cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatial association patterns between post-acute care services and acute care facilities in the United States.

BACKGROUND: There is increasing demand for post-acute care services, which is amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. AIMS: We studied the pattern of spatial association between post-acute care services and acute care facilities and evaluated how geographic variability could influence their use. METHODS: We compiled data on CMS-certified acute care and critical access hospitals and post-acute health care services (nursing homes, home health care services, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care hospitals, and hospice facilities). We used the colocation quotient (CLQ) to measure the magnitude and direction of association (clustering or segregation) between post-acute care providers and hospitals. This metric allows pairwise comparison of categorical data; a value 1 spatial clustering. Unity marks the lack of spatial dependence (random distribution). RESULTS: With the exception of nursing homes (CLQ 1.26), all other types of post-acute care providers are spatially segregated from rural critical access hospitals. Long-term care facilities ranked first (had the lowest global CLQ, 0.06), hospice facilities ranked last (had the highest global CLQ estimate, 0.54). Instead, post-acute care services either clustered with (inpatient rehabilitation 2.76, long-term care 2.10, nursing homes 1.37) or were only weakly segregated (home health care 0.86) from acute care hospitals. Home health care (1.44), hospice services (1.46), and nursing homes (1.08) spatially clustered with the same category of services. Results were robust in the sensitivity analysis and we provided illustrative examples of local variation for the states of MA and IA. CONCLUSION: Post-acute care services are isolated from critical access hospitals, and have a clustering pattern with the same category services and acute care hospitals. Such misdistribution of resources may result in both underuse and a substitution effect on the type of post-acute care between rural and urban areas and undermine public health during increasing demand, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome: A Case Series With Long-term Follow-up and Prolonged Survival.

Objectives Describe clinical characteristics, management and outcome in a cohort of Megacystis-Microcolon-Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome (MMIHS) patients. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of MMIHS patients followed at a large transplant and intestinal rehabilitation center over a period of 17 years. Results We identified 25 patients with MMIHS (68% females, 13 transplanted). One transplanted and one non-transplanted patient were lost to follow-up. We estimated 100%, 100%, and 86% for 5-,10-, and 20-year survival respectively with only one death. Of the 22 patients alive at the time of study (11 transplanted, 11 non-transplanted), median age was 9.2 years (range 2.7-22.9 years). Longest post-transplant follow-up was 16 years. 17 patients had available prenatal imaging reports, all showed distended bladder. Eight had genetic testing (5-ACTG2, 2-MYH11, 1-MYL9). Almost all patients had normal growth with median weight z-score -0.77 (interquartile range -1.39, 0.26), height z-score -1.2 (-2.04, -0.48) and Body-Mass-Index z-score 0.23 (-0.37, 0.93) with no statistical difference between transplanted and non-transplanted patients. All non-transplanted patients were on parenteral nutrition with minimal/no feeds, and all except one of the transplanted patients were on full enteral feeds. Recent average bilirubin, INR, albumin and creatinine fell within the reference ranges. Conclusions This is the largest single center case series with the longest duration of follow-up for MMIHS patients. In the current era of improved intestinal rehabilitation and transplantation, MMIHS patients have excellent outcomes in survival, growth, and liver function. This observation contradicts previous reports and should alter counselling and management decisions in these patients at diagnosis.
Managing Legacy, Achievement and Identity in Entrepreneurial Families

In discussions with entrepreneurial families about their futures, we often suggest that each family member should consider four aspects of their lives—achievement, happiness, significance and legacy—as a broad framework to explore their goals and values and to reflect on “who they are” and ultimately “who they want to be.” This framework comes from Just Enough, a book written by Laura Nash and Howard Stevenson that focuses on the meaning of success for highly accomplished individuals and families. In this chapter, just as in our conversations with the members of entrepreneurial families, we first describe and contextualize the framework. We then focus on two specific elements of the framework—legacy and achievement—because they tend to be a primary source of conflict and misunderstanding among the members of entrepreneurial families. Finally, building on insights from our own ethnographic research with entrepreneurial families, and from scholarship on identity, we reflect on what it might take to create an environment in which certain family members’ aspirations for legacy and others’ need for achievement coexist in unison. We believe that by fostering this alignment, the family’s entrepreneurial activities might have a greater chance at lasting success.
Cooperative assembly of simian virus 40 T-antigen hexamers on functional halves of the replication origin.

Abstract The cofactor ATP stimulates the formation of T-antigen double hexamers on the simian virus 40 core origin of replication (I. A. Mastrangelo, P. V. C. Hough, J. S. Wall, M. Dodson, F. B. Dean, and J. Horwitz, Nature [London] 338:658-662, 1989). We report here the pathway for the assembly of hexamers and double hexamers on the core origin. ATP triggers the cooperative assembly of hexamers on the early and late halves of the origin even when they are completely isolated. Hexamer assembly nucleates at T-antigen recognition pentanucleotides in the early half of the origin. In intact origins, assembly of the first hexamer on the early half of the origin cooperatively stimulates the assembly of a second hexamer on the adjacent late half of the origin. Thus, monomer-monomer and hexamer-hexamer interactions of T antigen, allosterically activated by ATP, constitute two distinct types of cooperative interaction with the origin. Finally, we show that the assembly of T-antigen hexamers on isolated half origins leads to the same array of structural changes that T antigen induces in intact origins. We conclude that the origin is divided into complementary halves that each promote the assembly of functional T-antigen hexamers.
A taxonomy of network challenges

Communication networks, in particular the Internet, face a wide spectrum of challenges that can disrupt our daily lives. We define challenges as adverse events triggering faults that eventually result in service failures. Understanding these challenges accordingly is essential for the improvement of the current networks and for designing Future Internet architectures. In this paper, we present a taxonomy of network challenges based on past and potential events. Moreover, we describe how the challenges correlate with our taxonomy. We believe that such a taxonomy is valuable for evaluating design choices as well as establishing a common terminology among researchers.
Breaking asymmetry: phospholipid scrambling by GPCRs and TMEM16 proteins (351.2)

Polar lipids must flip rapidly, and often bidirectionally, across membranes to support cellular life. For example, phospholipids are synthesized on the cytoplasmic face of the endoplasmic reticulum...
The Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System in the Modulation of Immune Responses

Publisher Summary Studies of the effects of sympathectomy on immune responses invariably suggest that norepinephrine (NE) and the sympathetic nervous system have important roles in modulation of immune responses. Lymphoid organs, both primary and secondary, are innervated by NE-containing postganglionic sympathetic nerve fibers, as well as a variety of peptidergic fibers. At the light microscopic level, much of the innervation appears to be associated with the vasculature in these organs, although there are always fibers that appear to have no anatomic relationship to blood vessels. Immunocytochemistry of the rodent spleen at the ultrastructural level, using antibodies for tyrosine hydroxylase, has revealed that, in addition to abundant blood vessel and trabecular smooth-muscle innervation, there is direct contact between tyrosine hydroxylase-positive nerve terminals and both lymphocytes and macrophages. The presence of sympathetic nerve terminals near, or in direct contact with, lymphocytes in lymphoid organs, including thymus, spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow, and the presence of adrenergic receptors on lymphocytes suggest that sympathetic innervation and the transmitter NE may be important in the modulation of immune responses. Not only does NE affect cytokine production, but it is also likely that some cytokines also regulate NE release both via central nervous system sympathetic responses to circulating cytokines and by interactions with local noradrenergic nerve terminals innervating lymphoid organs and other peripheral target sites where inflammation or immune responses take place.
Determination of Parameters in the Universal Induction Motor Model

A systematic procedure to determine the parameters of a previously proposed low- to high-frequency induction motor model is presented. An analysis of the high-frequency behavior with regard to the impact of magnetic core selection, parasitic interturn and winding-to-frame capacitors, and skin effects of windings is investigated in greater detail for the proposed universal model of an induction motor. The model is universal in the sense that it is derived by extending the low-frequency standard T-equivalent circuit (IEEE Standard 112) to include high-frequency effects under both common- and differential-mode domains and can be used for transient reflected-wave studies and electromagnetic interference emissions in motor drive systems. A test-based method and an analytical approach, which are useful in application and design stages, respectively, are presented to determine the frequency characteristics of the induction motor. Findings of the investigation were verified experimentally with results presented in this paper.
Spatially homogeneous dynamic textures

We address the problem of modeling the spatial and temporal second-order statistics of video sequences that exhibit both spatial and temporal regularity, intended in a statistical sense. We model such sequences as dynamic multiscale autoregressive models, and introduce an efficient algorithm to learn the model parameters. We then show how the model can be used to synthesize novel sequences that extend the original ones in both space and time, and illustrate the power, and limitations, of the models we propose with a number of real image sequences.
Spectrin Function: A Survey of Genetic Systems from Drosophila to Humans

Spectrin and ankyrin are major components of a plasma membrane‐associated scaffold known as the spectrin cytoskeleton. Spectrin is thought to cross‐link actin filaments in a two‐dimensional submembrane network and ankyrin links the network to a number of integral membrane activities, including the sodium pump, voltage‐dependent sodium channels, and L1‐family cell adhesion molecules. Genetic studies have established that the spectrin cytoskeleton is required for the normal accumulation of these integral proteins at their normal sites of function. Defects in spectrin and ankyrin have been implicated in human disease, and studies in model genetic organisms are making it possible to elucidate the mechanisms behind their effects. Cell culture studies have also shed new light on the processes that govern formation of polarized membrane domains. This chapter surveys the results and their implications for the assembly and function of the spectrin cytoskeleton.
Doctor–Patient Interaction

As the future of medical care unfolds, more informed and assertive patients will progressively impact the interactional landscape of clinical encounters. Patients maneuver their way through medical interviews by initiating a wide array of social actions, and increased proactivity by patients may exemplify increasing momentum toward a fundamental shift in how lay persons negotiate and manage medical authority. A framework is provided for understanding how language and social interaction (LSI) researchers examine patient–provider interactions and the interactional foundations for medical authority. A series of transcribed examples are then provided to illustrate how patients orient to medical authority through actions such as indirect requests, displaying resistance to doctors' positions and providing explanations that minimize drinking and other risky health behaviors. Future implications for research and medical education are briefly reviewed. Keywords: communication skills; health care; health communication; language and social interaction; qualitative methods; conversationn analysis; doctor-patient communication; patient-initiated actions
Enhancement of community preparedness for natural disasters: The role of social work in building social capital for sustainable disaster relief and management

EnglishThis article examines the scope and prospect for effective utilization of social capital in mitigating the consequences of natural disasters that hit coastal regions. The article concludes b...
Stated and Unstated Opportunities and Barriers to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Supportive Organizations

This response highlights the common themes across the commentaries that reflect both opportunities and barriers to the successful creation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered supportive organizations. In addition, in the interest of comprehensiveness, we describe additional perspectives and points that were not offered in the dialogue. Finally, in line with the evidence presented in the focal paper, we urge readers to consider their own roles in advocating for equity.
Aggregation Network Design Methodologies for Triple Play Services

Triple-play services and P2P IPTV have not only led to an increasing demand for bandwidth in broadband access networks, but also to the need for new service delivery architectures. The choice of an appropriate architectural approach and sizing model for the aggregation network is studied in this paper through cost optimization models, which encompass aspects of non-stop delivery, service flexibility, policy management and cost allocation. We propose two independent quantitative programming models that identify the cost of each architecture and the corresponding effect of each of the hardware constraints and traffic flows. We show that due to the next generation applications, the ISPs will need to re-engineer the broadband access infrastructure to accommodate intelligent aggregation and optimize for QoS-sensitive services.
DEGRADATION AND CROSSLINKING IN IRRADIATED POLYAMIDES AND THE EFFECT OF OXYGEN DIFFUSION

The changes in relative viscosity which occur when nylon 66 is irradiated with 2-Mev electrons under an oxygen-free atmosphere under various conditions were observed. A mechanism is proposed which reconciles all of these observations; and on the basis of this postalated mechanism, yields of chain breaks and crosslinks are calculated. The effect of the presence of a small concentration of a vinyl monomer (acrylic acid) in the polymer during irradiation on degradation and crosslinking is also considered. The rate of penetration of oxygen into irradiated polyamides was measured. There is a marked reduction in penetration rate which results from the presence of free radicals in the fiber and the irreversible reaction that results. The data are treated by an approximate diffusion equation, and estimates of true diffusion coefficients are given. The effect of filament diameter on the extent of degradation which occurs when fibers of nylon 66 are irradiated and then exposed to air was investigated. The marked dependence of degradation on fiber thickness is related qualitatively to the data on rate of oxygen penetration. (auth)
Continuous handrail support, oxygen uptake, and heart rate in women during submaximal step treadmill exercise.

Past research suggests that continuous handrail support during exercise attenuates physiologic responses to exercise and reduces aerobic benefits; however, this phenomenon has not been systematically studied in women exercising on the step treadmill. The effects of three levels of handrail support (continuous light, continuous very light, or no handrail support) on oxygen uptake and heart rate during step treadmill exercise were examined in 15 healthy women. Measures were obtained during 6 bouts of exercise, 3 bouts at 25 steps/min followed by 3 bouts at 33 steps/min. At both step rates, mean oxygen uptake was significantly reduced during continuous light and continuous very light handrail support as compared with no handrail support, and mean heart rate was significantly reduced during continuous light versus no handrail support. At 25 steps/min only, mean heart rate was significantly reduced during continuous very light versus no handrail support. Findings indicate that women who use even continuous light or continuous very light handrail support attenuate physiologic responses during step treadmill exercise, thereby reducing aerobic requirements and gaining suboptimal benefits from exercise.
Experimental evidence for two fundamentally different E' precursors in amorphous silicon dioxide

Abstract E′ centers (trivalent silicons) in two silicate systems, thermally grown SiO 2 films on silicon and high surface area bulk sol-gel silicates, have been investigated. In the thermally grown silicon dioxide films, earlier work is extended by demonstrating that the hole trapping process is reversible; no complex structural rearrangement occurs at the hole trapping site (E′ centers) after subsequent electron capture. This provides furtheer evidence that these thermal oxide E′ centers are oxygen vacancies as originally proposed by Feigl. Fowler and Yip. Also investigated is the radiation-induced generation of paramagnetic centers in high surface area sol-gel silicates containing various concentrations of the Raman active 608 cm −1 D 2 band attributed to strained cyclic trisiloxanes (three-membered rings). The results suggest a correlation between the concentration of the strained three-membered rings and the concentration of radiation-induced E′ and paramagnetic oxygen centers, thus providing the first substantive evidence of the relationship between a specific strained siloxane structure and radiation damage in amorphous silicon dioxide. These results suggest the existence for (1) two different fundamental E′ precursors and (2) a relationship between atomic level stress and the radiation damage process in amorphous silicon dioxide.
ISOMER IDENTIFICATION AND GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC RETENTION STUDIES OF MONOMERIC CYCLIC FATTY ACID METHYL ESTERS

The structural isomers of saturated C18 cyclic fatty acid methyl esters were identified in a purified heated oil fraction by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry using high resolution capillary columns and selected ions abundance. Empirical mathematical models were developed based on the sequential pattern of elution of trans- and cis-1,2-disubstituted cyclohexyl fatty acid esters, in order to be able to predict their chromatographic retention characteristics. These models are proposed as an auxiliary technique for the fast identification of the different cyclic fatty acid isomers present in a used fat. The experimental design and the statistical significance of the results are discussed.
A practical complete MLE cooperative localization solution

Among existing classical cooperative localization techniques for wireless sensor networks, the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) is theoretically the best in the sense that it asymptotically achieves the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB). However, the gradient based iterative algorithms that are commonly used to achieve ML estimated positions are quite sensitive to the initial values and cannot achieve the theoretic optimal performance. In this paper, we propose a complete MLE solution, named “MLE-MLE”, where a non-cooperative or single node MLE is first applied to generate the initial values for the iterative MLE cooperative localization algorithm. The inherent unimodal property of the single node log-likelihood guarantees that single node MLE method converges to the unique solution whatever the starting point is. As verified by numerical results, among existing practical classical cooperative location estimators, MLE-MLE is the best whose performance is closest to CRB.
Selective transcription of ribosomal sequences in vitro by RNA polymerase I.

Abstract Using a complementary DNA probe which hybridizes specifically with ribosomal RNA, we have characterized the product of an in vitro transcription system derived from rat ascites tumor and rat liver. Starting with proteins removed from nucleoli by urea and high salt, we have made a chromatin template reconstituted on nucleolar DNA. This template is free of endogenous ribosomal RNA. It was compared to deproteinized DNA templates to investigate the selectivity of transcription of ribosomal RNA sequences. The greatest selectivity was obtained using the reconstituted template in the presence of homologous RNA polymerase I. Specificity was lost by either the removal of nucleolar proteins from the template or the replacement of the homologous polymerase with a bacterial enzyme.
Densities for 4-Class Ranks of Totally Complex Quadratic Extensions of Real Quadratic Fields

Abstract In this paper we specify density results for the 4-class ranks of totally complex quadratic extensions K of certain real quadratic fields F . Whereas previous density results have been confirmed to cases where the base field F has odd class number, this paper considers various F with nontrivial 2-class groups and even with arbitrarily large 2-class ranks.
Revision of Odilla noralis Schaus and Transfer of Erupini to Midilinae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae)

ABSTRACT Odilla noralis Schaus is redescribed from the Greater Antilles. Odilla Schaus and Erupini Munroe are respectively transferred from Musotiminae and Crambinae to Midilinae. The structurally simple abdominal tympanal organs of Midilinae, a key diagnostic character of the subfamily, are compared to the organs of Schoenobiinae, Acentropinae, Hoploscopini, and other Crambidae, and the intermediate character-state combinations of Odilla and Erupini are discussed.
A novel technique for producing antibody-coated microprobes using a thiol-terminal silane and a heterobifunctional crosslinker.

Abstract Antibody-coated microprobes are used to measure neuropeptide release in the central nervous system. Although they are not quantitative, they provide the most precise spatial resolution of the location of in vivo release of any currently available method. Previous methods of coating antibody microprobes are difficult and time-consuming. Moreover, using these methods we were unable to produce evenly coated antibody microprobes. This paper describes a novel method for the production of antibody microprobes using thiol-terminal silanes and the heterobifunctional crosslinker, 4-(4- N -maleimidophenyl)butyric acid hydrazide HCl 1/2 dioxane (MPBH). Following silation, glass micropipettes are incubated with antibody to substance P (SP) that has been conjugated to MPBH. This method results in a dense, even coating of antibody without decreasing the biological activity of the antibody. Additionally, this method takes considerably less time than previously described methods without sacrificing the use of antibody microprobes as micropipettes. The sensitivity of the microprobes for SP is in the picomolar range, and there is a linear correlation between the log of SP concentration (M) and B/B 0 ( r 2 =0.98). The microprobes are stable for up to 3 weeks when stored in 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer with 50 mM NaCl (pH 7.4) at 5°C. Finally, insertion into the exposed spinal cord of an anesthetized rat for 15 min produces no damage to the antibody coating.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of RhoA activity in migrating cells

Rho family GTPases regulate the actin and adhesion dynamics that control cell migration. Current models postulate that Rac promotes membrane protrusion at the leading edge and that RhoA regulates contractility in the cell body1,2. However, there is evidence that RhoA also regulates membrane protrusion3,4. Here we use a fluorescent biosensor, based on a novel design preserving reversible membrane interactions, to visualize the spatiotemporal dynamics of RhoA activity during cell migration. In randomly migrating cells, RhoA activity is concentrated in a sharp band directly at the edge of protrusions. It is observed sporadically in retracting tails, and is low in the cell body. RhoA activity is also associated with peripheral ruffles and pinocytic vesicles, but not with dorsal ruffles induced by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). In contrast to randomly migrating cells, PDGF-induced membrane protrusions have low RhoA activity, potentially because PDGF strongly activates Rac, which has previously been shown to antagonize RhoA activity5,6. Our data therefore show that different extracellular cues induce distinct patterns of RhoA signalling during membrane protrusion.
Chernoff distance and Relief feature selection

In classification, a large number of features often make the design of a classifier difficult and degrades its performance. In such situations, feature selection or dimensionality reduction methods play an important role in building classifiers by significantly reducing the number of features. There are many dimensionality reduction techniques for classification in the literature. The most popular one is Fisher's linear discriminant analysis (LDA). For two class problems, LDA simply tries to separate class means as much as possible. For the multi-class case, linear reduction does not guarantee to capture all the relevant information for a classification task. To address this problem, a multi-class problem is cast into a binary problem. The objective becomes to find a subspace where the two classes are well separated. This formulation not only simplifies the problem but also works well in practice. However, it lacks theoretical justification. We show in this paper the connection between the above formulation and RELIEF, thereby providing a sound basis for observed benefits associated with this formulation. Experimental results are provided that corroborate with our analysis.
Palynology of Kosrae, Eastern Caroline Islands: Recoveries from pollen rain and holocene deposits

Abstract A late Holocene record of lowland swamp and marsh stratigraphy and paleoecology has been obtained from Kosrae, Eastern Caroline Islands. While the preservation and density of palynomorphs in the cored sediments were typically too poor to allow for statistical studies, limited recovery confirms that this is a progradational sequence formed over coral lagoons during post-glacial sea level rise, also seen in other parts of the Pacific. Total sulfur data also supports this sequence, while helping discriminate between mangrove, brackish, and freshwater habitats. Total organic carbon (TOC) values suggest quantitative and qualitative differences in the nature of the organic matter in the swamp and marsh sediments with significantly higher values in the latter. Beginning around 2300–2500 yr B.P., TOC fluctuations in most cores, related to sediment influx, suggest possible human disturbance which accords with suggestions of early colonization of Kosrae. Modern surface samples display a greater diversity ofpollen and spores in lowland non-mangrove sites than in both upland and mangrove habitats, while preservation and density are highest in upland sites. Perhaps of most significance for the study of plant geography and possible early human disturbance was the recovery in some subsurface samples of palmoid pollen of Metroxylon -type. Since no Kosraean palms now produce this type of pollen, another taxon, possibly a lepidocaryoid, must once have grown on the island.
Polarized Expression of CD74 by Gastric Epithelial Cells

CD74 is known as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-associated invariant chain (Ii) that regulates the cell biology and functions of MHC class II molecules. Class II MHC and Ii expression was believed to be restricted to classical antigen-presenting cells (APC); however, during inflammation, other cell types, including mucosal epithelial cells, have also been reported to express class II MHC molecules. Given the importance of Ii in the biology of class II MHC, we sought to examine the expression of Ii by gastric epithelial cells (GEC) to determine whether class II MHC molecules in these nonconventional APC cells were under the control of Ii and to further support the role that these cells may play in local immune and inflammatory responses during Helicobacter pylori infection. Thus we examined the expression of Ii on GEC from human biopsy samples and then confirmed this observation using independent methods on several GEC lines. The mRNA for Ii was detected by RT-PCR, and the various protein isoforms were also detected. Interestingly, these cells have a high level expression of surface Ii, which is polarized to the apical surface. These studies are the first to demonstrate the constitutive expression of Ii by human GEC.
An Educator's Mystery Where Do Performance Problems Come From?

In this article pupil performance problems are examined as a function of environmental conditions in the classroom. Viewed in this light, the teacher becomes the key to the youngster's classroom success. To aid the teacher in taking the mystery out of performance problems, a process for performance analysis is presented.
Investigating monogenic and complex diseases with pluripotent stem cells

Human genetic studies have revealed the molecular basis of countless monogenic diseases but have been less successful in associating phenotype to genotype in complex multigenic conditions. Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which can differentiate into any cell type, offer promise for defining the functional effects of genetic variation. Here, we recount the advantages and practical limitations of coupling PSCs to genome-wide analyses to probe complex genetics and discuss the ability to investigate epigenetic contributions to disease states. We also describe new ways of using mice and mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in tandem with human stem cells to further define genotype-phenotype relationships.
Qualitative change detection using sensor networks based on connectivity information

The research reported in this paper uses wireless sensor networks to provide salient information about spatially distributed dynamic fields, such as regional variations in temperature or concentration of a toxic gas. The focus is on deriving qualitative descriptions of salient changes to areas of high-activity that occur during the temporal evolution of the field. The changes reported include region merging or splitting, and hole formation or elimination. Such changes are formally characterized, and a distributed qualitative change reporting (QCR) approach is developed that detects the qualitative changes simply based on the connectivity between the sensor nodes without location information. The efficiency of the QCR approach is investigated using simulation experiments. The results show that the communication cost of the QCR approach in monitoring large-scale phenomena is an order of magnitude lower than that using the standard boundary-based data collection approach, where each node is assumed to have its location information.
Method to attenuate U(VI) mobility in acidic waste plumes using humic acids.

Acidic uranium (U) contaminated plumes have resulted from acid-extraction of plutonium during the Cold War and from U mining and milling operations. A sustainable method for in-situ immobilization of U under acidic conditions is not yet available. Here, we propose to use humic acids (HAs) for in-situ U immobilization in acidic waste plumes. Our laboratory batch experiments show that HA can adsorb onto aquifer sediments rapidly, strongly and practically irreversibly. Adding HA greatly enhanced U adsorption capacity to sediments at pH below 5.0. Our column experiments using historically contaminated sediments from the Savannah River Site under slow flow rates (120 and 12 m/y) show that desorption of U and HA were non-detectable over 100 pore-volumes of leaching with simulated acidic groundwaters. Upon HA-treatment, 99% of the contaminant [U] was immobilized at pH < 4.5, compared to 5% and 58% immobilized in the control columns at pH 3.5 and 4.5, respectively. These results demonstrated that HA-treatment is a promising in-situ remediation method for acidic U waste plumes. As a remediation reagent, HAs are resistant to biodegradation, cost effective, nontoxic, and easily introducible to the subsurface.
A Multiscale Model of Cell Adhesion and Migration on Extracellular Matrices of Defined Stiffness and Adhesivity

Eukaryotic cells actively respond to variations in ligand density and stiffness of their extracellular matrix (ECM). This cell-ECM relationship plays an important role in regulating cell migration, wound healing, tumor invasion and metastasis. A better understanding of these mechanosenstive responses requires more rigorous models of the relationships between ECM biophysical properties, mechanotransductive signals, assembly of contractile and adhesive structures, and cell migration.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
What is Happening to Satisfaction and Quality of Relationships Between Step/Grandparents and Step/Grandchildren?

Abstract The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to explore factors regarding quality of relationships and satisfaction, across generations, in terms of gender and age; and (2) to understand the perspectives of both step/grandparents and step/grandchildren. In this study, young adult college students and their identified grandparents or stepgrandparents described their relationship in terms of satisfaction, companionship, instrumental aid, intimacy, nurturance, affection, admiration, reliable alliance, conflict, and antagonism. Within- and between-group comparisons were made regarding each of these relationship factors by gender and age. Grandparents reported having more satisfaction with cross-generational relationships than stepgrandparents or stepgrandchildren. Grandmothers reported receiving higher instrumental aid from grandchildren. Older grandparents and grandfathers reported having higher conflict with grandchildren. Emerging trends and areas of need for future research in grandparent-grandchil...
The prevalence of indications and contraindications to cervical total disc replacement

Abstract Background context Although the prevalence of indications and contraindications to lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) has been evaluated, no study to date has quantified the potential candidacy for cervical disc replacement in practice. Purpose To report the potential candidacy rate for cervical TDR from both an academic and private practice spine surgery setting. Study design/setting Retrospective case series. Patient sample Patient record review of 167 consecutive patients who underwent cervical spine surgery by 1 of 2 orthopedic spine surgeons between January 1, 2003 and January 1, 2005. Outcome measures Evaluation of potential candidacy for cervical TDR, with emphasis on both contraindications and indications. Methods In this study, we used the published contraindications and indications listed in trials of four different cervical disc arthroplasty devices: ProDisc-C (Synthes Spine, West Chester, PA), PRESTIGE LP (Medtronik Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN), Bryan Cervical Disc prosthesis (Medtronik Sofamor Danek, Memphis, TN), and Porous Coated Motion (PCM; Cervitech, Rockaway, NJ). The proportion of patients who met both inclusion and exclusion criteria was calculated. We also examined the proportion of patients who would be candidates for cervical TDR if the indications were expanded to include the treatment for adjacent segment disease (ASD). Results Of the 167 patients (mean age 50.8 years, range 20–89 years) reviewed, 91.6% (153/167) had fusion surgery and 8.4% (14/167) had nonfusion surgery. Fifty-seven percent (95/167) had absolute contraindications to cervical TDR, and within this group the average number of contraindications was 2.1 (SD=1.2, range 0–5). Forty-three percent (72/167) met the strict inclusion criteria, and had no exclusion criteria. If the indications were expanded to include treatment for ASD, an additional 4.2% (7/167) of the patients would have qualified as candidates for cervical TDR. Conclusions Compared with lumbar TDR, total disc replacement may have a larger potential role in the treatment of cervical degenerative conditions, as 43% of patients would have met the strict criteria for TDR candidacy, or 47% if the indications were expanded to include treatment for ASD.
Penalized-likelihood image reconstruction for x-ray fluorescence computed tomography with unknown fluorescence attenuation maps

X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) allows for the reconstruction of the distribution of nonradioactive elements within a sample from measurements of fluorescence x-rays produced by irradiation of the sample with monochromatic synchrotron radiation. XFCT is not a transmission tomography modality, but rather a stimulated emission tomography modality and thus correction for attenuation of the incident and fluorescence photons is essential if accurate images are to be obtained. This is challenging because the attenuation map is, in general, known only at the stimulating beam energy and not at the various fluorescence energies of interest. We make use of empirically fit analytic expressions for x-ray attenuation coefficients to express the unknown attenuation maps as linear combinations of known quantities and the unknown elemental concentrations of interest. We develop an alternating-update iterative reconstruction algorithm based on maximizing a penalized Poisson likelihood objective function. Studies with numerical phantoms indicate that the approach is able to produce qualitatively and quantitatively accurate reconstructed images of numerical phantoms even in the face of severe attenuation.
Test correlates of resilient outcomes among highly stressed second‐ and third‐grade urban children

This study compared the test performance of highly stressed second- and third-grade urban school children, with stress-resilient (SR) and stress-affected (SA) outcomes on a battery of measures chosen for their potential in expanding the nomological definitional net for early childhood resilience. SRs exceeded SAs on all adjustment selection and verification indicators. On the criterion test measures, SRs exceeded SAs on several dimensions of self-rated adjustment and perceived competence, empathy, social problem solving, realistic control attributions, and IQ. Discriminant function analysis identified four variables that sensitively discriminated SR and SA children and correctly classified 80% of the sample. Findings from this study were compared to structurally comparable findings from a prior study of resilient outcomes among highly stressed fourth- to sixth-grade urban children.
Synthesis of the Putative Red Clover Necrotic Mosaic Virus RNA Polymerase by Ribosomal Frameshifting in Vitro

Abstract The red clover necrotic mosaic virus (RCNMV) genome is split between two single-stranded RNA species termed RNA-1 and RNA-2. RNA-1 directs the synthesis of 88-kDa (p88), 57-kDa (p57), 37-kDa (p37), and 27-kDa (p27) polypeptides and RNA-2 a 35-kDa (p35) polypeptide in vitro . The coding order of the RNA-1 products was determined to be 5′-p27-p57-p37-3′. Antibodies to synthetic peptides representing the carboxyl terminal portions of p27 and p57 immunoprecipitated their respective polypeptides in addition to p88, suggesting that p88 is a fusion protein. A frameshift heptanucleotide sequence element has been identified in RCNMV RNA-1. In addition, a stable stem-loop secondary structure adjacent to the heptanucleotide sequence is predicted. Together, these sequence elements suggest that a ribosomal frameshifting event occurs which allows translational readthrough of the p27 open reading frame into the p57 open reading frame, generating the observed p88 product. An RNA-1 expression construct fusing the p57 and the CP open reading frame was engineered to investigate the ribosomal frameshifting event. CP antibodies immunoprecipitated a fusion protein of the predicted size containing the carboxyl portion of CP. Site-directed mutagenesis of the frameshift element indicates that in vitro , p88 can also be expressed alternatively by suppression of an amber termination codon. Based on these data, we propose that the putative RCNMV RNA polymerase is an 88-kDa polypeptide expressed by a ribosomal frameshifting mechanism similar to those utilized by retroviruses.
Quality of life before and after laparoscopic Heller myotomy for achalasia.

Abstract Background: Because the surgical treatment of achalasia is directed at the palliation of chronic symptoms, it is important to assess how surgery affects patients' health-related quality of life (HRQL). Methods: We evaluated upper gastrointestinal symptoms, satisfaction, and HRQL in 19 patients with achalasia before and after undergoing a laparoscopic Heller myotomy and partial fundoplication. HRQL was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form health survey (SF-36). Results: The mean age of the patients was 40 years (range 16 to 74), and 58% were men. After a median follow-up of 21 months (range 2 to 35), 12 of 16 patients were satisfied with the results of their surgery. Liquid and solid dysphagia scores were improved after surgery, and the prevalence of heartburn symptoms did not change. Although all the health concepts measured by the SF-36 instrument showed some improvement, statistically significant increases (on a 0 to 100 scale) were detected in physical functioning (11.1, P = 0.02), role-physical (25.0, P = 0.05), bodily pain (12.2, P = 0.01), vitality (13.7, P = 0.02), and social functioning (18.4, P = 0.02). Conclusions: Most aspects of HRQL improve after a laparoscopic Heller myotomy and partial fundoplication for achalasia.
Online strategic communication: A cross-cultural analysis of U.S. and Chinese corporate websites

Abstract This study applied a cultural divergence approach to examine online marketing interactivity and corporate public image on corporate websites. It analyzed different online strategic communication of corporate websites from two different nations—the United States and China. Results indicated that U.S. corporations were more likely to highlight online marketing interactivity and social responsibility, which integrated marketing and public relations as their online communication strategy. Chinese corporations provided more online spaces for the consumer–consumer interactions and emphasized corporation-oriented information.
A crystallographic study of polymers exhibiting side-chain crystallization

Fibers were drawn from polymers of octadecyl acrylate, octadecyl methacrylate, N-octadecylacrylamide, and a series of N-substituted acrylamides with a second amide group in the side chain as well as from copolymers of octadecyl and methyl esters of acrylic and methacrylic acid. Wide-angle and small-angle x-ray diffraction patterns were recorded for these materials. The interpretation of the characteristic difference between the behavior of the polycrylates and polymethacrylates, as proposed by Plate and his collaborators, is found to be inconsistent with a number of features of the experimental evidence. In the case of poly(octadecyl methacrylate) the data allow the estimation of two parameters of the electron density distribution in the side-chain crystallites. With polyacrylamide derivatives, a second amide group in the side chain is found to destabilize the side chain crystallites. The bahavior of the copolymers is very complex and exhibits, in one case, evidence for a long periodicity parallel to the fiber axis.
Toxicity of two pulsed metal exposures to Daphnia magna: relative effects of pulsed duration-concentration and influence of interpulse period.

Aquatic organisms living in surface waters experience fluctuating contaminant exposures that vary in concentration, duration, and frequency. This study characterized the role of pulsed concentration, pulsed duration, and the interval between pulses on the toxicity of four metals (Cu, Zn, Se, and As) to Daphnia magna. During 21-d toxicity tests, neonatal D. magna were exposed to single or double pulses. Pulsed concentrations and durations ranged from 32 to 6000 µg/L and 8 to 96 h, respectively. Intervals between two pulses ranged from 24 to 288 h. Mortality, growth, and reproduction were characterized for exposures. For single-pulse exposures of Cu and As, metal concentration had a stronger effect on survival of D. magna than did pulsed duration: pulses with 2X concentration and 1Y duration resulted in more mortality than did pulses with 1X concentration and 2Y duration. In contrast, effects of pulsed duration were stronger than metal concentration for Zn. However, the effects of duration and concentration were similar for Se. The relative effects of pulsed concentration and duration found in the present study revealed that the common method using area under the curve (AUC = concentration × duration) may not always accurately estimate environmental risk from metals (e.g., for Cu, Zn, As). In addition, the occurrence of delayed mortality in the present study revealed that using continuous exposure bioassays might underestimate metal toxicity to aquatic biota. For double-pulse exposures, the toxicity of the second pulse was influenced by the first pulse for all four metals. This influence was dependent on the pulsed concentration and duration and the interval between pulses. Further, toxicity caused by the second pulse decreased as the time between the exposures increased. For all four metals, there existed an interval great enough that the toxicity of the two pulses was independent. This would result in less toxicity for multiple exposures than continuous exposures with the same total exposure duration. The interval time at which the effects of the two pulses were independent increased with increasing concentration. Growth and cumulative reproduction of D. magna over 21 d were not significantly affected by pulsed exposures examined in the present study, indicating recovery of the organisms.
A Stakeholder Approach to Minimizing Risks in Complex Projects

This paper presents the findings of a three-year field study into the management practices and business processes of enterprise risk management (ERM) focused on complex, technology-based new product developments. While the study examines also the effectiveness of analytical tools and techniques, it probes especially into the organizational processes and into stakeholder interactions as a means of identifying risks early in the project lifecycle and dealing with these risks collectively within the network of stakeholders. The results from this field study show that effective risk management involves a complex set of variables related to task, people, and organizational environment. The results identify specific barriers and drivers to effective risk management, and provide insight into the type of organizational environment and managerial leadership conducive to (i) identifying risks early and (ii) minimizing their impact on company performance. We show that project team leaders must be capable of more than just understanding the tools and techniques of enterprise risk management (ERM), but must also understand the infrastructure and work processes of their organizations, and deal with the complex social, technical and economic issues that determine the culture and value system of the enterprise. Further, the specific stakeholder involvement, conducive to risk reduction, will be discussed together with criteria for managerial effectiveness and critical support functions.