cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Equity, inclusion, and justice as criteria for decision-making on climate adaptation in cities

This paper explores how criteria for socially just climate change adaptation and resilience-building are articulated and embedded within urban planning and decision-making. We assess recent evidence from the ten largest cities in the United States through a narrative review of key planning documents. Our results show that cities are variably operationalizing equity, inclusion, and justice criteria across four key decision-making stages: designing institutional arrangements, participatory practices, policy integration, and strategic implementation processes. Although cities are beginning to address differential vulnerability and adaptive capacity, more work is required to tackle unequal socioeconomic structures and their contributions to underlying drivers of climate injustice.
Clinical and Surgical Management of Pediatric Diseases of the Lymphoid System

Children frequently present to clinic with the chief complaint of a neck mass. This is a source of great anxiety for their families, who are often worried about a potential diagnosis of cancer. The ability to quickly formulate a focused differential diagnosis for these patients is an important first step to lead to an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment recommendation. While the vast majority of pediatric patients who present with concern over a neck mass are simply diagnosed with normal or reactive lymphadenopathy, careful physical examination and appropriate diagnostic testing will prevent delayed diagnosis of a neoplastic, infectious, or chronic inflammatory disease of the lymphoid system. This chapter presents an overview of non-neoplastic and neoplastic diseases of the lymphoid system.
Bayesian Dynamic Feature Partitioning in High-Dimensional Regression With Big Data

Bayesian computation of high-dimensional linear regression models using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) or its variants can be extremely slow or completely prohibitive since these methods perform c...
Characteristics, safety and cost-effectiveness analysis of self-administered outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy via a disposable elastomeric continuous infusion pump at two county hospitals in Houston, Texas, United States.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE Outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT) is an attractive option for patients who require parenteral antimicrobials as outpatients. Few OPAT studies have assessed the impact of IV antibiotic therapy via elastomeric continuous pumps, with most having been conducted outside the United States and few in county hospitals. The OPAT program in Harris Health system, the county hospital system of Houston, Texas, United States, has implemented a disposable elastomeric continuous infusion pump (eCIP) for self-administered intravenous antibiotics (s-OPAT) since December 2018. Our goal was to describe the clinical characteristics of patients discharged with an eCIP, as well as the safety and cost-effectiveness of this pump. METHODS We retrospectively analysed patients discharged from Harris Health hospitals between 12/2018 and 02/2021 with s-OPAT via eCIP at home. We extracted various patient characteristics and outcomes related to OPAT. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Among 481 OPAT patients during the study period, 91 patients received s-OPAT via eCIP. A total of 1925 days of s-OPAT were administered at home, with a median duration of 12 days. Eighty-three patients (93.4%) achieved a cure from infection, six patients (6.6%) had side effects, and nine patients (9.9%) experienced 30-day hospital readmission. Twenty-two patients (24.2%) presented to the ED during s-OPAT, with 13 patients (14.3%) presenting with PICC line concerns. We estimated that s-OPAT via eCIP saved $2,360,500 to $3,503,900 compared to inpatient-only therapy. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSION Our study showed that patients with s-OPAT via eCIP had a high cure rate with a relatively low incidence of side effects and 30-day hospital readmission. ED visits during therapy were relatively high, which indicates the necessity of close patient monitoring via the OPAT program. eCIP appears to be a good option to facilitate an early disposition of patients in county hospitals.
Damage detection in a laboratory-scale wellbore applying Time Reversal and Nonlinear Elastic Wave Spectroscopy (TR NEWS)

Abstract Time Reversal and Nonlinear Elastic Wave Spectroscopy (TR-NEWS) has been used to focus acoustic energy, and make measurements correlated with damage in a variety of industrial materials. Most studies using TR-NEWS have focused on relatively small objects and may have multiple acoustic sources. In Earth, within energy extraction and carbon sequestration settings, the structure and scale of wellbores makes acoustic focusing challenging, as has been demonstrated through numerical simulations. This paper explores the feasibility of applying TR NEWS for damage detection in wellbores by constructing a laboratory-scale wellbore, and using TR to focus and make dynamic linear and nonlinear elastic measurements on it. During successive cycles of localized mechanical damage induced in the sample, the hysteretic nonlinear elastic parameter α increased with progressive mechanical damage. In addition to these strain-dependent changes in α, the width and peak amplitude of the time reversal focused energy changed near the damage site.
A Comprehensive Meta-analysis of Handwriting Instruction

While there are many ways to author text today, writing with paper and pen (or pencil) is still quite common at home and work, and predominates writing at school. Because handwriting can bias readers’ judgments about the ideas in a text and impact other writing processes, like planning and text generation, it is important to ensure students develop legible and fluent handwriting. This meta-analysis examined true- and quasi-experimental intervention studies conducted with K-12 students to determine if teaching handwriting enhanced legibility and fluency and resulted in better writing performance. When compared to no instruction or non-handwriting instructional conditions, teaching handwriting resulted in statistically greater legibility (ES = 0.59) and fluency (ES = 0.63). Motor instruction did not produce better handwriting skills (ES = 0.10 for legibility and −0.07 for fluency), but individualizing handwriting instruction (ES = 0.69) and teaching handwriting via technology (ES = 0.85) resulted in statistically significant improvements in legibility. Finally, handwriting instruction produced statistically significant gains in the quality (ES = 0.84), length (ES = 1.33), and fluency of students’ writing (ES = 0.48). The findings from this meta-analysis provide support for one of the assumptions underlying the Simple View of Writing (Berninger et al., Journal of Educational Psychology, 94, 291–304, 2002): text transcription skills are an important ingredient in writing and writing development.
Understanding Poverty and Well-Being: Bridging the Disciplines

1. The Case for Cross-disciplinary Social Science Research on Poverty, Inequality and Well-being 2. Representing Poverty and Attacking Representations: Perspectives on Poverty from Social Anthropology 3. Pluralism, Poverty and Sharecropping: Cultivating Open-mindedness in Development Studies 4. Capabilities, Reproductive Health and Well-being 5. Development and Social Capital 6. Subjective Well-being Poverty vs. Income Poverty and Capabilities Poverty? 7. Poverty, Persistence and Transitions in Uganda: A Combined Qualitative and Quantitive Analysis 8. Consumption and Welfare in Ghana in the 1990s
Proof of service in a hybrid p2p environment

In a hybrid peer-to-peer environment, clients can either directly download data from their server, or share data with each other. In order to create incentives for clients to share data and decrease server load, an effective economy model is for the server to credit those provider clients who provide data to others and offer discounts to those recipient clients who download data from provider clients instead of the server. To realize this model, the proof of service between provider and recipient clients must be provided. We design and investigate three different schemes and compare them in terms of scalability, effectiveness, and cost. We emphasize the issues of lessening the number of proofs which must be provided, avoiding a heavy load on the server, and ensuring the proof for every piece of data served. Our study shows our enhanced public-key-based scheme to be the most effective.
Moving toward comparability: Assessing per student costs in K-12

The current classifications for public school costs are provided by the National Center for Educational Statistics. To improve comparability between school districts, we provided an alternative classification with fewer numbers of expenditure categories, distinctions between school-based and non-school based administration costs, and school levels. The new classification was then applied to five comparable urban school districts. We found (1) that teacher salaries per student are affected by school level disaggregation; (2) that separating administrative costs into school-based and nonschool- based provides for an observable cost relationship; and (3) that curriculum and instructional support per student differ by school level disaggregation. The alternative classification may assist auditors and investigators whose role is to assess the costs performance of urban school districts by providing comparable school level and cost type.
International Financial Reporting Standards

ABSTRACT International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs), formerly known as International Accounting Standards, are becoming increasingly important in the global economy. Over the last 35 years there has been a strong push towards the adoption of a uniform set of financial accounting standards to replace the myriad number of country-specific standards now in use. A major milestone towards the goal of global accounting standards occurred recently. Starting in 2005 most public companies domiciled in the European Union are required to use the IFRS system when preparing their financial statements. This paper presents the International Financial Reporting Standards framework, including the roles of the rulemaking bodies and where to access the primary IFRS publications. An annotated bibliography of IRFS explanatory materials and useful free Websites is also included.
Low-Friction Coatings for Air Bearings in Fuel Cell Air Compressors

In an effort to reduce fuel consumption and emissions, hybrid vehicles incorporating fuel cell systems are being developed by automotive manufacturers, their suppliers, federal agencies (specifically, the US Department of Energy) and national laboratories. The fuel cell system will require an air management subsystem that includes a compressor/expander. Certain components in the compressor will require innovative lubrication technology in order to reduce parasitic energy losses and improve their reliability and durability. One such component is the air bearing for air turbocompressors designed and fabricated by Meruit, Inc. Argonne National Laboratory recently developed a carbon-based coating with low friction and wear attributes; this near-frictionless-carbon (NFC) coating is a potential candidate for use in turbocompressor air bearings. The authors present here an evaluation of the Argonne coating for air compressor thrust bearings. With two parallel 440C stainless steel discs in unidirectional sliding contact, the NFC reduced the frictional force four times and the wear rate by more than two orders of magnitude. Wear mechanism on the uncoated surface involved oxidation and production of iron oxide debris. Wear occurred on the coated surfaces primarily by a polishing mechanism.
RELATIVISTIC HEAVY ION COLLISIONS: EXPERIMENT

Experimental studies of the interactions between nuclei at relativistic energies had their beginnings with the momentous discovery of the existence of the heavy-ion component of the primary cosmic rays in 1948 by Freier et. al. (Fr 48,48a). Because of the broad energy spectra of the cosmic rays, highly relativistic nucleus-nucleus collisions, with abundant particle production, were observed in these early experiments. Also, it was realized that complementary investigations on the elemental and isotopic abundances of the heavy-ion component would have profound astrophysical implications.
Optical measurements on oriented thin YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ films: Lack of evidence for excitonic superconductivity

Optical transmission and reflection spectra (mid IR through uv) and Raman spectra of superior-quality 90-, 180-, 400-, and 1000-nm-thick superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O films are reported. Characteristic excitonic bands, and in particular the absorption band at \ensuremath{\simeq}0.37 eV reported earlier, are not observed. It therefore seems unlikely that the high-${T}_{c}$ superconductivity in cuprates could arise from exciton-mediated electron pairing.
The effects of barometric relief dampers on internal static pressure, air quality, and energy consumption for a typical large-scale retail building

In order to prevent building over-pressurization, many roof-top units on large-scale retail buildings are equipped with barometric relief dampers. In this study, the effects of barometric relief dampers on internal static pressure, indoor air quality, and heating and cooling energy consumption for a typical large-scale retail building were investigated. The airflow characteristics of barometric relief dampers (i.e., the relationship between pressure drop and airflow rate) were first determined and incorporated into a building simulation model, which consisted of several thermal zones. The integration of building thermal simulation, multizone network method, and computational fluid dynamics was employed to perform the analysis. From the simulation results, it was found that the barometric relief dampers reduced building internal excess pressure by up to 7%. The CO2 concentrations were decreased up to 3% in the heating season, and the decrements were much less during the cooling season. This was primarily d...
A Typology of Actional‐Operational Modes in Earth Science and Implications for Science Literacy Instruction

Framed in theories of social semiotics, this multiple case study describes and categorizes the actional-operational modes used by three middle school earth science teachers throughout the course of one school year. Data included fieldnotes, photographs, and video recordings of classroom instructions as well as periodic interviews with the teachers. A constant comparative analysis of the data resulted in the creation of a typology of actional-operational modes according to how they fulfilled the ideational, interpersonal, and textual metafunctions of communication. Six categories of actional-operational modes were identified: gesture, embodied representation, moving objects on flat surfaces, moving objects through three-dimensional space, material representations, and observed phenomena. Multimodal concordance charts were used to identify the affordances and productive constraints of each of these modes. The study offers implications for how fundamental science literacy instruction might be reconceptualized to more rigorously account for actional-operational texts, including building students’ multimodal representational competence and providing comprehension strategy instruction in ways that consider these modes’ unique features. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 97:524–549, 2013
Bureacratizing Ethics: Institutional Review Boards and Participatory Research

This paper provides a brief history of regulatory research ethics, as embodied in Institutional Review Boards in the United States. The purpose is to foster common disciplinary understanding of the origin and purpose of IRBs, and to identify the core conflict between the philosophies of participatory action research and regulatory ethics. That conflict centers on the contradictory language and associated understandings of research “subjects” and “participants”. I suggest a need for more disciplinary engagements around this conflict, to foster more open ethical debates and competencies among geographers.
Testing the role of the cell-surface molecule Thy-1 in regeneration and plasticity of connectivity in the CNS

Thy-1 is a cell-surface signaling molecule of the Ig superfamily implicated in the regulation of neurite outgrowth, synaptic function and plasticity. There is, however, no consensus as to its precise function in the nervous system, and it remains unclear or untested as to what its role is in the development, maintenance and plasticity of neuronal connectivity in the intact brain and whether it is essential for any of the purported functions which have been attributed to it based largely on in vitro bioassays. Here, we have engineered transgenic mice with a targeted deletion of the Thy-1 gene and, after characterizing the development of their corticospinal and thalamocortical pathways, subjected them at adulthood to paradigms of axonal regeneration and plasticity which can be readily induced during development. Quantitative analyses of the brains and spinal cords of adult null mutants showed normal cellular organization, normal anatomical features of the corticospinal and thalamocortical pathways, and basic neurophysiological properties of thalamocortical synaptic transmission which were quantitatively indistinguishable from wild-type mice. Despite the absence of Thy-1, corticospinal axons in adult mutants failed to exhibit overt regeneration following spinal cord lesion; likewise, the terminal arbors of ventrobasal thalamocortical axons also failed to reorganize in adult barrel cortex in response to whisker cautery, although they did so during a developmental critical period identical to that displayed by wild-type mice.Taken together, these results suggest that Thy-1 is not essential for the normal development and maintenance of major axon pathways and functional synaptic connections, nor would it appear to be critically important for inhibiting or promoting axonal growth, regeneration and plasticity in the developing and mature CNS.
Review of the Biology of Parasitic Insects in the Order Strepsiptera

ABSTRACT: The order Strepsiptera comprises an enigmatic group of insects with a complex life cycle that includes a long, obligate endoparasitic phase. Due to the unusual characteristics of the strepsipteran life cycle, its natural history and classification have long been a source of confusion. Unique life-history strategies and extreme morphological modifications within this group have promoted many philosophical discussions between systematists and entomologists. Although this situation had left the relationship of strepsipterans with other insect groups continually in question for many years, the current general consensus is that Strepsiptera is a sister group to Coleoptera. Members of the Strepsiptera exhibit pronounced sexual dimorphism, 2 distinct larval forms, a pupal stage, host manipulation, and morphological characteristics that include many unusual differences from other insects.
Probing Nanoparticle−Protein Interaction by Capillary Electrophoresis

Understanding nanoparticle−protein interaction could help in promoting applications of nanoparticles in the biomedical fields and reducing/preventing possible adverse effects to the biological systems caused by nanoparticles. Quantitative measurement of the biophysical parameters of nanoparticle−protein interaction will improve such understanding, which could be conveniently performed by capillary electrophoresis (CE) as demonstrated in the present study. Two interaction situations were identified. Stable nanoparticle−protein complexes were resolved from the free nanoparticles and the proteins by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Transient complexes with fast association/dissociation rates showed distinct mobility change from the free nanoparticles in affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE). Interactions of bovine serum albumin (BSA) with the Fe3O4 nanoparticles (average diameters of 8 and 10 nm) and with the Au nanoparticles (average diameters of 5 and 10 nm) displayed slow and fast binding kinetics...
Selective neutralization by antiinterferon globulin of macrophage activation by L-cell interferon, Brucella abortus ether extract, Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide, and polyanions.

Abstract Addition of interferon (IF) inducers pyran copolymer, poly(I)-poly(C), an ether extract of Brucella abortus (Bru-Pel), or Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to cultures of peritoneal macrophages in vitro enhanced their cytotoxic activity for MBL-2 lymphoblastic leukemia cells. To evaluate the role of induced IF in the macrophage activation, highly specific rabbit anti-L-cell IF globulin was added to resting macrophage cultures at the same time as the macrophage-activating agents. Macrophage activation by these various biological and synthetic agents was totally neutralized by anti-IF globulin but not by normal rabbit globulin. Similarly, the anti-IF globulin inhibited the ability of chromatography-purified Newcastle disease virus-induced IF to render macrophages cytotoxic, and the degree of neutralization of IF titer corresponded with the inhibition of IF-induced macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity. In contrast, macrophage activation by concanavalin A-induced lymphokine, which contains an antigenically different IF, was not affected by high titers of the anti-L-cell IF antibodies. The results indicate that endogenously generated type I IF may play an important role in control of macrophage function.
Reading disability and identification: A case study

Abstract An account is given of how the school psychologist and teacher can utilize parental help in alleviating reading disability when the parents are seen as highly nurturant and the youngsters as strongly identified with the parents. The study involved enlisting the parents' help as tutors and then using their reinforcing characteristics to change the reading behavior of the children.
Performance of Red × Rock Sex-Linked Females in Reverse and Conventional Laying Cages of Varying Heights

Abstract One hundred and eighty Red × Rock females were housed three birds per cage in reverse (long dimension adjacent to feed trough) cages measuring 45.7 × 30.5 cm. and 300 females were housed in conventional 30.5 × 45.7 cm. laying cages. One half of the cages measured 35.6 cm., the other half 30.5 cm. in height. There were no significant treatment differences for hen-day egg production, feed efficiency or livability in Trial 1. The feed consumption of the birds housed in reverse cages measuring 35.6 cm. in height was significantly greater than for other treatment groups. This increased feed consumption was reflected in increased body weight at 40 and 72 weeks of age. Trial 2 data revealed significantly higher egg production and improved feed efficiency for the layers housed in reverse cages with a height of 30.5 cm. No significant treatment differences were present in 24, 30, 44 or 72 week body weights. Treatment differences in 72 week egg weights and shell thickness values were not statistically significant in either trial. Haugh unit values for the birds in conventional cages measuring 35.6 cm. in height were significantly greater than for the birds housed in the conventional cages with reduced cage height.
Postoperative changes in cardiac output

Abstract During the past three years, patients have been studied intensively from the standpoint of fluid, electrolyte, nitrogen, and caloric balance in the Surgical Metabolism Unit of the Presbyterian Hospital. Other physiological changes incident to operation have been recorded, among which is the cardiac output. This report records the study of cardiac output in the pre- and post-operative periods, as it varies with the condition of the patient, type of operation, and therapy. Starr and Mayock, 1 in 1945, recorded observations on cardiac output in relation to operation employing the high-frequency ballistocardiograph and noted that following simple herniorrhaphy, with the patient in the horizontal position, there was a decrease in cardiac output. In the more major operations, the same was true except when the patients received large amounts of fluids intravenously or when there was a larger protein and caloric intake. No significant difference was noted in cardiac output between patients having a herniorrhaphy who were kept at bed rest and those who exercised in bed or were allowed to walk early. However, the patients were first studied on the sixth postoperative day, and earlier changes might have been missed. Mayock and associates, 2 in 1946, reported from the same clinic on patients undergoing more serious operations, having a ballistocardiographic tracing made immediately, one, two, five, and ten days postoperatively. They noted that the average cardiac output was never significantly different from the value found before operation and that those patients in nitrogen equilibrium had less abnormality of the circulation after operation than those in negative balance. Hardy and Godfrey, 3 in 1944, employing Starr's ballistocardiograph measured the change in cardiac output in dehydrated patients given fluids intravenously and observed a significant increase, whereas such changes were not observed in the normal controls.
Relative stability of chemical and thermal remanence in synthetic ferrites

Abstract Synthetic ferrite samples (magnetite, nickel ferrite) with different grain size (0.2μ–12μ) were made with the hydrothermal high pressure method in order to study and to compare chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) and thermal remanent magnetization (TRM) on the same sample. CRM and TRM showed the same intensity and stability against thermal demagnetization and a.c. demagnetization except for samples with small grains (0.2μ–3μ) and the remanent magnetization acquired in a small d.c. magnetic field (0.1–0.5 oersted). Then TRM was 6 times stronger than CRM and remarkable more stable against thermal demagnetization than CRM.
Communication concerns across different accounting constituencies

Abstract The literature in accounting education has consistently called for more courses emphasizing instruction in oral communication for accounting students. This paper reports on an exploratory investigation of the communication concerns of three distinct constituencies in accounting: undergraduate students majoring in accounting, graduate students pursuing advanced degrees in accounting, and practicing professional accountants from the midwestern offices of two international public accounting firms. The communication concerns model suggests that the locus of communicators' anxieties or frustrations about communication centers on self-, task-, or impact-related issues, and that these concerns may define areas in which communication instruction is required for individuals to achieve appropriate levels of competency. The results of this study provide support for the predictions of the concerns model and point to its efficacy as a tool for curriculum design.
Electrostrictive effect in polyurethanes

Polyurethane electrostriction was investigated by measuring the tensile electromechanical coupling coefficients of structurally different materials. True values of the strain coefficients M3311, M3322, and M3333 were obtained for four types of polymer: one commercial polyurethane (DOW 2103-80 AE) and three polyurethanes synthesized at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, including two phase-separated (PS) materials with molecular weights of 1000 and 2000 and one phase-mixed (PM) material with a molecular weight of 2000. Measurements were performed at 2 kHz under a bias field of 4 MV/m at room temperature. Measured values of M3333 ranged from −9.4 × 10−18 to −74.6 × 10−18 m2/V2, with the PM material exhibiting the largest coefficient. The electrostatic interaction (Maxwell stress) did not account for more than 15% of the total electromechanical activity in any of the materials. Furthermore, at the macroscopic level, an empirical relationship was established to predict the values of the electrostrictive coefficients from the dielectric constants and the compliance coefficients of the material. Finally, results indicated that, at the microscopic level, the phenomenon of electrostriction in polyurethanes could be best explained by the presence of charges inside the material (space–charge theory). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 399–404, 2003
Ultrastructural cytochemistry of membrane-bound phosphatases in preimplantation mouse embryos.

Abstract The time of appearance and the ultrastructural localization of the enzyme activity of alkaline phosphatase (AlkPase), 5′-nucleotidase (5′Nuc), Mg 2+ -ATPase, transport ATPase, cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (cAMP-PDase), and adenylate cyclase (AC) were investigated in unfertilized eggs and in mouse preimplantation embryos. Enzyme activity was associated only with the plasma membrane. AlkPase activity appeared only in limited areas of the plasma membrane of one-cell embryos and increased in the eight-cell and morula stages. In blastocysts, the enzyme activity was concentrated mainly in the trophoblast cells. 5′Nuc activity appeared first in four- or eight-cell embryos and the highest activity was observed in trophoblast cells in the blastocyst and in plasma membrane between cells forming inner cell mass. Mg 2+ -activated ATPase activity was present in all embryos and in unfertilized egg plasma membrane. Transport (Na + K + )-ATPase appeared only in the closely apposed membranes of adjacent cells in morulae and blastocysts. A very low cAMP-PDase activity appeared between adjacent cells in two-cell embryos, and the highest activity was observed on the outer surface of the plasma membrane of trophoblasts. AC was the only enzyme whose activity was located on the inner (cytoplasmic) side of the plasma membrane and appeared as early as the one-cell stage embryo. The relation between the time of the appearance of enzyme activity and the preparation of embryos for implantation and upon embryonic proliferative activity is discussed.
MRI of sickle cell cerebral infarction

Eleven patients with sickle cell disease and neurological symptoms underwent MRI examination. Cerebral infarcts of two types were found, those in the vascular distribution of the middle cerebral artery and those in the deep white matter. In the patient whose hydration and whose oxygenation of erythrocytes has been treated, MRI offers diagnostic advantages over arteriography and CT.
Identification of Potassium-Dependent and -Independent Components of the Apoptotic Machinery in Mouse Ovarian Germ Cells and Granulosa Cells

Abstract Recent studies with thymocytes have suggested a critical role for intracellular potassium in the regulation of apoptosis. In this study, we examined the pathways of K+ regulation during ovarian cell death. In initial studies, fluorographic analysis demonstrated a significant loss of K+ during apoptosis stimulated by doxorubicin in oocytes and trophic hormone deprivation in granulosa cells. In oocytes, suppression of potassium efflux by potassium-enriched medium prevented condensation, budding, and fragmentation, although it did not block DNA degradation, suggesting the existence of potassium-independent nucleases in oocytes. Culture of granulosa cells in potassium-enriched medium inhibited internucleosomal DNA cleavage, although high-molecular weight DNA cleavage was apparent, suggesting that the nuclease or nucleases responsible for generating 50-kilobase (kb) fragments in these cells is potassium independent. To address this directly, isolated granulosa cell nuclei were stimulated to autodigest...
Intraocular Lens Disasters: Peripheral Anterior Synechia

Peripheral anterior synechia formation appears to complicate intraocular lens use by producing (1) progressive endothelial cell loss, (2) fibrous metaplasia of the endothelium, and (3) angle cicatrization with glaucoma. We present 13 patients with these complications and the anterior segment reconstruction techniques that are necessary to alleviate these relatively late intraocular lens complications.
A combined dynamical and statistical downscaling technique to reduce biases in climate projections: an example for winter precipitation and snowpack in the western United States

Large biases associated with climate projections are problematic when it comes to their regional application in the assessment of water resources and ecosystems. Here, we demonstrate a method that can reduce systematic biases in regional climate projections. The global and regional climate models employed to demonstrate the technique are the Community Climate System Model (CCSM) and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The method first utilized a statistical regression technique and a global reanalysis dataset to correct biases in the CCSM-simulated variables (e.g., temperature, geopotential height, specific humidity, and winds) that are subsequently used to drive the WRF model. The WRF simulations were conducted for the western United States and were driven with (a) global reanalysis, (b) original CCSM, and (c) bias-corrected CCSM data. The bias-corrected CCSM data led to a more realistic regional climate simulation of precipitation and associated atmospheric dynamics, as well as snow water equivalent (SWE), in comparison to the original CCSM-driven WRF simulation. Since most climate applications rely on existing global model output as the forcing data (i.e., they cannot re-run or change the global model), which often contain large biases, this method provides an effective and economical tool to reduce biases in regional climate downscaling simulations of water resource variables.
Lysosomal enzymes in the inner ears of kanamycin-treated guinea pigs.

The activity of acid phosphatase, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and β-glu-curonidase were localized histochemically in 36 guinea pigs injected daily with kanamycin sulfate (250 mg/kg body weight) for 1 to 6 weeks. All three lysosomal enzymes showed essentially the same distribution pattern. Before the well-known microscopic damage developed in the outer hair cells, there was a temporary slight increase in intensity and area of enzyme activity. Afterwards, the histochemical reaction became gradually weaker and finally was negative. The inner hair cells underwent the same changes, but later. Ultimately all hair cells were destroyed by this ascending process. Likewise, in the spiral ganglion cells enzyme activities initially increased, then markedly diminished. These changes started in the apical turn and descendingly involved also the lower turns. Enzyme activities in the spiral ganglion cells returned to normal after cessation of treatment. It appears that histochemical changes in the ganglion cells are indep...
Sound amplification in a supersaturated vapor

A sound wave in supersaturated water vapor can produce the process of heat release caused by condensation, which occures to be in phase with sound. The resonance interaction of sound with modulated heat release provides the sound amplification and the spectra of raindrops changes.
Effect of brain compression on pyramidal tract responses in the cat.

Abstract The effect of brain compression on pyramidal tract responses (PTRs) was studied in anesthetized, ventilated cats using a supratentorial extradural balloon. At an intracranial pressure (ICP) of 40 mm Hg, the amplitude of the D wave (direct pyramidal tract cell activity) on the compression side decreased to 50% of the control. Loss of all PTRs occurred at an ICP higher than 80 mm Hg and a balloon volume greater than 12% of the brain volume. Both direct effect of the mass lesion on the supratentorial pyramidal tract and compression of the pyramidal tract in the brain stem due to transtentorial herniation are thought to be responsible for loss of PTRs. After evacuation of the balloon, the considerable and prolonged suppression of the D-wave amplitude, especially on the compression side, suggested that only partial restoration of pyramidal tract electrical activity had occurred.
GatorShare: a file system framework for high-throughput data management

Voluntary Computing systems or Desktop Grids (DGs) enable sharing of commodity computing resources across the globe and have gained tremendous popularity among scientific research communities. Data management is one of the major challenges of adopting the Voluntary Computing paradigm for large data-intensive applications. To date, middleware for supporting such applications either lacks an efficient cooperative data distribution scheme or cannot easily accommodate existing data-intensive applications due to the requirement for using middleware-specific APIs.To address this challenge, in this paper we introduce Gator-Share, a data management framework that offers a file system interface and an extensible architecture designed to support multiple data transfer protocols, including BitTorrent, based on which we implement a cooperative data distribution service for DGs. It eases the integration with Desktop Grids and enables high-throughput data management for unmodified data-intensive applications. To improve the performance of BitTorrent in Desktop Grids, we have enhanced BitTorrent by making it fully decentralized and capable of supporting partial file downloading in an on-demand fashion.To justify this approach we present a quantitative evaluation of the framework in terms of data distribution efficiency. Experimental results show that the framework significantly improves the data dissemination performance for unmodified data-intensive applications compared to a traditional client/server architecture.
An empirical examination of patient-physician portal acceptance

AbstractHealthcare providers have recently begun deploying Internet-based patient–physician portals. These applications allow patients to both communicate with their providers and access personal m...
Is new always better

Corresponding author Howard B. Goldman, MD, FACS Section of Voiding Dysfunction and Female Urology, Glickman Urological Institute, The Cleveland Clinic, Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, 9500 Euclid Avenue/A110, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. E-mail: goldmah@ccf.org Current Urology Reports 2007, 8:253–254 Current Medicine Group LLC ISSN 1527-2737 Copyright © 2007 by Current Medicine Group LLC
An orthographic photomap of the south pole of Mars from Marina 7

Abstract Television pictures of the south polar regions of Mars obtained by the Mariner 6 and 7 spacecraft in 1969 are rectified to a standard mapping projection using computer image processing techniques. Mosaicking of these pictures produces the first photomap of the entire south polar cap.
Infusing Developmental Neuroscience Into School-based Preventive Interventions: Implications and Future Directions

Abstract Purpose Recent advances in developmental neuroscience have the potential to significantly impact the behavioral and academic outcomes of adolescents. By adopting a translational approach, we aim to promote the transfer of knowledge related to neurological, cognitive, and emotion regulatory factors that underlie youth's ability to respond to educational and prevention programming. Method This article synthesizes basic and applied research from the field of developmental neuroscience to highlight the significance of this work for the creation, evaluation, and tailoring of school-based preventive interventions designed to address aggressive behavior problems. We draw on research related to stress, social–cognitive factors, emotional perception and regulation, and executive functioning to identify potential neurodevelopmental mediators and moderators of prevention program impacts. Results Findings suggest that a high level of brain plasticity characterizes early childhood and adolescent stages of development, providing optimal windows of opportunity for intervention. The available research emphasizes the importance of executive functioning and related emotional regulatory factors as potential mechanisms for change in educational and risk prevention models. Conclusions Neuroscience research provides insights into underlying mechanisms that, when appropriately targeted, can help optimize the impact of social–emotional learning curricula. Recommendations are made for how to apply relevant findings from neuroscience and related disciplines to improve behavioral and academic outcomes for school-aged youth. Additional research areas are identified to inform the creation of neurodevelopmentally sensitive preventive interventions targeting aggressive behavior problems which, in turn, are expected to affect academic outcomes.
Extracellular polysaccharides from Pteridium aquilinum suspension cultures

Abstract Extracellular polysaccharides were isolated from the medium of liquid suspension cultures of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) L. Kuhn var. latiusculum (Desv.) Underw. The resulting material contained very few charged pectic polysaccharides. Glycosyl composition and linkage analysis showed that the major polysaccharide components were a large arabinogalactan rich in T-arabinosyl and 3,6-galactosyl residues, and another peak rich in mixed linkages of arabinose, galactose and glucose.
Role of PEPT2 in glycylsarcosine transport in astrocyte and glioma cultures.

Abstract The aims of the current study were (1) to quantify the role of PEPT2 in the uptake of glycylsarcosine (GlySar) in cultured neonatal astrocytes and (2) to examine GlySar transport and PEPT2 expression in two glioma cell lines. The uptake of [14C]GlySar was measured in astrocytes cultured from neonatal mouse (PEPT2+/+ and PEPT2−/−) and rat, as well as rat C6 and F98 glioma cells. PEPT2 expression was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Neonatal astrocytes from PEPT2−/− mice had a 94% reduction in [14C]GlySar uptake compared to wild type mice and there was no saturable transport. In PEPT2+/+ mice, [14C]GlySar uptake was saturable (Vmax 58 ± 12 pmol/mg/min, Km 107 ± 46 μM, Kd 0.043 ± 0.004 μl/mg/min). In neonatal rat astrocytes, kinetic analysis also suggested that [14C]GlySar uptake was via a single transporter. The inhibitor profile and pH dependence of that transport process was consistent with PEPT2. In C6 and F98 glioma cells, [14C]GlySar uptake was markedly reduced (∼96–98%) compared to that in neonatal astrocytes and this was reflected by an absence of PEPT2 mRNA expression. These results indicate that PEPT2 is the sole transporter involved in the uptake of GlySar into neonatal cultured astrocytes. However, PEPT2 mRNA appears to be absent from two glioma cell lines.
The Black-Spot (Uvulifer ambloplitis: Trematoda: Strigeoidea) of Centrarchid Fishes

Abstract Adult Uvulifer ambloplitis were recovered from a kingfisher and the worm eggs were incubated. Helisoma snails were infected with the resultant miracidia. Cercariae, very similar, but not identical to Cercaria bessiae, were recovered and used to infect fish. It was possible to infect Lepomis macrochirus, but not Catostomus commersoni, Cottus bairdi, Carassius auratus, Notropis cornutus, N. rubellus, N. spectrunculus, Semotilus atromaculatus, S. corporalis, S. margarita, Ictalurus punctatus, Etheostoma flabellare or Salmo gairdneri. Development of the metacercaria was studied at 13° C, 21° C, and 24° C. There was almost no development at 13° C and development was about twice as rapid at 24° C as at 21° C. The origin of the cyst of parasite origin is discussed. The metacercariae live at least 4 1/2 years in the fish at 12° C. The adult is briefly described and compared with other species. A key to the adults is given.
Treatment with glucagon-like Peptide-1 agonist exendin-4 in a patient with hypothalamic obesity secondary to intracranial tumor.

Background/Aims: Patients with hypothalamic tumors frequently experience severe obesity, and its treatment with diet, exercise, and/or pharmacologic treatment has
Synthetic light curves for contact binaries

Abstract The geometry of the Roche-Jacobi-Hill models is considered which allows us to compute the sizes of the components. The local surface gravity was found according to the method of Mochnacki and Doughty (1972a) using cylindrical coordinates. A new method is discussed to compute the synthetic light curves which is a considerable modification of the method of the above mentioned authors. It was found that the mean gravity of the greater component is larger than the mean gravity of the smaller component for the innermost contact surface and the dumbbell model. This explains why the greater component is the hotter one and the dumbbell model gives only a good representation for A -type systems. An extended dumbbell model is discussed for W -type systems and the starspot model is proposed for these W -type systems which have asymmetric light curves. A comparison is made of the orbital parameters found by several astronomers using six different methods for the computation of the synthetic light curves. In the last two sections the synthetic line profiles and the synthetic radial velocity curves for contact binaries are considered.
Soret convection and rheology (viscous dissipation): arguments for whole-mantle convection

Abstract Excluding phase changes associated with rearrangement of crystal structure with depth (i.e. pressure), computations of Soret convection for mantle situations indicate that a chemically layered mantle within the Earth cannot be maintained for more than several tens of millions of years. This result is conservative; that is, high viscosities, etc. were employed to determine the longest incubation times (lifetime of the layering) possible under accepted values of the physical properties of the mantle. The layering is removed by roll-over. There is a possibility that sparging of continental material from the mantle could lead to recurrent stratification and roll-over. Although each layer was assigned various viscosities in determining maximum time scales, the short duration of the layering in conjunction with mantle rheology (which some workers eliminate by dismissing viscous dissipation) supports conjectures that the mantle may assume an effective viscosity of approximately constant value. A review of the pathologies of numerical procedures employed in assessing mantle rheologies is provided so that the effects of viscous dissipation may be correctly discerned from numerical artifacts. The potential of Soret convection in the mantle leads to the possibility of isotope and chemical fractionation across core-mantle and mantle-crust boundaries; the isotope fractionation effect cannot be corrected by the usual corrections that attend mass spectroscopy.
Effect of plastic deformation on the resistivity and Hall constant of Silver-Palladium alloys

Abstract The influence of plastic deformation on the Hall constant and electrical resistivity has been measured in five silver-palladium alloys containing from 10 to 55 at.% palladium. The Hall constant decreases (becomes more positive) with increasing plastic deformation. The decrement becomes larger in Ag-rich alloys with increasing Pd content, reaching a 20% decrement in an Ag-40% Pd alloy. The rate of change decreases continuously with strain. The large initial decrease in Hall constant indicates cold working causes a large increase in the effective number of conduction electrons, which is responsible for the anomalous initial decrease in electrical resistivity in these alloys. The Hall constant behaviour supports the hypothesis that the anomalous electrical resistivity results from disordering of short-range order by cold work.
The buckling of thin viscous jets

Thin viscous jets are considered as they slowly fall, in a state of near-neutral buoyancy, through a liquid. An equation is derived which describes the path of the jet. A small perturbation analysis of nearly vertical jets is carried out, and shows that they are necessarily unstable and will eventually deviate significantly from the vertical. Numerical integration of the nonlinear equation describes the nature of this deviation. These results model some experimental observations made by Taylor (1969).