cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Benefits and Concerns Surrounding the Automation of Clinical Guidelines

Automated guidelines often improve outcomes when applied to simple clinical states. They are more effective when human-computer interaction and workflow changes are considered in implementation. "Alert fatigue" might lead to uneven implementation of guidelines. For complex patients with multiple illnesses, more research should be geared toward the structure and effect of guidelines. Evidentiary uncertainty and complicating comorbid conditions continue to require meticulous incorporation of patient values and physician judgment.
A revised diamond-graphite transition curve

The transition from diamond to graphite is a key equilibrium for interpreting ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks. Despite widespread interest, there remain significant systematic differences between the best available experimental determinations of P and T (Kennedy and Kennedy 1976) and numerous thermodynamic calculations of the transition. At temperatures below 1400 K, calculated equilibrium pressures are lower than extrapolations of the experiments by as much as 5 kbar. At 3000 K, calculated pressures vary from more than 8 kbar above to almost 20 kbar below the position of the extrapolated transition. A revised curve based on a critical review of the experimental and thermodynamic data is consistent with expanded experimental brackets and the preferred calorimetric data. It is steeper than the transition proposed by Kennedy and Kennedy (1976) and previous calculations and passes through 16.2 kbar, 298 K; 33.9 kbar, 1000 K; 63.5 kbar, 2000 K; and 98.4 kbar, 3000 K. The revised curve implies that the minimum pressure for formation of diamond-bearing crustal rocks is 3–4 kbar less than implied by extrapolation of the experiments. Because the revised transition is steeper than most previous calculations, the triple point among graphite, diamond, and liquid carbon may be as much as 40 kbar higher than previously estimated.
Processing–Structure–Property Relationships in Laser-Annealed PbSe Nanocrystal Thin Films

As nanocrystal (NC) synthesis techniques and device architectures advance, it becomes increasingly apparent that new ways of connecting NCs with each other and their external environment are required to realize their considerable potential. Enhancing inter-NC coupling by thermal annealing has been a long-standing challenge. Conventional thermal annealing approaches are limited by the challenge of annealing the NC at sufficiently high temperatures to remove surface-bound ligands while at the same time limiting the thermal budget to prevent large-scale aggregation. Here we investigate nonequilibrium laser annealing of NC thin films that enables separation of the kinetic and thermodynamic aspects of nanocrystal fusion. We show that laser annealing of NC assemblies on nano- to microsecond time scales can transform initially isolated NCs in a thin film into an interconnected structure in which proximate dots “just touch”. We investigate both pulsed laser annealing and laser spike annealing and show that both a...
Degradation of aflatoxin M1 in milk by ultraviolet energy

Raw whole milk was artificially contaminated with 0.5 or 1 ppb aflatoxin M1. Contaminated milk was exposed to UV-irradiation from different sources and under different experimental conditions. In all instances, exposure to UV-irradiation caused aflatoxin M1 in milk to degrade. The magnitude of degradation (3.6 to 100%) depended on time of exposure (2 to 60 min) of milk to UV-energy, volume of treated milk and design of the experiment. Presence of hydrogen peroxide (1%) in milk greatly enhanced degradation (100% in 10 min) of aflatoxin M1 by UV-irradiation.
Dynamic Leg Scintigraphy with an LFOV Scintillation Camera

Leg scanning is now routinely performed in most laboratories in conjunction with lung perfusion studies since thrombi arising in the deep veins of the lower extremities are a major cause of pulmonary emboli. However, dynamic leg scintigraphy, i.e., visualization of venous blood flow in the lower extremities, has not been practical because the area observed by the detectors of earlier model scintillation cameras was unsatisfactory. The more advanced large field-of-view scintillation camera with a synchronized scanning table simplifies the performance of dynamic leg scintigraphy. Our experience with such an instrument is described.
Heterodyne terahertz detectors based on plasmonic photomixers

A new scheme for heterodyne terahertz detection through plasmonic photomixing is presented, which offers significant enhancement in detection sensitivity and bandwidth at room temperature. We experimentally demonstrate a first proof-of-concept design operating at ∼0.1 THz.
Thinking through the flesh: a critical autoethnography of racial body politics in urban teacher education

AbstractAlthough the ubiquitous nature of whiteness has been scrutinized in research on teacher preparation in the United States, scholarship on how this concept impinges upon the field’s overall culture, as well as on pedagogy, is scarce. Thus, I perform a critical autoethnographic study on the relationships among whiteness, pedagogy, and urban teacher education. The inquiry threads Critical Race Theory and feminist theorizing on (Black) bodies, affects, and assemblages, and extends from extant literature illustrating that the dichotomous thinking characteristic of whiteness undergirds the disembodied approaches to teaching and learning prevalent in teacher education programs. This, I discover, leaves one White pre-service teacher ill-equipped to discern and disrupt the materialization of whiteness in an (inter)corporeal encounter with a Black youth in an urban classroom. Additionally, a pedagogy of disembodiment hinders this pre-service teacher from developing robust understandings of how latent within ...
Effects of Congruence and Reliability of a Cause Alliance Campaign on Consumer Responses Toward a Sport Brand and a Sponsoring Brand: A Structured Abstract

In the management literature, despite increased attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in general, suspicion and disbelief of such endeavors of companies appear to have grown (Basu and Palazzo 2008; Ellen et al. 2006; Godfrey 2005; Porter and Kramer 2011). This research study includes an in-depth review of literature and survey research (N = 740) in an effort to identify potential factors (i.e., congruence and reliability) that may influence consumer attitudes toward a sport organization’s cause alliance campaign in the domain of the National Football League (NFL). Furthermore, how these consumer attitudes toward the cause alliance campaign influence their subsequent responses (attitudes toward the sport organization, intentions to attend the sport organization’s game, attitudes toward the sponsoring brand, and purchase intentions toward the sponsoring brand) is examined.
THEORETICAL DETERMINATION OF STRONG ELECTRON-PHONON COUPLING IN YBA2CU3O7

Large non-local contributions to the electron-phonon interaction in YBa2Cu3O7 are found using the Linearized Augmented Plane Wave method with the frozen phonon technique. These non-local effects lead to coupling of heavy ion motions to Fermi surface states which lowers the expected isotope effect for oxygen, and increases the contribution from phonons to the superconducting transition temperature Tc. We find large anharmonicity of chain oxygen motions, which can also enhance Tc and decrease the isotope effect. Excellent overall agreement with experiment is found for the fifteen Raman active modes.
Chronic Kidney Disease and Exposure to Nephrotoxic Metals

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common progressive disease that is typically characterized by the permanent loss of functional nephrons. As injured nephrons become sclerotic and die, the remaining healthy nephrons undergo numerous structural, molecular, and functional changes in an attempt to compensate for the loss of diseased nephrons. These compensatory changes enable the kidney to maintain fluid and solute homeostasis until approximately 75% of nephrons are lost. As CKD continues to progress, glomerular filtration rate decreases, and remaining nephrons are unable to effectively eliminate metabolic wastes and environmental toxicants from the body. This inability may enhance mortality and/or morbidity of an individual. Environmental toxicants of particular concern are arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. Since these metals are present throughout the environment and exposure to one or more of these metals is unavoidable, it is important that the way in which these metals are handled by target organs in normal and disease states is understood completely.
National Culture Shapes Private Investment in Transportation Infrastructure Projects around the Globe

AbstractRecent decades have seen extensive use of public-private partnerships (PPP) in international infrastructure development from governments, private construction firms, and humanitarian organi...
Wrapper Drugs as Therapeutic Editors of Side Effects

Wrapping designs have some limitations. While they enable control of specificity, they may not be able to exclude a toxicity-related target if the latter shares the same wrapping pattern with the therapeutically relevant targets. In such circumstances, we may need to resort to a multicomponent therapy where one drug acts synergistically with the other while selectively antagonizing it in the specific context where the action of the first drug promotes toxicity. This chapter explores these a priori therapeutic possibilities.
Prime Spectra of Abelian 2-Categories and Categorifications of Richardson Varieties

We describe a general framework for prime, completely prime, semiprime, and primitive ideals of an abelian 2-category. This provides a noncommutative version of Balmer’s prime spectrum of a tensor triangulated category. These notions are based on containment conditions in terms of thick subcategories of an abelian category and thick ideals of an abelian 2-category. We prove categorical analogs of the main properties of noncommutative prime spectra. Similar notions, starting with Serre subcategories of an abelian category and Serre ideals of an abelian 2-category, are developed. They are linked to Serre prime spectra of \(\mathbb {Z}_+\)-rings. As an application, we construct a categorification of the quantized coordinate rings of open Richardson varieties for symmetric Kac–Moody groups, by constructing Serre completely prime ideals of monoidal categories of modules of the KLR algebras, and by taking Serre quotients with respect to them.
A Multifaceted Mass Spectrometric Method to Probe Feeding Related Neuropeptide Changes in Callinectes sapidus and Carcinus maenas.

Food intake is regulated by various neuromodulators, including numerous neuropeptides. However, it remains elusive at the molecular and cellular level as to how these important chemicals regulate internal processes and which regions of the neuronal organs are responsible for regulating the behavior. Here we report a comparative neuropeptidomic analysis of the brain and pericardial organ (PO) in response to feeding in two well-studied crustacean physiology model organisms, Callinectes sapidus and Carcinus maenas, using mass spectrometry (MS) techniques. A multifaceted MS-based approach has been developed to obtain complementary information on the expression changes of a large array of neuropeptides in the brain and PO. The method employs stable isotope labeling of brain and PO extracts for relative MS quantitation, capillary electrophoresis (CE)-MS for fractionation and high-specificity analysis, and mass spectrometric imaging (MSI) for in-situ molecular mapping of peptides. A number of neuropeptides, including RFamides, B-type allatostatins (AST-B), RYamides, and orcokinins exhibit significant changes in abundance after feeding in this investigation. Peptides from the AST-B family found in PO tissue were shown to have both altered expression and localization changes after feeding, indicating that they may be a class of vital neuropeptide regulators involved in feeding behavior.
A radical approach to the copper oxidative addition problem: Trifluoromethylation of bromoarenes.

Transition metal–catalyzed arene functionalization has been widely used for molecular synthesis over the past century. In this arena, copper catalysis has long been considered a privileged platform due to the propensity of high-valent copper to undergo reductive elimination with a wide variety of coupling fragments. However, the sluggish nature of oxidative addition has limited copper’s capacity to broadly facilitate haloarene coupling protocols. Here, we demonstrate that this copper oxidative addition problem can be overcome with an aryl radical–capture mechanism, wherein the aryl radical is generated through a silyl radical halogen abstraction. This strategy was applied to a general trifluoromethylation of aryl bromides through dual copper-photoredox catalysis. Mechanistic studies support the formation of an open-shell aryl species.
The Interaction of Aromatic Molecules with Nickel

Abstract The bonding and reactivity of benzene, and methyl, amino and cyano substituted benzenes have been examined on Ni(100) and Ni(111). Benzene is more strongly adsorbed on Ni(100) due to greater overlap between the carbon p-orbitals and the Ni d-orbitals. Methyl groups weaken the bonding to the surface by altering the symmetry of the bonding molecular orbitals. An amino group enhances electrophilic substitution reactions leading to surface polymerization. Cyano groups withdraw electrons from the aromatic ring, reducing the interaction of the ring with the surface. The behavior is explained in terms of electrophilic reactions with the surface acting as an electrophile.
Role of the OVLT in the febrile response to circulating pyrogens

The available data suggest that circulating endogenous pyrogens (EPs) probably do not penetrate the brain, but interact with sensory elements in the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) which may involve 5HT and SP as neurotransmitters. It is proposed that substance P (SP) may affect thermo-regulatory neurons in the preoptic area (POA) directly or induce the local synthesis of cytokines that secondarily act on these neurons. Recent evidence indicates that endothelial cells in the OVLT bind circulating cytokines to receptors on their luminal surface. This may result in the release of putative neuroregulators which then process the original signals inwardly to the POA, where they then affect neuronal functions leading to fever production. Thus, trans-BBB passage of cytokines is prevented, but the brain site mediating their pyrogenic effect is informed and the appropriate responses are activated. It is emphasized, however, that this suggested mechanism is still speculative.
FAK as a Target for Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer

Despite decades of concerted effort, treatments for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have remained largely unchanged, with tumors typically managed using a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, and cytotoxic chemotherapy. Suboptimal efficacy and often severe toxicities associated with some of these treatments have encouraged development of targeted therapies that may overcome these limitations. One promising avenue of therapeutic development in HNSCC in particular has addressed integrins and integrin-mediated signaling, which mediates interactions between the tumor and the extracellular matrix (ECM) and can potentially be targeted by inhibition of the integrin-associated focal adhesion kinase (FAK). This chapter summarizes FAK structure-function relationships and how FAK impacts multiple cellular processes relevant to HNSCC, including survival and invasion. We will discuss the development of targeted FAK inhibitors, and combinatorial strategies incorporating FAK inhibition, with comparisons between human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive and HPV-negative HNSCC.
Default mode network deactivation in pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy: Relationship to a working memory task and executive function tests

Abstract Objectives Children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) exhibit executive dysfunction on traditional neuropsychological tests. There is limited evidence of different functional network alterations associated with this clinical executive dysfunction. This study investigates working memory deficits in children with TLE by assessing deactivation of the default mode network (DMN) on functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) and the relationship of DMN deactivation with fMRI behavioral findings and neuropsychological test performance. Experimental design fMRI was conducted on 15 children with TLE and 15 healthy controls (age: 8–16 years) while performing the N-back task in order to assess deactivation of the DMN. N-back accuracy, N-back reaction time, and neuropsychological tests of executive function (Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System [D-KEFS] Color-Word Interference and Card Sort tests) were also assessed. Principal observations During the N-back task, children with TLE exhibited significantly less deactivation of the DMN, primarily in the precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex compared with controls. These alterations significantly correlated with N-back behavioral findings and D-KEFS results. Conclusions Children with TLE exhibit executive dysfunction which correlates with DMN alterations. These findings suggest that the level of deactivation of specific functional networks may contribute to cognitive impairment in children with TLE. The findings also indicate that children with TLE have network alterations in extratemporal lobe brain regions.
Rate rules and reaction classes

Abstract This chapter describes approaches to develop rate rules that allow assignment of theoretically consistent rate constants for many important reaction classes, including bimolecular hydrogen abstraction and radical addition reactions, unimolecular isomerization and β-scission reactions of radicals, and molecular dissociation and radical recombination reactions. The rules are generalizations based on electronic structure calculations at the CBS-QB3 level of an extensive series of reactions within a given reaction class. The assigned preexponential factors and activation energies are related to the changes in entropy and enthalpy of the transition states relative to the reactants. This approach allows kinetic model developers to apply consistent rate constant estimates to a substantial majority of the reactions included in typical high-temperature pyrolysis and oxidation mechanisms of hydrocarbons. They also provide a systematic way to obtain reasonable estimates for the relevant features of a potential energy surface that can be useful to characterize relatively complex reactions where electronic structure calculations are not feasible. This is especially useful for the calculation of the parameters needed as input to estimate the temperature and pressure dependence of chemically activated reactions.
A cobalt coordination polymer with a new 6-connected self-penetrated topology and its high temperature layered polymorph

Abstract Crystals of {[Co2(cpp)2(dpa)2]·2.5 H2O}n (1, cpp = 3-(4-carboxyphenyl)propionate, dpa = 4,4′-dipyridylamine) were prepared by hydrothermal methods. A single-crystal structure determination showed the presence of 2-fold interpenetrated lvt topology [Co2(cpp)2]n networks, which feature ferromagnetically coupled {Co2(OCO)2} dimeric units. The interpenetrated [Co2(ccp)2]n networks are pillared by pairs of dpa ligands to give an unprecedented dimer-based 6,6-connected binodal self-penetrated network with overall (32556672)(34425465) topology. A higher temperature synthetic scheme afforded [Co(cpp)(dpa)(H2O)]n (2), which displays a simpler (4,4) grid sawtooth layered topology.
Early outcomes after hip fracture surgery in COVID-19 patients in New York City

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic has spread globally and placed healthcare systems under substantial strain. Hip fracture patients represent a high-risk population for severe COVID-19 symptoms, as they are generally older with multiple medical comorbidities. There has been limited information available on the presenting characteristics and outcomes of COVID-positive patients with hip fractures who undergo surgical treatment. Methods This was a retrospective study of 10 patients ≥60 years of age with a hip fracture and COVID-19 who underwent surgical treatment in New York City during the COVID-19 outbreak from March 1, 2020 to May 22, 2020. Clinical characteristics and early postoperative outcomes were reported. Results Eight out of the 10 COVID-positive hip fracture patients in our series were asymptomatic on admission with no clinical signs or symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Only 2 patients presented with hypoxia. All 10 patients underwent surgery within 2 days of admission. Five out of the 10 patients - including the patients who presented with hypoxia - subsequently required supplemental oxygen postoperatively. Two patients had persistently elevated oxygen demands requiring prolonged administration of supplemental oxygen therapy beyond postoperative day 3. None of the patients were put on mechanical ventilation. One patient had a presumed venous thromboembolism postoperatively and subsequently died on postoperative day 19, likely due to respiratory failure. There were no other deaths in the early postoperative period. The average length of inpatient stay was 7.8 days. Conclusions Our findings suggest that hip fracture patients who present with asymptomatic or mild COVID-19 infection may have temporarily increased oxygen demands postoperatively, but they can safely undergo early surgical intervention after appropriate medical optimization.
Individualized Adherence Benchmarks for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis

Tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) concentrations measured with dried blood spots (DBS) can be used to classify adherence to emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF) for HIV pre-exposure pro...
Is Pokémon Go a No-Go For Your Company Smartphones?

The online game, Pokemon Go, was a tremendous success in that millions of people played it. But for those playing it on company-owned smartphones, they may be placing the company in legal jeopardy should playing the game result in a tragedy or unforeseen negative event.
Developmental Circadian Disruption Alters Placental Signaling in Mice

Abstract Circadian disruption has been largely overlooked as a developmental exposure. The placenta, a conduit between the maternal and fetal environments, may relay circadian cues to the fetus. We have previously shown that developmental chronodisruption causes visual impairment and increased retinal microglial and macrophage marker expression. Here, we investigated the impacts of environmental circadian disruption on fetal and placental outcomes in a C57BL/6J mouse (Mus musculus) model. Developmental chronodisruption had no effect on embryo count, placental weight, or fetal sex ratio. When measured with RNAseq, mice exposed to developmental circadian disruption (CD) had differential placental expression of several transcripts including Serpinf1, which encodes pigment-derived epithelial factor (PEDF). Immunofluorescence of microglia/macrophage markers, Iba1 and CD11b, also revealed significant upregulation of immune cell markers in CD-exposed placenta. Our results suggest that in utero circadian disruption enhances placental immune cell expression, potentially programming a pro-inflammatory tissue environment that increases the risk of chronic disease in adulthood.
Unintentional Weight Loss as a Marker of Malignancy Across Body Weight Categories

Weight loss has long been known to be associated with multiple chronic conditions, including heart failure, COPD, depression, and cancer. Recent reports have suggested that unintentional weight loss (UWL) could be leveraged as an early marker of malignancy. Most studies use standardized cutoff values of ≥5% weight loss to define UWL; however, this threshold has not been validated in different body weight classifications (underweight, overweight, etc.). The purpose of this review was to describe the association between a patient’s weight category, the severity of UWL prior to cancer diagnosis, cancer stage at diagnosis, and cancer-specific mortality. Obesity has been identified as a risk factor for many malignancies. Current data are conflicting about whether patients with obesity are more or less likely to experience UWL prior to diagnosis of a malignancy. Similarly, data analyzing the association between baseline BMI and cancer stage at diagnosis or cancer-specific mortality are mixed. UWL has been associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, independent of baseline BMI. Unfortunately, reliable body weight measurements are infrequently obtained, decreasing the likelihood that UWL would be detected clinically. Weight loss, when unintentional, is a serious condition which requires prompt clinical evaluation. Future studies are needed to objectively quantify UWL among patients with varying baseline BMI.
Follicle Regulatory Protein: An Intraovarian Regulator of Follicular Response to Gonadotropin Stimulation

Follicular fluids from various species contain inhibitor (s) of aromatase activity. Fractions of bovine follicular fluid inhibited the induction of aromatase activity in granulosa cells in proportion to their concentration in the culture medium (1). Furthermore, equine follicular fluid was shown to inhibit porcine granulosal production of estradiol and progesterone (2,3), and steroid-free, bovine follicular fluid inhibited FSH-induced secretion of estrogen by ovine granulosa cells collected from follicles more than 3 mm in diameter (4). Guthrie found that charcoalextracted, porcine follicular fluid blocked the recruitment of mediumsized follicles into preovulatory development after the administration of exogenous FSH (5). When administered to intact ewes, ovine follicular fluid, with or without the addition of pregnant mare serum (PMS), reduced the number of follicles more than 4 mm in diameter as well as the relative proportion of follicles less than 2 mm (6). These studies in vivo were extended by observations in vitro that treatment with ovine follicular fluid inhibited aromatase activity as well as mitotic activity in granulosa cells. It was suggested that ovine follicular cells produce an endogenous inhibitor of granulosal aromatase which they secrete into the follicular fluid. Fractions of human follicular fluid which bound to dye Matrix gel Orange A inhibited human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG)-stimulated secretion of estradiol by rats in vivo as well as production of estrogen by porcine granulosa cells in vitro (7).
Effects of Dopamine Receptor Stimulation on Single Unit Activity in the Basal Ganglia

In the past decade, research directed toward determining how dopamine receptor stimulation affects information processing in the basal ganglia has found the familiar “dual circuit” model3,4,16 of the basal ganglia a very useful tool. This dual circuit view of the basal ganglia system emerged from investigations of the effects of dopamine cell lesion on GABA receptor changes at the sites of termination of the two types of striatal efferents: the striatonigral and striatopallidal neurone3,35. Also critical were studies that mapped the distribution of the two main dopamine receptor subtypes in the striatum with respect to these striatal efferents18–32. The conclusions drawn from these observations have been supported by additional biochemical and inununohistochemical data18,19,36 and they led to the view that dopamine acts primarily to inhibit activity in the so-called ”indirect“ pathway through stimulation of the D2 receptors expressed by the striatopallidal neurons, and to enhance activity in the ”direct“ pathway through the D1 receptors expressed by the striatal neurons projecting to the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNpr) and internal globus pallidus (GPi) or, in the rat, the entopeduncular nucleus (EPN).
Feedback Quantum Control of Population Transfer Using Shaped Femtosecond Pulses

Quantum control is extended to complex molecular systems by using experimental feedback to control the acousto-optic tailoring of ultrashort pulses.
Click-In Ferroelectric Nanoparticles for Dielectric Energy Storage

Polymer–ceramic nanocomposites have been thoroughly investigated previously for high energy storage devices. However, the increase in performance of these nanocomposites has proven to be significantly lower than predicted values. Through surface functionalization of high dielectric constant nanoparticles (NP), the flaws that reduce composite performance can be eliminated to form high energy density composite materials. Functionalization methods utilize high throughput printing and curing techniques (i.e., inkjet printing and xenon flash lamp curing) that are crucial for rapid adoption into industrial production. (Ba,Ca) (Zr,Ti)O3 NPs (50 nm) are synthesized through the solvothermal method and functionalized with alkene terminated methoxysilanes. A thiol−ene monomer ink system, PTD3 [pentaerythritol tetrakis (3-mercaptopropionate) (PEMP, P), 1,3-Diisopropenylbenzene (DPB, D), 2,4,6-Triallyloxy-1,3,5-triazine (TOTZ, T)], is used as a high breakdown polymer matrix. Neat polymer, alkene terminated NP–polymer ...
Silicon cabride nanobeam cavities with high Q/V

We demonstrate photonic-crystal nanobeam cavities in amorphous SiC. The fundamental mode exhibits intrinsic-Q of 7.69×104 with mode volume of 0.60(λ/n)3. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest Q/V value in SiC cavities.
The Gaggle: An open-source software system for integrating bioinformatics software and data sources

Systems biologists work with many kinds of data, from many different sources, using a variety of software tools. Each of these tools typically excels at one type of analysis, such as of microarrays, of metabolic networks and of predicted protein structure. A crucial challenge is to combine the capabilities of these (and other forthcoming) data resources and tools to create a data exploration and analysis environment that does justice to the variety and complexity of systems biology data sets. A solution to this problem should recognize that data types, formats and software in this high throughput age of biology are constantly changing. In this paper we describe the Gaggle -a simple, open-source Java software environment that helps to solve the problem of software and database integration. Guided by the classic software engineering strategy of separation of concerns and a policy of semantic flexibility, it integrates existing popular programs and web resources into a user-friendly, easily-extended environment. We demonstrate that four simple data types (names, matrices, networks, and associative arrays) are sufficient to bring together diverse databases and software. We highlight some capabilities of the Gaggle with an exploration of Helicobacter pylori pathogenesis genes, in which we identify a putative ricin-like protein -a discovery made possible by simultaneous data exploration using a wide range of publicly available data and a variety of popular bioinformatics software tools. We have integrated diverse databases (for example, KEGG, BioCyc, String) and software (Cytoscape, DataMatrixViewer, R statistical environment, and TIGR Microarray Expression Viewer). Through this loose coupling of diverse software and databases the Gaggle enables simultaneous exploration of experimental data (mRNA and protein abundance, protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions), functional associations (operon, chromosomal proximity, phylogenetic pattern), metabolic pathways (KEGG) and Pubmed abstracts (STRING web resource), creating an exploratory environment useful to 'web browser and spreadsheet biologists', to statistically savvy computational biologists, and those in between. The Gaggle uses Java RMI and Java Web Start technologies and can be found at http://gaggle.systemsbiology.net .
Marianne Moore's "The Camperdown Elm" and the Revival of Brooklyn's Prospect Park

A little-known poem of Marianne Moore's entitled “The Camperdown Elm” has recently been the recipient of more attention among scholars. Published in 1967 when Moore was nearly eighty years old, the poem is credited with bringing financial assistance to an ailing ornamental tree in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. The tree's history, and the story behind Moore's poem, have been sketchy. This article resuscitates the history of the tree, some of the history of the park, and some of the history of the financially troubled era in which Moore's poem was written. The poem provides a strong paradigm for eco-activist poetics, and yet is also so particular to its time and place that it may be unique. Moore herself was asked for several encores to save other trees and parks in the New York City area, but this one poem remains her only eco-activist effort, but one that was successful in bringing together many different agencies, and which continues to inspire Brooklynites to work for the park's survival.
Detection of malignant tumors in mammograms using SVMs

This paper proposes an algorithm for automatic detection of malignant tumors in mammograms using support vector machines (SVM). The proposed algorithm is tested using real digital mammograms of normal, benign, or malignant tissue. The results show the potential of SVMs in handling data of high dimension. The contribution is in the preprocessing involved and in the training mechanism needed.
Exposure to Community Violence: Defining the Problem and Understanding the Consequences

Exposure to community violence has emerged as a major risk factor for the development of emotional and behavioral problems in children and adolescents. In the past decade, there has been a proliferation of research within the fields of medicine, sociology, and psychology documenting the rates and consequences of exposure to community violence. This interdisciplinary growth has led to a great deal of variability within the field of exposure to community violence, making it difficult to glean general conclusions regarding rates and impact of exposure. This review advances the current understanding of exposure to community violence by integrating findings across disciplines as well as reviewing the few studies that have provided initial explanatory information regarding mediators and moderators of the relationship between exposure to community violence and its associated outcomes.
The Four Arabidopsis REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION Genes are Expressed in Secondary Wall-Containing Cells and Required for the Acetylation of Xylan

Xylan is one of the major polysaccharides in cellulosic biomass, and understanding the mechanisms underlying xylan biosynthesis will potentially help us design strategies to produce cellulosic biomass better suited for biofuel production. Although a number of genes have been shown to be essential for xylan biosynthesis, genes involved in the acetylation of xylan have not yet been identified. Here, we report the comprehensive genetic and functional studies of four Arabidopsis REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION (RWA) genes and demonstrate their involvement in the acetylation of xylan during secondary wall biosynthesis. It was found that the RWA genes were expressed in cells undergoing secondary wall thickening and their expression was regulated by SND1, a transcriptional master switch of secondary wall biosynthesis. The RWA proteins were shown to be localized in the Golgi, where xylan biosynthesis occurs. Analyses of a suite of single, double, triple and quadruple rwa mutants revealed a significant reduction in the secondary wall thickening and the stem mechanical strength in the quadruple rwa1/2/3/4 mutant but not in other mutants. Further chemical and structural analyses of xylan demonstrated that the rwa1/2/3/4 mutations resulted in a reduction in the amount of acetyl groups on xylan. In addition, the ratio of non-methylated to methylated glucuronic acid side chains was altered in the rwa1/2/3/4 mutant. Together, our results demonstrate that the four Arabidopsis RWA genes function redundantly in the acetylation of xylan during secondary wall biosynthesis.
Democracy in the Undemocratic State: The German Reichstag Elections of 1898 and 1903 . By Brett Fairbairn. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 1997. Pp. xiv + 408. Cloth $55.00. ISBN 0–8020–0795–3. Paper $27.75. ISBN 0-8020-7154-6.

Margaret Lavinia Anderson, Review of Democracy in the Undemocratic State: The German Reichstag Elections of 1898 and 1903. By Brett Fairbairn. Toronto, Buffalo, London: University of Toronto Press. 1997. Pp. xiv + 408. Cloth $55.00. ISBN 0-8020-0795-3. Paper $27.75. ISBN 0-8020-7154-6. published in Central European History vol. 35, no. 1 (2002): 109-111 With his title, Democracy in the Undemocratic State, Brett Fairbairn both summarizes the results of his investigation into the 1898 and 1903 German elections and brilliantly captures the ambiguities of Imperial Germany. For alongside a government serving at the pleasure of a military-and-bureaucratic monarchy, Germans enjoyed a suffrage that was as broad and egalitarian as any in the world. The fact that this democratic national franchise existed in tandem with restrictive state franchises and within a whole nexus of authoritarian relationships only increased its power as a political symbol. Voters turned out in huge numbers. The stakes in these elections were high: not the composition of the government, but certainly its legislation--and its legitimacy. Fairbairn devotes fine chapters to the Right-wing, Catholic, liberal, and Social Democratic camps, but the high-point of his book is the chapter on the state's role in elections, the best treatment of this subject that I know. The undemocratic state, although not responsible to the electorate, was nevertheless vitally interested in election outcomes: its bureaucracy brokered deals between friendly parties; it influenced the press even more systematically than critics (and historians) suspected; it had a designated publishing house, Mittler and Son in Berlin, producing propaganda on a massive scale. It issued secret guidelines to political Beamten, telling them which parties they could support. But what were these officials to do when governmental parties ran against each other (in 1903, in thirty-seven districts)? How was the government to favor one without discrediting itself among supporters of the other? Even worse, as Chancellor Hohenlohe pointed out, If the government intervened decisively for the Conservative party, it would take its possible defeat upon itself, and equally with a National Liberal... (87). The greatest obstacles
Associations of UBE2I with RAD52, UBL1, p53, and RAD51 Proteins in a Yeast Two-Hybrid System

The yeast RAD52-dependent pathway is involved in DNA recombination and double-strand break repair. Yeast ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UBC9 participates in S- and M-phase cyclin degradation and mitotic control. Using the human RAD52 protein as the "bait" in a yeast two-hybrid system, we have identified a human homolog of yeast UBC9, designated UBE2I, that interacts with RAD52, RAD51, p53, and a ubiquitin-like protein UBL1. These interactions are UBE2I-specific, since another DNA repair-related ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, RAD6 (UBC2), does not interact with these proteins. The interaction of UBE2I with RAD52 is mediated by RAD52's self-association region. These results suggest that the RAD52-dependent processes, cell cycle control, p53-mediated pathway(s), and ubiquitination interact through human UBE2I.
Equality and regeneration: conflicting priorities?

Purpose – This article considers how the persistence of race inequalities can be addressed in the field of regeneration. Race has been a consistent feature in inner urban areas yet there is little to suggest contemporary means of regeneration has taken this on board.Design/methodology/approach – The article is based on a series of qualitative, semi‐structured interviews that were undertaken as part of ongoing work associated with the implementation of the Equality Standard for Local Government in England.Findings – An emergent set of relations between equality, social inclusion and community cohesion is evident. As a result, aspects of inequality continue to lie at the heart of public sector intervention policies such as regeneration.Research limitations/implications – The article suggests that while there may be methods of management to help ensure good equality principles, it is the role of local democratic and political processes to eradicate such practice.Practical implications – The findings are impo...
Vibrational relaxation of NO(ν = 2, 3) by atomic oxygen

Abstract A two-laser, pump-probe arrangement has been used to measure room-temperature rate constants for the collision-induced relaxation of NO( ν = 2, 3) by O atoms. The rate constants k O ( ν ) are equal to (2.2 ± 0.2) × 10 −11 and (2.5 ± 0.3) × 10 −11 cm 3 s −1 for ν = 2 and 3, respectively. These values are significantly lower than previously measured values for ν = 1, but are in accord with model predictions assuming the role of a metastable NO 2 ∗ intermediate. The NO self-relaxation rate constants k NO ( ν ) have been measured to be (3.2 ± 0.3) × 10 −12 and (4.0 ± 0.4) × 10 −12 cm 3 s −1 for ν = 2 and 3, respectively, in reasonable agreement with published results.
Biomechanical performance of cutting edge surgical needles

The purpose of this study was to compare the biomechanical performance of cutting edge needles made of S45500 stainless steel alloy to Surgalloy stainless steel. The new high-nickel stainless steel alloy, Surgalloy, has superior performance characteristics over that of the other high-nickel stainless steel alloy, S45500. The Surgalloy needle is produced from a stronger stainless steel alloy than the S45500 needle. The Surgalloy needle has considerably greater resistance to bending than the needle produced from S45500 alloy. In addition, Surgalloy stainless steel has almost a twofold greater resistance to fracture than the S45500 stainless steel alloy.
Evolution and status of CFD techniques for scramjet applications

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methods are presently applied to the design and analysis of scramjet propulsion systems for missiles and aircraft operating at speeds in excess of Mach 5, in forms ranging from simple inviscid codes for parametric studies of inlet geometries to Navier-Stokes codes incorporating chemistry models which address complex scramjet combustion phenomena. Attention is given to the development history of CFD for the hypersonic regime, as well as to scramjet flowfield modeling in inlets, combustors and nozzles, and prospective development trends.
Fluoroquinolone use is not associated with the change in imipenem susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in 25 hospitals

Evidence suggests use of fluoroquinolones is associated with carbapenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and fluoroquinolone use has been identified as a risk factor for clinical acquisition of imipenemresistant P. aeruginosa in single-center studies. Imipenem susceptibility and fluoroquinolone use was evaluated within 25 hospitals over 9 years. Use density ratios (UDR) for fluoroquinolones: ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin, and for three other antibiotic classes (carbapenems: ertapenem, doripenem, imipenem, and meropenem; other antipseudomonal betalactams: cefepime, ceftazidime, and piperacillin/tazobactam; and aminoglycosides: gentamicin and tobramycin) were derived from drug purchase data for up to 9 years, ending in 2008. Susceptibility data were obtained from hospital antibiograms in corresponding years. A mixed model repeated measures ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) explored associations between 9-year repeated imipenem susceptibility and fluoroquinolone UDR in each year while controlling for other drug classes, teaching status, and number of beds. All sites had 7 years of data; n=22 had 8 years; n=18 had 9 years. Teaching hospitals were 36% of the cohort; median number of beds was 714 for teaching hospitals and 381 for nonteaching hospitals. Fluoroquinolone use declined from year (Y) 1–5; such use then rose over Y6-9, which was heavily influenced by ciprofloxacin/moxifloxacin: mean fluoroquinolone UDR from Y1-9 was: 303.8, 186.5, 156.8, 174.4, 169.1, 275.0, 504.2, 477.0, and 423.3. Mean imipenem susceptibility was (Y1-9 %) 85.2, 82.8, 82.7, 82.2, 82.8, 82.4, 82.3, 81.7, and 80.6; this change across time was not significant (P=0.46). Change in 9-year imipenem susceptibility was not associated with fluoroquinolone UDR (P=0.17), nor with any other drug class (P>0.40 for each). Results were not different when considering only sites with top 25% fluoroquinolone UDR during Y7–9. Single-center studies of fluoroquinolone use have reported changes in P. aeruginosa susceptibility to carbapenems. Our study finds no such association while controlling for other drug classes. As such, resistance development in individual patients versus institutions warrants further research.
Improving Clinic Productivity through a Shared Medical Appointment

Abstract Introduction Physicians are increasingly challenged to balance quality health care with fewer resources and limited time. To help achieve this balance, shared medical appointments have been described. We improved clinic-wide access to care by creating a shared medical appointment for minor penile complaints and anomalies. Methods We implemented a shared medical appointment in April 2013. We developed an intake form to efficiently gather patient history, and a standardized presentation to discuss diagnosis, treatment options, risks and benefits. Outcomes assessed included access to care time, the rate at which patients were seen within a target of 28 days, the number of appointments scheduled and patient complaints. To control for provider availability we evaluated the number of vacation days and operating room cases for the sole pediatric urologist. Data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results The periods of November 2012 to March 2013 and May 2013 to September 2013 were evaluated. There was a statistically significant improvement in median (IQR) access to care, with a decrease from 26.6 days (26.4, 29.4) before to 20 days (17.1, 24.3) after implementation of the shared medical appointment (p=0.0163). The goal access to care standard was met with a median (IQR) of 81.4% (56.7, 82.8) after the shared medical appointment compared to 44.3% (25.0, 46.9) before the shared appointment (p=0.0283). After implementation of the shared medical appointment, more appointments were scheduled per month at 161 (156, 165) vs 128 (120, 130; p=0.1172). Conclusions We successfully implemented a shared medical appointment and significantly improved our clinic productivity. This program allowed us to improve access to care by almost 1 week and to increase the overall volume of patients seen monthly.
Guidelines for evaluating selenium data from aquatic monitoring and assessment studies.

It is now possible to formulate diagnostic selenium concentrations in four distinct ecosystem-level components; water, food-chain, predatory fish (consuming fish or invertebrate prey), and aquatic birds. Waterborne selenium concentrations of 2 µg/l or greater (parts per billion; total recoverable basis in 0.45 μ filtered samples) should be considered hazardous to the health and long-term survival of fish and wildlife populations due to the high potential for food-chain bioaccumulation, dietary toxicity, and reproductive effects. In some cases, ultra-trace amounts of dissolved and particulate organic selenium may lead to bioaccumulation and toxicity even when total waterborne concentrations are less than 1 µg/l.
Valons in mesons

We present a systematic study of the valon distribution functions and valon structure functions for pions and kaons. The implications of our results for low-${p}_{T}$ inclusive reactions are emphasized. The complications with the structure function of strange valons are discussed and suggestions are made for future experiments to extract it from the structure function of kaons at high ${Q}^{2}$.