cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arabidopsis MSL10 has a regulated cell death signaling activity that is separable from its mechanosensitive ion channel activity

Members of the MscS superfamily of mechanosensitive ion channels function as osmotic safety valves, releasing osmolytes under increased membrane tension. MscS homologs exhibit diverse topology and domain structure, and it has been proposed that the more complex members of the family might have novel regulatory mechanisms or molecular functions. Here, we present a study of MscS-Like (MSL)10 from Arabidopsis thaliana that supports these ideas. High-level expression of MSL10-GFP in Arabidopsis induced small stature, hydrogen peroxide accumulation, ectopic cell death, and reactive oxygen species- and cell death-associated gene expression. Phosphomimetic mutations in the MSL10 N-terminal domain prevented these phenotypes. The phosphorylation state of MSL10 also regulated its ability to induce cell death when transiently expressed in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves but did not affect subcellular localization, assembly, or channel behavior. Finally, the N-terminal domain of MSL10 was sufficient to induce cell death in tobacco, independent of phosphorylation state. We conclude that the plant-specific N-terminal domain of MSL10 is capable of inducing cell death, this activity is regulated by phosphorylation, and MSL10 has two separable activities—one as an ion channel and one as an inducer of cell death. These findings further our understanding of the evolution and significance of mechanosensitive ion channels.
Vector spaces for historical linguistics: Using distributional semantics to study syntactic productivity in diachrony

This paper describes an application of distributional semantics to the study of syntactic productivity in diachrony, i.e., the property of grammatical constructions to attract new lexical items over time. By providing an empirical measure of semantic similarity between words derived from lexical co-occurrences, distributional semantics not only reliably captures how the verbs in the distribution of a construction are related, but also enables the use of visualization techniques and statistical modeling to analyze the semantic development of a construction over time and identify the semantic determinants of syntactic productivity in naturally occurring data.
Prenatal Influences and Endothelial Dysfunction A Link Between Reduced Placental Perfusion and Preeclampsia

Hypertension during pregnancy when associated with new-onset proteinuria is termed “preeclampsia.”1,2 Preeclampsia is thought to initiate with improper remodeling of the uterine spiral arteries leading to reduced placental/fetal perfusion and subsequent extensive dysfunction of the maternal vascular endothelium.1,2 Reduced placental perfusion, however, may not always result in preeclampsia.1 Additionally, reduced placental perfusion may not necessarily reflect an imbalance between nutrient delivery and the metabolic needs of the fetus. Nonetheless, based on the fact that low placental perfusion is not always associated with preeclampsia, Roberts and Gammill1 proposed that the maternal response to reduced placental perfusion requires interaction with pre-existing maternal factors. Maternal factors that may contribute to increased maternal susceptibility to reduced placental perfusion and development of preeclampsia or hypertensive disorders of pregnancy include genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.1 Numerous studies indicate that a genetic component may contribute to increased risk for preeclampsia and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.1,3,4 Women and men born to a woman with preeclampsia are at greater risk for developing, or fathering, a preeclamptic pregnancy, suggesting transmission of a fetal gene for increased susceptibility to preeclampsia.3,4 However, this susceptibility is greater in women than in men, suggesting passage of maternal susceptibility …
Se servir des conversations en ligne pour étudier le bouche-à-oreille:

Les managers s'interessent beaucoup au phenomene du bouche-a-oreille car ils pensent que le succes d'un produit est lie au bouche-a-oreille qu'il genere. Cependant, l'etude de ce phenomene se heurt...
Short-term soil carbon dynamics of humic fractions in low-input and organic cropping systems

Observing changes in soil organic matter (SOM) is a fundamental part of defining the carbon cycle in natural and cultivated environments. However, relying on changes in the mass of soil C over short periods often produces conflicting results because of errors associated with sampling and analysis. In addition, C mass balance studies provide little interpretation of processes or turnover of specific C fractions. In the following study, we used C isotope and chemical separation of soil organic C to observe short-term soil C dynamics. With corn as the source of tracer C in two cover crop-based agricultural systems, natural abundance 13C measurements were used to identify changes in soil humic fractions (humic acid, fulvic acid, and humin) during two seasons under organic or low-input management treatments. All three fractions showed significant accumulation or turnover of C, with the fulvic acid fraction showing the most frequent but the smallest changes. The fulvic acid fraction showed a 5–9% turnover of C compared to 16% C turnover in the humic acid fraction. The stable soil C fraction defined as humin also exhibited an 8% turnover of C. The different humic fractions were affected at different times in the two treatments, supporting the idea that individual humic fractions may have different roles in C cycling depending on inputs and seasonal conditions.
Release of Adenosine by the Normal Myocardium in Dogs and Its Relationship to the Regulation of Coronary Resistance

The evidence supporting the hypothesis that adenosine is the mediator of metabolic regulation of coronary blood flow was obtained from experiments characterized by myocardial hypoxia. If adenosine serves the role of physiological regulator of coronary blood flow, it must also be released by the normal heart. Experiments designed to study this question were performed on 15 open-chest dogs in which adenosine was sought in perfusates of the epicardial surface of the well-oxygenated heart. The pericardial space was perfused with warm (37°C) Tyrode's or Krebs-Henseleit solutions (400 to 1200 ml over 1 to 3 hours), and the perfusates were analyzed for adenosine. With a normal myocardial oxygen supply, adenosine was present in the perfusates in a concentration of 3.1 ± 0.5 x 10>-8M. Partial asphyxia, induced by reducing pulmonary ventilation, significantly (P ≤ 0.02) increased the adenosine concentration of the perfusates to 5.4 ± 0.8 x 10-8M. In four dogs the normal pericardial fluid was found to contain adenos...
Water partitioning and intake prediction in dry and lactating Holstein cows

Data from four energy and N balance trials with lactating Holstein cows (n = 329) and one trial with dry cows (n = 60) were used to predict free water intake and water-related traits. Lactating cows were between 36 and 159 DIM and, individually, were allowed ad libitum water and forage (corn silage without or with wilted haycrop silage) plus concentrates; dry cows accessed ad libitum water and single forages (grass, clover, or alfalfa, as hays or as wilted silages, or corn silage) varying in maturity. Intake of DM per day and dietary DM percentage were significant and positively related predictors of free water intake in dry and lactating cows. Daily milk yield (range 16 to 52 kg/d) was related linearly to water consumption (.60 L/kg of milk), and season effect in lactating cows was curvilinear; peak water intake was in late June and nadir in late December. Ration CP percentage (DM basis) affected free water intake only in dry cows; 1 unit of increase resulted in an increase of about 1 kg/d in water intake between 12 and 13% CP. As ration moisture dropped from 70 to 40%, free water intake increased about 7 L/d in dry cows, but this was accompanied by a drop of 15 L/d in total water intake (free plus feed water). Free water intakes were predicted with R2 of .64 and .69 in dry and lactating Holstein cows, respectively. Fecal water and urine outputs also were predicted. We found no significant relationship between DM content of the diet and the resulting ad libitum intake in either dry or lactating cows.
Dynamic Adjustment in US Agriculture under Climate Change

We construct a stochastic dynamic dual model to investigate the structural adjustment of two aggregate output and three aggregate input categories in US agriculture under stochastic climatic change. More than a century of national annual data (1910–2011) is used in the empirical analysis. No constraints on asset fixity are imposed. Results indicate that, with rational expectations, both output categories as well as all input categories exhibit quasi-fixity in response to market change and stochastic climate change. Crops adjust more than twice as fast as livestock—49% versus 20% of the way toward their long-run equilibrium in one year. Fertilizer adjusts most rapidly toward equilibrium levels (88% in one year), and capital adjusts most slowly (5% in one year). Labor oscillates rather than converging smoothly toward equilibrium; its distance from equilibrium is the same as if it adjusted 59% of the way toward its optimal level in one year. Failing to anticipate climate change dramatically slows the estimated rate of adjustment for two netputs and modestly speeds the rate for two others, thus likely increasing overall adjustment costs. Failing to account for uncertainty in anticipated climate change has little impact on adjustment rates.
Effect of novel patient interaction on students’ performance of pregnancy options counseling

Background : Although options counseling is a fundamental skill for medical providers, previous research has identified gaps in medical school reproductive health education. Purpose : To determine if a 1-h novel patient interaction (NPI) improves student performance when caring for a standardized patient with an unintended pregnancy. Methods : From September 2012 to June 2013 we randomized third-year medical students at the University of Colorado School of Medicine to the standard curriculum plus an NPI, or the standard curriculum only. The NPI consisted of a 1-h small-group session with a patient who discussed her experiences with options counseling and her decision to terminate her pregnancy. Students completed an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) at the rotation’s end, which included options counseling. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants achieving ‘excellence’ on the OSCE checklist. ‘Excellence’ was defined as a score ≥90%. Examinations were flagged as ‘unsatisfactory encounters’ if core competencies were not addressed. OSCE standardized patients and evaluators were blinded to group assignment. Results : In total, 135 students were eligible and randomized: 75 to NPI; 60 to control. During the OSCE, few students achieved ‘excellence’ (24% NPI vs. 28% control, p =0.57). There were no differences between scores for components of options counseling. More students in the control group ‘appeared somewhat uncomfortable’ delivering the pregnancy test results (5% NPI vs. 18% control, p =0.006). More than half (54%) of the intervention group and 67% of controls had ‘unsatisfactory encounters’ ( p =0.16), almost exclusively due to omission of adoption. Most students addressed abortion (96% NPI vs. 92% control, p =0.29). Conclusions : A 1-h NPI does not improve medical students’ performance of pregnancy options counseling and the option of adoption is routinely omitted. Adoption is clearly an area that needs greater attention when designing comprehensive reproductive health curriculum for medical students. Keywords: options counseling; OSCE; abortion (Published: 9 December 2015) Citation: Med Educ Online 2015, 20: 29401 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/meo.v20.29401
Who wants a left ventricular assist device for ambulatory heart failure? Early insights from the MEDAMACS screening pilot

Who wants a left ventricular assist device for ambulatory heart failure? Early insights from the MEDAMACS screening pilot Garrick C. Stewart, MD, MPH, Michelle M. Kittleson, MD, PhD, Jennifer A. Cowger, MD, Frances L. Johnson, MD, Chetan B. Patel, MD, Maria M. Mountis, DO, Parag C. Patel, MD, J. Eduardo Rame, MD, Jeffrey Testani, MD, Maya E. Guglin, MD, Jeffrey J. Teuteberg, MD, and Lynne W. Stevenson, MD From the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California; Cardiovascular Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Division of Cardiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa; Division of Cardiology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina; Division of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio; Division of Cardiology, University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas; Heart and Vascular Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Division of Cardiology, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida; and the Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Alpha-transfer reactions in light nuclei. 3. (Li-7, t) stripping reaction

The $^{12}\mathrm{C}(^{7}\mathrm{Li},t)^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{16}\mathrm{O}(^{7}\mathrm{Li},t)^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ reactions have been studied at a beam energy of 38 MeV. At this energy these reactions exhibit a high selectivity for populating \ensuremath{\alpha}-particle cluster states. The angular distributions for these states have been analyzed using an exact-finite-range coupled-channels Born-approximation code incorporating final-state cluster wave functions derived from an \ensuremath{\alpha}-core folded potential. The resulting $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-particle spectroscopic factors (${S}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}$) for the ${0}^{+}$, ${2}^{+}$, and ${4}^{+}$ members of the $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}$ ground state band are in good agreement with cluster model predictions. For the 7.12-MeV (${1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) state in $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, the spectroscopic factor (${S}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}\ensuremath{\approx}0.20$) is consistent with other analyses but is uncertain by a factor of 2 due to the presence of significant compound-nuclear contributions to this transition. In general, for those states which are not selectively populated at forward angles the measured angular distributions are well described by a Hauser-Feshbach calculation. In particular it is shown that both the magnitude and shape of the angular distributions for the 11.10-MeV (${4}^{+}$) state populated in the $^{12}\mathrm{C}(^{6}\mathrm{Li},d)^{16}\mathrm{O}$ and $^{12}\mathrm{C}(^{7}\mathrm{Li},t)^{16}\mathrm{O}$ reactions can be well accounted for in terms of statistical compound-nuclear contributions. The elastic scattering of $^{7}\mathrm{Li}$ ions from several light targets has also been studied and optical-model potentials derived.NUCLEAR REACTIONS $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, $^{16}\mathrm{O}$, $^{20}\mathrm{Ne}(^{7}\mathrm{Li},t)$, $E(^{7}\mathrm{Li})=38$ MeV, measured $\ensuremath{\sigma}(E,\ensuremath{\theta})$, Hauser-Feshbach and finite-range CCBA analysis, spectroscopic factors.
Political Parties, Party Systems and Economic Reform: Testing Hypotheses against Evidence from Postcommunist Countries

Numerous scholars whose research focuses on the developed OECD countries, as well as the democratizing states of Latin America and East Asia, have attempted to answer the question “How do institutional structures affect political and economic performance in free-market, democratic societies?” These inquiries have yielded a rich and useful body of literature. By contrast, surprisingly few scholars have produced useful comparisons of political institutions and regime performance in postcommunist countries. Studies comparing postcommunist institutional performance usually suffer from an inadequate empirical treatment of cases. When studies are empirically rich and accurate, they tend to focus on a single case, and thus lack the insight of comparison. Testing hypotheses from the literature on political institutions and the political economy of democratic transitions against recent evidence from postcommunist cases allows us to gauge variations in the institutional correlates of reform in democratic systems in different regions at different levels of development. Analysis of evidence from postcommunist dual transitions, specifically from Poland and the Czech Republic, also forces us to consider the possibility that variables and causal patterns driving outcomes in one group of cases may be systematically different than variables and causal patterns in another. Sociologický casopis/Czech Sociological Review, 2002, Vol. 38, No. 3: 277-295
Experimental Investigation of Solid Particle Erosion in S-Bend

Solid particle erosion is a micromechanical process that removes material from the surface. Erosion is a leading cause of failure in fluid handling equipment such as pumps and pipes. An investigation was conducted using an S-bend geometry with 12.7 mm inside diameter, r/D ratio of 1.5 with three different air velocities and two different particle sizes. This paper presents the preliminary results of an investigation to determine the location of erosion for a wide range of conditions. The experimental results showed the location of maximum erosion at 29–42 deg from the inlet at 45.72 m/s air velocity with 300 μm particle sizes.
Retirement Accounts and Wealth, 2001

The two main savings vehicles designed for accumulating assets for retirement are individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and employment-based retirement savings plans such as 401(k) plans. This paper examines the ownership of IRAs (in aggregate, but not by type) and 401(k)-type plans by Americans age 21 or older, as well as the average balances in these plans. The paper also investigates the number of years that owners of these plans have contributed to them, as continuing to contribute to these plans is key to building assets within them. Although IRAs and 401(k)-type plans are designed for accumulating assets for retirement, not all Americans have access to 401(k)-type plans or use either of these plans to save. Therefore, this paper also examines the wealth of American households that both do and do not own IRAs or 401(k)-type plans in order to provide an indication of the asset levels that these households have or may have available to use in retirement and the potential effect of plan ownership on overall wealth. While there has been much discussion in policy circles about the necessity for individuals to save for retirement, only a minority of the adult population owns at least one of the two main savings vehicles designed for this purpose. The PDF for the above title, published in the May 2004 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another May 2004 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: "Medicare Program Takes On More Income-Related Features."
Melanin A Natural Reversible Oxidation-Reduction System and Indicator

The phenol-indophenol dyes induce a pallor in amphibian larvae12 by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase.3 During experiments, the results of which indicate that the enzyme tyrosinase is regulated by ox...
Studies on the bacterial flora of Hippelates pusio (Diptera: Chloropidae).

Eye gnats of the genus Hippelates are found from the southeastern United States to central Texas and California. Hippelates collusor is the dominant species from Texas to California (Dawson, 1960, Amer. J. aphthal . 49 : 801–08), while Hippelates pusio is most common in Georgia and the southeastern United States (Bengston, 1933, Pub. Hlth Rept 48 : 917–26). Since the prevalence of H. pusio coincides with the seasonal incidence of severe acute conjunctivitis in young children, this insect has been implicated in the transmission of the bacterium, Haemophilus aegyptius , commonly associated with the disease (Davis & Pittman, 1950, Amer. J. Dis. Child 79 : 211–22; Dow & Hines, 1957, Pub. Hlth Rept 72 : 441–48). Because of this association, the aerobic and microaerophilic bacterial flora of H. pusio was studied to determine if H. aegyptius was present.
The anticoagulant effect of bacterial polysaccharides in normal and thrombocytopenic plasma of leukemia.

Bacterial polysaccharides from cultures of Friedlander’s bacillus and Serratia marcescens (Shear’s P-25) tend to prolong the coagulation time of diluted plasma in vitro. This activity appears to be parallel to, but limited with respect to, that of heparin. The anticoagulant effect of bacterial polysaccharide as well as that of heparin is likely to be enhanced in thrombocytopenic plasma of children with acute leukemia.
Inhibition of electron and energy transfer in mitochondria. IV. Inhibition of energy-linked diphosphopyridine nucleotide reduction by uncoupling agents.

Conventional determinations of the effect of uncoupling agents on osidative phosphorylation have usually been obtained in terms of the diminution of the P :0 ratio’ (l-3). When tightly coupled preparations are used, it is possible to determine the effect of the uncoupling agent in terms of the diminution of the respiratory control ratio (4-6). With spectroscopic methods, it is similarly possible to titrate the steady state oxidation-reduction level of the respiratory carriers with the uncoupling agent; cytochrome b and reduced pyridine nucleotide are particularly easy to measure (7-9). Similarly, a low concentration of azide allows a titration of cytochrome a or c with the uncoupling agent (8-10). All such methods measure the effect of the uncoupling agent on the steady state values of the P:O ratio, the respiratory control ratio, or the oxidation-reduction level of the respiratory pigments. There are two similar equations for the reduction of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotide in an energy-linked reaction in the presence of succinate (11). EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
EDV-Dokumentation in Augsburg

Die EDV in der Gefaschirurgischen Klinik Augsburg beruht auf der relationalen Datenbank-Software Dataease. Nachdem eine von S. Gupta, New York entwickelte Eingabeform sich als zu umfangreich erwies, wurden kleinere, operationsbe-zogene Masken erstellt, die sich bewahrt haben. Fur eine umfassende Datenverarbeitung sind jedoch Voraussetzungen wie Netzwerkbetrieb, on line Ein- und Ausgabe und Personalschulung erforderlich. Ziel ist neben der medizinischen Auswertung und Qualitatskontrolle die Bewaltigung samtlicher anfallender Klinikroutinen.
Proteolysis by Granzyme B Enhances Presentation of Autoantigenic Peptidylarginine Deiminase 4 Epitopes in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Proteolysis of autoantigens can alter normal MHC class II antigen processing and has been implicated in the induction of autoimmune diseases. Many autoantigens are substrates for the protease granzyme B (GrB), but the mechanistic significance of this association is unknown. Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) is a frequent target of autoantibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a substrate for GrB. RA is strongly associated with specific MHC class II alleles, and elevated levels of GrB and PAD4 are found in the joints of RA patients, suggesting that GrB may alter the presentation of PAD4 by RA-associated class II alleles. In this study, complementary proteomic and immunologic approaches were utilized to define the effects of GrB cleavage on the structure, processing, and immunogenicity of PAD4. Hydrogen–deuterium exchange and a cell-free MHC class II antigen processing system revealed that proteolysis of PAD4 by GrB induced discrete structural changes in PAD4 that promoted enhanced present...
Passive vision: The global webcam imaging network

The web has an enormous collection of live cameras that image parks, roads, cities, beaches, mountains, buildings, parking lots. There are a wide variety of problems that could effectively use this massively distributed, scalable, and already existing camera network. To move towards this goal, this paper discusses ongoing research with the AMOS (Archive of Many Outdoor Scenes) database, which includes images from 1000 cameras captured every half hour over the last 3 years. In particular, we offer (1) algorithms for geo-locating and calibrating these cameras just from image data, (2) a set of tools to annotate parts of the scene in view (e.g. ground plane, roads, sky, trees), and (3) advances in algorithms to automatically infer weather information (e.g. wind-speed, vapor pressure) from image data alone.
A Monte Carlo evaluation of weighted community detection algorithms

The past decade has been marked with a proliferation of community detection algorithms that aim to organize nodes (e.g., individuals, brain regions, variables) into modular structures that indicate subgroups, clusters, or communities. Motivated by the emergence of big data across many fields of inquiry, these methodological developments have primarily focused on the detection of communities of nodes from matrices that are very large. However, it remains unknown if the algorithms can reliably detect communities in smaller graph sizes (i.e., 1000 nodes and fewer) which are commonly used in brain research. More importantly, these algorithms have predominantly been tested only on binary or sparse count matrices and it remains unclear the degree to which the algorithms can recover community structure for different types of matrices, such as the often used cross-correlation matrices representing functional connectivity across predefined brain regions. Of the publicly available approaches for weighted graphs that can detect communities in graphs sizes of at least 1000, prior research has demonstrated that Newman’s spectral approach (i.e., Leading Eigenvalue), Walktrap, Fast Modularity, the Louvain method (i.e., multilevel community method), Label Propagation, and Infomap all recover communities exceptionally well in certain circumstances. The purpose of the present Monte Carlo simulation study is to test these methods across a large number of conditions, including varied graph sizes and types of matrix (sparse count, correlation, and reflected Euclidean distance), to identify which algorithm is optimal for specific types of data matrices. The results indicate that when the data are in the form of sparse count networks (such as those seen in diffusion tensor imaging), Label Propagation and Walktrap surfaced as the most reliable methods for community detection. For dense, weighted networks such as correlation matrices capturing functional connectivity, Walktrap consistently outperformed the other approaches for recovering communities.
Natural History and Prognosis of Localized Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors in the Pre- and Post-imatinib Eras

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), historically misclassified as leiomyomas, leiomyosarcomas, or schwannomas, are the most common mesenchymal neoplasms found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The cornerstone in the treatment of GISTs has always been surgical resection, yet historically this has been associated with suboptimal overall survival and recurrence rates [1, 2]. However, there was a major breakthrough in 1998 when it was discovered that GISTs arise from the interstitial cell of Cajal and are molecularly characterized principally by mutations in the c-KIT and PDGFRA genes [3]. Since then, multiple clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of imatinib mesylate, an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), as a treatment modality for GIST with excellent results [2, 4–7]. Today, imatinib plays a critical role in both the neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment of GISTs, and in addition to other TKIs such as sunitinib and regorafenib, these drugs have fundamentally altered the natural history of both localized and metastatic GIST. Given that TKI therapy is costly and is associated with long-term adverse effects, it is critical to understand the natural history of localized GISTs as well as the prognostic factors for recurrence in order to identify those patients who would benefit most from TKI therapy. In this chapter, we review the natural history and prognosis of localized GISTs before the introduction of imatinib, the landmark trials demonstrating its efficacy, and the improved prognosis of localized GISTs after the introduction of imatinib.
'We rise by lifting others': peer support and professional development for women in academic medicine.

Mentors have been defined as ‘influential people who help you reach major life goals’ [1]. Although each mentor–protege relationship is individualised, generally a mentoring relationship is ‘enabli...
Social Epidemiology of Nutritional Burden Among Children and Adolescents in India

The increasing burdens of overweight and obesity in India, and their associated health consequences, have been receiving substantial attention (Bharati et al. 2007; Deepa et al. 2009; Gopalan 2001; Gopinath et al. 1994; Griffiths and Bentley 2001; Gupta et al. 2006a; Laxmaiah et al. 2007; Misra 2002; Misra et al. 2006b; Pednekar et al. 2008; Reddy et al. 2002; Sauvaget et al. 2008; Singh and Sharma 2005; Singh et al. 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007). Among children and adolescents in India, the documented prevalence of overweight and obesity has ranged from 1 to 24%, depending on the subgroup (Table 10.1). Fifteen percent of ever-married women and 12% of ever-married men between the ages of 15 and 49 in India in 2005–2006 were documented as overweight or obese (IIPS 2007).
Tabular Versus Synoptic Reporting of Prostate Core Needle Biopsies

PurposeTo compare synoptic versus tabular formats for reporting prostate core needle biopsy results. The format of a report can significantly affect the accuracy, speed, and preference with which a reader can retrieve information.MethodsWe compared the performance of 20 nonpathologists in the identification of specific information in synoptic and tabular reports using a computerized quiz that measured both accuracy and speed.ResultsTabular formatting was significantly more accurate (97% v 93%; P = .001) and faster (mean normalized time, 0.74 + 0.40 v 0.99 + 0.52; P < .001) than synoptic formatting. The improvement in accuracy was a result of questions that involved combining results from two different biopsies (96% v 92%; P = .03). The improvement in speed was observed for both single-value questions (0.77 + 0.41 v 0.87 + 0.39; P = .03) and combination questions (0.73 + 0.40 v 1.05 + 0.56; P < .001). Data extraction from a tabular format into a structured data file using free text extraction on the basis ...
X-ray optical simulations supporting advanced commissioning of the coherent hard x-ray beamline at NSLS-II

We present the application of fully- and partially-coherent synchrotron radiation wavefront propagation simulation functions, implemented in the "Synchrotron Radiation Workshop" computer code, to create a ‘virtual beamline’ mimicking the Coherent Hard X-ray scattering beamline at NSLS-II. The beamline simulation includes all optical beamline components, such as the insertion device, mirror with metrology data, slits, double crystal monochromator and refractive focusing elements (compound refractive lenses and kinoform lenses). A feature of this beamline is the exploitation of X-ray beam coherence, boosted by the low-emittance NSLS-II storage-ring, for techniques such as X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy or Coherent Diffraction Imaging. The key performance parameters are the degree of Xray beam coherence and photon flux, and the trade-off between them needs to guide the beamline settings for specific experimental requirements. Simulations of key performance parameters are compared to measurements obtained during beamline commissioning, and include the spectral flux of the undulator source, the degree of transverse coherence as well as focal spot sizes.
MenWho Have Sex with Men of Color in the Age of AIDS: The Sociocultural Contextsof Stigma, Marginalization, and Structural Inequalities

Nearly three decades since the onset of AIDS epidemic in the United States (US), men who have sex with men (MSM) have represented a significant disproportionate number of cases of HIV and AIDS.1 Within this context, MSM refer to gay, bisexually, and heterosexually identified men who engage in sexual behavior with other men. With the advent of HIV antiretroviral therapies (e.g., HAART or highly active antiretroviral therapies), AIDS-related morbidity and mortality in MSM initially decreased during the 1990s.2 Yet, recent epidemiological data have demonstrated that there has been an accelerated increase in rates of HIV and AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in MSM.1 For instance, in 2005, MSM represented 71% of the overall HIV infections among adult and adolescent males in the US; MSM also accounted for the highest HIV transmission category, which yielded 67% of male-to-male sexual contact when compared to 15% for heterosexual transmission and 13% for injection drug use.3.
Parental and embryonic experiences with predation risk affect prey offspring behaviour and performance.

Because phenotypic plasticity can operate both within and between generations, phenotypic outcomes are often shaped by a complex history of environmental signals. For example, parental and embryonic experiences with predation risk can both independently and interactively influence prey offspring traits early in their life. Parental and embryonic risk experiences can also independently shape offspring phenotypes throughout an offspring9s ontogeny, but the persistence of their interactive effects throughout offspring ontogeny is unknown. We examined the effects of parental and embryonic experiences with predation risk on the response of 1-year-old prey (the carnivorous snail, Nucella lapillus ) offspring to current predation risk. We found that parental and embryonic risk experiences had largely independent effects on offspring performance and that these effects were context dependent. Parental experience with risk had strong impacts on multiple offspring traits in the presence of current risk that generally improved offspring performance under risk, but embryonic risk experience had relatively weaker effects and only operated in the absence of current risk to reduce offspring growth. These results illustrate that past environmental experiences can dynamically shape organism phenotypes across ontogeny and that attention to these effects is key to a better understanding of predator/prey dynamics in natural systems.
Meniscal Scaffolds: Options Post Meniscectomy

Surgery for repair or replacement of the menisci is one of the most common procedures in orthopedic surgery, with estimates of more than one million operations each year. In cases involving complex tears or degeneration, the injured portion of the meniscus is usually removed (meniscectomy) or, less commonly, the entire meniscus is replaced using a meniscal allograft. However, meniscectomy does not restore the proper mechanics of the native tissue and can lead to early osteoarthritis (OA). Similarly, allograft replacement has not demonstrated clear evidence of chondral protection, and issues with cost, viral transmission, and technical challenges remain. Thus, researchers have developed a variety of scaffolds aimed at replacement of the meniscus. Several of these have undergone clinical trials and have been implemented in clinical practice. In this chapter, we will discuss the available and developing scaffolds in detail. Following a discussion of the types of materials and fabrication techniques available to create scaffolds, we will examine the results of acellular scaffolds intended to be semipermanent replacements of the meniscus. We will then assess scaffolds intended to promote the regeneration of meniscus-like tissue. Finally, we will elaborate on recent efforts combining cells and scaffolds to create tissue-engineered constructs and will conclude with a discussion of the challenges and future directions for meniscal replacement.
(n,p) and (n,α) excitation functions of several nuclei from 7·0 to 19·8 MeV

Abstract Total cross-sections for the ( n , p ) reaction on 45 Sc, 75 As, 86 Sr, 89 Y, 99 Zr, 109 Ag, 111 Cd and 197 Au, and the ( n , α ) on 27 Al, 45 Sc, 75 As, 89 Y, 92 Zr, 93 Nb, 112 Cd, 118 Sn and 197 Au have been measured at incident neutron energies from 7·0 to 19·8 MeV. The target elements were exposed to D-T neutrons produced in Zr-T targets at the Los Alamos Cockcroft-Walton accelerator and to neutrons produced by deuterons on D 2 and T 2 gas targets at the large Van de Graaff accelerator. The products were isolated and measured by radiochemical methods. The procedures used for the chemical separations are described. Empirical formulae are given for estimating ( n , p ) and ( n , α ) cross-sections at maximum and at 14 MeV.
Spontaneous perforation of the extrahepatic biliary tract in infancy and childhood

Spontaneous perforation of the extrahepatic biliary tract in infancy and early childhood is a poorly understood and infrequently reported disorder of unknown etiology. The reported experience with 77 operative cases is reviwed. The onset is generally insidious, but may be acute in 25% of cases. The major symptoms are abdominal distention and jaundice. The younger the patient at the time of onset, the more likely is jaundice to be found. Drainage-type operations were most commonly used in the early reported cases while more recently anastomosis/bypass procedures have predominated due to the relatively frequent occurrence of distal biliary tract obstruction. This disorder appears to be a part of the biliary atresia — neonatal hepatitis — choledochal cyst complex which occurs in the neonatal period and early infancy and appears to be acquired rather than congenital. Because of the theoretical potential for late malignancy, lifelong follow-up with periodic evaluation of the intra- and extrahepatic biliary tracts is recommended. The advisability of liver transplantation (and accompanying immunosuppression) as the primary surgical treatment for biliary atresia may be questioned.
Introduction: Phenomenology, Ideal Types, Narrative

This book examines the lasting influence of the academic culture wars of the late twentieth century on the humanities and progressive politics, and what to make now of those furious debates over postmodernism, multiculturalism, relativism, critical theory, deconstruction, post-structuralism, and so on. In an effort to arrive at a fair judgment on that question, the book reaches for an understanding of postmodern theorists by way of two genres they despised, and hopes, for that reason, to do them justice. The story, in its telling, justifies two basic claims: first, the phenomenological/hermeneutical tradition is the most suitable source of theory for a humanism that aspires to be truly universal; second, the ethical and political aspect of the human condition is authentically accessible only through narrative. In conclusion, it argues that the postmodern moment was a necessary one, or will have been if we rise to the occasion—and that that is its historical significance.
School principals acting as middle leaders implementing new teacher evaluation systems

Beginning in 2009, the United States (US) federal government spearheaded a nationwide teacher evaluation reform effort, encouraging states to change their process of evaluating teachers. School pri...
Scriptures and the Guidance of Language: Evaluating a Religious Authority in Communicative Action

In this book, Steven G. Smith focuses on the guidance function in language and scripture and evaluates the assumptions and ideals of scriptural religion in global perspective. He brings to language studies a new pragmatic emphasis on the shared modeling of life-in-the-world by communicators constantly depending on each other's guidance. Using concepts of axiality and axialization derived from Jaspers' description of the 'Axial Age', he shows the essential role of scripture in the historical progress of communicative action. This volume clarifies the formative power of scriptures in religions of the 'world religion' type and brings scripture into philosophy of religion as a major cross-cultural category of study, thereby helping philosophy of religion find a needed cross-cultural footing.
Design and Fabrication of the Trans-Rotary Magnetic Gear Using Quasi-Halbach Arrays

This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the use of quasi-Halbach arrays in the trans-rotary magnetic gear, which converts high-force low-speed linear motion to low-torque highspeed rotational motion. It is shown that Halbach magnetization provides a significant force advantage in this magnetic gear over radial magnetization. Several design aspects of the proposed configuration are explored using finite element analysis, including optimization of dimensions and demagnetization. Experimental data obtained from a prototype using quasi-Halbach magnetization verifies the concept and theoretical results.
Constructing continuum-like measures based on a nonlocal lattice particle model: Deformation gradient, strain and stress tensors

Abstract Explicit expressions for continuum-like measures of deformation gradient, strain and stress tensors were constructed using the techniques of weighted least squares and energy conjugate. Although presented based on a nonlocal lattice particle model, the formulations of these measures are general in nature and can be applied to other numerical models. Deformation gradient was formulated based on the deformation states of neighboring material points. Within the small strain limit, the infinitesimal strain tensor was derived from normal strains of bonds connecting material point of interest with all its neighbors. The second Piola–Kirchhoff stress tensor was constructed using the energy conjugate concept with respect to Green–Lagrangian strain tensor. The first Piola–Kirchhoff and Cauchy stress tensors were also formulated based on the derived second Piola–Kirchhoff stress tensor. For problems of homogeneous and inhomogeneous deformations, all three constructed measures yield very good predictions comparing to local continuum mechanics solutions. However, the second Piola–Kirchhoff formulation predicts less accurate results in surface regions due to incomplete neighbor list of material points with these regions.
The Development of Undergraduate International Business Practicums in Small Business Schools: An Experiential Learning Framework.

The value of the inclusion of experiential learning opportunities in international business education has been well established in the literature. We set out to examine industry-identified skills a...
Gateway to Pacific: Japanese-Americans and the remaking of San Francisco, by Meredith Oda

Focusing her Gateway to Pacific on the development of the city’s Japanese Cultural and Trade Center, Meredith Oda offers a compelling account of the key role that Japanese-Americans played in culti...
The sequence of human ACE2 is suboptimal for binding the S spike protein of SARS coronavirus 2

The rapid and escalating spread of SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses an immediate public health emergency. The viral spike protein S binds ACE2 on host cells to initiate molecular events that release the viral genome intracellularly. Soluble ACE2 inhibits entry of both SARS and SARS-2 coronaviruses by acting as a decoy for S binding sites, and is a candidate for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic development. Using deep mutagenesis, variants of ACE2 are identified with increased binding to the receptor binding domain of S. Mutations are found across the interface, in the N90-glycosylation motif, and at buried sites where they are predicted to enhance local folding and presentation of the interaction epitope. When single substitutions are combined, large increases in binding can be achieved. The mutational landscape offers a blueprint for engineering high affinity proteins and peptides that block receptor binding sites on S to meet this unprecedented challenge.
Characterization and identification of HPC applications at leadership computing facility

High Performance Computing (HPC) is an important method for scientific discovery via large-scale simulation, data analysis, or artificial intelligence. Leadership-class supercomputers are expensive, but essential to run large HPC applications. The Petascale era of supercomputers began in 2008, with the first machines achieving performance in excess of one petaflops, and with the advent of new supercomputers in 2021 (e.g., Aurora, Frontier), the Exascale era will soon begin. However, the high theoretical computing capability (i.e., peak FLOPS) of a machine is not the only meaningful target when designing a supercomputer, as the resources demand of applications varies. A deep understanding of the characterization of applications that run on a leadership supercomputer is one of the most important ways for planning its design, development and operation. In order to improve our understanding of HPC applications, user demands and resource usage characteristics, we perform correlative analysis of various logs for different subsystems of a leadership supercomputer. This analysis reveals surprising, sometimes counter-intuitive patterns, which, in some cases, conflicts with existing assumptions, and have important implications for future system designs as well as supercomputer operations. For example, our analysis shows that while the applications spend significant time on MPI, most applications spend very little time on file I/O. Combined analysis of hardware event logs and task failure logs show that the probability of a hardware FATAL event causing task failure is low. Combined analysis of control system logs and file I/O logs reveals that pure POSIX I/O is used more widely than higher level parallel I/O. Based on holistic insights of the application gained through combined and co-analysis of multiple logs from different perspectives and general intuition, we engineer features to "fingerprint" HPC applications. We use t-SNE (a machine learning technique for dimensionality reduction) to validate the explainability of our features and finally train machine learning models to identify HPC applications or group those with similar characteristic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work that combines logs on file I/O, computing, and inter-node communication for insightful analysis of HPC applications in production.
A Logic-Based Agent Modelling Paradigm for Investment in Derivatives Markets

The paper describes Multiagent Systems going into details of the agents themselves and how they can be configured for a financial gain setting in the stock market. The interaction of Multiagent Systems between each other and how they behave within an environment, specifically the environment which they are in, will be detailed with their own growth from a single, relatively simple model, to a large network of model constantly interacting with different agents. The stock market is used as the source to prove that Multiagent Systems can be more efficient than other conventional models such as Machine Learning models. The common problems that can arise from bad agents are described introducing a real-world system scenario to better explain the concept. Finally, a look into the model itself is presented with an insight into how it works and some of the high-level profitable returns made from the model over the course of the models deployed timeframe. The future of the design is then discussed.