cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Voices of child care providers: an exploratory study on the impact of policy changes

In debates about child care and early education, the voices of providers are often missing. In this article, we report findings from a study exploring child care provider perspectives on how regulation and policy changes impact their ability to provide care. Data were collected from interviews and focus groups with home-based providers and center-based administrators (N = 55) in rural, urban and suburban New York counties. Four overarching themes emerged: undervaluation of child care providers, challenges faced by providers and the parents of the children they serve, regulatory disconnect, and discretionary implementation of laws and regulations. These findings suggest that without input from providers in the creation of legislation and regulations, policies may have unforeseen, inefficient, or even harmful results, such as an inability to match providers with open slots to families whose children are eligible for and in need of care. Based on these findings, we recommend developing mechanisms to enable and encourage participation of providers in the policymaking process, assisting providers in complying with regulations and providing quality care, and standardizing regulation enforcement and oversight to better align with the needs of families and the day-to-day realities of providing quality care.
The Teacher Teaches Thinking Skills: Dx and Rx for Students' Self Talk

(1978). The Teacher Teaches Thinking Skills: Dx and Rx for Students' Self Talk. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Western College Reading Association: Vol. 11, Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Conference of the WCRA. Learning Assistance: Charting Our Course, pp. 65-70.
Genome-wide screens reveal Escherichia coli genes required for growth of T1-like phage LL5 and V5-like phage LL12

The host factor requirements of phages and mechanisms of mutational phage insensitivity must be characterized for rational design of phage cocktails. To characterize host dependencies of two novel Escherichia coli phages, the T1-like siphophage LL5 and the V5-like myophage LL12, forward genetic screens were conducted against the Keio collection, a library of single non-essential gene deletions in E. coli str. BW25113. These screens and subsequent experiments identified genes required by phages LL5 and LL12. E. coli mutants deficient in heptose II and the phosphoryl substituent of heptose I of the inner core lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were unable to propagate phage LL5, as were mutants deficient in the outer membrane protein TolC. Mutants lacking glucose I of the LPS outer core failed to propagate LL12. Two additional genes encoding cytoplasmic chaperones, PpiB and SecB, were found to be required for efficient propagation of phage LL5, but not LL12. This screening approach may be useful for identifying host factors dependencies of phages, which would provide valuable information for their potential use as therapeutics and for phage engineering.
Inversion, Paradox, and Liberal Disintegration: Towards a Conceptual Framework of Trumpism

This article puts forward a provisional framework, at best, of Trumpism, in order to explore some of the potential political, social, cultural, and global implications of it. In particular, this ar...
Eldan's Stochastic Localization and the KLS Conjecture: Isoperimetry, Concentration and Mixing

We show that the Cheeger constant for $n$-dimensional isotropic logconcave measures is $O(n^{1/4})$, improving on the previous best bound of $O(n^{1/3}\sqrt{\log n}).$ As corollaries we obtain the same improved bound on the thin-shell estimate, Poincare constant and Lipschitz concentration constant and an alternative proof of this bound for the isotropic (slicing) constant; it also follows that the ball walk for sampling from an isotropic logconcave density in ${\bf R}^{n}$ converges in $O^{*}(n^{2.5})$ steps from a warm start. The proof is based on gradually transforming any logconcave density to one that has a significant Gaussian factor via a Martingale process. Extending this proof technique, we prove that the log-Sobolev constant of any isotropic logconcave density in ${\bf R}^{n}$ with support of diameter $D$ is $\Omega(1/D)$, resolving a question posed by Frieze and Kannan in 1997. This is asymptotically the best possible estimate and improves on the previous bound of $\Omega(1/D^{2})$ by Kannan-Lovasz-Montenegro. It follows that for any isotropic logconcave density, the ball walk with step size $\delta=\Theta(1/\sqrt{n})$ mixes in $O\left(n^{2}D\right)$ proper steps from \emph{any }starting point. This improves on the previous best bound of $O(n^{2}D^{2})$ and is also asymptotically tight. The new bound leads to the following large deviation inequality for an $L$-Lipschitz function $g$ over an isotropic logconcave density $p$: for any $t>0$, \[ Pr_{x\sim p}\left(\left|g(x)-\bar{g}\right|\geq L\cdot t\right)\leq\exp(-\frac{c\cdot t^{2}}{t+\sqrt{n}}) \] where $\bar{g}$ is the median or mean of $g$ for $x\sim p$; this generalizes and improves on previous bounds by Paouris and by Guedon-Milman. The technique also bounds the ``small ball'' probability in terms of the Cheeger constant, and recovers the current best bound.
Pathophysiological Insights into Persistent Hyponatremia after LVAD Implantation

Purpose Persistent hyponatremia after LVAD implantation is not uncommon in patients with end-stage heart failure (HF) and maybe associated with adverse outcomes . The etiology of hyponatremia in HF patients is multifactorial. It is generally thought that with restoration of hemodynamics , hyponatremia would resolve after LVAD implantation. We sought to determine the etiology of persistent hyponatremia after LVAD implantation. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with end-stage HF who received a continuous-flow LVAD and subsequently underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) to assess invasive hemodynamics and for speed optimization. Data was collected concurrently on invasive hemodynamics, medication usage and basic metabolic panel . Hyponatremia was defined as serum sodium level Results We included 143 patients in our study. RHC was performed within 6 months from LVAD implantation in 70% of the population, the median time was 199 days. Patients with hyponatremia had a mean sodium of 130.5 mEq/L compared to 139.8 mEq/L in patients with normonatremia, p-value Conclusion Persistent hyponatremia after LVAD implantation does not appear to be related to low cardiac output state, volume expansion or depletion, RV dysfunction, use of ACEI or ARBs, loop diuretics or renal function. Hyponatremia may be an independent marker of adverse outcomes after LVAD implantation.
Urine Metabolites for Estimating Daily Intake of Nicotine From Cigarette Smoking.

Author(s): Benowitz, Neal L; St Helen, Gideon; Nardone, Natalie; Cox, Lisa Sanderson; Jacob, Peyton | Abstract: IntroductionAccurate measurement of nicotine exposure from cigarette smoke is important in studying disease risk and level of dependence. Urine total nicotine equivalents, the molar sum of nicotine and six metabolites (NE7), accounts for more than 90% of a nicotine dose and is independent of individual metabolic differences. However, measuring NE7 is technically difficult and costly. We compared NE7, the gold standard of nicotine intake, with different combinations of fewer urinary nicotine metabolites. We also examined the impact of individual differences in nicotine metabolic rate, sex, and race on strength of association with NE7.MethodsUrine samples from 796 daily smokers, who participated across five clinical studies, were assayed for nicotine and/or metabolites. Associations with NE7 were assessed by regression and Bland-Altman analyses.ResultsOverall, the molar sum of urine [cotinine + 3'-hydroxycotinine (3HC)] (NE2) and [nicotine + cotinine + 3HC] (NE3) were strongly correlated with NE7 (rn=n.97 and .99, respectively). However, in slow metabolizers NE2 was less predictive of NE7, whereas NE3 was equally robust. Urine total cotinine was also strongly correlated with NE7 (rn=n.87).ConclusionsUrine NE3 is a robust biomarker of daily nicotine intake, independently of individual metabolic differences, whereas NE2 is less accurate in slow metabolizers. Our findings inform the selection of more rigorous and cost-effective measures to assess nicotine exposure in tobacco research studies.ImplicationsThe molar sum of urine total nicotine, cotinine and 3HC (NE3) is a robust biomarker of daily nicotine intake, independently of individual metabolic differences, and performs as well as measuring seven nicotine metabolites (NE7). The sum of cotinine and 3HC (NE2) is less accurate in slow metabolizers. Our findings inform the selection of more rigorous and cost-effective measures to assess nicotine exposure in tobacco research studies.
An Automated FPGA-Based Framework for Rapid Prototyping of Nonbinary LDPC Codes

Nonbinary LDPC codes have shown superior performance close to the Shannon limit. Compared to binary LDPC codes of similar lengths, they can reach orders of magnitudes lower error rate. However, multitude of design freedoms of non-binary LDPC codes complicates the practical code and decoder design process. Fast simulations are critically important to evaluate the pros and cons. Rapid prototyping on FPGA is attractive but takes significant design efforts due to its high design complexity. We propose a high-throughput reconfigurable hardware emulation architecture with decoder and peripheral co-design. The architecture enables a library and script-based framework that automates the construction of FPGA emulations. Code and decoder design parameters are programmed either during run time or by script in design time. We demonstrate the capability of the framework in evaluating practical code and decoder design by experimenting with two popular nonbinary LDPC codes, regular (2, dc) codes and quasi-cyclic codes: each emulation model can be auto-constructed within hours and the decoder delivers excellent error-correcting performance on a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA with throughput of up to hundreds of Mbps.
Mobility of tungsten clusters on tungsten surfaces

Abstract We report on an accelerated molecular dynamics investigation of surface transport mechanisms on W surfaces. These mechanisms likely influence the formation of nano-fuzz in fusion plasma-facing conditions. The simulations use an embedded-atom potential to investigate the diffusion mechanisms of W clusters (Wn, n = 2–9) on W(1 1 0) and W(1 0 0) surfaces at 1000 K, reaching timescales beyond 10 microseconds. A number of fast moving adatom species, Wn (n = 2–6), were observed. In contrast, slightly larger clusters Wn (n = 7–9), especially W8, exhibit significantly lower diffusivities. The diffusion mechanisms of Wn clusters on the W(1 1 0) surface are complex, with the most common elementary steps involving hops of monomers and dimers. Moreover, we observe tetramer hopping in the diffusion processes of Wn (n = 4–7), trimer hopping in Wn (n = 5, 6, 8), and pentamer hopping in W5 on the W(1 1 0) surface. Wn (n ≤ 3) and metastable Wn (n > 3) clusters on the W(1 0 0) surface diffuse predominantly through monomer exchange with surface atoms. However, W clusters containing square tetramers are essentially immobile on the W(1 0 0) surface at 1000 K.
Hedonic equilibria in housing markets: The case of one-to-one matching

Abstract Neighborhood amenities, including public services, vary across locations, and a well-known theorem says that households with a higher marginal willingness to pay (MWTP) for an amenity sort into locations where the amenity is better. A higher MWTP is equivalent to a steeper bid function for the amenity, and the housing price function, which is the envelope of the household bid functions, reflects this sorting process. This paper derives equilibrium expressions for the amenity level as a function of a household’s relative MWTP under the assumption of one-to-one matching between household classes and amenity levels.
Comments on high Rayleigh number convection

We have recently conducted a series of experiments on turbulent convection in the range of Rayleigh numbers between 106 and 1017 (Niemela et al. 1999). The working fluid is cryogenic helium gas. The eleven decades of dynamic range enable us to make a few conclusive observations. Among them, the following aspects are noteworthy.
Obergefell v. Hodges: A Critical Introduction

This essay in two chapters is adapted from the introduction to a forthcoming collection on Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court decision that recognized the right of same-sex marriage. The first chapter tells the story of the dialectical interactions between the movement for gay rights, political actors, and state and federal courts that eventually led to recognition of marriage equality in the United States. Arguments for marriage equality, which were not originally central to the gay rights movement, gradually became important as the movement experienced a series of defeats and victories. The interaction of state court litigation with national politics, the Republican Party’s use of same-sex marriage as a wedge issue, and the interplay among federal and state institutions gradually moved arguments for marriage equality from "off the wall" to "on the wall." Progress in the courts and public opinion also shaped each other. Support for same-sex marriage reached fifty percent a few years before the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act, and had climbed to sixty percent by the time the Court decided Obergefell. The second chapter then theorizes this history. Two common accounts of the judiciary in a democracy are the Court as Mirror and the Court as Brick Wall. In the story of the Court as Mirror, the Supreme Court is essentially a majoritarian institution that reflects what is going on in the larger society. In the story of the Court as Brick Wall, the Supreme Court is a counter-majoritarian institution that cuts off democratic deliberation and arbitrarily imposes its will on the political system. The campaign for marriage equality suggests that both pictures are inadequate. Instead of being simply a mirror of society or a brick wall that impedes democracy, the judiciary—including both state and federal courts at all levels—operates as a player and a catalyst in democratic politics. Courts respond to political agendas and structure political agendas. They catalyze democratic politics by shaping the terms of debate and by legitimating certain positions. Political actors, in turn, use court decisions either as spurs or as leverage for mobilizations and counter-mobilizations. Sometimes political actors build on the work of courts to assert what the Constitution means. Other times they talk back to courts or use them as convenient foils to make their constitutional claims. American constitution culture features a system of democratic constitutionalism as much as a system of judicial review. In fact, the two phenomena depend on each other.
Comparing Caliper versus Computed Tomography Measurements of Cranial Dimensions in Children

Objectives/hypothesis We have found no study assessing the accuracy of caliper cranium measurements compared to computed tomography (CT) measurements of the head. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability of caliper measurements in comparison to CT measurements. Study design Retrospective chart review. Methods This study includes all patients evaluated for head shape abnormality between 2010 and 2019 at a single academic medical center. Eighty-nine patients who had CT head scans were identified, and their caliper measurements of anterior-posterior and transverse head dimensions were documented. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the CT and caliper measurements. Conclusion Caliper measurements are a simple and reliable way to assess cranial vault proportionality with growth after cranial vault reconstruction. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 131:773-775, 2021.
Designing an integrated smart parking application

Abstract The past decade has witnessed a renewed interest in city living. Associated with this trend are parking problems in city centers and central business districts. Using the City of Pittsburgh as a case study, our study identifies a critical parking issue and how best it could be ameliorated. The study reveals that a demand-side intervention; providing real-time and predictive information to parking users, provides the most robust option in addressing the lack of parking availability in downtown Pittsburgh. Towards this end, we design a schema for an integrated smart parking application project and discuss how its functionalities could be enhanced as well as how it could be replicated in other cities. The development of the schema also includes a robust needs assessment and a user centric design process. The use of an open source platform, modular structure and ease of retrofitting can enable other cities to lower the cost of implementing and managing similar smart parking solutions.
Effects of Kinesio Taping on Balance and Gait in Patients with Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Studies in Korea

Purpose: The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Kinesio taping (KT) for balance and gait in patients with stroke through meta-analysis of studies conducted in Korea. Methods: RISS, Science on, and DBPia were the three databases used to collect articles on KT. Keywords such as “Stroke,” “Kinesio tap ing,” “Elasticity taping,” and “Taping” were used to search for published articles. We systematically searched from the inception of each database to November 2020. Interventions and comparisons were KT and without KT. Outcome measures were the timed up and go (TUG) and 10-meter walking tests (10MWT). Consequently, six studies were selected for the second screening using meta-analyses. Results: Based on the results of the meta-analysis, comparison between patients with and without KT showed that KT was effective for TUG (ES: 2.51, 95% CI: 2.12 to 2.90); however, it was not effective for 10MWT (ES: 0.79, 95% CI: -0.04 to 1.62). Conclusion: The current evidence suggests that KT is more effective than without KT interventions for balance function in post-stroke patients. However, more well-conducted randomized controlled trials are required in the future.
Evaluation of Glomerular Filtration Rate, Albuminuria and Hematuria in Living Donor Candidates

Kidney donor candidates undergo careful evaluation to detect the presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and risk factors for its development. Evaluations of glomerular filtration rate (GFR), albuminuria, and hematuria are the main methods for the detection of predonation CKD, and alterations in these measures have been related to increased risk of kidney failure in the general population. This chapter reviews the pathophysiology and measurement methods for GFR, albuminuria, and hematuria and the risk of kidney failure related to these measures, including recommendations from the 2017 Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) Clinical Practice Guideline on the Evaluation and Care of Living Kidney Donors, recommendations from the 2012 KDIGO Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease for evaluation of GFR and albuminuria, and recommendations from the 2012 American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines for evaluation of hematuria.
Heir to the Throne: Choice of the Replacement CEO in Unexpected CEO Turnover

We examine the roles board of directors can play in CEO succession planning, by asking the questions, whom should the firm choose as replacement CEOs in unexpected CEO turnover, and what is the impact of this decision on shareholder wealth? More specifically, we build on the director expertise literature and investigate whether the selection of replacement CEOs from the board facilitates a smoother transition and maintain firm continuity. We focus on unexpected CEO turnover, as it provides an exogenous setting allowing us to examine the impact of the CEO replacement decision on costs associated with the succession and on shareholder wealth post succession. Overall, our results indicate that in addition to its monitoring and advising roles, the board of directors can also oversee the company when needed. While selecting replacement CEO from existing board members may allow the company to quickly fill the CEO position, thereby reducing uncertainty and transitional costs (measured by new CEO turnover, senior management turnover and delay), it may not be beneficial to shareholders. We provide evidence that replacing departing CEO with a board member is negatively associated with stock performance for up to two years.
Watercraft propellers as a mechanism of orthopaedic injuries: injury patterns, management, and complications.

Recreational watercraft use is popular across the United States, and there is a high rate of injury associated with the use and misuse of these vehicles. Watercraft propeller injuries represent a particularly devastating mechanism of injury. We aim to describe and analyze the range of orthopaedic injuries sustained from a watercraft propeller with a particular focus on the mechanism, injury pattern, management, and complications associated with these unique, high-energy injuries. A retrospective review of 42 patients who sustained injuries from watercraft propeller that presented to a level 1 trauma center was performed. Data collected included patient demographics, mechanism of injury, surgical management, antibiotic use, and complications. Forty-two patients sustained 96 fractures. Ninety-one fractures (94.8%) were open and 5(5.2%) were closed. Twenty (20.8%) were of the upper extremity, 70(72.9%) were of the lower extremity, and 6(6.3%) were of the pelvic ring. The majority of open fractures were Gustilo–Anderson Type IIIA or greater (54, 59.3%). There were 9 total infections affecting 8 of 96 fracture sites (cumulative risk of 8.3%), and other complications included stiffness (3), heterotopic ossification (1), non-union (1), flap failure (1), DVT (2), PE (1), and systemic infection (1) for a total of 19 complications. Watercraft propellers often result in devastating injuries with high rates of morbidity. The high rate of open fractures and neurovascular injury, necessity for multiple surgeries, and extended length of hospital stay show the need for continued awareness about boat safety and the danger of propellers.
Islamaphobia, Neo-Orientalism, And The Specter Of Jihad: Problems Facing Muslim Litigants In U.S. Courts

Islam is one of the fastest growing religions in the United States. Although estimates of the number of Muslims living in the United States vary, many scholars believe that Islam will soon surpass Judaism as the second largest religion in the country, if it has not already. Muslims have primarily immigrated to America from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Groups of these immigrants started arriving in the United States as early as the 1870s, and the number of Muslim immigrants has increased significantly since 1960, when Congress adjusted immigration laws concerning national quotas. The significant proportion of African-Americans and native-born Muslims who are first-generation, second-generation, or third-generation Americans augment the American Muslim immigrant community. Muslims have long played an active role in Western imagination. Since as early as the Crusades and the Moorish rule of Spain, Christian Europe has seen Muslims as foreign, exotic, and potentially dangerous to Christian society. From Bernard Lewis’ work to Edward Said’s, there is no dearth of scholarship devoted to the perceived dichotomy of the Islamic East and the Judeo-Christian West. Muslims living in North America and Western Europe are, of course, not immune to such generalizations about their faith, which have affected the ways in which Muslim communities function in these countries and their relationships with their Christian, Jewish, or other compatriots. Since the end of the Cold War, Islam has been increasingly seen as the “new enemy” (or the revived old enemy) of the West. Terrorist attacks, such as the 1993 bombing at the World
Paradigms for Robustness in Controller and Filter Designs 1

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of robustness issues that arise in controller and filter designs for dynamic systems subject to various types of uncertainty. Both linear and nonlinear systems are treated, with the nominal system being deterministic, stochastic or piecewise deterministic. It is found that the solution to the RS optimal control problem is robust to additive perturbations in the state dynamics, which enter through the same channels as the Brownian motion process does. The optimal controller in the RS control problem is the minimizer's saddle-point policy in a particular stochastic DG, which itself is obtained from the deterministic robust control problem. It is observed that the robust controller involves a bank of controllers; one for each state of the Markov chain, and in the actual implementation, the controller switches accordingly as the Markov chain switches from one state to another. The robust filtering for deterministic systems is also presented.
Numerical Study of Deposition in a Full Turbine Stage Using Steady and Unsteady Methods

A computational study was performed to investigate deposition phenomena in a high-pressure turbine stator and rotor stage. Steady mixing-plane and unsteady sliding mesh calculations were utilized. 3D, steady and unsteady RANS calculations were performed in conjunction with published experiments completed on identical turbine geometry in order to extract boundary conditions and to validate flow solutions. Particles were introduced into the flow domain and deposition was predicted using a Lagrangian particle tracking method with the critical viscosity model to predict deposition. For the steady method, in order to track particles from the mixing plane through the blade domain, particle positions were saved after passing through the vane domain and inserted into the blade domain using two different methods: averaged and preserved. Both methods yielded nearly identical results. For the unsteady simulation particles were tracked through a sliding mesh interface with particle position, velocity, and temperature preserved at exit of the vane domain and inlet of the blade domain. Deposition results for the steady mixing plane using both particle averaging techniques and unsteady sliding interface were compared for particles of different sizes. Large particles produced localized impact and deposit zones near the hub and tip of the pressure surface for all methods. Steady methods overpredicted impacts and deposits relative to unsteady methods by averaging out discrete unsteady vane wake motion which caused particle motion towards blade surfaces.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Proactive Complementarity: The International Criminal Court and National Courts in the Rome System of Justice

When the International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002, States, NGOs, and the international community had extraordinarily high expectations that the Court could bring an end to impunity and provide broad-based accountability for international crimes. Nearly five years later, those expectations appear unfulfilled, due to political constraints, resource limitations, and the inability of the ICC to apprehend suspects. This article offers a novel solution to the misalignment of resources, expectations, and legal mandate of the ICC, arguing that the Court must more actively engage with national governments and encourage States to undertake their own prosecutions of international crimes. The article shifts basic understandings of the ICC's role through a policy of Proactive Complementarity, whereby the international Court would encourage and, at times, assist States undertaking domestic prosecutions of international crimes. The article examines the legal mandate for such a policy, considers the political constraints on the Court, offers a practical framework for the implementation of Proactive Complementarity in the range of circumstances the ICC is likely to face, and documents early examples of Proactive Complementarity in the ICC's initial operations. Overall, the Article argues that encouraging national prosecutions within the "Rome System of Justice" and shifting burdens back to national governments offers the best and perhaps the only way for the ICC to meet its mandate and help end impunity.
Protective effects of hydrogen on fetal brain injury during maternal hypoxia.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of hydrogen on fetal brain injury during maternal hypoxia. Pregnant rats (n = 12, at gestational day 17) were randomly assigned into three groups; air, hypoxia, and hypoxia plus hydrogen groups were put into a chamber and flushed with room air (21% O2 and 79% N2), hypoxia (8% O2 and 92% N2), and hypoxia with hydrogen mixture (2% H2, 8% O2 and 90% N2), respectively, for 4 consecutive hours. After birth, body and brain weights, body-righting reflex, and negative geotropism of neonates were measured, and then pups were killed at days 1 and 7. Oligodendrocytes were studied at post-natal day 1 by immunohistochemistry. We found significant decreases in body weight in the hypoxia group (P 0.05 vs. room air group). Even though brain weight was not different among groups, the brain weight to body weight ratio in the room air group was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than that in the hypoxia alone or hypoxia plus hydrogen groups. Body-righting reflex at day 1 and negative geotropism at days 3–4 showed deficiency in hypoxia animals when compared with the room air group (P < 0.05). Hydrogen treatment improved the body-righting reflex and negative geotropism (P < 0.05 vs. room air group). The above-mentioned functional changes caused by hypoxia were not associated with morphology and cell death of oligodendrocytes. Therefore, the maternal hypoxia-induced body weight loss, and functional abnormalities and hydrogen treatment during hypoxia offered a protective effect and improved functions in neonates.
Gene I mutants of peanut chlorotic streak virus, a caulimovirus, replicate in plants but do not move from cell to cell

Gene I of peanut chlorotic streak virus (PCISV), a caulimovirus, is homologous to gene I of other caulimoviruses and may encode a protein for virus movement. To evaluate the function of gene I, several mutations were created in this gene of an infectious, partially redundant clone of PCISV. Constructs with an in-frame deletion and a single amino acid substitution in gene I were not infectious. To test for replication of these mutants in primarily infected cells, an immunosorbent PCR technique was devised. Virus particles formed by mutants in plants were recovered by binding to antivirus antibodies on a solid matrix and DNase treated to discriminate against residual inoculum, and DNA of trapped virions was subjected to PCR amplification. Gene I mutants were shown to direct formation of encapsidated DNA as revealed by a PCR product. Control gene V mutants (reverse transcriptase essential for replication) did not yield a PCR product. Quantitative PCR allowed estimation of the proportion of cells initially infected by gene I mutants and the amount of extractable virus per cell. It is concluded that PCISV gene I encodes a movement protein and that the immunoselection-PCR technique is useful in studying subliminal virus infection in plants.
357 TOLAZOLINE INHIBITION OF PLATELET AGGREGATION

Tolazoline (TZ), an imidazoline compound with vasodilatory and histaminic properties, is used in the therapy of neonatal persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Inhibition of thromboxane A2 (TBX-A) synthesis by TZ has been reported. The in-vitro effects of TZ on platelet aggregation were studied. Platelet rich plasma obtained from 6 healthy adults and from cord blood samples of 6 healthy term infants was incubated with TZ and aggregated with ADP (10μM). At increasing concentrations of TZ, decreases in maximal aggregation occurred, followed by disaggregation (mean±SEM): The relationship between TZ concentration and both maximal and 10-minute aggregation was linear up to 103 μg/ml (r≥0.88). The inhibition of primary aggregation at the highest TZ concentrations is inconsistent with TBX-A inhibition alone. Preliminary data, using a radioimmunoassay, suggest an increase in platelet cyclic AMP when incubated with TZ, perhaps mediated by hist-amine receptors. In-vivo inhibition of platelet aggregation and TBX-A release by TZ may be benefical in some forms of PPH.
The preparation of trans-pyrimidine glycols by near-uv irradiation

Near-uv irradiation of Thy, Me/sup 1/Thy, Me/sub 2//sup 1,3/Thy, Ura, Me/sup 1/Ura, and Me/sub 2//sup 1,3/Ura in the presence of hydrogen peroxide produced corresponding cis- and trans-glycols in approximately 20% yields. Similarly, Cyt, Me/sup 5/Cyt, and Me/sub 2//sup 4,5/Cyt gave the corresponding glycols of Ura, Thy, and Thy, owing to facile deamination of the resultant Cyt glycols. Time sequence analysis of product-yields using /sup 14/C-labeled pyrimidines revealed that the yields of a product are also contingent on its stability. Importantly, this approach provides a novel method for the direct synthesis of trans-glycols and for the preparation of certain radiation products in furthering our understanding of radiation chemistry and the biology of nucleic acids.
Mesh generation: Art or science?

Abstract Mesh generation has evolved to the point where highly complicated domains can be covered by a variety of mesh types including hexahedral, tetrahedral and overset meshes. The application of these methods to computational aerodynamics has become a routine exercise and numerical predictions over complete aircraft now complement experimental results obtained from wind tunnels. This paper surveys the main developments that have taken place and traces the evolution of mesh generation over the last 35 years. This is followed by an assessement of the accuracy of Navier Stokes codes that are currently in use for predicting the drag of an aircraft at transonic cruise. The relationship between solution accuracy, mesh size and mesh type is examined in some detail and the implications for further research are discussed.
"Entering a Clinical Trial: Is it Right for You?": a randomized study of The Clinical Trials Video and its impact on the informed consent process.

PURPOSE: This randomized study was designed to assess the utility of an educational video in preparing cancer patients for decisions about clinical trial participation. The study assessed the effect of the video on patients' understanding and perceptions of clinical trials, its impact on decision making and patient-provider communication, and patients' satisfaction with the video. METHODS: Ninety adults considering cancer clinical trials were randomized to receive (n = 45) or not receive (n = 45) the video. Using the validated Quality of Informed Consent (QuIC), respondents' knowledge about clinical trial participation was assessed. All subjects completed additional questions about satisfaction with the video, decision making, and patient-provider communication. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test, regression model, and descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Although intent-to-treat analysis found no significant group differences in objective understanding between those randomized to view or not view the video, the majority of participants reported favorable experiences with regard to watching the video: 85% found the video was an important source of information about clinical trials; 81% felt better prepared to discuss the trial with their physician; 89% of those who watched the video with family indicated that it helped family better understand clinical trials; and 73% indicated it helped family accept their decision about participation. CONCLUSIONS: Although the video did not measurably improve patients' knowledge about clinical trials, it was an important source of information, helped educate families, and enhanced patient communication with their oncology providers. Cancer 2012;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Response of cheek pouch autografts to DMBA painting.

Abstract Sections of hamster cheek pouch mucosa were autografted in surgically prepared beds in the clipped dorsal skin areas of the same animals. After the graft and dorsal skin area had been painted with 0.5 per cent DMBA three times per week for 15 weeks, papillomas were induced in the dorsal skin in 100 per cent of the hamsters and in only 5 per cent of the autografts. The low percentage of tumors induced in the buccal pouch in its altered anatomic position is a finding which is in marked contrast to the pouch's high response to DMBA-induced oncogenesis in its natural location.
From the President of The NFMLTA: An Invitation to Join a Collective Effort

eration of Modern Language Teachers Associations (NFMLTA), as stated in its bylaws, are the "expansion, promotion, and improvement of the teaching of languages, literatures, and cultures throughout the United States, by a variety of activities including but not limited to publication of The Modern Language Journal." Established in 1916, the membership of the NFMLTA now includes eighteen associations representing those involved in the teaching of modern languages: American Association of Teachers of French (AATF), American Association of Teachers of German (AATG), American Association of Teachers of Italian (AATI), American Association of Teachers of Slavic and
Low-Cost Light-Weight Quick-Manufacturable Blades for Human-Scale Wind Turbines

A novel blade design for small wind turbines intended for residential use in rural locations and/or developing nations has been developed. Traditionally, blades for these turbines are carved from weather resistant woods which may be costly and difficult to manufacture. This work seeks to reduce cost and construction time by developing blades from readily available PVC drainage pipe. The blade design underwent airfoil optimization regarding the blade twist along its length and drop, via computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations with open source software. Blades were built of PVC using the new CFD design and tested on field operation, the manufacturing process as well as their performance was monitored and recorded in terms of comparison with classical wood-based design.
LEAF DAMAGE AND ASSOCIATED CUES INDUCE AGGRESSIVE ANT RECRUITMENT IN A NEOTROPICAL ANT-PLANT

Induced chemical responses following herbivory are common in plants. Plant responses that change the level of physical or biotic defense are less well documented and poorly understood. Many Azteca spp. ants are obligate inhabitants of Cecropia spp. trees. In such ant–plant associations the ants are thought to be analogous to chemical defenses; previous experiments have demonstrated that ant occupation of C. obtusifolia reduced herbivory and plant competition and increased growth. Experiments, conducted over two years, on the dynamics of ant defense demonstrate that leaf damage caused a fivefold increase in the number of Azteca spp. ants on damaged leaves of C. obtusifolia compared to that on disturbed but undamaged control leaves. Ant activity peaked 8–12 min after damage, and differences between damaged and control leaves remained evident for 24 h. Such rapid induction of ant recruitment is likely to be particularly effective against unpredictable and mobile herbivores. The magnitude of the induced ant response to damage was strongly correlated with the number of ants patrolling the leaves before damage occurred. Ant responses to disturbance were not influenced by the presence of damage that had been applied 24 h previously. However, ant responses to subsequent damage, 24 h after initial damage, resulted in greater recruitment than to previously undamaged leaves. Ant recruitment to several other cues associated with herbivory was also tested. Presence of pyralid caterpillars that naturally feed on C. obtusifolia induced a low level of ant recruitment, and most larvae were removed from leaves by the ants within 10 min. Exposure to plant sap collected from damaged conspecifics and a commercially available green leaf volatile (hexanal) commonly released by plants after damage, both resulted in a doubling of ant numbers relative to controls. However, the levels of recruitment in response to these stimuli were insufficient to account for the high numbers of ants and persistence of recruitment observed on experimentally damaged leaves. Experimental wounding of leaves with minimal leaf tissue removal (using pin pricks) revealed that leaf wounds per se can only partially explain the induced ant recruitment following leaf damage. The type of herbivory and size of leaf wounds may be important cues for ant recruitment. Severed C. obtusifolia leaves that were freshly damaged failed to elicit an induced ant response when held adjacent to conspecific leaves with ants. However, induction of ant recruitment on damaged plants did significantly induce a low level of ant recruitment on neighboring conspecifics, providing evidence for interplant communication. Induced ant responses in the Cecropia–Azteca system are the result of multiple physical and chemical cues associated with herbivory. Ant responses to herbivory, although not previously studied in detail, are likely to be common among myrmecophytic plants and are likely to be an important component of antiherbivore defense in such systems.
Role of microstructure in the aging-related deterioration of the toughness of human cortical bone

Abstract The aging-related deterioration of the fracture properties of bone, coupled with higher life expectancy, is responsible for increasing incidence of bone fracture in the elderly; consequently, an understanding of how these fracture properties degrade with age is essential. In this study, ex vivo fracture experiments have been performed to quantitatively assess the effect of age on human cortical bone in the proximal–distal orientation, i.e., longitudinally along the osteons. Because cortical bone exhibits rising crack-growth resistance with crack extension, the toughness is evaluated in terms of resistance-curve (R-curve) behavior, measured for bone taken from wide range of age groups (34–99 years). Using this approach, both the crack-initiation and crack-growth toughness are determined and are found to deteriorate with age; the initiation toughness decreases some 40% over six decades from 40 to 100 years, while the growth toughness is effectively eliminated over the same age range. The reduction in crack-growth toughness is considered to be associated primarily with a degradation in the degree of extrinsic toughening, in particular, involving crack bridging in the wake of the crack. An examination of the micro-/nano-structural changes accompanying the process of aging, using optical microscopy, X-ray tomography, nanoindentation and Raman spectroscopy, is shown to support such observations.
Massive cell death of immature hematopoietic cells and neurons in Bcl-x-deficient mice

bcl-x is a member of the bcl-2 gene family, which may regulate programmed cell death. Mice were generated that lacked Bcl-x. The Bcl-x-deficient mice died around embryonic day 13. Extensive apoptotic cell death was evident in postmitotic immature neurons of the developing brain, spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglia. Hematopoietic cells in the liver were also apoptotic. Analyses of bcl-x double-knockout chimeric mice showed that the maturation of Bcl-x-deficient lymphocytes was diminished. The life-span of immature lymphocytes, but not mature lymphocytes, was shortened. Thus, Bcl-x functions to support the viability of immature cells during the development of the nervous and hematopoietic systems.
Insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 and IGFBP-5 mediate TGF-β- and myostatin-induced suppression of proliferation in porcine embryonic myogenic cell cultures

We have previously shown that cultured porcine embryonic myogenic cells (PEMC) produce both insulin-like growth factor binding protein (IGFBP)-3 and IGFBP-5 and secrete these proteins into their media. Exogenously added recombinant porcine (rp) IGFBP-3 and rpIGFBP-5 act via IGF-dependent and IGF-independent mechanisms to suppress proliferation of PEMC cultures. Furthermore, immunoneutralization of endogenous IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 in the PEMC culture medium results in increased DNA synthesis rate suggesting that endogenous IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 suppress PEMC proliferation. TGF-β superfamily members myostatin and TGF-β1 have also been shown to suppress proliferation of myogenic cells, and treatment of cultured PEMC with either TGF-β1 or myostatin significantly (P < 0.01) increases levels of IGFBP-3 and -5 mRNA. We have previously shown that immunoneutralization of IGFBP-3 decreases the proliferation-suppressing activity of TGF-β1 and myostatin. Here, we show that immunoneutralization of IGFBP-5 also significantly (P < 0.05) decreases the DNA synthesis-suppressing activity of these molecules. Simultaneous immunoneutralization of both IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 in TGF-β1 or myostatin-treated PEMC cultures restores Long-R3-IGF-I-stimulated DNA synthesis rates to 90% of the levels observed in control cultures receiving no TGF-β1 or myostatin treatment (P < 0.05). Even though immunoneutralization of IGFBP-3 and -5 increased DNA synthesis rates in TGF-β1 or myostatin-treated PEMC cultures, phosphosmad2 levels in these cultures were not affected. These findings strongly suggest that IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 affect processes downstream from receptor-mediated Smad phosphorylation that facilitate the ability of TGF-β and myostatin to suppress proliferation of PEMC.
Computer aided manual leucocyte differential counting.

Over the last two decades numerous ways have been devised for automating the recording of the results of the leucocyte differential, ranging from computer-readable cards to very costly automated cell counters. The growing availability of inexpensive personal computers makes it possible to improve the counting and reporting of the manual differentials which still account for the bulk of these counts. This report describes the development of a system using a personal computer either as a standalone device or integrated into a larger laboratory system, to assist the technologist in performing the differential count and in completely describing the results. It permits complete flexibility in function assignments and in information structuring to match the constraints of the laboratory host computer system.
Current status of the Vel blood group system.

A review of the Vel blood group system reveals that 19 thoroughly studied examples of anti-Vel are known and at least 50 Vel negative persons are recorded. The frequency of the Vel negative person is 0.04 per cent. All cases to date have been in Caucasians. The antigen is poorly developed in cord blood, but retains reactivity in the aged, on storage at 4 C, as well as after freezing. An associated hemolysin is usually not reactivated by addition of complement after inactivation. Bromelin technics are best. Independence from most major blood groups is established. Clinical importance is in difficult crossmatching and transfusion reactions. No hemolytic disease of newborn has been reported (three examples of anti-Vel present during pregnancy). Family studies are essential to discover compatible donors, since 25 per cent of the siblings of Vel negative persons must also be Vel negative. The American Association of Blood Banks Central File has a list of available donors. Awareness of the existence of anti-Vel facilitates the transfusing of a patient with high frequency antibody.