cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
El fraile y el visir sobre el ámbito de las ciencias teoréticas

While the importance of Avicenna as a source of Aquinas’s thought is generally recognized, the details of that dependence are just now being worked out. This article presents Avicenna’s teaching on the “subjects” of the theoretical sciences—physics, mathematics, and metaphysics—as presented in his Introduction to the Book of Healing. Its influence on Aquinas’s commentary on Boethius’s De trinitate, q. 5, art. 1, is then presented. Comparing Avicenna with Thomas in this way shows the profound infl uence of Avicenna on Thomas’s understanding of the range of the three kinds of theoretical sciences.
Feeding of the Mexican Bean Beetle Larva

The characteristic lacework of bean leaves that results from the feeding of the Mexican bean beetle, Epilachna varivestis Muls., is well known. The technique of the individual in creating this result is interesting and perhaps unique among phytophagous insects.
Relative oöporphyrin content and porphyrin forming capacity of wild-type and white-egg Japanese quail uterine tissue.

SummarySpectrophotometric analysis of wild-type and mutant quail uterine extracts has shown there is much less ooporphyrin in the mutant uterus than in the wild-type uterus, both before and after the expected time of superficial pigment deposition. The data also show that after the time of expected superficial pigment deposition there is significantly less ooporphyrin in the mutant uterus than there was before. In vitro incubation of wild-type and mutant quail uterine homogenates with delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) produced data indicating that mutant homogenates have less capacity for ooporphyrin synthesis than do wild-type homogenates. The evidence suggests that some factor other than ALA availability prevents mutant homogenates from synthesizing as much ooporphyrin as wild-type homogenates.
Investment and Attention in the Weblog Community.

While the weblog medium has grown out of a few modest technological innovations, the social and behavioral aspects of this emerging practice represent a large shift towards a new form of interaction: a massively distributed but completely connected conversation covering every imaginable topic of interest. This paper seeks to understand the social implications of hypertext links within the community, both from a systemic view of the entire network, and also from the perspective of individual authors. Using a large corpus of weblogs collected over a one-month period, an analysis of the structural properties of the weblog readership network is presented. These findings are compared to the results of an online survey of weblog authors around the topics of weblog use and linking behavior. Both cases suggest that the largest contributing factor to weblog audience size is the amount that an author invests into the practice.
Forces and Stresses

Lofty mountains inspire lofty thoughts: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence cometh my help.” And structures on outcrop scale, though less majestic, can have great aesthetic appeal. But besides the rich visual texture, a second quality engages the mind: there is a duality, a double vision; is what we see familiar or unfamiliar? On one hand, some aspects of outcrop structures are familiar; “marble cake” looks like marble and conversely, outcrops sometimes look like streaky fluids, pastes, and confections from the kitchen. On the other hand, the time scale is hard to grasp, and the idea of a tombstone gradually changing shape, and yet at any moment during the change being as hard and flinty and apparently resistant to change as it appears today—that idea is less familiar.
Dominican Decentralization Moves toward Maturity, 1996–2013

Aspects of Dominican municipal politics are examined, in the years since decentralizing measures began. Within municipalities, governments showed new administrative vigor and eff ectiveness, largely within traditional policy areas. There were few eff ective local initiatives to develop new functions. Municipios that most actively cultivated engagement with their constituents tended to mount the most successful contestation against central-government policy domination. In this respect, Santiago’s city hall outperformed the core-city government in Santo Domingo. Among municipalities, Participatory Budgeting spread rapidly and survived partisan turnover, while the Federation of Municipalities continued strong and regional consortia of towns expanded local capabilities at modest cost. In comparison with decentralization processes in Colombia and Brazil, Dominican local governments may have stalled at a stage of increased central funding, combined with limited policy functions.
Skin microbiome promotes mast cell maturation by triggering stem cell factor production in keratinocytes

Background Mast cell (MC) progenitors leave the bone marrow, enter the circulation, and settle in the skin and other tissues. Their maturation in tissues is influenced by the surrounding microenvironment. Objective We tested the hypothesis that environmental factors play a role in MC maturation in the skin. Methods MCs were numerically, phenotypically, and functionally compared between germ-free (GF), specific pathogen-free, and GF mice reconstituted with microbiota. The maturity of MCs was then correlated with skin levels of stem cell factor (SCF), a critical MC differentiation factor, and lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a Toll-like receptor 2 ligand. MCs were also evaluated in mice with keratinocyte-specific deletion of Scf . Results We found that GF mice express abnormally low amounts of SCF, a critical MC differentiation factor, and contain MCs that are largely undifferentiated. Reconstituting the GF microbiota reverted this MC phenotype to normal, indicating that the phenotype is related to ongoing interactions of the microbiota and skin. Consistent with the immaturity of GF MCs, degranulation-provoking compound 48/80 induced less edema in the skin of GF mice than in conventional mice. Our results show that the skin microbiome drives SCF production in keratinocytes, which triggers the differentiation of dermal MCs. Because the skin microbiome is a rich source of LTA, a Toll-like receptor 2 ligand, we mimicked the GF microbiome's effect on MCs by applying LTA to the skin of GF mice. We also demonstrated that MC migration within the skin depends exclusively on keratinocyte-produced SCF. Conclusion This study has revealed a novel mechanism by which the skin microbiota signals the recruitment and maturation of MCs within the dermis through SCF production by LTA-stimulated keratinocytes.
Effects of dietary protein concentration on postweaning growth of Boer crossbred and Spanish goat wethers

Boer (3/4) x Spanish (1/4) (BC; n = 23) and Spanish (SP; n = 22) goat wethers, 4 to 4.5 mo of age and 17.6 and 19.4 kg initial BW, respectively (SE = 0.57), were used to determine effects on growth of protein concentration in 70% concentrate diets provided for ad libitum intake for 30 wk in confinement. Offered diets contained 10.2, 14.2, 18.3, and 23.6% CP (DM basis), and CP concentration in consumed DM was 9.3, 13.8, 17.1, and 22.1% (P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively); supplemental protein was from soybean meal for P1 and P2 and from soybean meal plus a blend of blood, fish, and feather meals for P3 and P4. Dry matter intake was similar between breeds and among diets (732, 712, 698, and 740 g/d for P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively; SE = 27.0). Average daily gain was greater for P2 (P = 0.07) and P4 (P < 0.05) than for P1 (76, 90, 85, and 100 g/d for P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively; SE = 5.3) and for BC than for SP (97 vs 78 g/d, SE = 3.7; P = 0.05). Similarly, ADG:DMI was lowest (P < 0.05) among diets for P1 (0.106, 0.126, 0.121, and 0.132 for P1, P2, P3, and P4, respectively; SE = 0.0053) and greater (P < 0.05) for BC than for SP (0.135 vs 0.108; SE = 0.0037). In conclusion, with 70% concentrate diets, the protein requirement for both BC and SP seemed to have been met by consumption of diets with at least 14% CP, with no apparent benefit from addition of ruminally undegraded protein.
DNA Base Flipping: A General Mechanism for Writing, Reading, and Erasing DNA Modifications

The modification of DNA bases is a classic hallmark of epigenetics. Four forms of modified cytosine—5-methylcytosine, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxylcytosine—have been discovered in eukaryotic DNA. In addition to cytosine carbon-5 modifications, cytosine and adenine methylated in the exocyclic amine—N4-methylcytosine and N6-methyladenine—are other modified DNA bases discovered even earlier. Each modified base can be considered a distinct epigenetic signal with broader biological implications beyond simple chemical changes. Since 1994, crystal structures of proteins and enzymes involved in writing, reading, and erasing modified bases have become available. Here, we present a structural synopsis of writers, readers, and erasers of the modified bases from prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Despite significant differences in structures and functions, they are remarkably similar regarding their engagement in flipping a target base/nucleotide within DNA for specific recognitions and/or reactions. We thus highlight base flipping as a common structural framework broadly applied by distinct classes of proteins and enzymes across phyla for epigenetic regulations of DNA.
Uptake and Beliefs Regarding Seasonal Influenza Vaccination Among Childcare Center Staff, Administrators, and Parents

Surveys were distributed to parents and childcare agency staff to determine seasonal influenza vaccine uptake. Multivariate logistic regressions identified vaccination determinants. Overall, 351 parents and staff participated (response rate, 32%). One-half (168 [48%]) received vaccine. Vaccination predictors included healthcare provider or employer recommendation, perceived seriousness, and no vaccine fear. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:367-370.
TENDON-DEPENDENT CONTROL OF LONGITUDINAL BONE GROWTH

Introduction Skeletal abnormalities caused by disproportioned bone overgrowth (LBO), are a common trait in Marfan syndrome (MFS), a connective tissue disease caused by mutations in the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein and TGFβ regulator fibrillin-1 (Fbn1). The cause of LBO in MFS is unknown and therapies are not available. Fibrillin-1 hypomorphic mouse model (Fbn1mgR/mgR) faithfully replicates MFS skeletal manifestations including elongated bones however, its early demise due aortic rupture limit the magnitude of LBO investigation. Materials and Methods To circumvent Fbn1mgR/mgR lethality and investigate the contribution of specific skeletal tissues to LBO, Fbn1 gene expression was targeted in developing limbs by crossing Fbn1Lox/Lox mice with Prx1-Cre, in or bone with Osx-Cre, in cartilage and perichondrium with Col2-Cre, in skeletal muscles with Mef2c-Cre, and ligaments and tendons with Scx-Cre. Bones length of Fbn1 conditional mice KO was measured and relevant histological, cellular and biomechanical parameters were assessed. Results Fbn1Prx1−/+ and Fbn1Prx1−/− mice had longer limbs bones compared to WT mice and amount of fibrillin-1 in the limb matrix was inversely proportional to bone length. Interestingly, Fbn1 gene targeting in ligaments/tendons resulted in LBO, altered tissues9 mechanics and TGFβ-induced switch of tendon stem cells to chondrocytes. Gene targeting in other limb9s anatomical locations did not result in LBO thus ruling out the participation of surrounding tissues to this bone phenotype. Discussion Fbn1 gene inactivation in ligament/tendon is associated with increased local TGFβ, altered biomechanical properties and LBO. As previously reported, ligaments/tendons respond to changes in mechanical load by increasing the levels and/or the activity of TGF-β while bones undergo morphological adaptation in response to muscle loads transmitted by tendons. We hypothesize that dysregulation of local TGFβ signaling and altered biomechanical properties of fibrillin-1 deficient ligaments/tendons affect endochondral ossification by improper load transmission to bone. By showing ligament/tendon-dependent regulation of postnatal longitudinal bone growth this study provides a paradigm-shift in tendon biology and it shades a new light on LBO pathophysiology in MFS, thus providing the bases for new pharmacological interventions for this and related skeletal conditions.
Dynamics of Graphite Oxidation at High Temperature

Interactions of ground-state atomic and molecular oxygen, O(3P) and O2(3Σg–), with a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite surface were investigated for a broad range of surface temperatures from 1100 K to approximately 2300 K. A molecular beam composed of 89% O atoms and 11% O2, with average translational energies of 472.1 and 944.4 kJ mol–1, respectively, was directed at the surface with an incidence angle, θi, of 45°. Angle- and velocity-resolved distributions were collected for nonreactively and reactively scattered products with the use of a rotatable mass spectrometer detector. Four scattered products were observed: O, O2, CO, and CO2. O atoms that exited the surface without reacting exhibited both impulsive scattering (IS) and thermal desorption (TD) components. The primary reaction product observed was carbon monoxide (CO). Carbon dioxide (CO2) was measured only with surface temperatures below 1400 K, and O2 was attributed to IS of O2 that was present in the incident beam. Although there is evidence ...
What do we know about the macular pigment in AMD: the past, the present, and the future.

Carotenoids are lipophilic isoprenoid pigments with a common C40H56 core chemical structure that are naturally synthesized by many plants, algae, bacteria, and fungi. Humans and animals cannot synthesize carotenoids de novo and must obtain them solely through dietary sources. Among the more than 750 carotenoids in nature, only lutein, zeaxanthin, meso-zeaxanthin, and their oxidative metabolites selectively accumulate in the foveal region of the retina where they are collectively referred to as the macular pigment (MP) of the macula lutea. MP serves an ocular protective role through its ability to filter phototoxic blue light radiation and also via its antioxidant activity. These properties have led to the hypothesis that carotenoids may protect against the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in the aged population >60 years old. Epidemiological studies have supported this by showing that patients with lower concentrations of serum carotenoids and macular pigment optical density (MPOD) measurements are at a higher risk of developing AMD. Conversely, nutritional supplementation and diets rich in lutein and zeaxanthin readily impact MP concentrations and reduce the risk of progression to advanced AMD, and the AREDS2 supplement formulation containing 10 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin is the standard-of-care recommendation for individuals at risk for visual loss from advanced AMD. This article reviews the rich history of research on the MP dating back to the 1700s and outlines their potential for further therapeutic improvements for AMD in the future.
Making Class: Children's Perceptions of Social Class through Illustrations.

Background/ContextThough there has been attention to how class differences impact children's experiences in schools and how young people perceive racial and gender differences, very little research...
An effective fuzzy-nets training scheme for monitoring tool breakage

Recent research results show that fuzzy logic and the neural networks systems are very effective in detecting the breakage of cutting tools during machining processes. In the present study, a fuzzy-nets training procedure was developed to build the rule banks to meet the dynamic requirements of machining processes. The system is capable of responding and adapting in “real-time” to either shut down the machine when a tool fracture occurs or tune the process parameters “on-line”. The training procedure was validated in a back-up truck problem. Furthermore, two fuzzy-nets systems were combined to serve as a tool breakage detection system for an end milling operation. When the system was evaluated for end milling, the adaptive capability (of the fuzzy-nets system) was shown to enable detection of tool breakage to occur “on-line”, approaching a real-time base.
Dissociative Recombination of Highly Symmetric Polyatomic Ions

A general first-principles theory of dissociative recombination is developed for highly symmetric molecular ions and applied to ${\mathrm{H}}_{3}{\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{CH}}_{3}^{+}$, which play an important role in astrophysical, combustion, and laboratory plasma environments. The theoretical cross sections obtained for the dissociative recombination of the two ions are in good agreement with existing experimental data from storage ring experiments.
The Methodological Constraints on the Rationality Premise

The last chapter described how modern neoclassical economic theorists (mainly those who have an allegiance to the Chicago price-theory traditions) choose to define rationality in economics. That is, in that chapter, I considered the basic rationality premise without any consideration for how that premise might square with the theorists’ more broadly conceived philosophy of knowledge and without consideration of how that premise is influenced by the methodologies and technologies theorists use in their inquiries. This chapter explains more explicitly and formally how the methodologies that theorists employ in their inquiries more or less constrain the assumed nature of the rationality premise and how the assumption of rationality connects with their theory of knowledge.
Case-based review: atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a rare CNS cancer that typically occurs in children younger than 3 years of age. Histologically, AT/RTs are embryonal tumors that contain a rhabdoid component as well as areas with primitive neuroectodermal, mesenchymal, and epithelial features. Compared to other CNS tumors of childhood, AT/RTs are characterized by their rapid growth, short symptomatic prodrome, and large size upon presentation, often leading to brain compression and intracranial hypertension requiring urgent intervention. For decades, the mainstay of care has been a combination of maximal safe surgical resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Despite advances in each of these modalities, the relative paucity of data on these tumors, their inherently aggressive course, and a lack of molecular data have limited advances in treatment over the past 3 decades. Recent large-scale, multicenter interdisciplinary studies, however, have significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of these tumors. Multiple clinical trials testing molecularly targeted therapies are underway, offering hope for patients with AT/RT and their families.
Disability Studies and Educational Leadership Preparation: The Moral Imperative

This article details the experience of two instructors of P12 educational leadership programs in two university settings in different states, NY and NJ, as they seek to disrupt ableist thinking among educational leadership candidates. Analysis of data on placement of students with disabilities in New York and New Jersey from the period of 2014 to the present and state Department of Education field memos were used to contextualize their analysis of critical incidents relevant to their teaching experiences. The authors offer a critique of the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) Continuum as it has been used to segregate students with disabilities from their non-disabled peers and offer suggestions for how educational leadership preparation should include a Disability Studies (DS) framework as a foundation to disrupt these taken for granted practices. Login for full text: [Word] [PDF] [TXT] Disability Studies and Educational Leadership Preparation: The Moral Imperative by Joshua Bornstein & Holly Manaseri is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://rdsjournal.org/index.php/journal/article/view/818. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at https://www.rds.hawaii.edu.
Power Allocation in 5G Wireless Communication

Granger Causality analysis originated in the field of econometrics is used as a time series analysis tool based on vector auto-regression, and its phased generalized transfer entropy (TE), which is based on conditional co-information in information theory, has been widely used in data analysis in recent years. In this paper, we forecast the Fifth-Generation (5G) channel based on the Granger causality and transfer entropy, then use the water filling algorithm to allocate power for the forecasted 5G channel. In the first part of the paper, we use the Granger causality test to verify the Granger causality correlation of two random 5G channels and ensure that the two channels can be forecasted using the Transfer Entropy method. In the second part, we use transfer entropy to forecast two channels and verify the accuracy of the forecasted channels using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Cramer-Rao Lower Bound (CRLB). Finally, we use the Inverse Water-Filling (IWF) algorithm to perform the power allocation for the forecasted channels and compare it with the Equal Gain (EG) algorithm. The simulations further validate our theoretical results.
Abnormalities of the Inguinal Canal and Scrotum

Abnormalities of the inguinal canal and scrotum are frequently encountered in children and adolescents. Certain conditions require emergent care while others are non-emergent. Sorting through the many different conditions that result in an “abnormal appearing” inguinal canal and/or scrotum is critical in determining the acuity of care and in choosing the appropriate treatment. This chapter will outline the different conditions that result in inguinal canal and scrotal abnormalities and assist the primary care provider in diagnosis and management.
HYDROXYL REACTIVITY AND AVAILABILITY IN CELLULOSE

Generally, reagents must first penetrate channels and pores to accomplish the purpose for which a chemical modification is designed. Thereafter, relative reactivities of O(2)H, O(3)H, and O(6)H toward various types of reagents and relative availabilities of these hydroxyl groups for reaction become critical factors in achieving specific physical performance properties from chemical modifications of cellulose. The marvelous simplicity and complexity of microstructural features of cellulosic fibers and the amenability of cellulose to alteration of physical properties by chemical modification argue convincingly that much remains to be achieved in tailor-making chemical modifications of cellulose by reactions that are conducted with full cognizance of the roles played by chemistry and microstructure. An attempt is made here to put into perspective the chemistry of cellulose and its relationship to the microstructure of cellulose.
Open Texture and Mathematics

The purpose of this article is to explore the extent to which mathematics is subject to open texture and the extent to which mathematics resists open texture. The resistance is tied to the importance of proof and, in particular, rigor, in mathematics.
Superconducting Shuttle-flux Shift Buffer for Race Logic

This paper presents a superconducting magnetically coupled shift buffer based on a shuttle-flux shift register that stores single flux quantum (SFQ) pulses. The shift register has a DC bias operating margin of ±34% at 10 GHz, the power dissipation of 3.6µW at the clock bias, and 38% fewer Josephson junctions for 1024 stages compared to DFF-based shift registers. Clock bias is independent of the input pulse sequence through inductive coupling with a minimal current drive. Based on our shift register, we add two non-destructive readouts (NDRO) cells to construct a buffer that can inexpensively store the temporal information of race logic (RL) pulses or a pulse train for spiking neural networks. These applications motivate deep shift registers with many shifting intervals, which our shift register can implement with only a pair of coupled inductors and one JJ per shifting interval.
Transition-Metal-Catalyzed Monofluoroalkylation: Strategies for the Synthesis of Alkyl Fluorides by C-C Bond Formation.

Alkyl fluorides modulate the conformation, lipophilicity, metabolic stability, and p K a of compounds containing aliphatic motifs and, therefore, have been valuable for medicinal chemistry. Despite significant research in organofluorine chemistry, the synthesis of alkyl fluorides, especially chiral alkyl fluorides, remains a challenge. Most commonly, alkyl fluorides are prepared by the formation of C-F bonds (fluorination), and numerous strategies for nucleophilic, electrophilic, and radical fluorination have been reported in recent years. Although strategies to access alkyl fluorides by C-C bond formation (monofluoroalkylation) are inherently convergent and complexity-generating, they have studied less than methods based on fluorination. This Review provides an overview of recent developments in the synthesis of chiral (enantioenriched or racemic) secondary and tertiary alkyl fluorides by monofluoroalkylation catalyzed by transition-metal complexes. We expect this contribution will illuminate the potential of monofluoroalkylations to simplify the synthesis of complex alkyl fluorides and suggest further research directions in this growing field.
Thermal CVD of homoepitaxial diamond using CF/sub 4/ and F/sub 2/

For the first time, diamond has been grown using low-pressure thermal CVD. No additional excitation such as plasmas or filaments was used. The letter reports the homoepitaxial growth of diamond on type II-A diamond(100) via pyrolysis in a CF4/F2 gas mixture. The fluorine in the process is analogous to the atomic hydrogen in traditional plasma or filament assisted CVD processes in that it serves as an etchant to remove the nondiamond components from the depositing carbon film.
Stress Analysis of Bonded Plates and Joints

The paper presents a general numerical method of solution to the transverse normal stress and longitudinal shear stress distributions in the adhesive layers of bonded stiffener plates, double lap joints, and strap joints, all of dissimilar orthotropic adherends. The bending deformations and the transverse shear deformations are included in the analytical model. The present influence of bending deformations of adherends on both the normal and shear stresses in adhesive layers is discussed in detail for practical cases.
Subjective Health and Subjective Well-Being Among Minority Elderly

This study used LISREL to examine the relationships between subjective health and three dimensions of subjective well being in a probability sample of Black and Hispanic elderly people. The results revealed that subjective health had different direct effects which exhibited different magnitudes on three dimensions of subjective well-being. In addition, age, sex, education, income, marital status and ethnicity had different effects on subjective health and subjective well-being. The findings of this study suggest that three dimensions of the Life Satisfaction Index A (LSIA) can be used for future program evaluation in human services organizations.
The Treason Trial of Aaron Burr

The high-stakes treason trial of Aaron Burr came at an unstable time, both in Europe and in America. The American and French revolutions worried traditional European powers, Great Britain and Spain, who were determined to keep the radical new doctrine from undermining the power of their royalty. Meanwhile, Napoleon's empire-building produced sustained military conflict on the Continent. The United States seemed on the verge of a war with Spain, even as the Administration struggled to preserve neutrality. Americans west of the Alleghenies rejoiced in President Jefferson's acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, but boundary disputes and Spanish prohibitions on Louisiana residents' entry into Nueva Espana created resentment and threats of reprisal. The Viceroy of Mexico, allied generally with western Indians, sent troops to the Sabine River to protect the Spanish frontier from invasion by United States citizens. Most Westerners saw Spain as tyrannical and viewed Texas and Florida as a rightful part of the United States. Many of these same Westerners expressed a willingness to take Spanish territory by force. Meanwhile, Spain also worried about the designs of residents of its own dominion (especially Mexico), recognizing that the unprivileged masses had grown resentful of Spanish authority. In this troubled time, the end of President Jefferson's first term, Aaron Burr stepped down from the Vice Presidency, and began preparations for a military expedition that was either - depending upon whose views one solicited - treasonous or patriotic. At its core, however, the Burr Conspiracy clearly was about conquest and adventure.
Does ideology matter

Abstract The interplay between domestic politics and foreign policy has long been a debating issue among scholars of international studies. This study focuses on the question of how political and ideological changes in the successor states of the former Soviet Union have affected their relations with the People's Republic of China, one of the few remaining communist countries in the world. The findings in this study show that relations between China and the successor states of the former Soviet Union have been affected least by ideology. These findings should not lead the reader to the conclusion that ideology does not matter in international relations, but rather, the author argues, that economic and geopolitical considerations tend to overshadow the ideological factor in relations among states.
A generalized model of a resource-population system

A system of nonlinear differential equations describing a resource-population system is analyzed in terms of the existence and characteristics of its equilibrium states. It is proved that, under the condition that k<αβ (necessary condition for the population being able to grow under optimal conditions), it is a necessary and sufficient condition for the system to have a steady state that the resource input rate to the system be constant. When the resource input rate is a constant different from zero, the system has only one equilibrium point, at M 0=β/0/k, A 0=−(β/0/kα)ln(1−k/αβ), and this equilibrium point is always stable. In other words, the system population-resource will always reach the steady state, either monotonically (node) or by damped oscillations (focus), from any arbitrary initial condition in the positive quadrant. When the resource input rate is equal to zero, the system has an infinite number of equilibrium points at M 0=0, A 0=constant. All these equilibrium points are unstable in the sense that any slight increase in M will move the system away from the equilibrium states, except for the point M 0=0, A 0=0, which is the only stable equilibrium point, to which the system will tend. This stable equilibrium point corresponds to the condition of complete annihilation of both resource and population. Finally, it is proved that the system does not have limit cycles in the positive quadrant and is therefore incapable of self-oscillations.
Tempered Distributions and the Fourier Transform

In attempting to define the Fourier transform of a distribution t (x), we would like to use the formula (in R 1) $$ \hat t\left( u \right) = F\left( {t\left( x \right)} \right) = \int_{ - \infty }^\infty {e^{iux} t\left( x \right)dx.} $$ (1) .
ORIGINAL RESEARCH—SURGERY: Antibiotic Coating Reduces Penile Prosthesis Infection

ABSTRACT Aim To evaluate the efficacy of a new antibiotic‐coated (rifampicin + monocycline) penile prosthesis in prevention of bacterial adhesion and reduction of penile prosthesis infection. Methods In a retrospective analysis of medical records of men who had undergone implantation of American Medical Systems (AMS) inflatable penile prostheses between July 1990 and November 2003, we compared patients with AMS antibiotic‐coated prostheses and patients with AMS nonantibiotic‐coated prostheses. A total of 152 men aged from 27 to 79 years with erectile dysfunction underwent implantation of the AMS inflatable penile prosthesis. Fifty‐eight patients received the antibiotic‐coated prosthesis between July 2001 and November 2003, and 94 patients received the nonantibiotic‐coated prosthesis between July 1990 and June 2001. Results In most cases infection was present; it was detected 1–2 days or up to 3–6 months after implantation. Complications including infection, which required surgical intervention, were observed in 15 patients of the nonantibiotic‐coated prosthesis group (three reoperations for infection), and noninfection‐related failure in five patients of the antibiotic‐coated prosthesis group. In the nonantibiotic‐coated prosthesis group of patients, time to infection ranged from 1 day to 6 months (mean 3.5 months). The antibiotic‐coated prosthesis group of patients immediately after surgery and during the short‐ and intermediate‐term follow‐up had no infection of the penile prosthesis. Conclusions We suggest that the antibiotic locally delivered from the prosthesis coating might be an effective supplement for prevention of prosthesis‐related infection in penile prosthesis surgery.
Alcohol's role in sexual violence perpetration: theoretical explanations, existing evidence and future directions

Issues. There is controversy regarding the extent to which alcohol plays a causal role in sexual assault perpetration. Approach.This paper critically reviews the relevant alcohol administration and survey research literature. Key Findings. Alcohol administration researchers have randomly assigned male participants to drink conditions prior to exposure to an acquaintance rape scenario.As compared to sober participants,intoxicated participants find the male character’s use of force to obtain sex more acceptable and express greater willingness to act in a similar manner.In several studies,these effects are strongest for intoxicated men with hostile attitudes toward women.Survey researchers have asked male participants to describe incidents in which they behaved in a sexually aggressive manner. Men who commit sexual assault when drinking report having traits, attitudes and experiences similar to those of other perpetrators except in the alcohol domain. Perpetrators who commit sexual assault when drinking tend to drink more than other perpetrators in sexual situations and have stronger expectancies regarding alcohol’s effects on sexual behaviour. Implications. Overall, research suggests that alcohol interacts with personality and aspects of the situation, adding to the risk of perpetration among men already predisposed to engaging in sexual aggression. Conclusions.Although there are no simple answers to questions about alcohol’s role in sexual assault, research suggests that intoxication may be a more important determinant of when some men commit sexual aggression, rather than who becomes sexually aggressive. [Abbey A. Alcohol’s role in sexual violence perpetration: Theoretical explanations, existing evidence and future directions. Drug Alcohol Rev 2011;30:481–489]
Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in Women with and without Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection.

Abstract Background Untreated depression and anxiety during the perinatal period have significant consequences on maternal and infant health; however, few studies have examined perinatal depression and perinatal anxiety in women with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The current study prospectively examined the prevalence of prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety, and emotional support from family and friends, as well as childhood sexual abuse in women with and without HIV infection. Methods Between July 2009 and January 2013, 258 pregnant women receiving care in a Philadelphia hospital were enrolled, with 162 completing both the prenatal and postpartum portions of the study. The Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Adults were used to measure depression and anxiety symptoms, respectively. An independent samples t test and multiple linear regressions were used to determine associations among depression, anxiety, and pregnancy-related variables. Results Forty-nine participants (30%) were living with HIV; 113 (70%) were HIV negative. CES-D scores did not differ prenatally (p = .131) or postpartum (p = .156) between women with and without HIV. Prenatal state anxiety scores were higher in women with HIV (p = .02) but there were no differences postpartum (p = .432). In a multiple linear regression, trait anxiety predicted postpartum anxiety in the full sample (p Conclusions These findings highlight the importance of identifying and treating perinatal depression and anxiety early in the prenatal period. Results also emphasize the need for providers to be aware of childhood sexual abuse as a potential correlate for depression in women with HIV.
Correlation of astroglial cell function on micro-patterned surfaces with specific geometric parameters

Abstract Microcontact printing techniques were used to modify silicon substrates with arrays of hexagonal features of N1[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]diethylenetriamine (DETA) surrounded by octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS), which are hydrophilic, cell-adhesive and hydrophobic, non-adhesive organosilanes, respectively. In the presence of serum proteins, LRM55 cell adhesion and morphology on these modified surfaces were best correlated to the width of the cell-adhesive features. On surfaces modified with small (5 μm in width) cell-adhesive features, LRM55 cells elaborated only thin processes. As feature width was increased, cells on these surfaces exhibited increased cell spreading and elaborated wide processes. On surfaces modified with large (>35 μm in width) features, single cells adhered to and spread upon individual DETA features. In a similar fashion, LRM55 cell adhesion density increased with increasing feature width; this correlation could be represented by a simple, second-order relation, and was independent of all other measures of pattern geometry. The results of this study provide evidence that micro-patterning may be effective in controlling astrocyte interaction with implant materials.
Departure Time Choice for Recreational Activities by Elderly Nonworkers

A discrete choice analysis was performed to study the temporal preferences of elderly persons for recreational trips. Departure time choice studies for recreational activities helped in gaining an understanding of flexible travel behavior. Elderly persons form the fastest-growing age groups, and results from the 1995 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey indicate an increase in travel by elderly persons. This study was the first part in a study of the interaction of age, emerging transport technologies, and activity participation. Modeling departure time choice for elderly persons is critical in understanding the travel needs of an aging population to provide adequate services and enhance efficacy of transport systems and user mobility. The study makes possible an analysis of the impacts on congestion, air quality, and associated mitigation efforts. Results of this study confirm that travel patterns for elderly persons are different from those of the general population; they prefer the earlier part of...
BAMMtools: an R package for the analysis of evolutionary dynamics on phylogenetic trees

Summary Understanding the dynamics of speciation, extinction and phenotypic evolution is a central challenge in evolutionary biology. Here, we present BAMMtools, an r package for the analysis and visualization of macroevolutionary dynamics on phylogenetic trees. BAMMtools is a companion package to BAMM, an open-source program for reversible-jump MCMC analyses of diversification and trait evolution. Functions in BAMMtools operate directly on output from the BAMM program. The package is oriented towards reconstructing and visualizing changes in evolutionary rates through time and across clades in a Bayesian statistical framework. BAMMtools enables users to extract credible sets of diversification shifts and to identify diversification histories with the maximum a posteriori probability. Users can compare the fit of alternative diversification models using Bayes factors and by directly comparing model posterior probabilities. By providing a robust framework for quantifying uncertainty in macroevolutionary dynamics, BAMMtools will facilitate inference on the complex mixture of processes that have shaped the distribution of species and phenotypes across the tree of life.
Soil Moisture, Snow, and Seasonal Streamflow Forecasts in the United States

AbstractLand surface model experiments are used to quantify, for a number of U.S. river basins, the contributions (isolated and combined) of soil moisture and snowpack initialization to the skill of seasonal streamflow forecasts at multiple leads and for different start dates. Snow initialization has a major impact on skill during the spring melting season. Soil moisture initialization has a smaller but still statistically significant impact during this season, and in other seasons, its contribution to skill dominates. Realistic soil moisture initialization can contribute to skill at long leads (over 6 months) for certain basins and seasons. Skill levels in all seasons are found to be related to the ratio of initial total water storage (soil water plus snow) variance to the forecast period precipitation variance, allowing estimates of the potential for skill in areas outside the verification basins.
Extreme high field strength element (HFSE) depletion and near-chondritic Nb/Ta ratios in Central Andean adakite-like lavas (~ 28°S, ~ 68°W)

The eruption of andesites with steep REE patterns and high Sr concentrations (adakite-like) in the northernmost Chilean flatslab region of the Central Andes spatially and temporally corresponds with the appearance of a marked HFSE (high field strength element) depletion in these lavas (La/Ta up to 95). Known as the Dos Hermanos and Pircas Negras andesites, these lavas erupted at the beginning (∼ 8 Ma), during (7–3 Ma), and immediately following (3–2 Ma) a period of tectonic instability characterized by eastward migration of the frontal volcanic arc. ICP-MS analyses of the HFSE reveal a range of chondritic (20–18) to subchondritic (18–11) Nb/Ta ratios in these lavas. Evident temporal trace element trends support a change from a rutile-bearing to an amphibole-bearing eclogitic residual assemblage in equilibrium with the mafic precursor magmas of these andesites. This change in residual mineralogy is contemporaneous with the onset of frontal arc migration in the region. Potential eclogitic sources for the Dos Hermanos and Pircas Negras adakitic andesites include mafic Andean lower crust and an additional flux of forearc crust transported to the sub-arc mantle via subduction erosion during the height of arc migration and Pircas Negras magmatism. Batch melting models of rutile- or amphibole-bearing eclogitic arc basalt in tandem with magma mixing calculations generate the observed adakitic signatures and near-chondritic Nb/Ta ratios of these Central Andean andesites.
Emerging Critical Role of Molecular Testing in Diagnostic Genitourinary Pathology

Context The unprecedented advances in cancer genetics and genomics are rapidly affecting clinical management and diagnostics in solid tumor oncology. Molecular diagnostics is now an integral part of routine clinical management in patients with lung, colon, and breast cancer. In sharp contrast, molecular biomarkers have been largely excluded from current management algorithms of urologic malignancies. Objective To discuss promising candidate biomarkers that may soon make their transition to the realm of clinical management of genitourologic malignancies. The need for new treatment alternatives that can improve upon the modest outcome so far in patients with several types of urologic cancer is evident. Well-validated prognostic molecular biomarkers that can help clinicians identify patients in need of early aggressive management are lacking. Identifying robust predictive biomarkers that will stratify response to emerging targeted therapeutics is another crucially needed development. A compiled review of salient studies addressing the topic could be helpful in focusing future efforts. Data sources A PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) search for published studies with the following search terms was conducted: molecular , prognostic , targeted therapy , genomics , theranostics and urinary bladder cancer , prostate adenocarcinoma , and renal cell carcinoma . Articles with large cohorts and multivariate analyses were given preference. Conclusions Our recent understanding of the complex molecular alterations involved in the development and progression of urologic malignancies is yielding novel diagnostic and prognostic molecular tools and opening the doors for experimental targeted therapies for these prevalent, frequently lethal solid tumors.
Are there biological markers for wear or corrosion? A systematic review.

Background Identification of biomarkers associated with wear and tribocorrosion in joint arthroplasty would be helpful to enhance early detection of aseptic loosening and/or osteolysis and to improve understanding of disease progression. There have been several new reports since the last systematic review (which covered research through mid-2008) justifying a new assessment.
What lepton pairs reveal about pions in the nuclear medium.

We calculate the pion spectrum and its electromagnetic annihilation vertex in nuclear matter taking into account the strong {pi}{ital N}{Delta} interaction. For nuclear densities the pion kinetic energy is approximately compensated by the interaction, but also the free-pion annihilation matrix element is almost canceled by the contribution from the interaction with the medium. Consequently, the enhancement of the dilepton production rate due to the softening of the pion spectrum is strongly reduced.
Gemcitabine and Trastuzumab Combinations for Patients with Metastatic Breast Cancer Overexpressing HER2/neu

In HER2/neu-positive metastatic breast cancer, the combination of chemotherapy and trastuzumab has become a standard of care. This review discusses HER2/neu overexpression in breast cancer and the use of trastuzumab-based therapies. Specifically, the rationale for a gemcitabine/trastuzumab combination in this disease entity and the available clinical data on the use of the combination are discussed. Response rates of 12%-42% have been seen with single-agent gemcitabine and 37%-62% with trastuzumab/gemcitabine combinations. Further work is currently ongoing to examine this promising combination.