cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tissue-specific regulation of shell gland calbindin D28K biosynthesis by estradiol in precociously matured, vitamin D-depleted chicks

Provision of Ca2+ for egg shell calcification in the avian uterus [egg shell gland (ESG)] derives mostly from vitamin D-dependent intestinal Ca2+ absorption from the diet. Ca2+ absorption is strongly linked to the intestinal vitamin D-dependent calbindin D28K (D28K) concentration. The laying hen ESG also contains D28K, and again, Ca2+ transport into the shell appeared to be linked to the ESG D28K concentration. However, evidence is now presented that ESG D28K synthesis may be estradiol (E2) dependent and vitamin D independent under certain conditions. One-day-old female chicks fed a vitamin D-free diet for as long as 6 weeks and then repeatedly injected im with E2 for up to 3 more weeks developed frank rickets, but possessed precociously matured reproductive tracts. While the tiny presumptive ESGs of nonestrogenized vitamin D-depleted chicks were devoid of D28K, the highly developed ESG, including the isthmus, of estrogenized chicks contained D28K. The ESGs of nonestrogenized, vitamin D-replete chicks also exhibited no development or detectable D28K. Regardless of whether vitamin D depleted or replete, estrogenized chick ESG contained similar D28K and D28K mRNA concentrations. Immunohistochemical techniques showed that the endometrial cellular localization of both D28K and Ca(2+)-ATPase (Ca2+ pump) in estrogenized chicks was similar to that in mature laying hens. There was no trace of D28K, nor was there any stimulation of Ca2+ absorption, in duodenum of vitamin D-free, immature chicks regardless of E2 treatment. As expected, both D28K and D28K mRNA were present in vitamin D-replete chick duodenum. We conclude that in E2-treated chicks, ESG D28K gene expression may be vitamin D independent and E2 dependent. This is the first clear demonstration of hormone-dependent tissue-specific D28K gene expression in the chick.
K–12 Language Teacher Preparation: Problems and Possibilities

The article discusses the training of language teachers who work in grades K-12 in the U.S. It is noted that there is growing interest in language education at these grade levels as a result of globalization and competitiveness. The degree requirements and courses that college students are expected to take are explained in terms of the education methodology and language classes they must take to become language teachers. Other topics include teachers wishing to get an English as a second language (ESL) teacher certification, the pedagogical content of teacher education programs, teaching methods, and language and culture.
The present state of historical content in computer science texts: a concern

Writing texts in the early 1980's to fulfill the critical need in this burgeoning field, authors of computer science texts generally not mathematics or computer science historians relied upon readily available historical sources that do not stand up to critical analysis. These sources include Charles Babbage's memoirs [2], W. W. R. Ball's biased celebration of Cambridge University mathematics [3], and E. T. Bell's concise and colorful tributes to various mathematicians [6]. But these tributes and memoirs, cited in virtually every historical article, are no substitute for critical analysis of historical events.
Attenuation and bit error rate for four co-propagating spatially multiplexed optical communication channels of exactly same wavelength in step index multimode fibers

Spatial domain multiplexing (SDM) utilizes co-propagation of exactly the same wavelength in optical fibers to increase the bandwidth by integer multiples. Input signals from multiple independent single mode pigtail laser sources are launched at different input angles into a single multimode carrier fiber. The SDM channels follow helical paths and traverse through the carrier fiber without interfering with each other. The optical energy from the different sources is spatially distributed and takes the form of concentric circular donut shaped rings, where each ring corresponds to an independent laser source. At the output end of the fiber these donut shaped independent channels can be separated either with the help of bulk optics or integrated concentric optical detectors. This presents the experimental setup and results for a four channel SDM system. The attenuation and bit error rate for individual channels of such a system is also presented.
TaskAmbient: A Study in Personal Task Management Visualization

In the lifecycle of a personal to-do, the task is susceptible to failure at various stages. One of these stages is the intention retention stage, in which a person has to stay vigilant of the task and recognize when it can be carried out. Within the retention process there is the need to maintain groupings of tasks based on one's areas of responsibility as well. To aid in task retention overall, external memory aids are often used. Still, there are occasions where intentions are not retained when external memory aids are used due to the aid's inability to convey task information or cue execution of a task. In our work, we look to design an external memory aid that supports retention of individual task knowledge as well as retention of task knowledge in a user's different areas of responsibility. With this tool we will observe its use to verify or deny its ability to support these two activities. We have conducted a survey of task management practices and results from the survey, along with related work, have aided in our initial design.
A review of recent progress in sensing of gas concentration by impedance change

The intent of this paper is to establish the state of the art of impedance-based gas sensors. This sensor type holds promise for accurate detection of gaseous species at single parts per million and below. Impedance-based sensors do not require reference air to function, but do require calibration. Progress in the development of impedancemetric sensors for the detection of NOx, H2O, hydrocarbons, and CO is reviewed. Sensing electrodes typically consist of a noble metal or a metal oxide. YSZ is the preferred electrolyte material. Counter electrodes of Pt were common in asymmetric cells. These sensors typically operate at 500–700 °C and are interrogated at 10 Hz or less. Selectivity of these sensors remains a challenge especially in lean environments. Stability is an infrequently discussed yet important concern. Equivalent circuit analysis has shed light on various detection mechanisms. The impedance changes due to analyte gases are exhibited in parameters that represent the low frequency behavior of the electrochemical system. Although the search for a detailed mechanism continues, the change in impedance due to a specific gas is generally attributed to transport processes such as adsorption and charge transfer.
Exemplary Teaching Practices Across Educational Contexts (P-20+): Unifying Principles and an Ecological Model for Teaching for All to Learn

This paper demonstrates that teaching for all to learn is a central theme of exemplary practice across all educational contexts from preschool through graduate school (P-20+). Ten unifying principles will be presented based on this theme. Although these principles are consistent across P-20+ settings, the ways in which these practices are implemented will differ, depending on the context. An ecological model for teaching for all to learn will be developed, presenting a conceptual schema of the components and factors involved in exemplary teaching across all contexts from P-12 through higher education settings.
Suicidal Thoughts and Actions in Cancer Patients: The Time for Exploration Is Now

Three studies in this month’sJournalofClinicalOncology explore different aspects of the potential risk of suicide in patients with cancer. Most prior studies on this subject focused primarily on terminally ill patients, but these studies included broader populations of patients with cancer more reflective of general oncology practice, including patients likely to be long-term survivors, those whose cancer is more of a chronic illness, as well as those who are terminally ill. The first study by Misono et al 1 used two large databases (the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program of the National Cancer Institute and the National Center for Health Statistics) to compare the incidence of suicide in cancer patients with an age-, sex-, and race-adjusted cohort of the general population over a 30-year period. They found the incidence of suicide in patients with cancer was almost twice the general population, and that higher rates were found in those with male sex, white race, and older age. They also found that rates of suicide varied with site of cancer, with highest rates found in patients with lung cancer, followed by stomach, oropharyngeal, and laryngeal, in that order. The demographic risk factors are consistent with other studies, though the site-specific risks are inconsistent with prior studies conducted primarily in Europe, which showed high rates of suicide with respiratory and breast cancers in Denmark 2 ; respiratory and oropharyngeal cancers in Norway 3 ; and esophageal, pancreatic, and respiratory cancers in Sweden. 4 Data about comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions, extent of disease, prognosis, functional status, or symptom burden were unavailable. The second study by Miller et al 5 also used another large database (the New Jersey Pharmaceutical Assistance Program for the Aged and Disabled and the Medicare database) to identify 128 cases of suicide (reported as the cause of death by the New Jersey Department of Vital Statistics) and 10 living controls for each case matched by age, sex, and race. In this analysis, the only comorbid medical condition associated with suicide was cancer. Suicide was also associated with the diagnoses of affective or anxiety/personality disorders, and with treatment with antidepressants or opioid analgesics. The reported suicides tended to be violent (the majority involved firearms or hanging) and a relatively small percent (16% overall and 11% of patients with cancer) involved self-poisoning with drugs other than opioids. Of potential clinical importance, the majority had visited a physician within 1 month before the suicide, and 25% visited within their last week. One might be tempted to infer a relatively high symptom burden by the increased presence of opioids in the suicide group, but we unfortunately have little information about either psychiatric or palliative treatment in either of these groups other than what can be indirectly inferred from a pharmaceutical database. The third study by Walker et al 6 gives an enticing, though very small glimpse at what might lead up to such tragic outcomes. These
Markov random field modeling in posteroanterior chest radiograph segmentation

Previously, the authors presented an algorithm that identifies lung regions in a digitized posteroanterior chest radiograph (DCR) by labeling each pixel as either lung or nonlung. In this manuscript, the inherent flexibility of this algorithm is demonstrated as the algorithm is generalized to identify multiple anatomical regions in a DCR. Specifically, each pixel is classified as belonging to one of six anatomical region types: lung, subdiaphragm, heart, mediastinum, body, or background. The algorithm determines the optimal set of pixel classifications, x OPT , for a given set of DCR pixel gray level values y via a probabilistic approach that defines x OPT as the particular segmentation that maximizes the conditional distribution P( x | y ). A spatially varying Markov random field (MRF) model is used that incorporates spatial and textural information of each possible region type. MRF modeling provides the form of P( x | y ), and Iterated Conditional Modes is used to converge to the distribution maximum of P( x | y ) thus obtaining the optimal segmentation for a given DCR. Results show the algorithm being able to correctly classify 90.0%±3.4% of the pixels in a DCR.
Adsorption of Divalent Lead Ions by Zeolites and Activated Carbon: Effects of pH, Temperature, and Ionic Strength

Lead alloy bullets used at the 2600 military small arm ranges and 9000 nonmilitary outdoor shooting ranges in the United States are a source of mobilized lead ions under conditions of low pH, significant changes in ionic strength, changes in the reduction oxidation potential (redox), and through binding metal ions to soil organic matter. Once mobile, these lead ions can contaminate adjacent soil and water. Batch adsorption kinetic and isotherm studies were conducted to compare and evaluate different types of adsorbents for lead ion removal from aqueous media. The effects on lead ion absorption from pH changes, competing ions, and temperature increases were also investigated. Adsorbent materials such as activated carbon and naturally occurring zeolites (clinoptilolite and chabazite) were selected because of their relative low cost and because the zeolites are potential point-of-use materials for mitigating wastewater runoff. Molecular sieves, Faujasite (13X) and Linde type A (5A) were selected because they provide a basis for comparison with previous studies and represent well-characterized materials. The relative rate for lead ion adsorption was: 13X > chabazite > clinoptilolite > 5A > activated carbon. Modeling lead ion adsorption by these adsorbents using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm expressions determined the adsorbents' capacity for lead ion removal from aqueous media. 13X, 5A, and activated carbon best fit the Langmuir isotherm expression; chabazite and clinoptilolite best fit the Freundlich isotherm. Applications of chabazite would require pH values between 4 and 11, clinoptilolite between 3 and 11, while activated carbon would operate at a pH above 7. Ionic competition reduced lead ion removal by the zeolites, but enhanced activated carbon performance. Increasing temperature improved adsorption performance for the zeolites; activated carbon lead ion adsorption was temperature independent.
Experience with interprocedural analysis of array side effects

The authors describe an implementation of regular section analysis in the Rice Parallel Fortran Converter (PFC), an automatic parallelization system. The overriding concern in the implementation is that it be efficient enough to be incorporated in a practical compilation system. This implementation of regular section analysis describes interprocedural side effects on subarrays in a form useful to dependence analysis while avoiding the complexity of prior solutions. The authors also examine the performance of regular section analysis on two benchmarks: the LINPACK library of linear algebra subroutines and the Rice Compiler Evaluation Program Suite, a set of complete application codes from a variety of scientific disciplines. It is demonstrated that regular section analysis is an effective means of discovering parallelism, given programs written in an appropriately modular programming style. >
Immune Response to Native NadA From Neisseria Meningitidis and Its Expression in Clinical Isolates in Brazil

A mAb against the NadA protein from Neisseria meningitidis strain 3006 (serosubtype B : 2b : P1.2 : P5.2,8) demonstrated strong bactericidal activity against Brazilian epidemic serogroup B strain N44/89 (B : 4,7 : P1.19,15 : P5.5,7) and a serogroup C strain, IMC 2135 (C : 2a : P1.5,2), but not against another serogroup C strain, N1002/90 (C : 2b : P1.3 : P5.8). The immunogenicity of native NadA in an outer-membrane vesicle (OMV) preparation was also tested. Serum from mice immunized with OMV from serogroup B strain N44/89, which contains the NadA protein, showed bactericidal activity against serogroup B and C strains possessing NadA. In dot-blot analysis of 100 serogroup B and 100 serogroup C isolates from Brazilian patients, the mAb to NadA recognized about 60 % of the samples from both serogroups. The molecular mass of the NadA protein from strain N44/89 determined by mass spectrometry was 37 971 Da and the peptide sequences were identical to those of NadA from N. meningitidis strain MC58.
Policy by Contract: electoral cycles, parties and social pacts, 1974–2000

Formal policy agreements between governments and major peak associations—social pacts—are a useful way to explore issues of election-induced variation in economic policymaking. I argue that pacts are part of an electoral strategy for political parties. They are one way a party can convince voters that economic outcomes under its rule will be better than those under a challenger. I show that pacts can emerge as part of equilibrium behavior in a repeated game but only if the policymaker is sufficiently willing to work with unions. There is no reason for a pact to exist in the absence of electoral incentives. I hypothesize that pacts are more likely to be struck nearer to elections and with greater Left participation in government. Using an original dataset on social pacts in the OECD, 1974–2000, I find evidence that the onset of pacts is related to elections, partisanship, and EMU convergence pressures.
Material removal and subsurface damage studies in dry and lubricated single-point scratch tests on alumina and silicon nitride

Abstract The grinding of ceramics is an extremely expensive yet unavoidable process. This fundamental study was inspired by this need. The objective was to examine how the lubricants, that have been reported to contribute to high wear in normal tribological testing, contribute to material removal in single-point scratch tests which may be the basis of grinding. The material removal and subsurface damage in single-point, unidirectional scratch tests on alumina and silicon nitride in the dry and lubricated conditions were studied. The lubricants used were distilled water, tricresyl phosphate (TCP), mineral oil, cutting oil, NH 4 OH, and mineral oil with 1 wt.% of the following additives: chlorinated fatty acid, chlorinated fatty ester, chlorinated paraffin, and sulfurized lard oil. The material removal rate was found to be proportional to the load squared and was higher in alumina than in silicon nitride. The material removal rate was the highest in water for alumina and in mineral oil for silicon nitride. Water lubrication reduced the damage in silicon nitride but it promoted stress corrosion cracking in alumina under high loads. When scratching was done in NH 4 OH, the material removal rate in alumina was fairly high because of stress corrosion cracking. With TCP lubrication, the material removal rates in both ceramics were fairly high and there was no subsurface damage. The other organic lubricants led to lower material removal rates and little or no subsurface damage in both ceramics.
Embedded fiber-optic Fabry-Perot ultrasound sensor

A fiber-optic ultrasound sensor is presented. The sensor consists of a continuous length of single-mode optical fiber with a built-in Fabry-Perot interferometer. The acoustic pressure produces changes in the index of refraction along the interferometer cavity through the strain-optic effect, thus modulating the reflected power of the light propagating in the fiber. The dielectric internal mirrors that form the interferometer are fabricated by joining a fiber coating with a TiO/sub 2/ film at one end to an uncoated fiber by electric arc fusion splicing. Experimental results have been obtained for sensors embedded in plastic and graphite composite materials, using ultrasound waves in the range from 100 kHz to 5 MHz. Values for the optical phase shift amplitude as large as 0.5 rad were obtained at an acoustic frequency of 200 kHz for a 1.1-cm-long interferometer embedded in plastic. >
Attitudes Toward Inquiry-Based Teaching: Differences Between Preservice and In-service Teachers

This paper describes differences between preservice and in-service middle school science teachers in their attitudes toward the learning and teaching of science through inquiry. Seventy-three preservice and 90 in-service teachers were surveyed. Separate factor analyses indicated that different factor structures were generated by preservice and in-service teachers. In the preservice group, the factors included Nature of Science, Image of Scientists, and Characteristics of Science Teachers. Factors from in-service teachers' responses, on the other hand, included Contemporary View of Science Teaching, Image of Scientists, and Traditional View of Science and Science Teaching. Results of the t-tests indicated that preservice and in-service teachers differed in their responses to 6 (out of 25) items. The pattern of those differences is best described as differences in teacher views about contemporary science and science teaching. In-service teachers held more positive views regarding the process of inquiry and inquiry teaching than did preservice teachers.
Cell cycle molecules define a pathway required for neuron death in development and disease

We review here evidence defining a molecular pathway that includes cell cycle-related molecules and that appears to play a required role in neuron death during normal development as well as in disease and trauma. The pathway starts with inappropriate activation of cyclin dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) in neurons which leads to hyper-phosphorylation of the pRb family member p130. This in turn results in dissociation of p130 and its associated chromatin modifiers Suv39H1 and HDAC1 from the transcription factor E2F4. Dissociation of this complex results in de-repression of genes with E2F binding sites including those encoding the transcription factors B- and C-Myb. Once elevated in neurons, B- and C-Myb proteins bind to the promoter for the pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein Bim and promote its induction. Bim then interacts with the core cellular apoptotic machinery, leading to caspase activation and apoptotic death. This pathway is supported by a variety of observations and experimental findings that implicate it as a required element for neuron loss in development and in many nervous system traumas and disorders. The components of this pathway appear to represent potential therapeutic targets for prevention of disease-associated neuron death.
AMOS ELON, A Blood-Dimmed Tide: Dispatches from the Middle East (New York: Columbia University Press, 1997). Pp. 332. $37.00 cloth, $16.50 paper.

An argument that the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians can be resolved no longer seems utopian, and some might even assert that it no longer needs to be made. It is in this sense that this book of essays by the Israeli journalist and essayist Amos Elon is important, for it describes how deeply the conflict has structured regional political developments and how much is involved in breaking the cycles of violence and hostility. Elon's perspective on the prolonged confrontation between Israel and the Arab world conveys a strong sense of contingency: the confrontation that is taken for granted as a fixture of Middle Eastern politics is interpreted by Elon as the result of bad choices made by politicians whose attachment to the past turned into an unbearable burden for the future. With his powerful prose, Elon raises fundamental questions about the authoritarian polities characteristic of the Arab states, as well as about the nature of Israeli democracy and its concentration of political power. These essays, mostly drawn from previously published articles in The New Yorker and the New York Review of Books from 1967 through 1995, provoke a serious critique of Israel's dominant culture even as they are very much a product of it.
Pyridopyrimidinone Derivatives as Potent and Selective c-Jun N-Terminal Kinase (JNK) Inhibitors.

A novel series of 2-aminopyridopyrimidinone based JNK (c-jun N-terminal kinase) inhibitors were discovered and developed. Structure–activity relationships (SARs) were systematically developed utilizing biochemical and cell based assays and in vitro and in vivo drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) studies. Through the optimization of lead compound 1, several potent and selective JNK inhibitors with high oral bioavailability were developed. Inhibitor 13 was a potent JNK3 inhibitor (IC50 = 15 nM), had high selectivity against p38 (IC50 > 10 μM), had high potency in functional cell based assays, and had high stability in human liver microsome (t1/2 = 76 min), a clean CYP-450 inhibition profile, and excellent oral bioavailability (%F = 87). Moreover, cocrystal structures of compounds 13 and 22 in JNK3 were solved at 2.0 A. These structures elucidated the binding mode (Type-I binding) and can pave the way for further inhibitor design of this pyridopyrimidinone scaffold for JNK inhibition.
Complicated Grief in Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Complicated Grief Group Therapy

Purpose This study compared the efficacy of complicated grief therapy (CGT; Shear, K. [2003]. Complicated grief: A guidebook for therapists [Liberty Version]. New York State Office of Mental Heath; Shear, K., Frank, E., Houck, P. R., & Reynolds, C. F. 3rd [2005]. Treatment of complicated grief: A randomized controlled trial. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 293, 2601-2608) administered as group therapy (CGGT) with standard group therapy (treatment as usual [TAU]) in older adults presenting with complicated grief (CG). Methods The design was a 2×4, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. The independent variable was group type, with 1 group receiving experimental methods based on the work of Shear et al. (Shear, K., Frank, E., Houck, P. R., & Reynolds, C. F. 3rd. [2005]. Treatment of complicated grief: a randomized controlled trial. The Journal of the American Medical Association, 293, 2601-2608), CGGT versus. TAU. The dependent variable was treatment response. Results CGGT participants demonstrated higher treatment response than TAU participants. Although participants in both groups showed improvement in CG measures, CGGT participants realized significantly greater improvement. More importantly, when CG was measured on Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale, nearly half of CGGT participants realized clinically significant improvement. All CGGT completers had Brief Grief Questionnaire scores upon follow-up that, had they scored at that level at pretest, would have disqualified them for study enrollment. Implications The high level of clinical significance suggests that CGGT participants were effectively treated for CG. This study offers evidence that CGGT holds promise for treatment of CG in older adults and merits inquiry in other populations.
Modeling mood variation and covariation among adolescent smokers: application of a bivariate location-scale mixed-effects model.

INTRODUCTION Ecological momentary assessments (EMAs) are useful for understanding both between- and within-subject dynamic changes in smoking and mood. Modeling 2 moods (positive affect [PA] and negative affect [NA], PA and NA) simultaneously will better enable researchers to explore the association between mood variables and what influences them at both the momentary and subject level. METHODS The EMA component of a natural history study of adolescent smoking was analyzed with a bivariate location-scale mixed-effects model. The proposed model separately estimates the between- and within-subject variances and jointly models the 2 mood constructs. A total of 461 adolescents completed the baseline EMA wave, which resulted in 14,105 random prompts. Smoking level, represented by the number of smoking events on EMA, entered the model as 2 predictors: one that compared nonsmokers during the EMA week to 1-cigarette smokers, and the second one that estimated the effect of smoking level on mood among smokers. RESULTS Results suggest that nonsmokers had more consistent positive and negative moods compared to 1-cigarette smokers. Among those who smoked, both moods were more consistent at higher smoking levels. The effects of smoking level were greater for NA than for PA. The within-subject association between mood constructs was negative and strongest among 1-cigarette smokers; the within-subject association between positive and negative moods was negatively associated with smoking. CONCLUSIONS Mood variation and association between mood constructs varied across smoking levels. The most infrequent smokers were characterized with more inconsistent moods, whereas mood was more consistent for subjects with higher smoking levels.
Hypersingular RESIDUALS—A New Approach for Error Estimation in the Boundary Element Method

SUMMARY This paper presents a new approach for a posteriori 'pointwise' error estimation in the boundary element method. The estimator relies upon evaluation of the residual of hypersingular integral equations, and is therefore intrinsic to the boundary integral equation approach. A methodology is developed for approximating the error on the boundary as well as in the interior of the domain. Extensive computational experiments have been performed for the two-dimensional Laplace equation and the numerical results indicate that the error estimates successfully track the form of the exact error curve. Moreover, a reasonable estimate of the magnitude of the actual error is also predicted.
SLIPstream: scalable low-latency interactive perception on streaming data

A critical problem in implementing interactive perception applications is the considerable computational cost of current computer vision and machine learning algorithms, which typically run one to two orders of magnitude too slowly to be used interactively. Fortunately, many of these algorithms exhibit coarse-grained task and data parallelism that can be exploited across machines. The SLIPstream project focuses on building a highly-parallel runtime system called Sprout that can harness the computing power of a cluster to execute perception applications with low latency. This paper makes the case for using clusters for perception applications, describes the architecture of the Sprout runtime, and presents two compute-intensive yet interactive applications.
Light to liquid fuel: theoretical and realized energy conversion efficiency of plants using Crassulacean Acid Metabolism (CAM) in arid conditions

There has been little attention paid to crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) as a mechanism for bioenergy crop tolerance to water limitation, in part, because potential yields of CAM plants have been assumed to be lower than those of most commonly studied bioenergy crops. The photochemical efficiency, water-use efficiency (WUE), biomass production, and fuel yield potentials of CAM, C3, and C4 plants that are considered or already in use for bioenergy are reviewed here. The theoretical photosynthetic efficiency of CAM plants can be similar to or greater than other photosynthetic pathways. In arid conditions, the greater WUE of CAM species results in theoretical biomass yield potentials that are 147% greater than C4 species. The realized yields of CAM plants are similar to the theoretical yields that account for water-limiting conditions. CAM plants can potentially be viable commercial bioenergy crops, but additional direct yield measurements from field trials of CAM species are still needed.
Differential geometric approximation of the gradient and Hessian on a triangulated manifold

In a number of medical imaging modalities, including measurements or estimates of electrical activity on cortical or cardiac surfaces, it is often useful to estimate spatial derivatives of data on curved anatomical surfaces represented by triangulated meshes. Assuming the triangle vertices are points on a smooth manifold, we derive a method for estimating gradients and Hessians on locally 2D surfaces embedded in 3D directly in the global coordinate system. Accuracy of the method is validated through simulations on both smooth and corrugated surfaces.
An analysis of altruism: a concept of caring

In clinical settings, nurses have observed a conflict within women who are expected to focus on caring for themselves, while their value lies in attending to the needs of others at the sacrifice of self. In this concept analysis of altruism, the term is defined and the critical attributes are identified. Model, borderline, related and contrary cases illustrate what the concept is and what it is not. The meaning of altruism is compared to self-neglect and co-dependence, which are two similar concepts. The antecedents and consequences of altruism are identified to further refine the critical attributes. Implications for research are discussed. This is a first step towards developing nursing theory that will give direction for providing more effective care to women within their value system.
Management of a large antenatally recognized foregut duplication cyst of the tongue causing respiratory distress at birth.

Importance Foregut duplication cysts are benign developmental anomalies occurring along the foregut-derived portion of the alimentary tract. Several cases of foregut duplications in the head and neck region have been reported, most without airway symptoms. This case is an antenatally recognized anterior tongue lesion leading to respiratory difficulties at birth that was successfully managed by a coordinated fetal care team. Observations We describe a 4.16-kg female born at full term whose anterior tongue lesion was noted on routine prenatal ultrasound. An airway management plan was developed by a multidisciplinary fetal care team, and the airway was controlled at the time of cesarean delivery. The lesion was completely excised on the sixth day of life without complications. Conclusions and Relevance Given the extensive differential diagnosis of cystic head and neck lesions in neonates, imaging is recommended to localize and characterize the lesion because management of these lesions may differ substantially. For cases that are diagnosed antenatally, coordination of a multidisciplinary fetal care team and early discussions can optimize the predelivery workup and provide clear delivery and airway management plans. We recommend complete surgical excision of oral foregut duplication cysts in the perinatal period to prevent complications such as feeding difficulties, infection, and ulceration.
DNA damage defines sites of recurrent chromosomal translocations in B lymphocytes

Recurrent chromosomal translocations underlie both haematopoietic and solid tumours. Their origin has been ascribed to selection of random rearrangements, targeted DNA damage, or frequent nuclear interactions between translocation partners; however, the relative contribution of each of these elements has not been measured directly or on a large scale. Here we examine the role of nuclear architecture and frequency of DNA damage in the genesis of chromosomal translocations by measuring these parameters simultaneously in cultured mouse B lymphocytes. In the absence of recurrent DNA damage, translocations between Igh or Myc and all other genes are directly related to their contact frequency. Conversely, translocations associated with recurrent site-directed DNA damage are proportional to the rate of DNA break formation, as measured by replication protein A accumulation at the site of damage. Thus, non-targeted rearrangements reflect nuclear organization whereas DNA break formation governs the location and frequency of recurrent translocations, including those driving B-cell malignancies.
Aerodynamics of spheres for Mach numbers from 0.6 to 10.5 including some effects of test conditions

Wind tunnel tests were made for spheres of various sizes over a range of Mach numbers and Reynolds numbers. The results indicated some conditions where the drag was affected by changes in the afterbody pressure due to a shock reflection from the tunnel wall. This effect disappeared when the Mach number was increased for a given sphere size or when the sphere size was decreased for a given Mach number. Drag measurements and Schlieren photographs show the possibility of obtaining inaccurate data when tests are made with a sphere too large for the test section size and Mach number. Tests were also made of an oblate spheroid. The results indicated a region at high Mach numbers where inherent positive static stability might occur with the oblate-face forward. The drag results are compared with those for a sphere and those for various other shapes. The drag results for the oblate spheriod and the sphere are also compared with some calculated results.
Assembly: a resource for assembled genomes at NCBI

The NCBI Assembly database (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/assembly/) provides stable accessioning and data tracking for genome assembly data. The model underlying the database can accommodate a range of assembly structures, including sets of unordered contig or scaffold sequences, bacterial genomes consisting of a single complete chromosome, or complex structures such as a human genome with modeled allelic variation. The database provides an assembly accession and version to unambiguously identify the set of sequences that make up a particular version of an assembly, and tracks changes to updated genome assemblies. The Assembly database reports metadata such as assembly names, simple statistical reports of the assembly (number of contigs and scaffolds, contiguity metrics such as contig N50, total sequence length and total gap length) as well as the assembly update history. The Assembly database also tracks the relationship between an assembly submitted to the International Nucleotide Sequence Database Consortium (INSDC) and the assembly represented in the NCBI RefSeq project. Users can find assemblies of interest by querying the Assembly Resource directly or by browsing available assemblies for a particular organism. Links in the Assembly Resource allow users to easily download sequence and annotations for current versions of genome assemblies from the NCBI genomes FTP site.
State Succession and Commercial Obligations by Tai-Heng Cheng

State Succession and Commercial Obligations, by Tai-Heng Cheng. Published by Transnational Publishers (2006). A prominent international law professor was discussing the topic of state succession at a conference and expressing deep scepticism about self-determination as a vehicle to justify nationalist and independence movements. He noted that there are approximately 5,000 different ethnic groups but just under 200 states and that Westphalian norms provide much needed stability to pursue various other goals. He argued that any attempt to create separate statehood for each ethnic group ultimately would lead to international chaos. When he finished speaking, someone in the back of the room replied, with genuine sincerity, ‘Well, maybe it is time we try chaos’.1 Such remarks belie a serious lack of reflection about the difficulties of state succession. Indeed, one could say that this lack of seriousness is not limited to naive questioners in the audience. I would hazard that most international law professors do not think deeply about state succession either. We possess an adequate understanding of the distinctions embodied in various territorial successions, including cession, secession, unification, dissolution, reversion and decolonisation. We appreciate that a change in government does not constitute a succession of state, but struggle to offer an international law response to the fundamental internal changes at work when a state undergoes a radical change in personality, say from a dictatorship to a democracy. We understand the merits and demerits of the ‘clean slate’ doctrine, but do not tease out the commercial ramifications. In short, we perceive state succession through the superficial lens of decolonisation without any serious attempt to harmonise competing concerns of order and self-determination. This is despite the fact that in the past two decades we have witnessed a succession revolution. Political implosions, negotiated territorial transfers, velvet revolutions and convulsive wars have generated a wide variety of state successions. Simply mention the Soviet Union, East Timor, …
Cytoskeletal Pathology in Neurodegenerative Diseases

The neurodegenerative diseases are a large group of disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) which are characterized by cell death in specific populations of neurons. Affected neuronal populations differ in each disease, and causal factors are not well understood. Excluded from this definition are diseases due to known infectious agents, hypoxia, toxins, nutritional deficiencies, and those in which a metabolic defect has been identified. The three most common neurodegenerative diseases are Alzheimer’s disease (presenile and senile forms), Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (known to the lay public as Lou Gehrig’s disease). In all three diseases, the cytoplasm of certain neurons accumulate abnormal structures which are derived, at least in part, from cytoskeletal proteins. In addition, neuronal cytoskeletal pathology is seen in several less common neurodegenerative diseases, and the study of these diseases can provide valuable insights into the pathogenesis of the more common disorders. Since the cytoskeleton is critical for the maintenance of neuronal shape (Lazarides, 1980) and cytoplasmic transport mechanisms, including axonal transport (Bray & Gilbert, 1981), neurons exhibiting these abnormalities may not function normally. This review will address recent advances in the understanding of cytoskeletal abnormalities found in degenerative diseases of the CNS, with emphasis on immunocytochemical characterization of the ultrastructural morphology.
Research on Technology of Frequency Spectrum Precisely Opening Windows

The technology of frequency spectrum precisely opening windows is used in the domain of anti-terror and electronic warfare.The technology and its realization method are introduced.The different realization methods are expounded in detail,and their advantage and disadvantage are compared.
Classification of Wigner Operators by a New Type of Weight Space Diagram

It is quite appropriate that we commemorate Einstein with a conference devoted to symmetry in physics, since emphasis on the importance of symmetry concepts in theoretical physics is indeed one of Einstein’s many legacies. I would like to begin by emphasizing that the practical applications of symmetry techniques in physics have, in the final analysis, depended (explicitly or implicitly) upon the use of the Wigner coefficients of the symmetry group. Physically interesting operators are, in this approach, classified by the symmetry as instances of generic tensor operators and the matrix elements of the generic operators define the relevant Wigner coefficients. This is a concept whose depth and importance is common knowledge among the participants of this conference.
A New Haemoglobin Variant (GGaiveston).

PEPTIDE analyses of three varieties of haemoglobin G have been reported, and each has been found to exhibit a different amino-acid substitution1–3; two of these involve the α-chain of the haemoglobin half-molecule and the third involves the β-chain. Recently, the occurrence of another type of haemoglobin G, found together with haemoglobin A in a Negro woman and in five of her six children, was reported4. (At this time it is known that all six children have this variant.)
Implementing the Use of Pharmacist Progress Notes in a Surgical ICU

Background Critical care pharmacists are established and valuable members of the critical care team, however there is rarely written evidence of their daily involvement in the patient's electronic medical record (EMR). Documentation in the EMR has the advantage of ensuring a seamless pass-off and provides an opportunity to capture the pharmacist's cognitive and clinical impact in a way that traditional systems of tracking "interventions" fail to do. We investigated implementation of pharmacist progress notes in a surgical intensive care unit (ICU) and their utility in measuring pharmacist activity. Methods Daily pharmacist progress notes written in a surgical ICU over a period of 2 months were reviewed. Each pharmacist action identified through progress note review was quantified and scored by an independent reviewer using a newly developed scoring system, the clinical impact score (CIS). This was developed as a way to quantify pharmacist actions and to classify those actions by clinical impact. Results Four hundred sixty-two daily pharmacist progress notes were reviewed over a 2-month period. There were 1,055 actions identified that resulted in a therapy change. Four of these actions resulted in the potential avoidance of a sentinel event. Of patients with at least 5 progress notes (n = 44), the majority of pharmacist actions occurred on ICU day 1. Conclusion The results of this descriptive study demonstrate that the implementation of daily pharmacist progress notes is feasible in an advanced practice setting, and the pharmacist's contribution to patient care may be obtained through review of this documentation in the patient's medical record. The critical care pharmacist's daily involvement in patient care most commonly results in optimization of pharmacotherapy and avoidance of drug misadventure.
Integrated Pest Management Practices Reduce Insecticide Applications, Preserve Beneficial Insects, and Decrease Pesticide Residues in Flue-Cured Tobacco Production.

Integrated pest management (IPM) recommendations, including scouting and economic thresholds (ETs), are available for North Carolina flue-cured tobacco growers, although ETs for key pests have not been updated in several decades. Moreover, reported IPM adoption rates by flue-cured tobacco growers remain low, at < 40%, according to NC cooperative extension surveys conducted during the last four years. Previous research has suggested that timing insecticide treatments using currently available ETs can reduce the average number of applications to two or fewer per season. We conducted field-scale trials at nine commercial tobacco farms, three in 2104 and six in 2015, to quantify inputs associated with current scouting recommendations, to determine if current ETs were able to reduce insecticide applications as compared to grower standard practices, and to assess the impacts of reduced insecticide applications on end of season yield and pesticide residues. Two fields were identified at each farm and were scouted weekly for insects. One field was only treated with insecticides if pests reached ET (IPM), while the other field was managed per grower discretion (Grower Standard). IPM fields received an average of two fewer insecticide applications without compromising yield. More insecticide applications resulted in higher pesticide residues in cured leaf samples from Grower Standard fields than those from IPM fields. Reductions in insecticides and management intensity also resulted in larger beneficial insect populations in IPM fields.
Palliative Care Considerations for Patients With Head and Neck Cancer With Children at Home

Adult patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer (HNC) who may have contact with children in the home setting are at risk of experiencing distress because of embarrassing and challenging oral symptoms often associated with an HNC diagnosis and the side effects of required treatments. This article features a case study involving a patient diagnosed with HNC and details how oncology nurses can provide patients with HNC and their caregivers with resources and support.
Melanotic Xp11 Translocation Renal Cancer Managed With Radical Nephrectomy and IVC Tumor Thrombectomy

Melanotic Xp11 translocation renal cancer is a rarely observed neoplasm primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. Given the paucity of data describing this malignancy, its natural history and subsequent long-term management are not well understood. We report a case of melanotic Xp11 translocation with tumor thrombus extension managed with radical nephrectomy and inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombectomy. To our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe use of conventional tumor thrombectomy techniques in a patient with melanotic Xp11 translocation renal cancer.
Impact of a Rural Community-Based Event for Families of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders:

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often have difficulty demonstrating appropriate communication, social skills, behavior, and sensory responses; thus, it can be challenging for familie...