cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
E‐profile GeoScienceWorld™: A Premier Science Portal

Purpose – This article aims to describe GeoScienceWorld™: a premier science portal.Design/methodology/approach – The article is prepared by a library professional and provides a summary of the main features. Findings – GeoScienceWorld (GSW) is a comprehensive, widely‐accessible, easy to use, integrated, and cost‐effective online resource for journals in the geological and earth sciences. (GSW) provides access to scientifically peer‐reviewed full‐text articles from high impact geoscience publications with linking between cited references and articles within the GSW database and outside of GSW through CrossRef. “It is a comprehensive internet resource for research and communications in the geosciences, built on a core database aggregation of peer‐reviewed journals indexed, linked, and interoperable with GeoRef”.Originality/value – This article is a useful summary of a development of interest to library and information management professionals.
A Model to Describe and Predict Post-Peak Changes in Broiler Hatchability

Abstract A model to accurately describe and predict hatchability is critical to management. Hatch records of 68 broiler breeder flocks, collected over 4 yr, were analyzed. The data were classified by grower, strain of chicken, ratio of male to females, season, and age. Flock hatchability met commercial expectations and statistically significant differences were attributed solely to age. Neither a strain × age interaction nor strain effect was detected. Hatchability increased rapidly until it reached a peak, and the post-peak decline was not uniform. Post-peak hatchability was best described by a seven-parameter segmented regression model. The three segments of the model consisted of the ascending slope (α), the gradually descending slope (β), and the rapidly descending slope (γ). The other parameters of the model were peak hatchability (Hp), age at peak (Ap), age at breakpoint (Ab) when the decline in post-peak hatchability abruptly shifted, and hatchability at breakpoint (Hb). The model may be used to evaluate the effect of diet and management, to predict hatchability, to assess economic longevity of a broiler breeder flock, and to plan replacement flocks.
Chicken soup revisited: Calcium content of soup increases with duration of cooking

Because low dietary calcium intake may accelerate bone loss, patients often are advised to increase their dietary intake of calcium. However, some patients may be unable to tolerate good calcium sources such as dairy products. We postulated that the calcium content of soups and stews could be increased by prolonged cooking with a beef bone. Three experiments were done to prove this theory: (1) a bone soup made with a beef bone and distilled water, cooked for 24 hours; (2) a bone-vegetable soup cooked the same way; and (3) a vegetable soup made the same way but without the bone. It was concluded that prolonged cooking of a bone in soup increases the calcium content of the soup when cooked at an acidic, but not at a neutral pH.
Reduction of lead sulfide with COCO2N2 gas mixtures in the presence of lime

Abstract The kinetics of reduction of lead sulfide with COCO 2 N 2 gas mixtures in the presence of lime were investigated in the temperature range 848–963°C. Several gas compositions were tested at each temperature. Potential soot formation was overcome by preheating the reducing gas mixture. Excess lime was added to curtail PbS-loss through vaporization; for each mole of PbS there were present four moles of CaO in the mixture. The influence of ternary eutectic, (K, Li, Na) 2 CO 3 , catalyst on the reduction kinetics was examined. It became clear that the reduction reaction is not amenable to catalysis. The presence of catalyst proved to be somewhat of an hindrance to the reduction conceivably through pore-blockage and pore-flooding by the molten eutectic. The experimental data was first correlated by a shrinkingcore type model to derive apparent rate constant data. Further analysis of this data revealed that significant mass-transfer effects exist. A more detailed model involving simultaneous mass transfer, reduction and vapourization steps was formulated. The data for the uncatalyzed reduction was interpreted by means of this model and rate constant data were derived.
At Face Value: Autobiographical Writing in Spanish America

At Face Value: Autobiographical Writing in Spanish America. Sylvia Molloy. Cambridge Studies in Latin American and Iberian Literature 4. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991. xii + 273 pp, notes, bibliography, index. $44.95 (cloth). ISBN 0–521–33195–1.
Noise reduction in electromagnetic time series to improve detection of seismic-induced signals

A method is described for removing the ionospheric-induced electromagnetic signals from electromagnetic time series in order to improve the detection of signals caused by oceanic, industrial, environmental, or seismic activity. The method is based on transforming the ionospheric-induced signals at a remote site to the local site using smoothly varying transfer functions. This assumes the remote site is relatively free of the non-ionospheric-induced signals. The transformed ionospheric-induced signal is then subtracted from the local time series. The method is tested on data recorded at Hollister and Parkfield that have been provided by F. Morrison. The sites are both near the San Andreas fault in California. Parkfield is used here as the remote site because it will be less contaminated by man-made sources since it is in a remote part of central California. The electric dipoles are approximately 100 m long with electrodes buried about 3 m deep and the magnetic sensors are three buried coils.
Serum complement activity in pre-term pregnancies: relationship to duration of ruptured membranes and clinical infection.

: Physiologic changes occurring during the latent period of prematurely ruptured membranes (PRM) are poorly understood. Indicators predicting maternal and neonatal infectious morbidity do not correlate well with clinical outcomes. A previous report suggested that in vivo complement consumption occurred in response to the event of membrane rupture. In this prospective study, complement activity was measured serially throughout the latent period in cases of preterm PRM. In addition to total hemolytic complement activity (CH50), C3-proactivator (C3PA), a primary component of the alternate complement pathway, was measured in maternal and cord sera. As with CH50, cord serum C3PA levels are significantly less than those in matched maternal samples. Neither maternal nor cord serum complement activity correlated with either the duration of the latent period or maternal-neonatal infection.
The release of membrane-bound calcium by radiation and sulfhydryl reagents.

Effects of ionizing radiation and of sulfhydryl reagents on the 45Ca binding of red cell membranes were studied. Corresponding effects of these agents on potassium leak from intact red cells were also determined. Essentially all the 45Ca associated with the ghosts appeared to be bound. Calcium binding could be described by assuming two independent groups of binding sites with dissociation constants of about 6 × 10−4 m and 2 × 10−4 m. The total binding capacity was about 2.5 × 10−4 moles/g ghost protein. Membrane calcium was decreased by radiation and by the two sulfhydryl reagents, p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB) and N-ethyl maleimide (NEM). The tightly bound calcium fraction appeared to be most affected by these agents. Changes in potassium leak evoked by varying doses of agents appeared to parallel effects on membrane calcium. These investigations suggest that the increased cation permeability observed after exposure or red cells to radiation or sulfhydryl reagents may be related to alterations in the calcium-binding properties of the cell membrane.
A Nonidealist's Guide to Dispute Resolution

Regulation theories focus primarily on the behavior of regulatory agencies. In this article, the authors elevate the level of analysis to study the disputes these agencies address. This change of analytic level has two advantages. First, it highlights the importance of other forms of dispute resolution. Second, it provides for specific dispute resolution strategies. The article uses systems and behavioral theories as the underpinnings of a broad model of societal regulation that offers strategies for avoiding and managing societal disputes.
Finding corners in images by foveated search

We develop a new approach to finding corners in images that combines foveated edge detection and curvature calculation with saccadic placement of foveal fixations. Each saccade moves the fovea to a location of high curvature combined with high edge gradient. Edges are located using a foveated Canny edge detector with spatial constant that increases with eccentricity. Next, we calculate a measure of local corner strength , based on a product of curvature and gradient. An inhibition factor based on previous visits to a region of the image prevents the system from repeatedly returning to the same locale. A long saccade is move thes fovea to previously unexplored areas of the image. Subsequent short saccades improve the accuracy of the location of the corner approximated by the long saccade. The system is tested on two natural scenes and the results compared against subjects observing the same test images through an eyetracker. Results show that the algorithm is a good locator of corners.
IMMUNIZATIONS IN PREGNANCY: A Public Health Perspective

Abstract With the successful implementation of childhood immunization programs in the United States, an increasing percentage of vaccine-preventable infections now occur in adults. By providing primary care services to adult women, midwives are in a unique position to halt the spread of these infections. Immunizations are often avoided in pregnancy and the early postpartum period, however, in the mistaken belief that vaccines are harmful to the fetus or neonate. This article, the first in a two-part series on immunizations, reviews the current epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases, discusses the indications and precautions for vaccine usage in pregnancy and the early postpartum period, and presents the current recommendations from the American Committee on Immunization Practices for the most commonly administered adult immunizations: tetanus-diphtheria, hepatitis B, influenza, pneumococcal, measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella.
System for providing simultaneous PDT delivery and dual spectroscopic monitoring in clinical basal cell carcinoma therapy

Photodynamic therapy using 5-aminolevulinic acid is an effective therapy for treating basal cell carcinoma, characterized by high lesion clearance and excellent cosmetic outcomes. Treatment optimization and lesion-tailored treatments making use of real-time treatment assessment promise still greater efficacy and improved comfort for patients. In order to monitor treatment parameters during therapy, instrumentation of our own design delivers a 633 nm treatment beam while simultaneously collecting fluorescence spectra. Fluorescence spectra from 650-800 nm are corrected for the effects of tissue optical properties and report protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) photobleaching as well as photoproduct dynamics in the lesion and in the perilesion margin during therapy. Brief treatment interruptions are made for acquisition of white light reflectance spectra from 420-800 nm that are used to generate corrections to fluorescence spectra and can be used to deduce blood volume and hemoglobin oxygen saturation. LabVIEW and Matlab scripts are used for real-time data analysis. Measurements have been made on 5 patients (7 BCC lesions) with a treatment fluence rate of 150 mW cm-2 and on 5 additional patients (5 BCC lesions) at 10 mW cm-2. Measurements are made for each lesion until greater than 90% photobleaching of PpIX is detected at which point the balance of the prescribed fluence is delivered at 150 mW cm-2 without interruption. PpIX bleaching rates between the two fluence rates varied significantly. These measurements were carried out during ALA-PDT treatment of BCC as part of a pilot study designed to guide treatment fluence and fluence rates in an anticipated clinical trial.
Endobionts on modern and fossil Turritella from the northern Gulf of California region

Turritellid gastropods are diverse and abundant in Mesozoic to Cenozoic marine assemblages. Despite their ubiquity and biostratigraphic utility, little is known about their ecology, paleoecology, or taphon‐omy. Living positions of fossil turritellids, for example, are not well known. Additionally, encrusting and boring organisms (epi‐and endobionts) present on fossil Turritella shells are interpreted to occur exclusively on empty shells. Living snails, hermit crabinhabited shells, and empty shells of Turritella gonostoma were examined from Cholla Bay, northern Gulf of California, for the presence of endobionts to determine if bioerosion (via endobionts) is limited to empty shells. Living T. gonostoma, which are semi‐infaunal to infaunal, had three types of endobionts in low frequencies associated with the shell: microborers (green algae/blue‐green bacteria), spionid polychaetes (ichnogenus Caulostrepsis), and clionid sponges (ichnogenus Entobia). Biont distribution on the shells indicate life positions. H...
Theoretical, Quasi-Static Analysis of Cavitation Compliance in Turbopumps

The serious POGO instability experienced by many liquid propellant rockets results from a closed loop interaction between the first longitudinal structural mode of vibration and the dynamics of the propulsion system. One of the most important features in the latter is the cavitation compliance of the turbopumps. This report presents calculations of the blade cavitation compliance obtained from free streamline cascade theory and demonstrates the various influences of angle of attack, blade angle, blade thickness and cavitation number. Discrepancies between calculated and experimentally derived values are discussed.
Photogeneration and reactions of cobalt(I) complexes

Cobalt(I) polypyridine complexes (which are capable of reducing H/sup +/ to H/sub 2/ and CO/sub 2/ to CO) may be generated from polypyridineruthenium(II) excited-state reactions by a variety of routes. The relation between the energetics and the rate constants for these routes are considered. In addition, factors leading to loss of cobalt(I) and the mechanisms of substrate reduction are discussed.
Dec users’ group report: Fifth annual meeting of the National Conference on the Use of On-Line Computers in Psychology, November 5, 1975

The PDP-8, -11, and -12 Psychology Users’ Groups met jointly to discuss two topics. First, future computer applications were considered in terms of both hardware and software needs. Psychology users specified their needs and DEC representatives described the directions their R&D program is currently taking, and how it will meet many of those needs. Second, the group discussed communication problems among the users, and between the users and DEC. Suggestions were made for improved information exchange. With this goal, a new PDP-11 Users Group was formed and Jerry C. Forshee, Indiana University, was elected Chairman.
Role of IKKγ/NEMO in Assembly of the IκB Kinase Complex

IKKγ/NEMO is a protein that is critical for the assembly of the high molecular weight IκB kinase (IKK) complex. To investigate the role of IKKγ/NEMO in the assembly of the IKK complex, we conducted a series of experiments in which the chromatographic distribution of extracts prepared from cells transiently expressing epitope-tagged IKKγ/NEMO and the IKKs were examined. When expressed alone following transfection, IKKα and IKKβ were present in low molecular weight complexes migrating between 200 and 400 kDa. However, when coexpressed with IKKγ/NEMO, both IKKα and IKKβ migrated at ∼600 kDa which was similar to the previously described IKK complex that is activated by cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α. When either IKKα or IKKβ was expressed alone with IKKγ/NEMO, IKKβ but not IKKα migrated in the higher molecular weight IKK complex. Constitutively active or inactive forms of IKKβ were both incorporated into the high molecular weight IKK complex in the presence of IKKγ/NEMO. The amino-terminal region of IKKγ/NEMO, which interacts directly with IKKβ, was required for formation of the high molecular weight IKK complex and for stimulation of IKKβ kinase activity. These results suggest that recruitment of the IKKs into a high molecular complex by IKKγ/NEMO is a crucial step involved in IKK function.
Incremental Implementation of Practice on a Liberal Arts Campus: The St. Mary's Story

Making a sincere commitment to providing quality education at the undergraduate level and linking the discipline to other fields that benefit from anthropological insights (e.g., education, health care, government service, the natural sciences) better ensures the success and the vitality of our discipline than concentrating our efforts on producing more postmodernist Ph.D.s who are not easily employable in the modern job market.
AHA: Asset Harvester Assistant

Information assets in service enterprises are typically available as unstructured documents. There is an increasing need for unraveling information from these documents into a structured and semantic format. Structured data can be more effectively queried, which increases information reuse from asset repositories. This paper addresses the problem of extracting XML models, which follow a given target schema, from enterprise documents. We discuss why existing approaches for information extraction do not suffice for the enterprise documents created during service delivery. To address this limitation, we present the Asset Harvester Assistant (AHA), a tool that automatically extracts structured models from MS-Word documents, and supports manual refinement of the extracted models within an interactive environment. We present the results of empirical studies conducted using business-process documents from real service-delivery engagements. Our results indicate that the AHA approach can be effective in extracting accurate models from unstructured documents and improving user productivity.
Child Maltreatment and Pediatric Health Outcomes: A Longitudinal Study of Low-income Children

In 2007, nearly six million American children were alleged victims of child maltreatment [US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), 2009]. While <25% receive a state-level designation of “victim,” research has consistently found that children with investigated but unsubstantiated reports face similar risk of ongoing maltreatment and untoward outcomes (Hussey et al., 2005; Kohl, Jonson-Reid, & Drake, 2008). National estimates using the “victim” designation for whether or not maltreatment was present therefore understate the number of children at risk for later negative outcomes. A recent estimate of the annual cost of abuse and neglect in the USA exceeded $103 billion, with <1% attributed to health (excluding injury) and mental healthcare (Wang & Holton, 2007). This, however, is likely a substantial underestimate for several reasons. First, analyses were restricted to those associated with children who suffered “demonstrable harm” from maltreatment according to the 1996 National Incidence Study, a high standard. Second, studies of adult healthcare use were used to help estimate prevalence of non-injury health problems. Little work has been done linking maltreatment to health problems in childhood or adolescence outside of obesity and eating disorders (Gilbert et al., 2009). We do not know if, or what type of, negative health outcomes among maltreated children appear prior to adulthood. The present article adds to our understanding of whether or not adverse health outcomes are higher during childhood for children reported for maltreatment by using longitudinal data, health outcomes taken from medical records rather than parent ratings of child health, and controls for other risk factors. Health conditions (asthma, other cardio-respiratory illness, and non-sexually transmitted infection) were selected as outcomes because of their high prevalence, cost, and potential sensitivity to external stressors. Consistency of findings with cumulative stress and allostatic load theories was explored and elaborated.
Oncostatin M stimulates cell migration and proliferation by down-regulating E-cadherin in HTR8/SVneo cell line through STAT3 activation

Background During the first trimester of pregnancy, trophoblastic E-cadherin expression is down-regulated, thereby allowing extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs) to acquire the potential for migration and invasiveness. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of OSM on the migration and proliferation of EVT cell line HTR8/SVneo with regard to its effects on the expression of E-cadherin and STAT3 activation.
ADDING VALUE: Learning Communities and Student Engagement

This study examines the relationships between participating in learning communities and student engagement in a range of educationally purposeful activities of first-year and senior students from 365 4-year institutions. The findings indicate that participating in a learning community is positively linked to engagement as well as student self-reported outcomes and overall satisfaction with college.
Interligand electron transfer dynamics in OsIItrisbipyridine

Abstract The interligand electron transfer (ILET) dynamics of the metal—ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited state of Os II trisbipyridine have been studied in room temperature solutions using picosecond photoselection/polarized absorption spectroscopy. The excitation wavelength and the solvent were varied and the resulting ILET dynamics were examined. The results show that the ILET dynamics in the fast relaxing solvent, acetonitrile, are independent of MLCT excitation wavelength and follow transition state theory (TST). The ILET dynamics in the slowly relaxing solvent, ethylene glycol, are excitation wavelength dependent and follow multiexponential, non-TST behavior. These results are interpreted in terms of a simple model of the ILET transition state.
Genes encoding novel GTP-binding proteins in Dictyostelium.

We have identified a two-member gene family in the Dictyostelium genome and have isolated corresponding cDNA or genomic DNA recombinant clones. Analyses of these DNA sequences predicted encoded proteins of ∼200 amino acids with ∼90% sequence identity to each other. These Dictyostelium proteins also share amino acids identity within the GTP-binding domains in the family of G-regulatory proteins involved in cellular regulation and transmembrane signalling. Additional structural similarities are seen with members of the ras supergene family, such as ras, ral, and rho. They are similar in size (usually ∼200 amino acids), possess four conserved domains involved in GTP interaction and are believed to be anchored in the membrane by fatty acid modification of a cysteine residue near the carboxy terminus. More extensive identity is observed with YPT1 and SEC4, two other members of this family of genes that are essential in yeast. The amino-terminal half of both Dictyostelium proteins is 70% identical in amino acid sequence to the YPT1 and SEC4 yeast proteins with less identity continuing through the remainder of the proteins. In addition these proteins terminate in two cysteine residues that are thought to be required for membrane anchorage. The two genes within this Dictyostelium family are organized differently in the genome and are differentially regulated during development. One gene is colinear in sequence with its mRNA in the protein coding region, whereas the other gene encodes a spliced mRNA. The intron-containing gene is associated with a developmentally regulated (AAC)-repeat sequence. Finally, we have shown that the expression of one of the genes is induced during development with kinetics similar to that of other (AAC)n-associated genes; conversely, the expression of the second gene is repressed at a similar developmental stage.
Developing statistical modelers and thinkers in an introductory, tertiary-level statistics course

While models are an important concept in statistics, few introductory statistics courses at the tertiary level put models at the core of the curriculum. This paper reports on a radically different approach to teaching statistics at the tertiary level, one that uses models and simulation as the organizing theme of the course. The focus on modeling and simulation—along with inference—was facilitated by having students use TinkerPlots™ software for all modeling and analysis. Results from a 3-month teaching experiment suggest that a course focused on modeling and simulation through randomization and resampling methods in which students learn to think using a powerful and conceptual modeling tool can foster ways of thinking statistically. Furthermore, such an approach seems to help students develop experiences with and appreciation for the science and practice of statistics.
The current excitement about copy-number variation: how it relates to gene duplications and protein families.

Following recent technological advances there has been an increasing interest in genome structural variants (SVs), in particular copy-number variants (CNVs) – large-scale duplications and deletions. Although not immediately evident, CNV surveys make a conceptual connection between the fields of population genetics and protein families, in particular with regard to the stability and expandability of families. The mechanisms giving rise to CNVs can be considered as fundamental processes underlying gene duplication and loss; duplicated genes being the results of ‘successful’ copies, fixed and maintained in the population. Conversely, many ‘unsuccessful’ duplicates remain in the genome as pseudogenes. Here, we survey studies on CNVs, highlighting issues related to protein families. In particular, CNVs tend to affect specific gene functional categories, such as those associated with environmental response, and are depleted in genes related to basic cellular processes. Furthermore, CNVs occur more often at the periphery of the protein interaction network. In comparison, protein families associated with successful and unsuccessful duplicates are associated with similar functional categories but are differentially placed in the interaction network. These trends are likely reflective of CNV formation biases and natural selection, both of which differentially influence distinct protein families.
Exploring the potential impact of an expanded genetic code on protein function

With few exceptions, all living organisms encode the same 20 canonical amino acids; however, it remains an open question whether organisms with additional amino acids beyond the common 20 might have an evolutionary advantage. Here, we begin to test that notion by making a large library of mutant enzymes in which 10 structurally distinct noncanonical amino acids were substituted at single sites randomly throughout TEM-1 β-lactamase. A screen for growth on the β-lactam antibiotic cephalexin afforded a unique p-acrylamido-phenylalanine (AcrF) mutation at Val-216 that leads to an increase in catalytic efficiency by increasing kcat, but not significantly affecting KM. To understand the structural basis for this enhanced activity, we solved the X-ray crystal structures of the ligand-free mutant enzyme and of the deacylation-defective wild-type and mutant cephalexin acyl-enzyme intermediates. These structures show that the Val-216–AcrF mutation leads to conformational changes in key active site residues—both in the free enzyme and upon formation of the acyl-enzyme intermediate—that lower the free energy of activation of the substrate transacylation reaction. The functional changes induced by this mutation could not be reproduced by substitution of any of the 20 canonical amino acids for Val-216, indicating that an expanded genetic code may offer novel solutions to proteins as they evolve new activities.
A Numerical Model for Thermal Performance of an Unglazed Transpired Solar Collector

In this paper, we will present a numerical model for estimating the thermal performance of unglazed transpired solar collectors located on the Breck School campus in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The solar collectors are installed adjacent to the southeast facing wall of a field house. The collectors preheat the intake air before entering the primary heating unit. The solar collector consists of 8 separate panels (absorber plates). Four fans are connected to the plenum that is created by the absorber plates and the adjoining field house wall. All fresh air for the field house is provided by the solar collectors before being filtered and heated by four, independent two stage natural gas fired heaters. Moreover, the following data were collected onsite using a data acquisition system: indoor field house space temperature, ambient air temperature, wind speed, wind direction, the plenum exit air temperature, the absorber plate temperature, and the air temperatures inside the plenum. The energy balance equations for the collector, the adjacent building wall, and the plenum are formulated. The numerical model is used to predict the air temperature rise inside the plenum, recaptured heat loss from the adjoining building wall, energy savings, and the efficiency of the collectors. The results of the numerical model are then compared to the results obtained from the onsite measurements; which are in good agreement. The model presented in this paper is simple yet accurate enough for architects and engineers to use it with ease to predict the thermal performance of a collector.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Kinematics, Dynamics, and Energetics of Rowing and Flapping Propulsion in Fishes

The shape and motion of the pectoral fins vary considerably among fishes that swim in the labriform mode. Pectoral fin motion in fishes is highly variable, but one conspicuous axis of this variation is the rowing-flapping axis. At one extreme of this axis, paddle-shaped fins row back and forth in a plane that is parallel to fish motion, while at the other extreme, wing-shaped fins flap up and down in a plane that is perpendicular to fish motion. We have used two fish, the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and the bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius), that fall near the extremes of the rowing-flapping axis to study the dynamic, energetic, and ecological and evolutionary consequences of this kinematic variation. Our work confirms some traditionally held assumptions about rowing and flapping dynamics and energetics but reject others. A computer simulation experiment of virtual rowing and flapping appendages makes several predictions about differences in maneuvering performance and swimming energetics between rowing and flapping, which, in turn, make predictions about the behavior and ecological distribution of fishes that vary along the rowing-flapping axis. Both laboratory and field studies of labrid swimming ability and distribution support these predictions.
The Ties that Bind: A Practitioner's Guide to Ensuring Strong Parental Rights for Families Headed by Same Sex Parents

In twelve U.S. states, second parent adoptions are not available to same sex parents. In order to protect their parental rights, same sex parents need sound legal advice that takes into account the worst case scenario: the family will find itself in a jurisdiction unprepared or unwilling to recognize legal parent/child relationships between children and their non-biologically related parent. This paper is a practical guide for family lawyers unfamiliar with how family law treats gay and lesbian parents, and gives suggestions on how to build a legal relationship even in states where second parent adoption by same sex parents is unavailable. A survey of recent court cases suggests strategies for briefs and reminds us that the spirit of adoption law should be the focus of any litigation: what is in the best interest of the child?
The Level Playing Field

This article attempts to make a case that securities arbitration as administered by the self-regulatory organizations such as NASD (now FINRA) provides a level, efficient “playing field” for all users of the forum, especially investors.
The association of periodontal disease with kidney function decline: a longitudinal retrospective analysis of the MrOS dental study

Background Identifying modifiable risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) is essential for reducing its burden. Periodontal disease is common, modifiable and has been implicated as a novel potential CKD risk factor, but evidence of its association with kidney function decline over time is limited. Methods In a longitudinal retrospective cohort of 761 elderly men with preserved kidney function [estimated glomerular filtration rate > 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) using a calibrated creatinine and cystatin C (eGFRcr-cys) equation] at baseline, we performed multivariable Poisson's regression to examine the association of severe periodontal disease with incident CKD, defined as incident eGFRcr-cys 5% annualized) eGFRcr-cys decline. Severe periodontal disease was defined in two ways: (i) ≥5 mm proximal attachment loss in 30% of teeth examined (European Workshop in Periodontology Group C, European Workshop); and (ii) 2+ interproximal sites with attachment loss ≥6 mm and 1+ interproximal sites with probing depth ≥5 mm (Centers for Disease Control/American Academy of Periodontology, CDC/AAP). Results At baseline, the mean age was 73.4 (SD 4.8) years, the median eGFRcr-cys was 82.4 mL/min/1.73 m(2), and 35.5 and 25.4% of participants had severe periodontal disease by European Workshop and CDC/AAP criteria, respectively. After a mean follow-up of 4.9 years (SD 0.3), 56 (7.4%) participants had incident CKD. Severe periodontal disease was associated with a 2-fold greater rate of incident CKD [incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.01 (1.21-3.44), P = 0.007] after adjusting for confounders compared with not severe periodontal disease by European Workshop criteria but did not reach statistical significance by CDC/AAP criteria [IRR 1.10 (0.63-1.91), P = 0.9]. Conclusions Severe periodontal disease may be associated with incident clinically significant kidney function decline among a cohort of elderly men.
Marriage, Religion, and the Art of Judging in Post-Obergefell Louisiana

On June 26, 2015, the institution of marriage took a historic turn when the Supreme Court found that the Fourteenth Amendment guarantees same-sex couples the fundamental right to marriage and its effects. The Court did so for all fifty states, in a five-to-four decision, in Obergefell v. Hodges. Traditionally, marriage has been between a man and a woman. Many believe that changing the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples demeans and devalues a timeless, revered religiously significant concept.In particular, Louisiana has historically excluded same-sex couples from the institution of marriage and refused to recognize such marriages contracted in other states. In fact, Louisiana’s “Defense of Marriage” act was approved by 77.78% of the electorate: 619,908 votes for and 177,067 votes against in the statewide election in 2004. Louisiana is one of the most religiously conservative states in the nation. Due to Obergefell, religion is no longer a justification for the inequality of same-sex couples.On July 14, 2015, not a month after Obergefell, the Louisiana Supreme Court Committee on Judicial Ethics, on its own motion, carefully considered the same-sex marriage ruling and provided solutions to judges that hold a sincere religious belief that marriage is between one man and one women. The Judicial Ethics Committee’s Opinion addresses three issues, one of which is discussed in detail in this Article. The issue is whether it is ethically permissible for a judge to refuse to conduct same-sex marriages while continuing to perform opposite sex marriages due to a sincerely held religious belief that marriage is between a man and a woman.The author concludes that in order for the Louisiana judiciary to be effective in its adjudications of same-sex matters, it must exercise reasoned judgment and remain secular — especially in conservative, religious Louisiana — in regard to same-sex issues. After detailing and analyzing the ethical implications, complications, and reservations that religiously minded judges in Louisiana will face in their courts, it is clear that the Louisiana Judicial Code of Conduct will not permit judges to appear biased or prejudiced, or to rule on an improper basis due to religious beliefs. By providing insight into the Supreme Court’s decision as it relates to religion and the art of judging, judges in Louisiana will be able to manage the ethical implications of a number of situations, including the decision whether to perform marriages.
The Influence of Various Distraction Stimuli on Affective Responses during Recumbent Cycle Ergometry

(1) Background: Acute bouts of exercise have been associated with affective changes. Exercise supplemented with distraction may divert attention from unpleasant feelings commonly associated with exercise to more pleasant feelings. The purpose of this study was to compare affective responses to exercise with and without distraction. (2) Methods: 25 individuals volunteered for this investigation and completed all three conditions. This study included three 30 min cycle ergometry exercise conditions, a control condition with no stimuli and two test conditions; one supplemented with a self-selected video and the other self-selected music. The Feeling Scale (FS) was administered prior to, every 10 min during, immediately following, and 10 min post exercise. (3) Results: These data demonstrate a significant condition effect for FS during exercise. The condition effect was due to FS being greater in the video and distraction conditions. There was no time by condition interaction seen during exercise. (4) Conclusion: These data indicate that distraction may be effective in supporting a more pleasant exercise experience and could potentially increase exercise adherence.
Toxicity of drinking water disinfection byproducts: cell cycle alterations induced by the monohaloacetonitriles.

Haloacetonitriles (HANs) are a chemical class of drinking water disinfection byproducts (DBPs) that form from reactions between disinfectants and nitrogen-containing precursors, the latter more prevalent in water sources impacted by algae bloom and municipal wastewater effluent discharge. HANs, previously demonstrated to be genotoxic, were investigated for their effects on the mammalian cell cycle. Treating Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with monoHANs followed by the release from the chemical treatment resulted in the accumulation of abnormally high DNA content in cells over time (hyperploid). The potency for the cell cycle alteration followed the order: iodoacetonitrile (IAN) > bromoacetonitrile (BAN) ≫ chloroacetonitrile (CAN). Exposure to 6 μM IAN, 12 μM BAN and 900 μM CAN after 26 h post-treatment incubation resulted in DNA repair; however, subsequent cell cycle alteration effects were observed. Cell proliferation of HAN-treated cells was suppressed for as long as 43 to 52 h. Enlarged cell size was...
Genetic and Phenotypic Properties of Vero Cell-Adapted Japanese Encephalitis Virus SA14-14-2 Vaccine Strain Variants and a Recombinant Clone, which Demonstrates Attenuation and Immunogenicity in Mice

The live-attenuated Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) SA14-14-2 vaccine, produced in primary hamster kidney cells, is safe and effective. Past attempts to adapt this virus to replicate in cells that are more favorable for vaccine production resulted in mutations that significantly reduced immunogenicity. In this study, 10 genetically distinct Vero cell-adapted JEV SA14-14-2 variants were isolated and a recombinant wild-type JEV clone, modified to contain the JEV SA14-14-2 polyprotein amino acid sequence, was recovered in Vero cells. A single capsid protein mutation (S66L) was important for Vero cell-adaptation. Mutations were also identified that modulated virus sensitivity to type I interferon-stimulation in Vero cells. A subset of JEV SA14-14-2 variants and the recombinant clone were evaluated in vivo and exhibited levels of attenuation that varied significantly in suckling mice, but were avirulent and highly immunogenic in weanling mice and are promising candidates for the development of a second-generation, recombinant vaccine.
Proliferation of human hematopoietic progenitors in long-term bone marrow cultures in gas-permeabile plastic bags is enhanced by colony-stimulating factors

We compared the recovery of human hematopoietic progenitors in long-term bone marrow culture (LTBMC) initiated in tissue culture (TC) flasks to that in "Lifecell" bags, which are gas-permeable plastic bags in which feeder-layer cells cannot adhere. Our results showed that granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (CFU-GM) and erythroid burst-forming unit (BFU-E) cumulative recovery in cultures from normal donor marrow, expressed as a percent of the initial inoculum, was not statistically different in the two culture systems up to week 8, when the cultures were terminated: 31.5 +/- 19 (flask) vs 30 +/- 14 (bag) and 15.5 +/- 12 (flask) vs 11.5 +/- 8 (bag), respectively. The effects of weekly addition of recombinant human (r-hu)-interleukin 1 (IL1) and r-hu-interleukin 3 (IL3) were then studied, alone and combined, at two different concentrations. Addition of IL1, either alone or combined with IL3, in LTBMC established in flasks induced an increase of hematopoietic progenitors for the first week, but BFU-E and CFU-GM were no longer detectable at weeks 4 and 6, respectively. Analysis of adherent layer cells showed a decreased cellularity, no adipogenesis, and early disappearance of bone marrow (BM) progenitors, whereas the cycling rate of myeloid precursors, by cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) suicide assay, was similar to that of untreated cultures. Conversely, IL3 alone (5 ng/ml) resulted in 3.6- and 5.4-fold peak increases for CFU-GM and BFU-E, respectively, at week 1 (adherent plus nonadherent cells), and the recovery of BM cells was still higher than that of control flasks at week 8. By comparison, stimulation with colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) of BM cells grown in bags never affected the longevity of the culture. Addition of IL3 (5 ng/ml) induced a higher recovery of total cells, CFU-GM (range: 1.6- to 15-fold peak increase during the culture), and BFU-E (1.2- to 3-fold) compared to the untreated controls. Bags treated with IL1 alone demonstrated only transient beneficial effects, and the number of hematopoietic precursors fell below the level of control bags during the culture. IL1 and IL3 induced 1.8- and 5.3-fold peak increases in BFU-E and CFU-GM at weeks 1 and 4, respectively. Simultaneous flow cytometric analysis of CD34+/CD33+ cells and DNA content showed increased numbers and proliferation of the committed BM progenitors when CSFs were added to the bag.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Management of the Urethra in Men Undergoing Radical Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer

AbstractThe records of 119 men who had undergone radical cystectomy for cancer of the bladder were reviewed for involvement of the urethra at the time of cystectomy and for later recurrence of urethral tumor. Urethral recurrences contributed significantly to the over-all pelvic recurrence rate and were associated with a uniformly poor prognosis. Prophylactic urethrectomy is indicated when pathologic examination reveals multifocal tumors, concurrent upper tract tumors, diffuse carcinoma in situ, involvement of the trigone or prostatic urethra, or positive urethral margin on frozen section. Those patients not undergoing urethrectomy should be followed with periodic urethral wash cytology.
A Coupled CFD/CSD Methodology for Simulating Structural Response to Airblast and Fragment

Several classes of important engineering problems require the concurrent application of CFD and CSD techniques. Currently, attempts to model these problems are solved either iteratively, requiring several cycles of CFD run followed by CSD run, or by assuming that the CFD and CSD solutions can be decoupled. The various efforts to develop a fluid/structure coupling can be classified according to the complexity level of the approximations used for each of the domains. These range from simple 6 DOF integration to finite elements with complex models for elasto-plastic materials with rupture laws and contact. Similarly, the fluid dynamics approximations range from the potential flow (irotational, inviscid, isentropic flows) to the full Navier-Stokes set of equations. The present research interests focus on non-linear applications, in particular, structures that experience severe deformations due to blast loads. Hence, the fluid applies either the Euler or Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations, while elasto-plastic materials with rupture criteria are used for the structural modeling.
Two orders of magnitude reduction in silicon membrane thermal conductivity by resonance hybridizations

The thermal conductivity of a freestanding single-crystal silicon membrane may be reduced significantly by attaching nanoscale pillars on one or both surfaces. Atomic resonances of the nanopillars form vibrons that intrinsically couple with the base membrane phonons causing mode hybridization and flattening at each coupling location in the phonon band structure. This in turn causes group velocity reductions of existing phonons, in addition to introducing new modes that get excited but are localized and do not transport energy. The nanopillars also reduce the phonon lifetimes at and around the hybridization zones. These three effects, which in principle may be tuned to take place across silicon's full spectrum, lead to a lowering of the in-plane thermal conductivity in the base membrane. Using equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, and utilizing the concept of vibrons compensation, we report a staggering two orders of magnitude reduction in the thermal conductivity at room temperature by this mechanism. Specifically, a reduction of a factor of 130 is demonstrated for a roughly 10-nm-thick pillared membrane compared to a corresponding unpillared membrane. This amounts to a record reduction of a factor of 481 compared to bulk crystalline silicon and nearly a factor of 2 compared to bulk amorphous silicon. These results are obtained while providing a path for preserving performance with upscaling.
Eugenics and Race, 1900–25

The nineteenth century closed with racism firmly established in popular opinion and in science. Despite disagreements among biologists about the proper definition of ‘race’, and the elusiveness of the very concept when attempts at racial classification were made, most scientists thought that the mental, moral and physical differences between racial groups were profound and socially significant. Belief in the racial superiority of whites, and the practice of racial discrimination at home and abroad, if often deplored on moral grounds, had nevertheless acquired some sanction in the seemingly objective findings of modern science.
New Applications of Multi-Agent System Technologies to Power Systems

This chapter provides a state-of-the-art summary of multi-agent system technologies for power system applications. New applications to controlled islanding of power systems and MicroGrid with distributed generations are discussed. A new defense system concept, Strategic Power Infrastructure Defense (SPID), has been developed. Controlled islanding is an important extension of the SPID system and the multi-agent system is a promising technology for implementation of the SPID concept. The University of Washington is also developing the intelligent control system for MicroGrids. In this chapter, the multi-agent technology applications to these two topics are discussed with specific examples.