cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Fruit-Zone Leaf Removal on Rotundone Concentration in Noiret

Rotundone was recently identified as the compound that imparts the black pepper aroma in several winegrape cultivars. This two-year study aimed to identify the presence of rotundone in Noiret (interspecific hybrid of Vitis) and to determine the impact of fruit-zone leaf removal on rotundone concentrations in fruit and wine. The relationship between the intensity of black pepper aroma and rotundone concentration in Noiret wine was also explored. An undefoliated control (CON) was compared to a maintained fruit-zone sunlight exposure (MSE) treatment, where leaves were periodically removed from the fruit-zone. The influence of timing of fruit-zone leaf removal was assessed in a separate experiment by comparing preveraison leaf removal (LR) and postveraison leaf removal (PVLR) treatments. MSE vines had greater fruit-zone sunlight exposure compared to the CON throughout the season in 2015, both at the pre- and postveraison stages, but in 2014, only after veraison. PVLR increased fruit-zone sunlight exposure during ripening compared to LR in 2015 only. Rotundone could not be quantified in Noiret berries sampled before or at veraison (limit of quantitation = 0.16 μg/kg). Rotundone concentrations in harvested fruit and wines did not differ between treatments in 2014, but were significantly higher in MSE than in CON in 2015 (1.98 versus 1.28 μg/kg). PVLR temporarily increased rotundone concentration compared to LR, but differences disappeared by harvest. Black pepper aroma intensity, as determined by a sensory panel, was positively correlated (p = 0.023, r = 0.791) with rotundone concentration in wines made from imposed viticulture treatments, providing evidence that black pepper notes in Noiret are positively related to concentration of rotundone in the wine.
Lighting System Packaging for Smart Underwater Reefs for Sensing, Communications, and Robotics

Abstract Strings and ropes are a proven, common fisheries and aquaculture construction elements outside the US. Using them as scaffolding also enables a diversity of ocean sensing, communications and architectures, including our goal of sentinel reefs. Packaging of electronics is key to enabling such structures and systems. Our research is towards a demonstrable science-engineering-informed framework for 3D habitat designs critical to stock fish development & coastal protection. These ‘nature-inspired’ reef infrastructures, can enable novel instrumented ‘reef observatories’ capable of collecting real-time ecosystem data. Embedding lighting and electronic elements into reef systems are the first systems in development. This new approach of bringing light to the underwater world for optical sensing, communication and even a new breed of underwater robotic vehicle is an interdisciplinary research activity which integrates principles of electronic packaging, and STEM with art/design.
Facilitator or Inhibitor? The Use of 360-Degree Videos for Immersive Brand Storytelling

This study compares a 360-degree narrative video ad with a standard narrative video ad in terms of transportation, ad usefulness, emotional responses, ad attitudes, and brand attitudes. Hypotheses ...
Clergy's Knowledge of Self-Help Groups in a Large Metropolitan Area:

Religious leaders were surveyed concerning their attitudes toward self help groups. Of the 154 respondents, 70% had made at least one referral to a self-help group, and the religious leaders had ge...
Dynamic neutral beam current and voltage control to improve beam efficacy in tokamaks

An engineering upgrade to the neutral beam system at the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)] enables time-dependent programming of the beam voltage and current. Initial application of this capability involves pre-programmed beam voltage and current injected into plasmas that are known to be susceptible to instabilities that are driven by energetic ( E ≥ 40 keV) beam ions. These instabilities, here all Alfven eigenmodes (AEs), increase the transport of the beam ions beyond a classical expectation based on particle drifts and collisions. Injecting neutral beam power, P beam ≥ 2 MW, at reduced voltage with increased current reduces the drive for Alfvenic instabilities and results in improved ion confinement. In lower-confinement plasmas, this technique is applied to eliminate the presence of AEs across the mid-radius of the plasmas. Simulations of those plasmas indicate that the mode drive is decreased and the radial extent of the remaining modes is reduced compared to a higher beam voltage case. In higher-confinement plasmas, this technique reduces AE activity in the far edge and results in an interesting scenario of beam current drive improving as the beam voltage reduces from 80 kV to 65 kV.An engineering upgrade to the neutral beam system at the DIII-D tokamak [J. L. Luxon, Nucl. Fusion 42, 614 (2002)] enables time-dependent programming of the beam voltage and current. Initial application of this capability involves pre-programmed beam voltage and current injected into plasmas that are known to be susceptible to instabilities that are driven by energetic ( E ≥ 40 keV) beam ions. These instabilities, here all Alfven eigenmodes (AEs), increase the transport of the beam ions beyond a classical expectation based on particle drifts and collisions. Injecting neutral beam power, P beam ≥ 2 MW, at reduced voltage with increased current reduces the drive for Alfvenic instabilities and results in improved ion confinement. In lower-confinement plasmas, this technique is applied to eliminate the presence of AEs across the mid-radius of the plasmas. Simulations of those plasmas indicate that the mode drive is decreased and the radial extent of the remaining modes is reduced compared to a higher b...
Saints and Supererogation

In the early section of Hume’s EnquiryConcerning the Principles of Moralsmuch is said about virtues, both ‘the social and softer virtues’, and the ‘cautious, jealous virtue of justice’, and there is talk, too, of viewing actions in the light of the motives and character of the agent. But there is no further similarity to views like those of Plato and Aristotle for whom the virtues and their relation to conduct are of central importance — for the former in his account of just actions as those that preserve and promote justice in the soul, and for the latter in his description of just or temperate actions as ‘those the just or temperate man would do’, although not necessarily in those specific ways that mark the just or temperate man. For, in the very first section of the Enquiry, Hume asks why it is that we approve of virtuos traits or character, a question that would never have occured to either Plato or Aristotle. The reasons that impel Hume to raise this question need not delay us here.
A spatiotemporal back‐calculation approach to estimate cancer incidence measures

Incidence rates are an important population-level disease risk measure. Cancer incidence data in the United States, which are collected by disease registries, have been spatiotemporally sparse. Back-calculation methods can yield incidence estimates for a spatial domain by solving a convolution equation that relates mortality to incidence through survival estimates. We propose a novel back-calculation approach that uses spatiotemporal age-period-cohort (APC) modeling to estimate incidence for spatial units within a region. The method is applied to state-specific lung cancer data in the United States for males ages 30 to 84 in years 1975-2004. SEER data are used to model cancer progression from incidence to mortality along three timescales (APC) and across four regions. Using mortality data from National Vital Statistics System, incidence is back-calculated for unique birth cohorts in 49 states. A conditionally autoregressive model with cubic splines for temporal effects is used to smooth back-calculated estimates. Bayesian estimates of model parameters are obtained using integrated nested Laplace approximation. Results show varying time trends in lung cancer risk across states, which may quantify effects of state policies.
388 RESIDENTS AS TEACHERS AND LEADERS: RESULTS OF A NEEDS ASSESSMENT.

Purpose The purpose is to create a resident as teachers and leaders program (RATL) for our institution using the best available evidence by conducting a complete needs assessment. Methods A thorough needs assessment consisting of literature reviews, surveys, focus groups, nominal group techniques, and reviews of accrediting organizations9 recommendations on residents9 teaching skills was done. Results The LCME clearly emphasizes residents teaching skills and the need to implement programs as outlined in ED-24. The literature supported the contention that students spend more time with residents than attending physicians. Student survey results report high amounts of self-learning (50-75%), which mirrors previous reports in the literature. Students felt that residents had a limited teaching ability for systems-based practice and listing differential diagnoses. In general, residents needed improvement in linking basic to clinical sciences, teaching differential diagnosis, presentation skills, and teaching physical exam skills. Fifty-seven percent of students felt that they witnessed an outstanding faculty teacher on a daily basis compared with an outstanding resident teacher (38%). Students felt that residents and faculty should teach slightly different topics. Most residents spend between 26 and 50% of their time teaching students, and only 45% had any training to enhance their teaching skills. Up to 55% of residents were not aware of student learning objectives. Using a 5-point Likert scale, residents ranked their level of confidence highest for teaching the following: demonstrating team dynamics/teamwork (mean = 3.90/SD = 0.80), teaching/demonstrating history taking skills (mean = 3.86/SD = 0.65), professionalism (mean = 3.88/SD = 0.78), and differentiating stable from acute patients (mean = 3.63/SD=0.60). They ranked teaching evidence-based medicine lowest at a mean of 2.6 (SD = 0.98). Residents want further teaching on dealing with problem students (38.8%), bedside teaching (36.7%), giving lectures (32.7%), and writing student evaluations (30.6%). The nominal group technique identified key content areas to include in a teaching session and formatting issues for computer-based learning tools. Conclusions Using various sources for the needs assessment helped ensure that all sources were included before making decisions on program development and implementation. Each source provided information important to development of the program.
Adipocyte ACLY Facilitates Dietary Carbohydrate Handling to Maintain Metabolic Homeostasis in Females

Summary Sugars and refined carbohydrates are major components of the modern diet. ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY) is upregulated in adipocytes in response to carbohydrate consumption and generates acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA) for both lipid synthesis and acetylation reactions. Here, we investigate the role of ACLY in the metabolic and transcriptional responses to carbohydrates in adipocytes and unexpectedly uncover a sexually dimorphic function in maintaining systemic metabolic homeostasis. When fed a high-sucrose diet, AclyFAT−/− females exhibit a lipodystrophy-like phenotype, with minimal fat accumulation, insulin resistance, and hepatic lipid accumulation, whereas AclyFAT−/− males have only mild metabolic phenotypes. We find that ACLY is crucial for nutrient-dependent carbohydrate response element-binding protein (ChREBP) activation in adipocytes and plays a key role, particularly in females, in the storage of newly synthesized fatty acids in adipose tissue. The data indicate that adipocyte ACLY is important in females for the systemic handling of dietary carbohydrates and for the preservation of metabolic homeostasis.
Time to fight: molecular mechanisms of age-related resistance.

Plant age is a crucial factor in determining the outcome of a host-pathogen interaction. In successive developmental stages throughout their life cycles, plants face dynamic changes in biotic and abiotic conditions that create distinct ecological niches for host-pathogen interactions. As an adaptive strategy, plants have evolved intrinsic regulatory networks that integrate developmental signals with those from pathogen perception and defense activation. As a result, amplitude and timing of defense responses are optimized, so as to balance the cost and benefit of immunity activation. A general term "age-related resistance" refers to a gain of disease resistance against a certain pathogen when plants reach a relatively mature stage. Age-related resistance is a common observation on fruits, vegetables, and row crops for their resistance against viruses, bacteria, fungi, oomycetes pathogens, and insects. This review focuses on the recent advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms of how plants coordinate developmental timing and immune response.
Protecting Army Aviation and Enabling Military Dominance Through Disruptive Innovation

State and non-state actors are challenging the US Army’s asymmetric strategic advantage and global military dominance. Countries such as Russia and China are incorporating technological advances to limit and challenge the US Army’s capabilities and freedom of maneuver. Non-state actors are acquiring advanced weaponry creating a hostile environment for Army aviation operations in the Middle East, and these revisionist elements challenge the US’s hegemony making the world more violent and unstable. To thwart the projected actions of state and non-state entities, the US Army needs to undergo another disruptive innovation in military power. The Persian Gulf War was a demonstration of the US military’s last disruptive innovation resulting in global military dominance, and the US Army is currently planning for the next leap in military capability. This paper proposes that the path to the next disruptive innovation is through investments in the foundational technologies of nanotechnology, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence. Applying these innovations to Army Aviation Advanced Protection Systems creates an asymmetric strategic advantage ensuring global freedom of maneuver for the US Army’s land forces.
Alabama's Abortion Law Is Not About Protecting Life

Protecting the sanctity of human life is an important issue for Alabamians. After signing the Alabama Human Life Protection Act (HB 314)1 on May 16, 2019, Governor Kay Ivey called the bill “a power...
A comparison of first trimester prenatal screening strategies for Down Syndrome with maternal age and preferences considerations

Objective Screening for Down Syndrome (DS) includes traditional ultrasound and serum-based and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) testing. While cfDNA testing usually has superior performance, it is significantly more costly. As an alternative, a hybrid strategy combining contingent cfDNA with traditional testing is recommended when universal cfDNA screening is not feasible. This study compares the efficacy of traditional, contingent cfDNA, and universal cfDNA screening strategies at various cut-offs based on maternal age and parents' preferences, which may improve testing outcomes and patients' satisfaction. Method Decision trees were used to analyze a cohort of 3 855 500 pregnancies from 12 to 50 years old. The performance of the strategies was compared using the number of adverse outcomes (undetected DS live births and euploid procedure-related losses). Results Universal cfDNA results in the fewest number of adverse outcomes in every scenario. Contingent cfDNA performs better than traditional screening when the cut-offs used to identify high-risk cases for cfDNA testing are relatively low. These cut-offs change depending on the maternal age and parents' preference. Conclusion Maternal age and parents' preferences should be considered when choosing cut-offs for contingent cfDNA to remain as an effective strategy compared to traditional screening and to improve patient satisfaction.
Fear and Loathing in the Judicial Process: Comparative Case Studies of Judicial Responses to Terrorism

Because terrorism is a phenomenon that can only be understood through the responses it evokes, the state's response to terrorism determines the effect that asymmetric political violence has. This paper argues that judicial responses to political violence, instead of being mediated through the law, are mediated through the psychological effects of fear, including desensitization. It considers the rhetoric used in two classes of cases: anti-terrorism cases heard by the Israeli Supreme Court, and habeas corpus jurisdiction cases involving Guantanamo Bay heard by the United States Supreme Court. It finds that both courts behave as expected. This study suggests that judges, too, are not immune to the Hobbesian desire for a Leviathan to protect them, and that the executive can use a Straussian insistence on blind acceptance of authority to drive judicial sanction of its actions, regardless of the legality.
Veterans Perceptions of Satisfaction and Convenience with Anticoagulants for Atrial Fibrillation: Warfarin versus Direct Oral Anticoagulants.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Traditionally, AFib was treated with warfarin, yet recent evidence suggests patients may favor direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Variation in preferences is common and we explored patients' perceptions of satisfaction and convenience of DOACs versus warfarin within the Veterans Health Administration (VA). Patients and methods We administered a cross-sectional survey, the Perception of Anticoagulant Treatment Questionnaire 2 (PACT-Q2), to Veterans residing in New England, age ≥65, diagnosed with AFib, and actively taking anticoagulant medication in fiscal year 2018. Survey recipients were randomly selected among patients on warfarin (n=200) or DOACs (n=200). A selection of survey respondents agreed to a follow-up semi-structured interview (n=16) to further investigate perceptions of satisfaction and convenience. Results Of 400 patients, 187 completed the PACT-Q2 survey (49% on DOACs; 51% on warfarin). DOACs received significantly higher convenience ratings than warfarin (87.6, SD 13.5 vs 81.1, SD 18.8; p=0.007); there was no difference in satisfaction (64.2, SD 20.5 SD, warfarin vs, 67.3, SD 19.4, DOACs). Interview results showed that participants perceived their treatment to be convenient. However, participants expressed challenges related to the convenience of taking warfarin or DOACs, such as warfarin users having to follow dietary recommendations or DOAC users desiring some additional monitoring to answer questions or concerns. Overall, warfarin and DOAC users reported satisfaction with ongoing monitoring methods, although a few DOAC users expressed uncertainties with the frequency of monitoring. For most participants, concerns about side effects did not differ by anticoagulant type nor affect satisfaction. Conclusion Our survey and interview results showed variable patient satisfaction and perceptions of convenience with both DOACs and warfarin. Although DOACs are increasingly prescribed for AFib, some Veterans felt that regular follow-up on warfarin was advantageous. Our findings demonstrate the importance of patient-centered decision-making in AFib treatment in the VA patient population.
Stable Expression of Multisubunit Protein Complexes in Mammalian Cells

There are advantages and disadvantages to each of the different protein expression systems available. Whereas ease, speed, and expense are important factors in determining which type of expression system to use, the complexity of the protein to be expressed and the kinds of questions addressed will often be the factors that ultimately determine which system is used. Our interest has been in expressing the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR). This protein is a heterologous multisubunit complex composed of four different subunits in the stoichiometry α2βγδ. In addition to the complex subunit composition, each subunit undergoes several posttranslational modifications and spans the membrane a multiple number of times. In order to reconstitute all of the functional properties of the AChR, the four subunits must be present and at least some of the posttranslational modifications must be executed correctly. Thus, whichever gene transfer technique one uses to express AChRs, the ability to introduce all four of the subunits into the same cell and to introduce them into a cell type that is capable of performing the necessary modifications, is of considerable importance. A mechanical technique such as microinjection would clearly be the easiest solution to the problem of multiple subunits.
Dangerous data: Seeing social surveys through the sexuality prism:

Social surveys both reflect and shape beliefs about sexuality. Social norms construct the “authorized vocabulary” of surveys and the resulting data influence the research questions that can be answ...
Politics of expertise and blame during covid-19 quarantine in Chile

This article analyzes how Chilean government officials and politicians rhetorically rely on expertise and assign blame for the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. We specifically focus on rhetoric surrounding decisions to implement and lift quarantines in Santiago from March through August 2020, which reveals significant discrepancies in how political ideology mediates rationalizations of individual and state responsibilities in times of a pandemic. While the Sebastian Pinera administration and other right-wing politicians emphasize individual responsibility and the government’s reactions to or policing of that responsibility, left-wing politicians and the medical community call for the state to more assertively direct a collective response based on specific metrics and expertise. This contention over the politics of blame and expertise reveals critical tensions in governing visions looming over Chile’s constitutional convention process. Este articulo analiza como los discursos de los funcionarios y politicos del gobierno chileno demuestran confianza en los expertos y asignan culpas por el manejo de la pandemia del COVID-19. Nos enfocamos especificamente en la retorica que rodea las decisiones de implementar y levantar cuarentenas en Santiago entre marzo y agosto de 2020, las que revelan discrepancias significativas en la forma en que las ideologias politicas median las responsabilidades individuales y estatales en tiempos de pandemia. Mientras que la administracion de Sebastian Pinera y otros politicos de derecha se centran en la responsabilidad individual y la vigilancia de esa responsabilidad o las reacciones del gobierno ante ella, los politicos de izquierda y la comunidad medica piden que el Estado dirija una respuesta colectiva basada en datos y consejos de los expertos. Esta disputa entre la politica de culpas y la opinion de los expertos revela tensiones en las visiones reinantes que amenazan el proceso de la convencion constitucional de Chile.
Chronic Elevation of Cardiac Troponin I Predicts the Extent of Coronary Disease in Hemodialysis Patients Presenting with Acute Enzyme Elevation

Abstract Introduction Elevation of cardiac troponin I (cTn-I) is associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) in asymptomatic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) receiving hemodialysis. We aim to investigate the diagnostic value of chronically elevated cTn-I in ESRD patients presenting with an acute rise in serum cTn-I levels. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 364 patients. Using coronary angiography, we correlated baseline elevation of cTn-I with the severity of CAD when hemodialysis patients present with acute symptomatic elevation in serum cTn-I. Results In hemodialysis patients presenting with a rise in serum cTn-I above baseline levels, 59% had severe CAD, and 17% had no angiographic evidence of CAD. Hemodialysis patients with severe CAD had significantly higher baseline cTn-I levels compared to patients with non-severe CAD or normal coronaries (p Conclusions Elevated baseline cTn-I has good accuracy for anticipating more advanced angiographic CAD when hemodialysis patients present with a symptomatic rise in serum cTn-I above baseline levels. Baseline elevation of cTn-I can be used for cardiac disease risk management in hemodialysis patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of CAD.
How Brand Empowerment Strategies Affect Consumer Behavior: From the Psychological Ownership Perspective: An Abstract

In response to the increasing demand for consumer empowerment, marketers are paying attention to an empowerment strategy where consumers take part in producing a product or service (Fuchs et al. 2010). This study aims to examine: (1) how different empowerment strategies have varying effects on product attitude and (2) if psychological ownership mediates the effectiveness of empowerment strategies in the context of a brand’s new product development. In the context of co-production, two commercial types of empowerment strategy exist: (1) an empowerment-to-create tactic that offers opportunities for consumers to design products and (2) an empowerment-to-select tactic that invites consumers to make a choice among many alternatives. In contrast, a non-empowerment tactic let consumers make a choice within given options offered by the brand (Bachouche and Sabri-Zaaraoui 2017). Firm performance enhances as consumer involvement in the product development decision-making process increases (Bachouche and Sabri 2017). H1. The empowerment-to-create strategy most effectively increases product attitudes, followed by the empowerment-to-select strategy and then the non-empowerment strategy. Psychological ownership theory asserts that an individual can develop a psychological bond with a target object and such feelings of possessiveness influence their subsequent reactions (Fuchs et al. 2010). Previous work showed that empowerment causes beneficial outcomes through stronger psychological ownership (Fuchs et al. 2010). H2. Psychological ownership mediates the effect of an empowerment strategy on product attitude.
A new methodology for inferring surface ozone from multispectral satellite measurements

Over the past two decades, satellite instruments have provided unprecedented information on global air quality, and yet the remote sensing of surface ozone remains elusive. Here we propose a new method to infer spatial variability in surface ozone by combining multispectral ozone retrievals using radiances from the TroposphericEmission Spectrometer (TES) thermal infrared (TIR) instrument and the OzoneMonitoring Instrument (OMI) ultratraviolet/visible (UV/VIS) instrument with a chemical reanalysis. We find that our inferred surface ozone in summertime China and the United States has regional biases of less than 4 ppb and a high spatial correlation when validated against independent surface measurements. Over the broader Asia region, our analysis results in a spatial pattern of summertime surface ozone that can largely be explained by a combination of the Asian monsoon circulation and NOx emissions. Our results show the potential of combining satellite measurements and chemical reanalyses to provide critical air quality information in regions of limited surface networks, thereby enhancing the global air quality observing system.
Designing a Socially Assistive Robot to Support Older Adults with Low Vision

Socially assistive robots (SARs) have shown great promise in supplementing and augmenting interventions to support the physical and mental well-being of older adults. However, past work has not yet explored the potential of applying SAR to lower the barriers of long-term low vision rehabilitation (LVR) interventions for older adults. In this work, we present a user-informed design process to validate the motivation and identify major design principles for developing SAR for long-term LVR. To evaluate user-perceived usefulness and acceptance of SAR in this novel domain, we performed a two-phase study through user surveys. First, a group (n = 38) of older adults with LV completed a mailed-in survey. Next, a new group (n = 13) of older adults with LV saw an in-clinic SAR demo and then completed the survey. The study participants reported that SARs would be useful, trustworthy, easy to use, and enjoyable while providing socio-emotional support to augment LVR interventions. The in-clinic demo group reported significantly more positive opinions of the SAR’s capabilities than did the baseline survey group that used mailed-in forms without the SAR demo.
Microtubule dynamics influence the retrograde biased motility of kinesin-4 motor teams in neuronal dendrites.

Microtubules establish the directionality of intracellular transport by kinesins and dynein through polarized assembly, but it remains unclear how directed transport occurs along microtubules organized with mixed polarity. We investigated the ability of the plus-end directed kinesin-4 motor KIF21B to navigate mixed polarity microtubules in mammalian dendrites. Reconstitution assays with recombinant KIF21B and engineered microtubule bundles or extracted neuronal cytoskeletons indicate that nucleotide-independent microtubule binding regions of KIF21B modulate microtubule dynamics and promote directional switching on antiparallel microtubules. Optogenetic recruitment of KIF21B to organelles in live neurons induces unidirectional transport in axons but bi-directional transport with a net retrograde bias in dendrites. Removal of the secondary microtubule binding regions of KIF21B or dampening of microtubule dynamics with low concentrations of nocodazole eliminates retrograde bias in live dendrites. Further exploration of the contribution of microtubule dynamics in dendrites to directionality revealed plus-end-out microtubules to be more dynamic than plus-end-in microtubules, with nocodazole preferentially stabilizing the plus-end-out population. We propose a model in which both nucleotide-sensitive and insensitive microtubule binding sites of KIF21B motors contribute to the search and selection of stable plus-end-in microtubules within the mixed polarity microtubule arrays characteristic of mammalian dendrites to achieve net retrograde movement of KIF21B-bound cargos. [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text] [Media: see text].
Distribution of aneuploid cell populations in ulcerative colitis with dysplasia or cancer.

Abstract Flow cytometry was used to detect the presence and assess the distribution of aneuploid cell populations in eight proctocolectomy specimens from patients with ulcerative colitis. Mucosal samples were taken according to a systematic protocol for flow cytometry, the surrounding tissue was examined histologically, and the distributions of flow cytometric and histologic abnormalities were "mapped" within each resected colon. Two resection specimens that were negative for dysplasia lacked aneuploid cell populations. Four resection specimens with final case diagnoses of dysplasia or Dukes' stage A carcinoma had 1–5 regions of aneuploidy or increased 4N (G2/ tetraploid) cell populations located in discrete areas of the colon. Two specimens with dysplasia or Dukes' stage C carcinoma each had 14–15 different, often overlapping, regions of aneuploidy or increased 4N (G2/tetraploid) cell populations involving large portions of the colonic mucosa. Analysis of the DNA content of the invasive portion of the tumor from the specimen with a Dukes' stage C carcinoma showed a single aneuploid cell population. The results show that single or multiple aneuploid cell populations are often present in colons resected for ulcerative colitis with dysplasia or early cancer. The distribution of these aneuploid cell populations suggests that each represents a clone of cells that has expanded to occupy a discrete region of colonic mucosa. Additional genetic errors may result in multiple aneuploid cell populations that may be associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. These data, therefore, are consistent with the hypothesis that genomic instability and clonal evolution are associated with the progression to dysplasia and carcinoma in ulcerative colitis. Because flow cytometry can measure aneuploid cell populations in colonoscopic mucosal biopsies, it may prove to be complementary to histology for detecting patients with ulcerative colitis who are at risk for neoplastic progression.
How advertisers can use learning theory: Mass marketing requires mass communications

Abstract Learning theory has been an area of great interest and study for many years. The importance of such study for the business world is ably explored in Professor Kangun's article. He begins his article by discussing several facets of the basic cognitive and learning processes. These studies are then applied to advertising through the consideration of such areas as the value of positive or negative appeals, the importance of the frequency of stimulus presentation, and the nature of the material that is best remembered. In a society of mass marketing, the usefulness of such learning theory and its implications for advertisers are evident.
Piecewise-parabolic methods for astrophysical fluid dynamics

A general description of some modern numerical techniques for the simulation of astrophysical fluid flow is presented. The methods are introduced with a thorough discussion of the especially simple case of advection. Attention is focussed on the piecewise-parabolic method (PPM). A description of the SLIC method for treating multifluid problems is also given. The discussion is illustrated by a number of advection and hydrodynamics test problems. Finally, a study of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of supersonic jets using PPM with SLIC fluid interfaces is presented.
Clues to a Drowning

A thunderhead blocked the river canyon to the south. A sign on a tree arranged the large mouth, striped, and the small mouth, according to what should not be taken. The woman I know sat in a ripple, her legs spread as if to issue the river's own flesh. She said, Unto everything there is time. So we held our arms to the sky, holding back an end to the trip. A police car hung on the lip of the campground, and older folks hung around at the bank?two sitting at a picnic table, three standing, as if the natural bait of their hysteria had played out on a kind of string. Rich, of Rich's Last Resort, walked toward us, hands out, and said, We had a drowning, but talked so I thought he meant that morning, not something I could have stopped. In that dumb way we strayed up close and thought it normal to see those grandmas and grandpas shocked by currents, eddies, and wind. On a day we had commanded to be mild, my friend asked for a blessing, and I gave it. She said, Tell me it wasn't a child. What a fate?to stand later on a bluff and watch the meandering river take, among the stones, that narrow way.
A tradeoff analysis of risk cutoffs for the quadruple serum screen for Down syndrome

Objectives In maternal serum screening for Down syndrome, a cutoff of 1 : 270 is often used as a decision point to recommend invasive confirmatory testing. However, it has not been established how well this or any other cutoff relates to patient preferences, that is, the values that pregnant women attach to various screening outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical and economic tradeoffs of a wide range of risk cutoffs for the quadruple screen. Methods Screening costs and outcomes for multiple risk cutoffs were modeled using a Monte Carlo simulation. Results The optimal cutoff for maternal serum screening depends on the relative values placed by the patient on different outcomes. Total societal costs were similar across the range of cutoffs. Conclusions Given that different screening outcomes are optimized by different cutoff values, a one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rapid weight gain during infancy and obesity in young adulthood in a cohort of African Americans.

Background Obesity is increasing in the United States. Evidence-based prevention is a public health priority and should target well-defined risk factors and critical periods. Objective We tested the hypothesis that rapid weight gain during early infancy is associated with obesity in African American young adults, a group at increased risk of obesity. Design A cohort of 300 African Americans born at full term was followed from birth to 20 y of age. A pattern of rapid weight gain was defined as an increase in weight-for-age > or = 1 SD between birth and 4 mo. Results About 29% of subjects had a pattern of rapid weight gain during infancy; 8% were obese [body mass index (in kg/m(2)) > or = 30] at age 20 y. One-third of the obesity at age 20 y could be attributed to rapid weight gain in the first 4 mo of life. After adjustment for confounding factors, subjects with rapid weight gain during early infancy were more likely to become obese at age 20 y (odds ratio = 5.22; 95% CI: 1.55, 17.6; P = 0.008). The results were confirmed by using a combination of body mass index and skinfold thickness (odds ratio = 6.72; 95% CI: 1.93, 23.4; P = 0.003). Conclusions The results of the present study provide evidence that a pattern of rapid weight gain during early infancy is associated with obesity not only in childhood but also in young adulthood. We propose that early infancy constitutes a critical period for the development of obesity. Mechanisms of action and prevention strategies require further investigation.
Outcomes of Surgical Treatment of Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Since the introduction of endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) over 25 years ago, there has been an effort to quantify the effectiveness of this intervention. Within the last few years, the field has matured to a point where study designs are able to accurately capture the impact of ESS relative to continued medical therapy on the CRS disease process and quality-of-life (QOL). These comparative effectiveness studies demonstrate superior effectiveness of ESS over medical therapy at mean reduction of disease burden as measured by comprehensive disease-specific QOL questionnaires. As outcomes from large comparative effectiveness studies accumulates, and a more complete understanding of the many variables that contribute to and influence CRS, the potential to build predictive models based on baseline characteristics might allow for forecasting of treatment successes and failures.
Detachment of colloidal hydrous oxide spheres from flat solids exposed to flow 3. Forces of adhesion

Abstract Colloidal hydrous titania, alumina, and chromium hydroxide spheres were detached from cellulose and glass surfaces by hydrodynamic shear. Independent variables included pH, ionic strength, and the addition of strongly adsorbing ions. The shear stress required for detachment was compared with theoretical models based on dispersion and electrostatic forces of adhesion. Values of the Hamaker constant and effective distance of separation were varied within reasonable limits in an attempt to obtain the best empirical fits. The goodness of the fit of the theory to the data depended on the boundary conditions assumed for the electrostatic forces. In some cases the assumption of constant surface potential was more consistent with the data. In other cases the constant charge assumption yielded a better fit.
Depression of artificial pacemakers by extraneous impulses

Abstract Analysis of iatrogenic electrical arrhythmias serves to validate the assumptions postulated through the study of clinical electrocardiograms. Other disorders of rhythm, without clinical counterpart, have also become apparent. The recently introduced demand pacemaker functions as a pacemaker that is artificial and automatic, yet not parasystolic. Ordinarily, premature beats discharge but do not significantly depress the pacemaker rhythm. Under specifically induced abnormal conditions, the rhythmical discharge of this unit can be depressed by electrical impulses originating in another instrument. In this sense the function of the demand pacemaker is identical to that of other natural centers of impulse formation. For instance, artifically induced Gaskell rhythm of development also seems to result from a gradual cessation of inhibition of automatism, as predicted by Pick and associates from the study of clinical arrhythmias. The analysis of artificial arrhythmias presented in this communication helps to clarify the clinical use of the demand pacemaker. This instrument has specific indications, and when properly used is a valuable adjunct in the treatment of intermittent A-V block.
Consumer willingness to pay for sustainable apparel: the influence of labelling for fibre origin and production methods

This study of value-based labelling for apparel products examined consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for three credence attributes of fibre: origin, type and production method. Experimental auctions were conducted with student subjects in Texas and used socks made from cotton and polylactic acid (PLA), a fibre manufactured from corn. The bid results of two rounds were compared. The first round was conducted without information about the credence attributes of the socks. The second round included varying levels of three types of attributes: fibre origin (imported, US and Texas), fibre type (cotton and corn) and production method [conventional, organic and non-genetically modified (GM)]. Tobit regression analysis was performed using the attributes and subject demographics to determine consumer WTP for the various attribute levels and to profile consumers with interest in the attributes. In terms of origin, results show that participants were willing to pay a premium for socks with fibres produced in Texas, but not for those produced in the US. Fibre type mattered, with participants requiring a discount once they learned that socks were made with PLA fibre. The greatest premium ($1.86) was placed on socks labelled as organic, slightly more than the premium for socks labelled as non-GM. The results also indicate that women were less willing to pay for US fibres than men, and Hispanics were less willing to pay for organic or non-GM fibre production. A key finding of this study is that consumers value information about the local origin of fibres. The premium for organic fibres is not unexpected, given the success of the organic apparel market, but the premium on non-GM fibres suggests that sustainable production systems that are not organic may be successful if they emphasize other attributes such as local or non-GM.
Nearly-Linear Time Positive LP Solver with Faster Convergence Rate

Positive linear programs (LP), also known as packing and covering linear programs, are an important class of problems that bridges computer science, operation research, and optimization. Efficient algorithms for solving such LPs have received significant attention in the past 20 years [2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30]. Unfortunately, all known nearly-linear time algorithms for producing (1+e)-approximate solutions to positive LPs have a running time dependence that is at least proportional to e-2. This is also known as an O(1/√T) convergence rate and is particularly poor in many applications. In this paper, we leverage insights from optimization theory to break this longstanding barrier. Our algorithms solve the packing LP in time ~O(N e-1) and the covering LP in time ~O(N e-1.5). At high level, they can be described as linear couplings of several first-order descent steps. This is the first application of our linear coupling technique (see [1]) to problems that are not amenable to blackbox applications known iterative algorithms in convex optimization. Our work also introduces a sequence of new techniques, including the stochastic and the non-symmetric execution of gradient truncation operations, which may be of independent interest.
Community Mental Health Allies: Referral Behavior Among Asian American Immigrant Christian Clergy

Asian American Christian faith leaders support and provide an array of services within their communities. However, little is known about their response to congregants’ mental health concerns. This study examined correlates of mental health referral behavior among 103 Asian American Christian clergy in California who completed an anonymous mail survey. Using multiple regression analyses, we found that clergy’s prior mental health education, knowledge of mental illness, education level, time spent providing individual counseling and referral to general practitioners were positively associated with making mental health referrals. Outreach efforts (including mental health education, and mental health referral information) to facilitate clergy’s support of congregants with mental health needs are discussed.
Propulsion technology needs for advanced space transportation systems

Plans are formulated for chemical propulsion technology programs to meet the needs of advanced space transportation systems from 1980 to the year 2000. The many possible vehicle applications are reviewed and cataloged to isolate the common threads of primary propulsion technology that satisfies near term requirements in the first decade and at the same time establish the technology groundwork for various potential far term applications in the second decade. Thrust classes of primary propulsion engines that are apparent include: (1) 5,000 to 30,000 pounds thrust for upper stages and space maneuvering; and (2) large booster engines of over 250,000 pounds thrust. Major classes of propulsion systems and the important subdivisions of each class are identified. The relative importance of each class is discussed in terms of the number of potential applications, the likelihood of that application materializing, and the criticality of the technology needed. Specific technology programs are described and scheduled to fulfill the anticipated primary propulsion technology requirements.
Contrasting Patterns of Sequence Evolution at the Functionally Redundant bric à brac Paralogs in Drosophila melanogaster

Genes with overlapping expression and function may gradually diverge despite retaining some common functions. To test whether such genes show distinct patterns of molecular evolution within species, we examined sequence variation at the bric a brac (bab) locus of Drosophila melanogaster. This locus is composed of two anciently duplicated paralogs, bab1 and bab2, which are involved in patterning the adult abdomen, legs, and ovaries. We have sequenced the 148 kb genomic region spanning the bab1 and bab2 genes from 94 inbred lines of D. melanogaster sampled from a single location. Two non-coding regions, one in each paralog, appear to be under selection. The strongest evidence of directional selection is found in a region of bab2 that has no known functional role. The other region is located in the bab1 paralog and is known to contain a cis-regulatory element that controls sex-specific abdominal pigmentation. The coding region of bab1 appears to be under stronger functional constraint than the bab2 coding sequences. Thus, the two paralogs are evolving under different selective regimes in the same natural population, illuminating the different evolutionary trajectories of partially redundant duplicate genes.
Non-linear traveling wave states in finite geometries

Abstract Numerical simulation of coupled amplitude equations is used to investigate the effect of the wave propagation on the one-dimensional spatial structure of non-linear wave states in finite geometries. Predictions of confined states, temporally modulated confined states, and other dynamic states are discussed and compared with experiment.