cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Facilitating Establishment of Advance Regeneration of Pterocarpus santalinus L.-An Endangered Tree Species from India

Red sanders (Pterocarpus santalinus L.) is an endangered and endemic tropical tree species from India in need of restoration. This study evaluated options for improving establishment of its advance regeneration in degraded forests. Using randomized complete block design, the effect of silvicultural treatments involving prescribed fire, in combination with disking, singling, disking with singling, and control (no treatment) on survival and growth of advanced regeneration were evaluated for a period of 2 years. Results indicate that the treatments served to ameliorate microsite conditions resulting in better survival and growth. Seedlings with fewer coppice shoots, treatments with a singling component, and treatments with disking component showed better survival and growth. The number and height of other neighboring seedlings and trees also influenced seedling establishment. Seedlings showed significantly higher survival results in the prescribed fire with disking (disking with prescribed burn [DPB]: 96%) and prescribed fires with disking and singling (singling plus disking with prescribed burn [SDPB]: 94%) treatments. Similarly, tall seedlings and those with larger root collar diameters accrued significantly higher volume growth in DPB (87%) and SDPB (97%) treatments. Although seedlings showed similar increments in DPB and SDPB treatments, better survival due to singling indicated the latter as the best option. In dense regeneration areas, preferential treatment of the taller and larger stumpsized seedlings and, in limited regeneration areas that of smaller seedlings, may yield better results. Additionally, removal of competing vegetation and canopy opening may also help establishment of young regeneration. The results of this study have applications for restoration of endangered species in other tropical dry deciduous ecosystems worldwide.
Navigating a sea of ideas: Teacher and students negotiate a course toward mutual relevance

Theories of social cognition and verbal communication were used to analyze the science teaching of an experienced fourth-grade teacher. Her teaching skills in language arts and reading were assets in negotiating the rapid flow of relatively unstructured information typical of inquiry in elementary classrooms, to help students generate relevant information about hands-on experience. The teacher was a collaborator in this case study of her thinking and instructional planning, and her students' learning in a unit of instruction about space. Implications for elementary science instruction include recognizing the importance of embedded speech in conceptually broad discussions with students. Efforts to reform elementary science instruction should attend to these instructional skills more common to language arts instruction.
A retrospective study of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis developing drug resistance.

Summary Using a definition based on minimal inhibitory concentrations, tubercle bacilli which had shown drug resistance to isoniazid, PAS or streptomycin either singly or in combinations were isolated from 182 patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated with chemotherapy during 1956–7. Sixty-one notified since June 30, 1952, and advised combined chemotherapy with two or more drugs were matched with the nearest bacteriologically proved case of the same age and sex on the tuberculosis register in which bacterial resistance had not been detected. These 122 cases were submitted to detailed study retrospectively. Four findings were more common in the diagnostic radiograph of those patients subsequently showing bacterial drug resistance; these were an area of disease greater than the equivalent of two zones in the radiograph, and cavitation, especially if multiple or if the diameter of the largest cavity was greater than 4 cm. across. Detailed analysis of the chemotherapeutic regimes showed a smaller proportion of cases in the resistant group than the random group who had chemotherapy completely in hospital for the first six months of treatment. It also showed an increased use of out-patient daily PAS and isoniazid in the isoniazid resistant and daily PAS and thrice weekly streptomycin in the streptomycin-resistant cases. It is concluded that all patients having any of the above radiographic factors should have chemotherapy completely in hospital for at least six months if the emergence of drug resistance is to be avoided.
Reflected solar radiances from broken cloud scenes and the interpretation of scanner measurements

If an adequate model of the reflection characteristics of a given scene is available, the reflected solar irradiance from the scene may be determined from radiance measurements made by satellite-borne scanning radiometers. A theoretical analysis of the reflection functions of broken cloud scenes is presented, using Monte Carlo simulations of the radiative transfer in various three-dimensional geometries. It is shown that the reflection functions of horizontally extensive (stratiform) and horizontally limited (cumuliform) clouds are generally quite different. The differences are greatest for nadir and limb views, but tend to vanish for reflected radiances with a zenith angle of 60 deg. Applications to satellite observations suggest potential errors of a factor of 2 in the inferred irradiance are likely due to scene misidentification when the radiances are interpreted indiscriminantly. Selection of preferred satellite viewing directions, however, can significantly reduce this error.
Plasma apolipoprotein E, high density lipoprotein1 (HDL1) and urinary mevalonate excretion in pancreatectomized diabetic dogs: effects of insulin and lovastatin

Abstract Hypercholesterolemia and increased concentrations of an apolipoprotein E (apoE)-containing HDL subclass, high density lipoprotein 1 (HDL 1 ) have been observed in streptozocin-alloxan diabetic dogs consuming normal amounts of dietary cholesterol. The aim of this study was to characterize the response of HDL 1 and its targeting ligand, apoE, to insulin and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor treatment in pancreatectomized diabetic dogs. Following induction of diabetes, plasma total cholesterol, HDL 1 , and apoE concentrations were all increased. Urinary mevalonate excretion, an index of cholesterol synthesis in humans, was 6-fold that of nondiabetic controls. Lipoprotein fractionation by Pevikon block electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography showed that the increased cholesterol and apoE were associated with α 2 -migrating particles corresponding to HDL 1 . Insulin treatment, resulting in near normal fasting blood glucose concentrations in the group as a whole (average 5.1 mM, 92 mg/dl), led to variable reductions in apoE, total plasma cholesterol, and HDL 1 . Uncorrected dyslipidemia during intensified insulin treatment appeared to be related to failure to achieve euglycemia. Despite unremitting hyperglycemia, treatment with lovastatin resulted in pronounced decreases in plasma cholesterol, HDL 1 and apoE to concentrations below those observed in nondiabetic animals. Mevalonate excretion also fell, but remained twice normal. Thus neither modality corrected all of the abnormalities in canine diabetic dyslipidemia. Since apoE-containing HDL 1 may mediate cholesterol traffic between the periphery and the liver (reverse cholesterol transport), the present observations suggest that increased cholesterol synthesis is accompanied by parallel abnormalities in cholesterol flux through the reverse transport pathway in the canine model.
Seasonal variations in the low latitude dynamo current system near sunspot maximum

Abstract Strong seasonal variations in the equatorial dynamo-induced electric fields have been deduced from incoherent-scatter sounder data. These seasonal variations are studied in this paper using a dynamo model in conjunction with the thermospheric neutral wind system. The E -region dynamo system is studied using an equivalent mesh circuit model. The model contains a detailed magnetic field system, includes the influence of conjugate effects and employs a quadrature synthesis technique to fit experimental and theoretical results. The thermospheric wind system is restricted to two tidal modes; the first evanescent diurnal mode and the semidiurnal mode. The wind systems are converted to geomagnetic coordinates and global dynamo currents and electric fields are derived for equinox and solstice periods. It is shown that the post sunset enhancement in electric field can be explained by this simple E -region dynamo model.
Control of the radiation of a silicon-based optical leaky wave antenna through optical pumping

We propose the control of the radiation of an optical leaky wave antenna through optical pumping schemes. A bi-directional pumping is eventually adopted, and the tunability of the radiation is observed
Detecting distant relatives of mammalian LPS‐binding and lipid transport proteins

In mammals, a family of four lipid binding proteins has been previously defined that includes two lipopolysaccharide binding proteins and two lipid transfer proteins. The first member of this family to have its three-dimensional structure determined is bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI). Using both the sequence and structure of BPI, along with recently developed sequence-sequence and sequence-structure similarity search methods, we have identified 13 distant members of the family in a diverse set of eukaryotes, including rat, chicken, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Biomphalaria galbrata. Although the sequence similarity between these 13 new members and any of the 4 original members of the BPI family is well below the "twilight zone," their high sequence-structure compatibility with BPI indicates they are likely to share its fold. These findings broaden the BPI family to include a member found in retina and brain, and suggest that a primitive member may have contained only one of the two similar domains of BPI.
Switching and backward inhibition in major depressive disorder: the role of rumination.

Previous studies have demonstrated that individuals with major depressive disorder have difficulties switching attention from one task set to another. In the current study we examined whether ruminative thinking drives the switching deficits of depressed individuals. A secondary, more exploratory, goal of this study was to examine whether state rumination would impair depressed individuals’ ability to activate a new task set, to inhibit a no longer relevant task set, or both. Participants underwent either a rumination induction or a distraction induction and then completed a backward inhibition task that measures general switching abilities and the ability to inhibit previous task sets. Although depression was not related to switching ability as a main effect, depressed individuals who were induced to ruminate exhibited poorer switching ability than did both depressed and control individuals who were distracted from ruminating and control participants who were induced to ruminate. These findings suggest that depressed individuals are characterized by switching deficits only if they are ruminating. Moreover, the finding that state rumination did not affect participants’ ability to inhibit previous task sets suggests that state rumination primarily impairs noninhibitory task-switching processes. It is interesting that the opposite pattern of results was obtained for trait rumination, which was related to inhibitory deficits during switching, but not to generally poorer switching. Thus, state and trait rumination may be associated with dissociable cognitive deficits.
Detecting Moving Objects Using a Camera on a Moving Platform

This paper proposes a new ego-motion estimation and background/foreground classification method to effectively segment moving objects from videos captured by a moving camera on a moving platform. Existing methods for moving-camera detecting impose serious constraints. In our approach, ellipsoid scene shape is applied in the motion model and a complicated ego-motion estimation formula is derived. Genetic algorithm is introduced to accurately solve ego-motion parameters. After motion recovery, noisy result is refined by motion vector correlation and foreground is classified by pixel level probability model. Experiment results show that the method demonstrates significant detecting performance without further restrictions and performs effectively in complex detecting environment.
Glycoprotein fragment associated with vesicular stomatitis virus after proteolytic digestion

Abstract Removal of the glycoprotein surface projections of vesicular stomatitis virus with trypsin or other proteolytic enzymes leaves a small polypeptide fragment associated with the virion. High-pH treatment of trypsinized virus releases a 100-S structure containing this fragment, whereas treatment of intact virions releases a 200-S structure containing the glycoprotein as the only protein constituent.
The Trigeminal Trophic Syndrome: An Unusual Cause of Face Pain, Dysaesthesias, Anaesthesia and Skin/Soft Tissue Lesions

The trigeminal trophic syndrome is an unusual consequence of trigeminal nerve injury that results in facial anaesthesia, dysaesthesia and skin ulceration. Limited knowledge is available. The aim of this study was to increase the knowledge of this syndrome by performing a retrospective medical record review and case series report. Fourteen cases were identified. The female:male ratio was 6:1. Mean age of onset was 45 years (range 6-82). The cause was iatrogenic in most. Latent period to onset ranged from days to almost one decade. The majority (n = 12) had bothersome dysaesthesias. Most (n = 9) self-manipulated the face; a third (n = 5) did not. Most ulcers affected the second trigeminal division, mainly in the infraorbital nerve distribution. Neuropathic and/or neuralgic facial pain occurred in 50% (n = 7). Pain intensity was severe in most (n = 6). Gabapentin gave relief in two. To conclude, trigeminal trophic syndrome follows injury to the trigeminal nerve or its nuclei. For unclear reasons, most ulcerations follow infraorbital nerve distribution. Self-manipulation may contribute to ulcer development rather than being required. Gabapentin may help pain.
Using Cluster Analysis of Hydraulic Conductivity Realizations to Reduce Computational Time for Monte Carlo Simulations

AbstractDespite the conceptual simplicity of Monte Carlo-simulation methods in assessing uncertainty in hydrogeological systems, their use is limited by expensive computational requirements in terms of the large number of realizations that must be processed. Cluster analysis was applied in this paper to reduce the number of realizations to be processed by flow simulators while efficiently approximating flow-response statistics. Different clustering techniques were used to partition the ensemble of realizations into a few clusters that were significantly different from each other and had maximum intracluster similarity. The clustering step was achieved by using different similarity metrics. Then a subsample of the realizations was collected to represent the uncertainty in the whole ensemble. Two methods for collecting the subsample were investigated: the stratified sampling and centroid-based sampling. The performance of different clustering and sampling techniques was tested by evaluating the mismatch bet...
Explaining Crossing DIF in Polytomous Items Using Differential Step Functioning Effects

Crossing, or intersecting, differential item functioning (DIF) is a form of nonuniform DIF that exists when the sign of the between-group difference in expected item performance changes across the latent trait continuum. The presence of crossing DIF presents a problem for many statistics developed for evaluating DIF because positive and negative conditional between-group differences in expected item score can cancel to yield a negligible between-group difference when aggregated across the latent trait continuum. As a result, many DIF detection statistics are insensitive to DIF that is crossing in nature. Currently, little is known about why crossing DIF occurs in polytomous items. This study demonstrates that crossing DIF in polytomous items can be explained by the presence of differential step functioning (DSF) effects that vary in sign across the steps of the polytomous item, suggesting that crossing DIF is caused by the presence of one or more secondary factors that yield a relative advantage for diffe...
Airborne residues resulting from use of methyl parathion, molinate and thiobencarb on rice in the sacramento valley, California

In connection with requirements of California's Toxic Air Contaminant Act, 24-h ambient air samples were collected using an XAD-4 resin trap technique capable of simultaneously collecting methyl parathion, methyl paraoxon, molinate and thiobencarb. Sampling was conducted on rooftops of public buildings located in four towns in two counties where methyl parathion, molinate and thiobencarb were used in significant quantities, and at a background site located in a county where no use occurred, for four intervals each week for 5 weeks during the springtime application period of 1986. Satisfactory recoveries (greater than 66%) were obtained from dynamic spiking experiments, and the precision from field replicates was consistently less than 50% relative standard deviation using a protocol designed to accommodate a large number of samples. Daily maximum average concentrations (and the range in averages for all sites over the 19 and 20 sampling days in the two-county use area) were 25.7 ng/m3 (0.2-6.2 ng/m3) for methyl parathion, 3.1 ng/m3 (<0.5-0.8 ng/m3) for methyl paraoxon, 1,720 ng/m3 (60-650 ng/m3) for molinate and 250 ng/m3 (12.9-67.8 ng/m3) for thiobencarb. Concentrations correlated well with reported uses of methyl parathion and molinate in the general vicinity of the sampling sites. The likely sources of observed residue levels, based upon the method of application and pesticide physicochemical properties, were spray drift during application for methyl parathion, vapor-phase oxidation of parent thion for methyl paraoxon, and postapplication volatilization from field water for molinate and thiobencarb.
Simulator sickness when performing gaze shifts within a wide field of view optic flow environment: preliminary evidence for using virtual reality in vestibular rehabilitation

Background Wide field of view virtual environments offer some unique features that may be beneficial for use in vestibular rehabilitation. For one, optic flow information extracted from the periphery may be critical for recalibrating the sensory processes used by people with vestibular disorders. However, wide FOV devices also have been found to result in greater simulator sickness. Before a wide FOV device can be used in a clinical setting, its safety must be demonstrated.
Two treatments, one disease: childhood malaria management in Tanga, Tanzania.

Background: In the Tanga District of coastal Tanzania, malaria is one of the primary causes of mortality for children under the age of five. While some children are treated with malaria medications in biomedical facilities, as the World Health Organization recommends, others receive home-care or treatment from traditional healers. Recognition of malaria is difficult because symptoms can range from fever with uncomplicated malaria to convulsions with severe malaria. This study explores why caregivers in the Tanga District of Tanzania pursue particular courses of action to deal with malaria in their children. Methods: Qualitative data were collected through interviews with three samples: female caregivers of children under five (N = 61), medical practitioners (N = 28), and traditional healers (N = 18) in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas. The female caregiver sample is intentionally stratified to reflect the greater population of the Tanga District in level of education, marital status, gender of household head, religion, and tribal group affiliation. Qualitative data were counted, coded and analysed using NVivo7 software. Results: Results indicate that a variety of factors influence treatment choice, including sociocultural beliefs about malaria symptoms, associations with spiritual affliction requiring traditional healing, knowledge of malaria, and fear of certain anti-malaria treatment procedures. Most notably, some caregivers identified convulsions as a spiritual condition, unrelated to malaria. While nearly all caregivers reported attending biomedical facilities to treat children with fever (N = 60/61), many caregivers stated that convulsions are best treated by traditional healers (N = 26/61). Qualitative interviews with medical practitioners and traditional healers confirmed this belief. Conclusion: Results offer insight into current trends in malaria management and have implications in healthcare policy, educational campaigns, and the importance of integrating traditional and biomedical approaches.
Role of eIF4E in stimulation of protein synthesis by IGF-I in perfused rat skeletal muscle.

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) promotes anabolism by stimulating protein synthesis in skeletal muscle. In the present study, we have examined mechanisms by which IGF-I stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle with a perfused rat hindlimb preparation. IGF-I (10 nM) stimulated protein synthesis over 2.7-fold. Total RNA content was unaffected, but translational efficiency was increased by IGF-I. We next examined the effect of IGF-I on eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E as a mechanism regulating translation initiation. IGF-I did not alter either the amount of eIF4E associated with the eIF4E binding protein 4E-BP1 or the phosphorylation state of 4E-BP1. Likewise, the phosphorylation state of eIF4E was unaltered by IGF-I. In contrast, the amount of eIF4E bound to eIF4G was increased threefold by IGF-I. We conclude that IGF-I regulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle by enhancing formation of the active eIF4E ⋅ eIF4G complex.
DC Josephson Effect

At the outset it should be stressed that the Josephson effect (1) is not necessarily a tunneling phenomenon but is the result of far more fundamental physical processes. It is true historically that tunnel junctions have been used to study this effect, but the tunneling is not essential to the phenomenon. Primarily, tunnel junctions have been used because this is the only physical situation for which detailed calculations of certain amplitude effects can be made.
3D Point Sets Matching Method Based on Moravec Vertical Interest Operator

The purpose of this paper is to solve the problem of matching two 3D point sets quickly in the field of robot vision. Moravec vertical interest operator is used to extract vertical edge feature of objects. The method of the sum squared difference (SSD) is used to match the feature points and obtain the 3D point sets which contain vertical line feature. Find the transformation relation of rotation and translation of corresponding straight lines in two 3D point sets according to the projection point of vertical line projected into x-y plane. Depending on the transformation relation, it can match two 3D point sets. The experiment results illustrate that this method has good exactness and robustness.
Effect of the exogenous amino acid concentration on the rate of gluconeogenesis in liver slices.

SummaryThe steady state rate of gluconeogenesis in rat liver slices incubated in U-14C-alanine was linearly related to the extracellular alanine concentration over a range of 1-9 mg of alanine/100 ml. The rate of oxidation of alanine to CO2 was also linearly related to the extracellular alanine concentration and the ratio of alanine oxidized to CO2 to the alanine converted to glucose was constant with changes in the alanine concentration.Appendix: CO2 trapping efficiency correction. Since the quantity of labeled carbon dioxide found in the centerwell of closed incubation flasks following a test injection (step forcing) of Na214CO3 increased exponentially with time, the trapping mechanism was a first order process (15). During incubation the liver slice produced carbon dioxide continuously, therefore, under experimental conditions the first order carbon dioxide trapping process was subjected to a ramp, rather than a step forcing. The equation, predicting the fraction of released 14CO2 that would be trapped...
An Enterotoxin of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been implicated in diarrheal conditions, and descriptions of these diseases date back as far as 1894 [1]. Some of these diseases have been described as 5-day or Shanghai fever [2], The use of ligated rabbit intestines for the demonstration of the accumulation of fluid by cultures of Vibrio cholerae was described as early as 1915 by Violle and Crendiropoulo [3]; the technique has been used extensively in recent years by De and Chatterje [4] as well as many other workers [5, 6] for the demonstration of enterotoxicities of various microorganisms. We have employed this technique to demonstrate the production of an enterotoxin by P. aeruginosa.
Rayleigh Acoustic waves in fcc/fcc Metallic Superlattices

The Rayleigh acoustic waves of sputter-deposited Cu/Co, Ag/Pd and Cu/Pd sup-erlattice films were studied using Brillouin scattering. All three of these systems are fcc/fcc superlattices. The dependence of the Rayleigh wave velocities for these films on the superlattice modulation wavelength is discussed.
Phosphorylation and Functional Desensitization of the α2A-Adrenergic Receptor by Protein Kinase C

We have investigated the potential for protein kinase C (PKC) to phosphorylate and desensitize the α2A-adrenergic receptor (α2AAR). In whole-cell phosphorylation studies, recombinantly expressed human α2AAR displayed an increase in phosphorylation after short-term exposure to 100 nmphorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) that was blocked by preincubation with a PKC inhibitor. This increase in receptor phosphorylation over basal amounted to 172 ± 40% in COS-7 cells and 201 ± 40% in Chinese hamster ovary cells. In permanently transfected Chinese hamster fibroblast cells, PKC activation by brief exposure of the cells to PMA resulted in a marked desensitization of α2AAR function, amounting to a 68 ± 4% decrease in the maximal agonist (UK14304)-stimulated intracellular calcium release. Such desensitization was blocked by the PKC inhibitor bisindolylmaleimide I and was not evoked by an inactive phorbol ester. The desensitization of this agonist response was not caused by PKC-mediated augmentation of G protein-coupled receptor kinase activity, because PMA-promoted desensitization of a mutated α2AAR that lacked G protein-coupled receptor kinase phosphorylation sites was identical to that of wild-type α2AAR. To test whether PKC phosphorylation is a mechanism by which α2AAR can be regulated by other receptors, the α1bAR was co-expressed with the α2AAR in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Upon selective activation of α1bAR, the function of α2AAR underwent a 53 ± 5% desensitization. Thus, cellular events that result in PKC activation promote phosphorylation of the α2AAR and lead to substantial desensitization of receptor function. This heterologous regulation also represents a mechanism by which rapid crosstalk between the α2AAR and other receptors can occur.
Culturing and Differentiating Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Pluripotent embryonic stem (ES) cells have been used extensively for over 20 years for creating mouse mutants as models for developmental biology and humans diseases. The genetic manipulations of the ES cells have revolutionized our understanding of organ development and abilities to genetically manipulate the mouse embryo. Understanding the ES cell differentiation has provided new insights essential for establishing cell-based therapy and tissue regeneration.
The Support System for Riverine Trade in the United States

Prior to railroads and interstates, ships transported passengers and goods across the country’s interior. In the American Midwest, a variety of ships, including steamboats, bull boats, canoes, pirogues, bateau, flatboats, keelboats, Mackinaws, barges, and rafts, navigated interior waterways and rivers. In addition to the various boats and ships, riverine transportation required the construction and use of ancillary structures on land. Archaeological investigations at four sites along the Missouri, Mississippi, and Meramec rivers in Missouri provide detailed information concerning riverine transportation networks in the nineteenth century and their importance to local communities.
Discourse analysis matters: bridging frameworks

ABSTRACTA great deal of discourse analysis is deeply imbued with Western perspectives on language, communication, politics, and society. One solution to this problem is to expose these perspectives and develop, across different cultures, culturally distinct forms of discourse analysis. In this paper I want to claim that it is also possible to think of discourse analysis in a way that crosses cultures and, in a sense, stays ‘neutral’ politically. The approach I sketch out is tentative and exploratory. It is based on an old thesis in philosophy called the Quine–Duhem thesis, a thesis that states a distinctive view of how science works. I will argue that the thesis can illuminate the nature of critical debates not only in science, but in society more generally. I will add to the Quine–Duhem thesis insights from Karl Popper and the Iranian philosopher Abdolkarim Soroush. On this basis I develop a proposal about an approach to discourse analysis that I call Framework Discourse Analysis (FDA). This approach is ...
Enrolling Adolescents in Disease/Target-Appropriate Adult Oncology Clinical Trials of Investigational Agents

The enrollment of adolescents with cancer in clinical trials is much lower than that of younger pediatric patients. For adolescents with “adult-type” cancers, lack of access to relevant trials is cited as one of the reasons for this discrepancy. Adolescents are generally not eligible for enrollment in adult oncology trials, and initial pediatric trials for many drugs are conducted years later, often after the drug is approved. As a result, accrual of adolescents to these trials may be slow due to off-label use, prospectively collected safety and efficacy data are lacking at the time of initial approval, and, most importantly, these adolescents have delayed access to effective therapies. To facilitate earlier access to investigational and approved drugs for adolescent patients with cancer, and because drug exposure is most often similar in adolescents and adults, we recommend the inclusion of adolescents (ages 12–17) in disease- and target-appropriate adult oncology trials. This approach requires careful monitoring for any differential safety signals, appropriate pharmacokinetic evaluations, and ensuring that ethical requirements are met. Inclusion of adolescents in adult oncology trials will require the cooperation of investigators, cooperative groups, industry, institutional review boards, and regulatory agencies to overcome real and perceived barriers. Clin Cancer Res; 23(1); 9–12. ©2016 AACR.
The CAT(2) Comes Back

Genetic and biochemical evidence supporting CATALASE2 as a salicylic acid (SA) receptor has finally emerged. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Yuan et al. (2017) show that SA binds to CATALASE2 to inhibit auxin and jasmonic acid biosynthetic enzymes as a means to strengthen plant immunity against biotrophic pathogens.
The prognostic value of pre-diagnosis health-related quality of life on survival: a prospective cohort study of older Americans with lung cancer

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) after cancer diagnosis is prognostic for overall survival (OS). However, no studies have assessed if HRQOL before diagnosis is predictive for OS. The objective of this study was to determine the association between pre-lung cancer diagnosis HRQOL and OS. Our prospective cohort study used surveillance, epidemiology, and end results linked to the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey. We included 6290 individuals 65 years or older diagnosed with incident lung cancer from 1998 to 2013. We assessed the prognostic value of (1) short-form 36 summary component and domain-specific scores, (2) activities of daily living (ADL), and (3) two global HRQOL questions. Cox-proportional hazards models were used to examine associations between HRQOL and OS, adjusting for demographics, comorbid conditions, and clinical characteristics. Worse pre-diagnosis HRQOL was significantly associated with greater risk of death across HRQOL measures. An above average physical or mental component summary score was associated with 16 and 24% decreases in the hazard of death, respectively (p < 0.0001). Being unable to perform ADLs, such as bathing oneself, was associated with an 89% increased hazard of death (p < 0.0001). Reporting “poor” versus “excellent” health was associated with a 74% increase in the hazard of death (p < 0.0001). This population-based study reinforces the importance of self-reported health status as a predictor for OS. Routine HRQOL screening may identify patients who could benefit from early interventions to improve HRQOL. Future studies should explore associations between changes in HRQOL before and after cancer diagnosis and OS.
Rethinking “Structural Violence”

The concept of structural violence first developed in the 1960s as a way to explain disparities in health and development between wealthy countries and impoverished postcolonial states. This idea emerged out of Dependency Theory and defined poverty and disease in the developing world as the product of exploitation by colonial or neocolonial powers. Contemporary researchers continue to invoke structural violence to explain international health trends, but a review of recent literature reveals that the concept is increasingly outdated and poorly theorized. It is especially problematic when used to describe contemporary epidemics of infectious disease. In this paper I offer a brief overview of the concept of structural violence and critique the way it has been used to explain the political economy of two recent outbreaks: Ebola in West Africa and cholera in Haiti. Ultimately the paper concludes that these scholars claim to be explaining epidemics but instead use their research as a form of moralistic storytelling that leaves the structural dimensions of health unexplored.
Abstract WP218: A Blood Test Capable of Discriminating Between Real Strokes and Mimics

Introduction: stroke diagnosis is not always easy. Many non-vascular medical and neurological problems can mimic stroke, featuring focal neurological signs and symptoms of sudden onset. These patients can potentially be harmed by stroke-specific treatments, including fibrinolysis. Hence, a test capable of unveiling stroke mimics would be useful. Hypothesis: A proteomic platform called immunosignaturing may be useful to distinguish between acute ischemic stroke and imitators. Methods: plasma samples from 12 patients brought to the ER because of a stroke code were analyzed: 6 were diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke and 6 with seizures mimicking a stroke. Additional 12 samples from healthy volunteers were used as controls. Immunosignatures use microarrays with 10,000 random sequence peptides, which behave as antibody mimotopes. Antibody binding to microarray peptides is detected with secondary antibodies labeled with fluorescent dyes, then scanned with a laser. Resulting profiles are unique to each individual. Samples were run in duplicates, with good correlation between replicates, high signal and low background. Mann-Whitney U-test and Fisher‘s exact test were used to compare groups. Results: samples were obtained within 130 minutes after symptoms onset. We found no differences between groups related to age, gender, or cardiovascular risk factors. Analysis of signature profiles revealed striking separation between stroke and seizure cases. The Figure depicts a heatmap comparing the stroke (yellow bar underneath) and seizure patients. Peptides with QADAP or QADLP motifs helped differentiate the groups. Conclusions: We describe the first application of an antibody-profiling platform called immunosignaturing to the study of ischemic stroke and its imitators. Despite the small sample, these very preliminary results suggest that antibody signatures may help distinguish acute ischemic strokes from other conditions, deserving future research.
La imaginación hipotecada: aportaciones al debate sobre la precariedad del presente

The title of Palmar Alvarez-Blanco’s and Antonio Gomez L-Quinones’s edited volume faithfully reveals its content while simultaneously hiding its inspiration. That is, La imaginacion hipotecada: Apo...
Use of low-dose, weekly carboplatin in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

331Background: Medical treatment options for advanced prostate cancer have evolved rapidly in recent years, with multiple new agents available. Our group had previously reported the use of weekly carboplatin for mCRPC in the pre-docetaxel era. The efficacy and toxicities of low-dose, weekly carboplatin were evaluated in a more contemporary patient cohort. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with mCRPC treated with carboplatin from 2006-17 at a single health system. Carboplatin (AUC 2) was given weekly for 4 weeks of a 6-week cycle in combination with 1mg daily dexamethasone. Results: Sixty-four carboplatin-treated patients were identified, with a mean baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) of 568.55 ng/mL (range 0.02-4322). The median number of treatment cycles was 3 (range 1-10). The therapy was generally well tolerated and a dose-reduction was required for only 4 patients. Previous therapy included: docetaxel 95.3%, cabazitaxel 21.9%, abiraterone 53.1%, and enzalutamide 29.7%. A P...
Minding the Mundane: Everyday Practices as Central Pillar of Sustainability Thinking and Research

Global efforts towards sustainability have had limited success to date, which can be partly attributed to the paradoxical nature of the concept itself. This chapter responds to this paradox by redefining sustainability as the accumulation within society of practices that organise socio-cultural life while conserving resources. Although adopting an approach to sustainability—itself a global challenge—that focuses on everyday practices and their measurement might appear counterintuitive, the chapters argues that doing so can yield more accessible and inclusive sustainability initiatives and assessment tools whose design and use involve citizens, communities, scientists and policy-makers. It also reveals how a renewed focus on people’s daily lives offers a radical and credible alternative to growth-based development concepts, opening up new avenues towards sustainability research, policy and practice.
Chronic toxicity of clothianidin, imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, and dimethoate to Apis mellifera L. larvae reared in vitro.

Background The effects of chronic exposure to two neonicotinoids (clothianidin and imidacloprid) and two organophosphates (chlorpyrifos and dimethoate) on survival, developmental rate and larval weight of honey bee larvae reared in vitro were determined. Diets containing chemicals were fed to larvae with the range of concentrations for each compound based on published acute toxicity experiments and residues found in pollen and nectar, both components of the larval diet. Results Four concentrations of each compound and controls were tested: chlorpyrifos: 0.5, 0.8, 1.2, 8 mg/L; clothianidin: 0.1, 0.4, 2, 10 mg L-1 ; dimethoate: 0.02, 1, 6, 45 mg L-1 ; imidacloprid: 0.4, 2, 4, 10 mg L-1 ; positive control: dimethoate (45 mg L-1 ); solvent control: acetone or methanol; and negative control. A significant decrease in survival, relative to the solvent control, occurred in the 0.8, 1.2 and 8 mg L-1 chlorpyrifos, 0.4, 2 and 10 mg L-1 clothianidin, and 45 mg L-1 dimethoate diets, but not the imidacloprid diets. Conclusion The treatment of larval diets with clothianidin, dimethoate and imidacloprid did not affect survival, developmental rate, or weight of immature honey bees; however, treatment with chlorpyrifos did. Overall, our results are valuable for evaluating the chronic toxicity of these pesticides to developing honey bees. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.
The Transmission and Storage of Sound

There are two major deficiencies of sound from the point of view of making a musical performance enjoyable to a large number of people: it fades fast in relation to both distance and time. We have seen that the sound intensity drops very fast as we recede from the location of the sound source, and that the energy of the sound wave is quickly converted into heat, thus erasing the record of the music that was performed. As a result of this, in former times the enjoyment of superb music and musical performances was limited to a tiny fraction of the population. The total number of people during the 19th century who heard anything written by Beethoven performed by professional musicians could not have been more than 0.1 percent of the number of people who lived in that century, considering that concerts were attended mainly by members the urban upper middle class, and that the same people tended to go to concerts over and over again. Such concerts were the only opportunity then to hear such music. The situation was even more restrictive in earlier centuries.
Sheaves, Cohomology, and the de Rham Theorem

The principal objective in this chapter is a proof of the de Rham theorem, one version of which we have stated in 4.17. In its most complete form it asserts that the homomorphism from the de Rham cohomology ring to the differentiable singular cohomology ring given by integration of closed forms over differentiable singular cycles is a ring isomorphism. The approach will be to exhibit both the de Rham cohomology and the differentiable singular cohomology as special cases of sheaf cohomology and to use a basic unique­ness theorem for homomorphisms of sheaf cohomology theories to prove that the natural homomorphism between the de Rham and differentiable singular theories is an isomorphism. As an added dividend of this approach we shall also obtain the existence of canonical isomorphisms of the de Rham and differentiable singular cohomology theories with the continuous singular theory, the Alexander-Spanier theory, and the Cech cohomology theory for differentiable manifolds. From these isomorphisms we shall conclude that the de Rham cohomology theory is a topological invariant of a differentiable manifold.
Interteaching: Bringing Behavioral Education Into the 21st Century

In recent years, educators have lamented the current state of the American education system, citing a number of possible reasons for its purported downfall. One potential contributor to this negative state of affairs is the continued use of ineffective teaching methods. Interteaching, a new teaching method that has its roots in behavior analysis, offers an effective and user-friendly alternative to traditional approaches to classroom instruction. In this article, we describe interteaching. We also discuss a number of studies that have examined the efficacy of interteaching relative to more common teaching methods. Finally, we provide recommendations for researchers wishing to study this promising behavior-analytic teaching method.
An Efficiency Comparison Study for Small Appliances Operating in DC and AC in Minigrids

With the decreased cost of power electronics, many traditionally alternating current (AC) loads have transitioned to use direct current (DC) at point of use. In this study, we compare the efficiency of a sample of common AC/DC power converters and estimate the potential energy consumption for common off-grid loads. Methods are based upon a larger Department of Energy project to characterize miscellaneous electric loads for commercial buildings. Using literature and measurements, we also estimate potential energy savings possible if common productive use appliances could be acquired in DC versions. Finally, we touch on international efforts to develop DC appliances and provide observations on methods required for characterizing energy efficiency.
Energy performance of next-generation dedicated outdoor air cooling systems in low-energy building operations

Abstract A conventional chiller system based on the vapor-compression cycle, widely used in dehumidification and cooling, has its limitations in energy performance and environmental concerns. Previous studies have mainly focused on analyzing one specific type of alternative cooling technology in a certain climate or for a specific building. In this study, we apply thermodynamic models to systematically evaluate the energy efficiencies of next-generation dedicated outdoor air cooling systems, namely those with desiccants and membranes, and compare them against the industry benchmark, revealing their prospects and limitations at different time scales and locations. The innovative systems we propose are coupled with energy recovery and renewable energy systems to further enhance the system energy efficiencies. A sensitivity analysis on equipment performances further informs how to choose equipment parameter values to boost the system energy performances. Results reveal the principles of how to systematically organize cooling equipment to achieve potential energy savings from a thermodynamic point of view, and highlight 100% increase in working-hour average system COP for desiccant and membrane cooling systems exampled in a low-energy office building at Boston. Parametric studies in different climates and working conditions further substantiates the superior system energy performance of next-generation cooling technologies in latent heat removal.
The Environmental and Political History of Cabeza Prieta: People in Wilderness

This chapter explores the environmental and political history of Cabeza Prieta NWR. I begin with a discussion of the natural history of the region. Next, I look at the lineage of human travel through the region, from early Native Americans, to Spanish missionaries, to gold rush adventurers. The last wave of human migration is the modern-day movement of undocumented immigrants across the international border in the Sonoran Desert. The second half of the chapter details the political and administrative history of the wildlife refuge. I outline the history of border security, military withdrawal lands and discuss how Cabeza Prieta became simultaneously a wilderness area and a military training grounds, all while grappling with the flows of people and contraband across the border.