cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minds, Limits, and Spaces

This chapter investigates investigations in artificial life, exobiology, and bioinformatics. It claims that the technical constitutes the instruments and mediation of how we think and inquire. It reviews the intensified politicization of scientific research in the United States, specifically of NASA. It contextualizes the search for forms of life on Mars and elsewhere within developments of the technosciences and global capital markets. Reading the place of technics in contemporary research programs, it challenges the premise of disinterested “blue sky” projects. The role of technology is critiqued on the basis of Heidegger’s questioning the primary frameworks for representations in their capturing “pictures” of the world. This chapter further develops the question of the limits of epistemic curiosity with regard to the question of what constitutes forms of life and emergent systems. It considers the embodied problems and possibilities now encountered by these novel fields of inquiry. The chapter and text conclude with a critical appreciation of technics as the means by which limits are contested. The technosciences are the primary arena of contemporary thinking, cultural change, and theoretical forays. Theoretical curiosity as it is now conducted through technical forms must remain critically engaged in order to think everyday life and its potentials for creating a habitable future.
History of genetic engineering of laboratory and farm animals.

In the last few hundred years, man has learned that the tools of ge netic selection are a powerful means of improving the utility of livestock. Genetic engineering of animals appears to be a logical extension of the man-animal relationship; albeit one that places more responsibility on man in his efforts to develop an ecosystem in which both man and animals persist. The prospects for genetic engineering of farm animals have improved dramatically because of recent discoveries in the field of gene regulation. Two fundamental tools have made possible the recently reported successful insertion of a cloned human growth hormone gene into pigs and sheep (21). These tools or biotechnologies are embryo micromanipulation and recombinant DNA technology. Judicious application of embryo manipulation and recombinant DNA will provide an opportunity to increase the utilization of animals for food, fiber, and biomedical products. Combining genetic manipulation with the well-established biotechnologies of semen and embryo preservation has increased man’s options for preserving genetic resources that at present seem to be dwindling through the loss of animal species in a technology-dominated world. In this chapter, I will discuss methods of genetic manipulation developed since 1950 that appear to have made the most impact on efforts to genetically engineer farm animals. I will also discuss the potential and problems that have arisen with different approaches to engineering animals. The development of recombinant DNA techniques is outside the scope of this chapter, but is obviously an essential part of genetic engineering.
Controlling the Dimensions of 2D MXenes for Ultrahigh-Rate Pseudocapacitive Energy Storage

The capacitive properties of two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides/nitrides (MXenes) have been the focus of much research in recent years. MXenes store charge by the pseudocapacitance mechanism (fast surface redox reactions) but can deliver their stored charge at much higher rates compared to other pseudocapacitive materials. Herein, the dependence of the electrochemical properties of MXenes on their lateral dimensions is reported. We show that synthesizing MXenes with controlled dimensions enables the design and fabrication of electrodes with high electronic and ionic conductivities. At low scan rates, electrodes fabricated using a mixture of small and large flakes could deliver very high specific gravimetric and volumetric capacitances of about 435 F g-1 and 1513 F cm-3, respectively. At a very high scan rate of 10 V s-1, the performance of the electrodes remained capacitive, demonstrating their ultrahigh-rate energy storage capability. This work outlines an effective method for the design and fabrication of MXene electrodes with high energy and power densities.
Adductor Canal Block versus Femoral Nerve Block for Pain Control After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Randomized Trial:

Background:Femoral nerve block (FNB) is a commonly performed technique that has been proven to provide effective regional analgesia after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The adduct...
Diversidad y endemismo de los escarabajos (Insecta: Coleoptera) en La Hispaniola, Antillas Mayores

Quantitative parameters on the diversity of beetles in Hispaniola were analyzed and this diversity was compared to the coleopterofauna of other Caribbean islands. It was found that 1,973 recent species of beetles in 75 families and 184 fossil species in 29 families have been recorded for Hispaniola. The three families with the largest numbers of species are Curculionidae (253), Chrysomelidae (211) and Staphylinidae (206). More than half of the species (1,045 or 53.0%) and 28 genera are endemic to the island. Fifty-six species were identified as introduced. Despite important advances in the characterization of this fauna made during the last 40 years, it can be affirmed that knowledge on Hispaniolan beetles is still preliminary. It is estimated that the total fauna of beetles in Hispaniola would contain between 3,200 – 4,000 species. All this biological diversity is threatened by the rapid transformation and destruction of the natural habitats in the island. Thus this reinforces the designation of the Caribbean islands as one of the world’s “hotspots” of biodiversity.
Updating the Register of International River Basins of the world

The delineation of the world’s international river basins has not been undertaken by any formal body since 1978. Researchers with the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database have attempted to fil...
Coronary Embolism: A Systematic Review.

Abstract Background Coronary embolism is a rare and potentially fatal phenomenon that occurs primarily in patients with valvular heart disease and atrial fibrillation. There is a lack of consensus regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and management of coronary embolism, leaving management at the discretion of the treating physician. Through this review, we aim to establish a better understanding of coronary embolism, and to identify treatment options - invasive and non-invasive - that may be used to manage coronary embolism. Methods and results Our systematic review included 147 documented cases of coronary embolism from case reports and case series. The average age of our population was 54.2 ± 17.6 years. The most common causes of coronary embolism included infective endocarditis (22.4%), atrial fibrillation (17.0%), and prosthetic heart valve thrombosis (16.3%). Initial presentation was indistinguishable from an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) due to coronary atherosclerosis, and the diagnosis required a high level of suspicion and evaluation with angiography. Treatment strategies included, but were not limited to, thrombectomy, thrombolysis, balloon angioplasty and stent placement. Myocardial dysfunction on echocardiography was observed in over 80% of patients following coronary embolism. “Good outcomes” were reported in 68.7% of case reports and case series, with a mortality rate of 12.9%. Conclusion Coronary embolism is an under-recognized etiology of myocardial infarction with the potential for significant morbidity and mortality. To improve outcomes, physicians should strive for early diagnosis and intervention based on the underlying etiology. Thrombectomy may be considered with the goal of rapid restoration of coronary flow.
Ractopamine-induced changes in the proteome of post-mortem beef longissimus lumborum muscle

Ractopamine is a beta-adrenergic agonist that is approved for use in beef cattle, pigs and turkeys as a repartitioning agent to increase lean muscle deposition and decrease lipogenesis. Although the effects of dietary ractopamine on the proteome profile of post-mortem pork muscles have been examined, its influence on beef muscle proteome has not been studied. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the effect of ractopamine on the proteome profile of post-mortem beef longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle. LL muscle samples were obtained from the carcasses of six (n = 6) steers fed ractopamine (RAC; 400 mg ractopamine hydrochloride for 28 days) and six (n = 6) steers fed no ractopamine (CON). The muscle proteome was analysed using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and tandem mass spectrometry. Five differentially abundant spots were identified, and all the spots were over-abundant in RAC. The identified proteins were involved in muscle structure development (F-actin-capping protein subunit beta-2; PDZ and LIM domain protein-3), chaperone activity (heat shock protein beta-1), oxygen transport (myoglobin), and glycolysis (L-lactate dehydrogenase A chain). These results suggested that dietary ractopamine could influence the abundance of enzymes associated with muscle development and muscle fibre type shift in beef LL muscle. Keywords: growth promotants, meat quality, proteomics
Electronic health records in IS research: Quality issues, essential thresholds and remedial actions

Abstract The increase in adoption of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems by healthcare organizations has led to the proliferation of the use of EHR as a secondary data source in both IS and supporting fields. It is imperative that EHR data is exploited appropriately, which would lead to high quality results and enhanced reproducibility. However, the quality of the EHR data being used can vary significantly and can have repercussions for research outcomes. In this paper, we first discuss four major data quality issues present in EHR data. These issues are: (a) non-standard coding schemes, (b) missing data, (c) inconsistencies and (d) aggregation and augmentation of EHR data. Then, we discuss quality thresholds that need to be met in order to avoid the negative impacts of quality issues. Lastly, we discuss some remedial actions that researchers can take to enhance the quality of EHR data to meet the quality thresholds. The discussed issues, thresholds and remedial actions can also apply to a much wider set of data sources when used as secondary data in research.
Artificial Intelligence und der Einfluss auf das Business

Von autonomen Robotern bis hin zu algorithmischen Nachrichten, von Produktempfehlungen bis hin zur Verarbeitung von Patientendaten, von virtuellen Assistenten bis hin zur Spracherkennung – Artificial Intelligence (AI) gilt weithin als einer der grosten technologischen Umbruche der Neuzeit (wenn nicht gar als der groste), vergleichbar mit vergangenen Veranderungen wie der industriellen Revolution, dem Computerzeitalter und dem Aufkommen des Smartphones. Deshalb ist es umso wichtiger, sich mit dieser Thematik auseinanderzusetzen, um die Anwendungsmoglichkeiten und Zusammenhange zu verstehen. In diesem Kapitel werden zuerst die Grundlagen zu AI erlautert sowie geklart, welche Bereiche schon mit dieser Technologie infiziert wurden. Weiter wird erklart, wie sich AI zusammensetzt und wieso Machine Learning eigentlich die Weiterentwicklung von AI ist. Dies wird mit verschiedenen, bereits existierenden und bekannten Losungen veranschaulicht. Da wir in einer Welt von Algorithmen leben, sind ethische sowie gesellschaftliche Aspekte im Umgang mit AI-Losungen wichtig. Darauf wird ebenfalls eingegangen. Anschliesend wird gezeigt, welcher Ansatz oder welche Vorgehensweise gewahlt werden kann, um AI-Projekte im Unternehmen zu initiieren oder eine stufenweise Annaherung an AI zu ermoglichen.
Discussing Your Findings with Parents: Saying the “A” Word

It can be difficult to be the first professional to mention the word “autism” to a parent. Parents often remember forever what you said and how you said it. Finding the right words for the right moment is a challenge of every clinical encounter but life-changing moments in particular. Reactions are as variable as people, everything from “thank you SO much, now we can get help,” to complete and angry denial. It is important to have specific actions a parent can take by the time they leave the office, so that the emotional energy of the visit can be channeled in a positive direction. Be optimistic but as honest as you can be. There are things about the future that can’t be known. This chapter reviews some of the ways to answer questions parents may have during your visits.
Impurity levels in cerium oxide microspheres prepared by internal gelation sol–gel methods

Impurity levels were measured in cerium oxide microspheres fabricated by modified internal gelation sol–gel methods. A combination of glow discharge mass spectrometry, electron impact mass spectrometry, combustion gas analysis, and instrumental gas analysis were used to assess a wide range of potential elemental impurities. Low concentrations of carbon, nitrogen, and hydrogen impurities in microspheres showed a dependence on how microspheres were washed. Silicon impurities are believed to derive from silicone oil used during sol–gel processing. Spheres washed by the preferred approach had impurity levels below 100 ppm for all elements tested. For applications such as nuclear fuels, sol–gel methods could meet purity specifications as long as metal nitrate feed solutions of sufficient purity are used and microspheres are washed appropriately. In this study, cerium was used as a surrogate for plutonium-238, which is used in radioisotope power systems as a heat source, to determine whether carbon or other impurities were concentrated during internal gelation processing and remained after heat treatments. Analyses indicated low concentrations of impurities in cerium oxide microspheres after sintering steps that were well below documented limits for plutonium-238 oxide fuels. Modified washing methods, combined with a pressurized water treatment, resulted in sintered cerium oxide sol–gel microspheres with low impurity levels.
A License to Diversify: Media Franchising and the Transformation of the “Universal” LEGO Minifigure

In this chapter, author Derek Johnson explores how LEGO’s investment in media diversity discourses extends from its licensed themes to new proprietary endeavors that acknowledge consumers—and their play objects—as raced and gendered. By considering the bodies that can and cannot be built with LEGO products, as well as who The LEGO Group imagines as part of its branded culture of play, Johnson argues that LEGO has begun to challenge the politics of universality that it formerly embraced. These dynamics reveal both how the licensing practices of media franchising can catalyze more diverse and inclusive cultural commodities and how that capacity for change gets incorporated within the design, product differentiation and branding strategies of construction play.
A combined SECM and electrochemical AFM approach to probe interfacial processes affecting molecular reactivity at redox flow battery electrodes

Redox flow batteries are attractive technologies for grid energy storage since they use solutions of redox-active molecules that enable a superior scalability and the decoupling of power and energy density. However, the reaction mechanisms of the redox active components at RFB electrodes are complex, and there is currently a pressing need to understand how interfacial processes impact the kinetics and operational reversibility of RFB systems. Here, we developed a combined electrochemical imaging methodology rooted in scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) for exploring the impact of electrode structure and conditioning on the electron transfer properties of model redox-active dialkoxybenzene derivatives, 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzene (C1) and 2,3-dimethyl-1,4-dialkoxybenzene (C7). Using AFM and secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), we observed the formation of interfacial films with distinct mechanical properties compared to those of cleaved graphitic surfaces, and exclusively during reduction of electrogenerated radical cations. These films had an impact on the median rate and distribution of the electron transfer rate constant at the basal plane of multilayer and single layer graphene electrodes, displaying kinetically-limited values that did not yield the activation expected per the Butler–Volmer model with a transfer coefficient ∼0.5. These changes were dependent on redoxmer structure: SECM showed strong attenuation of C7 kinetics by a surface layer on MLG and SLG, while C1 kinetics were only affected by SLG. SECM and AFM results together show that these limiting films operate exclusively on the basal plane of graphite, with the edge plane showing a relative insensitivity to cycling and operation potential. This integrated electrochemical imaging methodology creates new opportunities to understand the unique role of interfacial processes on the heterogeneous reactivity of redoxmers at electrodes for RFBs, with a future role in elucidating phenomena at high active concentrations and spatiotemporal variations in electrode dynamics.
Using a Virtual Number Line and Corrective Feedback to Teach Addition of Integers to Middle School Students with Developmental Disabilities

Mathematics education is important for students with developmental disabilities. Additional research is needed that examines interventions to teach grade-level mathematics content to these students. In this single-case multiple probe across participants study, researchers explored the functional relation for four middle school students with intellectual disability and autism between the intervention package of a virtual number line and corrective feedback and solving addition of integer problems. Students solved more problems correctly with access to the virtual number line in comparison to baseline. They also maintained higher levels of accuracy during the maintenance probes when corrective feedback was withdrawn. Implications from this research include the option of a virtual number line as a potential intervention to teach secondary students with developmental disabilities grade-level mathematics content.
What is the Bond Dissociation Energy of the Vanadium Hydride Cation

Recent electronic state-selected measurements of the reactions of atomic vanadium cations with D2 and CO2 are reanalyzed to properly account for the kinetic energy distribution of the reactant neut...
Dimensional Evaluation of Cognitive Measures: Methodological Confounds and Theoretical Concerns:

The current study provides a methodological review of studies supporting a general factor of intelligence as the primary model for contemporary measures of cognitive abilities. A further evaluation...
Medical Acupuncture as a Treatment for Novel COVID-19-Related Respiratory Distress: Personal Experience from a Frontline Anesthesiologist

Background: COVID-19 leads to significant respiratory distress among many other multiorgan dysfunctions. Depending on severity of symptoms, current treatment in the United States for COVID-19 consists of supportive care, including, but not limited to, supplemental oxygen, antipyretic drugs, pain killers, and mechanical ventilation. Case Description: This case reports a previously healthy anesthesiologist and medical acupuncturist working in a New York City COVID intensive care unit who contracted and was diagnosed with COVID-19 virus. She subsequently developed self-diagnosed acutely symptomatic COVID pneumonia, including symptoms of pleuritic chest pain, hypoxia with shortness of breath, increased respiratory rate, dry cough, orthostatic hypotension, and headache. She self-treated with cupping therapy at the onset of symptoms and medical acupuncture at the onset of pulmonary symptoms to full recovery. Conclusions: Acupuncture should be considered as a viable adjunct in supportive care for patients with symptomatic COVID-19 pneumonia.
Optimizing the control group for evaluating ART outcomes: can outpatient claims data yield a better control group?

We previously developed a subfertile comparison group with which to compare outcomes of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. In this study, we evaluated whether insurance claims data in the Massachusetts All Payers Claims Database (APCD) defined a more appropriate comparison group. We used Massachusetts vital records of women who delivered between 2013 and 2017 on whom APCD data were available. ART deliveries were those linked to a national ART database. Deliveries were subfertile if fertility treatment was marked on the birth certificate, had prior hospitalization with ICD code for infertility, or prior fertility treatment. An infertile group included women with an APCD outpatient or inpatient ICD 9/10 infertility code prior to delivery. Fertile deliveries were none of the above. Demographics, health risks, and obstetric outcomes were compared among groups. Multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to calculate adjusted relative risk (aRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). There were 70,726 fertile, 4,763 subfertile, 11,970 infertile, and 7,689 ART-treated deliveries. Only 3,297 deliveries were identified as both subfertile and infertile. Both subfertile and infertile were older, and had more education, chronic hypertension, and diabetes than the fertile group and less than the ART-treated group. Prematurity (aRR = 1.15–1.17) and birthweight (aRR = 1.10–1.21) were increased in all groups compared with the fertile group. Although the APCD allowed identification of more women than the previously defined subfertile categorization and allowed us to remove previously unidentified infertile women from the fertile group, it is not clear that it offered a clinically significantly improved comparison group.
Variations in Protection Provisions Among State Medical Amnesty Laws.

Studies indicate that a leading reason young people do not seek medical assistance for alcohol-related emergencies is worry of “getting in trouble”. To assuage these fears, over 30 states and numer...
Staggeringly Problematic: A Primer on Staggered DiD for Accounting Researchers

This paper presents the staggered difference-in-differences (DiD) method in an accessible language to a broad accounting research audience from an applied researcher's perspective. Specifically, the paper examines DiD design problems when multiple units are treated and when the treatment is conducted at staggered periods in time. Using the Goodman-Bacon decomposition, I show how heterogeneous treatment effects can bias the estimated treatment effect in a staggered DiD when estimated using a two-way fixed effect regression. Finally, using the staggered adoption of the 150-hour Rule as an example, I briefly review several proposals to adjust for the bias and correctly implement staggered DiD designs that a bourgeoning literature has put forward in econometrics.
Usefulness of Left Ventricular Myocardial Deformation in Children Hospitalized for Acute Myocarditis who Develop Arrhythmias.

Cardiac arrhythmias occur in 3-40% of patients with acute myocarditis and cause significant morbidity and mortality. Myocardial injury also results in abnormal myocardial deformation. The relationship between left ventricular (LV) deformation, measured by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), and arrhythmia in pediatric myocarditis is unknown. We evaluated the association between 2D-STE and arrhythmias in children hospitalized with acute myocarditis. We reviewed patients ≤ 18 years hospitalized for acute myocarditis from 2008 to 2018. Arrhythmias were defined as 1) non-sustained or sustained ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, 2) sustained supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), 3) high-grade or complete heart block, and 4) any arrhythmia treated with an antiarrhythmic medication. Systolic LV strain values (including LV global longitudinal strain (GLS), global circumferential strain (GCS), and six segments of LV regional long axis strain) were obtained from initial echocardiograms during hospitalization. Of 66 patients hospitalized, 23 (35%) had arrhythmias. SVT was the predominant arrhythmia (74%). Global and regional strain indices were reduced in the arrhythmia group: LV GLS [-8.9 (IQR -13.6, -6.1) vs. -13.7 (IQR -16.9, -9.7), p = 0.038]; basal inferior/septal [-10.7 (IQR -15.5, -7.8) vs. -16.4 (IQR -18, -11.8), p = 0.009]; basal anterior/lateral [-7.1 (IQR -12.8, -4.7) vs. -9.4 (IQR -16.7, -7.4), p = 0.025]; and mid inferior/septal segments [-9 (IQR -13, -7.7) vs. -14.1 (IQR -22.5, -10.7), p = 0.007]. After controlling for age, reductions in GLS and segmental strain in the two basal and two mid-segments were associated with increased arrhythmia occurrence (p
A RAS effector, RASSF2 is a novel tumor suppressor gene in human colorectal cancer

919 Background and Aims: Activation of RAS signaling is a hallmark of colorectal cancer, but the role of negative regulators of RAS is not fully understood. We attempted to clarify this by surveying genetic and epigenetic alterations of Ras-Ras effector genes in colorectal cancer. Methods: Expression and methylation status of six members of RASSF family genes were examined by RT-PCR and bisulfite-PCR. Tumor suppressor activity of RASSF1 and RASSF2 was examined by colony formation assay and flow cytometry. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed to determine the role of RASSF2 in cell morphology. Mutations of K-ras, BRAF and p53 were determined by single strand conformation analysis and direct sequencing. Results: Aberrant methylation and histone deacetylation of one of the RASSF family genes, RASSF2, is associated with gene silencing in colorectal cancer. RASSF2 shows distinct biological features compared to RASSF1, ability to induce apoptosis, induction of morphological change, and role in preventing cells from transformation, indicating that RASSF2 is a tumor suppressor in colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer with K-ras / BRAF mutations showed frequent RASSF2 methylation (p=0.0009), and inactivation of RASSF2 enhanced oncogenic transformation effect by K-Ras. RASSF2 methylation was frequently found in colorectal adenomas as well. Conclusions: Taken together, our results provide evidences that RASSF2 is a novel tumor suppressor in the RAS signaling pathway, which plays a critical role in the early step of colorectal tumorigenesis.
Rearrangement of nif Operons in Cyanobacterial Heterocysts

Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of photosynthetic prokaryotic organisms found in a wide range of environments. Some filamentous cyanobacteria exhibit a striking example of cellular differentiation to produce heterocysts, highly specialized cells that fix atmospheric nitrogen. Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria make significant contributions to the available nitrogen in many natural environments and supply fixed nitrogen in some agricultural settings. The differentiation of a photosynthetic vegetative cell into a nitrogen-fixing heterocyst is a complex process that is regulated by the availability of combined nitrogen and intercellular communication, and results in a semi-regular pattern of heterocysts along the vegetative cell filament. Heterocyst differentiation involves global changes in gene expression: genes for photosynthesis and carbon fixation are turned off and genes for nitrogen fixation are turned on. Two heterocyst-specific genome rearrangements are required for the correct expression of nitrogen-fixation operons. These rearrangements involve the excision of 11-kb and 55-kb DNA elements from within the nifD and fdxN genes, respectively. The xisA gene, present on the 11-kb element, encodes a site-specific recombinase that is required for the nifD rearrangement. We have identified DNA sequences upstream of xisA that may be involved in regulating xisA expression. A protein, BifA (previously called VF1), isolated from Anabaena vegetative cells binds to the xisA upstream region and to the upstream sequences of several other genes. The bifA gene was cloned using a novel in vivo selection strategy. The bifA gene was sequenced and its predicted amino acid sequence shows significant similarity to a family of transcriptional regulators represented by the E. coli Crp protein. The regulation of BifA activity and its putative function in transcriptional control are currently being studied. The xisF gene, present on the fdxN element, encodes the recombinase required for the fdxN rearrangement. XisF shows significant similarity to the Bacillus subtilis developmentally regulated site-specific recombinase encoded by the spoIVCA (cisA) gene. A reverse genetics approach involving the targeted inactivation of xisF was used to study its role in the DNA rearrangements and expression of the nif genes.
Chemosensory responses of swimming algae and protozoa.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemosensory responses of swimming algae and protozoa. Chemosensory responses are widespread among the swimming algae and protozoa . They serve to locate food or suitable habitats, or in gregarious responses. Because only a few species have been studied so far, it is likely that greater emphasis on studies of natural history, the ecology of unicellular chemoreception, would pay rich dividends to the physiologist in the form of new systems and fruitful problems. Sensory transduction and motility are intimately linked in these organisms; the distinction between oriented and non-oriented responses is crucial to understanding their chemosensory physiology. In the well studied cases, principally ciliates, kinesis has been linked to ionic and electric events at the cell membrane; these appear to be fundamentally similar to phenomena occurring in metazoan neuromuscular systems.
The Dominant Firm Model Revisited

This paper extends the standard Forchheimer dominant firm model by making more explicit shifts in the fringe supply when the market price set the dominant firm deviate from its limit price. It demonstrated how, when a dominant firm engages in short-run profit maximization, the market price it sets in the long run will equal its limit price and that, in certain situations, increased production cost for fringe lead to an increase in the number of fringe firms in the long run.
Improving pediatric asthma care through surveillance: the Illinois Emergency Department Asthma Collaborative.

OBJECTIVES. To better understand and improve the care of asthma patients who require emergency department (ED) care, the Illinois Emergency Department Asthma Collaborative (IEDAC) was created to develop, test, and disseminate an ED-based surveillance system. This report describes the development and testing of the pediatric IEDAC surveillance instruments and demonstrates how these instruments can be used to describe the health status, healthcare delivery, and outcome of children using ED services. METHODS. A convenience sample of 128 children presenting to 5 EDs in Illinois for asthma care was the study base. Data were collected on monthly samples of children aged 2 through 17 years who presented to these EDs from May to November 2003. Three instruments were used to collect data regarding the children’s pre-ED, ED, and post-ED experience. RESULTS. At the ED visit, 73.4% of children met national guideline criteria for persistent-level asthma symptoms. Among this group, 53.2% were using inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) medications. At 1 month follow-up, 66.6% of the children met the criteria for persistent-level asthma symptoms, which was statistically unchanged from the ED visit. Among the latter group, 64.2% were using ICS medications, again statistically unchanged compared with the ED visit. At follow-up, 24.5% of children were reported to have returned to an ED or were subsequently hospitalized. The majority of children were noted at follow-up to have limitation of at least some activity. CONCLUSIONS. Children who presented to IEDAC EDs were found to have a high level of asthma burden that continued at follow-up despite treatment. Moreover, a substantial proportion of children had returned to an ED or were subsequently hospitalized. Encouraging trends in medication use were observed, although suboptimal medication use was also observed.
Grandfathers and The Impact of Raising Grandchildren

Objectives. As grandparents are continuing to take on the responsible of raising their grandchildren in the absence of parents much attention in the literature is given to women. Little is known about the adjustment that older men make in these families. This study explored the experiences of grandfathers raising grandchildren. Methods. Data were gathered by semi-structured interviews in a rural community in southeastern North Carolina and analyzed using a qualitative content analysis mode. Twenty-six men, age 65+, who were responsible for the care of at least one grandchild, participated. Results. Eighty-one percent (N = 21) reported that their perception of powerlessness occurred either in the role transition or in the activities of daily parenting. Many expected to continue experiencing powerlessness throughout the parenting of the child. Discussion. Grandfathers experience powerlessness that has not been reported in the literature on grandmothers raising grandchildren. Results affirm the need for special attention to elderly men who take on the role of parent for their grandchildren.
Type I Diabetes Affects Skeletal Muscle Glutamine Uptake in a Fiber-Specific Manner

Skeletal muscle serves as the body's major glutamine repository, and releases glutamine at enhanced rates during diabetes, but whether all muscles are equally affected is unknown. System N(m) activity mediates most trans-sarcolemmal glutamine movement, and although two System N (SN) isoforms have been identified (SN1/sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter or System N and A transporters [SNAT]-3; and SN2/SNAT5), their expression in skeletal muscle remains controversial. Here, the impact of Type I diabetes on glutamine uptake and System N transporter expression were examined in fast- and slow-twitch skeletal muscle from spontaneously diabetic (BB/Wor-DP) rats. Net glutamine uptake in fast-twitch fibers was decreased 75%-95%, but enhanced more than 2-fold in slow-twitch muscle from diabetic animals relative to nondiabetic controls. Both SNAT3 and SNAT5 mRNA were expressed in both muscle fiber types and their abundance was unaffected by diabetes. This represents the first report of differential fiber-specific effects of diabetes on skeletal muscle glutamine transport and the co-expression of distinct System N transporters in skeletal muscle.
Immunofluorescence Study of the Adenovirus Type 2 Single-Stranded DNA Binding Protein in Infected and Transformed Cells

Abstract High-titer monospecific antiserum against highly purified adenovirus 2 (Ad2) single-stranded DNA binding protein (DBP) was used to study, by indirect immunofluorescence (IF), the synthesis of DBP in Ad2-infected human cells and adenovirus-transformed rat, hamster, and human cell lines. In infected cells the synthesis of DBP was first detected in the cytoplasm at 2 to 4 h postinfection and reached a maximum intensity at 6 h postinfection. At this time DBP began to accumulate in the nucleus, where it reached maximum intensity at about 14 h postinfection. The cytoplasmic IF was diffuse, whereas nuclear IF appeared as dots that coalesced into large globules as infection progressed. In cells treated with 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine to inhibit viral DNA synthesis, strong nuclear IF was observed in the form of dots, but the large fluorescent globules were not observed. The Ad2 (oncogenic group C) anti-DBP serum reacted very strongly by IF with Ad5 (group C)-infected, to a lesser extent with Ad7 and Ad11 (group B)-infected, and weakly with Ad12 and Ad18 (group A)-infected KB cells (treated with 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine). These results may indicate that Ad2 DBP is closely related immunologically to DBPs induced early after infection by adenovirus serotypes in oncogenic group C, moderately related to DBPs of serotypes in oncogenic group B, and perhaps distantly related to DBPs of serotypes in oncogenic group A. The following adenovirus-transformed cell lines were examined for DBP synthesis by IF with the Ad2 anti-DBP serum: six rat cell lines (T2C4, F17, 8662, 8638, 8617, and F161) transformed by Ad2 virus, three hamster cell lines transformed by Ad2 virus (Ad2HT1) and Ad2-simian virus 40 hybrid virus (ND1HK1 and ND4HK4), and one rat (5RK) and one human (293-31) cell line transformed by transfection with Ad5 DNA. T2C4 and 8662 appeared weakly positive, whereas Ad2HT1 and ND4HK1 were strongly positive. The other transformed cell lines did not produce DBP detectable by IF. Thus, some but not all transformed cell lines produce DBP, which indicates that DBP is not required for maintenance of cell transformation and that transformed cells can express “nontransforming” viral genes as protein.
Physicochemical properties of Alaska pollock (Theragra chalcograma) surimi gels with oat bran

Abstract Oat bran is a gluten-free dietary fiber that may reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Currently, surimi, a derivative of seafood, is neither produced with fiber, nor has the effect of fiber on the physicochemical properties of surimi gels been thoroughly studied. In this context therefore, the purpose of this study was to address the physicochemical properties of surimi gels formulated with variable levels of oat bran while maintaining constant levels of protein and water. Oat bran and SiO 2 incorporated in inverse concentrations were used in developing treatments of 0–8 g/100 g oat bran. Incorporation of oat bran up to 6 g/100 g greatly enhanced (P
The Life and Times of W. O. Atwater (1844–1907)

Wilbur Atwater, the son of a Methodist minister, grew up in New England and was an undergraduate during the Civil War. He obtained his Ph.D. in agricultural chemistry at Yale in 1869, and spent the next two years in post-graduate study in Germany. In 1874 he was appointed to the Faculty of Wesleyan University, and was their first Professor of Chemistry. For two years (1875-77) he directed the first agricultural experiment station in the U.S. at Wesleyan. When it was transferred to Yale he gradually changed his interest to human nutrition, and how the poor could make more economical food choices, though he believed that they needed to maintain high-protein intakes if they were to remain productive. In 1887, with the passage of the Hatch Act, a second experiment station was established in Connecticut with Atwater as director. He also served for nearly 3 years as the first director of the Office of Experiment Stations in Washington, DC. His next ambition was to have the first human calorimeter in the U.S. This was operating at Wesleyan by 1893, and his team was able to compare the net energy values of carbohydrates, fats and alcohol in sparing body tissues. He compiled data from many sources for the composition and digestibility of foods, and also organized the setting up of cooperative programs of nutritional studies, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in many States. His active life ended with a stroke in 1904.
Coordinating modeling and experimental research of engineered nanomaterials to improve life cycle assessment studies

Life cycle assessment (LCA) – a comprehensive modeling framework used to identify environmental and human health impacts associated with products, processes, and technologies – is increasingly recommended for emerging nanotechnologies. LCA applied prospectively can guide design decisions and enable reduction of future impacts. A growing literature describes the potential for LCA to inform development of safer nanotechnologies, for example by identifying the manufacturing inputs or processes with the greatest potential for improvement. However, few published studies to date include all life cycle stages in part because of uncertainty regarding engineered nanomaterial (ENM) releases and impacts, which precludes comprehensive environmental assessment of nano-enabled products. Life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) converts emissions into environmental damages through linked fate-exposure-effect models that require robust experimental data and a mechanistic understanding for each of these components. In the case of ENMs, there are pertinent knowledge gaps, high uncertainties in experimental data, and disagreement regarding the suitability of existing fate, exposure, and effect models. This frontier review summarizes recent advances in human and aquatic ecotoxicity LCIA for ENMs and calls for greater coordination between LCA modelers and experimentalists, including those that study fate and transport, environmental transformations, occupational exposure, and toxicology, to inform responsible development of nanotechnology, enabling ENMs to reach their full potential.
A theory of ionospheric response to upward‐propagating tides: Electrodynamic effects and tidal mixing effects

[1] The atmospheric tide at ionospheric heights is composed of those locally generated and those propagated from below. The role of the latter in producing the variability of the daytime ionosphere is examined using the National Center for Atmospheric Research Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Electrodynamics General Circulation Model. The impact of upward-propagating tides is evaluated by running simulations with and without tidal forcing at the lower boundary (approximately 96 km), which imitates the effect of tides from below. When migrating diurnal and semidiurnal tides at the lower boundary is switched on, the intensity of E region currents and the upward velocity of the equatorial F region vertical plasma drift rapidly increase. The low-latitude ionospheric total electron content (TEC) first increases, then gradually decreases to below the initial level. The initial increase in the low-latitude TEC is caused by an enhanced equatorial plasma fountain while the subsequent decrease is due to changes in the neutral composition, which are characterized by a global-scale reduction in the mass mixing ratio of atomic oxygen O1. The results of further numerical experiments indicate that the mean meridional circulation induced by dissipating tides in the lower thermosphere is mainly responsible for the O1 reduction; it acts like an additional turbulent eddy and produces a “mixing effect” that enhances net downward transport and loss of O1. It is stressed that both electrodynamic effects and mixing effects of upward-propagating tides can be important in producing the variability of ionospheric plasma density. Since the two mechanisms act in different ways on different time scales, the response of the actual ionosphere to highly variable upward-propagating tides is expected to be complex.
CHANGING VIEWS FOR PERSONNEL SELECTION RESEARCH

Changes in views of personnel selection research include changing opinions about choosing predictors and criteria, methods of data collection, and methods of evaluating selection procedures. In particular, distinctions are (or can be) made between job-relatedness, inferred in part from validity coefficients based on job-related criteria, and the valid measurement of a trait (attribute), inferred in part from research using construct-related criteria. The major change identified is a reduction in the sanctity with which a single correlation is viewed for either purpose.
Estimating the cost-effectiveness of a classroom-based abstinence and pregnancy avoidance program targeting preadolescent sexual risk behaviors

Previous research has suggested that school-based pregnancy prevention programs that provide sexual education and related forms of support and foster life skill development are effective in improving preadolescents' attitudes toward abstinence and contraception. However, there has been limited research on the cost-effectiveness of such programs. This study used an economic approach to estimate the short- and long-term cost-effectiveness of a school-based pregnancy prevention education program by controlling for various influential factors, including predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors. The results of this study indicate that school-based health education intervention improves preadolescents' attitudes toward abstinence and pregnancy avoidance through contraceptive use. The findings also indicate that the program is cost-efficient and demonstrate its net benefits based on its long-term impact. The findings demonstrate that spending US$1000 on school-based health education intervention fosters t...
Impact of surviving time on tests for carcinogenicity

In tumorigenicity experiments, each animal begins in a tumor-free state and then either develops a tumor or dies before developing a tumor. Animals that develop a tumor either die from the tumor or from other competing causes. All surviving animals are sacrificed at the end of the experiment, normally two years. The two most commonly used statistical tests are the logrank test for comparing hazards of death from rapidly lethal tumors and the Hoel-Walburg test for comparing prevalences of nonlethal tumors. However, the data obtained from a carcinogenicity experiment generally contains a mixture of fatal and incidental tumors. Peto et al.(1980)suggested combining the fatal and incidental tests for a comparison of tumor onset distributions. Extensive simulations show that the trend test for tumor onset using the Peto procedure has the proper size, under the simulation constraints, when each group has identical mortality patterns, and the test with continuity correction tends to be conservative. When the anim...
The Hills Are Alive: Earth Science in a Controlled Environment

The structure of Earth's critical zone, which is the interface between the solid Earth and its fluid envelopes and involves the coevolution of biota, soils, and landforms, is governed by processes important to hydrology, geology, biology, and atmospheric science [National Research Council, 2001] (Figure 1). Earth surface scientists have long recognized that temperature, chemical, and gravitational gradients drive energy and water fluxes, thus controlling systems evolution, but understanding the critical zone has been tackled primarily from disciplinary perspectives [Brantley et al., 2006]. Interdisciplinary research is needed, and many such efforts, such as the U.S. National Science Foundation's recent watershed-scale Critical Zone Observatories and the National Ecological Observatory Network, are in formative stages. By and large, these facilities focus on utilizing land surface complexity to elucidate process knowledge. Unfortunately, incorporating such complexity occurs at the expense of the control that characterizes true experimentation.
Inclusively walkable: exploring the equity of walkable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area

This study evaluates the inclusiveness of walkable housing in the San Francisco Bay Area. Using a series of regression models that control for an array of factors, this study finds that blacks are more likely to live in less walkable areas, a factor which could result in increased societal costs. These models suggest that this factor may mask other highly collinear factors including income, education, and social networks. This phenomenon is explored with qualitative interviews that reinforce this finding and illustrate the many push and pull factors that influence housing choice. These findings are then used to develop potential hypotheses as to why minorities may be living in less walkable locations and to propose policy solutions that could be used to encourage more inclusive walkable housing.
Studies in organosilicon chemistry. XLII. Reactions of certain silylbenzaldehydes in concentrated base

A crossed Cannizzaro reaction using formaldehyde with m-trimethylsilylbenzaldehyde and p-trimethylsilylbenzaldehyde yields mostly the benzyl alcohol derivative. No formic acid was detectable but a small amount of the substituted benzoic acid was isolated. The corresponding triphenylsilylbenzaldehydes, meta and para, without formaldehyde gave good yields of hexaphenyldisiloxane or triphenylsilanol along with the substituted benzoic acid.