cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prosociality, Federalism, and Cultural Evolution

Author(s): Bednar, Jenna | Abstract: Constitutions are more than their text; a constitution is also a set of conventions, or expectations that constituents have about one another's behavior. That is, constitutions have a culture. The coherence between the constitutional law and constitutional culture determine a constitution's success. Constitutional culture and constitutional law co-evolve; by understanding the influence of multiple institutions, one may make predictions about the likelihood of the emergence of a prosocial constitutional culture. There are reasons to believe that federalism might encourage the development of a prosocial constitutional culture, but the effect is far from certain.This essay concludes with questions to consider in while assessing Afghanistan's prospects for constitutional success.
Multimorbidity, inflammation, and disability: a longitudinal mediational analysis:

Background:Using longitudinal data from the Survey of Mid-Life Development in the United States, this study examined the role of systemic inflammation in mediating the link between multimorbidity a...
Modeling Power Supply Rejection in Analog Systems

This paper proposes an approach to calculate the Power Supply Rejection (PSR) for a cascade of linear analog blocks. The model facilitates the analysis of PSR by combining the individual PSRs of each analog block through the frequency dependent gain of the following blocks. Since bandgap reference generators, voltage to current generators, and voltage buffers are crucial blocks in analog systems, they are chosen to be the case of study to validate the theory developed in this work. With no loss of generality, the method can be applied to any chain of analog blocks under assumption of linear operation. The circuit used to explain the concept is implemented in 0.25-µm CMOS technology.
In-plane electrical bias tunable optical properties of 1T-TaS2 [Invited]

Electrically tunable optical properties have been demonstrated in many solid-state materials such as semiconductors, transparent conductive oxides and graphene. However, their tunability is limited in the visible range due to the requirement of extremely large charge build-up or high capacitive fields. Here, we propose strongly correlated materials for circumventing such limitations. 1T-TaS2, a strongly correlated material exhibiting charge density order at room temperature, allows tuning of its optical properties with an in-plane electrical bias. The electrical bias causes the charge density waves to slide and thereby alter their coherence and condensation. As a result, the optical conductivity or dielectric function of this layered material changes with an in-plane bias. Here, we report measured anisotropic dielectric functions of mechanically exfoliated thin films of 1T-TaS2 and their electrical tunability. We observe a maximum refractive index change on the order of 0.1 in the visible range with DC and AC in-plane biases.
Otherness in the clinical borderlands

Clinical practice represents a kind of cultural borderland territory bringing together people from different walks of life with distinctive social experiences and expectations related to gender, age, status, and health, to name a few, who otherwise might not encounter one another (Mattingly, 2010). In these borderland encounters, culture is realized and made relevant during moments of social differentiation. This paper focuses on how such social differences manifest themselves in clinical discourse through encounters with otherness—otherness referring to a negative cultural capacity to transform those who are different into devalued Others. Interrelated themes of space, change and transformation, group membership categorization, and the structuring of participation in clinical interaction are used as an exploratory framework to illuminate the construction of otherness. By conceiving of the clinical world as a territory where otherness is woven into the experiences of those we are seeking to help, it is hoped that practitioners will be encouraged to develop a more nuanced understanding of clinical practice as cultural borderlands.
Politics, human rights, and social policy under contemporary populist regimes: The view from Trump-America and socialist Venezuela:

This debate comment addresses populism within the US under Trump, and Venezuela under former President Hugo Chavez. It draws out some of the parallels and disconnects between them, and provides a d...
Creating a Culture of Wellness

A culture of wellness in medicine can drive professional fulfilment in all physicians and lift up those at greatest risk for burnout. However, some factors in medical culture today create barriers to cultivating a culture of wellness. These include a number of explicit or implicit assumptions: believing that dedication to patients necessitates deferring self-care—perpetually, assuming medical safety requires punitive responses to errors and suspecting that physicians who seek mental health resources are unfit to practice medicine. Cultural factors that promote physician well-being include a sense of community, supportive leadership qualities such as gratitude, and alignment between organizational and personal values.
Slippery Nanoparticles as a Diffusion Platform for Mucin Producing Gastrointestinal Tumors

Treatment failure in pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is partly attributed to the ineffective delivery of therapeutics through dense mucinous tumor barriers. We modified the surface of Poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-polyethylene glycol (PLGA-PEG-NPs) with a low-density, second PEG layer (PLGA-TPEG-NPs-20) to reduce their binding affinity to proteins and improve diffusion through mucin. Nanoprecipitation was used to fabricate PLGA-PEG-NPs. To construct the second PEG layer of PLGA-TPEG-NPs-20, PEG-Thiol was conjugated to PLGA-PEG-NPs composed of 80% methoxy PLGA-PEG and 20% of PLGA-PEG-Maleimide. DiD-labeled nanoparticles (NPs) were added to the inner well of a trans-well system containing cultured LS174T or human PMP tissue. Diffusion of NPs was measured via fluorescence signal in the bottom well. In an ex vivo rat model, small intestine was treated with DiD-labeled NPs. In an in vivo murine LS174T subcutaneous tumor model, Nu/Nu nude mice received supratumoral injections (subcutaneous injection above the tumor) of DiD-labeled NPs. Thirty minutes after injection, mice were sacrificed, and tumors were collected. All tissue was cryosectioned, mounted with DAPI-containing media, and inspected via confocal microscopy. Diffusion profiles of NPs through PMP and cultured LS174T cells were generated. PLGA-TPEG-NPs-20 diffused faster with ~ 100% penetration versus PLGA-PEG-NPs with ~ 40% penetration after 8 h. Increased diffusion of PLGA-TPEG-NPs-20 was further observed in ex vivo rat small intestine as evidenced by elevated luminal NP fluorescence signal on the luminal surface. Subcutaneous LS174T tumors treated with PLGA-TPEG-NPs-20 demonstrated greater diffusion of NPs, showing homogenous fluorescence signal throughout the tumor. PLGA-TPEG-NPs-20 can be an effective mucin penetrating drug delivery system.
Genetic diagnosis in first or second trimester pregnancy loss using exome sequencing: a systematic review of human essential genes

Non-aneuploid recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) affects approximately 100,000 pregnancies worldwide annually. Exome sequencing (ES) may help uncover the genetic etiology of RPL and, more generally, pregnancy loss as a whole. Previous studies have attempted to predict the genes that, when disrupted, may cause human embryonic lethality. However, predictions by these early studies rarely point to the same genes. Case reports of pathogenic variants identified in RPL cases offer another clue. We evaluated known genetic etiologies of RPL identified by ES. We gathered primary research articles from PubMed and Embase involving case reports of RPL reporting variants identified by ES. Two authors independently reviewed all articles for eligibility and extracted data based on predetermined criteria. Preliminary and amended analysis isolated 380 articles; 15 met all inclusion criteria. These 15 articles described 74 families with 279 reported RPLs with 34 candidate pathogenic variants in 19 genes (NOP14, FOXP3, APAF1, CASP9, CHRNA1, NLRP5, MMP10, FGA, FLT1, EPAS1, IDO2, STIL, DYNC2H1, IFT122, PADI6, CAPS, MUSK, NLRP2, NLRP7) and 26 variants of unknown significance in 25 genes. These genes cluster in four essential pathways: (1) gene expression, (2) embryonic development, (3) mitosis and cell cycle progression, and (4) inflammation and immunity. For future studies of RPL, we recommend trio-based ES in cases with normal parental karyotypes. In vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic diagnosis can be pursued if causative variants are found. Utilization of other sequencing technologies in concert with ES should improve understanding of the causes of early embryonic lethality in humans.
Multiple Plasticity Regulators Reveal Targets Specifying an Induced Predatory Form in Nematodes

The ability to translate a single genome into multiple phenotypes, or developmental plasticity, defines how phenotype derives from more than just genes. However, to study the evolutionary targets of plasticity and their evolutionary fates, we need to understand how genetic regulators of plasticity control downstream gene expression. Here, we have identified a transcriptional response specific to polyphenism (i.e., discrete plasticity) in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus. This species produces alternative resource-use morphs - microbivorous and predatory forms, differing in the form of their teeth, a morphological novelty - as influenced by resource availability. Transcriptional profiles common to multiple polyphenism-controlling genes in P. pacificus reveal a suite of environmentally sensitive loci, or ultimate target genes, that make up an induced developmental response. Additionally, in vitro assays show that one polyphenism regulator, the nuclear receptor (NR) NHR-40, physically binds to promoters with putative HNF4⍺ (the NR class including NHR-40) binding sites, suggesting this receptor may directly regulate genes that describe alternative morphs. Among differentially expressed genes were morph-limited genes, highlighting factors with putative "on-off" function in plasticity regulation. Further, predatory morph-biased genes included candidates - namely, all four P. pacificus homologs of Hsp70, which have HNF4⍺ motifs - whose natural variation in expression matches phenotypic differences among P. pacificus wild isolates. In summary, our study links polyphenism regulatory loci to the transcription producing alternative forms of a morphological novelty. Consequently, our findings establish a platform for determining how specific regulators of morph-biased genes may influence selection on plastic phenotypes.
Variation in peatland porewater chemistry over time and space along a bog to fen gradient

Porewater chemistry is an integrative measure of the physical, chemical, and biological processes occurring within peatland ecosystems, and therefore some chemistry measures (e.g., pH, calcium concentrations) have been used to classify bog vs fen peatlands. However, porewater sampling is often limited in spatial and temporal resolution, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive analysis of spatiotemporal variation in porewater chemistry. We examined depth profiles of porewater chemistry in four nearby peatlands that fall along a bog to rich fen gradient in northcentral Minnesota, USA. Porewater was sampled ~monthly during one ice-free season from three replicate piezometer nests per peatland to quantify temporal and spatial variability of those depth profiles. Porewater depth profiles of pH, calcium and total organic carbon concentrations, and δ18O-H2O varied along the bog to fen gradient, but total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations did not. Porewater chemistry was similar in the bogs and poor fen which were all quite different from the rich fen. In contrast, temporal and spatial variation in porewater chemistry, quantified using coefficients of variation, did not differ between bogs and fens despite the hypothesis that variation in porewater chemistry would be lower in fens than bogs due to the perennial throughput of large volumes of discharging groundwater in the rich fen. Spatial and temporal variability in porewater chemistry across all peatland types highlights the importance of collecting porewater samples in multiples over time in both near-surface and deeper peats. This variation can be important when scaling findings to the peatland scale, assessing the representativeness of peatlands within a larger landscape, and understanding variability in solute export to downstream ecosystems.
Energy: Supply and Demand

Focusing on trends in energy supply and demand, this text provides students with a comprehensive account of the subject and an understanding of how to use data analysis and modeling to make future projections and study climate impacts. Developments in technology and policy are discussed in depth, including the role of coal, the fracking revolutions for oil and gas, the electricity grid, wind and solar power, battery storage, and biofuels. Trends in demand are also detailed, with analysis of industrial demands such as LEDs, air conditioning, heat pumps, and information technology, and the transportation demands of railroads, ships, and cars (including electric vehicles). The environmental impacts of the energy industry are considered throughout, and a full chapter is dedicated to climate change. Real-life case studies and examples add context, and over 400 full-color figures illustrate key concepts. Accompanied by a package of online resources including solutions, video examples, sample data, and PowerPoint slides, this is an ideal text for courses on energy and is accessible to a range of students from engineering and related disciplines.
Online Product Review Impact: The Relative Effects of Review Credibility and Review Relevance

This study conceptualizes, operationalizes, and identifies the drivers of online product review (OPR) relevance and examines its relative effect on OPR impact compared to review credibility. In con...
Separating the effects of moisture and temperature on soil CO2 efflux in a coniferous forest in the Sierra Nevada mountains

Separating the effects of soil temperature and moisture on soil CO2 efflux is critical to modeling and understanding the belowground carbon dynamics of forest ecosystems. We developed two analytical procedures to separate the effects of soil temperature and moisture, based on continuous measurements of the CO2 efflux, temperature and moisture of the soil at a ponderosa pine plantation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, from May 1998 to August 1999. We found that the combined effects of temperature and moisture on the seasonal variation of soil CO2 efflux could be effectively separated and represented with the product of a temperature term and a moisture term. The relationship between soil CO2 efflux and temperature could be well described using a power function. This relationship was modified by soil moisture which affects only the coefficient, but not the exponent, of the power function. We also found that when soil moisture was held constant, the temperature effect explained 82% of the temporal variation in CO2 efflux of the soil. Similarly, when temperature was held constant, the moisture effects explained 84% of the variation. Temperature and moisture together explained 89% of the total temporal variations in soil CO2 efflux. A multiplicative formulation with power functions representing both temperature and moisture dependences was recommended for modeling soil CO2 efflux. This formulation can be used to model the seasonal trend of soil CO2 efflux of the forest based on temperature and moisture, two key variables influenced by climate change and management practices.
Shunt Treatment for Coccidioidomycosis-Related Hydrocephalus: A Single-Center Series.

Objective Coccidioidomycosis is a fungal infection endemic to the southwestern United States. Hydrocephalus can develop after intracranial dissemination, and management of this disease entity is difficult. We present our institutional experience with shunting coccidioidomycosis-related hydrocephalus. Methods A cohort of patients with coccidioidomycosis-related hydrocephalus undergoing an intracranial shunt placement were retrospectively identified over a 24-year period. Demographics and treatment characteristics were obtained from the electronic medical record. Results Thirty patients undergoing 83 procedures were identified, with a median follow-up of 19.4 months. The average age of the cohort was 43 years at the time of initial shunt placement. Most patients (66.7%) had ≥1 shunt failure, and the average number of revisions required was 2.6 for patients who had shunt failure. The average shunt valve pressure threshold required was 5.5 cm H2O, and patients who harbored the disease for a longer period (>7 months) had a lower pressure setting for initial shunt valves. Shunts without an antisiphon component were more likely to be failure free on multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 9.2; 95% confidence interval, 2.4–35.7). Death was associated with a longer diagnosis-to-shunt time interval, and patients having been diagnosed with intracranial disease for more than 10 months before shunt placement had significantly higher rates of death on follow-up. Conclusions Patients with coccidioidomycosis-related hydrocephalus typically have normal to low pressure setting requirements, high shunt failure rates, prolonged hospitalizations, and mortality. In this disease context, shunt valves without an antisiphon component are associated with lower shunt failure rates.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus: More than just Bronchiolitis

Introduction: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common cause of lower respiratory tract infections among pediatric patients, especially during the winter months. It is associated with significant morbidity and mortality among young infants, especially those with history of prematurity and cardiac anomalies. We present a case of a 2-year-old previously healthy girl, with RSV bronchiolitis, who developed cardiac arrest secondary to cardiac tamponade. Case Report: 2-year-old, healthy female, presented with fever and a four-day history of cough and worsening respiratory distress. At home, parents reported …
Introduction to differential equations

Abstract This chapter introduces the basic concepts of differential equations and their solutions. Initial-value problems (IVPs) and boundary-value problems (BVPs) are discussed, but the rest of the text focuses mainly on IVPs.
Review of A Course in Cryptography by Heiko Knospe

Perhaps it should not be a surprise that A Course in Cryptography, which is published by the American Mathematical Society, is a textbook that is written for a mathematically sophisticated student....
Family composition of Douglas-fir nursery stock as influenced by seed characters, mortality, and culling practices.

Changes in family composition during nursery production were evaluated by following individual seeds and seedlings of 36 wind-pollinated Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) families sown in mixture in two operational nurseries in western Washington and Oregon. Families differed significantly in emergence and in percent of seedlings culled for being too small. However, differences were small enough that family composition was largely unaffected. The observed changes in family composition did not markedly reduce genetic diversity and did not affect the genetic gain that may be expected from an improved population. The plantable nursery stock was, for the most part, representative of the composition of families originally sown.
Bayesian Method for Parameter Estimation in Transient Heat Transfer Problem

Abstract Like many other scientific fields, an inverse technique is used to find unknown material properties (such as thermal conductivity, specific heat) or boundary conditions (e.g. heat flux, heat transfer coefficient) in the heat transfer problem. The role of the inverse technique is even more important if the properties or boundary conditions change with location and/or time. In this study, a Bayesian inference based inverse technique is used to find local heat transfer coefficient as well as local steam temperature at the inner surface of a steam header where the header was first heated by supplying steam followed by the cooling of the header due to the release of steam from the chamber. A finite volume based numerical model is developed to solve the forward unsteady heat conduction problem in the steam header. For inverse problem, a Markov chain Monte Carlo method is used to evaluate the posterior probability density functions (PPDFs) of unknown parameters in Bayesian framework, while a Metropolis-Hastings algorithm is used for random sample generation. Here PPDFs are used to extract the point estimates of the parameters and their credible intervals from their possible distributions. With the estimated parameters, the calculated outer surface temperatures agree well with experimental measurements in both heating and cooling process. At the end of the discharge process, the temperature distribution in the radial direction approaches flat profiles, but a steady state is only achieved at the bottom of the header. Our stochastic based Bayesian technique can be used to estimate unknown boundary conditions efficiently at an inaccessible location.
The Role of the Right Hemisphere in Processing Phonetic Variability Between Talkers

Abstract Neurobiological models of speech perception posit that both left and right posterior temporal brain regions are involved in the early auditory analysis of speech sounds. However, frank deficits in speech perception are not readily observed in individuals with right hemisphere damage. Instead, damage to the right hemisphere is often associated with impairments in vocal identity processing. Herein lies an apparent paradox: The mapping between acoustics and speech sound categories can vary substantially across talkers, so why might right hemisphere damage selectively impair vocal identity processing without obvious effects on speech perception? In this review, I attempt to clarify the role of the right hemisphere in speech perception through a careful consideration of its role in processing vocal identity. I review evidence showing that right posterior superior temporal, right anterior superior temporal, and right inferior / middle frontal regions all play distinct roles in vocal identity processing. In considering the implications of these findings for neurobiological accounts of speech perception, I argue that the recruitment of right posterior superior temporal cortex during speech perception may specifically reflect the process of conditioning phonetic identity on talker information. I suggest that the relative lack of involvement of other right hemisphere regions in speech perception may be because speech perception does not necessarily place a high burden on talker processing systems, and I argue that the extant literature hints at potential subclinical impairments in the speech perception abilities of individuals with right hemisphere damage.
Sparse Parameter Estimation for PMCW MIMO Radar Using Few-Bit ADCs

In this work, we consider target parameter estimation of phase-modulated continuous-wave (PMCW) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radars with few-bit analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). We formulate the estimation problem as a sparse signal recovery problem and modify the fast iterative shrinkage-thresholding algorithm (FISTA) to solve it. The l 2,1 -norm is adopted to promote the sparsity in the range-Doppler-angle domain. Simulation results show that using few-bit ADCs can achieve comparable performance to many-bit ADCs when targets are widely separated. However, if targets are spaced closely, performance losses can occur when 1-bit ADCs are applied.
Well-Being Depends on Social Comparison: Hierarchical Models of Twitter Language Suggest That Richer Neighbors Make You Less Happy

Psychological research has shown that subjective well-being is sensitive to social comparison effects; individuals report decreased happiness when their neighbors earn more than they do. In this work, we use Twitter language to estimate the well-being of users, and model both individual and neighborhood income using hierarchical modeling across counties in the United States (US). We show that language-based estimates from a sample of 5.8 million Twitter users replicate results obtained from large-scale well-being surveys --- relatively richer neighbors leads to lower well-being, even when controlling for absolute income. Furthermore, predicting individual-level happiness using hierarchical models (i.e., individuals within their communities) out-predicts standard baselines. We also explore language associated with relative income differences and find that individuals with lower income than their community tend to swear (f*ck, sh*t, b*tch), express anger (pissed, bullsh*t, wtf), hesitation (don't, anymore, idk, confused) and acts of social deviance (weed, blunt, drunk). These results suggest that social comparison robustly affects reported well-being, and that Twitter language analyses can be used to both measure these effects and shed light on their underlying psychological dynamics.
Is Living in a U.S. Coastal City Good for One's Health?

Background: Evidence suggests that living close to “blue spaces” (water features), particularly coastlines, has salutary effects on human health. Methods: We analyzed five years of annual, self-reported general health and unhealthy days data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for 165 urban areas across the contiguous U.S. We compared health self-reports for people living in coastal vs. non-coastal urban areas and for residents of the disaster-prone Gulf of Mexico region vs. other locations. Coastal urban areas were defined as those having ≥50% of their population living within 20 km of a coast. Results: We found no overall health advantage of residing in a coastal urban location when all urban areas were considered. However, residents from non-Gulf of Mexico coastal urban areas reported modestly better health than residents from non-coastal areas. In contrast, self-reported health of Gulf coastal urban residents was significantly poorer than that of residents from other urban areas. Conclusions: The frequency of disasters and history of health and socioeconomic disparities in the Gulf region may be responsible, at least in part, for the apparent lack of health promoting effects of coastal location there.
An efficient synthesis of RNA containing GS-441524: the nucleoside precursor of remdesivir

Remdesivir is an antiviral nucleoside phosphoramidate with activity against multiple viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. To enable studies of viral polymerases with RNA containing remdesivir, we report an efficient synthesis of a phosphoramidite of GS-441524, the nucleoside precursor of remdesivir, and its incorporation into RNA using automated solid-phase RNA synthesis.
Arterial Hypertension in Diabetes: Etiology and Treatment

Hypertension is highly prevalent among people with diabetes, especially those with type 2 diabetes. While the genesis of hypertension in diabetes is multifactorial, it is clear that early dysfunction of the vasculature, related, in part, to abnormalities in modulation of vascular tone by nitric oxide, heralds development of hypertension in such individuals. Presence of hypertension substantially increases the risk of adverse outcomes with regard to both the CV and renal systems. Once nephropathy becomes manifest, i.e. elevation in serum creatinine and macroalbuminuria, lowering of blood pressure to the recommended guideline goals slows kidney disease progression and reduces CV risk to a greater extent than does glucose control. Based on recent guidelines if systolic blood pressure is >15–20 mmHg above the goal, two drugs should be started, one of which should to be a diuretic. Clearly, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers have also demonstrated benefits in these patients when used in concert with diuretics. The positive outcomes with diuretics relates clearly to their ability to lower blood pressure, especially in volume-expanded individuals, which is true of virtually all people with diabetes because of the effects of insulin on proximal tubular sodium reabsorption. Keywords: hypertension; macroalbuminuria; nephropathy; ACE inhibitors; endothelium; microalbuminuria
Towards an Extendable Software System for Information Integration

Data fusion (or information integration) from different sources is required for many technical fields, including epidemiology, medicine, biology, business, and military applications such as intelligence. Data fusion may involve integration of spectral content with imaging, text, and many other observations or with sensor data. Therefore, any software system for information integration should be extendable from one application to another. This paper describes some specific instances of data fusion, and shows how the fusion process can be viewed as multi-path and multi-stage mappings. These mappings can be organized from a software perspective into parallel development and management of four tools libraries: structure tools for data-fusion structure specifications, analytic tools for mapping methodologies, visualization tools for human and machine interface, and evaluation tools for evaluating fusion outcomes. Such software architecture will ensure the extendibility of the information integration system.
Convoys of Social Relations: Integrating Life‐Span and Life‐Course Perspectives

This chapter provides an overview of the convoy model of social relations. The components of social relations (structure, function, and quality) and their antecedents and consequences are delineated. Empirical studies of the convoy model are presented that detail how relationships vary by developmental period (e.g., in childhood and adulthood) and in different contexts (e.g., in families, at work). This chapter emphasizes the life-span and life-course perspectives as critical to understanding the processes and mechanisms through which social relations develop and how they influence or are associated with health. We highlight the convoy model's four basic tenets: (1) social relationships are multifaceted involving objective and subjective characteristics, (2) social relationships and networks change over time because of developmental and contextual processes, (3) social relationships vary by personal and situational factors, and (4) social relationships and networks influence well-being. A comprehensive overview of recent findings regarding social relationships and well-being using a pattern-centered approach to relationships is provided. Finally, we summarize the most recent findings regarding the convoy model and outline suggestions. Keywords: social relations; convoys of social support; life-course perspectives; pattern-centered approaches
Gelada feeding ecology in an intact ecosystem at Guassa, Ethiopia: Variability over time and implications for theropith and hominin dietary evolution.

Recent evidence suggests that several extinct primates, including contemporaneous Paranthropus boisei and Theropithecus oswaldi in East Africa, fed largely on grasses and sedges (i.e., graminoids). As the only living primate graminivores, gelada monkeys (Theropithecus gelada) can yield insights into the dietary strategies pursued by extinct grass- and sedge-eating primates. Past studies of gelada diet were of short duration and occurred in heavily disturbed ecosystems. We conducted a long-term study of gelada feeding ecology in an intact Afroalpine ecosystem at Guassa, Ethiopia. Geladas at Guassa consumed ≥56 plant species, ≥20 invertebrate species, one reptile species, and the eggs of one bird species over a 7-year period. The annual diet consisted of 56.8% graminoid parts, 37.8% forb parts, 2.8% invertebrates, and 2.6% other items, although geladas exhibited wide variability in diet across months at Guassa. Edible forbs were relatively scarce at Guassa but were strongly selected for by geladas. Tall graminoid leaf and tall graminoid seed head consumption correlated positively, and underground food item consumption correlated negatively, with rainfall over time. Geladas at Guassa consumed a species-rich diet dominated by graminoids, but unlike geladas in more disturbed habitats also ate a diversity of forbs and invertebrates along with occasional vertebrate prey. Although graminoids are staple foods for geladas, underground food items are important “fallback foods.” We discuss the implications of our study, the first intensive study of the feeding ecology of the only extant primate graminivore, for understanding the dietary evolution of the theropith and hominin putative graminivores, Theropithecus oswaldi and Paranthropus boisei. Am J Phys Anthropol 155:1–16, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
An implementation of active learning: assessing the effectiveness of the team infomercial assignment

This article examines the effectiveness of the team infomercial assignment as an active learning tool in undergraduate courses. The structure and three phases of the team infomercial assignment, as well as student evaluations and feedback, are presented. We investigated student experiences working on the team infomercial assignment, the common challenges that students faced, and the effective approaches to implementing this assignment in higher education settings. Results show that the team infomercial assignment is instrumental in developing analytical and presentation skills, effective teamwork, reflective learning, and the application of knowledge and skills in future learning. We conclude that the team infomercial assignment is clearly of value to students and provides a benchmark example for instructors interested in employing active learning approaches.
Using informatics to capture older adults’ wellness

Abstract Purpose The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how informatics applications can support the assessment and visualization of older adults' wellness. A theoretical framework is presented that informs the design of a technology enhanced screening platform for wellness. We highlight an ongoing pilot demonstration in an assisted living facility where a community room has been converted into a living laboratory for the use of diverse technologies (including a telehealth component to capture vital signs and customized questionnaires, a gait analysis component and cognitive assessment software) to assess the multiple aspects of wellness of older adults. Methods A demonstration project was introduced in an independent retirement community to validate our theoretical framework of informatics and wellness assessment for older adults. Subjects are being recruited to attend a community room and engage in the use of diverse technologies to assess cognitive performance, physiological and gait variables as well as psychometrics pertaining to social and spiritual components of wellness for a period of eight weeks. Data are integrated from various sources into one study database and different visualization approaches are pursued to efficiently display potential correlations between different parameters and capture overall trends of wellness. Results Preliminary findings indicate that older adults are willing to participate in technology-enhanced interventions and embrace different information technology applications given appropriate and customized training and hardware and software features that address potential functional limitations and inexperience with computers. Conclusion Informatics can advance health care for older adults and support a holistic assessment of older adults' wellness. The described framework can support decision making, link formal and informal caregiving networks and identify early trends and patterns that if addressed could reduce adverse health events.
The Use of Videotape Self-Monitoring to Facilitate Interactive Intervention in Speech-Language Therapy with Preschool Children with Autism

ABSTRACT This article describes the outcomes of a videotape self-monitoring project involving two graduate student clinicians enrolled in a clinical practicum in a speech-language pathology program. The goal of the project was to increase the clinicians' use of child-centered, interaction-promoting, and language-promoting strategies while interacting with preschool children with autism. The graduate student clinicians viewed videotapes of their weekly therapy sessions to identify and self-monitor their use of the interactive strategies with the children. The supervisees' and supervisor's ratings of the videotaped sessions were compared to each other and to the videotaped observational data. The outcomes are discussed from a developmental perspective for both supervisor and supervisees.
Further characterization of human fetal osteoblastic hFOB 1.19 and hFOB/ERα cells: Bone formation in vivo and karyotype analysis using multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization

We have previously generated an immortalized human fetal osteoblastic cell line (hFOB) using stably transfected temperature sensitive SV40 T-antigen (Harris et al. [1995a] J. Bone. Miner. Res. 10:178-1860). To characterize these cells for phenotypic/genotypic attributes desired for a good cell model system, we performed karyotype analysis by multicolor fluorescent in situ hybridization (M-FISH), their ability to form bone in vivo without developing cell transformation, and finally their ability to form extracellular matrix formation in vitro. The karyotype analysis of hFOB cells revealed structural or numeric anomalies involving 1-2 chromosomes. In contrast, the human osteosarcoma MG63 cells displayed multiple, and often complex, numeric, and structural abnormalities. Subcutaneous injection of hFOB cells in the presence of Matrigel into nude mice resulted in bone formation after 2-3 weeks. Electron microscopic analysis of the extracellular matrix deposited by hFOB cells in culture revealed a parallel array of lightly banded fibrils typical of the fibrillar collagens such as type I and III. These results demonstrate that the hFOB cell line has minimal chromosome abnormalities, exhibit the matrix synthetic properties of differentiated osteoblasts, and are immortalized but non-transformed cell line. These hFOB cells thus appear to be an excellent model system for the study of osteoblast biology in vitro.
A Perturbation Technique that Works Even When the Non-Linearity is Not Small

Abstract We extend the Lindstedt-Poincare small non-linearity based perturbation scheme to strongly non-linear systems. The extended technique starts from a physically non-existent neighboring linear system. This system is created by adding an optimal linear spring term to the system side of each linear differential equation, starting at the zeroth level, and balancing that term by adding an equal one to the forcing side one level down. Unlike the Ritz method, which also works for strongly non-linear systems, results can be obtained beyond the first level without resorting to numerical techniques. Thus, the extended method keeps the intuition-guiding straightforwardness of the perturbation method, while giving accurate, beyond first level, hand-derivable numerical results. Examples are presented for free vibrations with cubic and antisymmetric quadratic non-linearities and for harmonic solutions of the undamped Duffing equation. The forms of the solutions allow the regions of validity of the expansions to be estimated. An internal method of estimating accuracy of the perturbation solutions is developed and checked with the free vibration examples, the exact solutions of which are available. This internal method is then used to estimate the accuracy of the new solutions to the Duffing equation. These new Duffing equation solutions give accurate results in all regions where stable harmonic solutions are known to exist. In particular, they give accurate results at and near the vertical tangent to the resonance curve, a region where Hayashi's amplitude expansion based perturbation solution necessarily breaks down.
A note on verbal reinforcement combinations.

The hypothesis that "right" is weaker as a positive reinforcer than "wrong" as a negative reinforcer can be dismissed on logical grounds for the kind of task in which it originated. Both actual and hypotheicai data indicate that the characteristic difference between trials to criterion in rn ("right" for correct choices, nothing said after incorrect choices) and nw combinations (nothing for correct choices, "wrong" for incorrect choices) is produced by the nothings, not by the "rights" and "wrongs."
Unfolding four-helix bundles

A geometrical model has been developed to describe the early stages of unfolding of cytochromes c' and c-b_(562). Calculations are based on a step-wise extension of the polypeptide chain subject to the constraint that the spatial relationship among the residues of each triplet is fixed by the native-state crystallographic data. The response of each protein to these structural perturbations allows the evolution of each of the four helices in these two proteins to be differentiated. It is found that the two external helices in c' unfold before its two internal helices, whereas exactly the opposite behaviour is demonstrated by c-b_(562). Each of these cytochromes has an extended, internal, non-helical ("turning") region that initially lags behind the most labile helix but then, at a certain stage (identified for each cytochrome), unravels before any of the four helices present in the native structure. It is believed that these predictions will be useful in guiding future experimental studies on the unfolding of these two cytochromes.
Actin-myosin interaction. Self-assembly into a bipolar "contractile unit".

The interaction of polymerizing actin with myosin filaments results in the formation of a complex wherein one myosin filament is complexed to six actin filaments. The closely associated actin filaments are parallel to the long axis of the myosin filament, and in cross-section are in an hexagonal array around the myosin filament. This structured complex (“contractile unit”) is bipolar in organization, demonstrable by decoration of the associated actin with heavy meromyosin. The herringbone pattern at each end of the complex points toward the center of the complex, similar to the in vivo situation in the sarcomere of striated muscle. Formation of the complex probably involves a unidirectional polymerization of the actin, and strongly suggests a “polarity specificity” of the actin-myosin interaction.
GPS Lifeplan—Leading Campus Change

The Goals + Plans = Success (GPS) LifePlan is a new and innovative approach to assist and support students in answering critical questions that give direction to their pursuit of success. The program has brought impressive cultural changes to Century College. It benefitted new students by establishing a framework for critical decision making that has been embraced across the college as a program used in orientation and stressed to students through the curriculum.
Random number generation without multiplication

A family of random number generators based onmultistage sigma-delta modulation is presented. These generators require only addition and comparison operations and hence are potentially more efficient than multiplicative generators. On the basis of the complexity and performance of the generators, it is suggested that the fourth-order generator is a good source for random number sequences. >
CIRCULATION WITHIN BAHIA VIZCAINO, BAJA CALIFORNIA, AND ITS EFFECTS ON MARINE VEGETATION

BAHIA SEBASTIAN VIZCAINO consists of a large, shallow embayment partially enclosed on the seaward side by the prominent headland formed by the Sierra Vizcaino, by Isla Natividad, and by Isla Cedros (fig. 1). It is about 65 mi. wide, open on the northwest by a mouth 48 mi. wide, and on the southwest by channels known as Canal de Kellet and Canal de Dewey, 8 and 4 mi. wide respectively. The bottom shows little topographic variation and depths do not exceed 390 ft. except in the vicinity of the north end of Isla Cedros where depths of 510 ft. occur. The sill depth in Kellet Channel is 144 ft., in Dewey Channel 114 ft. Extensive shoals occur in the southeastern part of the bay and extend inland in the form of large lagoons. The prevailing wind is from the northwest (Osorio-Tafall, 1948, map VI) and is unbroken by any coastal formation from Morro de Santo Domingo to Isla Cedros. The mainland on the east and south has an arid climate which supports only a moderately to extremely sparse vegetation of cacti and other xeric shrubs. Isla Cedros on the west has a similar xeric vegetation on its dry, sunny east and south sides, whereas its damp, foggy, northwest side is to a large extent covered with coniferous forest. An extremely prominent boundary running along the main ridge of the northern half of the island separates these vegetation types and their respective climates.2 The circulation in Bahia Vizcaino which creates diverse, localized temperature conditions in various parts of its area is largely responsible for the presence of contrasting juxtaposed marine floras almost as striking as the terrestrial floras on Isla Cedros. A recent study of the relationship of coastal upwelling to the sessile marine vegetation along Pacific Baja California (Dawson, 1951) has shown how the algal flora closely reflects the depressed temperatures resulting from this phenomenon. That survey was based primarily on an uninterrupted temperature transection along almost the entire Pacific Coast of Baja California, but passing to the west of Isla Cedros. It was concerned mainly with the detection of areas of maximum upwelling intensity
Latest advances in diagnostic urologic radiology

Abstract Magnification renal arteriography results in a moderate degree of improvement in its diagnostic accuracy. The differential diagnosis of cyst versus tumor can be made with great accuracy. Various parenchymal renal diseases can be identified and staged so that accurate prognoses can be made. Technical advances in x-ray tubes and electronic imaging systems will result in angiograms of higher resolution and further improve the accuracy of magnification arteriography.
Indicator dilution measurements of almost-simultaneous regional blood flows in the dog

Abstract Because of the high ratio of blood flow to blood volume in normal kidneys, it is possible to place an indicator-injecting catheter and three sampling catheters in positions that allow the measurement of almost-simultaneous flows in the renal, hind, venous hepatic, and total peripheral regions. In completely analyzing the recorded indicator dilution curves, three methods of analysis were used: (a) the delineation of the relative and absolute flows through two regions supplying a single combined dye curve, (b) the application of Stephenson's theory and a two-term exponential approximation of particular dye curve humps to the estimation, by successive approximations, of the correction due to recirculation, and (c) the application of a calculus theorem and an inverse use of Stephenson's theory, together with two-term exponential approximation, to estimate the associated cava-to-aorta indicator function. The results of experiments in four anesthetized dogs, besides separate measurements of anterior and total peripheral flows in three of them, give support (by an independent method) of Levy and Blalock's findings that the peripheral blood flow is divided about equally among the three regions: head and forelimb, hepatic venous, and hind and renal. About two-thirds of the latter third, or two-ninths of the total flow, is renal. On a weight basis our flows averaged a little higher than those of Levy & Blalock (1937). Besides giving the flows, mean traversal times, and two illustrations of observed indicator dilution curves, a definition is proposed. for an average “dispersal time” of a dye slug passing through a circulatory bed. Values of this are also presented for the same set of experiments.