cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lignin valorization by forming toughened lignin-co-polymers: Development of hyperbranched prepolymers for cross-linking

Abstract The preparation of hyperbranched polymers from a unique combination of commercially available A2, B3 and CB13-type monomers is presented. Direct melt condensation of aliphatic dicarboxylic acid (A2) to compounds having trihydroxy groups ((B3), triethanolamine) and trihydroxy-monoamino groups ((CB13), tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane) led to a series of hyperbranched polyesters with amine cores and amide linkages. Because of the monomers availability and simplicity of the synthetic process, hyperbranched poly(ester-amine-amide) (HBPEAA) materials can be readily scaled up. This approach was used to synthesize series of prepolymers with varying degree of branching (DB) and distance between branching points. Taking the advantage of reactivity differences of COOH with the NH2 and OH groups, the hyperbranched polymer with different arrangement of amide linkage along the network was synthesized. The influence of reaction conditions such as monomer compositions, temperature and mode of mixing on the polymerization was examined. The DB of the HBPEAA (0.46–0.63) was dependant on the synthetic route. The HBPEAA exhibited moderate molecular weights as determined by NMR and ESI-MS. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the prepolymers exhibit reasonable thermal stability. The synthesized prepolymer was successfully utilized to copolymerize with 40% lignin to form toughened elastomeric materials with tensile strength of 12 MPa, Young's modulus of 33 MPa and 149% elongation.
The size distribution of Pacific Seamounts

An analysis of wide-beam, Sea Beam and map-count data in the eastern and southern Pacific confirms the hypothesis that the average number of "ordinary" seamounts with summit heights h ≥ H can be approximated by the exponential frequency-size distribution: v(H) = vo e−βH. The exponential model, characterized by the single scale parameter β−1, is found to be superior to a power-law (self-similar) model. The exponential model provides a good first-order description of the summit-height distribution over a very broad spectrum of seamount sizes, from small cones (h 3500 m). The distribution parameters obtained from 157,000 km of wide-beam profiles in the eastern and southern Pacific Ocean are vo = (5.4 ± 0.65) × 10−9m−2 and β = (3.5 ± 0.21) × 10−3 m−1, yielding an average of 5400 ± 650 seamounts per million square kilometers, of which 170 ± 17 are greater than one kilometer in height. The exponential distribution provides a reference for investigating the populations of not-so-ordinary seamounts, such as those on hotspot swells and near fracture zones, and seamounts in other ocean basins. If we assume that volcano height is determined by a hydraulic head proportional to the source depth of the magma column, then our observations imply an approximately exponential distribution of source depths. For reasonable values of magma and crustal densities, a volcano with the characteristic height β−1 = 285 m has an apparent source depth on the order of the crustal thickness.
Protestant religious experience and the rise of American sociology: Evidence from the Bernard papers

Historians of sociology have long recognized the Protestant ambience within which the discipline emerged in the United States. Autobiographies elicited by L. L. Bernard in the 1920s and 1930s provide insight into the impact of this background on early American sociologists. In addition to confirming the importance of mainstream Protestantism, the autobiographies reveal a multitude of identity strategies adopted by those who came to call themselves sociologists. In negotiating the relation of religious and secular spheres, some abandoned religion en route to a sociological career. Others became sociologists of religion, separated value-laden (religious) aspects of their lives from value-neutral (sociological) endeavors, created a sociologically informed mode of Protestantism, or molded a Protestant sociology.
FPGA Software Architecture for Software Defined Radio

Abstract For working out the problem of waveform portability on the FPGA, this paper firstly comes up with the structural of platform abstraction layer on the FPGA, and then improves the standard message format of modem hardware abstraction layer. Lastly, this paper discusses the connection model which influences the resource consumption and the working efficiency about the platform abstraction layer, and compares the many-to-one connection model with the one-to-one connection model, draws a conclusion that oneto- one connection model is more suitable. Platform abstraction layer on the FPGA totally solves the problem of waveform portability, covering great significant in cutting down the cost of software defined radio system exploitation and improving the reconfigurability of the software defined radio system.
Strategies for teaching loss, grief, and bereavement.

Teaching loss, grief, and bereavement to nursing students should be an interactive process to stimulate critical thinking and address the affective domain of learning. Lecture as a teaching methodology may be the easiest to prepare and deliver; however, used alone, it is ineffective in identifying p
Retrospective study of morbidity and mortality of captive jaguars (Panthera onca) in North America: 1982–2002

One hundred seventy-two medical records of captive jaguars (Panthera onca) were examined from 30 American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) institutions housing jaguars between 1982–2002. The study determined common causes of morbidity and mortality, and the influence of age, gender, and melengestrol-acetate (MGA) exposure on these rates. The most common causes of morbidity in captive jaguars were found to be dental, gastrointestinal, integumentary, and musculoskeletal diseases. Prevalence of types of disease varied with age, with older animals experiencing a higher prevalence of multiple types of disease. Females developed reproductive disease more frequently than males, and the data suggest that MGA exposure increased the risk of developing female reproductive disease. The most common causes of mortality were reproductive diseases in females and musculoskeletal diseases in males. There was a high rate of neonate and pediatric mortality, primarily due to stillbirths or unexplained neonatal death, trauma, and pneumonia. Other diseases or clinical signs that seemed remarkable were a high prevalence of episodes of epistaxis among young, as well as old, jaguars. Based on these findings, management suggestions for the captive jaguar population are presented. Zoo Biol 25:501–512, 2006. c 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Results of Immediate Breast Reconstruction After Skin-Sparing Mastectomy

Skin sparing mastectomy (SSM) removes the breast, nipple-areolar complex, previous biopsy incisions, and skin overlying superficial tumors. Preservation of the native skin envelope facilitates immediate breast reconstruction. The procedure has been adopted for the treatment of breast cancer. All cases of SSM and immediate breast reconstruction performed by the senior author (G.W.C.) from January 1, 1993, through December 12, 1997, were reviewed. Patient demographics, cancer staging, treatment, types of surgery performed, and postoperative outcomes were examined. Aesthetic outcomes were measured using four 3-point subscales. A total of 100 patients underwent 118 SSMs during the study period. The American Joint Committee on Cancer staging was as follows: stage 0, 27 patients; stage I, 25 patients; stage II, 39 patients; stage III, 7 patients; stage IV, 3 patients; recurrent, 2 patients; and cystosarcoma phylloides, 1 patient. The mean follow-up was 42.7 months. Local recurrence occurred in 2 patients (2.7%). Reconstructive methods included the transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous flap (N = 82; pedicled, 73; free, 9), the latissimus flap (N = 18), and tissue expansion (N = 20). Two patients underwent contralateral delayed reconstruction. The aesthetic results achievable with the three methods were similar. The failure rate was higher for expander reconstruction (10%) than those observed for transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (4.9%) and latissimus (5.6%) flaps. SSM can be used in the treatment of invasive breast cancer without compromising local control. The aesthetic results of the three methods were similar, but tissue expander reconstruction had a higher failure rate.
Associative symmetry as measured in the B-Ar paradigm: A stage analysis

The principle of associative symmetry was examined by using the indirect measure of the B-Ar paradigm. Sixty Ss were randomly assigned to three paradigmatic conditions (C-D, A-Br, B-Ar). The results indicated that bidirectional learning may be asymmetrical when the learning is viewed in stages.
Lanthanide induced 17O NMR shifts of diastereotopic oxygen atoms in 1-thiadecalin 1,1-dioxide and related compounds

Abstract Lanthanide-induced 17 O NMR shifts of diastereotopic sulfonyl oxygens provide a basis for determining equilibrium constants between diastereomeric Ln·sulfone complexes.
Effects of d-amphetamine and cocaine on repeated acquisition with timeout from avoidance☆

The acute effects of d-amphetamine and cocaine on a repeated acquisition baseline with timeout from avoidance were investigated in two rats. Each session the animals acquired one of two different three-member response sequences. Each sequence member was associated with a different response lever. The first two correct responses of each sequence postponed shock for a fixed period of time. The third correct response initiated a signalled timeout (30 sec) from avoidance. Incorrect responses did not postpone shock. The baseline performance was characterized by a decrease in errors within each session, similar to patterns of repeated acquisition maintained by food. In comparison to control sessions, both d-amphetamine and cocaine increased errors and altered the pattern of within-session acquisition. d-Amphetamine increased the rate of sequence completion and the rate of shock delivery in both animals. Cocaine increased the rate of sequence completion in one animal and increased the rate of shock delivery for the other.
Cryogenic characterization and testing of magnetically-actuated microshutter arrays for the James Webb Space Telescope

Two-dimensional MEMS microshutter arrays (MSA) have been fabricated at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to enable cryogenic (~35 K) spectrographic astronomy measurements at near-infrared wavelengths. Functioning as a focal plane object selection device, the MSA is a 2D programmable aperture mask with fine resolution, high efficiency and high contrast. The MSA are close-packed silicon nitride shutters (cell size of 100 µm × 200 µm) patterned with a torsion flexure to allow their opening to 90°. A layer of magnetic material is deposited onto each shutter to permit magnetic actuation. Two electrodes are deposited, one onto each shutter and another onto the support structure side-wall, permitting electrostatic latching and 2D addressing. New techniques were developed to test MSA under mission-similar conditions (8 K ≤ T < 300 K). The 'magnetic rotisserie' has proven to be an excellent tool for rapid characterization of MSA. Tests conducted with the magnetic rotisserie method include accelerated cryogenic lifetesting of unpackaged 128 × 64 MSA and parallel measurement of the magneto-mechanical stiffness of shutters in 'pathfinder' test samples containing multiple MSA designs. Lifetest results indicate a logarithmic failure rate out to ~106 shutter actuations. These results have increased our understanding of failure mechanisms and provide a means to predict the overall reliability of MSA devices.
Economic Nationalism, Economic Development, and the State

In this paper, a nation's economic interest is defined as an ideology which promotes the economic restructuring of the domestic economy which is Pareto improving. Within the context of models of development involving multiple equilibria, formulating a nation's national interests depends on the extent to which the economy's equilibrium is determined by history or expectations. If history (initial conditions) predominate, then the state will find it extremely difficult to articulate the national economic interest. If expectations predominate, then it becomes possible for a state to articulate the nation's economic interest and the state's legitimacy will have an economic dimension. This economic dimension increases the state's vulnerability to threats, both external and internal, and this vulnerability drives the state to be developmental. An integrated national market provided by broadly based growth in the agricultural sector creates a situation in which expectations dominate and the state is likely to be...
Lattice-gas modeling of the formation and ordering of oxygen adlayers on Pd(1 0 0)

Abstract We construct a lattice-gas (LG) model to describe not just the ordering of equilibrated adlayers of chemisorbed oxygen on Pd(1 0 0), but also the non-equilibrium ordering observed during dissociative adsorption of molecular oxygen on Pd(1 0 0). First, by combining transfer matrix analysis and Monte Carlo simulations, we determine the equilibrium phase diagrams for candidate LG models with pairwise-additive interactions including nearest-neighbor (NN) exclusion, second NN repulsion, third NN attraction, and possibly fourth NN repulsion. These interactions are selected so as to recover the p(2×2) and c(2×2) ordering observed in experiment. Interaction strengths are assessed by matching simulated and experimental phase diagrams. Second, a kinetic model is constructed to describe dissociative adsorption of molecular oxygen on second NN empty sites (consistent with NN exclusion), as well as subsequent thermally activated surface diffusion, and adlayer formation. Hopping rates for the latter reflect the selected adspecies interactions through detailed-balance constraints. By comparing simulated diffracted intensities for non-equilibrium adlayer structure during adsorption with experimental data for various temperatures and pressures, we demonstrate the existence of transient mobility for dissociative adsorption in this system, and also determine the magnitude of the thermal diffusion barrier.
Creating a Successful Professional Culture: Reorganizing to Rebuild a Challenging School

Teacher assignment policies vary among school districts. Frequently, districts handle basic employment requirements, and principals draw from prescreened teachers. However, schools occasionally may have to recruit many teachers at once when the district experiences a radical change. This case study involves a principal at an urban school in a district whose population is diminishing as students move to suburban, private, and charter schools. The district has reassigned the principal of a successful school to restaff an underperforming school. How should she proceed? The case explores issues that accompany selecting and developing staff to create a successful school culture in an uncertain setting.
Aromatic polyamides. IX: Synthesis and thermal properties of some N-methylated aromatic polyamides

Abstract The synthesis and thermal properties of a series of N-methylated aromatic polyamides based on chlorinated and unsubstituted diamines are reported. Thermal degradation of these polyamides provides further support for the iminolization-cyclization mechanism proposed by Khanna et al. [1,2] [J. Polym. Sci., Polym. Chem. Ed.19, 2817, 2835 (1981)] to explain the unusually high char yield of chlorinated aromatic polyamides.
Chemical reactivity of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 hemoglobins: covalent heme attachment and bishistidine coordination

In the absence of an exogenous ligand, the hemoglobins from the cyanobacteria Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 coordinate the heme group with two axial histidines (His46 and His70). These globins also form a covalent linkage between the heme 2-vinyl substituent and His117. The in vitro mechanism of heme attachment to His117 was examined with a combination of site-directed mutagenesis, NMR spectroscopy, and optical spectroscopy. The results supported an electrophilic addition with vinyl protonation being the rate-determining step. Replacement of His117 with a cysteine demonstrated that the reaction could occur with an alternative nucleophile. His46 (distal histidine) was implicated in the specificity of the reaction for the 2-vinyl group as well as protection of the protein from oxidative damage caused by exposure to exogenous H2O2.
African-American Undergraduates' Perceptions and Attributions of Child Sexual Abuse

This study examined perceptions of child sexual abuse and attributions of responsibility in a cross-sectional convenience sample of 384 African-American undergraduates using a scenario manipulating the age of the victim, gender of the victim, and gender of the perpetrator. Multiple interactions of respondent, victim, and perpetrator gender on perception of intrafamilial child sexual abuse and attributions of responsibility for victim, perpetrator, and parents were obtained. These results extended previous research conducted on primarily Caucasian samples and highlighted the moderating role of gender of the respondent for this ethnicity.
Rheumatoid arthritis: immune surveillance gone wild?

IMMUNE-MEDIATED inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) are a classification of disorders that are caused by abnormal immune function and dysregulation of cytokine pathways that result in systemic disease (Table 1). Although the presenting symptoms of IMIDs can be diverse, they have common characteristics, including a genetic link with an increased incidence in susceptible families, similar environmental triggers, and the activation of pathways and the release of chemical mediators that lead to chronic inflammation.
Modeling and verifying multi-agent behaviors using predicate/transition nets

In a multi-agent system, how agents accomplish a goal task is usually specified by multi-agent plans built from basic actions (e.g. operators) of which the agents are capable. A critical problem with such an approach is how can the designer make sure the plans are reliable. To tackle this problem, this paper presents a formal approach for modeling and analyzing multi-agent behaviors using Predicate/Transition (PrT) nets, a high-level formalism of Petri nets. We construct a multi-agent model by representing agent capabilities as transitions. To verify a multi-agent PrT model, we adapt the planning graphs as a compact structure for the reachability analysis. We also demonstrate that, based on the PrT model, whether parallel actions specified in multi-agent plans can be executed in parallel and whether the plans guarantee the achievement of the goal can be verified by analyzing the dependency relations among the transitions.
Budding Yeast Cdc20: A Target of the Spindle Checkpoint

The spindle checkpoint regulates the cell division cycle by keeping cells with defective spindles from leaving mitosis. In the two-hybrid system, three proteins that are components of the checkpoint, Mad1, Mad2, and Mad3, were shown to interact with Cdc20, a protein required for exit from mitosis. Mad2 and Mad3 coprecipitated with Cdc20 at all stages of the cell cycle. The binding of Mad2 depended on Mad1 and that of Mad3 on Mad1 and Mad2. Overexpression of Cdc20 allowed cells with a depolymerized spindle or damaged DNA to leave mitosis but did not overcome the arrest caused by unreplicated DNA. Mutants in Cdc20 that were resistant to the spindle checkpoint no longer bound Mad proteins, suggesting that Cdc20 is the target of the spindle checkpoint.
Photography and Imagery

Photography Classification of Emulsions Cameras and Optical Systems Electronic Imagery Relating Color to Physical/Chemical Properties of Materials Radar Imagery Medical and Biochemical Imaging Keywords: photography; imagery
A meta-analysis comparing trials of antimuscarinic medications funded by industry or not.

for OAB symptoms or DOA; 24 studies were identified. The endpoints assessed were OAB symptoms or changes in uninhibited detrusor contractions on cystometrography. The outcome variables were dichotomized as ‘improvement’ or ‘no improvement’. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for each study based on data derived or extracted from tables and figures.
Targeted Focal Therapy for the Management of Organ Confined Prostate Cancer

Purpose: Patients currently diagnosed with low risk prostate cancer are often overtreated and experience complications, resulting in detriment to quality of life. Targeted focal therapy is a minimally invasive procedure designed to ablate tumor foci while minimizing collateral damage to maintain quality of life.Materials and Methods: This institutional review board approved, prospective study was done to assess the safety and efficacy of targeted focal therapy using cryotherapy in men 40 to 85 years old diagnosed with low risk, organ confined prostate cancer at our institution between 2006 and 2009. Low risk, organ confined prostate cancer was defined as Gleason score 7 or less (3 + 4) on transrectal ultrasound biopsy, tumor burden 50% or less and prostate specific antigen less than 10 ng/dl. Patients were evaluated for eligibility after undergoing 3-dimensional mapping biopsy. Median followup was 28 months (IQR 26–31).Results: A total of 62 men with low risk disease met study inclusion criteria. At 1 yea...
Girls Just Want to be “Quality”: HBO, Lena Dunham, and Girls' conflicting brand identity

While the first season of Girls generated a great deal of controversy and mixed reactions from viewers and critics alike, this paper explores the logic behind the rather surprising choice to put th...
Knowledge Structures in UC, the UNIX* Consultant

The knowledge structures implemented in UC, the UNIX Consultant are sufficient for UC to reply to a large range of user queries in the domain of the UNIX operating system. This paper describes how these knowledge structures are used in the natural language tasks of parsing, inference, planning, goal detection, and generation, and how they are organized to enable efficient access even with the large database of an expert system. The structuring of knowledge to provide direct answers to common queries and the high usability and efficiency of knowledge structures allow UC to hold an interactive conversation with a user.
Evaluation of Statistically Downscaled GCM Output as Input for Hydrological and Stream Temperature Simulation in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin (1961-99)

AbstractThe accuracy of statistically downscaled general circulation model (GCM) simulations of daily surface climate for historical conditions (1961–99) and the implications when they are used to drive hydrologic and stream temperature models were assessed for the Apalachicola–Chattahoochee–Flint River basin (ACFB). The ACFB is a 50 000 km2 basin located in the southeastern United States. Three GCMs were statistically downscaled, using an asynchronous regional regression model (ARRM), to ⅛° grids of daily precipitation and minimum and maximum air temperature. These ARRM-based climate datasets were used as input to the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS), a deterministic, distributed-parameter, physical-process watershed model used to simulate and evaluate the effects of various combinations of climate and land use on watershed response. The ACFB was divided into 258 hydrologic response units (HRUs) in which the components of flow (groundwater, subsurface, and surface) are computed in response to ...
NITROGEN FIXATION, HYDROGEN CYCLING, AND ELECTRON TRANSPORT KINETICS IN TRICHODESMIUM ERYTHRAEUM (CYANOBACTERIA) STRAIN IMS1011

This study describes the relationships between dinitrogen (N2 ) fixation, dihydrogen (H2 ) production, and electron transport associated with photosynthesis and respiration in the marine cyanobacterium Trichodesmium erythraeum Ehrenb. strain IMS101. The ratio of H2 produced:N2 fixed (H2 :N2 ) was controlled by the light intensity and by the light spectral composition and was affected by the growth irradiance level. For Trichodesmium cells grown at 50 μmol photons · m(-2) · s(-1) , the rate of N2 fixation, as measured by acetylene reduction, saturated at light intensities of 200 μmol photons · m(-2) · s(-1) . In contrast, net H2 production continued to increase with light levels up to 1,000 μmol photons · m(-2) · s(-1) . The H2 :N2 ratios increased monotonically with irradiance, and the variable fluorescence measured using a fast repetition rate fluorometer (FRRF) revealed that this increase was accompanied by a progressive reduction of the plastoquinone (PQ) pool. Additions of 2,5-dibromo-3-methyl-6-isopropyl-p-benzoquinone (DBMIB), an inhibitor of electron transport from PQ pool to PSI, diminished both N2 fixation and net H2 production, while the H2 :N2 ratio increased with increasing level of PQ pool reduction. In the presence of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), nitrogenase activity declined but could be prolonged by increasing the light intensity and by removing the oxygen supply. These results on the coupling of N2 fixation and H2 cycling in Trichodesmium indicate how light intensity and light spectral quality of the open ocean can influence the H2 :N2 ratio and modulate net H2 production.
The toxicological interaction between ocean acidity and metals in coastal meiobenthic copepods.

Increased atmospheric CO2 concentrations are causing greater dissolution of CO2 into seawater, and are ultimately responsible for today’s ongoing ocean acidification. We manipulated seawater acidity by addition of HCl and by increasing CO2 concentration and observed that two coastal harpacticoid copepods, Amphiascoides atopus and Schizopera knabeni were both more sensitive to increased acidity when generated by CO2. The present study indicates that copepods living in environments more prone to hypercapnia, such as mudflats where S. knabeni lives, may be less sensitive to future acidification. Ocean acidification is also expected to alter the toxicity of waterborne metals by influencing their speciation in seawater. CO2 enrichment did not affect the free-ion concentration of Cd but did increase the freeion concentration of Cu. Antagonistic toxicities were observed between CO2 with Cd, Cu and Cu freeion in A. atopus. This interaction could be due to a competition for H + and metals for binding sites.
The putative polyamine antagonists ifenprodil and SL 82.0715 enhance dopamine efflux from rat striatal slices independent of NMDA receptor activation.

NMDA stimulated the release of endogenous or tritiated dopamine from rat striatal slices and tritiated norepinephrine from cortical and hippocampal slices. The putative polyamine antagonists ifenprodil and SL 82.0715 inhibited [3H]norepinephrine release from cortical and hippocampal slices but enhanced the basal efflux of endogenous and tritiated dopamine from striatal slices. Incubation of striatal slices in a calcium-free buffer did not ameliorate these effects suggesting that the increase in dopamine efflux was not due to a calcium-dependent release process. Superfusion of striatal slices with 10 μM of either ifenprodil, cocaine, or amphetamine resulted in a significant release of tritiated dopamine which was reversed when the slices were again superfused with non-drug-containing buffer. The release observed in the presence of 10 μM ifenprodil (7-fold increase over basal) was intermediate between that observed for cocaine (3-fold increase) and amphetamine (12-fold increase). Both ifenprodil and SL 82.0715 also blocked the uptake of [3H]dopamine into striatal synaptosomes with IC50 values of approximately 1.5 μM. This was again intermediate between the values obtained for cocaine (0.43 μM) and amphetamine (4.2 μM). These results suggest that ifenprodil and its analog SL 82.0715 may act as indirect dopamine agonists by both blocking presynaptic dopamine uptake and by directly increasing the basal efflux of dopamine.
Pathophysiologic roles of the fibrinogen gamma chain.

Purpose of reviewFibrinogen binds through its γ chains to cell surface receptors, growth factors, and coagulation factors to perform its key roles in fibrin clot formation, platelet aggregation, and wound healing. However, these binding interactions can also contribute to pathophysiologic processes,
An Internet-based nuclear medicine teaching file.

UNLABELLED Teaching file cases play an important role in the training of nuclear medicine residents; however, film-based teaching files have limitations, such as difficulty in accessing cases in a department with several remote clinical sites. The goal of this project was to develop a digital teaching file with the capability for local and remote (Internet) network access, with the additional requirements that viewing existing cases and addition of new cases be easy and simple. METHODS The teaching file software (TF-Web) utilizes applications developed for the World-Wide-Web in combination with locally developed programs for importing images, entering case information, indexing, searching, case selection and case editing. The time required to add cases to the TF-Web and to access existing cases from local and remote network sites as well as computer storage requirements were assessed. RESULTS Cases entered in TF-Web may be viewed either with or without diagnoses and may be accessed with acceptable speed (2-14 sec) from both local and remote network sites. A relatively complex case required 1.2 megabytes of storage, with lesser storage requirements for simpler cases. CONCLUSION A digital teaching file has been developed that allows easy access from computers located both locally and elsewhere on the Internet. Digital storage requirements are reasonable, and, because of the unique nature of TF-Web, case storage may be distributed among multiple institutions.
Airflows and turbulent flux measurements in mountainous terrain Part 1. Canopy and local effects

We have studied the effects of local topography and canopy structure on turbulent flux measurements at a site located in mountainous terrain within a subalpine, coniferous forest. Our primary aim was to determine whether the complex terrain of the site affects the accuracy of eddy flux measurements from a practical perspective. We observed displacement heights, roughness lengths, spectral peaks, turbulent length scales, and profiles of turbulent intensities that were comparable in magnitude and pattern to those reported for forest canopies in simpler terrain. We conclude that in many of these statistical measures, the local canopy exerts considerably more influence than does topographical complexity. Lack of vertical flux divergence and modeling suggests that the flux footprints for the site are within the standards acceptable for the application of flux statistics. We investigated three different methods of coordinate rotation: double rotation (DR), triple rotation (TR), and planar-fit rotation (PF). Significant variability in rotation angles at low wind speeds was encountered with the commonly used DR and TR methods, as opposed to the PF method, causing some overestimation of the fluxes. However, these differences in fluxes were small when applied to large datasets involving sensible heat and CO2 fluxes. We observed evidence of frequent drainage flows near the ground during stable, stratified conditions at night. Concurrent with the appearance of these flows, we observed a positive bias in the mean vertical wind speed, presumably due to subtle topographic variations inducing a flow convergence below the measurement sensors. In the presence of such drainage flows, advection of scalars and non-zero bias in the mean vertical wind speed can complicate closure of the mass conservation budget at the site. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
An accurate solution to time domain integral equations for inhomogeneous dielectric bodies using higher-order volume bases

Time domain integral equation (TDIE) based solvers possess a number of advantages over other computational methods for the solution of wideband, nonlinear, and time-varying electromagnetic scattering and radiation phenomenon. Widespread use of TDIE solvers has been hindered by their historical inefficiency and instability. In the recent past, a new time marching method was proposed that used special bandlimited interpolation functions (BLIFs) for the temporal discretization of the TDIEs and a bandlimited extrapolation to create a causal scheme from these noncausal BLIFs, that overcame previous inaccuracy and instability issues. This paper presents an extension of this scheme to compute the scattering from inhomogeneous dielectric bodies using higher-order volume spatial basis functions. The results obtained from the new method show an excellent correspondence with those obtained from the standard, frequency domain method of moments.
Microtextured polystyrene surfaces for three‐dimensional cell culture made by a simple solvent treatment method

This article describes a solvent treatment process for transforming standard flat polystyrene surfaces into textured microenvironments for three-dimensional (3D) cell culture. The process can be used with off-the-shelf microplates having 6, 12, 96, or even 384-well formats and completed in a few steps. The surface microtexture resembles tightly packed, non-interconnected micropores having a median pore size of either 115 or 19 μm depending on the strength of the solvent mixture. Hansen solubility parameter analysis was used to map out the polymer–solvent interaction conditions necessary for creating the surface texture. Primary human hepatocytes cultured on two-dimensional control surfaces attached with a flat monolayer morphology while those cultured on surfaces having 115 μm-sized pores exhibited a round 3D morphology. The cells also showed more in-vivo like behavior on the porous surface by exhibiting significantly higher basal enzymatic activity and expressing higher levels of several drug metabolism-related genes. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40181.
Role of Endovascular Grafts in Combined Vascular and Skeletal Injuries of the Lower Extremity: a Preliminary Report

Background: A gunshot wound to the lower extremity with combined skeletal and vascular injuries can be difficult to manage. In clinical practice, it is not always possible to assemble a multispecialty team to work seamlessly to attain this goal, and the end result may be unnecessary prolonged ischemic time. A covered endovascular stent (EVS) can be used initially to restore perfusion without need of a timeconsuming temporary shunt in select cases. Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare novel methods of repairing the superficial femoral artery to the traditional three-step operative approach in patients that have a concomitant femur fracture. Patients and Methods: All patients with combined vascular and skeletal injuries to the lower extremity were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into three groups: Group 1: EVS placed percutaneously. Group 2: EVS placed with a hybrid combination of open and endovascular technique. Group 3: Placement of temporary shunt followed by skeletal stabilization and definitive vascular repair. Results: There were 16 patients identified. Group 1 = three, Group 2 = six, Group 3 = seven. EVS can shorten time to revascularization and prevents a second episode of vascular interruption at the time of the final vascular repair. The structural stability of the EVS was strong enough to withstand the skeletal manipulation without deformation of the stent. Conclusions: EVS is comparable to open repair and has the strength to withstand orthopedic manipulation in the short term when used in combined vascular and skeletal injuries to the lower extremity. Ischemic time is reduced significantly if final revascularization is accomplished at the onset with an EVS and the process is more efficient if the trauma surgeon is able to repair the vascular injury. With increasing sophistication of endovascular devices, this offers an appealing approach to vascular injuries that will decrease ischemic and total operative times when compared to the more traditional three-stage repair.
A Nearest-Neighbor Approach to Estimating Divergence between Continuous Random Vectors

A method for divergence estimation between multidimensional distributions based on nearest neighbor distances is proposed. Given i.i.d. samples, both the bias and the variance of this estimator are proven to vanish as sample sizes go to infinity. In experiments on high-dimensional data, the nearest neighbor approach generally exhibits faster convergence compared to previous algorithms based on partitioning.
On putting a cloud in a bottle: Psychoanalytic perspectives on mysticism

This essay addresses the psychoanalytic understanding of mystical phenomena and mystical ecstatic states. The study of mystical phenomena is a core area of interest in the ongoing dialogue between psychoanalysis and religion. Mystical phenomena and states are discussed in this essay, with particular reference to descriptions found in an anonymous medieval tract, The Cloud of Unknowing. Some common psychoanalytic views of mystical phenomena are discussed and criticized, and an effort is made to formulate an approach to the understanding of these extraordinary mental and spiritual states that is both more congruent with accounts of authentic mystics and more consistent with psychoanalytic principles.
Classifying preadolescent boys based on their weight status and percent body fat produces different groups.

Abstract This cross-sectional pilot study investigated the relationship between weight status using body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat in preadolescent boys and examined grouping of boys based on BMI and percent body fat. Height and weight were measured to calculate BMI in 50 white 8- to 10-year-old preadolescent boys. Percent body fat was measured using air-displacement plethysmography. Boys were grouped based on their BMI status into an average BMI group and a high BMI group and based on their percent body fat into a lower percent body fat group and an upper percent body fat group. Boys' participation on sports teams and in recreational classes or lessons and boys' sedentary activity was reported by their mothers. Boys in the upper percent body fat group participated in more hours of sedentary activity than boys in the lower percent body fat group ( P r =0.74, P 2 =13.52, P
Standardizing the Evaluation of Brown Tree Snake Trap Designs

The introduced brown tree snake has had devastating impacts on the native vertebrate fauna of Guam. Trapping is the primary means by which brown tree snakes are removed, either in support of reintroduction of endangered species or to deter their movement from Guam in cargo. Traps used to control brown tree snake populations have been continually evolving since the 1980s. Before general operational implementation of a new design, the efficacy of new trap developments must be demonstrated. In this paper we combine the current knowledge about brown tree snake control objectives and practicalities, the information gained from a variety of brown tree snake trapping studies over the years, and fundamental statistical principles and methods to standardize procedures for testing developments in brown tree snake traps.
Anti-oxidative stress regulator NF-E2-related factor 2 mediates the adaptive induction of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes by lipid peroxidation metabolite 4-hydroxynonenal

Background NF-E2-related factor 2 (NRF2) regulates a battery of antioxidative and phase II drug metabolizing/detoxifying genes through binding to the antioxidant response elements (ARE). NRF2-ARE signaling plays a central role in protecting cells from a wide spectrum of reactive toxic species including reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (RONS). 4-hydroxylnonenal (4-HNE) is a major end product from lipid peroxidation of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) induced by oxidative stress, and it is highly reactive to nucleophilic sites in DNA and proteins, causing cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. In this study, we examined the role of NRF2 in regulating the 4-HNE induced gene expression of antioxidant and detoxifying enzymes.
Current guidelines in the management of interstitial cystitis

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a heterogeneous chronic disease of unknown etiology that impacts a very large number of women. Symptoms are highly variable: patients may suffer from pelvic pain that is exacerbated by bladder filling, and can be associated with a variety of lower urinary tract symptoms including frequency and urgency. Given the varying presentations and severities of corresponding treatment must be tailored to each specific patient. Current American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines separate the IC treatment recommendations into six tiers of increasing invasive therapies. These treatment guidelines begin with education and lifestyle modifications and progress through levels of physical, pharmacological, and ultimately surgical therapies for those that fail the less invasive therapies. The purpose of this review is to outline the recommendations for the treatment of IC and the evidence from which these recommendations arise. Furthermore, we examine the most up to date literature so that we may recognize future directions in the treatment of IC.
Development of an Objective Structured Clinical Examination to Assess Medical Student Competence in the Ocular Examination

Purpose Competently performing the ocular examination is an essential skill of every graduating medical student. Assessment of competence in performing the ocular examination is equally essential. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of tools useful in assessing clinical competence in ophthalmology. The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) format has been shown to be a useful tool to assess clinical competence in other academic settings. It is hypothesized that the OSCE format can be used to assess clinical competence in performing the ocular examination. This study presents the novel use of the OSCE format for assessing competence in obtaining a history of headache and performing the ocular examination by third and fourth year medical students. Methods Observational design was used to assess the competence of third and fourth year medical students in taking a brief history on the chief complaint of headache and performing the ocular examination. The ophthalmology OSCE was used after a one-week ophthalmology clerkship at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. Standardized patients were trained by ophthalmology staff prior to the OSCE. The standardized patients were not dilated for the direct ophthalmoscope portion of the examination. Results Students were graded on their performance in obtaining a history of headache and performing the ocular examination. The ocular examination included assessment of ocular motility, pupils, using confrontation to find a visual field defect, and using the direct ophthalmoscope to match a standardized patient's optic nerve to one of four photos in the room. A check box system was used to assess the student's competence. This was reported as pass, marginal, or fail. Failing students were remediated by an ophthalmologist. A total of 384 students took the exam from 2008 to 2012. Overall, 84% received a passing score, 11% received a marginal score, and 5% received a failing score. Conclusion Establishment of competence and assessment of competence continue to be a major focus of medical student education. The OSCE format provides a standardized testing platform to assess competence with performing the ocular examination. Use of standardized patients provides a more natural format than paper-based or other methods of assessment.
Union Immunity from Suit in New York

One of the best keep secrets in New York law is that most labor unions are immune from legal liability simply because they are organized as an unincorporated association. In jurisdictions such as New York, which follow common law, unions have this immunity because plaintiffs cannot met the stringent common law pleading requirements applicable to unincorporated associations, to wit, it must be alleged, and ultimately established, that the conduct complained of was approved of and ratified by each and every member of the association. Thus, the form in which a labor union is organized has a significant impact on its potential for legal liability. This is reminiscent of the forms of actions utilized in the Middle Ages where the form of the action determined whether a party had any remedy. This Article surveys union liability in this important and little understood area of law. It concludes that the common law pleading requirements of Martin v. Curran make little sense today, particularly when applied to labor unions. Public policy is certainly not furthered by blind obedience to an ancient common law doctrine. Surprisingly, there is no academic commentary which address this important issue under New York law or the seminal case in this area, Martin v. Curran. However, Martin v. Curran continues to be relied upon in order to dismiss cases against unions even though this case has been severely criticized by a number of courts. Just recently, the First Department upheld the dismissal of a tort action against a union because the common law pleading requirements of Martin v. Curran could not be met. That 2006 decision generated a significant dissent by Justice Saxe, who stated that this dated rule should be abandoned. Salemeh v. Toussaint, 25 A.D. 3d 411 (1st Dept. 2006)(Saxe, J., dissenting).
Polyphenol interaction with food carbohydrates and consequences on availability of dietary glucose

Polyphenols are known to indirectly influence glucose metabolism, for example, via inhibition of digestive enzymes. Less clear is whether polyphenols can complex with, and directly reduce carbohydrate digestion. This is relevant because it can provide a practical mechanism to reduce caloric load of foods. Direct interaction of carbohydrates with monomeric polyphenols appears to have little practical consequence on glucose availability. Recent evidence supports strong and specific polymeric polyphenols (tannins, especially with MW > 1000) interaction with carbohydrate polymers via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. For example, amylose component of starch forms non-digestible complexes with tannins. This is interesting because starch is the primary dietary source of glucose. Thus research efforts in this area should focus on optimizing and uncovering consequences of starch–tannin interactions.
Psoriasis:progress of pathogenesis and chemotactic factor with its receptor

Psoriasis is a dysimmunitial and chronic-inflammatic and proliferative dermatoses.It was affected by polygenic inheritance and environmental factors and so on.Psoriasis had complex pathogenic factors such as some cytokine or immune elements,especially the chemotactic factor and chemotactic receptor.Our aim is to review the relationship between psoriasis pathogenesis and chemokine factor with its receptor,and to investigate their potential function.
The Fear Factor

There is a clear link between fear, panic, and economic crises, as subsequent chapters will document. But what is the true cost of fear?