Indigenous Nature Connection: A 3-Week Intervention Increased Ecological Attachment

Humanity as a species has spent most of its existence moving with instead of against nature as found among Indigenous or First Nation communities traditionally. Yet most members of modern societies...
Clobazam intoxication due to cannabidiol consumption

Abstract A case involving very high levels of clobazam and its active metabolite N-desmethylclobazam is described. The patient presented with drowsiness and increased somnolence. An increase in clobazam and its metabolite was attributed to the coadministration of cannabidiol, which is known to inhibit CYP3A4 and CYP2C19. These enzymes are involved in the metabolism of clobazam.
Development and in vivo Assessment of a Rapidly Collapsible Anastomotic Guide for Use in Anastomosis of the Small Intestine: A Pilot Study Using a Swine Model.

Various conditions in human and veterinary medicine require intestinal resection and anastomosis, and complications from these procedures are frequent. A rapidly degradable anastomotic guide was developed for small intestinal end-to-end anastomosis and was investigated in order to assess its utility to improve the anastomotic process and to potentially reduce complication rates. A complex manufacturing method for building a polymeric device was established utilizing biocompatible and biodegradable polyvinylpyrrolidone and polyurethane. This combination of polymers would result in rapid degradation of the material. The guide was designed as a hollow cylinder composed of overlaying shingles that separate following exposure to moisture. An in vivo study was performed using commercial pigs, with each pig receiving one standard handsewn anastomosis and one guide-facilitated anastomosis. Pigs were sacrificed after thirteen days, at which time burst pressure, maximum luminal diameter, and presence of adhesions were assessed. Burst pressures were not statistically different between treatment groups, but in vivo anastomoses performed with the guide withstood 10% greater luminal burst pressure and maintained 17% larger luminal diameter than those performed using the standard handsewn technique alone. Surgeons commented that the addition of a guide eased the performance of the anastomosis. Hence, a rapidly degradable anastomotic guide may be beneficial to the performance of intestinal anastomosis.
Slippage: Bones, intentions, and the construction of memorial meaning:

Scholarly and policy debates concerning the contributions of memory to political transitions often examine whether memorials contribute to democratic practices, reinforce partisan divides, or depen...
Patient-Reported Outcomes and Experiences with Population Genetic Testing Offered Through a Primary Care Network.

Aims: To explore patient experiences in a large-scale primary care-based, preemptive genetic testing program. Methods: Patients who received genetic results from the initiative were invited to part...