cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Age-dependent bone loss and recovery during hindlimb unloading and subsequent reloading in rats

Bone structure and strength are rapidly lost during conditions of decreased mechanical loading, and aged bones have a diminished ability to adapt to increased mechanical loading. This is a concern for older patients that experience periods of limited mobility or bed rest, but the acute effects of disuse on the bones of aged patients have not been thoroughly described. Previous animal studies have primarily examined the effect of mechanical unloading on young animals. Those that have studied aged animals have exclusively focused on bone loss during unloading and not bone recovery during subsequent reloading. In this study, we investigated the effect of decreased mechanical loading and subsequent reloading on bone using a hindlimb unloading model in Adult (9 month old) and Aged (28 month old) male rats. Animals from both age groups were subjected to 14 days of hindlimb unloading followed by up to 7 days of reloading. Additional Aged rats were subjected to 7 days of forced treadmill exercise during reloading or a total of 28 days of reloading. Trabecular and cortical bone structure of the femur were quantified using ex vivo micro-computed tomography (μCT), and mechanical properties were quantified with mechanical testing. We found that Adult rats had substantially decreased trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV) following unloading (− 27%) while Aged animals did not exhibit significant bone loss following unloading. However, Aged animals had lower trabecular BV/TV after 3 days of reloading (− 20% compared to baseline), while trabecular BV/TV of Adult rats was not different from baseline values after 3 days of reloading. Trabecular BV/TV of Aged animals remained lower than control animals even with exercise during 7 days of reloading and after 28 days of reloading. These data suggest that aged bone is less responsive to both increased and decreased mechanical loading, and that acute periods of disuse may leave older subjects with a long-term deficit in trabecular bone mass. These finding indicate the need for therapeutic strategies to improve the skeletal health of elderly patients during periods of disuse.
Decolonizing the Map: Cartography from Colony to Nation, edited by James R. Akerman

Decolonizing the Map traces the shifting territories of cartography ‘from colony to nation’ or from dependent to (sometimes nominally) independent states. As the editor explains, the goal of the bo...
Neural cue reactivity during acute abstinence predicts short‐term smoking relapse

In smokers, neural responses to smoking cues can be sensitive to acute abstinence, but the degree to which abstinence-related cue reactivity contributes to relapse is not fully understood. This study addressed this question in a sample of 75 smokers who were motivated to quit smoking. Participants underwent blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during presentation of visual smoking cues and neutral stimuli on two occasions: once during smoking satiety and once following 24-hour abstinence (order counterbalanced). Following the imaging sessions, participants received brief smoking cessation counseling prior to a short-term (7-day) quit attempt. The primary smoking cessation outcome was biochemically confirmed 7-day relapse. The secondary smoking cessation outcome measure was total number of self-reported days of abstinence. During abstinence (vs satiety), smoking cue reactivity was significantly increased only in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC); other regions showing a cue (vs neutral) response did not exhibit an abstinence effect in the stringent whole-brain analysis. Participants who showed greater smoking cue reactivity in the ACC during acute abstinence (compared with smoking satiety) were more likely to relapse (OR = 2.10 per standard deviation increase in percent signal change [abstinence minus smoking satiety], 95% CI: 1.05 to 4.20, P = 0.036). Greater abstinence-induced change in ACC activation also predicted fewer total days abstinent (β = -0.63, 95% CI = 0.43 to 0.66, P < 0.0001). This study provides the first evidence that changes in smoking cue reactivity in the ACC during acute abstinence predict smoking relapse, thereby improving our understanding of the neurobiology of smoking cessation.
Persistence of rye (Secale cereale L.) chromosome arm 1RS in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding programs of the Great Plains of North America

Rye (Secale cereale L.) chromosome arm 1RS has been used world-wide by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) breeding programs as a source of pest- and pathogen-resistance genes, and to improve grain yield and stress tolerance. The most common vehicles used to access 1RS are various 1AL.1RS and 1BL.1RS wheat-rye chromosomal translocations. Over the past 25 years, advanced North American wheat breeding lines were evaluated, first by assay of secalin storage proteins, and later by use of DNA marker TSM0120, for the presence of these two translocations. Both methods provide accurate and efficient means of identifying and differentiating 1BL.1RS and 1A.1RS. Both 1Al.1RS and 1BL.1RS wheats were found in all tested years. 1AL.1RS lines were more common in southern Great Plains breeding programs. 1AL.1RS lines were released as cultivars at a frequency identical to that of wild-type breeding lines. In contrast, 1BL.1RS breeding lines were developed by breeding programs throughout the Great Plains, but fewer were released as cultivars. Both 1RS translocation types persist in Great Plains breeding programs. The lower rate of release of 1BL.1RS cultivars no doubt is a consequence of the more drastic effects on breadmaking quality relative to those observed with 1AL.1RS.
Forensic medical results and law enforcement actions following sexual assault: A comparison of child, adolescent and adult cases.

Abstract Background In sexual assault cases, little research has examined differences in forensic medical findings and law enforcement response by victim age across the entire age range. Objective This study addressed this gap by comparing four victim age groups: adults, adolescents over the age of consent, adolescents under the age of consent, and children under 12. Participants and setting Cases were randomly sampled from a statewide database of medical reports on sexual assault examinations conducted in hospital emergency departments, including only cases reported to law enforcement (N = 563). Methods Data were combined from a medical report database, from coding of medical documentation and crime laboratory reports, and from case data provided by law enforcement. Results Rates for both younger and older adolescent victims and adult victims were comparable, with no statistically significant differences on most variables: penetration, perpetrator use of force, non-genital and genital injuries, presence of biological evidence, generating assailant DNA profiles, DNA match to suspect, hits in the FBI’s DNA database, and law enforcement unfounding (i.e., determining allegations to be false or baseless). Child victims were significantly less likely to have a non-genital injury, and their cases were significantly more likely to be founded by law enforcement. Arrests were significantly more likely when victims were under the age of consent. Conclusions Despite significant differences by victim age, similarity between adolescent and adult cases was substantial. Both younger and older adolescents may be at higher risk of physical violence during sexual assault than previously recognized, and need greater attention in response systems.
Abstract 1745: Ku70 suppresses alternative end-joining in G1-arrested progenitor B cells

Classical non-homologous end-joining (C-NHEJ) repairs DNA double-stranded breaks (DSBs) throughout interphase but is thought to predominate in G1-phase when homologous recombination is unavailable. Complexes containing the Ku70/80 ("Ku") and XRCC4/Ligase4 core C-NHEJ factors are required, respectively, for sensing and joining DSBs. While such factors are exclusively required for joining RAG-initiated DSBs during V(D)J recombination in G1-phase lymphocyte progenitors, cycling cells deficient for core C-NHEJ factors join chromosomal DSBs by alternative end-joining (A-EJ) pathways. Restriction of V(D)J recombination to C-NHEJ has been attributed to RAG-mediated exclusion of A-EJ; however, it remains unclear whether A-EJ is similarly excluded from more general DSBs in G1. Here, we report that Ku actively and robustly suppresses A-EJ of both RAG- and Cas9-mediated DSBs in G1-arrested progenitor B cell lines. Thus, while Cas9/gRNA DSBs remain as free broken ends in Ligase4-deficient G1-arrested progenitor B cells, deletion of Ku70 in Ligase4-deficient cells restores DSB re-joining and translocation to levels observed in Ku70-deficient counterparts. Correspondingly, while V(D)J recombination is abrogated in Ligase4-deficient lines, V(D)J-like joining occurs in Ku70-deficient and Ku70/Ligase4-double-deficient lines through a translocation-based A-EJ mechanism. We conclude that in G1, Ligase4-deficient progenitor B cells are functionally end-joining deficient due to a complete Ku-dependent block in A-EJ. Thus, the differential impacts of Ku deficiency versus XRCC4/Ligase4 deficiency on V(D)J recombination, severity of neuronal apoptosis, and embryonic development, including ability of Ku-deficiency to rescue Ligase4-deficient embryonic lethality, may be explained by Ku-mediated inhibition of A-EJ in the G1 cell cycle phase. Citation Format: Richard L. Frock, Vipul Kumar, Zhouyi Liang, Jeff Zurita, Zhou Du, Sherry G. Lin, Cristian Boboila, Frederick W. Alt. Ku70 suppresses alternative end-joining in G1-arrested progenitor B cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1745.
Editorial: The passage of time.

In this editorial, the author reflects on changes that occurred in the quality of research on developmental psychopathology over the last 35 years. This is illustrated in the increased quality of nine longitudinal studies that are included in the current issue of JCPP. Using approaches that capitalize on the passage of time, ranging from 28 days to 40 years across investigations, these studies employed multiple levels of analysis, used sophisticated statistical methods to control for confounding factors, included measurement at both the biological, cognitive, and behavioral levels, and collectively provided results that allow improved assessment of causality.
Ethnicity and voters’ evaluations of political leadership: “lab-in-the-field” experiments in Russian regions

ABSTRACTThis paper presents an experimental test of ethnic-based bias in citizens’ evaluation of a political leader’s decision-making across three multi-ethnic regions of the Russian Federation (Sa...
Flow Cytometry as a Diagnostic Tool in Primary and Secondary Immune Deficiencies

Flow cytometry is an incredibly powerful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of primary and secondary immune deficiencies. Assay design and setup involves a methodological consideration of specimen collection, marker and fluorochrome selection, antibody titration, instrumentation, compensation, gating, reference range development, and cross validation. Commonly used analyses for lymphocytes are the lymphocyte subset, T-cell subset, B-cell and T-cell naive/memory, double-negative T-cell, and plasmablast panels. Flow cytometry has direct clinical applicability to the workup of severe forms of primary immune deficiency disorders and is used diagnostically and for therapeutic monitoring in the context of secondary immune deficiency disorders.
Transpedicular-Transdiscal Cement Augmentation Treatment of Thoracolumbar Fusion Proximal Junctional Failure

ABSTRACT Background: Long instrumented fusions for adult deformity have a proximal junction kyphosis rate between 20% and 40%. When symptomatic, proximal junctional failure (PJF) often requires revision surgery and is associated with significant morbidity. Vertebral cement augmentation (VCA) has been used for prophylaxis against PJF but has not been previously described as treatment after onset of PJF has occurred. We describe a series of patients with PJF of long posterior spinal fusions that were treated at our institution using a novel VCA technique. Methods: Three patients with PJF above thoracolumbopelvic fusions were retrospectively reviewed following treatment with transpedicular-transdiscal VCA. The medical record was reviewed for demographic data, outcomes scores, and radiographic images. Results: Mean age was 69.3 years. Mean follow-up was 13.3 months. Mean preprocedure visual analog scale score was 8.67, and postprocedure visual analog scale score was 4.00. Mean preprocedure sagittal balance was 9.7 cm, and postprocedure sagittal balance was 5.8 cm. No patients required revision surgery for PJF in the follow-up period. Conclusions: Transpedicular-transdiscal VCA treatment for PJF is safe and may have the potential to prevent the need for revision surgery. Level of Evidence: 4.
Multiparametric in situ imaging of NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia reveals prognostically-relevant features of the marrow microenvironment.

Ancillary testing during the initial workup of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is largely performed using aspirated materials. We utilized multiplex immunofluorescence (MIF) imaging with digital image analysis to perform an in situ analysis of the microenvironment in NPM1-mutated AML using diagnostic bone marrow biopsy tissues (N = 17) and correlated these findings with diagnostic next-generation sequencing (NGS, N = 17), flow cytometry (FC, N = 14), and first remission (CR1) NPM1-specific molecular MRD (n = 16) data. The total CD3-positive T-cell percentages correlated positively between FC and MIF (r = 0.53, p = 0.05), but were significantly lower by MIF (1.62% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.009). The percentage of mutant NPM1-positive (NPM1c+) cells ranged from 9.7 to 90.8% (median 45.4%) and did not correlate with the NPM1 mutant allele fraction by NGS (p > 0.05). The percentage of CD34+/NPM1c+ cells ranged from 0 to 1.8% (median 0.07%). The percentage of NPM1c+ cells correlated inversely (34% vs. 62%, p = 0.03), while the percentages of CD3−/NPM1c− cells (64% vs. 35%, p = 0.03), and specifically CD3−/CD4−/NPM1c− cells (26% vs. 13%, p = 0.04), correlated positively with subsequent MRD. Discordances between MIF and FC/NGS data suggest that aspirate materials are likely an imperfect reflection of the core biopsy tissue. Furthermore, increased numbers of NPM1 wild-type cells within the microenvironment at diagnosis correlate with the subsequent presence of MRD.
Moving closer to death: understanding psychosocial distress among older veterans with advanced cancers

Early identification of psychosocial distress is important to address the needs of vulnerable populations and influence symptom management. Older veterans diagnosed with life-limiting cancers are particularly vulnerable because they often have unmet needs, experiencing psychological or emotional problems and gaps in healthcare communication, which extends suffering. Lack of emotional support, ongoing physical pain, and unresolved symptom control can further increase distress among older veterans, contributing to complexity of decision-making for end of life (EOL) care. We explored older veterans’ experiences and identification of psychosocial distress in cancer care to better understand how they describe distress while facing the end of life. Guiding this study is a conceptual framework from psychosocial oncology with the multifactorial experience of distress indicated by NCCN guidelines for distress screening. We use a phenomenological approach to explore the experience of psychosocial distress among older veterans diagnosed with advanced cancers at risk for dying within a year. Inclusion criteria: Provider response of “no” to, “Would you be surprised if your patient died within a year?” and “yes”, to the question, “Have you talked with your patient about the severity of their illness as being life-limiting, terminal?” Five themes emerged: (1) the meaning of distress: “It’s hard to explain”; (2) severity of advanced cancer: “There’s no stage five”; (3) distressing thoughts about the possibility of dying: “Either way, it’s life limiting”; (4) coping: “Deal with it and hope for a better day”; and (5) personal factors: “I don’t want to be anything but a man who can handle adversity.” Findings suggest older veterans may have unique cancer experiences different from other populations. Older veterans in this study exhibited distressing symptoms which demonstrate they are at risk for declining health and in need of support for their distress. Healthcare providers are urged to understand the complexity of distress to provide the best possible treatment for older veterans.
Stakeholder-Identified Barriers, Challenges, and Obstacles in Community Gardens

Florida Extension agents play a vital role in assisting community members to start and sustain community gardens through site visits, workshops, and educational events. This 3-page document discusses the results of a Delphi study conducted in order to create a picture of the barriers, challenges, and obstacles to starting and sustaining community gardens in Florida. Written by Susan Webb and John Diaz and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc301
A Novel Design of Guiding Stress Wave Propagation

Impact loads can induce a series of undesirable physical phenomena including vibration, acoustical shock, perforation, fracture and fragmentation, etc. The energy associated with the impact loads can lead to severe structure damage and human injuries. A design approach which effectively reduces these negative impacts through shock/stress wave diversion is highly needed. In this paper, a computational model which predicts stress wave propagation by considering different beam geometries and configurations is developed. A novel concept of wave guide design which modifies the stress wave propagation path without disturbance is also presented. This design approach is not only useful for material property characterization particularly at intermediate or high strain rates, but also allows stress wave propagation in a desired direction as the shock/impact energy can be redistributed in controllable paths. The numerical results are experimentally verified through a Drop-Hopkinson bar apparatus at Sandia National Laboratories.
A retrospective cohort evaluation of the effect of multiple administrations of gadopentetate dimeglumine on brain magnetic resonance imaging T1-weighted signal

Gadolinium deposition occurs following repeated administration of gadolinium-based contrast media. However, few studies have evaluated factors that lead to increased detection of deposition or the individual differences among patients. To measure the effect of repeated dosages of gadopentetate dimeglumine on pediatric brains and to determine the factors that influence signal intensity changes. A retrospective study evaluated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients 5 doses of gadopentetate dimeglumine. Regions of interest were placed in 30 locations in the brain on axial precontrast T1 images. Signal intensity ratios were evaluated throughout the brain. The effect of increasing gadopentetate dimeglumine exposure on signal intensity ratios was assessed using linear mixed models adjusted for gender, age, imaging sequence type (fast spin echo or gradient echo), MRI manufacturer (General Electric, Philips or Siemens), and field strength (1.5 tesla [T] or 3 T). Finally, the variance of the random slope in the linear mixed models was tested to determine if there were differences in the rate of signal intensity ratio change among individuals. Fifty patients (M:F=25:25; mean age at first imaging: 6.4 years) with a mean of 21.5 gadopentetate dimeglumine administrations (range: 6–86) were included. There were significant increases in T1 signal in the globus pallidus, dentate nucleus and pulvinar with an increasing number of contrast administrations. Patient gender, age, and MRI field strength were not associated with changing signal intensity ratios. However, MRI sequence type and vendor significantly impacted some measured signal intensity ratios. Finally, significant differences in the slopes of the ratios were present among patients for multiple locations. Repeated administration of gadopentetate dimeglumine is associated with T1 hyperintense signal in the dentate nucleus, globus pallidus and pulvinar. Detection is significantly affected by MRI sequence type and scanner vendor. Even when accounting for these differences, there are individual differences in the slope of signal intensity change suggesting a patient-level effect influences gadolinium deposition.
Estimation of the Parameters of Anhysteretic Curve of Isotropic and Anisotropic Magnetic Materials on the Base of Initial Anhysteretic Permeability Measurements

Determination of parameters of anhysteretic magnetization curve plays the key role in modelling the characteristics of soft magnetic materials. This curve can be efficiently used to describe the characteristics of inductive components in SPICE or FEM modelling. Moreover, anhysteretic magnetization curve is the base of Jiles-Atherton model of magnetic hysteresis loop. Paper presents the method of identification of parameters of anhysteretic curves of soft magnetic materials without or with different types of anisotropy. Due to the fact, that calculation of anhysteretic curve of anisotropic materials requires numerical integration, optimization-based method is proposed. Moreover, open-source MATLAB/Octave scripts are provided to verify and validate proposed method for variety of anisotropic materials.
Legal Responses to Black Subordination, Global Perspectives

This essay explains why lawmakers, activists and scholars reckoning with legal responses to subordination of Black people ought to adopt a global perspective, meaning, they ought to take into account the experiences of Black people from countries other than their own. This approach opens up possibilities for learning, provision of support, and recognition of interdependence across borders. A global perspective necessarily involves abandoning parochialism. In other words, it requires rejecting presumptions about the uniqueness of the African American experience in the United States as well as similar preconceptions about the uniqueness of the Black experience in other countries. At the same time, a global perspective need not and should not involve legal universalism, which in this context means presumptions that there is either a universal Black experience, a universal definition of Blackness, or a universally effective set of legal responses to Black subordination. Finally, adopting a global perspective involves accounting for interconnections between Black communities. The essay illustrates each these points with examples drawn from the United States and several other countries in the Western Hemisphere, including Brazil, Colombia and Jamaica.
Multi-business Firms' Corporate Renewal Decisions: Divestiture Governance Mode Choice of Corporate Spin-Offs and Equity Carve-Outs

Multi-business Firms' Corporate Renewal Decisions: Divestiture Governance Mode Choice of Corporate Spin-Offs and Equity Carve-Outs
Exploring the college experiences of students adopted from South Korea

This phenomenological study focused on the college experiences of students adopted from South Korea. The purpose of this qualitative study was to better understand the college experiences of Korean adoptees related to their personal development and Korean cultural awareness while at a mid-sized Midwestern university. Eleven students at a land-grant institution in the Midwestern United States participated in this study. Data were collected using the three interview structure that Seidman (2006) outlined. The first interview focused on life history, the second meeting on details of their college experience, and the final interview on the meaning made of these experiences. The three interviews in the series were conducted within 1 week of each other to provide continuity from one interview to the next interview. There was no literature available on the college experiences of transracially adopted college students, so this study expands the literature in that area. The findings are organized into three sections that paralleled the interview content: youth and background experiences, college experiences, and thoughts about the future. The themes that emerged in the youth and background experiences include strong connection to family, religion as an important part of childhood, and connection to Korean culture as a child. The majority of the text focused on the themes that emerged from the college experiences portion of the interviews. The major themes included interacting with others while in college, experiencing life as an Asian person, and exploring racial and ethnic identity while in college. In the final section, the theme focused on future plans and meaning making. The theme in this section was interest in learning about Korean culture.
The readability levels of cancer‐prevention materials targeting African Americans

Abstract Background. Several studies have examined the readability levels of cancer‐prevention materials, but the readability levels of materials targeting African Americans have not been documented. The Cancer Prevention Materials and African‐Americans project, funded in 1994 by the Texas Cancer Council, was developed to assess the readability levels and cultural sensitivity of cancer‐prevention materials targeting African Americans. Methods. This study assessed the readability of 100 cancer‐prevention materials using McLaughlin's SMOG grading. Illustrations and point sizes were also examined by research staff members. Results. Seventy‐two percent of the material contained illustrations and 88% were printed using a 12‐point font. An overall mean SMOG grade of 9.32 was found, which suggests that ninth graders can read and comprehend the text. Conclusions. Although this grade level is lower than those indicated by previous studies, many of the printed materials may not be appropriate for African Americans ...
Some like it hot: spicing up ion channels

Capsaicin is the molecule that makes chilli peppers seem hot, and the receptor for this compound has now been identified. The receptor is also activated by increased temperature, indicating that it transduces painful thermal stimuliin vivo.
Single-Chip Microprocessors for Estimation and Control Applications in Industry

This paper describes the use of single-chip microprocessors for multivariable estimation (filtering) and control applications. The application covers an industrial heat exchanger in which the states are estimated and multivariable controls are implemented. The heat exchanger is modeled and simulated as a second order system. Input variables are the flows of hot and cold side. Output variables are the exit temperature of cold liquid and the heat being transferred. The state variables are the exit temperatures of shell (cold liquid) and tube (hot liquid) sides. A one-chip microprocessor is used for measurements and estimation of states from output, and the other chip is used for control functions of pole assignment of a desired closed loop performance.
Krylov subspace-based model-order reduction techniques for circuit simulations

This paper presents a circuit simulation method using Krylov subspace-based model-order reduction techniques. The method generates reduced-order models of large networks without explicitly calculating the moments. Low-rank approximate solutions of Lyapunov equations are used to obtain low-order models of distributed systems. These reduced-order models can be used for time and frequency response approximations of large networks. Illustrative examples are also given to study the computational efficiency and accuracy of the method.
Individual Service Providers versus the Firm

Abstract This study addresses the strategic relationship marketing question: Where do customer attachments lie, with the individual service provider or with the firm? Multiple Constituency theory is drawn upon to explain the relationships. It is proposed that individual relationships impact the customer's relationship with the firm, which as a result impacts relationship marketing strategy behavioral outcomes. Tested in the context of professional services, results of structural equations modeling indicate that multiple relationships occur at the individual level. However, firm level perceptions of trust and commitment are distinct and are impacted by multiple individual relationships. Desirable strategic outcomes such as return intention, positive word-of-mouth, and ease of voice are found to be primarily influenced by firm trust; whereas, firm commitment exerts minimal effect, suggesting that trust may be the underlying impetus for successful relationship marketing cultures.
A novel trench planarization technique using polysilicon refill, polysilicon oxidation, and oxide etchback

Summary form only given. A trench planarization technique is reported which uses polysilicon refill and sequential polysilicon oxidation and oxide etchback processes. Silicon trenches with varying trench depths (1-10 mu m) and trench aspect ratios were successfully planarized using this technique. The process uniformity across 4 in. dia. silicon wafers was excellent with MOS gate yields in excess of 95%. Trench capacitors were fabricated and tested for MOS gate interface characteristics and reliability. Trench power MOSFETs were fabricated using a conventional two-step RIE (reactive ion etching) process as well as the proposed technique. It was found that the proposed technique resulted in significant improvements in gate yield and process uniformity, and is easily adaptable in a manufacturing environment for fabricating high-density trench-based active devices, isolation structures, and interconnections. >
Approximation of Distribution Spaces by Means of Kernel Operators

We investigate conditions on kernel operators in order to provide prescribed orders of approximation in the Triebel-Lizorkin spaces. Our approach is based on the study of the boundedness of integral kernel operators and extends the Strang-Fix theory, related to the approximation orders of principal shift-invariant spaces, to a wide variety of spaces.
Sea level rise in Tampa Bay

Understanding relative sea level (RSL) rise during periods of rapid climatic change is critical for evaluating modern sea level rise given the vulnerability of Antarctic ice shelves to collapse [Hodgson et al, 2006], the retreat of the world's glaciers [Oerlemans, 2005], and mass balance trends of the Greenland ice sheet [Rignot and Kanagaratnam, 2006]. The first-order pattern of global sea level rise following the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ∼21,000 years ago) is well established from coral [Fairbanks, 1989], continental shelf [Hanebuth et al, 2000], and other records [Pirazzoli, 2000] and has been integrated into a global ICE-5G model of glacio-isostatic adjustment (GIA) [Peltier, 2004]. However, uncertainty introduced by paleo water depth of sea level indicators, radiocarbon chronology (i.e., reservoir corrections for marine shell dates), postglacial isostatic adjustment, and other processes affecting vertical position of former shorelines produces scatter in RSL curves, limiting our knowledge of sea level rise during periods of rapid glacial decay. One example of this limitation is the Gulf of Mexico/Florida region where, despite decades of study, RSL curves produce two conflicting patterns: those showing progressive submergence with a decelerating rate during the past 5000 years [Scholl et al, 1969] and those showing high sea level during the middle of the Holocene [Blum et al, 2001; Balsillie and Donoghue, 2004], where the Holocene represents a geologic epoch that extends from about 10,000 years ago to present times. This discrepancy is emblematic of the uncertainty surrounding Holocene sea level and ice volume history in general.
The evolution of oesophageal function testing and its clinical applications in the management of patients with oesophageal disorders

The last decade has brought significant technical advances in laparoscopic surgery. In this constantly evolving technological climate, less told is the story of the evolution of diagnostic technology that improved the clinical management of patients with oesophageal disorders. The successful outcome of the laparoscopic treatment of oesophageal disorders is due to a combination of three different factors: the skills and the ability of the foregut surgeon, the high volume of referral, the expertise in the critical evaluation of the oesophageal function tests. This is an art per se, and it is rarely acknowledged in the achievement of the excellent results of surgery. Oesophageal function testing provides the clinician with information that cannot be obtained by the clinical, endoscopic, and radiological evaluation of patients. This expertise, intimately coupled with the other factors, allows the surgeon to better understand the pathophysiology of these diseases and to provide the optimal management. Therefore, it is essential to understand the evolution that this technology is currently undergoing, and how these changes are expanding the current indications for antireflux surgery by identifying additional predictors of successful outcome.
Assessment Practices: Empowering Mathematics and Science Teachers in Rural Secondary Schools to Enhance Student Learning.

Aligned with recent changes to syllabuses in Australia is an assessment regime requiring teachers to identify what their students ‘know’ and ‘can do’ in terms of the quality of understanding demonstrated. This paper describes the experiences of 25 secondary science and mathematics teachers in rural schools in New South Wales as they explore the changing nature of assessment and its implications on their classroom practice. To help reconceptualise these changes, teachers were introduced to a cognitive structural model as a theoretical framework. Throughout the 2-year study, teachers attended a series of professional development sessions and received ongoing consultative support. Each session was taped and transcribed while interviews were conducted with each teacher at the end of both years. Analysis of these data using a grounded theory approach identified seven major components of teacher practice impacted by the study. The core component was questioning while the six contributing components were teachers’ pedagogical practices, attention to cognition, teaching strategies, assessment linked to pedagogy, classroom advantages for students, and classroom advantages for teachers. These findings represent a major shift in teachers’ perceptions of assessment from a focus on the accumulation of students’ marks to one of diagnosis as a means of directing teaching to enhance students’ scientific and mathematical understandings.
A case for the importance of gas phase initiation and the absence of free radical processes in the thermal decomposition of silane

A critical analysis of a recent paper by Robertson, Hils and Gallagher (RHG) on the mechanism of the thermal pyrolysis of silane is presented, with special attention to the nature of the initiation reaction and subsequent gas phase reactions. It is argued that exclusive initiation at the walls, as proposed by RHG is indeed the major mode of initiation at total reaction pressures below 1 Torr. However, homogeneous gas phase initiation via the pressure-dependent unimolecular reaction SiH 4 → SiH 2 + H 2 dominates at total reaction pressures above 100 Torr. Subsequent gas phase reactions are non-chain processes involving silylene and silene intermediates. Free radical chain reactions, as proposed by RHG, are not involved.
Polymerization of 3-Undecylbithiophene and Preparation of Poly(3-undecylbithiophene)/Polystyrene Composites in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide

The polymerization of 3-undecylbithiophene in supercritical carbon dioxide (with ferric triflate as the oxidant) was studied at 313 K and 10.5 MPa. The resulting polymer was comparable in structure, molecular weight, conjugation, and intrinsic electrical conductivity to the polymer synthesized in nitrobenzene (with ferric chloride as the oxidant). In addition, a 95% yield of the conducting polymer was obtained in 1 h. Conductive composites of poly(3-undecylbithiophene) and porous, cross-linked polystyrene were prepared via the in situ polymerization of 3-undecylbithiophene in supercritical carbon dioxide at temperatures in the range 313-413 K and pressures in the range 10.5-34.5 MPa. The highest conductivities of the composite were obtained at 313 K and 20.7 MPa, which represent optimum conditions for oxidant/monomer deposition and conducting polymer network formation on the surface and pores of the host polymer.
Themes in Marriage and Family Counseling: A Content Analysis of The Family Journal:

A content analysis determines the most frequent themes in marriage and family counseling as evidenced by publication of articles, book reviews, and features in The Family Journal. An additional con...
The learning dimension of evaluation use

Evaluation's role in facilitating transformative learning in organizations is the focus of this chapter. The theories underlying constructivist and transformative learning, as well as specific evaluator roles and practices to support it, are described.
Nearest-neighbor frustrated random-bond model in d=2: Some exact results.

We study a d=2 Ising model where the veritcal bonds are fixed and ferromagnetic and the horizontal bonds can vary randomly in sign and in magnitude (within some limits) but are same within each now. The model therefore generalizes that of McCoy and Wu since it allows for the interesting case of frustration. We use the transfer matrix to map our problem to a collection of random field d=1 problems about which a lot is known. We find generally three transitions: a Griffiths transition, its dual version, and one with infinite correlation length and index \ensuremath{\nu}=1. In all cases the free energy has infinitely differentiable singularities. In addition there are some zero-temperature transitions.
Optical fibre Faraday rotation current sensor with closed-loop operation

A novel closed-loop fibre-optic current sensor based on the Faraday effect is described which maintains a constant sensitivity to AC currents in the presence of large quasi-DC and low-frequency current fluctuations. A Verdet constant of 2.55×10−6 rad/A (at 0.83 μm) is reported for the fibre used.
Roles of specific isoforms of protein kinase C in the transcriptional control of cyclin D1 and related genes.

Although protein kinase C (PKC) has been implicated in cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, and tumor promotion, the precise roles of specific isoforms in these processes is not clear. Therefore, we constructed and analyzed a series of expression vectors that encode hemagglutinin-tagged wild type (WT), constitutively active mutants (ΔNPS and CAT), and dominant negative mutants of PKCs α, β1, β2, γ, δ, ϵ, η, ζ, and ι. Cyclin D1 promoter reporter assays done in serum-starved NIH3T3 cells indicated that the constitutively active mutants of PKC-α and PKC-ϵ were the most potent activators of this reporter, whereas the constitutively active mutant of PKC-δ inhibited its activity. Transient transfection studies with a series of 5′-deleted cyclin D1 promoter constructs showed that the proximal 964-base region, which contains AP-1, SP1, and CRE enhancer elements, is required for activation of the cyclin D1 promoter by PKC-α. Deletion of the AP-1 enhancer element located at position –954 upstream from the initiation site abolished PKC-α-dependent activation of cyclin D1 expression. Deletion of the SP1 or CRE enhancer elements did not have any effect. A dominant negative mutant of c-Jun inhibited activation of the cyclin D1 promoter in a concentration-dependent manner, providing further evidence that AP-1 activity is required for activation of the cyclin D1 promoter by PKC-α and PKC-ϵ. The constitutively active mutants of PKC-α and PKC-ϵ also activated c-fos, c-jun, and cyclin E promoter activity. Furthermore, NIH3T3 cells that stably express the constitutively active mutants of PKC-α or PKC-ϵ displayed increased expression of endogenous cyclins D1 and E and faster growth rates. These results provide evidence that the activation of PKC-α or PKC-ϵ in mouse fibroblasts can play an important role in enhancing cell cycle progression and cell proliferation.
Predictions of size-resolved aerosol concentrations of ammonium, chloride and nitrate at a bayside site using EQUISOLV II

Abstract Measured ambient air concentrations of ammonium, chloride and nitrate were compared with concentrations produced by EQUISOLV II, an aerosol thermodynamic equilibrium model. The monitoring equipment was located ∼50 m from Old Tampa Bay at the eastern end of the Gandy Bridge in Tampa, FL. Size-segregated ion concentrations of ammonium, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, fluoride, chloride, nitrite, nitrate, sulfate and phosphate were determined from 6- and 1-day integrated cascade impactor samples obtained in May and August 2001, respectively. EQUISOLV II was initialized with these ion concentrations by size bin, and by gas phase concentrations of the volatile species, acquired with a collocated annular denuder system. The model redistributed the ions between the size bins until gas and particle concentrations reached equilibrium. The model calculated predominantly fine particle ammonium and coarse particle chloride and nitrate. For the May sampling period, when the average relative humidity was below 65%, the model predicted the formation of seven solids KNO3, K2SO4, (NH4)2SO4, Na2SO4, NaCl, NaNO3, and CaSO4·2H2O. The amounts of ammonium in the fine fraction and of nitrate and chloride in the coarse fraction were predicted within the combined measurement and modeling uncertainty in the majority of cases.
Sensitivity of the homing pigeon to an Earth-strength magnetic field

Although the Earth’s magnetic field appears to be involved in orientation, previous laboratory experiments have been unable to confirm the magnetic sensitivity of homing pigeons. In the experiments described here, a flight tunnel was constructed within a shielded chamber and used to train three pairs of pigeons (Columba livia) to discriminate between the presence and absence of a 0.5 gauss (Earth-strength) magnetic field. Successful discrimination was associated with flutter activity of the birds within the tunnel.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO PREDICT THE SEVERITY OF AORTIC REGURGITATION IN A POST‐VALVULOPLASTY PROCEDURE THROUGH KNOWLEDGE OF AORTIC ANATOMY BY ECHO?

Objectives: To determinate if it is possible to predict the severity of aortic regurgitation before balloon aortic valvuloplasty through knowledge of aortic anatomy by echo. Background: Twenty patients with severe aortic stenosis were evaluated by echocardiography (echo), before and after the balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) procedure. Two clearly distinct types of bicuspid aorta were found: with vertical and horizontal closing. Those with the vertical closing had a significantly greater severity of aortic regurgitation than those with horizontal closings. Methodology: Before and after the BAV procedure there were recordings in 20 patients with severe aortic stenosis. At the time of the valvuloplasty procedure (BAV), the patients ranged in age from 3 days to 19 years (mean 3.3 years ± 5). Transthoracic parasternal long- and short-axis views at the level of the aortic valve were used to determine cusp fusion site, and aortic regurgitation was graded using pulsed or colored Doppler or both. Criteria of regurgitation were: light (detectable jet adjacent to the valve or narrow jet of low amplitude detected near the aortic valve), moderate (easily detected, moderate amplitude jet associated with left ventricular dilatation), and severe (wide and easily detected high amplitude jet with marked left ventricular enlargement). We found two clearly distinct types of bicuspid aorta: those that had fusion of the right and noncoronary cusp (showed vertical closings in previous echo), and those with fusion of left and right coronary cusps (showed horizontal closings). Statistical Analysis: Statistical significance p < 0.05. Results: Of twenty patients with severe aortic stenosis, with an average age of 4.5 ± 5 (range: 3–19 years) at the time of BAV was effective in 18, with a mean gradient of 87 ± 12 pre-BAV / 30 ± 11 post-BAV. Of the 20 patients with aortic BAV, 15 had horizontal closings in the previous echo, and 5 had vertical closings. Of the 15 with horizontal closings, 14 had light regurgitation. Only one patient had early moderate regurgitation and two more had moderate regurgitation later on, at 4.5 and 16 years. No patient, except the patient with early moderate regurgitation, had severe regurgitation; only in one patient BAV was not effective. While there were 5 patients with vertical closing, 4 with effective BAV had early moderate-to-severe regurgitation in immediate post-procedure, 1/5 was no effective. Conclusion: A light post-procedure insufficiency may be expected in a bicuspid aorta with horizontal closing post aortic valvuloplasty (14/15). We also expected an efficient procedure in the reduction of the aortic stenosis (14/15). A significative aortic regurgitation may be expected in a bicuspid aorta with vertical closing post BAV (4/4).
Arabidopsis Membrane-anchored Ubiquitin-fold (MUB) Proteins Localize a Specific Subset of Ubiquitin-conjugating (E2) Enzymes to the Plasma Membrane

The covalent attachment of ubiquitin (Ub) to various intracellular proteins plays important roles in altering the function, localization, processing, and degradation of the modified target. A minimal ubiquitylation pathway uses a three-enzyme cascade (E1, E2, and E3) to activate Ub and select target proteins for modification. Although diverse E3 families provide much of the target specificity, several factors have emerged recently that coordinate the subcellular localization of the ubiquitylation machinery. Here, we show that the family of membrane-anchored ubiquitin-fold (MUB) proteins recruits and docks specific E2s to the plasma membrane. Protein interaction screens with Arabidopsis MUBs revealed that interacting E2s are limited to a well defined subgroup that is phylogenetically related to human UbcH5 and yeast Ubc4/5 families. MUBs appear to interact noncovalently with an E2 surface opposite the active site that forms a covalent linkage with Ub. Bimolecular fluorescence complementation demonstrated that MUBs bind simultaneously to the plasma membrane via a prenyl tail and to the E2 in planta. These findings suggest that MUBs contribute subcellular specificity to ubiquitylation by docking the conjugation machinery to the plasma membrane.
Ethical reflections on the digital divide

During the past decade, a fairly extensive literature on the digital divide has emerged. Many reports and studies have provided statistical data (Digital Divide Network, 2002; NTIA, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000) pertaining to sociological aspects of ‘the divide,’ while some studies have examined policy issues involving universal service (Camp and Tsong, 2001) and universal access (Brewer and Chuter, 2002). Other studies have suggested ways in which the digital divide could be better understood if it were ‘reconceptualized’ in terms of an alternative metaphor, e.g. a ‘divide’ having to do with literacy (Warschauer, 2002), power (Moss, 2002), content (Carvin, 2000), or the (information) environment (Floridi, 2001). However, with the exception of Johnson (2001) and Koehler (2002), authors have tended not to question ‐ at least not directly ‐ whether the digital divide is, at bottom, an ethical issue. Many authors seem to assume that because disparities involving access to computing technology exist, issues underly...