cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Humanism and Spanish Literary Patronage at the Roman Curia: The Role of the Cardinal of Santa Croce, Bernardino López de Carvajal (1456-1523)

This article aims to analyze the role of Bernardino Lopez de Carvajal's (1456 Plasencia-1523 Rome) as a literary patron, namely his contributions to humanism in Rome and to Spanish letters, in the period that has been loosely identified as Spanish Rome. Carvajal held the dignities of orator continuus of Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon, titular cardinal of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme , and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and was even elected antipope with the name of Martin VI in the conciliabulum of Pisa (1511) against Julius II. A cultivated man and a lover of poets, he belonged to the avant-garde of humanists devoted to create a body of Neolatin and Spanish Literature that would both foster the Spanish presence at Rome and leave a mark in the Spanish literary canon. He sponsored a considerable body of works that celebrated the deeds of the Catholic Kings and those of the Great Captain, Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordoba. He also commissioned literary translations, and was involved in the production of theatrical pieces, such as those of Baltasar Torres Naharro.
Evaluating the in vivo glial response to miniaturized parylene cortical probes coated with an ultra-fast degrading polymer to aid insertion.

OBJECTIVE Despite the feasibility of short-term neural recordings using implantable microelectrodes, attaining reliable, chronic recordings remains a challenge. Most neural recording devices suffer from a long-term tissue response, including gliosis, at the device-tissue interface. It was hypothesized that smaller, more flexible intracortical probes would limit gliosis by providing a better mechanical match with surrounding tissue. APPROACH This paper describes the in vivo evaluation of flexible parylene microprobes designed to improve the interface with the adjacent neural tissue to limit gliosis and thereby allow for improved recording longevity. The probes were coated with an ultrafast degrading tyrosine-derived polycarbonate (E5005(2K)) polymer that provides temporary mechanical support for device implantation, yet degrades within 2 h post-implantation. A parametric study of probes of varying dimensions and polymer coating thicknesses were implanted in rat brains. The glial tissue response and neuronal loss were assessed from 72 h to 24 weeks post-implantation via immunohistochemistry. MAIN RESULTS Experimental results suggest that both probe and polymer coating sizes affect the extent of gliosis. When an appropriate sized coating dimension (100 µm × 100 µm) and small probe (30 µm × 5 µm) was implanted, a minimal post-implantation glial response was observed. No discernible gliosis was detected when compared to tissue where a sham control consisting of a solid degradable polymer shuttle of the same dimensions was inserted. A larger polymer coating (200 µm × 200 µm) device induced a more severe glial response at later time points, suggesting that the initial insertion trauma can affect gliosis even when the polymer shuttle degrades rapidly. A larger degree of gliosis was also observed when comparing a larger sized probe (80 µm × 5 µm) to a smaller probe (30 µm × 5 µm) using the same polymer coating size (100 µm × 100 µm). There was no significant neuronal loss around the implantation sites for most device candidates except the group with largest polymer coating and probe sizes. SIGNIFICANCE These results suggest that: (1) the degree of mechanical trauma at device implantation and mechanical mismatches at the probe-tissue interface affect long term gliosis; (2) smaller, more flexible probes may minimize the glial response to provide improved tissue biocompatibility when used for chronic neural signal recording; and (3) some degree of glial scarring did not significantly affect neuronal distribution around the probe.
U.S. Dental Schools’ Preparation for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination

An Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) combining basic, behavioral, and clinical sciences will be implemented in 2020 to replace the current two-part National Board Dental Examination required for all candidates who seek to practice dentistry in the U.S. The aims of this study were to determine how U.S. dental schools are preparing for implementation of the INBDE and to assess their top administrators' attitudes about the new exam. A total of 150 deans, academic deans, and other administrators at all 64 U.S. dental schools with graduating classes in 2016 were emailed a 19-question electronic survey. The survey questions addressed the respondents' level of support, perceived benefits and challenges, and planned preparation strategies for the INBDE. The individual response rate was 59%, representing 57 of the 64 schools. Approximately 60% of the respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that they support the integrated exam, while roughly 25% either somewhat or strongly disagreed. While most respondents (72%) reported that their institutions would be prepared for the INBDE, 74% reported that the merged exam created additional strain for their institutions. Respondents reported viewing content integration and clinical applicability as benefits of the INBDE, while required curriculum changes and student preparedness and stress were seen as challenges. Most of the respondents reported their schools were currently employing strategies to prepare for the INBDE including meetings with faculty and students and changes to curricula and course content. The beginning of the fourth year and the end of the third year were the most frequently reported times when schools planned to require students to take the INBDE, although almost half of the respondents did not yet know what it would be required at their school. Several schools were reconsidering using the boards as a passing requirement. This study found that support for the INBDE was not universal, but strategies are under way to prepare students, faculty, and curricula for this new means of assessment.
Onset patterns in autism: Variation across informants, methods, and timing.

Author(s): Ozonoff, Sally; Gangi, Devon; Hanzel, Elise P; Hill, Alesha; Hill, Monique M; Miller, Meghan; Schwichtenberg, AJ; Steinfeld, Mary Beth; Parikh, Chandni; Iosif, Ana-Maria | Abstract: While previous studies suggested that regressive forms of onset were not common in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), more recent investigations suggest that the rates are quite high and may be under-reported using certain methods. The current study undertook a systematic investigation of how rates of regression differed by measurement method. Infants with (n = 147) and without a family history of ASD (n = 83) were seen prospectively for up to 7 visits in the first three years of life. Reports of symptom onset were collected using four measures that systematically varied the informant (examiner vs. parent), the decision type (categorical [regression absent or present] vs. dimensional [frequency of social behaviors]), and the timing of the assessment (retrospective vs. prospective). Latent class growth models were used to classify individual trajectories to see whether regressive onset patterns were infrequent or widespread within the ASD group. A majority of the sample was classified as having a regressive onset using either examiner (88%) or parent (69%) prospective dimensional ratings. Rates of regression were much lower using retrospective or categorical measures (from 29 to 47%). Agreement among different measurement methods was low. Declining trajectories of development, consistent with a regressive onset pattern, are common in children with ASD and may be more the rule than the exception. The accuracy of widely used methods of measuring onset is questionable and the present findings argue against their widespread use. Autism Res 2018, 11: 788-797. © 2018 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY:This study examines different ways of measuring the onset of symptoms in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The present findings suggest that declining developmental skills, consistent with a regressive onset pattern, are common in children with ASD and may be more the rule than the exception. The results question the accuracy of widely used methods of measuring symptom onset and argue against their widespread use.
Federal Food Package Revisions: Effects on Purchases of Whole-Grain Products

Background In 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) implemented revisions to the composition and quantities of WIC-provided foods. New whole-grain products such as whole-wheat bread and allowable substitutes were added to encourage increased intake of whole grains and fiber among WIC participants. Purpose This paper assesses how the WIC revisions affected purchases of bread and rice among WIC-participating households in Connecticut and Massachusetts. Methods Scanner data from a regional supermarket chain were used to examine bread and rice purchases of 2137 WIC households. Purchased volume of bread and rice was compared before and after implementation of the WIC revisions (2009–2010) using generalized estimating equation models. Data were analyzed in 2013. Results Before the WIC revisions, when no bread or rice was provided through WIC, white bread dominated bread purchases among WIC households (78% of volume), and almost all rice purchased was white (94%). As a result of the WIC revisions, the share of 100% whole-grain bread in total bread purchases tripled (from 8% to 24%), replacing purchases of white bread; the share of brown rice rose to 30% of rice purchases. WIC households used WIC benefits to change some of their bread purchases, rather than to buy more bread overall, whereas total rice purchases increased. Conclusions The 2009 WIC revisions significantly increased purchases of whole-grain bread and rice among WIC-participating families. The likely increase in whole-grain and fiber intake among low-income communities could have important public health implications.
Separation of Hydrophobic Organic Compounds from Wastewater Using Surfactant Aggregates on Alumina Particles

The adsorption of several hydrophobic organic compounds (HOCs) from water on alumina surfaces modified by the presence of surfactant “hemi-micelles” is discussed. The solubilisation of HOCs in hemi-micelles provides a convenient way of concentrating them on a solid substrate that can be subsequently regenerated with a minimum effort such as a change of pH since the formation and dissipation of hemi-micelles is a function of pH. Adsorption studies showed that the partition constants of HOCs with hemi-micelles of an anionic surfactant (sodium dodecylsulfate) on alumina can be predicted from a knowledge of their octanol-water partition constants.
Vector Fields on Surfaces; Orientation

A vector field X on an n-surface S ⊂ ℝn+1 is a function which assigns to each point p in S a vector X(p) ∈ ℝ p n+1 at p. If X(p) is tangent to S (i.e., X(p) ∈ Sp) for each p ∈ S, X is said to be a tangent vector field on S. If X(p) is orthogonal to S (i.e.. X(p) ∈ S p ⊥ ) for each p ∈ S, X is said to be a normal vector field on S (see Figure 5.1).
The incidence and clinical significance of pneumomediastinum found on computed tomography scan in blunt trauma patients.

With the increased use of chest computed tomography (CT) scan in the initial evaluation of major trauma, findings that were not seen on a chest radiograph (CXR) are increasingly identified. Pneumom...
Predicting Afforestation Success During Climatic Warming at the Northern Limit of Forests

Global temperature increases from greenhouse gases are expected during the 21st Century, possibly as early as the next decade. Warming is predicted to be greatest at highest latitudes. Initial attempts to document climate change will be hampered by the great inter-annual variability in weather at high latitudes and the scarcity of long-term weather records. Certain key properties of these environmental changes, however, can be defined, despite uncertainty concerning results from present climate models. A group of scientists meeting at Villach, Austria, in 1987 (Jaeger, 1988) agreed that 3 °C was a moderate estimate of average global warming during the next century, while at high latitudes (60 to 90° N.), 0.6 to 0.7 °C per decade in winter and 0.1 to 0.2 °C per decade in summer are more probable climate change expectations. Results from the most recent climate model results are not very different and range from 0.4 to 0.8 °C per decade (Mitchell et al., 1990). In addition, results from both the Villach group and the more recent compilations agree that winter precipitation and soil moisture could increase at high latitudes as more precipitation falls, and as more precipitation falls as rain instead of snow. These climate changes are quite intense and rapid. For the next few decades, they may result in a much wider range of temperature and precipitation extremes than has ever been recorded in cold regions.
Model-based inference about IR systems

Researchers and developers of IR systems generally want to make inferences about the effectiveness of their systems over a population of user needs, topics, or queries. The most common framework for this is statistical hypothesis testing, which involves computing the probability of measuring the observed effectiveness of two systems over a sample of topics under a null hypothesis that the difference in effectiveness is unremarkable. It is not commonly known that these tests involve models of effectiveness. In this work we first explicitly describe the modeling assumptions of the t-test, then develop a Bayesian modeling approach that makes modeling assumptions explicit and easy to change for specific challenges in IR evaluation.
Word for Word: Verbatim as Political Technologies

Verbatim—word for word—is assumed to be a text that faithfully captures and represents a discursive event that took place in time and space, which would otherwise be ephemeral and unrepeatable. In ...
Predictors of Primary Intracranial Hypertension in Children Using a Newly Suggested Opening Pressure Cutoff of 280 mm H2O

Abstract Objectives We assessed the clinical characteristics of primary intracranial hypertension (PIH) in children using a newly recommended threshold for cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure (280 mm H2O). Method Cross-sectional study of patients age ≤21 years who had a lumbar puncture done for evaluation of PIH. Patients were excluded if lumbar puncture was done for a suspected infection, seizure, mental status changes, multiple sclerosis, or Guillain-Barre syndrome. Cases were identified using a text-search module followed by manual review. We performed χ2 analysis for categorical data and Mann-Whitney U test for continuous data, followed by a binary logistic regression. Results We identified 374 patients of whom 67% were female, median age was 13 years interquartile range (11 to 16 years), and admission rate was 24%. Using an opening pressure cutoff of 250 mm H2O, 127 patients (34%) were identified as having PIH, whereas using the new cutoff 105 patients (28%) met PIH criteria. Predictors for PIH included optic disc edema or sixth nerve palsy using both old, odds ratio (OR) 7.6 (4.3, 13.5), and new cutoffs, OR 9.7 (95% confidence interval 5.1, 18.5). Headache duration ≤61 days is predictive of PIH using the new cutoff OR 4.1 (95% confidence interval 1.3, 12.8). A model is presented which stratifies patients into groups with low (7%), medium (18%), and high (greater than 42%) risk of PIH. Conclusions A higher cerebrospinal fluid opening pressure threshold in the criteria of PIH is associated with PIH patients with a different symptom profile. Children with optic disc edema, bulging fontanel or sixth nerve palsy, are at increased risk for PIH.
Liberty in Jane Austen's Persuasion / Didactic Novels and British Women’s Writing, 1790–1820

When it comes to the didactic import of fiction, Romantic-era novels often protest too much. The subtitles, advertisements, and prefaces of many works—especially those by women—strain to make expli...
Corticosteroid Therapy in Neonates Undergoing Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract Background The efficacy of intraoperative corticosteroids to improve outcomes following congenital cardiac operations remains controversial. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine whether intraoperative methylprednisolone improves post-operative recovery in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods Neonates undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass at 2 centers were enrolled in a double-blind randomized controlled trial of methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg) or placebo after the induction of anesthesia. The primary outcome was a previously validated morbidity-mortality composite that included any of the following events following surgery before discharge: death, mechanical circulatory support, cardiac arrest, hepatic injury, renal injury, or rising lactate level (>5 mmol/l). Results Of the 190 subjects enrolled, 176 (n = 81 methylprednisolone, n = 95 placebo) were included in this analysis. A total of 27 (33%) subjects in the methylprednisolone group and 40 (42%) in the placebo group reached the primary study endpoint (odds ratio [OR]: 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31 to 1.3; p = 0.21). Methylprednisolone was associated with reductions in vasoactive inotropic requirements and in the incidence of the composite endpoint in subjects undergoing palliative operations (OR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.99; p = 0.048). There was a significant interaction between treatment effect and center. In this analysis, methylprednisolone was protective at 1 center, with an OR: 0.35 (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.84; p = 0.02), and not so at the other center, with OR: 5.13 (95% CI: 0.85 to 30.90; p = 0.07). Conclusions Intraoperative methylprednisolone failed to show an overall significant benefit on the incidence of the composite primary study endpoint. There was, however, a benefit in patients undergoing palliative procedures and a significant interaction between treatment effect and center, suggesting that there may be center or patient characteristics that make prophylactic methylprednisolone beneficial.
Tumor location does not limit percutaneous treatment of small renal masses with microwave ablation.

The global incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has steady increased over the past two decades and accounts for 5% of all cancers in men and 3% of all cancers in women (1). This rising incidence is likely due to increased detection of small renal masses (SRMs), characterized as ≤4 cm in size, on cross-sectional imaging for other conditions (2).
Availability of Confidential Services for Teens Declined After the 2011-2013 Changes to Publicly Funded Family Planning Programs in Texas.

Abstract Purpose Texas is one of 24 states that does not explicitly allow minors to consent to contraception. We explore changes in the provision of confidential reproductive health services after the implementation of state policies that cut and reorganized public family planning funding, including Title X. Methods We use data from 3 waves of in-depth interviews, conducted between February 2012 and February 2015, with program administrators at publicly funded family planning organizations in Texas about changes in service delivery. We conducted a thematic analysis of transcripts from 47 organizations with segments related to the provision of services to minor teens. Results Overall, 34 of the 47 organizations received Title X funding before 2013, and 79% lost this funding during the study period. Respondents at these organizations frequently reported a decrease in teen clients, which they attributed to loss of confidential services previously guaranteed under Title X. As the number of Title X–funded sites decreased, availability of confidential services became inconsistent. Most organizations offered confidential testing for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, but availability of confidential contraceptive services varied across and within organizations and often depended on insurance coverage. Respondents also reported challenges clarifying parental consent requirements after the changes in Title X and state funding. Conclusions Loss of Title X funding decreased availability of quality family planning services for teens and burdened organizations. As the new Title X regulations are implemented, family planning organizations' experiences in Texas foreshadow what might occur nationally, particularly in states that do not allow minors to consent for contraception.
The Affective Lives of Doubled-Up Latinx Youth: Influences of School Experiences, Familism, and Ethnic Identity Exploration.

Doubled-up Latinx youth experience many daily challenges associated with ethnic minority status and residential instability. Doubled-up youth share housing with non-custodial caregivers such as friends and/or extended family members primarily because of economic hardship and a breakdown in available parental support. Using data from baseline and 10 days of twice-a-day surveys, this study examined how in-school positive experiences, familism (i.e., a perspective that gives precedence to the family), and ethnic identity (i.e. affirmation, exploration, and resolution) influence after school positive (e.g. feeling joyful/happy) and negative (e.g., feeling stressed/anxious) affect among doubled up Latinx youth (70% female; Mage = 16.5). Results indicate that in-school positive experiences were associated with more after school positive affect and less after school negative affect. Additionally, youth with higher levels of familism reported experiencing less after school negative affect. However, gender moderated the relation of ethnic identity exploration and experiences of after school positive affect. Specifically, females with higher levels of ethnic identity exploration reported relatively lower levels of after school positive affect compared to males. Overall, study findings highlight the importance of both person-level and varying contextual influences on the affective lives of doubled-up Latinx youth.
Anti-oppressive pedagogies in online learning: a critical review

Alongside the increasing popularity of distance education is a growing body of literature on anti-oppressive pedagogies (Breunig, 2009). Our critical review of literature explored and critiqued how...
Flow Quantification with MRI

Abstract The assessment of blood flow was one of the first clinically adopted quantitative measures in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The underlying principle for this measurement is the phase-contrast mechanism, which encodes the motion of the blood into the image phase. 2D phase-contrast MRI has become a commonly used clinical tool, where blood velocity maps and flow perpendicular to a single imaging slice can be captured within the duration of a breath-hold. More recently, 4D flow MRI has become feasible, which allows for the capture of a velocity vector field over a larger imaging volume and enables the analysis of complex flow and additional hemodynamic parameters such as pulse wave velocity and wall shear stress. Here, the physical principles of motion encoding motion, methodology for implementation of 2D and 4D phase-contrast sequences, confounding factors, artifacts, and their remedies, as well as clinical applications of PC MRI are reviewed.
Neurologic Manifestations of the World Health Organization's List of Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases

The World Health Organization (WHO) monitors the spread of diseases globally and maintains a list of diseases with epidemic or pandemic potential. Currently listed diseases include Chikungunya, cholera, Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, Ebola virus disease, Hendra virus infection, influenza, Lassa fever, Marburg virus disease, Neisseria meningitis, MERS-CoV, monkeypox, Nipah virus infection, novel coronavirus (COVID-19), plague, Rift Valley fever, SARS, smallpox, tularemia, yellow fever, and Zika virus disease. The associated pathogens are increasingly important on the global stage. The majority of these diseases have neurological manifestations. Those with less frequent neurological manifestations may also have important consequences. This is highlighted now in particular through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and reinforces that pathogens with the potential to spread rapidly and widely, in spite of concerted global efforts, may affect the nervous system. We searched the scientific literature, dating from 1934 to August 2020, to compile data on the cause, epidemiology, clinical presentation, neuroimaging features, and treatment of each of the diseases of epidemic or pandemic potential as viewed through a neurologist's lens. We included articles with an abstract or full text in English in this topical and scoping review. Diseases with epidemic and pandemic potential can be spread directly from human to human, animal to human, via mosquitoes or other insects, or via environmental contamination. Manifestations include central neurologic conditions (meningitis, encephalitis, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, seizures), peripheral and cranial nerve syndromes (sensory neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, ophthalmoplegia), post-infectious syndromes (acute inflammatory polyneuropathy), and congenital syndromes (fetal microcephaly), among others. Some diseases have not been well-characterized from a neurological standpoint, but all have at least scattered case reports of neurological features. Some of the diseases have curative treatments available while in other cases, supportive care remains the only management option. Regardless of the pathogen, prompt, and aggressive measures to control the spread of these agents are the most important factors in lowering the overall morbidity and mortality they can cause.
Race, Femininity, and School Suspension:

Research has suggested that the disproportionate number of Black girls subject to school discipline is not due entirely to their higher levels of misbehavior, but racial and gendered stereotypes su...
The redox potential of a heme cofactor in Nitrosomonas europaea cytochrome c peroxidase: a polarizable QM/MM study.

Redox reactions are crucial to biological processes that protect organisms against oxidative stress. Metalloenzymes, such as peroxidases which reduce excess reactive oxygen species into water, play a key role in detoxification mechanisms. Here we present the results of a polarizable QM/MM study of the reduction potential of the electron transfer heme in the cytochrome c peroxidase of Nitrosomonas europaea. We have found that environment polarization does not substantially affect the computed value of the redox potential. Particular attention has been given to analyzing the role of electrostatic interactions within the protein environment and the solvent on tuning the redox potential of the heme co-factor. We have found that the electrostatic interactions predominantly explain the fluctuations of the vertical ionization/attachment energies of the heme for the sampled configurations, and that the long range electrostatic interactions (up to 40 A) contribute substantially to the absolute values of the vertical energy gaps.
Tumors of the Skin

Cancers of the skin are the most common neoplasms diagnosed in the United States annually. They are a heterogeneous group with a widely varying prognosis. Despite this stark contrast, the principles of anatomy applied to the surgical treatment of these entities are remarkably similar. Cancers of the skin range in clinical behavior from indolent, such as BCCs, to highly aggressive, as is the case with some melanomas and merkel cell carcinoma.
The H/sub 2/-norm of uncertain systems

This paper concerns the H/sub 2/-norm of plants with parametric uncertainty. For a set of continuous time plants, having denominators in intervals and numerators multiaffinely coupled to the dominators, we show that the largest H/sub 2/-norm occurs at a corner. In discrete time, corner results are presented for plants whose numerators are as above and whose denominators vary in certain structures for which stability corner results exist.
A Dialogue about Race: African-American Teachers Discussing History and Experience of African-Americans in the Teaching Profession.

The achievement gap in the United States develops when millions of children enter the classroom on their first day of kindergarten. The sociological effects of the achievement gap as it relates to the racial and socio-economic strata create cyclical, systemic problems in our country that ultimately affect the next generations of children in our schools. The purpose of this study is to learn from adult African-American teachers about the issues confronting African-American high school students who no longer have role models in the classroom, as was previously the case, prior to school desegregation. A former teacher, of African-American history, was interviewed for the study. Results indicated that African-American teachers must take on the responsibility of engaging in conversations about race with their colleagues. The effect of this dialogue would be to help all teachers understand the challenges that all students with different cultural backgrounds face in the contemporary high school. Because there are so few African-American teachers, African-American students frequently lack role models with whom they can easily identify. This can negatively impact selfesteem for students and can keep students and teachers of all races from building rapport. Sometimes, it can even keep students from accessing the academic content. African-American Teachers and Students 7 Chapter
An amino acid substitution (Gly853–>Glu) in the collagen alpha 1(II) chain produces hypochondrogenesis.

The spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia subclassification of bone dysplasias includes achondrogenesis, hypochondrogenesis, and spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita. The phenotypic expression of these disorders ranges from mild to perinatal lethal forms. We report the detection and partial characterization of a defect in type II collagen in a perinatal lethal form of hypochondrogenesis. Electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide of CB peptides (where CB represents cyanogen bromide) from type II collagen of the diseased cartilage showed a doublet band for peptide alpha 1(II)CB10 and evidence for post-translational overmodification of the major peptides (CB8, CB10, and CB11) seen as a retarded electrophoretic mobility. Peptide CB10 was digested by endoproteinase Asp-N; and on reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography, fragments of abnormal mobility were noted. Sequence analysis of a unique peptide D12 revealed a single amino acid substitution (Gly-->Glu) at position 853 of the triple helical domain. This was confirmed by sequence analysis of amplified COL2A1 cDNA, which revealed a single nucleotide substitution (GGA-->GAA) in 5 of 10 clones. Electron micrographs of the diseased cartilage showed a sparse extracellular matrix and chondrocytes containing dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum, which suggested impaired assembly and secretion of the mutant protein. This case further documents the molecular basis of the spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia spectrum of chondrodysplasias as mutations in COL2A1.
The Effects of Service-Learning Participation on Pre-Internship Educators' Teachers' Sense of Efficacy.

This study aimed to determine if pre-internship teacher education students’ participation in service-learning activities in K-12 classrooms would significantly affect their teachers’ sense of efficacy (TSE). A secondary focus sought to determine if one type of service-learning activity (e.g., whole-class instruction) would affect teacher efficacy more than another (e.g., small-group tutoring). Findings revealed that pre-internship service-learners in both types of service-learning activities increased significantly in their TSE. However, neither type of service-learning activity was superior to the other as measured by the minimally accepted .05 level. The discussion focuses on factors shared between the two service-learning designs that might mediate a positive mastery experience. L’objectif de cette etude etait de determiner si la participation par des etudiants en pedagogie a des activites de benevolat dans des classes de la maternelle a la 12e annee augmenterait de facon significative leur sentiment d’etre efficaces comme enseignants. Un deuxieme objectif consistait a determiner si un type d’activite de benevolat (par ex. l’enseignement a toute la classe) affecterait l’efficacite d’un enseignant plus qu’une autre (par ex. le tutorat a de petits groupes). Les resultats indiquent que les deux types d’activite ont accru de facon significative le sentiment d’efficacite comme enseignants chez les etudiants benevoles. Toutefois, les parametres selon le seuil minimal de 0,05 ont revele qu’aucune activite n’etait superieure a l’autre. La discussion porte sur des facteurs communs aux deux activites de benevolat et qui pourraient entrainer une experience d’apprentissage fructueuse.
Workload-optimal histograms on streams

A histogram is a piecewise-constant approximation of an observed data distribution. A histogram is used as a small-space, approximate synopsis of the underlying data distribution, which is often too large to be stored precisely. Histograms have found many applications in database management systems, perhaps most commonly for query selectivity estimation in query optimizers [1], but have also found applications in approximate query answering [2], load balancing in parallel join execution [3], mining time-series data [4], partition-based temporal join execution, query pro.ling for user feedback, etc. Ioannidis has a nice overview of the history of histograms, their applications, and their use in commercial DBMSs [5]. Also, Poosala’s thesis provides a systematic treatment of different types of histograms [3].
Superoxide Dismutase 1 In Vivo Ameliorates Maternal Diabetes Mellitus-Induced Apoptosis and Heart Defects Through Restoration of Impaired Wnt Signaling.

Background —Oxidative stress is manifested in embryos exposed to maternal diabetes, yet specific mechanisms for diabetes-induced heart defects are not defined. Gene deletion of intermediates of Wingless-related integration (Wnt) signaling causes heart defects similar to those observed in embryos from diabetic pregnancies. We tested the hypothesis that diabetes-induced oxidative stress impairs Wnt signaling thereby causing heart defects, and that these defects can be rescued by transgenic overexpression of the reactive oxygen species scavenger SOD1. Methods and Results —Wild-type (WT) and superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) overexpressing embryos from nondiabetic WT control dams and nondiabetic/diabetic WT female mice mated with SOD1 transgenic male mice were analyzed. No heart defects were observed in WT and SOD1 embryos under nondiabetic conditions. WT embryos of diabetic dams had a 26% incidence of cardiac outlet defects that were suppressed by SOD1 overexpression. Insulin treatment reduced blood glucose levels and heart defects. Diabetes increased superoxide production, canonical Wnt antagonist expression, caspase activation, and apoptosis, and suppressed cell proliferation. Diabetes suppressed Wnt signaling intermediates and Wnt target gene expression in the embryonic heart, each of which were reversed by SOD1 overexpression. Hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite mimicked the inhibitory effect of high glucose on Wnt signaling, which was abolished by the SOD1 mimetic, tempol. Conclusions —The oxidative stress of diabetes impairs Wnt signaling and causes cardiac outlet defects that are rescued by SOD1 overexpression. This suggests that targeting of components of the Wnt5a signaling pathway may be a viable strategy for suppression of CHDs in fetuses of diabetic pregnancies.
Inventory Control with Advance Demand Information When Demand is Intermittent

In this paper we study a manufacturer-retailer relationship from the perspective of the manufacturer. The problem is managing the inventory of the manufacturer when Advance Demand Information (ADI) is available from the retailer. ADI allows the retailer to signal the manufacturer that there will be a demand, of the signaled size, in a future period. This is coupled with the situation where the manufacturer gets intermittent orders from the retailer. This intermittence may be because of the ordering policy of the retailer, or the nature of the product. Because of this demand structure the manufacturer's replenishment policy is assumed to be a “High-Low” base stock policy. A parsimonious Markov chain model of the intermittent demand with ADI is presented. We observe that a high-low policy is less costly than a one-parameter base-stock policy and that ADI increases the supply chain efficiency by reducing the cost of the manufacturer.
Antigen-Specific IgG1-Mediated Epidermal Cell Injury: A Component of Contact Hypersensitivity Reactions in Guinea Pigs, Measurable In Vitro in Full-Thickness Skin Explants

Guinea pigs were sensitized by the topical application of either dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) or oxazolone on days 1, 2, 3, and 10. Seventeen days after the first treatment with the sensitizer, full-thickness 1.0-cm2 explants of untreated areas of skin were topically exposed in vitro to these contactants. Compared to the response of skin from control guinea pigs, skin from specifically sensitized animals showed a dose-related increase in the number of epidermal cells containing vacuoles. A specific increase in epidermal microblistering paralleled the increase in epidermal vacuolization. In addition, skin explants from sensitized animals (exposed to the contactant) showed a specific decrease in the incorporation of [14C] leucine. Full-thickness skin explants from unsensitized guinea pigs were sensitized in vitro by the intradermal injection of serum IgG1 fraction from oxazolone-sensitized guinea pigs. In such passively sensitized explants, the specific contactant produced an increase in the number of epidermal vacuoles, an increase in the amount of microblistering, and a decrease in the number of mast cells detectable by Giemsa staining. To elicit this specific response, the concentration of the specific contactant had to be mildly injurious, as well as antigenic. This requirement for nonspecific injury could be met by topically exposing skin explants to a nonspecific irritant followed by a sub-threshold concentration of the specific contactant. In contrast to vacuole formation and blistering, contactant-specific degranulation of mast cells (measured by the decrease in their number) did not require irritant levels of the contactant. These studies show that several components of contact sensitivity reactions can be reproduced in vitro by the passive transfer of sera containing antigen-specific immunoglobulins. Banks of such sera might, therefore, be useful in identifying (in human populations) many pre-existing sensitivities to chemical compounds.
Geographic analysis of pathogen exposure in bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis).

Antibody responses were examined among 998 bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in California (USA) to determine spatial patterns of pathogen exposure. Using a shifting frame analysis, a specific geographic region was delineated that contained bighorn sheep with higher (P < 0.05) levels of multiple exposure (antibodies detected against ≥two pathogens), as well as higher prevalence values for eight of ten individual pathogens. This region in southwestern California encompassed all of the peninsular populations of bighorn sheep recently proposed for listing as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
A fractional order statistic towards defining a smooth quantile function for discrete data

Abstract This work is motivated in part by a recent publication by Ma et al. (2011) who resolved the asymptotic non-normality problem of the classical sample quantiles for discrete data through defining a new mid-distribution based quantile function. This work is the motivation for defining a new and improved smooth population quantile function given discrete data. Our definition is based on the theory of fractional order statistics. The main advantage of our definition as compared to its competitors is the capability to distinguish the uth quantile across different discrete distributions over the whole interval, u ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) . In addition, we define the corresponding estimator of the smooth population quantiles and demonstrate the convergence and asymptotic normal distribution of the corresponding sample quantiles. We verify our theoretical results through a Monte Carlo simulation, and illustrate the utilization of our quantile function in a Q–Q plot for discrete data.
Phase Fresnel lens recorded in photo-thermo-refractive glass by selective exposure to infrared ultrashort laser pulses.

A new two-step approach for fabricating phase optical elements in photo-thermo-refractive glass by exposure to IR ultrashort laser pulses followed by thermal development is shown. A binary phase Fresnel lens was designed to focus light at 632.8 nm to a focal length of 400 cm. Conditions of ultrashort pulse irradiation and thermal development were chosen to achieve π phase shift between zone boundaries. The focusing efficiency of the element was measured to be close to 50%.
Fine Details of IGF-1R Activation, Inhibition, and Asymmetry Determined by Associated Hydrogen /Deuterium-Exchange and Peptide Mass Mapping

The structural features of the asymmetric activated states of the insulin receptor family are still poorly understood. We investigated hydrogen/deuterium (H/D)-exchange within the extracellular domain of the type-I insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-1R) in the absence and presence of IGF-1 (active state) and in the presence of antibody inhibitors (inactive state). Near complete coverage of the 210 kDa receptor sequence was obtained by mass mapping of proteolytically derived peptides at all H/D-exchange time points. The data provide details regarding solvent exposure and dynamics across the extracellular region as well as conformational changes induced by activation or inactivation. Multiple peptides, distant in structure, individually demonstrated two distinct H/D-exchange rates, suggesting that each of these peptides exists in two separate environments in IGF-1R. The dual-exchange behavior of these peptides was enhanced on ligand binding and eliminated on inhibitor binding, clearly associating these regions with active state asymmetry and enabling them to serve as reporters of receptor activity.
John Rawls on Two Concepts of Rules: Some Speculations about Their Ecological Validity in Behavioral and Social Science Research

Over fifty years have passed since the publication of John Rawls' paper 'Two Concepts of Rules' (1955). The paper remains a unique work. Rawls' seminal 'distinction between justifying a practice and justifying a particular action falling under it' (1955: 3) provides us with a powerful analytic proposition that can have extensive theoretical and empirical consequences for the social sciences, as I seek to demonstrate below. In footnote 1 on page 3, Rawls states that 'practice' is a technical term that refers to 'any form of activity specified by a system of rules which defines offices, roles, moves, penalties, defenses, and so on, and which gives the activity its structure. As examples one may think of games and rituals, trials and parliaments.' Rawls' philosophical objective was to defend utilitarianism vis-a-vis 'punishment and the obligations to keep promises.' The general idea was to provide a clearer understanding of a rule regardless of whether or not it is defensible. The notion of two conceptions of rules is central to his discussion. I ask: can Rawls' unique analytical notion of two concepts of rules be clarified by empirical research in the social sciences? I present some recent data from a criminal justice case to illustrate the notion's potential and limitations. The empirical circum stances are somewhat dramatic. The case involved an allegation of inter- racial sexual molestation and two counts of Grand Theft. The sexual molestation allegation is a theme at the heart of deep-seated cultural tensions between Caucasians and African Americans that can be traced back to initial importation of slaves from Africa. The inter-racial sexual molestation allegation was documented in detail by two law-enforcement agencies but was never pursued. Once major consequence of this decision was to render empirically problematic the issue of when a case is said to fall under a rule of law.
Comparison of pulmonary nodule detection rates between preoperative CT imaging and intraoperative lung palpation

BACKGROUND: Recent advances in computed tomographic (CT) imaging have improved the detection rate of pulmonary metastasis. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that the pulmonary nodule detection rate for preoperative CT imaging and intraoperative palpation are now equivalent. METHODS: A retrospective review of 108 pulmonary metastasectomies in 84 patients was performed. The number of nodules detected on preoperative CT imaging by radiologist report was compared with the number of malignant nodules identified on pathology. Secondary outcome measures were operative approach and primary malignancy. RESULTS: Sarcoma metastases were the most common indication for resection (n = 54 [50%]). Thirty-three percent of metastasectomies were performed using a thoracoscopic approach. When thoracotomy was used, significantly more nodules were palpated and resected than were identified on preoperative CT imaging (3.24 vs 2.12, P < .001). Significantly more of these nodules were confirmed malignant on final pathology (2.40 vs 1.60, P = .01). This difference was not seen for thoracoscopic resections. CONCLUSIONS: Although the sensitivity of CT imaging has improved, a significant number of malignant pulmonary nodules are detected intraoperatively that are not identified on preoperative imaging. Patients undergoing pulmonary metastasectomy require careful intraoperative palpation of lung parenchyma, and therefore open thoracotomy remains the standard of care.
Natural Mentors, Mental Health, and Risk Behaviors: A Longitudinal Analysis of African American Adolescents Transitioning into Adulthood

In this study, we tested whether having a natural mentor affected the growth trajectory of health outcomes among adolescents transitioning into adulthood (5 years post-high school). Participants in this study included 615 African American emerging adults. Outcomes assessed in this study included depressive symptoms, sexual risk behavior, and substance use. We hypothesized that participants who possessed natural mentors would demonstrate greater declines over time across all outcome variables in comparison to their counterparts who did not possess natural mentors. Using Hierarchical Linear Modeling, we found that having a natural mentor was related to less depressive symptoms and less sexual risk behavior over time. The results suggest that natural mentors may protect youth from the negative outcomes associated with the risks they face. Implications of the results for prevention are discussed.
Alcoholism and Brain Damage: An Investigation Using the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery.

Numerous neuropsychological tests have been used to assess the effects of chronic alcohol use on the brain. Recently, the introduction of the Standardized Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery has presented a fresh way of evaluating disorders due to brain dysfunction. The present paper is an investigation of deficits in alcoholics on the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery. It was found that alcoholics differed from age--and education--matched controls on six of the fourteen scales of the test: Visual, Receptive Language, Arithmetic, Memory, Intelligence, and the Pathognomonic scale. An investigation of the individual items which differentiated alcoholics and controls found evidence that the effects of alcoholism are primarily seen in the more complex association areas of the brain, consistent with the conclusions reached by Gudeman and his associates. The implication and limitations of the present results were also discussed.