cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Projecting the spatiotemporal carbon dynamics of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem from 2006 to 2050

Climate change and the concurrent change in wildfire events and land use comprehensively affect carbon dynamics in both spatial and temporal dimensions. The purpose of this study was to project the spatial and temporal aspects of carbon storage in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE) under these changes from 2006 to 2050. We selected three emission scenarios and produced simulations with the CENTURY model using three General Circulation Models (GCMs) for each scenario. We also incorporated projected land use change and fire occurrence into the carbon accounting. The three GCMs showed increases in maximum and minimum temperature, but precipitation projections varied among GCMs. Total ecosystem carbon increased steadily from 7,942 gC/m2 in 2006 to 10,234 gC/m2 in 2050 with an annual rate increase of 53 gC/m2/year. About 56.6% and 27% of the increasing rate was attributed to total live carbon and total soil carbon, respectively. Net Primary Production (NPP) increased slightly from 260 gC/m2/year in 2006 to 310 gC/m2/year in 2050 with an annual rate increase of 1.22 gC/m2/year. Forest clear-cutting and fires resulted in direct carbon removal; however, the rate was low at 2.44 gC/m2/year during 2006–2050. The area of clear-cutting and wildfires in the GYE would account for 10.87% of total forested area during 2006–2050, but the predictive simulations demonstrated different spatial distributions in national forests and national parks. The GYE is a carbon sink during 2006–2050. The capability of vegetation is almost double that of soil in terms of sequestering extra carbon. Clear-cutting and wildfires in GYE will affect 10.87% of total forested area, but direct carbon removal from clear-cutting and fires is 109.6 gC/m2, which accounts for only 1.2% of the mean ecosystem carbon level of 9,056 gC/m2, and thus is not significant.
Common Molecular Pathways Mediate Long-Term Potentiation of Synaptic Excitation and Slow Synaptic Inhibition

Summary Synaptic plasticity, the cellular correlate for learning and memory, involves signaling cascades in the dendritic spine. Extensive studies have shown that long-term potentiation (LTP) of the excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) through glutamate receptors is induced by activation of N-methyl-D-asparate receptor (NMDA-R)—the coincidence detector—and Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). Here we report that the same signaling pathway in the postsynaptic CA1 pyramidal neuron also causes LTP of the slow inhibitory postsynaptic current (sIPSC) mediated by metabotropic GABA B receptors (GABA B -Rs) and G protein-activated inwardly rectifying K + (GIRK) channels, both residing in dendritic spines as well as shafts. Indicative of intriguing differences in the regulatory mechanisms for excitatory and inhibitory synaptic plasticity, LTP of sIPSC but not EPSC was abolished in mice lacking Nova-2, a neuronal-specific RNA binding protein that is an autoimmune target in paraneoplastic opsoclonus myoclonus ataxia (POMA) patients with latent cancer, reduced inhibitory control of movements, and dementia.
Intestinal and Systemic Immune Development and Response to Vaccination Are Unaffected by Dietary (1,3/1,6)-β-D-glucan Supplementation in Neonatal Piglets

Infants are susceptible to infections in early life and must rely on their innate immune system for protection. β-Glucans potentiate immune responses. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of purified yeast (1,3/1,6)-β-d-glucan (Wellmune WGP, here referred to as WGP) on the development of the gastrointestinal tract and the intestinal and systemic immune systems in neonatal piglets. Piglets were fed formula containing 0 (control), 1.8, 18, or 90 mg WGP/kg body weight (BW) and were vaccinated against human influenza. Piglets were euthanized at 7 or 21 days of age. Piglet weight and small intestinal length and weight were unaffected by dietary WGP. In addition, WGP did not affect ileal crypt depth, villus height, or ascending colon cuff depth. Immune parameters not affected by WGP supplementation included T cell phenotypes, cytokine gene expression, and cell proliferation. However, vaccination and developmental effects were seen. Overall, the doses of 1.8, 18, and 90 mg/kg BW of dietary WGP had no effect on intestinal or immune development and did not improve the antibody response to vaccination in neonatal piglets.
Doppler ultrasound imaging of magnetically vibrated brachytherapy seeds

Vibration induced by an alternating magnetic field is proposed as a method for the identification of modified brachytherapy seeds with Doppler ultrasound. In vitro experiments with agar and liver-tissue phantoms using a clinical scanner and simple apparatus demonstrate that the technique is feasible.
Autonomic Allocation of Communicating Virtual Machines in Hierarchical Cloud Data Centers

Cloud providers are typically hierarchically organized into interconnected data centers, each with a collection of racks of servers organized into clusters. The communication cost between two servers is a function of their relative location in the cloud infrastructure. Cloud consumers submit allocation requests for virtual machines, of different types and capacities, and provide an indication of the communication strength between all pairs of requested virtual machines. There is therefore a need for autonomic provisioning of virtual machines in a cloud environment. This paper formalizes the problem of finding an optimal allocation for the requested virtual machines that maximizes the cloud provider's revenue, which depend son how close the requested machines are allocated. This paper presents efficient heuristic algorithms for this NP-hard problem. Experiments show the heuristics to significantly outperform an allocation strategy that is oblivious to the communication strength between virtual machines. The proposed heuristics were also shown to generate between 80% and 90% of the optimal revenue.
Inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus by RhoA-derived peptides: implications for the development of improved antiviral agents targeting heparin-binding viruses

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) fusion glycoprotein (F) can interact with the small intracellular GTPase RhoA, and peptides derived from RhoA inhibit RSV replication. These observations initially suggested that RhoA-derived peptides might inhibit RSV replication by disrupting an in vivo interaction between RSV F and RhoA. However, recent data indicate that the antiviral activity of RhoAderived peptides is not due to competitive inhibition of an hypothesized F–RhoA interaction, but is rather a function of the peptides’ intrinsic biophysical properties. We summarize here what is known about the mechanism of RSV inhibition by these peptides and give our opinion regarding the potential implications of this work with regards to RSV biology, and to the development of antiviral agents targeting RSV and other enveloped viruses.
Kanji-to-Hiragana conversion based on a length-constrained n-gram analysis

A common problem in speech processing is the conversion of the written form of a language to a set of phonetic symbols representing the pronunciation. In this paper, we focus on an aspect of this problem specific to the Japanese language. Written Japanese consists of a mixture of three types of symbols: Kanji, Hiragana, and Katakana. We describe an algorithm for converting conventional Japanese orthography to a Hiragana-like symbol set that closely approximates the most common pronunciation of the text. The algorithm is based on two hypotheses: (1) the correct reading of a Kanji character can be determined by examining a small number of adjacent characters and (2) the number of such combinations required in a dictionary is manageable. The algorithm described here converts the input test by selecting the most probable sequence of orthographic units (n-grams) that can be concatenated to form the input text. In closed-set testing, the n-gram algorithm was shown to provide better performance than several public domain algorithms, achieving a sentence error rate of 3% on a wide range of text material. Though the focus of this paper is written Japanese, the pattern matching algorithm described here has applications to similar problems in other languages.
Establishing exceptionalism : historiography and the colonial Americas

Contents: Introduction: do the Americas have a comparable colonial history? A general view of the colonial history of the New World, Silvio Zavala The old regime in America: a review of recent interpretations of France in America, John C. Rule Society and economy in the British Caribbean during the 17th and 18th centuries, Jack P. Greene 'I did the best I could for my day': the study of early black history during the second reconstruction 1960 to 1976, Peter H. Wood The historiography of the Dutch in colonial America, Joyce D. Goodfriend The social history of colonial Spanish America: evolution and potential, James Lockhart Brazil: the colonial period, Stuart B. Schwartz Reconstructing British-American colonial history: an introduction, Jack P. Greene and J. R. Pole Some thoughts on colonial historians and American Indians, James H. Merrell Interpretive frameworks: the quest for intellectual order in early American history, Jack P. Greene The social and ethnic historiography of colonial Latin America: the last twenty years, John E. Kicza John Francis Bannon and the historiography of the Spanish borderlands: retrospect and prospect, David J. Weber The contact of cultures: perspectives on the Quincentenary, Ida Altman and Reginald D. Butler Index.
Noise robust model adaptation using linear spline interpolation

This paper presents a novel data-driven technique for performing acoustic model adaptation to noisy environments. In the presence of additive noise, the relationship between log mel spectra of speech, noise and noisy speech is nonlinear. Traditional methods linearize this relationship using the mode of the nonlinearity or use some other approximation. The approach presented in this paper models this nonlinear relationship using linear spline regression. In this method, the set of spline parameters that minimizes the error between the predicted and actual noisy speech features is learned from training data, and used at runtime to adapt clean acoustic model parameters to the current noise conditions. Experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of the system on the Aurora 2 task. Results show that the proposed adaptation algorithm (word accuracy 89.22%) outperforms VTS model adaptation (word accuracy 88.38%).
A polymorphic X-linked tetranucleotide repeat locus displaying a high rate of new mutation: implications for mechanisms of mutation at short tandem repeat loci

We report a high rate of new mutation at a short tandem repeat sequence polymorphism (STR, microsatellite) at locus DXS981 on the proximal long arm of the human X chromosome. Among individuals of the CEPH pedigrees, new allele lengths are detected at this tetranucleotide repeat with a frequency of approximately 1.5%. In cases where the origin of the new allele was traceable, new mutant alleles at DXS981 varied by exactly one repeat length (4 bp) relative to that on the originating parental chromosome. Complete linkage disequilibrium between two additional insertion/deletion polymorphisms which closely flank the variation at the tetranucleotide repeat suggests that, to the extent that these new mutants are germline in origin, they are not generated by unequal exchange between homologues. Considered in light of the types of new mutations detected and the substantial linkage disequilibrium at this locus, these data have implications for the mechanism of variation at other loci containing short tandemly repeated sequences.
Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in polyposis syndromes: familial polyposis coli and Gardner's syndrome

Poor patient cooperation complicated one procedure (2%). As a result of the endoscopic polypectomy findings, laparotomy with gastric wedge resection was performed on four patients in whom three carcinoid tumors and one leiomyoma were found. Follow-up examinations in over 50% of patients revealed no new polyp formation or change in existing polyps in 92%. Hyperplastic polyps without associated malignancy recurred twice in the same patient. No adenomatous polyps recurred. Complications that can ensue from endoscopic gastric polypectomy are perforation, hemorrhage, and the development of a symptomatic ulcer. In one study,15 all patients were submitted to follow-up endoscopy and 18% had a residual ulcer 1 week postpolypectomy; all ulcers healed by the eighth week of follow-up. Lanza et al. 18 has recommended an ulcer therapy program for 2 weeks following an upper gastrointestinal polypectomy, and we routinely prescribe an Hz antagonist for 2 weeks after polypectomy.
Effects of Tai Chi and Western Exercise on Physical and Cognitive Functioning in Healthy Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Objective: To compare the effects of Tai Chi (TC, n = 37) and Western exercise (WE, n = 39) with an attention-control group (C, n = 56) on physical and cognitive functioning in healthy adults age 69 ± 5.8 yr, in a 2-phase randomized trial. Methods: TC and WE involved combined class and home-based protocols. Physical functioning included balance, strength, flexibility, and cardiorespiratory endurance. Cognitive functioning included semantic fluency and digit-span tests. Data were analyzed using intention-to-treat analysis. Results: At 6 mo, WE had greater improvements in upper body flexibility (F = 4.67, p = .01) than TC and C. TC had greater improvements in balance (F = 3.36, p = .04) and a cognitive-function measure (F = 7.75, p < .001) than WE and C. The differential cognitive-function improvements observed in TC were maintained through 12 mo. Conclusion: The TC and WE interventions resulted in differential improvements in physical functioning among generally healthy older adults. TC led to improvement ...
Change detection with heterogeneous data using ecoregional stratification, statistical summaries and a land allocation algorithm

A ca. 1980 national-scale land-cover classification based on aerial photo interpretation was combined with 2000 AVHRR satellite imagery to derive land cover and land-cover change information for forest, urban, and agriculture categories over a seven-state region in the U.S. To derive useful land-cover change data using a heterogeneous dataset and to validate our results, we a) stratified the classification using predefined ecoregions, b) developed statistical relationships by ecoregion between land-cover proportions derived from the 1980 national level classification and aggregate statistical data that were available in time series for all regions in the U.S., c) classified multi-temporal AVHRR data using a process that constrained the results to the estimated proportions of land covers in ecoregions within a multi-objective land allocation (MOLA) procedure, d) interpreted land cover from a sample of aerial photographs from 2000, following the protocols used to produce the 1980 classification for use in accuracy assessment of land cover and land-cover change data, and e) compared land cover and land-cover change results for the MOLA method with an unsupervised classification alone. Overall accuracies for the 2000 MOLA and unsupervised land-cover classifications were 85% and 82%, respectively. On average, the 1980-2000 land-cover change RMSEs were one order of magnitude lower using the MOLA method compared with those based on the unsupervised data.
An event-driven multi-agent middleware architecture and protocol design for intelligent geographically distributed battlefield training, modeling and simulation

In this paper we present a distributed event driven middleware architecture for situational awareness and intelligent decision making for command and control of geographically distributed networked battlefield agents. We tackle the important and challenging issues of distributed agents scheduling, synchronization, load balancing, and terrain database distribution/management/allocation in a distributed virtual battlefield environment. Here, battlefield agents have a limited knowledge of the global terrain environment and exchange information over a distributed network. We propose a terrain partitioning and dynamic scheduling algorithms, where scheduling of agents on different nodes depends on the geographic distribution and locations of the agent entities in the terrain. In the proposed algorithm, agents with common goals and interest are grouped together to run on the same computing node. The aim here is to reduce the communication network latency cost between different nodes and to increase efficiency and overall system computational performance. In particular, the proposed scheduling and load balancing algorithm makes use of the idea that entities that are geographically located close to and closely related to each other, e.g all entities in the same troop, will communicate more with each other. In this instance, scheduling the agents representing these entities to run on the same node will reduce the communication cost. We also propose a communication protocol between the networked distributed agents as well as describe a method to tackle the important issue of battlefield terrain division and dynamic allocation/re-allocation of resources in the distributed computing environment. Finally, experimental results are presented to show the value and potential of the proposed method.
HveC (nectin-1) is expressed at high levels in sensory neurons, but not in motor neurons, of the rat peripheral nervous system

The entry of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 into cells is a complex process mediated in part by the binding of the HSV glycoprotein D (gD) to a specific cellular receptor identified as HveC, or nectin-1. We examined the distribution of HveC in sensory and motor neurons of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) by immunocytochemistry. HveC is expressed at high levels in sensory neurons of dorsal root ganglion and their peripheral axons, at lower levels in motor neurons of spinal cord, and without detectable expression in motor nerve terminals at the neuromuscular junction. These results have implications regarding the tropism of HSV to specific neuronal populations, and for the construction of HSV-based vectors for the peripheral nervous system.
Moderating influences of baseline activity levels in school physical activity programming for children: the Ready for Recess project

A limitation of traditional outcome studies from behavioral interventions is the lack of attention given to evaluating the influence of moderating variables. This study examined possible moderation effect of baseline activity levels on physical activity change as a result of the Ready for Recess intervention. Ready for Recess (August 2009-September 2010) was a controlled trial with twelve schools randomly assigned to one of four conditions: control group, staff supervision, equipment availability, and the combination of staff supervision and equipment availability. A total of 393 children (181 boys and 212 girls) from grades 3 through 6 (8–11 years old) were asked to wear an Actigraph monitor during school time on 4–5 days of the week. Assessments were conducted at baseline (before intervention) and post intervention (after intervention). Initial MVPA moderated the effect of Staff supervision (β = −0.47%; p .05). Participants in the Staff condition that were 1 standard deviation (SD) below the mean for baseline MVPA (classified as “low active”) had lower MVPA levels at post-intervention when compared with their low active peers in the control condition (Mean diff = −10.8 ± 2.9%; p = .005). High active individuals (+1SD above the mean) in the Equipment treatment also had lower MVPA values at post-intervention when compared with their highly active peers in the control group (Mean diff = −9.5 ± 2.9%; p = .009). These results indicate that changes in MVPA levels at post-intervention were reduced in highly active participants when recess staff supervision was provided. In this study, initial MVPA moderated the effect of Staff supervision on children’s MVPA after 6 months of intervention. Staff training should include how to work with inactive youth but also how to assure that active children remain active.
A Brief Ode to the Empirical Likelihood Concept

robust likelihood-type techniques. Towards this end, the modern biostatistical literature has shifted focus towards robust and efficient nonparametric likelihood methods [2]. The empirical likelihood (EL) methodology employs the likelihood concept in a distribution-free manner, approximating optimal parametric likelihood-based procedures. Since EL techniques and parametric likelihood methods are closely related concepts, one may apply corresponding EL functions to replace their parametric likelihood counterparts in known and well developed parametric procedures, e.g. constructing novel nonparametric Bayesian inference [3] and the confidence interval estimation [4]. This provides the impetus for an impressive expansion in the number of EL developments based on combinations of likelihoods of different types, e.g., when incomplete data should be analyzed, nonparametric likelihood ratio techniques can be combined with parametric likelihoods [5]. The classical EL methodology, which is a distribution functionbased approach, has been shown to have attractive properties for testing hypotheses regarding parameters (e.g. moments) of distributions [6]. In practice, statisticians commonly face a variety of distribution-free comparisons and/or evaluations over all distribution functions of complete and incomplete data subject to different types of measurement errors. In these frameworks, the density-based EL methodology is shown to be very efficient [710]. According to the Neyman-Pearson lemma, the most powerful test statistics have structures that are related to density-based likelihood ratios. The density-based EL method can be easily and satisfactorily applied to construct highly efficient test procedures, approximating non-parametrically most powerful NeymanPearson test-rules, given aims of clinical studies. Similarly to the parametric likelihood concept, the EL methodology provides relatively simple strategies to construct powerful statistical tests that can be applied in various complex biostatistical studies. The extreme generality of EL methods and their wide ranges of usefulness partly result from the simple derivation of the EL statistics as components of composite parametric and nonparametric likelihood based systems, efficiently attending to any observed data and relevant information. The EL based methods are employed in much of modern biostatistical practice.
T cell antigen receptor activation and actin cytoskeleton remodeling.

T cells constitute a crucial arm of the adaptive immune system and their optimal function is required for a healthy immune response. After the initial step of T cell-receptor (TCR) triggering by antigenic peptide complexes on antigen presenting cell (APC), the T cell exhibits extensive cytoskeletal remodeling. This cytoskeletal remodeling leads to the formation of an "immunological synapse" [1] characterized by regulated clustering, segregation and movement of receptors at the interface. Synapse formation regulates T cell activation and response to antigenic peptides and proceeds via feedback between actin cytoskeleton and TCR signaling. Actin polymerization participates in various events during the synapse formation, maturation, and eventually its disassembly. There is increasing knowledge about the actin effectors that couple TCR activation to actin rearrangements [2,3], and how defects in these effectors translate into impairment of T cell activation. In this review we aim to summarize and integrate parts of what is currently known about this feedback process. In addition, in light of recent advancements in our understanding of TCR triggering and translocation at the synapse, we speculate on the organizational and functional diversity of microfilament architecture in the T cell. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Reciprocal influences between cell cytoskeleton and membrane channels, receptors and transporters. Guest Editor: Jean Claude Herve.
Human Dignity in Comparative Constitutional Context: In Search of an Overlapping Consensus

The concept of human dignity plays an important role in ordinary conversations and legal and political theories. It also occupies a prominent place in numerous national constitutions and international conventions. Yet, it is not always clear what the concept means or entails. The author, in an earlier work, argued that in a world of plural values and ethical commitments a top-down approach, whether philosophical or religious, is unlikely to provide us with a common standard for deciding what it means to dignify humans or to subject them to indignities. Building on the earlier work, this article argues that the best way to understand the scope and content of human dignity is to engage in a bottom-up inquiry, carefully describing the choices communities make in the name of human dignity. The purpose of such inquiry is to see whether there are patterns in the usage that suggest that there is a convergence of, an overlapping consensus on, an understanding of the phrase that could be appropriated as a standard of measurement in intercultural and intersystem conversations and critiques. Focusing on references to human dignity in national constitutions, the article shows that there are in fact patterns of usage that suggest the existence of a consensus on speciﬁc understandings of dignity.
Tuning RNA Flexibility with Helix Length and Junction Sequence.

The increasing awareness of RNA's central role in biology calls for a new understanding of how RNAs, like proteins, recognize biological partners. Because RNA is inherently flexible, it assumes a variety of conformations. This conformational flexibility can be a critical aspect of how RNA attracts and binds molecular partners. Structurally, RNA consists of rigid basepaired duplexes, separated by flexible non-basepaired regions. Here, using an RNA system consisting of two short helices, connected by a single-stranded (non-basepaired) junction, we explore the role of helix length and junction sequence in determining the range of conformations available to a model RNA. Single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer reports on the RNA conformation as a function of either mono- or divalent ion concentration. Electrostatic repulsion between helices dominates at low salt concentration, whereas junction sequence effects determine the conformations at high salt concentration. Near physiological salt concentrations, RNA conformation is sensitive to both helix length and junction sequence, suggesting a means for sensitively tuning RNA conformations.
Polarized Protestants: A Confessional Explanation for Party Polarization

I explain the increasing party polarization of members of Congress over the last 40 years by examining changes in the religious makeup of the parties’ congressional contingents. Conservative evangelicals have exited the Democratic Party and entered the Republican Party, being replaced by more liberal members of mainline or black Protestant denominations. In measuring the impact of members’ personal religious orientations on polarization, this argument differs from the existing literature, which has focused on institutional or constituency explanations — most prominently, rising inequality. Using two original datasets on members’ church membership and the religious affiliations of constituents, I find that, in the aggregate, the relative size of the parties’ evangelical contingents is highly correlated with party polarization, and that, at the individual level, evangelical members vote more conservatively than members of other denominations, when controlling for party, district religious demographics and other relevant factors. The results cast doubt on inequality as a source of polarization and question whether the conventional wisdom about evangelicals’ involvement in politics is applicable to evangelicals in Congress.
4D microscope-integrated OCT improves accuracy of ophthalmic surgical maneuvers

Ophthalmic surgeons manipulate micron-scale tissues using stereopsis through an operating microscope and instrument shadowing for depth perception. While ophthalmic microsurgery has benefitted from rapid advances in instrumentation and techniques, the basic principles of the stereo operating microscope have not changed since the 1930’s. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) has revolutionized ophthalmic imaging and is now the gold standard for preoperative and postoperative evaluation of most retinal and many corneal procedures. We and others have developed initial microscope-integrated OCT (MIOCT) systems for concurrent OCT and operating microscope imaging, but these are limited to 2D real-time imaging and require offline post-processing for 3D rendering and visualization. Our previously presented 4D MIOCT system can record and display the 3D surgical field stereoscopically through the microscope oculars using a dual-channel heads-up display (HUD) at up to 10 micron-scale volumes per second. In this work, we show that 4D MIOCT guidance improves the accuracy of depth-based microsurgical maneuvers (with statistical significance) in mock surgery trials in a wet lab environment. Additionally, 4D MIOCT was successfully performed in 38/45 (84%) posterior and 14/14 (100%) anterior eye human surgeries, and revealed previously unrecognized lesions that were invisible through the operating microscope. These lesions, such as residual and potentially damaging retinal deformation during pathologic membrane peeling, were visualized in real-time by the surgeon. Our integrated system provides an enhanced 4D surgical visualization platform that can improve current ophthalmic surgical practice and may help develop and refine future microsurgical techniques.
Island Learning Systems Ben Garrison: CEO

The key figure in the case has been CEO for several years. The organization has improved over that time. The CEO has received very negative feedback from an employee attitude survey. The questions are what does he do with the information? What does his board do?
Spirituality and religion among lesbian women diagnosed with cancer: A qualitative study

Abstract This pilot qualitative study explored experiences and effects of spirituality and religion among lesbians diagnosed with cancer. A convenience sample of eight self-identified lesbians diagnosed with cancer responded to advertisements for the study. Each woman was interviewed, and interview transcripts were analyzed thematically. The results indicated that all participants found support in spirituality, though definitions of this term varied. Five women found religion supportive, but not one participant still worshipped in the tradition in which she was raised. The participants' identification as lesbian affected their relationships with all sources of support, including spirituality and religion. This finding suggests that clinicians working with cancer survivors should include spiritual and religious beliefs in their assessments and treatment planning, and further research on the experiences of lesbians with cancer is needed.
Cholesterol inhibition of streptolysin O toxicity for myocardial cells in tissue culture.

AbstractCholesterol has been shown to inhibit the hemolytic activity and the immunogenicity of streptolysin O. It has been found that in tissue culture, cholesterol also protects spontaneously contracting rat myocardial cells from the cytotoxic injury caused by streptolysin O.
Teacher Migration: Extension and Application of the Population Ecology Model to Explore Teacher Transfers in a Reform Environment

This article assesses the association between the Title I School Improvement Grant (SIG) program’s personnel replacement policy and teacher employment patterns within an urban school district. Hann...
Characteristics of antinociceptive effects of choline in central nervous system in mice

AIM: To investigate the characteristics of the antinociceptive effects of choline in central nervous system (CNS) in mice. METHODS: Hot-plate test (icv) was used to study the antinociceptive effects of choline, the influences of many antagonists on the antinociceptive effects of choline were observed, the potential mechanisms underlying the antinociceptive effects of choline were discussed. RESULTS: With the administration of choline 90 - 120 μg per mouse, antinociceptive effects showed in a dose-dependent manner. MLA(50μg permouse), α-BTX(2 μg per mouse) and atropine(0.1 μg per mouse) significantly blocked the effect of choline; mecamylamine(5μg per mouse) and naloxone(2μg per mouse) failed to block choline-induced antinociception. CONCLUTION: Choline-induced antinociception is mediated by α7-nAchR subtype, while mAchR seems to be related to choline-induced antinociception.
Laboratory application of ELISA-antigen and antibody combined detection methods with genital herpes

Objective: To explore an effective laboratory method for early rapid diagnosis of genital herpes(GH).Methods: 500 cases of outpatients with GH who had been confirmed being infected with herpes simplex virus type 2(HSV-Ⅱ) in clinic and 200 outpatients who had never been infected with HSV-Ⅱ were enrolled into the study.Secretion was collected for HSV-Ⅱ antigen detection and cell culture,Serum was collected for HSV-Ⅱ IgM and IgG.Results: Specificities of cell culture,antigen and antibody detection were 100.0%,98.0%,97.5%,respectively.Comparing the antigen and antibody detection methods to the cell culture,respectively,no statistics significant differences was found(all P0.10);Sensitivities were 71.8%,88.0%,84.0%,respectively,with statistically significant differences among those using the antigen and antibody detection methods and cell culture method(all P0.005).In the blisters(impetigo)-type group,the sensitivities were 77.6%,98.5% and 76.4%,respectively;in the erosion scar-type and atypical GH group,the sensitivities were 60.6%,67.6%,98.8%,respectively.Conclusion: It is an ideal way to detect ELISA-HSV-Ⅱ antigen in blisters(pustular) patients,and to detect HSV-Ⅱ-IgM and IgG in erosion scar-type and atypical GH by ELISA.
Prostatic and Periprostatic Interstitial Temperature Measurements in Patients Treated with Transrectal Thermal Therapy (Local Intracavitary Microwave Hyperthermia)

AbstractOne of the questions raised regarding the use of transrectal thermal therapy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is whether there is a uniform and safe temperature distribution within the prostate. Our study represents the first attempt in humans to map the interstitial thermal distribution in the prostate during transrectal thermal therapy. With the patient under local anesthesia and under ultrasound guidance, a transperineal 3-point thermocouple was placed into various areas of the prostate in 15 patients. Prostatic-urethral thermocouple distance ranged from 1 to 3cm. A urethral catheter containing a 5-point linear array thermocouple was placed and the balloon was inflated so that the proximal point was at the bladder neck and the remaining points were at 1cm. intervals along the prostatic urethra. Power (25 watts) was delivered via the Primus (Technomatix) transrectal microwave applicator with simultaneous cooling of the rectal mucosa (between 12 and 14C). Treatment was deliv...
A Comparison of the Iron-Clearing Properties of Parabactin and Desferrioxamine

A comparative study of the iron-clearing properties of subcutaneously administered desferrioxamine and parabactin is presented. The evaluation was performed in both a non-iron-overloaded bile-duct cannulated rat and an iron-loaded Cebus monkey model. Parabactin was superior to desferrioxamine in both the rodent and the primate. Unlike desferrioxamine, nearly all of the parabactin-induced iron clearance occurred in the bile. This study represents an evaluation of the iron- clearing properties of parabactin, a hexacoordinate catecholamide siderophore.
Cover and Table of Contents for Volume 68: Special Issue on Rutgers' 250th Anniversary Part Two

The cover image is a New York dollar, 1780, co-signed by Henry Rutgers. Source: R-Memorabilia (53/DO/132)
Using Photography to Foster Intergenerational Understanding

AbstractThis study examines how a visual art academic experience might help to reduce anxiety about interactions with the elderly, mitigate fears over aging, encourage more interactions with older people and improve visual literacy skills. University students in an introductory digital photography course interpreted conversations with residents of a local nursing home with visual images. An analysis of critique discussions and student images reveals the project’s capacity for building empathy and visual literacy. This academic experience might help to mitigate students’ fears over aging while establishing intergenerational communication.
Identification of Antagonists Selective for Sigma Receptor Subtypes that are Active In vivo.

σRs have been mischaracterized [2-4] and were initially thought to be opioid receptor subtypes [5]. They have been classified into two subtypes based on specific radioligand binding assays using [3H](+)pentazocine for σ1Rs and [3H]1,3-di-o-tolylguanidine ([3H]DTG), in the presence of (+)-pentazocine to mask the σ1R, for σ2Rs [6-11] (Table 1). The σ1R has already been cloned and is a 25-29 kDa intracellular chaperone protein composed of 223 amino acids [12-14]. In contrast, the [3H](+)-pentazocine-inaccessible σR, the σ2R, is an 18–21 kDa protein that has not yet been cloned. Until recently, there have been no reports of antagonists that are selective for either receptor subtype or that are active in vivo, probably because of the lack of reliable in vivo assays for σR subtypes. The paper by Katz et al. [1] finally identifies antagonists selective for σR subtypes [1] that are active in vivo.
Moisture, anisotropy, stress state, and strain rate effects on bighorn sheep horn keratin mechanical properties

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of moisture, anisotropy, stress state, and strain rate on the mechanical properties of the bighorn sheep ( Ovis Canadensis ) horn keratin. The horns consist of fibrous keratin tubules extending along the length of the horn and are contained within an amorphous keratin matrix. Samples were tested in the rehydrated (35 wt% water) and ambient dry (10 wt% water) conditions along the longitudinal and radial directions under tension and compression. Increased moisture content was found to increase ductility and decrease strength, as well as alter the stress state dependent nature of the material. The horn keratin demonstrates a significant strain rate dependence in both tension and compression, and also showed increased energy absorption in the hydrated condition at high strain rates when compared to quasi-static data, with increases of 114% in tension and 192% in compression. Compressive failure occurred by lamellar buckling in the longitudinal orientation followed by shear delamination. Tensile failure in the longitudinal orientation occurred by lamellar delamination combined with tubule pullout and fracture. The structure-property relationships quantified here for bighorn sheep horn keratin can be used to help validate finite element simulations of ram’s impacting each other as well as being useful for other analysis regarding horn keratin on other animals. Statement of Significance The horn of the bighorn sheep is an anisotropic composite composed of keratin that is highly sensitive to moisture content. Keratin is also found in many other animals in the form of hooves, claws, beaks, and feathers. Only one previous study contains high rate experimental data, which was performed in the dry condition and only in compression. Considering the bighorn sheep horns’ protective role in high speed impacts along with the moisture and strain rate sensitivity, more high strain rate data is needed to fully characterize and model the material. This study provides high strain rate results demonstrating the effects of moisture, anisotropy, and stress state. As a result, the comprehensive data allows modeling efforts to be greatly improved.
Let the games begin: social media and creative citizenship during London’s Olympic #savethesurprise campaign

ABSTRACTThis paper analyzes #savethesurprise, the hugely successful social media campaign launched prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games. In brief, #savethesurprise helped to persuade over 100,000 audience members not to divulge on social media any of what they saw during the two, live dress rehearsals of the Games’ opening ceremony; this ceremony then went on to become a part of the most watched television event in history. To explore how and why the campaign worked, this paper introduces the concept of ‘architectures of participation’ (AoP). AoP are socio-technical structures and practices that shape the ways in which people and organizations co-construct events and realities via communication. By applying this concept to the #savethesurprise campaign, this paper presents a participatory architecture undergirded by strong legal, technical and social layers. Furthermore, a sense of creative citizenship and fair play emerge as key audience motivators.
Using Tax Increment Financing to Fund Public Transportation: Enabling Environment and Equity Impacts:

Through a review of three public transport projects developed across the United States using tax increment financing (TIF) revenues, this article examines the robustness of state- and local-level enabling statutes and the strategies used to minimize TIF’s horizontal and vertical inequities. The article finds that although TIF is widely used to fund transit-related facilities, such as rail lines and train stations, it is not used to purchase or maintain the rolling stock (e.g., train cars and buses). Furthermore, the use of TIF revenues for public transport enhances vertical equity to the extent that public transit users are likely to have lower incomes than auto users. However, in all case study projects, TIF primarily helped develop rail projects, not bus systems, with the latter more likely to be used by lower income people. Finally, setting aside TIF funds for affordable housing, job training, and relocation and rehabilitation can help reduce vertical inequities.
Students May Demonstrate Information Literacy Skills Following Library Instruction

A Review of: Luetkenhaus, H., Hvizdak, E., Johnson, C., & Schiller, N. (2017). Measuring library impacts through first year course assessment. Communications in Information Literacy, 11(2), 339-353. http://comminfolit.org/index.php Abstract Objective – To determine whether there is a correlation between information literacy skill development and participation in one or more library instruction sessions. Design – Learning outcomes assessment. Setting – A public research institution with multiple campuses. Subjects – 244 first-year undergraduates enrolled in a compulsory general education course during the 2014-2015 academic year. All subjects completed a series of library research assignments, followed by a final research paper. 65% of subjects participated in at least one library instruction session as part of the course, and 35% did not. Methods – The researchers convened six librarians and six instructors/faculty to score 244 research papers using a rubric designed to measure six possible information literacy learning outcomes. Evaluators established inter-rater reliability through a norming session, and each artifact was scored twice. The authors analyzed rubric scores using Ordinary Least Squares regression modeling. Main Results – Participation in a library instruction session correlated with higher rubric scores in three information literacy learning outcomes: argument building; source type integration; and ethical source citation. Conclusion – Students may achieve greater information literacy learning outcomes when they participate in course-integrated library instruction.
Urban American Indians

Over extensive areas of America, Native people lived urbanized lives for thousands of years. The majority of American Indians (78%) are currently urban residents. Urban American Indians challenge inaccurate ideas that American Indians only exist in the past, and only reside on reservations. Urban American Indian identity is based on multigenerational urban Indian families and communities, with a strong base of American Indian non-profit institutions that support cultural and social needs.
Saying What the Law is: Measuring Judicial Review

In this paper, we propose a comprehensive technique to accurately measure the various options judges have when exercising their power of judicial review. We begin with a discussion of the problems with the way judicial review has been conceptualized, namely as a dichotomous — uphold or strike down — choice. We then propose a new way to operationalize judicial review. Our nuanced measure considers both narrow and broad variants of upholding or striking behavior. We identify five distinct categories: (1) Uphold Broadly, (2) Uphold Narrowly, (3) Strike Down As Applied (4) Strike Down On Face Narrowly, and (5) Strike Down On Face Broadly. We then explicate our measure through a detailed examination of illustrative Supreme Court decisions for each category. We also present preliminary results from data we coded for all of the decisions of the Roberts Court from the 2005-2011 terms that involved judicial review of federal law. We find that the Court rules narrowly far more often than it rules broadly, that ideologically moderate justices rule more narrowly than do their ideologically extreme colleagues, and that the Roberts Court has only been able to achieve unanimity by ruling narrowly. Ultimately, we suggest that our more nuanced measure of judicial review will help us better understand judicial decision making, particularly as it relates to separation-of-powers questions and the broader impact of lawmaking and policymaking decisions in Congress and the executive branch. Understanding the choices justices face when voting to dispose of a case will also help our understanding of choices justices make in the decision-making process.
Comments on “Search, Information, Market Structure”

When Bob Leiter called to invite me to participate in this conference on the “Economics of Information,” I knew immediately that I could not decline. After all, it has become fashionable among economists to talk about various “tastes” such as the “taste for risk”, “ ”the taste for discrimination, “the taste for having children”, and so forth. Now if there is anything professors are supposed to have, it is a “taste for information. ” But even students should have that. What differentiates us is that we have a “taste” to spew out or talk about information. True to my profession, I am here to discuss information.