cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Post-anoxic quantitative MRI changes may predict emergence from coma and functional outcomes at discharge.

Abstract Background Traditional predictors of neurological prognosis after cardiac arrest are unreliable after targeted temperature management. Absence of pupillary reflexes remains a reliable predictor of poor outcome. Diffusion-weighted imaging has emerged as a potential predictor of recovery, and here we compare imaging characteristics to pupillary exam. Methods We identified 69 patients who had MRIs within seven days of arrest and used a semi-automated algorithm to perform quantitative volumetric analysis of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) sequences at various thresholds. Area under receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC-AUC) were estimated to compare predictive values of quantitative MRI with pupillary exam at days 3, 5 and 7 post-arrest, for persistence of coma and functional outcomes at discharge. Cerebral Performance Category scores of 3–4 were considered poor outcome. Results Excluding patients where life support was withdrawn, ≥2.8% diffusion restriction of the entire brain at an ADC of ≤650 × 10−6 m2/s was 100% specific and 68% sensitive for failure to wake up from coma before discharge. The ROC-AUC of ADC changes at ≤450 × 10−6 mm2/s and ≤650 × 10−6 mm2/s were significantly superior in predicting failure to wake up from coma compared to bilateral absence of pupillary reflexes. Among survivors, >0.01% of diffusion restriction of the entire brain at an ADC ≤450 × 10−6 m2/s was 100% specific and 46% sensitive for poor functional outcome at discharge. The ROC curve predicting poor functional outcome at ADC ≤450 × 10−6 mm2/s had an AUC of 0.737 (0.574–0.899, p = 0.04). Conclusion Post-anoxic diffusion changes using quantitative brain MRI may aid in predicting persistent coma and poor functional outcomes at hospital discharge.
Creativity in Mathematics and Beyond

In this chapter, we profile the four winners of the 2014 Fields Medals, examining ways that transdisciplinary creativity and thinking play out in their work and achievement. Fields Medals are given to mathematicians under 40 years of age for sustained creative effort and achievement in mathematics. Our profiles show that despite how these individuals differ in their approaches to mathematics, there are certain key similarities between them. First, these individuals rarely perceived a difference between their personal and professional creativity, i.e., they saw mathematics everywhere. Second, their mathematical lives were infused with a strong sense of the esthetic, i.e., viewing “beauty” and “truth” as important to their work. Finally, this interplay between the personal and professional led to unique and creative personal styles in mathematics. As implied by this discussion, we suggest that inculcating such perspectives is essential for better, more creative mathematics instruction.
The communicative role of companion pets in patient-centered critical care.

Abstract Objective This study examines a personal pet hospital visitation program dedicated to preserving the human-animal bond during chronic, critical, or terminal illness to understand the novel ways companion pets facilitate meaningful communication between patients, providers, and families in hospital settings. Methods I thematically analyzed data collected through a variety of qualitative methods, including participant observation, informal and semi-structured interviews, and a review of organizational materials. Results The presence of a patient’s personal pet prompted stories and behaviors characterized by (1) compassion, (2) connection, and (3) response between patients, providers, and family members. Conclusion Personal pet hospital visits facilitate storied conversations, foster healing relationships, and offer alternative ways of knowing that can promote greater understandings of the patient’s psychosocial context for more personalized care and improved well-being. Practice implications Patient-centered critical care requires meaningful consideration of a patient’s health, well-being, and comfort. When appropriate, the therapeutic benefits of companion animals and the deep personal bonds between patients and their pets should be acknowledged and provided as part of this care.
Combination of Hindlimb Suspension and Immobilization by Casting Exaggerates Sarcopenia by Stimulating Autophagy but Does Not Worsen Osteopenia

Abstract Astronauts in space experience a unique environment that causes the concomitant loss of bone and muscle. However, the interaction between these tissues and how osteopenia and sarcopenia affect each other is unclear. We explored this relationship by exaggerating unloading-induced muscle loss using a unilateral casting model in conjunction with hindlimb suspension (HLS). Five-month-old, male C57Bl/6J mice subjected to HLS for 2 weeks displayed a significant decrease in gastrocnemius and quadriceps weight (−9–10%), with a two-fold greater decrease in muscle mass observed in the HLS + casted limb. However, muscle from casted limbs had a higher rate of protein synthesis (+16%), compared to HLS alone, with coordinated increases in S6K1 (+50%) and 4E-BP1 (+110%) phosphorylation. Increased protein content for surrogate markers of autophagy, including LC3-II (+75%), Atg7 (+10%), and Atg5-12 complex (+20%) was only detected in muscle from the casted limb. In proximal tibias, HLS resulted in significant decreases in bone volume fraction (−24% vs −8%), trabecular number (−6% vs +0.3%), trabecular thickness (−10% vs −2%), and trabecular spacing (+8.4% vs +2%) compared to ground controls. There was no further bone loss in casted limbs compared to HLS alone. In tibia midshafts, HLS resulted in decreased total area (−2% vs +1%) and increased bone mineral density (+1% vs −0.3%) compared to ground controls. Cortical bone from casted limbs showed an increase in cortical thickness (+9% vs +2%) and cortical area/total area (+1% vs −0.6%) compared to HLS alone. Our results suggest that casting exacerbates unloading-induced muscle loss via activation of autophagy. Casting did not exacerbate bone loss suggesting that the unloading-induced loss of muscle and bone can be temporally dissociated and the effect of reduced muscle activity plays a relatively minor role compared to reduced load bearing on trabecular bone structure.
CULTURAL ENCOUNTER IN THE MORTUARY LANDSCAPE OF A TIWANAKU COLONY, MOQUEGUA, PERU (AD 650–1100)

Archaeological studies of culture contact often presuppose culture change. Contact that did not result in culture change is difficult to identify archaeologically, but it merits our attention for understanding how and why change failed to materialize in the wake of cultural encounter. In this paper, I examine the occurrence of contact without change on the frontier of the south-central Andean Tiwanaku state (AD 400–1100). Tiwanaku settlers who colonized the uninhabited middle Moquegua valley in the seventh century AD shared a mortuary landscape with coastal sojourners at the site of Omo M10, even though their interactions were otherwise limited. Complex regional histories and divergent economic interests explain why contact between highland and coastal groups was confined to mortuary rituals during the initial stage of contact, following a Tiwanaku pattern in Moquegua of ritualizing culture contact. Later generations of Tiwanaku colonists may have reinitiated contact with coastal communities for access to marine resources, and accepting foreigners into their community. This case study presents a framework for identifying culture contact without culture change. It demonstrates the utility of regional histories and careful contextual analysis for hypothesizing the nature and consequences of cultural encounters that did not follow expected trajectories of change.
A net carbohydrate and protein system for evaluating cattle diets: III. Cattle requirements and diet adequacy.

The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) has equations for predicting nutrient requirements, feed intake, and feed utilization over wide variations in cattle (frame size, body condition, and stage of growth), feed carbohydrate and protein fractions and their digestion and passage rates, and environmental conditions. Independent data were used to validate the ability of the CNCPS to predict responses compared to National Research Council (NRC) systems. With DMI in steers, the CNCPS had a 12% lower standard error of the Y estimate (Sy.x) and three percentage units less bias than the NRC system. For DMI in heifers, both systems had a similar Sy.x but the NRC had four percentage units less bias. With lactating dairy cows' DMI, the CNCPS had a 12% lower Sy.x. Observed NEm requirement averaged 5% under NRC and 6% under CNCPS predicted values at temperatures above 9 degrees C but were 18% over NRC and 9% under CNCPS at temperatures under 9 degrees C. Energy retained was predicted with an R2 of .80 and .95 and a bias of 8 and 4% for the NRC and CNCPS, respectively. Protein retained was predicted with an R2 of .75 and .85 with a bias of 0 and -1% for NRC and CNCPS, respectively. Biases due to frame size, implant, or NEg were small. Body condition scores predicted body fat percentage in dairy cows with an R2 of .93 and a Sy.x of 2.35% body fat. The CNCPS predicted metabolizable protein allowable ADG with a bias of 1.6% with a Sy.x of .07 kg compared to values of -30% and .10 kg, respectively for the NRC system.
Sin papeles y rompiendo barreras: Latino students and the challenges of persisting in college.

Undocumented Latino students in higher education represent a resilient, determined, and inspirational group of high achievers who persevere and serve as a model for success. Here, Frances Contreras presents a qualitative case study consisting of twenty semistructured, in-depth interviews with undocumented Latino students in an effort to help readers understand the experiences and challenges facing them in higher education in Washington State. Contreras's research explores the navigational processes these students employ in pursuing higher education and fulfilling their educational aspirations. Her findings provide insight into the implementation of HB 1079—the Washington State DREAM Act—in multiple institutional contexts and make recommendations for national and state policy communities. Her findings also demonstrate the critical need for universities to examine their institutional practices and efforts to support these achievers who have already beaten tremendous odds by entering the halls of higher educ...
Planning an International Service Using the Global Positioning System (GPS) for Geodynamic Applications

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is becoming, and promises to remain for some time, one of the the most important geodetic measurement systems. The contributions to date of GPS to geodesy and geophysics are truly revolutionary, encompassing such diverse applications as measurements of crustal deformation, precise positioning of mobile platforms and monitoring of ionospheric conditions. When one considers the accuracy obtainable with GPS and the relatively low cost for acquiring this technology, the full impact of GPS over the next decade is indeed very difficult to estimate.
Thought and Action in Educational Interventions

Schools have always played a major role in the development of children, as a setting in which academic skills and information are acquired and as the context for socialization by teachers and peers. Whereas the former function has been generally recognized as the major goal of the educational system, others (e.g., Hagen, 1973; Zigler & Trickett, 1979) have argued that the school’s socialization function is of equal or even greater importance in terms of the lifelong adjustment of the child.
Anesthesia for pheochromocytoma resection in a child with Fontan circulation

Purpose To report the anesthetic management of a successful resection of a pheochromocytoma in a child with a completed Fontan circulation.
Variability in compression pressure of multi-layer bandaging applied by lymphedema therapists.

The success in multi-layer bandaging (MLB) relies on the technique of the therapists. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the compression pressure of MLB by lymphedema therapists. We investigated the pressure of MLB applied by 48 lymphedema therapists. The average age was 43.5 (range 23–66) years old. Seventeen (35.4%) of the therapists had the clinical experience of MLB. We prepared ordinary compression materials and asked them to apply MLB to the whole lower limb of healthy volunteers, presuming moderate lymphedema. We attached the probe of Picopress at the Achilles tendon-muscle junction and measured the pressure three times: phase 1, resting condition; phase 2, after ankle exercise; and phase 3, after knee bend. The average pressure in phases 1–3 was 51.9, 48.9, and 45.5 mmHg, respectively. Only 13 (27.1%) of the therapists achieved 50–59 mmHg which is suitable for lymphedema treatment and the pressure varied by the training courses. The pressure decreased as the blank period got longer after finishing training courses (R = − 0.39). The pressure of MLB varied in different therapists and different training courses. This fact indicated the necessity of uniform curriculum in training courses including measurement of the bandaging pressure.
Factored planning

We present a general-purpose method for dynamically factoring a planning domain, whose structure is then exploited by our generic planning method to find sound and complete plans. The planning algorithm's time complexity scales linearly with the size of the domain, and at worst exponentially with the size of the largest subdomain and interaction between subdomains. The factorization procedure divides a planning domain into subdomains that are organized in a tree structure such that interaction between neighboring subdomains in the tree is minimized. The combined planning algorithm is sound and complete, and we demonstrate it on a representative planning domain. The algorithm appears to scale to very large problems regardless of the black box planner used.
The Difference between High Flow Nasal Cannula and Continuous Positive Airway Pressure.

Background: Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (NCPAP) has been the mainstay for non-invasive respiratory support for at risk neonates. Recent advances in High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) usage including enhanced humidity and improved comfort factors have led to its widespread use, at times replacing NCPAP in many neonatal settings. Although ease of application cannot be matched by traditional CPAP devices, concerns about appropriate delivery of volume at a given pressure must be validated given that HFNC rarely exceeds 4 LPM. However, the NCPAP apparatus is often set at 8 …
Three Stories and Three Questions about Participation in Genocide

This essay articulates the importance of focusing on behavioral actions in research on genocide rather than on categories of people. Then, through a brief review of research on dehumanization, it demonstrates how a focus on actions over actors helps explain behavioral variation in genocide. It also highlights the need for researchers to consider their own positionality when studying participation in genocide, as research on genocide is always fraught with complex questions of moral right and wrong.
In Vitro Susceptibility of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum to Doxycycline.

Doxycycline is regarded as an effective therapy for early syphilis, and there is increasing interest in using doxycycline for prophylaxis of this infection. However, the MIC of doxycycline for Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum has not been reported previously. In this study, an in vitro culture system was utilized to determine that the MIC of doxycycline is 0.06 to 0.10 μg/ml for four strains of T. pallidum subsp. pallidum (Nichols, SS14, UW231B, and UW249B). The Nichols strain cultured in vitro with doxycycline was also tested for infectivity in rabbits, and the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) was found to be ≤0.1 μg/ml using this method. The low MIC and MBC values are consistent with the previously demonstrated clinical efficacy of doxycycline for the treatment of early syphilis. This study represents the first report of the in vitro susceptibility of T. pallidum to doxycycline, and the resulting information may be useful in the consideration of doxycycline for use in prevention of syphilis.
From the Editor: Social Studies Classroom in the Time of Pandemic

The special issue of JISS Social Studies Classroom in the Time of Pandemic: Experience, Practice, and Advice aims to help social studies professional to b etter prepare for the challenges of COVID-19. Eleven essays in this special issue involve helpful advice on how to design an online class, develop electronic social studies content materials, establish relations with students in online classrooms, and use the pandemic as a way to educate responsible citizens. The authors of the essays are classroom teachers and university instructors.
Planarized spatially-regular arrays of spectrally uniform single quantum dots as on-chip single photon sources for quantum optical circuits

A long standing obstacle to realizing highly sought on-chip monolithic solid state quantum optical circuits has been the lack of a starting platform comprising scalable spatially ordered and spectrally uniform on-demand single photon sources (SPSs) buried under a planar surface. In this paper, we report on the first realization of planarized SPS arrays based on a unique class of shape-controlled single quantum dots (SQDs) synthesized on mesa top (dubbed MTSQDs) using substrate-encoded size-reducing epitaxy (SESRE) on spatially regular arrays of patterned nanomesas with edge orientation chosen to drive symmetric adatom migration from the nanomesa sidewalls to the top, thereby enabling spatially selective growth. Specifically, on GaAs(001) square nanomesas with edges along ⟨100⟩, we synthesized binary GaAs/InAs/GaAs MTSQDs emitting around 1120 nm with 1.8 nm standard deviation and single photon emission purity >99.5%. SESRE based MTSQDs are shown for the first time to lend themselves to planarization of the surface morphology when grown on pedestal shape mesas. We demonstrate that the planarizing overgrowth process over arrays of InGaAs SQDs largely maintains the SQDs’ high single photon emission purity (>98%) and spectral uniformity (∼5 nm). Such planarized SQD arrays offer the long-sought platform for on-chip integration with light manipulating structures to realize quantum optical circuits.
Plato, Aristotle, and the Purpose of Politics

In this book, Kevin M. Cherry compares the views of Plato and Aristotle about the practice, study and, above all, the purpose of politics. The first scholar to place Aristotle's Politics in sustained dialogue with Plato's Statesman, Cherry argues that Aristotle rejects the view of politics advanced by Plato's Eleatic Stranger, contrasting them on topics such as the proper categorization of regimes, the usefulness and limitations of the rule of law, and the proper understanding of phronēsis. The various differences between their respective political philosophies, however, reflect a more fundamental difference in how they view the relationship of human beings to the natural world around them. Reading the Politics in light of the Statesman sheds new light on Aristotle's political theory and provides a better understanding of Aristotle's criticism of Socrates. Most importantly, it highlights an enduring and important question: should politics have as its primary purpose the preservation of life, or should it pursue the higher good of living well?
Writing the Elements at the End of the World: Varlam Shalamov and Primo Levi

How might the unthinkable, whether as a historical fact or as an unpredictable future, be articulated in literary language? Can states and scales of non-human elements proffer a pathway for art when humanism alone proves insufficient? How might the physical sciences be transformed into storytelling for collective survival? Turning to the above questions for defining the relationship between literature and science, this chapter juxtaposes the work of two writers who simultaneously undertook, in vastly different contexts yet in surprisingly similar ways, the task of confronting the horrors of their shared twentieth century through the inhuman continuum of matter and energy: the Italian chemist Primo Levi (1919–1987), best known for his testimonies of the Holocaust, and Varlam Shalamov (1907–1982), who bore eloquent witness to the Kolyma Tales of the Soviet Gulag.
What providers need to know about progestogens in hormone therapy.

ABSTRACT Progestogens such as micronized progesterone and the synthetic progestins are defined by their ability to transform the estrogen-primed proliferative endometrium into secretory endometrium. More than 200 progestogens have been synthesized, but only a few are used clinically in hormone therapy. Clinicians caring for menopausal women should be familiar with the clinical properties and characteristics of the three most-used progestogens for hormone therapy: micronized progesterone, medroxyprogesterone acetate, and norethindrone acetate.
A gradient of pollination specialization in three species of Bolivian Centropogon

Premise Closely related plant species with overlapping ranges often experience competition for pollination services. Such competition can select for divergence in floral traits that attract pollinators or determine pollen placement. While most species in Centropogon (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae) have flowers that suggest adaptation to bat or hummingbird pollination, actual pollinators are rarely documented, and a few species have a mix of traits from both pollination syndromes. We studied the pollination biology of a "mixed-syndrome" species and its co-occurring congeners to examine the relationship between floral traits and visitation patterns for Centropogon. Methods Fieldwork at two sites in Bolivian cloud forests involved filming floral visitors, quantifying pollen transfer, and measuring floral traits. Stamen exsertion, which determines pollen placement, was measured from herbarium specimens across the geographic range of these species to test for character displacement. Results Results show a generalization gradient, from primarily bat pollination in white-flowered Centropogon incanus, to bat pollination with secondary hummingbird pollination in the cream-flowered C. brittonianus, to equal reliance on both pollinators in the red-flowered, mixed-syndrome C. mandonis. Pollen transfer between these species is further reduced by differences in stamen exsertion that are accentuated in zones of sympatry, a pattern consistent with character displacement. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that key differences in floral color and shape mediate a gradient of specialization in Bolivian Centropogon. Interspecific pollen transfer is further reduced by potential character displacement of a key trait. Broadly, our results have implications for understanding the hyper-diversity of Andean cloud forests, in which multiple species of the same genus frequently co-occur.
Effect of Endoscopic Bariatric and Metabolic Therapies on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background & Aims Weight loss via lifestyle intervention remains the mainstay of treatment for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Endoscopic bariatric and metabolic therapies (EBMTs) have recently been developed as an alternative treatment option for obesity. This study aimed to assess the effect of FDA-approved EBMTs on NAFLD. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Cochrane Central through December 2020 for studies that assessed changes in liver outcomes following EBMT. Primary Outcomes: Liver fibrosis. Secondary Outcomes: Liver biochemistry, steatosis, NAFLD histological changes and insulin sensitivity. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evidence (GRADE) approach was conducted to assess quality of evidence. Results Of 4994 potential studies, 18 studies with 863 patients were included. Average weight loss was 14.5% of initial weight at a 6-month follow-up. Primary outcomes: Following EBMT, liver fibrosis significantly reduced by standardized mean difference (SMD) of 0.7 (95% CI, 0.1, 1.3; P = .02). Secondary outcomes: There were significant improvements in other NAFLD surrogates including alanine aminotransferase (-9.0 U/L; 95% CI, -11.6, -6.4; P Conclusions EBMTs appear effective at treating NAFLD with significant improvement in liver fibrosis. Given the worsening NAFLD pandemic and limitations of currently available therapies, EBMTs should be further investigated as a potential treatment option for this patient population.
In Praise of Discord: Beyond Harmony in Historical Acoustemology

This piece explores writing on historical acoustemology. It charts the emergence of the field, identifies its strengths and weaknesses, and calls for greater critical engagement amongst its practitioners.
Original contributionFactors that predict incomplete colonoscopy: thinner is not always better

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine whether anatomic factors such as body mass index (BMI) impacts the success rate of cecal intubation during colonoscopy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the cecal intubation rate of 2000 colonoscopies performed at our institution from March 1997 to March 1999. The analysis sample was composed of charts for all incomplete procedures and a sample (23%) of complete examinations that were randomly selected. Data collected included age, gender, height, weight, bowel habits, abdominal surgery, psychiatric medication use, the presence of diverticular disease, amount of sedation administered, and location and reason for halting the examination. Patients were divided by BMI: thin (BMI ≤22.1), average weight (BMI >22.1–25.0), overweight (BMI = 25.1–29.9), and obese (BMI >30). RESULTS: Colonoscopies in women had a lower adjusted completion rate (94.8%) than in men (98.2%) (p < 0.005). A low BMI in women was predictive of an incomplete examination (p < 0.001). Factors that did not predict incomplete examinations in women included age and previous hysterectomy. The small number of male patients with an incomplete examination (n = 16) precluded accurate identification of any factors. CONCLUSIONS: Women with a low BMI (especially <22) were more likely to have an incomplete procedure. This finding may have implications for colorectal cancer screening in female patients.
Exploring psychosocial stressors as contributors to racial disparity in end-stage renal disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is present in 15% of the US population.1 Despite our knowledge of some of the risk factors that contribute to progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) such as hypertension and proteinuria, the unadjusted incidence of ESRD continues to increase. One persistent and troubling finding is the large racial disparity that exists in the ESRD population, and currently the adjusted prevalence of African Americans with ESRD is more than three times higher than that of whites.1 There is a need for identification of additional risk factors that put African Americans at high risk ESRD so that providers can implement appropriate interventions at an earlier stage. When defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 30 mg/g albumin/creatinine ratio on a spot urine sample, CKD is present in 16% of African Americans and 15.7% of whites.1 The racial disparity that exists in the ESRD population is likely multifactorial, but more rapid progression of CKD to ESRD among African Americans is a particular concern. Analysis from the African-American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Trial showed that participants in this study were more likely to progress to ESRD than to experience major cardiovascular events or mortality with higher baseline proteinuria being a risk factor for ESRD.2 The AASK Trial provides insight into ESRD risk in a specific group of patients: African Americans with CKD presumably due to hypertensive nephrosclerosis (diabetes and proteinuria >2.5 g/day were exclusion criteria). Since that study, others have shown that African Americans experience faster decline in kidney function even prior …
Stochastic Interpretation of Robust Estimation: Risk Sensitivity

The game theoretic robust estimation problem defined in Chapter 3 is a deterministic one. That is, all the input disturbances have deterministic bounds. Nevertheless, as was mentioned in Chapters 2 and 3, this class of problems is closely related to a class of stochastic estimation problems, namely, risk sensitive optimal estimation [99], [111], [112]. In risk sensitive estimation, the noise is assumed to be white, Gaussian, and the cost criterion is the expected value of the exponential of a weighted sum of the squared state estimation errors.
Multi-character field recognition for Arabic and Chinese handwriting

Two methods, Symbolic Indirect Correlation (SIC) and Style Constrained Classification (SCC), are proposed for recognizing handwritten Arabic and Chinese words and phrases. SIC reassembles variablelength segments of an unknown query that match similar segments of labeled reference words. Recognition is based on the correspondence between the order of the feature vectors and of the lexical transcript in both the query and the references. SIC implicitly incorporates language context in the form of letter n-grams. SCC is based on the notion that the style (distortion or noise) of a character is a good predictor of the distortions arising in other characters, even of a different class, from the same source. It is adaptive in the sense that, with a long-enough field, its accuracy converges to that of a style-specific classifier trained on the writer of the unknown query. Neither SIC nor SCC requires the query words to appear among the references.
Barrel maturation, oak alternatives and micro-oxygenation: Influence on red wine aging and quality

The impact of micro-oxygenation (MOX) in conjunction with a variety of oak alternatives on phenolic composition and red wine aging was investigated and compared with traditional barrel aging. Although several studies concluded that MOX give similar results to barrel aging, few have compared them directly and none directly compared MOX with and without wood alternatives and barrel aging. Results confirmed that MOX had a positive effect on colour density, even after 5 months of bottle aging. This is supported by an increase in polymeric phenol and pigment content not only with aging but in the MOX compared to barrel matured wine treatments. Descriptive analysis showed that MOX in combination with wood alternatives such as oak chips and staves could mimic short term (six months) barrel aging in new American and French oak barrels in regards to sensory characteristics.
EFFICIENT ALGORITHM FOR DETECTING UNSTABLE PERIODIC ORBITS IN CHAOTIC SYSTEMS

We present an efficient method for fast, complete, and accurate detection of unstable periodic orbits in chaotic systems. Our method consists of an iterative scheme and an effective technique for selecting initial points. The iterative scheme is based on the semi-implicit Euler method, which has both fast and global convergence, and only a small number of initial points is sufficient to detect all unstable periodic orbits of a given period. The power of our method is illustrated by numerical examples of both two- and four-dimensional maps.
More from the mathematical ethicist

Opening a copy ofThe Mathematical Intelligencer you may ask yourself uneasily, “What is this anyway—a mathematical journal, or what?” Or you may ask, “Where am I?” Or even “Who am I?” This sense of disorientation is at its most acute when you open to Colin Adams’s column.
Estimating spatial covariance using penalised likelihood with weighted L1 penalty

In spatial statistics, the estimation of covariance matrices is of great importance because of its role in spatial prediction and design. In this paper, we propose a penalised likelihood approach with weighted L 1 regularisation to estimate the covariance matrix for spatial Gaussian Markov random field models with unspecified neighbourhood structures. A new algorithm for ordering spatial points is proposed such that the corresponding precision matrix can be estimated more effectively. Furthermore, we develop an efficient algorithm to minimise the penalised likelihood via a novel usage of the regularised solution path algorithm, which does not require the use of iterative algorithms. By exploiting the sparsity structure in the precision matrix, we show that the LASSO type of approach gives improved covariance estimators measured by several criteria. Asymptotic properties of our proposed estimator are derived. Both our simulated examples and an application to the rainfall data set show that the proposed met...
Immunity Genes and Susceptibility to Otitis Media: A Comprehensive Review

Otitis media (OM) is a middle ear infection associated with inflammation and pain. This disease frequently afflicts humans and is the major cause of hearing loss worldwide. OM continues to be one of the most challenging diseases in the medical field due to its diverse host targets and wide range of clinical manifestations. Substantial morbidity associated with OM is further exacerbated by high frequency of recurrent infections leading to chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM). Children have greater susceptibility to, and thus, suffer most frequently from OM, which can cause significant deterioration in quality of life. Genetic factors have been demonstrated, in large part by twin and family studies, to be key determinants of OM susceptibility. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on immunity genes and selected variants that have been associated with predisposition to OM. In particular, polymorphisms in innate immunity and cytokine genes have been strongly linked with the risk of developing OM. Future studies employing state-of-the-art technologies, including next-generation sequencing (NGS), will aid in the identification of novel genes associated with susceptibility to OM. This, in turn, will open up avenues for identifying high-risk individuals and designing novel therapeutic strategies based on precise targeting of these genes.
Cadherins Mediate Both the Association between PS1 and β-Catenin and the Effects of PS1 on β-Catenin Stability

Presenilin1 (PS1), a protein involved in cellular development, forms functional complexes with β-catenin, a regulator of Wnt signaling and cell-cell adhesion. In addition, both proteins have been shown to play important roles in disease including cancer and Alzheimer disease. Although PS1 and β-catenin are found in the same complexes, it is not clear whether they bind directly to each other or a third complex component, like cadherin, may mediate their interactions. Here we show that PS1 and β-catenin form no detectable complexes in cells that express no cadherin. In contrast, these complexes are readily found in E-cadherin containing cells. Furthermore, binding of both PS1 and β-catenin to E-cadherin is necessary for the formation of PS1/β-catenin complexes. Importantly, our data show that binding of PS1 to cadherin mediates the effects of PS1 on the phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and destabilization of β-catenin. Thus, cadherins mediate both the association of PS1 and β-catenin and the effects of PS1 on the cellular levels of β-catenin.
Viscous flow of craters

The viscous flow equations of Haskell describing the very slow axially symmetric flow of a linearly viscous liquid initially subject to a crater-shaped surface disturbance have been solved numerically. The solution is presented in a curve showing the return of the center of the perturbation to the original surface level as a function of time. A discussion of the stability of this type of viscous flow is given, together with a stability criterion due to Tait. Application of the results to lunar craters is considered, and finally a description is given of some viscous flow model studies, which may be of value in the solution of more complex viscous flow problems of this type.
Evaluation of Cleaning and Coating Techniques for PCB-Contaminated Concrete

PCB-contaminated concrete is a significant environmental management issue for many industrial facilities. The U.S. EPA has authorized exposure control in operating facilities via encapsulation or use of physical barriers when complete PCB removal is not technically achievable and/or is not cost-effective. Achievement of effective encapsulation with epoxy coatings is challenging for PCB-contaminated concrete as oil and/or other chemicals are often present. This work involved experimental investigation of encapsulation via cleaning and epoxy-coating of PCB-contaminated concrete. Experimental studies were performed with three cleaning techniques for removal of PCBs, and three epoxy-coating systems for encapsulating PCBs. Resurfacing of oils and PCBs from concrete after cleaning, or “bleedback”, was also studied. These tests were conducted using PCB/oil-contaminated concrete core samples from industrial plants. Results indicated that no cleaning system alone is effective as a long-term solution for PCB-contaminated concrete, and that bleedback occurred within days after cleaning due to capillary rise, affected by changes in wetting characteristics of the concrete pore surfaces and by elevated temperature induced by heating, which affects the density of the oil. The presence of free oil on the concrete surface resulted in failure of the coating systems, which occurred faster if heating was applied. Where appropriate surface preparation was performed, the integrity of the coatings remained intact throughout the experimental period (eight months). In such cases, the coating system acted effectively as a barrier against diffusion of PCBs. This study demonstrated that, except in high-temperature areas, an epoxy coating can be an appropriate encapsulation system if proper surface preparation is applied. Metal sheet barriers can be used for high-temperature applications.
Effects of cortical and collicular lesions on brightness and flicker discriminations in the cat

Abstract Six cats were trained in a modified Yerkes runway to make brightness and flicker discriminations. Then the visual cortices and superior colliculi were removed bilaterally. After a two-week recovery period the animals were tested for retention and for ability to relearn these two discriminations. There was no retention and relearning was greatly impaired. Comparisons with previous experiments with only cortical removals indicate that the impairment of relearning was due to the additional effect of the collicular removals. The neurological basis for these findings is discussed.
Global Expression Analysis Identified a Preferentially Nerve Growth Factor-induced Transcriptional Program Regulated by Sustained Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase/Extracellular Signal-regulated Kinase (ERK) and AP-1 Protein Activation during PC12 Cell Differentiation

Neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells in response to NGF is a prototypical model in which signal duration determines a biological response. Sustained ERK activity induced by NGF, as compared with transient activity induced by EGF, is critical to the differentiation of these cells. To characterize the transcriptional program activated preferentially by NGF, we compared global gene expression profiles between cells treated with NGF and EGF for 2–4 h, when sustained ERK signaling in response to NGF is most distinct from the transient signal elicited by EGF. This analysis identified 69 genes that were preferentially up-regulated in response to NGF. As expected, up-regulation of these genes was mediated by sustained ERK signaling. In addition, they were up-regulated in response to other neuritogenic treatments (pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate plus dbcAMP) and were enriched for genes related to neuronal differentiation/function. Computational analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation identified binding of CREB and AP-1 family members (Fos, FosB, Fra1, JunB, JunD) upstream of >30 and 50%, respectively, of the preferentially NGF-induced genes. Expression of several AP-1 family members was induced by both EGF and NGF, but their induction was more robust and sustained in response to NGF. The binding of Fos family members to their target genes was similarly sustained in response to NGF and was reduced upon MEK inhibition, suggesting that AP-1 contributes significantly to the NGF transcriptional program. Interestingly, Fra1 as well as two other NGF-induced AP-1 targets (HB-EGF and miR-21) function in positive feedback loops that may contribute to sustained AP-1 activity.
Extraction and Recovery of Polychlorinated Dibenzodioxins and Dibenzofurans from Modified Method 5 Sampling Train Particulate Matter

Because of the extreme toxicity of certain polychlorinated dibenzodioxin (PCDD) and dibenzofuran (PCDF) isomers, there is widespread concern regarding effective sampling and analysis for these compounds. One stationary source which raises concern is the effluent of hazardous waste incinerators where PCDDs/PCDFs may be formed during thermal destruction of hazardous waste. Particulate material in incinerator flue gas is collected on a quartz fiber filter in the sampling train recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for collection of PCDDs and PCDFs. These halogenated organic compounds are recovered from the filter and from the sorbent of the sampling train by extraction with an organic solvent. To evaluate the effectiveness of this extraction process, a spiking study was performed using filters from various stationary sources. In comparing recoveries from particulate-laden filters to recoveries from spiked clean filters, no significant compound losses can be attributed to the particulate matter interactions in these samples. A modified sampling method has been written to address concerns about potential problems with recovery of PCDDs/PCDFs from particulate-laden sampling train filters.
MIM/BEG4, a Sonic hedgehog-responsive gene that potentiates Gli-dependent transcription

Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling plays a critical role during development and carcinogenesis. While Gli family members govern the transcriptional output of Shh signaling, little is known how Gli-mediated transcriptional activity is regulated. Here we identify the actin-binding protein Missing in Metastasis (MIM) as a new Shh-responsive gene. Together, Gli1 and MIM recapitulate Shh-mediated epidermal proliferation and invasion in regenerated human skin. MIM is part of a Gli/Suppressor of Fused complex and potentiates Gli-dependent transcription using domains distinct from those used for monomeric actin binding. These data define MIM as both a Shh-responsive gene and a new member of the pathway that modulates Gli responses during growth and tumorigenesis.
Ethanol Accumulation in Cultures of Pachysolen Tannophilus on D-Xylose is Associated with a Transition to a State of Low Oxygen Consumption

Ethanol accumulation in aerobic batch cultures of Pachysolen tannophilus growing on D-xylose is associated with a transition to a state of low oxygen consumption, and the events triggering the accumulation differ from those of a Crabtree effect. The transition explains the accumulation of ethanol at only a particular interval during the growth of the culture, shows that such accumulation is not dependent on limited oxygen supply, and offers approaches to enhancing the yield of ethanol.
ADOPTION OF HAND-HELD DYNAMOMETRY '

Published research indicates that hand-held dynamometry, a procedure for quantifying muscle strength, has increased in application over the past 15 years. The relationship between time and the number of research papers published is curvilinear, suggesting that the technology is still in its rapid adoption stage.
Language support for atomic behavior in distributed real-time systems

We have developed and implemented the RTC language constructs and run-time system to support both timing constraints and shared resource consistency constraints in distributed real-time programs. This paper describes how the RTC language constructs can be used to support timed atomic behavior to maintain consistency in distributed real-time systems that have the possibility of faults. That is, we show how to enforce the requirement that either all actions execute within timing constraints, no actions execute, or there is an exception that indicates that recovery should be performed. We describe RTC support for timed atomic behavior of a single process, timed atomic commitment among distributed participants, and recovery from constraint violations due to faults. >
Copper adsorption potentials of MgO(001).

The potentials of a copper atom as functions of position outside the MgO surface were evaluated ab initio. These all-electron calculations were carried out with a sufficiently complete localized basis set within the local-density approximation. The MgO(001) surface was simulated by the corresponding surface of finite clusters of various sizes; this procedure was found to give a reasonable approximation to the infinite surface. Potentials were evaluated as functions of distance for the configurations with the copper atom above a surface oxygen atom, a surface magnesium atom, and the hollow site halfway between two oxygen atoms. The deepest potential well was found to be the one for the copper atom above the surface oxgyen atom. The mechanism for the bonding between the copper atom and the surface was found to be the interaction between the copper 4s state and the oxygen 2p band.
The damage-responsive Drosophila gene sickle encodes a novel IAP binding protein similar to but distinct from reaper, grim, and hid.

Abstract In flies and mammals, critical regulators of cell death function by antagonizing Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins (IAPs), which themselves directly block caspase action [1]. The three currently known IAP antagonists in Drosophila map to the H99 genomic interval required for all programmed cell death [2]. Here we describe a fourth member of this genetic group, sickle ( skl ), which maps just outside of the H99 deletion. At its N terminus, Skl shares residues in common with other IAP antagonists in flies (Rpr, Grim, and Hid) [3–5] and in mammals (Smac/DIABLO and Omi/Htra2) [6–10]. Like other activators of apoptosis mapping in the Reaper region, full-length skl induced apoptosis when overexpressed, and the N terminus of this protein specifically bound to the BIR2 domain of DIAP1. However, unlike the N termini of Grim, Hid [11, 12], and Rpr, the N terminus of Skl did not induce apoptosis. skl transcripts accumulate in cells that are fated to die in some but not all regions of the embryo. Genotoxic stimuli induced skl expression, but skl was not responsive to all signals that trigger premature apoptosis. skl is potentially a fourth IAP antagonist in the "Reaper region" and a new candidate transducer of apoptotic damage signaling in Drosophila .
Synthesis and evaluation of 2-amino-4-[18F]fluoro-2-methylbutanoic acid (FAMB): relationship of amino acid transport to tumor imaging properties of branched fluorinated amino acids

Abstract Radiolabeled amino acids represent a promising class of tumor imaging agents, and the determination of the optimal characteristics of these tracers remains an area of active investigation. A new 18 F-labeled branched amino acid, 2-amino-4-[ 18 F]fluoro-2-methylbutanoic acid (FAMB), has been prepared in 36% decay-corrected yield using no-carrier-added [ 18 F]fluoride. In vitro uptake assays with rat 9L gliosarcoma cells suggest that [ 18 F]FAMB was transported primarily via the L type amino acid transport system. In vivo studies with [ 18 F]FAMB demonstrated tumor to normal brain ratios of 14:1 in rats with intracranial 9L gliosarcoma tumors at 60 minutes after injection. Comparison of [ 18 F]FAMB with structurally related 18 F-labeled branched amino acids demonstrated that A type transport in vitro was positively correlated with the tumor to brain ratios observed in vivo.