cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amendment of Fly Ash to Container Substrates for Ornamental Plant Production

Ornamental plants are largely produced in containerized soilless substrates that generally consist of sphagnum peat, bark, and other organic matter. Such substrates initially have a low pH (around 4.0) and limited amount of mineral nutrients. In order to raise pH and increase fertility, commercial ground limestone and chemical fertilizers have to be incorporated into the substrates. Fly ash, a coal combustion byproduct possessing alkalinity and containing essential mineral elements in silt-sized particles, could be an alternative to limestone amendments and nutrient sources for container substrates. This study examined chemical properties of four fly ash sampled from power plants in (1) North Carolina, (2) Michigan(a), (3) Florida, and (4) Michigan(b) and incorporated an appropriate amount of each fly ash or a commercial dolomite, respectively, into a soilless basal substrate, resulting in fly ash- or dolomite-amended substrates. After testing chemical properties of the substrates, seedlings of Pink Splash (Hypoestes phyllostachya Bak.), a herbaceous ornamental foliage plant, were planted in the basal, fly ash-, and dolomite-amended substrates. Substrate pH and plant heights were monitored during the course of plant growth. All fly ashes were able to raise the pH of the basal substrate from 3.8 to 7.4 except the one collected from Michigan(b) that was unable to change the pH regardless of the amount of fly ash used. Plants grown in the substrates amended with fly ash from North Carolina, Michigan(a), and Florida had comparable heights and similar fresh and dry weights as well as overall quality to those grown in the dolomite-amended substrate. Whereas, plants grown in the basal substrate and the substrate amended with Michigan(b) fly ash were significantly smaller and had less fresh and dry weights than those grown on the rest of substrates, thus, plants were not marketable. These results show that fly ash, after selection based on their chemical properties, can be used as alternative to commercial dolomitein soilless substrates for ornamental plant production. Utilization of fly ash as a container substrate amendment may represent a new market for the beneficial use of coal combustion byproducts.
Gain of employment and perceived health status among previously unemployed persons: evidence from a longitudinal study in the United States.

Abstract Objectives Using longitudinal datasets, we investigated whether gaining employment was associated with improvements in perceived mental health and overall health among previously unemployed U.S. residents. We additionally examined whether the association varied across types of employment and socio-demographic characteristics. Methods We used multiple two-year panel datasets of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey during 2004–2012. We studied two health outcomes: perceived mental health and overall health. Our independent variables were employment status: full-time, part-time, self-employment, and unemployment. To examine the association between gaining employment and perceived health, we employed population–averaged models with generalized estimating equations. We secondarily examined the association across subpopulations (gender, race/ethnicity, and education). Results Those who gained full-time, part-time, and self-employment were more likely to report good mental health than those who stayed unemployed (AOR [Adjusted Odds Ratio] = 2.90, 95% CI 2.23 to 3.78, AOR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.28 to 2.06, and AOR = 3.24, 95% CI 1.08 to 9.70, respectively). Those who became full-time and part-time employed were more likely to report good overall health relative to those who stayed unemployed (AOR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.82 to 2.86 and AOR = 1.91, 95% CI 1.52 to 2.40, respectively). For both measures of perceived health, the magnitudes of the association were larger for those who gained full-time employment than part-time employment. AORs were relatively higher for males, black persons, and people with less than a college education relative to other groups in each subpopulation. Conclusion Improving employment outcomes may improve perceived health. Transiting toward full-time employment, in particular, may maximize the benefits of employment.
The Health Penalty of the GED: Testing the Role of Noncognitive Skills, Health Behaviors, and Economic Factors†

Objectives The general educational development (GED) diploma is intended to be equivalent to a high school (HS) credential; however, recent evidence finds that GED recipients have worse health than HS graduates. This study aims to explain the health disadvantage, focusing on three domains: noncognitive skills, health behaviors, and economic factors. Methods We analyze data on 3,119 HS graduates and GED recipients in the NLSY79 who reported their health status at the age of 40. Logistic and ordinal regression models examine whether the three domains account for the GED health disadvantage. Results The GED health disadvantage was jointly explained by lower noncognitive skills, unhealthy behaviors, and adverse economic circumstances, with the latter being particularly important. Conclusions A multipronged approach may be necessary to reduce the GED health disadvantage, including improving noncognitive skills during K–12 education, expanding opportunities for employment and living wage for low-skill workers, and continued focus on improving health behaviors.
Phylogenetic Utility of Partial Dna Sequences of G6pdh at Different Taxonomic Levels in Hexapoda with Emphasis on Diptera

A given gene may be phylogenetically informative at one taxonomic level but uninformative at another. Thus, candidate genes should be evaluated for phylogenetic usefulness before any major project is initiated. We evaluated the utility for insect systematics of an ≈480-bp fragment of the coding region of the gene G6pdh , which encodes the pentose phosphate shunt enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (E.C. 1.1.1.49). Sequences were obtained for 12 species of hexapods at taxonomic levels ranging from class to sibling species. Two additional insect sequences and five sequences from distantly related taxa (bacteria, yeast, rat, and human) were obtained from the literature. Sequences were obtained from cloned polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products; in most cases, sequences had to be obtained from complementary DNA rather than genomic DNA. The failure to obtain PCR products from genomic DNA may have been the result of unexpectedly long introns in the amplified region. DNA sequences were analyzed using parsimony methods of phylogeny reconstruction. Comparison of DNA trees with generally accepted phylogeny indicates that G6pdh exon sequence may not be useful phylogenetically for closely related sibling species (e.g., Rhagoletis pomonella species group), but could be useful in insects from generic to ordinal levels. For example, G6pdh supports a proposal by Crampton (Crampton, G. C. 1944. A comparative morphological study of the terminalia of male calyptrate cyclorrhaphous Diptera and their acalyptrate relatives. Bull. Brooklyn Entomol. Soc. 34: 1-34) suggesting that the sister group relationship Sarcophagidae + Tephritidae is more likely than Sarcophagidae + Drosophilidae or Drosophilidae + Tephritidae. The advantages and disadvantages of protein coding regions and ribosomal DNA sequences for phylogenetic purposes are discussed in terms of ease of alignment, division of sequences into subsets subject to different selection pressures and rates of evolution, ease of amplification, and feasibility of study of individual variation.
Universality Under Szegő’s Condition

This paper presents a theoremon universality on orthogonal polynomials/randommatrices under a weak local condition on the weight function . With a new inequality for polynomials and with the use of fast decreasing polynomials, it is shown that an approach of D. S. Lubinsky is applicable. The proof works at all points that are Lebesgue-points for both the weight function and .
Opposite Changes in Aggregability of Platelets Stored in Plasma and in Blood

The effect of storage on the aggregability of platelets in plasma and in whole blood was studied with blood samples obtained from 11 normal subjects. Compared to aggregation of platelets in fresh samples, those stored in plasma showed an increase in aggregation, and in whole blood a decrease in aggregation. The decreased aggregation in the latter samples was prevented by including exogenous glucose in stored blood samples. Similar studies were performed on 25 patient platelet samples that had been judged as hyperaggregable by standard procedure, including the presence of "spontaneous" aggretation in 13 specimens. Only seven samples prepared from stored blood still showed hyperaggregability; spontaneous aggregation remained in only five samples.
A Robust Polynomial Fitting Approach for Contact Angle Measurements

Polynomial fitting to drop profile offers an alternative to well-established drop shape techniques for contact angle measurements from sessile drops without a need for liquid physical properties. Here, we evaluate the accuracy of contact angles resulting from fitting polynomials of various orders to drop profiles in a Cartesian coordinate system, over a wide range of contact angles. We develop a differentiator mask to automatically find a range of required number of pixels from a drop profile over which a stable contact angle is obtained. The polynomial order that results in the longest stable regime and returns the lowest standard error and the highest correlation coefficient is selected to determine drop contact angles. We find that, unlike previous reports, a single polynomial order cannot be used to accurately estimate a wide range of contact angles and that a larger order polynomial is needed for drops with larger contact angles. Our method returns contact angles with an accuracy of <0.4° for solid-liquid systems with θ < ~60°. This compares well with the axisymmetric drop shape analysis-profile (ADSA-P) methodology results. Above about 60°, we observe significant deviations from ADSA-P results, most likely because a polynomial cannot trace the profile of drops with close-to-vertical and vertical segments. To overcome this limitation, we implement a new polynomial fitting scheme by transforming drop profiles into polar coordinate system. This eliminates the well-known problem with high curvature drops and enables estimating contact angles in a wide range with a fourth-order polynomial. We show that this approach returns dynamic contact angles with less than 0.7° error as compared to ADSA-P, for the solid-liquid systems tested. This new approach is a powerful alternative to drop shape techniques for estimating contact angles of drops regardless of drop symmetry and without a need for liquid properties.
Improving Value in Medicare with an SGR Fix

Congressional attention is being directed toward developing an alternative Medicare reimbursement system that rewards physicians who improve the quality and efficiency of care, rather than trying to fix the sustainable growth rate formula.
SPRAY FORMATION AT THE FREE SURFACE OF A LIQUID WALL JET

This is an experimental investigation of the ligament and drop formation at the free surface of liquid wall jets, flowing over smooth and sand-roughened horizontal plates. Measurements were made with several high-speed imagers and analyzed through the use of appropriate software. The wall-jet Reynolds number ranged from 2.4xl04 to 3.6xl04, the Froude number from 19 to 27, and the Weber number from 1,500 to 3,000. Intersection of the turbulent boundary layer with the free surface, ligament and drop sizes, and the life-times of drops were determined from the digitized images and interpreted in terms of the characteristics of the turbulent boundary layer. The emphasis has been on the physics of the phenomenon rather than on the development of empirical relationships.
Computational Modeling of Competitive Metabolism between ω3- and ω6-Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Inflammatory Macrophages.

Arachidonic acid (AA), a representative ω6-polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), is a precursor of 2-series prostaglandins (PGs) that play important roles in inflammation, pain, fever, and related disorders including cardiovascular diseases. Eating fish or supplementation with the ω3-PUFAs such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is widely assumed to be beneficial in preventing cardiovascular diseases. A proposed mechanism for a cardio-protective role of ω3-PUFAs assumes competition between AA and ω3-PUFAs for cyclooxygenases (COX), leading to reduced production of 2-series PGs. In this study, we have used a systems biology approach to integrate existing knowledge and novel high-throughput data that facilitates a quantitative understanding of the molecular mechanism of ω3- and ω6-PUFA metabolism in mammalian cells. We have developed a quantitative computational model of the competitive metabolism of AA and EPA via the COX pathway through a two-step matrix-based approach to estimate ...
CHAMPIONNE DU MONDE 1998: LA FRANCE ET “L'EFFET COUPE DU MONDE”1

La victoire d'une equipe de France de football multiraciale a la Coupe du Monde 1998 a reveille dans notre pays une ferveur sur le theme du modele francais d'integration republicaine. L'A. deplore que le sens premier de l'integration ait ete confondu avec l'assimilation au modele dominant, et que l'evenement ait alimente une rhetorique nationaliste
Primary Carcinoid Tumor of the Urethra

AbstractThe first reported case of a carcinoid tumor of the urinary tract is presented. Because of rapid local recurrence and distant spread early radical surgery is recommended. Several methods of palliation of the carcinoid syndrome—surgical, pharmacologic and chemotherapeutic—are discussed.
WE-DE-202-00: Connecting Radiation Physics with Computational Biology

Radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer has been established as a highly precise and effective way to eradicate a localized region of diseased tissue. To achieve further significant gains in the therapeutic ratio, we need to move towards biologically optimized treatment planning. To achieve this goal, we need to understand how the radiation-type dependent patterns of induced energy depositions within the cell (physics) connect via molecular, cellular and tissue reactions to treatment outcome such as tumor control and undesirable effects on normal tissue. Several computational biology approaches have been developed connecting physics to biology. Monte Carlo simulations are the most accurate method to calculate physical dose distributions at the nanometer scale, however simulations at the DNA scale are slow and repair processes are generally not simulated. Alternative models that rely on the random formation of individual DNA lesions within one or two turns of the DNA have been shown to reproduce the clusters of DNA lesions, including single strand breaks (SSBs), double strand breaks (DSBs) without the need for detailed track structure simulations. Efficient computational simulations of initial DNA damage induction facilitate computational modeling of DNA repair and other molecular and cellular processes. Mechanistic, multiscale models provide a useful conceptual framework to test biological hypotheses and help connect fundamental information about track structure and dosimetry at the sub-cellular level to dose-response effects on larger scales. In this symposium we will learn about the current state of the art of computational approaches estimating radiation damage at the cellular and sub-cellular scale. How can understanding the physics interactions at the DNA level be used to predict biological outcome? We will discuss if and how such calculations are relevant to advance our understanding of radiation damage and its repair, or, if the underlying biological processes are too complex for a mechanistic approach. Can computer simulations be used to guide future biological research? We will debate the feasibility of explaining biology from a physicists’ perspective. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the potential applications and limitations of computational methods for dose-response modeling at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels 2. Learn about mechanism of action underlying the induction, repair and biological processing of damage to DNA and other constituents 3. Understand how effects and processes at one biological scale impact on biological processes and outcomes on other scales J. Schuemann, NCI/NIH grantsS. McMahon, Funding: European Commission FP7 (grant EC FP7 MC-IOF-623630)
Anaplasma phagocytophilum APH0032 Is Exposed on the Cytosolic Face of the Pathogen-Occupied Vacuole and Co-opts Host Cell SUMOylation.

Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a member of the family Anaplasmataceae and the obligate intracellular bacterium that causes granulocytic anaplasmosis, resides in a host cell-derived vacuole. Bacterial proteins that localize to the A. phagocytophilum-occupied vacuole membrane (AVM) are critical host-pathogen interfaces. Of the few bacterial AVM proteins that have been identified, the domains responsible for AVM localization and the host cell pathways that they co-opt are poorly defined. APH0032 is an effector that is expressed and localizes to the AVM late during the infection cycle. Herein, the APH0032 domain that is essential for associating with host cell membranes was mapped. Immunofluorescent labeling of infected cells that had been differentially permeabilized confirmed that APH0032 is exposed on the AVM’s cytosolic face, signifying its potential to interface with host cell processes. SUMOylation is the covalent attachment of a member of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) family of proteins to lysines in target substrates. Previous work from our laboratory determined that SUMOylation is important for A. phagocytophilum survival and that SUMOylated proteins decorate the AVM. Algorithmic prediction analyses identified APH0032 as a candidate for SUMOylation. Endogenous APH0032 was precipitated from infected cells using a SUMO affinity matrix, confirming that the effector co-opts SUMOylation during infection. APH0032 pronouncedly colocalized with SUMO1, but not SUMO2/3 moieties on the AVM. Ectopic expression of APH0032 in A. phagocytophilum infected host cells significantly boosted the bacterial load. This study delineates the first domain of any Anaplasmataceae protein that is essential for associating with the pathogen-occupied vacuole membrane, demonstrates the importance of APH0032 to infection, and identifies it as the second A. phagocytophilum effector that co-opts SUMOylation, thus underscoring the relevance of this post-translational modification to infection.
UCu4Pd : A disordered antiferromagnetic compound

We present a systematic study of the specific heat and ac- as well as dc-susceptibility in various fields and frequencies down to 60 mK in the non-Fermi liquid system UCu5−x Pd x . The results show that, although the specific heat data of UCu4Pd increase logarithmically above 200 mK, it orders antiferromagnetically below T N=190 mK while simultaneously showing evidence for spin glass behavior possibly due to random occupation of the 16e site with palladium. For UCu3.5Pd1.5 our measurements reveal spin glass behavior with an anomalously high shift with frequency of the freezing temperature (T f) of the ac-susceptibility at the beginning of the spin glass phase.
Gynecomastia In Multiple Myeloma Patient Treated with Cytoxan

Abstract 5131 Cytoxan is an active drug in the treatment of multiple myeloma. It is commonly reserved for patients who became refractory to common active drug therapy or in combination with other active agents such as bortezomib, pegylated liposmal doxorubicin, vincristine, melphalan and decadron in patients who are not eligible for autologous bone marrow transplant. This abstract is intended to present interesting side effect of cytoxan that seen only in multiple myeloma and not seen in other hematological malignancies or solid tumors. Gynecomastia is defined as hypertrophy of breast tissue in male which can be seen in various medical condition associated with endocrine disturbances. In this abstract will describe five cases of significant degree of gynecomastia that seen exclusively in african american males and not seen in white males. Median age of patients is 57 years, range 40–68. Three has failed tandem autologus bone marrow transplant and has been exposed to lenalidomide and bortezomib. The other two have failed many lines of therapy including melphalan and prednisone. Gynecomastia has not been seen in other white males who received cytoxan in the treatment of multiple myeloma. The degree of gynecomastia was very significant in all of the five african american males. Also this is a limited number of patients but it is interesting enough to draw attention on possible endocrine disturbances seen particularly in multiple myeloma and other plasma cell dyscrasia such as Poems syndrome. The fact that gynecomastia is exclusively seen in african american males who all denied abusing marijuana is of scientific interest that needed further study and attention. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Distributed RF Transmitter Using One-Way Wireless Clock Transfer

A coherent distributed two-element radio-frequency (RF) transmitter implemented with wireless clock transfer is presented in this letter. This work represents the first demonstration, to the authors’ knowledge, of a distributed RF transmitter using one-way wireless clock transfer, where the slave node need not provide any information to the master node. Two 1-GHz transmitters were implemented and coherent gain above 90% of ideal signal summation was achieved with a probability of 0.97. Experimental results show near-ideal 6-dB gain from the two-transmitter system at a distance of 85 m.
Patterns of Priapism in Sickle Cell Disease.

In this study priapism is defined as a prolonged erection (> 45 minutes in the absence of sexual stimulation) or any painful erection. Boys and young men with SCD were eligible to participate in completing daily diary pages and overnight hormonal monitoring; the data presented are from 1486 diary days collected from 6 young men with mean age of 20.7 years (range 17 to 23). One subject is SCD-SC and the others SCD-SS. Three had had priapism in the 6 months preceding the study and three had not. Characterization of Priapism: Priapism occurred on an average of 6.7% of diary days. Eighty-four percent of these episodes were painful but not prolonged, ten percent were prolonged but not painful, and 4% were both. Of the painful erections, 42% lasted 15 to 45 min, and 12% were >45 min to 3 hrs. The mean pain score was 4.3 out of 10. Painful events occurred most frequently between 6 am – 12 noon (37%); midnight (MN) to 6 am was the next most frequent time (29%). Erections occurred on 36% of days following a day with priapism; 75% of these erections were also painful or prolonged. Priapism and Normal Erectile Function: Erections occurred on a mean of 38% of all diary days. The proportion of erection days which were priapism days were .02, .06, .23, .24, .48 and .51 for the 6 subjects. Normal erections occurred most frequently between 6am – 12 noon (45%); 6pm – 12 MN was the next most frequent time (24%). Sexual activity (sex), defined as viewing stimulating media, masturbation, sexual intercourse or contact was reported on 22% of the total diary days. On 72% of days where sex was reported, erections were reported, vs 28% of days with no sex. Of erection days, painful erections were reported on 12% where sex occurred and on 20% of days where no sex occurred. Erection days were 50% of days following days with sex, vs 33% of days following days without sex. On erection days following sex days participants reported painful erections on 14% of the days versus 17% of the days following days with no sex. Conclusions: The data suggest some differences with the usual conception of priapism. Most of the episodes which the individuals reported as painful were short, the majority between 15 and 45 minutes, and a sizeable minority were
An interview with Dr. Lia A. DiBello, president and director of research, Workplace Technologies Research, Inc.

Dr. Lia A. DiBello is President & Director of Research, Workplace Technologies Research, Inc. (WTRI). As Director of Research for WTRI, Dr. DiBello has developed many innovative (non-verbal) method...
The Effects of Racial Profiling, Taste-Based Discrimination, and Enforcer Liability on Crime

The literature contains ambiguous findings as to whether statistical discrimination, e.g. in the form of racial profiling, causes a reduction in deterrence. These analyses, however, assume that enforcers' incentives are exogenously fixed. This article demonstrates that when the costs and benefits faced by officers in enforcing the law are endogenously determined, statistical discrimination as well as taste-based discrimination lead to an increase in criminal activity. Moreover, the negative effects of statistical discrimination on deterrence are more persistent than similar effects due to taste-based discrimination. This suggests, contrary to the impression created by the existing literature, that statistical discrimination is not only harmful, but, may be even more detrimental than taste-based discrimination. Thus, for purposes of maximizing deterrence, the recent focus in empirical research on identifying taste-based discrimination as opposed to statistical discrimination may be misplaced. A superior approach may be to identify whether any type of racial discrimination takes place in the enforcement of laws, and to provide enforcers with incentives to minimize the impact of their discriminatory behavior.
Genomic Selection for Small Grain Improvement

In this chapter we present an overview of genomic selection (GS) research in the small grain cereals and interpret some of the results across studies where there is a growing body of information. We also provide the reader with approaches to implementation of GS in applied breeding programs and how various scenarios affect gain from selection and cost relative to conventional breeding. Training population optimization is discussed as well as the factors that affect prediction accuracy. We conclude with comments on future research directions required to improve the efficiency of GS.
‘Self-made’ Success on the Private Dole: An Illustration of the Reproduction of Capitals

Our exercise and presentation of a fictional “Bob and Harold” follows the lives of two people (from working class and upper-middle class backgrounds) their families, and especially their lived experience from the teenage years to middle age. The goal of the exercise is to stimulate class discussion; enabling all students to see how ascribed class is often reproduced independent of individual effort, and challenging the hegemonic ideology of meritocracy. Our analysis and discussion revolves around the application of this exercise in two distinct academic environments; an upper-division sociology course at a west coast college and several introductory courses at a southern university. Using class examples, we identify key elements in the presentation that enabled our students to relate their own lives to the lives of two fictitious individuals, see the reproduction of capitals, and grasp the concept of social class in a concrete and meaningful way.
Inhibition of T cell activation by Borrelia burgdorferi

Infection with the spirochete B. burgdorferi induces both innate and adaptive immune responses, which coordinate to control disease progression. Previous studies have demonstrated that Borrelia specific antibodies are critical to the control and resolution of infection. The antibody response is characterized by T cell-independent recognition of numerous B. burgdorferi lipoproteins, which contribute to protection from subsequent challenge. In contrast, the role of T cells in protective vs. disease modulating responses to B. burgdorferi infection is poorly understood. The failure to identify protective T cell epitopes of B. burgdorferi in both mice and humans has limited this line of investigation. We have identified bystander activation of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells during infection, a feature that may obscure the identification of antigen-specific T cell responses. Paradoxically, we have also identified a novel modulatory activity in B. burgdorferi that suppresses activation and proliferation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Suppression can be demonstrated in naive cells from wild type and SMARTA TCR transgenic mice, indicating the ability to override antigen specific and potentially protective immune responses. Our results are consistent with those of Elsner et al., indicating that B. burgdorferi infection results in temporary immunosuppression of the host. Experiments are ongoing to identify potential molecular mechanisms of suppression.
Pediatric Distal Humerus Transphyseal Fractures

Distal humerus transphyseal fracture, also referred to as transphyseal separation, is a physeal periarticular elbow injury found most commonly in young children between birth and 3 years of age. Transphyseal fracture of the newborn is rare, occurring in only one of a series of 105,119 live births. It is more common as a result of falls in infants and toddlers. The diagnosis continues to remain difficult due to the cartilaginous nature of the distal humeral epiphysis in this age group, which is not well visualized on plain radiographs. Numerous case series and case reports have described common misdiagnoses including supracondylar humerus fractures, elbow dislocations, lateral condyle fractures, infection, brachial plexus injury, and normal appearance. Classically, the distal fragment is displaced posteromedially, although posterolateral and anterolateral displacement have also been described. Radiographs of the arm will frequently reveal that the axis of the forearm is no longer in line with the humerus. Ultrasound, MRI, and arthrography have also been used to aid in the diagnosis. Historically, treatment has included closed reduction and casting, skin traction, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), and closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP). The most common complications include cubitus varus and loss of flexion and extension; however, avascular necrosis has also been reported.
Repairing Deactivating Negative Emotions with Student Progress Pages

We report on two studies that suggest that showing reports of student progress at key moments of deactivating negative emotions (boredom or lack of excitement) can help improve students’ affective state and learning behavior while using an adaptive math tutoring system. The studies involved 160 middle-school students in public schools in Arizona and California who reported higher levels of interest and excitement and also demonstrated more positive engagement behavior when using the intervention progress pages.
Measuring Carbon in Shrubs

Although shrubs are a small component of the overall carbon budget, shrub lands and shrub cover within forested lands warrant monitoring with consistent procedures to account for carbon in shrubs and to track carbon accumulation as communities change from shrubs to trees and vice versa. Many different procedures have been used to sample and measure shrubs (Bonham 1989) but only three types are selected here, to represent a range from simple and subjective to more time-consuming but objective measurements. Although the goal is to measure shrub carbon, the methods outlined here estimate biomass—which is about 50% carbon. For sample design, we advocate compatibility with the USDA, Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program by using transects, microplots, or quadrats arranged within or near FIA subplots. Three basic methods are suggested for measuring shrub biomass: (1) cover estimations along transects, including point-intercept and line-intercept; (2) visual cover estimates in fixed area units; and (3) diameter measurement within fixed-area sampling frames. The 3rd method for measurement of individual shrub stem-diameters provides the most robust data for estimating biomass (and by extension, carbon) but requires the most field time. The other two methods allow more rapid measurements of shrub cover along transects or within plots. Our summary provides a framework for collecting shrub measurements three different ways; however, more work will likely be needed to develop appropriate equations that equate cover or stem measurements with biomass for various species.
Hormonal Therapy of Prostatic Cancer

The principle goal of hormonal therapy in the treatment of prostatic cancer, as Huggins suggested in 1941, is the suppression of androgenic stimuli. Consequently, the treatment of advanced prostatic cancer has consisted of orchiectomy, estrogen administration, antiandrogen therapy, adrenalectomy or hypophysectomy, or a combination of some of these. Although the three VACURG studies are subject to several valid criticisms, they provide the best available information to date. In summary, these studies report 1) patients with low stage disease who are treated with estrogen (diethylstilbestrol 5 mg/day) have a higher death rate, mainly cardiovascular, than men not receiving estrogen and 2) in patients with high stage disease, delayed hormonal therapy is as effective as early hormonal therapy. Castration appears to be as effective as treatment with estrogens or a combination of the two and does not evoke the untoward side-effects of estrogen administration. Although subjective improvement has been observed following adrenal or pituitary ablation, the duration of response is usually short, and consequently these procedures are used infrequently now. Experience with the use of antiandrogens is even more limited. Efforts must continue to develop means of predicting hormonal responsiveness. If receptor measurements prove to be an accurate means for predicting the hormonal responsiveness of prostatic cancer, as they have in breast cancer, then our current plan of treatment will need modification. In those men who are unlikely to respond to hormonal therapy, early chemotherapy should be instituted.
[Time-series analysis on the malaria morbidity affected by meteorological factors in Guangdong province].

Objective To evaluate the associations between malaria risk and meteorological factors.Methods A negative binomial distribution regression analvsis was built between the temperature,relative humidity,rainfall capacity and the monthly incidence of malaria,based on the temperature information provided by Guangdong Meteorological Department and the malaria incidence information provided by Guangdong Center of Disease Prevention and Control during year 1980 to 2004,adopting the time-series analysis method and by distributed lag non-linear model,in order to analyze the immediate factors.Results The number of monthly malaria cases in Guangdong province reached 4010 between year 1984 and 2004,while the monthly maxinal temperature,minimal temperature,average temperature,relative humidity and average rainfall capacity was separately 26.3 ℃,18.8 ℃,21.9 ℃,88.0％ and 5.6 mm.The immediate effect of monthly maximal temperature on malaria incidence showed non-linear relationships.When the temperature reached 32.3 ℃C,the risk was highest,the relative risk (RR) was 2.51 ( 95％ CI:1.99 -3.16) ;when the relative humidity was 60.0％,the relative risk of malaria was highest as 1.19(95％ CI:0.66 -2.11 )and then decreased gradually;and when the relative humidity was 86.6％,the risk of malaria was lowest at 0.51 (95％ CI:0.34 - 0.76 ).The risk of malaria increased while the rainfall capacity was 14.5 mm,the risk of malaria was the highest at 1.29(95％ CI:0.87 - 1.93 ).Strongest delayed effects on malaria incidence was observed when the monthly maximal temperature reached 31.5 ℃ at lagged 2 months,with the value of RR at 1.81 (95％ CI:1.02 - 3.22).When the monthly rainfall capacity was over 15.2 mm,the delayed effects was strong but short.When the monthly maximal temperature of 33.7 ℃,the excess risk of malaria was comparatively high,the excess risk was 92.2％ (95％ CI:30.5％ - 183.2％ )when lagging one month.When the relative humidity was low,the delayed effect of malaria lasted for a long time,and the cumulative effect was huge.When the relative humidity reached 87.0％,the excess risk lagging 3 months was only -66.6％ (95％ CI:-86.4％ - - 17.7％ ).When the rainfall capacity was 15.5 mm,the cumulative effect on malaria reached the peak after 3 months,while the excess risk was 40.7％ (95％ CI:-30.0％ - - 182.6％ ) ; afterwards the cumulative effect gradually weakened.Positive and negative interaction effects were significant between malaria risk and maximal temperature and monthly rainfall capacity,and monthly rainfall capacity and relaive humidity at lagged 2 months,repectively.Conclusion High temperature and large rainfall capacity might be the risk faetors of malaria in Guangdong province,and there was an obvious interaction between the two factors. Key words: Meteorological concepts; Malaria; Time-series analysis
A BACTERIAL PHOSPHOTRANSFERASE SYSTEM AND ITS ROLE IN SUGAR TRANSPORT

A bacterial phosphotransferase system catalyzes the transfer of phosphate from phosphoenolpyruvate to a number of sugars. This system has recently been shown to be involved in a variety of important physiological processes in the bacterial cell, the best defined function being in the transport of various carbohydrates across the cell membrane by the process of group translocation. Less well defined functions of the system are in the regulation of inducible enzyme synthesis, the regulation of intracellular levels of cyclic AMP, motility, etc. Permeases which transport sugars not phosphorylated by the phosphotransferase system also appear to be regulated by this system. Studies with one such sugar, melibiose, indicate that this sugar is co-transported with sodium ion and the kinetics of the melibiose permease in Gram-negative organisms indicates that it functions in the same manner as the amino acid and sugar transport systems of animal cells.
Balancing the Redox Equation

The predominant objective of this chapter is the discerning application of the two important mathematically organized methods in general use for balancing the oxidation-reduction equation: 1. by oxidation number; 2. by ion-electron method (also called “half-reactions” and “partials”).
US/Taliban Relations and the Intervention of Domestic Politics

The Al Qaeda attacks in Kenya and Tanzania brought global attention to both Osama bin Laden and to the Taliban. President Clinton responded with cruise missile strikes against Al Qaeda training camps near Khost, Afghanistan. This chapter looks at US/Taliban relations in the year after that strike. This time period was categorized by extreme pressure on the Clinton Administration from American feminist groups not to recognize the Taliban as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. The Clinton Administration was publicly supportive of those groups but, in the field, the priority was Osama bin Laden. The US and the Taliban met repeatedly to find a compromise that would allow them to expel bin Laden. There were Taliban officials who disapproved of bin Laden’s presence in Afghanistan, but domestic politics, and Mullah Omar’s intransigence, made it difficult to work with Washington.
Author Correction: Faster, sharper, and deeper: structured illumination microscopy for biological imaging

In the version of this Perspective originally published, Fig. 4g included an incorrect inset adapted from a different figure than the main image in the panel. This error has been corrected in the PDF and HTML versions of the paper.
Contextual and Cultural Influences on Caregivers of Hispanic Cancer Survivors.

Abstract Objectives To discuss contextual factors (barriers to accessing health care, immigration issues, minority stress, low education/income, challenging employment environments) and cultural values (familism, espiritu, confianza, marianismo, machismo) of Hispanic caregivers that may influence the caregiving experience. Data Sources Literature, research. Conclusion Hispanic caregivers, like non-Hispanic caregivers, experience poor health during caregiving and have unmet needs for information and emotional support. Few evidence-based supportive care interventions are currently available, and more should be developed and tested for this growing population of Hispanic caregivers. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses should assess both contextual factors and cultural values as part of treatment planning for quality cancer care.
Choreography as "Seeing": Inquiry and Advocacy through Museum-Based Physical Research.

As dance practitioners in education, our careers have the tendency to embrace hybrid models. As one who professionally identifies with the challenges presented by the teacher/artist/scholar mandate...
The mRNA levels of heat shock factor 1 are regulated by thermogenic signals via the cAMP-dependent transcription factor ATF3.

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) regulates cellular adaptation to challenges such as heat shock and oxidative and proteotoxic stresses. We have recently reported a previously unappreciated role for HSF1 in the regulation of energy metabolism in fat tissues; however, whether HSF1 is differentially expressed in adipose depots and how its levels are regulated in fat tissues remain unclear. Here, we show that HSF1 levels are higher in brown and subcutaneous fat tissues than in those in the visceral depot and that HSF1 is more abundant in differentiated, thermogenic adipocytes. Gene expression experiments indicated that HSF1 is transcriptionally regulated in fat by agents that modulate cAMP levels, by cold exposure, and by pharmacological stimulation of β-adrenergic signaling. An in silico promoter analysis helped identify a putative response element for activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) at −258 to −250 base pairs from the HSF1 transcriptional start site, and electrophoretic mobility shift and ChIP assays confirmed ATF3 binding to this sequence. Furthermore, functional assays disclosed that ATF3 is necessary and sufficient for HSF1 regulation. Detailed gene expression analysis revealed that ATF3 is one of the most highly induced ATFs in thermogenic tissues of mice exposed to cold temperatures or treated with the β-adrenergic receptor agonist CL316,243 and that its expression is induced by modulators of cAMP levels in isolated adipocytes. To the best of our knowledge, our results show for the first time that HSF1 is transcriptionally controlled by ATF3 in response to classic stimuli that promote heat generation in thermogenic tissues.
Echocardiographic markers of pulmonary hemodynamics and right ventricular hypertrophy in rat models of pulmonary hypertension.

Echocardiography is the gold standard non-invasive technique to diagnose pulmonary hypertension. It is also an important modality used to monitor disease progression and response to treatment in pa...
Cancer epithelia-derived mitochondrial DNA is a targetable initiator of a paracrine signaling loop that confers taxane resistance

Stromal-epithelial interactions dictate cancer progression and therapeutic response. Prostate cancer (PCa) cells were identified to secrete greater concentration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) compared to noncancer epithelia. Based on the recognized coevolution of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) with tumor progression, we tested the role of cancer-derived mtDNA in a mechanism of paracrine signaling. We found that prostatic CAF expressed DEC205, which was not expressed by normal tissue-associated fibroblasts. DEC205 is a transmembrane protein that bound mtDNA and contributed to pattern recognition by Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9). Complement C3 was the dominant gene targeted by TLR9-induced NF-κB signaling in CAF. The subsequent maturation complement C3 maturation to anaphylatoxin C3a was dependent on PCa epithelial inhibition of catalase in CAF. In a syngeneic tissue recombination model of PCa and associated fibroblast, the antagonism of the C3a receptor and the fibroblastic knockout of TLR9 similarly resulted in immune suppression with a significant reduction in tumor progression, compared to saline-treated tumors associated with wild-type prostatic fibroblasts. Interestingly, docetaxel, a common therapy for advanced PCa, further promoted mtDNA secretion in cultured epithelia, mice, and PCa patients. The antiapoptotic signaling downstream of anaphylatoxin C3a signaling in tumor cells contributed to docetaxel resistance. The inhibition of C3a receptor sensitized PCa epithelia to docetaxel in a synergistic manner. Tumor models of human PCa epithelia with CAF expanded similarly in mice in the presence or absence of docetaxel. The combination therapy of docetaxel and C3 receptor antagonist disrupted the mtDNA/C3a paracrine loop and restored docetaxel sensitivity.
On the pressure dependence of the thermodynamical scaling exponent γ.

Since its initial discovery more than fifteen years ago, the thermodynamical scaling of the dynamics of supercooled liquids has been used to provide many new important insights in the physics of liquids, particularly on the link between dynamics and intermolecular potential. A question that has long been discussed is whether the scaling exponent γS is a constant or does it depends on pressure. An alternative definition of the scaling parameter, γI = ∂ ln T/∂ ln ρ|X has been presented in the literature, and has been erroneously considered equivalent to γS. Here we offer a simple method to determine the pressure dependence of γI using only the pressure dependence of the glass transition and the equation of state. Using this new method we find that for the six nonassociated liquids investigated, γI always decreases with increasing pressure. Importantly in all cases the value of γI remains always larger than 4. Liquids having γI closer to 4 at low pressure show a smaller change in γI with pressure. We argue that this result has very important consequences for the experimental determination of the functional form of the repulsive part of the potential in liquids. Comparing the pressure and temperature dependence of γS and γI we find, contrary to what has been assumed in the literature to date, that these two parameters are not equivalent and have very different pressure and temperature dependences.
Selective Response to Bacterial Infection by Regulating Siglec-E Expression.

Interactions between microbes and hosts can be a benign, deleterious, or even fatal, resulting in death of the host, the microbe, or both. Sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins (Siglecs) suppress infection responses to sialylated pathogens. However, most pathogens are nonsialylated. Here we determined Siglecs respond to nonsialylated Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli 25922 and DH5α) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes). We found that Siglece-/- mice had higher mortality than wild-type mice following Gram-negative but not Gram-positive bacterial infection. Better survival in wild-type mice depended on more efficient clearance of Gram-negative than Gram-positive bacteria. Gram-negative bacteria upregulated Siglec-E, thus increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS); Tyr432 in the ITIM domain of Siglec-E was required to increase ROS. Moreover, Gram-negative bacteria upregulated Siglec-E via TLR4/MyD88/JNK/NF-κB/AP-1, whereas Gram-positive bacteria downregulated Siglec-E via TLR2/RANKL/TRAF6/Syk. Thus, our study describes a fundamentally new role for Siglec-E during infection.