cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protein Local Tertiary Structure Prediction Using the Adaptively-Branching FGK-DF Model

For the past twenty years, protein tertiary structure research has been given much attention. Unfortunately, each approach has significant shortcomings, such as necessary time, capital, or restrictions imposed by the method, limiting the resolution or novelty of produced tertiary structures. This work proposes the Adaptively-Branching Fuzzy Greedy K-means-Decision Forest (FGK-DF) model, which utilizes conserved sequential and structural motifs that transcend protein family boundaries, to predict the local tertiary structure of proteins with unknown structures.
Quantitative characterization of beta-adrenergic receptor subtypes in porcine adipocytes.

Abstract 1. Two populations of beta-adrenergic receptor (βAR) subtypes and their proportions were characterized in adipocytes isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissue of castrated male crossbred pigs (60–85 kg). 2. Specific binding of the radioligand 125 I-iodopindolol (IPIN) to crude plasma membranes (70–90% of total binding) reached equilibrium conditions in 30 min (38°C), was tissue concentration-dependent, stereospecific and saturable ( b max = 168 ± 5.8 fmol/mg protein). 3. Displacement curves by ICI 89,406 were best-fit by a two site model ( P 4. Forty-five percent of the receptors had a high affinity for ICI 89,406, K i = 2.27 ± 0.68 nM and were classified as β1AR.
Interfacial peptide partitioning and undiminished antioxidative and emulsifying activity of oxidatively stressed soy protein hydrolysate in an O/W emulsion

Abstract Peptides as surfactants are able to neutralize radicals, but their ability to maintain physical and chemical stability of food emulsions when oxidatively stressed is not clear. In this study, the distribution of peptides present in hydroxyl radical-stressed soy protein hydrolysate (SPH) at the interface and the inhibition of lipid oxidation in an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion were investigated. O/W emulsions (10 g/100 g soybean oil, 20 mg/mL protein, 1 g Tween 20/100 g emulsion) were prepared under 138 MPa and stored for 14 days. Morphology of emulsion droplets was observed using phase contrast, confocal laser scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. The stability of all emulsions gradually decreased during storage due to flocculation but not coalescence. Oxidized nonhydrolyzed soy protein (SP) and SPH, despite 3–4-fold increases in carbonyls, retained up to 74% of their power to inhibit lipid oxidation in emulsions when compared with nonoxidized counterparts. Nonpolar peptides in SPH had a preferred adsorption at the interface while oxidation decreased the selectivity. In conclusion, oxidation that produces 4-fold carbonyl increases modifies the distribution of peptides without significantly affecting their function as emulsifiers and does not eliminate their antioxidant capacity.
Is anybody listening? An investigation into popular advice and actual practices

Abstract In the decade of the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, management gurus and consultants alike were touting the advantages of speed over quality and were suggesting other initiatives. Early in this period the global manufacturing research group gathered data on manufacturing practices and performance in non-fashion textile and small machine tool firms. In 1995, follow-up data were gathered from some of the same firms. Data from these surveys are used to determine the extent to which firms exceeded the growth of the economy or the industry. The data are also used to see whether the implementation of manufacturing practices followed the theories elaborated during this period and where firms learn of the practices that show promise of improving performance. Recent case studies of three firms are used to provide insight into the aggregate findings of the surveys. We find that firms do not learn from the management literature, consultants or academics, but use business and trade contacts as their sources. We also find support for the theory that implementing a number of practices will help to provide competitive advantage and that new means of transferring management technology are needed if we are to reach the firms that can benefit from its application.
Gene intrusion on a society of Hill-Climbers

In this paper, a new algorithm of Gene Intrusion on a Society of Hill-Climbers (GI-SoHC) is introduced. In GI-SoHC, the genes which contribute most to the best fitness of the best climber in each generation are selected and inserted to other climbers for replacing their own genes, such that the society can have faster climbing speed and better climbing locations.The experiment results show that with Gene Intrusion, climbers generally and averagely perform better in that they climb more quickly than the original Historical Society of Hill-Climbers, especially in the early stage of the climbing process.
Measures and Ideals of C* (X)

. The relationships holding between integral summability methods, certain set functions defined on ℘ ([0, ∞)), and certain closed subsets of β[0, ∞) - [0, ∞) have been discussed before. In this paper some of these results are extended to more general topological spaces. For a locally compact Tychonoff space X, relationships between set functions on ℘ (X), certain closed subsets of βX - X, and ideals of C*(X) are given, as are applications to summability theory.
Intermodality Transfer of Specific Discriminations in the Monkey

WE wish to report evidence that monkeys trained to discriminate between two forms using only tactual cues are affected by such experience when the same forms are presented visually with tactual cues excluded.
Sulphur in coal by programmed-temperature oxidation

Abstract A controlled-atmosphere, programmed-temperature, oxidation apparatus has been constructed and used to characterize organic-sulphur distribution in coals, partially desulphurized coals, and model systems. Samples were diluted with WO3 and heated, in a stream of Ar containing 10% O2, at a programmed-temperature increase of 3 °C min−1. Concentrations of SO2, CO2, CO, O2 and H2O in the effluent gas were continuously measured until the runs were completed at 1000 °C. Evolution patterns produced by the oxidation products characterize the coal and, upon integration, provide total CHS analyses consistent with classical coal analysis methods. The SO2 derived from coal pyrite evolves with a maximum at about 430 °C, and that from the organic portion of coal produces principal evolution maxima at ≈ 320 °C (attributed to non-aromatic coal structures) and at ≈ 480 °C (attributed to aromatic structures). During oxidation the H C ratio decreases with increasing temperature to ≈ 0.6–0.7 at 400 °C. The n.m.r. spectrum of residue isolated after oxidation up to 400 °C shows a sharp decrease in aliphatic carbon compared with the original coal.
Effect of mating disruption and lure load on the number of Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) males captured in pheromone traps ☆

Abstract A series of experiments examined the potential for using pheromone lures to monitor Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner), in the presence of mating disruption. When males were released in either the presence or absence of commercial mating disruption dispensers, the number of males captured in traps baited with synthetic pheromone lures increased with doses of 1–30 mg per lure (compared to 1–2 mg used in commercial monitoring lures). More males were captured in traps baited with synthetic pheromone lures than in traps baited with females as a pheromone source. The proportion of males captured in traps baited with synthetic pheromone lures vs. traps with females as a pheromone source changed with male age, but not with exposure to mating disruption dispensers. Male interaction with mating disruption dispensers was observed, and suppression of male capture in female-baited traps was quickly lost when mating disruption dispensers were removed. Implications of these findings for monitoring and semiochemical control of P. interpunctella are discussed.
Strain-induced enhancement of spin relaxation times in [110] and [111] grown quantum wells

We derive the strain-dependent Hamiltonian of the conduction band for semiconductor quantum wells grown along [110] and [111] directions. We propose and demonstrate theoretically that by properly controlling the strain of $\mathrm{In}\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}∕\mathrm{In}\mathrm{P}$ quantum wells, the spin relaxation from the Dyakonov-Perel mechanism can be suppressed in [110] and [111] quantum wells. The spin relaxation time can be enhanced by more than one order of magnitude at an optimal strain for a given well width.
Continent appendicostomy in the bowel management of fecally incontinent children

Abstract Background: Fecal incontinence is common in children who have anorectal malformations, Hirschsprung's Disease, and spina bifida and can negatively impact their emotional and social development. Enemas have been used as an artificial way to keep children clean and to improve their quality of life. This method is unpleasant for many children, particularly when they reach adolescence. Malone in 1990 described an alternative method in which the appendix is used as a conduit to administer an antegrade enema. Methods: The authors describe their experience with this new procedure, modified by them, and used in 20 patients. In the original procedure, the base of the appendix is divided, inverted, and reimplanted into the cecum with an antireflux technique. The authors simplify this by plicating the cecum around the appendix to create a one-way valve mechanism but leaving the appendix in its original position. The authors also mobilize the cecum and exteriorize the appendix at the umbilicus to create an inconspicuous stoma. If the native appendix is absent a neoappendix was created from a flap of cecum. Results: Nineteen of 20 patients (95%) are now completely clean 24 hours a day. Stricture of the stoma occurred in two patients and required revision. Leakage at the appendicostomy site occurred in three patients, and two required a tighter plication. Conclusions: The technique is used to change the route of enema administration, and is only used in patients for whom bowel management with rectal enemas has been proven successful. The appendix must be preserved whenever possible in patients at risk for fecal incontinence.
Assessing emerging technologies--the case of organ replacement technologies: volume, durability, cost.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to estimate thresholds for production volume, durability, and cost of care for the cost-effective adoption of liver organ replacement technologies (ORTs). METHODS We constructed a discrete-event simulation model of the liver allocation system in the United States. The model was calibrated against UNOS data (1994-2000). Into this model, we introduced ORTs with varying durability (time to failure), cost of care, and production volume. Primary outputs of interest were time to 5 percent reduction in the waiting list and time to 5 percent increase in expected transplant volume. RESULTS Model output for both calibration and validation phases closely matched published data: waiting list length (+/-2 percent), number of transplants (+/-2 percent), deaths while waiting (+/-5 percent), and time to transplant (+/-11 percent). Reducing the waiting list was dependent on both ORT durability and production volume. The longer the durability, the less production volume needed to reduce the waiting list and vice versa. However, below 250 ORT/year, durability needed to be >2 years for any significant change to be seen in the waiting list. For base-case costs, all ORT production volume and durability scenarios result in more transplants per year at less total cost of care/patient than the current system. ORTs remain cost saving until manufacturing costs are >5 times base-case costs, production is less 500 ORT/year, and durability <6 months. CONCLUSIONS Although there remain many technical challenges to overcome, as long as ORTs can meet these threshold criteria, they have the potential of transforming the world of end-stage liver disease.
Forecasting Hotspots—A Predictive Analytics Approach

Current visual analytics systems provide users with the means to explore trends in their data. Linked views and interactive displays provide insight into correlations among people, events, and places in space and time. Analysts search for events of interest through statistical tools linked to visual displays, drill down into the data, and form hypotheses based upon the available information. However, current systems stop short of predicting events. In spatiotemporal data, analysts are searching for regions of space and time with unusually high incidences of events (hotspots). In the cases where hotspots are found, analysts would like to predict how these regions may grow in order to plan resource allocation and preventative measures. Furthermore, analysts would also like to predict where future hotspots may occur. To facilitate such forecasting, we have created a predictive visual analytics toolkit that provides analysts with linked spatiotemporal and statistical analytic views. Our system models spatiotemporal events through the combination of kernel density estimation for event distribution and seasonal trend decomposition by loess smoothing for temporal predictions. We provide analysts with estimates of error in our modeling, along with spatial and temporal alerts to indicate the occurrence of statistically significant hotspots. Spatial data are distributed based on a modeling of previous event locations, thereby maintaining a temporal coherence with past events. Such tools allow analysts to perform real-time hypothesis testing, plan intervention strategies, and allocate resources to correspond to perceived threats.
Multiway partitioning via geometric embeddings, orderings, and dynamic programming

This paper presents effective algorithms for multiway partitioning. Confirming ideas originally due to Hall (1970), we demonstrate that geometric embeddings of the circuit netlist can lead to high-quality k-way partitionings. The netlist embeddings are derived via the computation of d eigenvectors of the Laplacian for a graph representation of the netlist. As Hall did not specify how to partition such geometric embeddings, we explore various geometric partitioning objectives and algorithms, and find that they are limited because they do not integrate topological information from the netlist. Thus, we also present a new partitioning algorithm that exploits both the geometric embedding and netlist information, as well as a restricted partitioning formulation that requires each cluster of the k-way partitioning to be contiguous in a given linear ordering. We begin with a d-dimensional spectral embedding and construct a heuristic 1-dimensional ordering of the modules (combining spacefilling curve with 3-Opt approaches originally proposed for the traveling salesman problem). We then apply dynamic programming to efficiently compute the optimal k-way split of the ordering for a variety of objective functions, including Scaled Cost and Absorption. This approach can transparently integrate user-specified cluster size bounds. Experiments show that this technique yields multiway partitionings with lower Sealed Cost than previous spectral approaches. >
A software science model of compile time

The Halstead theory of software science is used to describe the compilation process and generate a compiler performance index. A nonlinear model of compile time is estimated for four Ada compilers. A fundamental relation between compile time and program modularity is proposed. Issues considered include data collection procedures, the development of a counting strategy, the analysis of the complexity measures used, and the investigation of significant relationships between program characteristics and compile time. The results indicate that the model has a high predictive power and provides interesting insights into compiler performance phenomena. The research suggests that the discrimination rate of a compiler is a valuable performance index and is preferred to average compile-time statistics. >
Management of High Risk Metastatic Prostate Cancer: The Case for Novel Therapies

Purpose: We reviewed the results of preliminary studies of select novel agents for metastatic prostate cancer and discuss the potential benefit of these agents for earlier stage disease, eg biochemically recurrent prostate cancer with high risk features.Materials and Methods: Available data on select investigational immunotherapies as well as endothelin-A receptor antagonists and survivin inhibitors were obtained and reviewed through PubMed searches, conference proceedings and unpublished proprietary information, when available.Results: A large number of promising agents are in varying stages of development. Phase III results have been reported for the endothelin-A receptor antagonist atrasentan. Several immunotherapies are currently in phase II/III trials, namely the GM-CSF transduced tumor cell vaccine GVAX®, the prostatic acid phosphatase loaded dendritic cell vaccine Provenge® and the prostate specific antigen expressing poxvirus vaccine PROSTVAC®-VF. Another immunotherapy, the prostate specific membr...
Prolymphocytic leukemia: Histologic findings in atypical cases

Significant enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes is not characteristic of prolymphocytic leukemia. The absence of this physical feature of the disease has been so consistent in previous reports that it has come to have considerable importance in the differential diagnosis of prolymphocytic leukemia. We describe two cases of prolymphocytic leukemia, in which, in sharp contrast to other published cases, striking lymphadenopathy was present throughout the clinical course. In one case, the disease responded dramatically, but briefly, to l-asparaginase. The immunologic characteristics of cells from lymph nodes suggested that in both cases, the leukemic process was B-cell type. The features of the prolymphocytic proliferation in lymph nodes and the utility of Wright-Giemsa stained touch preparations have been emphasized.
Social Stratification, Educational Opportunity, and the Role of State Departments of Education

It is frequently argued that administrative policy should be based upon research in the social sciences. In this paper the authors review research concerning social stratification and educational opportunity, formulate a policy goal upon the basis of that research, and then outline a series of administrative strategies for reaching that policy goal.
Environmental perception and multi-sensor data fusion for off-road autonomous vehicles

Environmental perception is one of the most difficult problems for off-road autonomous vehicles. Due to the variety and complexity of off-road environments, the information from any single sensor is not enough for safe and efficient vehicle navigation. Employing more sensors can greatly improve the vehicle's perceptive capability. This paper describes a multi-sensor data fusion system for off-road autonomous vehicles. The system acquires data from one camera, four laser range finders, one radar, and several ultrasonic sensors. A hierarchical structure is used to organize the sensors from feature level to high fusion level. Dempster-Shafer evidence theory is adopted to decide the classification of each grid in the fusion map. A weighted evidence combination rule is proposed and implemented to improve the decision results under high conflicting circumstance. The experimental results showed the validity of our method.
Psychotherapy and postmodernism: agency, authenticity and alienation in contemporary therapeutic discourse

Since the advent of postmodernism, terms like agency, authenticity and alienation have fallen into disuse in psychotherapeutic discourse. The causes and consequences of this profound semantic shift are examined. While postmodernism has contributed considerably to our understanding of the impact of language and of power relations on society, it has little or nothing to say on the subject of human needs, which provided the original impetus for ‘critical theory’, historically, and is still vital to fostering our patients' welfare. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Oxidative coupling of methane over alkali metal chloride promoted zirconia: Effect of the preparation method

Abstract Promoting ZrO 2 with Na + Cl − via a sol-gel process, an effective catalytic system is obtained which is more active, selective and stable with time-on-stream than unpromoted ZrO 2 , or any other alkali chloride promoted ZrO 2 in the oxidative coupling of methane at 750°C, atmospheric pressure, CH 4 /O 2 = 4 and a space velocity of 7500 cm 3 g −1 h −1 . Operating at a low partial pressure of the reactants (CH 4 +O 2 = 91.2 Torr, 1 Torr = 133.3 Pa) and the aforementioned conditions, a C 2 yield of 14.1% is obtained. The performance of the alkali metal chloride promoted ZrO 2 is found to depend strongly on the nature of the cation, the method of catalyst preparation, the promoter content and the reaction conditions (temperature, partial pressure, CH 4 /O 2 ratio and space velocity). The relationship between the catalytic performance and the physico-chemical properties of Na + -ZrO 2 -Cl − revealed by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is explored.
Early auditory evoked potential is modulated by selective attention and related to individual differences in visual working memory capacity

A growing body of research suggests that the predictive power of working memory (WM) capacity for measures of intellectual aptitude is due to the ability to control attention and select relevant information. Crucially, attentional mechanisms implicated in controlling access to WM are assumed to be domain-general, yet reports of enhanced attentional abilities in individuals with larger WM capacities are primarily within the visual domain. Here, we directly test the link between WM capacity and early attentional gating across sensory domains, hypothesizing that measures of visual WM capacity should predict an individual's capacity to allocate auditory selective attention. To address this question, auditory ERPs were recorded in a linguistic dichotic listening task, and individual differences in ERP modulations by attention were correlated with estimates of WM capacity obtained in a separate visual change detection task. Auditory selective attention enhanced ERP amplitudes at an early latency (ca. 70—90 msec), with larger P1 components elicited by linguistic probes embedded in an attended narrative. Moreover, this effect was associated with greater individual estimates of visual WM capacity. These findings support the view that domain-general attentional control mechanisms underlie the wide variation of WM capacity across individuals.
Measurement of the branching ratios for the decays of D(+)(s) to ηπ(+), η′π(+), ηρ(+), and η′ρ(+)

Using a data sample with integrated luminosity of about 3.9 fb^{-1} collected in e+ e- annihilation with the CLEO-II detector at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring, we have measured the branching ratios for the decay modes Ds -> (eta, eta') pi and Ds -> (eta, eta') rho relative to Ds -> phi pi. These decay modes are among the most common hadronic decays of the Ds's and can be related by factorization to the semileptonic decays Ds -> (eta,eta') l nu. The results obtained are compared with previous CLEO results and with the branching ratios measured for the related semileptonic decays. We also report results on the Cabibbo-suppressed decays of the D+ to the same final states.
Interactive effects of fungal endophyte infection and host genotype on growth and storage in Lolium perenne

This article was printed in an uncorrected form in error and a corrected version is now available Summary • The effect of infection by the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii, host genotype and their interaction on growth and storage traits, and regrowth following defoliation, were investigated in the forage grass Lolium perenne. • Ramets of infected (+E) and noninfected (–E) genotypes of Lolium perenne cv. Yorktown III were glasshouse grown for 12 wk after which all plants were defoliated. Half the plants were harvested for total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) analysis, the remainder grew for an additional 4 wk before harvesting. • Effects of endophyte infection on tiller numbers, leaf area and TNC were highly dependent on host genotype at the time of defoliation. Leaf mass, tiller base mass, and specific leaf area after regrowth were highly dependent on genotype by endophyte interactions. Regrowth rates were influenced by host genotype, but not by endophytes. Leaf area regrowth rate was negatively correlated with TNC across genotypes, but only in –E plants. • The marked host genotype–endophyte infection interactions detected in this L. perenne population indicates that, for many growth and storage traits, endophyte infection can impact microevolutionary change. However, there is no overriding consistently positive effect of the endophyte on growth or storage in L. perenne before or after defoliation. If there is a metabolic cost to harboring endophytes, it was not detected here.
Performance of the microsprayer, with application for pheromone-mediated control of insect pests

An electronically controlled device has been designed to provide reliable, precise, season-long release of insect pheromones without the need for maintenance, refilling, or component replacement. The operational performance of this dispenser technology was evaluated under laboratory and field conditions throughout the summer of 1998 in orchards of Michigan apple (Malus spp.). A simple electronic circuit controlled the opening of an automotive fuel injector connected to a pressurized canister containing pheromone solution. By controlling the duration and frequency of pheromone release and the concentration of pheromone within the canister, this device, referred to as the Microsprayer, dispensed a desired quantity of pheromone to achieve mating disruption. Containment of multiple pheromones within the light- and oxygen-free environment provided releaseofactiveingredientsthroughoutthegrowingseasonfordisruptionofmatingby .1pestinsect species. The volume released increased linearly with canister pressure, and this increase was positively correlated with ambient temperature. The spatial pattern of primary pheromone depo- sition was measured, in still air the largest volume deposited was '80 cm from the point of release. Release from increasing heights above a target surface caused an exponential reduction in the volume of liquid reaching the surface because of solvent evaporation. In orchard trials, microsprayers powered by single 0.5 A Hr 9 V lithium batteries released pheromone every 170 s for 5 mo without appreciable voltage drop. Weight loss from the microsprayers was steady and predictable, and canister pressure remained above 50 psi for the duration of the season. This device shows promise for practical control of insect pests amenable to pheromone mating disruption.
Readiness to use compensatory strategies among older adults with functional difficulties.

Background: Compensatory strategies (behavioral/environmental modifications) can reduce the difficulties of performing daily living activities, fear of falling, and mortality risk. However, individuals vary in their readiness to use strategies. We examined characteristics associated with readiness to use compensatory strategies, the extent to which level of readiness changed from participation in an intervention (Advancing Better Living for Elders (ABLE)) providing compensatory strategies, and factors predictive of change in readiness level. Methods: Data from a randomized trial were used. Participants were 148 older adults assigned to the ABLE intervention designed to enhance daily function through compensatory strategy use. Baseline measures included demographic characteristics, functional difficulty level, presence/absence of depressive symptoms, compensatory strategy use, and social support. At initial (2 weeks from baseline) and final (6 months) ABLE sessions, interventionists rated readiness (1 = precontemplation; 2 = contemplation; 3 = preparation; 4 = action/maintenance) of participants to use strategies. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify baseline characteristics associated with initial readiness rating. A McNemar-Bowker test of symmetry was used to describe change in readiness, and binary logistic regression was used to identify baseline predictors of change in readiness (from initial to final intervention session). Results: At the initial intervention session, 70.3% (N = 104) scored in pre-action (precontempla- tion/contemplation, preparation), and 29.7% (N = 44) in action/maintenance. Depressive symptomatology (χ 2 (2) = 9.08, p = 0.011) and low compensatory strategy use (F(2, 147) = 8.44, p = 0.001) at baseline were associated with lower readiness levels at initial ABLE session. By final ABLE session, most participants demonstrated greater readiness: 72% (N = 105) in action/maintenance, 28% (N = 41) in pre-action (two participants dropped out). A significant baseline predictor of positive change in readiness (from initial to final session) was higher social support levels (b = 0.10, SE = 0.05, Wald = 4.98, p = 0.026). Conclusion: Whereas presence of depressive symptomatology and lower use of compensatory strategies at baseline were associated with lower readiness at initial intervention session, neither predicted change in readiness level. Thus, mood and prior compensatory strategy use do not effect enhancements in readiness to use strategies provided in an intervention. Baseline social support was the strongest predictor of change in readiness suggesting that interventions may need to involve older adults' social networks to enhance acceptability of compensatory strategy use.
Polarization-dependent response of antenna-coupled single-metal thermocouples

We report on the polarization-dependent response of antenna-coupled single-metal thermocouples for infrared (IR) detection. We find that for certain antenna geometries, the observed open-circuit voltage response changes polarity as a function of the polarization angle of the incident radiation. This behavior is due to a change in the location of the hot junction as the polarization of the incident IR radiation rotates from the co-polarized to the cross-polarized state.
Reassessing the Conservation Status of an Island Endemic Frog

Abstract Amphibians are among the most endangered organisms on Earth; however, few monitoring studies have been conducted in the tropics despite high amphibian diversity in these regions. To help fill this gap, we completed fieldwork to reassess the status of the Bloody Bay Poison Frog (Mannophryne olmonae, an endemic from the island of Tobago), classified as “Critically Endangered” by the original IUCN Global Amphibian Assessment, though recently downgraded to “Vulnerable.” To assess occupancy patterns and population stability, we used occupancy modeling with three years of listening survey data (2011–2013) from 35 sites. To examine patterns of relative abundance and recruitment, we gathered frog encounter rate and body size data from 18 stream-side transects. To assess current distributional limits, we conducted listening surveys at and beyond the known range limits. Together, these data suggest that M. olmonae is more widely distributed than previously reported (we found 23 extralimital populations), i...
Spinal Cord Injury Engineering Using Neural Stem Cells

Overtime, various modalities of spinal cord injury (SCI) treatment have been trialed. Of these, the most attractive is the cellular transplantation of neural and mesenchymal stem cells. Extensive experimental studies have been done to identify the safety and effectiveness of their transplantation in animal and human models. In this chapter, the different sources, isolation and transplantation of these multipotent stem cells, and associated outcomes will be discussed.
Economics and Financial Regulation

Under a 2011 court decision known as Business Roundtable v. SEC, many Securities and Exchange Commission rules must pass a rigorous cost-benefit test to be in compliance with the new Dodd-Frank finance legislation. The SEC has recently released a memo outlining what is required to comply with the ruling. The memo will not overcome the inhibiting effects of 80 years of a different regulatory culture at the SEC, but it is a start. With congressional oversight, judicial review, and the good-faith sympathetic administration of these new rules by the SEC, a far more effective regulatory system may come about, perhaps even one with some real intellectual credibility.
Functional DNA-Integrated Nanomaterials for Biosensing

This chapter reviews recent progress in the development of biosensors by integrating functional DNA molecules with nanoscale science and technology. Functional DNA, a new class of DNA with functions beyond genetic information storage, can either bind to a target molecule (known as aptamers) or perform catalytic reactions (called DNAzymes). The targets of functional DNA can range from metal ions and small organic molecules to proteins, and even cells, making them a general platform for recognizing a broad range of targets. On the other hand, recent progress in nanoscale science and technology has resulted in a number of nanomaterials with interesting optical, electrical, magnetic, and catalytic properties. Inspired by functional DNA biology and nanotechnology, various methods have been developed to integrate functional DNA with these nanomaterials, such as gold nanoparticles, fluorescent nanoparticles, superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles, and graphene, for designing a variety of fluorescent, colorimetric, surface-enhanced Raman scattering, and magnetic resonance imaging sensors for the detection of a broad range of analytes.
Volume-activated chloride channels in HL-60 cells: potent inhibition by an oxonol dye

When swollen in hypotonic media, HL-60 cells exhibit a regulatory volume decrease (RVD) response as a result of net losses of K+ and Cl-. This is primarily caused by a dramatic increase in Cl- permeability, which may reflect the opening of volume-sensitive channels (11). To test this hypothesis, we measured volume-activated Cl- currents in HL-60 cells using the patch-clamp technique. The whole cell Cl- conductance (in nS/pF at 100 mV) increased from 0.09 +/- 0.06 to 1.15 +/- 0.19 to 1.64 +/- 0.40 as the tonicity (in mosmol/kgH2O) of the external medium was decreased from 334 to 263 to 164, respectively. Cl- currents showed no significant inactivation during 800-ms pulses. Current-voltage curves exhibited outward rectification and were identical at holding potentials of 0 or -50 mV, suggesting that the gating of the channels is voltage independent. The selectivity sequence, based on permeability ratios (PX/PCl) calculated from the shifts of the reversal potentials, was SCN- > I- approximately NO3- > Br- > Cl- >> gluconate. 4-Acetamido-4'- isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (SITS; 0.5 mM) inhibits HL-60 Cl- channels in a voltage-dependent manner, with approximately 10-fold increased affinity at potentials greater than +40 mV. Voltage-dependent blockade by SITS indicates that the binding site is located near the outside, where it senses 20% of the membrane potential. These Cl- channels were also inhibited in a voltage-independent manner by the oxonol dye bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid)pentamethine oxonol [diBA-(5)-C4] with a concentration that gives half inhibition (IC50) of 1.8 microM at room temperature. A similar apparent IC50 value (1.2 microM) was observed for net 36Cl- efflux into a Cl(-)-free hypotonic medium at 21 degrees C. It seems likely, therefore, that the volume-activated Cl- channels are responsible for the net Cl- efflux during RVD. These Cl- channels have properties similar to the "mini-Cl-" channels described in lymphocytes and neutrophils and are strongly inhibited by low concentrations of diBA-(5)-C4.
Adoption of transoral robotic surgery compared with other surgical modalities for treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background and Objectives Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) has increased for treatment of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). To define the adoption of TORS, we analyzed patterns of surgical treatment for OPSCC in the US. Methods Cases of T1-T3 OPSCC treated with surgery between 2010 and 2013 from the National Cancer Database were queried. Results Of 3,071 patients who underwent primary surgical management for T1-T3 OPSCC, 846 (28%) underwent TORS. On multivariable analysis, low tumor stage (T2 vs. T1: OR 0.75, CI 0.37–0.51, P < 0.0001; T3 vs. T1: O.R. 0.33, CI 0.28–0.38, P < 0.0001), treatment at an academic cancer center (O.R. 2.23, C.I. 1.29–3.88, P = 0.004) and treatment at a high volume hospital (34–155 cases vs. 1–4 cases: O.R. 9.07, C.I. 3.19–25.79, P < 0.0001) were associated with increased TORS approach. Significant geographic variation was observed, with high adoption in the Middle Atlantic. Positive margin rates were lower when TORS was performed at a high volume versus low volume hospital (8.2% vs. 16.7% respectively, P = 0.001). Conclusions Tumor and non-tumor factors are associated with TORS adoption. This analysis suggests uneven diffusion of this technology in the treatment of OPSCC. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:405–411. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Arrhythmias After Stage I Hybrid Palliation in Single-Ventricle Patients

The hybrid procedure is an alternative palliative strategy for patients with single-ventricle physiology. No data exist documenting the incidence of arrhythmias after the hybrid procedure. Goal of this study was to determine the incidence and type of arrhythmias in patients undergoing the hybrid procedure. A retrospective chart review was performed including all patients undergoing the hybrid procedure between January of 2010 through December of 2013. Sixty-five patients underwent the hybrid procedure during this time period (43 HLHS, 22 other). Average gestational age at admission was 37.7 weeks. Average age at time of procedure was 7.6 days. Five patients had documented arrhythmias (7.7 %). Four were supraventricular tachycardias, and 1 was a sinus bradycardia. One patient with arrhythmia died during hospitalization, and another patient with arrhythmia died during the interstage period. Hybrid palliation for patients with single-ventricle physiology has a low incidence of arrhythmias. In this cohort of patients, arrhythmias did not contribute to mortality. There was a trend toward association between arrhythmias and longer total length of hospital stay.
The Internal Politics of CSDP Missions

In Chapter 1, we introduced an EU decision-making model for foreign and security policy. In a crisis, conflict, or natural disaster, EU and national officials respond to the inputs of state and non-state actors. Decision-makers consider contending interests and weigh the costs and benefits of options available to the EU. One possible output of the EU deliberation process is the member state decision to deploy a CSDP operation.
Relating Compressive Strength to Heat Release in Mortars

Conventionally, isothermal calorimetry and ASTM C186 heat of hydration results are reported on the basis of heat per mass of cement (powder), with typical units being Joules per gram (of cement), for example. Given that it is the filling of porosity with hydration products that is chiefly responsible for strength development in cement-based materials, there might be merit in instead reporting these results in terms of the unit volume of (initial) water. This paper examines a database of well over 200 mortar mixtures to investigate the relationship between heat release and mortar cube compressive strength development. For reasonably low water-to-cementitious-materials ratios (w/cm) (w/cm < 0.43), a single universal straight line relationship with some scatter is obtained. Based on numerous experimental data sets and the accompanying theoretical computations, the effects of the w/cm, sand volume fraction, cement chemical composition, sulfate content, cement fineness, incorporation of a high range water reducing admixture, and curing conditions on this universal relationship are all considered. Fifty data points from the Cement and Concrete Reference Laboratory proficiency sample program were analyzed in order to develop a linear relationship between ASTM C109 mortar cube compressive strengths and ASTM C186 heats of hydration at 7 d and 28 d. The application of this relationship for virtual testing is also evaluated. In this case, computer simulations would be employed to predict the heat of hydration versus time for a particular cement, and the developed equations would be employed to convert this heat release to a strength prediction at the age(s) of interest. In general, it appears that these relationships can be used to predict mortar cube compressive strengths based on measured heats of hydration, within about ±10 % of the experimentally measured strengths. A preliminary analysis of a single dataset for concretes with and without limestone replacement for cement indicates that the linear relationship between strength and heat release likely holds for concretes as well as for mortars.
What Pauline Doesn't Know: Using Guided Fiction Writing to Educate Health Professionals about Cultural Competence.

Research linking reading literary fiction to empathy supports health humanities programs in which reflective writing accompanies close readings of texts, both to explore principles of storytelling (narrative arc and concrete language) and to promote an examination of biases in care. Little attention has been paid to the possible contribution of guided fiction-writing in health humanities curricula toward enhancing cultural competence among health professionals, both clinical and community-based. Through an analysis of the short story “Pie Dance” by Molly Giles, juxtaposed with descriptions of specific writing exercises, this paper explains how the demands of writing fiction promote cultural competency.
Socially assistive robotics for pediatric therapy

There is an estimated 150 million children worldwide living with a disability. For many of these children in the U.S., physical therapy is provided as an intervention mechanism to support the child's academic, developmental, and functional goals from birth and beyond. With the recent advances in robotics, therapeutic intervention protocols using robots is now ideally positioned to make an impact in this domain. There are numerous challenges though that still must be addressed to enable successful interaction between patients, clinicians, and robots - developing interfaces for clinicians to communicate with their robot counterparts; developing intelligence methods to endow robots with the ability to playfully interact with the child; and ensuring that the robot can provide feedback to the clinician. In this talk, I will discuss the role of robotics and related technologies for pediatric therapy and highlight our methods that bring us closer to this goal. I will present our approaches in which these technologies address real-life therapy goals for children with special needs.
Emotion-based learning systems and the development of morality

In this paper it is proposed that important components of moral development and moral judgment rely on two forms of emotional learning: stimulus-reinforcement and response-outcome learning. Data in support of this position will be primarily drawn from work with individuals with the developmental condition of psychopathy as well as fMRI studies with healthy individuals. Individuals with psychopathy show impairment on moral judgment tasks and a pronounced increased risk for instrumental antisocial behavior. It will be argued that these impairments are developmental consequences of impaired stimulus-aversive conditioning on the basis of distress cue reinforcers and response-outcome learning in individuals with this disorder.
Structural Determinist Aspects of Depression in Freud's “Mourning and Melancholia”

ABSTRACTThis article examines Freud's theory of depression based on his paper “Mourning and Melancholia” from the structural determinist paradigm. The reality of depression lies in the underlying structure of the mind in which Freud's libidinal drives and topographical structure of mind bring forth conflicts in relation to an object. Freud delves into the fundamental causes of depression and points out that loss of object, regression of libido into the ego, and ambivalence cause hidden conflicts, which manifest themselves as depressive symptoms and feelings. William Styron's Darkness Visible is used to illustrate its relevance to the structural determinist aspects of Freud's psychoanalytic theory of depression.
Holographic storage and interconnection using a (Ce:Fe: doped LiNbO3) photorefractive crystal fiber with a tunable visible-light diode laser

In this paper, we shall briefly review some recent works done at the Pennsylvania State University on the photorefractive (PR) fibers and their applications. Firstly, a laser heated pedestal growth (LHPG) technique to grow single crystal PR fiber is briefly described. A technique of constructing phase conjugate PR fiber hologram is introduced. Angular and wavelength selectivities for the fiber holograms are evaluated, in which we have shown that the reflection-type wavelength-multiplexed fiber hologram offers a uniform and higher selectivity, as in contrast with the transmission-type. Cross-talk noise for reflection-type wavelength-multiplexed fiber hologram is also calculated, in which we have shown that the noise level would be lower by using a narrower linewidth of the light source. An application of the PR fiber hologram to optical interconnection is advocated, for which a 5-dimensional holographic memory is addressed. Finally, a simple experimental demonstration using a Ce:Fe: doped LiNb03 PR fiber with a tunable visible-light diode laser is given, in which we have expressed that the potential application to large capacity holographic memory, reconfigurable interconnects, and many others are possible.
Hair segmentation using adaptive threshold from edge and branch length measures.

Abstract Background Non-invasive imaging techniques allow the monitoring of skin structure and diagnosis of skin diseases in clinical applications. However, hair in skin images hampers the imaging and classification of the skin structure of interest. Although many hair segmentation methods have been proposed for digital hair removal, a major challenge in hair segmentation remains in detecting hairs that are thin, overlapping, of similar contrast or color to underlying skin, or overlaid on highly-textured skin structure. Methods To solve the problem, we present an automatic hair segmentation method that uses edge density (ED) and mean branch length (MBL) to measure hair. First, hair is detected by the integration of top-hat transform and modified second-order Gaussian filter. Second, we employ a robust adaptive threshold of ED and MBL to generate a hair mask. Third, the hair mask is refined by k-NN classification of hair and skin pixels. Results The proposed algorithm was tested using two datasets of healthy skin images and lesion images respectively. These datasets were taken from different imaging platforms in various illumination levels and varying skin colors. We compared the hair detection and segmentation results from our algorithm and six other hair segmentation methods of state of the art. Our method exhibits high value of sensitivity: 75% and specificity: 95%, which indicates significantly higher accuracy and better balance between true positive and false positive detection than the other methods.
Oscillation as a Mechanism for the Maintenance of Conflicting Organizational Identities

Organizations with conflicting organizational identities suffer from internal tensions that must be managed. Prior research suggests many compelling strategies to manage these tensions (e.g., segme...