cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case 61: An Airway Emergency in an Out-of-Hospital Surgical Office

Today you find yourself in a free-standing oral surgery office which is 3 miles from the nearest hospital. You are to provide conscious sedation to a 38-year-old man (80 kg and 5′10′′). He is scheduled for a 3-h oral surgery procedure, consisting of multiple dental extractions, alveoloplasty, and placement of multiple dental implants in the mandible. He is otherwise healthy and classified as an ASA 1. The conscious sedation consists of midazolam, ketamine, meperidine, and propofol in multiple divided doses. He is monitored using standard monitoring, including a precordial stethoscope. Supplemental oxygen is provided throughout the procedure via a nasal cannula. After 2.5 h of an uneventful surgical procedure, the surgeon notices a rapidly expanding hematoma in the floor of the mouth as well as a rapid enlargement of the posterior part of the tongue. The patient begins to complain of difficulty in breathing. His oxygen saturation remains in the mid-90s. The surgeon’s attempt to control the bleeding fails. He now believes the reason for the hematomas is an arterial bleed in the floor of the mouth caused by one of the implants. The hematoma continues to expand and the saturation is now falling to 85%. You stop all IV sedation and attempt a blind nasal intubation but that fails. A jaw thrust with a face mask and ventilation with 100% oxygen does not improve the patient’s saturation. Any attempt at an LMA insertion or oral intubation is deemed impossible due to the degree of mechanical obstruction caused by the hematoma.
Shape memory alloy-actuated bistable composites for morphing structures

Laminated composites with orthogonally-applied mechanical prestress have been shown to exhibit two stable shapes where each shape is influenced by only one prestrained lamina. The application of mechanical prestress is associated with an irreversible non-zero stress state; when combined with smart materials with controllable stress-states, this results in multifunctionality in morphing composites. This study presents an experimental characterization of the shape transition or snap-through in mechanically-prestressed bistable laminates. Measurements, conducted using tensile testing and 3D motion capture, show that snap-through in these laminates is a multi-stage phenomenon. An active bistable morphing composite is demonstrated using NiTi shape memory wire actuators in push-pull configuration; activation of one wire resets the second wire as the composite morphs. The set of shape memory actuators not only actuate the composite in both directions, but also act as dampers that enable vibration-free shape transition.
Membrane Flow Drives an Adhesion-Independent Amoeboid Cell Migration Mode.

Summary Cells migrate by applying rearward forces against extracellular media. It is unclear how this is achieved in amoeboid migration, which lacks adhesions typical of lamellipodia-driven mesenchymal migration. To address this question, we developed optogenetically controlled models of lamellipodia-driven and amoeboid migration. On a two-dimensional surface, migration speeds in both modes were similar. However, when suspended in liquid, only amoeboid cells exhibited rapid migration accompanied by rearward membrane flow. These cells exhibited increased endocytosis at the back and membrane trafficking from back to front. Genetic or pharmacological perturbation of this polarized trafficking inhibited migration. The ratio of cell migration and membrane flow speeds matched the predicted value from a model where viscous forces tangential to the cell-liquid interface propel the cell forward. Since this mechanism does not require specific molecular interactions with the surrounding medium, it can facilitate amoeboid migration observed in diverse microenvironments during immune function and cancer metastasis.
Endoscopic Forehead Elevation: Patient Marking and Preparation

Patient marking in endoscopic forehead elevation is critical as well as hair confinement. The number of incisions may vary from 3 to 6. These are guided by landmarks such as the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerves and the conjoined fascia.
Reproductive Phenology of Large Mammals

Many large herbivores, specifically ungulates, display a distinct seasonality in their reproductive phenology. Focusing on empirical studies of caribou/reindeer, moose, and red deer, we illustrate the influence of abiotic (i.e. climatic) and biotic (i.e., density dependent) factors on the timing of calving–an important life-history trait affecting population dynamics. Furthermore, we clarify the distinction between the concepts of timing and synchrony of births, as well as the difference between long-term (i.e., evolutionary) and proximal influences on these population level traits. These distinctions are essential when interpreting the consequences of variation in the timing of parturition, particularly in the context of changing abiotic seasonality caused by climate change.
Is There a Family Firm Discount? An Investor Perspective on Heterogenous Family Firm Influences

Scholars have debated whether family firms result in greater agency conflicts, or in fact family firms reduce agency concerns. We would expect outside investors to incorporate the effect of increas...
Essential Fatty Acids in Human Nutrition

Half a century ago, George and Mildred Burr were beginning their studies on the effects of a fat-free diet upon rats (Burr and Burr 1929, 1930). Since that time, the story of essential fatty acids (EFA) has progressed to the point that it is now finding practical application in medical nutrition. It will be the purpose of this presentation to trace some of the steps along the way from the first publication in 1929 to the current intense interest in the essential fatty acid deficiency which now is a common occurrence in patients receiving intravenous alimentation. The subject has been reviewed in more detail several times and the reader who wishes more information should turn to those references (Holman, 1971a; Holman, 1971b; Mead, 1971; Burr, 1942; Alfin-Slater & Aftergood, 1976).
Road-testing the first turnpikes. The enduring value of Daniel Defoe’s account of English highways

A famous appendix, devoted mainly to the state of English roads, appeared in the second volume of Daniel Defoe’s Tour thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain (1724–26). Though cited on countless oc...
Time for a change: patterns of sex expression, health and mortality in a sex-changing tree

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The ability of individuals to change sex during their lifetime is known as environmental sex determination (ESD). This represents a unique life history trait, allowing plants to allocate resources differentially to male and female functions across lifetimes, potentially maximizing fitness in response to changing environmental or internal cues. In this study, Acer pensylvanicum, a species with an unconfirmed sex determination system, was investigated to see what patterns in sex expression existed across multiple years, if there were sex-based differences in growth and mortality, and whether this species conformed to theoretical predictions that females are larger and in better condition. METHODS Patterns of sex expression were documented over 4 years in a phenotypically subdioecious A. pensylvanicum population located in New Jersey, USA, and data on size, mortality, health and growth were collected. A machine-learning algorithm known as a boosted classification tree was used to develop a model to predict the sex of a tree based on its condition, size and previous sex. RESULTS In this study, 54 % of the trees switched sex expression during a 4-year period, with 26 % of those trees switching sex at least twice. Consistently monoecious trees could change relative sex expression by as much as 95 %. Both size and condition were influential in predicting sex, with condition exerting three times more relative influence than size on expressed sex. Contrary to theoretical predictions, the model showed that full female sex expression did not increase with size. Healthy trees were more likely to be male; predicted female sex expression increased with deteriorating health. Growth rate negatively correlated with multiple years of female sex expression. Populations maintained similar male-skewed sex ratios across years and locations and may result from differential mortality: 75 % of dead trees flowered female immediately before death. CONCLUSIONS This study shows conclusively that A. pensylvanicum exhibits ESD and that femaleness correlates with decreased health, in contrast to prevailing theory. The mortality findings advance our understanding of puzzling non-equilibrium sex ratios and life history trade-offs resulting from male and female sex expression.
Surface Sugars Get Cells in Shape.

Cell membranes can adopt a variety of shapes and curvatures, yet our understanding of the factors involved remains limited. In this issue of Cell, Shurer et al. (2019) demonstrate that the glycocalyx can regulate cell shape from the outside in.
The Gradient of Total Multiple Scattering Cross-Section and Its Application to Acoustic Cloaking

We derive a formula for the gradients of the total scattering cross-section (TSCS) with respect to positions of a set of cylindrical scatterers. The analytic form enhances modeling capability when ...
Chapter 22 – Exposure to Allergens During Development

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the influence of allergen exposure during development. Exposure to allergen can occur during fetal, neonatal, and juvenile years, which are critical times for immunological and structural development of the lung. Exposure of the fetus to allergens inhaled by the mother during pregnancy can result in its sensitization to those allergens. The interaction of environment and genetic background during in utero life of a human infant may determine the future allergic status of the child and adult. The exposures that occur in the first months of life are very likely crucial to phenotypic development of the child and subsequently the adult. Thus, exposures to allergens, such as pollens, may facilitate future development of allergic disease, especially in the atopy prone genotype. However, exposure to certain other antigens during this critical time of development can influence or modulate the immune response. Several infectious diseases are thought to have a role in either facilitating development of allergic sensitization to inhaled allergen during the neonatal period or subverting the allergic response.
Cache Management for Cloud RAN and Multi-Access Edge Computing with Dynamic Input

Caching is one of the most popular ways to efficiently reuse previously retrieved or computed data. It has been widely used in many physical as well as virtualized computing systems. Cloud Radio Access Networks (CRAN) and Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC) are two vital technologies proposed for 5G mobile networks. CRAN utilizes the cloud model on top of the traditional RAN, thus providing scalability and flexibility, and improved resource utilization. MEC brings cloud computing services closer to the users to provide high bandwidth, low latency, and real-time access and to improve the overall user experiences. A cache may be included in both CRAN and MEC architectures to speed up time-critical communications as well as to provide preferential services. Addressing the challenge of dynamic, often unbalanced traffic in 5G networks, new dynamic cache management algorithms supporting dynamic input are proposed for CRAN and MEC models. Zipf distribution is applied to determine the correlation between the input request distribution and cache placement. First, three new dynamic cache management algorithms, D-H-EXD-AHP (Dynamic Hierarchical Exponential Decay and Analytical Hierarchy Process), D-H-PBPS (Dynamic Hierarchical Probability Based Popularity Scoring), DRRM-PBPS (Dynamic Reverse Random Marking with PBPS), are proposed to improve the existing H-EXD-AHP, H-PBPS and RRM-PBPS respectively. Next, three dynamic versions of adaptive hierarchy-based cache management algorithms, D-AH (Dynamic - Adaptive Hierarchical), D-IAH (Dynamic – Improved AH) and D-GGAH (Dynamic - Good Guess AH), are transformed from their existing static algorithms, with the goal to improve guaranteed-QoS. Performance evaluation has been carried out using iFogSim. The proposed dynamic algorithms have achieved improved cache hit rate, cache access time, and reduced the time to reach minimum guaranteed QoS. This work contributes significantly in realizing the support of 5G for IoT by enhancing CRAN and MEC performance and would have wide applications in other real-time systems that require efficient dynamic cache management with guaranteed QoS.
3D laser absorption imaging of combustion gases assisted by deep learning

Mid-infrared laser absorption imaging of combustion species is expanded to three dimensions using a deep learning-based approach to the inversion problem. Initial CH4 and CO measurements are performed in laminar flames.
Mindfulness as a Strategy for Sustainable Competitive Advantage

Abstract This conceptual article explores how mindfulness can be successfully integrated in the strategy tool kit of organizations. The likely global reconstruction in the aftermath of COVID-19 can be effective if organizations reexamine their existing philosophies and business practices. Against this backdrop, mindfulness is a time-tested practice that has the potential to transcend all functions in a company’s value chain and to create a sustainable competitive advantage. This article uses a strategy lens to examine mindfulness in organizations, which has implications for researchers and practitioners. First, I discuss the theoretical frameworks of mindfulness, the performance improvements that individuals can expect from consistent practice, and how these improvements translate to organization-level performance. Next, I summarize the methods and tools for workplace application and the steps for implementing mindfulness strategies in organizations. Finally, I describe implementation challenges and offer assessment tools for mindfulness.
Spatial distribution of campaniform sensilla mechanosensors on wings: Form, function, and phylogeny.

Insect wings serve two crucial functions in flight: propulsion and sensing. During flapping flight, complex spatiotemporal patterns of strain on the wing reflect mechanics, kinematics, and external perturbations; sensing wing deformation provides feedback necessary for flight control. Campaniform sensilla distributed across the wing transduce local strain fluctuations into neural signals, so their placement on the wing determines sensory information available to the insect. Thus, understanding the significance of these sensor locations will also reveal how sensing and wing movement are coupled. Here, we identify trends in wing campaniform sensilla placement across flying insects from the literature. We then discuss how these patterns can influence sensory encoding by wing mechanosensors. Finally, we propose combining a comparative approach on model insect clades with computational modeling, leveraging the spectacular natural diversity in wings to uncover biological principles of mechanosensory feedback in flight control.
Antifungal immunity and adjuvant cytokine immune enhancement in cancer patients with invasive fungal infections

Invasive fungal infections are common in severely immunosuppressed patients with cancer and in recipients of haematopoietic transplants. Response to antifungal therapy alone is often inadequate. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are critical for promoting innate and adaptive cellular antifungal immune responses. Recombinant cytokines, including granulocyte-macrophage-colony stimulating factor and interferon-gamma, have been studied as adjuvant therapies for severely immunosuppressed cancer patients with difficult-to-treat invasive mycoses. The limited clinical experience to date shows a possible benefit of these cytokines, and further controlled clinical trials are needed to validate their routine use in cancer patients and stem-cell transplant recipients with invasive fungal infections who are likely to have a poor response to antifungal drug therapy.
Introducing performative pragmatics

This user-friendly introduction to a new ‘performative’ methodology in linguistic pragmatics breaks away from the traditional approach which understands language as a machine. Drawing on a wide spectrum of research and theory from the past thirty years in particular, Douglas Robinson presents a combination of ‘action-oriented approaches’ from sources such as J.L. Austin, H. Paul Grice, Harold Garfinkel and Erving Goffman. Paying particular attention to language as drama, the group regulation of language use, individual resistance to these regulatory pressures and nonverbal communication, the work also explains groundbreaking concepts and analytical models. With a key points section, discussion questions and exercises in every chapter, this book will be an invaluable resource to students and teachers on a variety of courses, including linguistic pragmatics, sociolinguistics and interpersonal communication.
Frontiers: An Active Introduction to English Grammar

This grammar-based text is designed for ESL/EFL students in college/adult programs and for those at the upper-secondary level.-- Contextualized grammar activities for individuals, pairs, and groups-- Practice with pronunciation, dictation, cloze exercises, and TOEFL "RM" -like review quizzes
A sub-100 /spl mu/W 1.9-GHz CMOS oscillator using FBAR resonator

The paper presents an ultra-low power CMOS oscillator using film bulk acoustic resonator (FBAR). The 1.9-GHz oscillator consumes 89 /spl mu/W from a low supply voltage of 430 mV and achieves an excellent phase-noise performance of -98 dBc/Hz, -120 dBc/Hz and -138 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz, 100 kHz and 1 MHz offset, respectively. The oscillator is implemented in a standard 130 nm CMOS process and packaged using chip-on-board techniques. Compared with other state-of-the-art oscillators, this oscillator has the best figure-of-merit (Ham, D. et al., IEEE J. Solid State Circuits, vol.36, no.6, p.896-909, 2001). To the authors' knowledge, this is the first sub-100 /spl mu/W GHz-range oscillator reported.
Xanthomonas sinensis Cell Wall Lipopolysaccharide I. ISOLATION OF 4,7-ANHYDRO- AND 4,8-ANHYDRO-3-DEOXY-OCTULOSONIC ACID FOLLOWING ACID HYDROLYSIS OF XANTHOMONAS SINENSIS LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE

Abstract Mild acid hydrolysis of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide from Xanthomonas sinensis yielded a disaccharide composed of mannose phosphate glycosidically linked to a keto-deoxy acid. Treatment of the disaccharide with alkaline phosphatase followed by α-mannosidase liberated an acid component which migrated electrophoretically with authentic 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid (KDO), but differed chromatographically from known KDO. Molecular weight determination by mass spectrometry of the persilylated derivative of the borohydride-reduced acid yielded a value equal to that calculated for the lactone of authentic reduced KDO. Periodate oxidation followed by borohydride reduction of the Xanthomonas acid yielded two electrophoretically separable compounds. Molecular weight determinations by high resolution mass spectrometry indicated that one of these compounds had gained 2 atomic mass units, while the other had lost 100 atomic mass units from the starting material. Treatment of authentic KDO with 2% acetic acid for 90 min at 100° followed by borohydride reduction resulted in the conversion of most of the KDO into compounds identical with the reduced acids isolated from the Xanthomonas lipopolysaccharide. The results presented are consistent with the conclusion that the lipopolysaccharide occurring in the cell wall of Xanthomonas sinensis contains a single molecule of 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid per molecule of lipopolysaccharide, and that mild acid hydrolysis of either the Xanthomonas lipopolysaccharide or of authentic KDO results in the formation of 4,7-anhydro- and 4,8-anhydro-3-deoxy-octulosonic acid.
Arachidonic acid metabolism and the adhesion of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes to cultured vascular endothelial cells

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) adhere to the vascular endothelial lining in vivo and to the surfaces of cultured endothelial cells in vitro, but the mechanisms of these cellular interactions remain unclear. Arachidonic acid metabolites, both cyclooxygenase- and lipoxygenase-derived, have been shown to influence PMN locomotion, secretion, and adhesion to artificial surfaces. To determine whether such mediators also are involved in regulating PMN-endothelial cell interactions, we have examined the effects of prostacyclin and various inhibitors of arachidonic acid metabolism on the adherence of radiolabeled PMN to cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. Confluent endothelial monolayers were incubated with washed suspensions of radiolabeled human PMN (which contained less than 1% platelet contamination) at 37 degrees C for 30 min, then subjected to a standardized wash procedure and the number of adherent leukocytes determined radiometrically. Under basal conditions, i.e., in the absence of exogenous activating stimuli, 4,163 +/- 545 PMN adhered per square millimeter of endothelial surface (mean +/- SEM, n = 12). This basal adhesion (which corresponds to approximately 4–5 leukocytes per endothelial cell) was unaffected when the leukocytes and endothelial monolayers were pretreated with cyclooxygenase inhibitors (100 microM aspirin or 1–5 microM indomethacin) or PGI2 (10(-9)-10(6) M). Thus, basal PMN-endothelial adhesion in this in vitro model system does not appear to be dependent on endogenous cyclooxygenase derivatives of arachidonate or to be sensitive to inhibition by exogenous prostacyclin. In contrast, leukocyte adhesion was significantly reduced by pretreatment with 5,8,11,14- or 4,7,10,13-eicosatetraynoic acid, 0.5- 5 mM sodium salicylate, or 10–1,000 microM indomethacin, antiinflammatory agents that can interfere with the metabolism of arachidonic acid via non-cyclooxygenase-dependent mechanisms. These observations may be relevant to the interactions of circulating PMN with vascular endothelium under both physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions in vivo.
Salinity history of the Earth's early ocean

It is commonly thought that the oceans are becoming saltier with time as sodium and chlorine are weathered out of continental rocks and transported to the sea. Here we argue that the salinity of the early ocean was 1.5 to 2 times the modern value, and that it did not decline significantly until surprisingly late in the Earth's history. If correct, this theory could help explain why the evolution of higher life took so long.
Abstract PR02: Identification of ERK1/2 mutations that confer resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors

Recent treatment advances in metastatic BRAF mutant melanoma using targeted therapy have increased progression free survival by many months. However, resistance to these targeted agents is a common occurrence, with relapse occurring in almost every case. Many of the alterations that confer clinical resistance to RAF and MEK inhibitors in BRAF mutant melanoma reactivate the MAPK pathway, but remain sensitive to ERK inhibition in vitro. Prospectively determining mechanisms of resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors, such as an ERK inhibitor, before clinical trials begin may inform which patients will respond to therapy, potential markers of resistance, or best therapy combinations. Previous studies have shown that in vitro random mutagenesis screens can select specific alleles seen in resistant patient populations. Since ERK inhibitors are entering clinical trials, we wanted to determine mutations in ERK1 and ERK2 that could confer resistance to ERK or RAF/MEK inhibition. Therefore, we expressed dox-inducible ERK1 or ERK2 mutant libraries in A375 cells, which were then treated with MAPK inhibitor(s) and doxycycline until resistant cells emerged. Exogenous ERK1 or ERK2 was analyzed in resistant cells by massively parallel DNA sequencing. We validated 15 alleles that conferred resistance to the ERK inhibitor, VX-11e, and 11 alleles that conferred resistance to RAF, MEK, or RAF+MEK inhibition (dabrafenib and trametinib). Some resistance alleles were analogous between ERK1 and ERK2, while others were specific to ERK1 or ERK2. ERK inhibitor resistant alleles were localized to areas surrounding the ATP/drug binding site, including the glycine-rich loop, c-helix, and activation loop. These alleles were also cross-resistant to another ERK inhibitor, SCH-772984, albeit some only at lower concentrations. The RAF/MEK inhibitor resistant residues were located in the c-helix, activation loop, and common docking domain. Only a single ERK1 allele was found to confer resistance to RAF + MEK and ERK inhibition, suggesting that resistance mutations in ERK might be suppressed if RAF, MEK, and ERK inhibitors are given in combination. In addition, an ERK mutation arising in a patient treated with an ERK inhibitor would still be sensitive to RAF/MEK inhibition and vice versa. Screening for these alleles before administering therapy or after relapse may help inform patient treatment. Citation Format: Eva M. Goetz, Mahmoud Ghandi, Daniel Treacy, Nikhil Wagle, Levi A. Garraway. Identification of ERK1/2 mutations that confer resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Drug Sensitivity and Resistance: Improving Cancer Therapy; Jun 18-21, 2014; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(4 Suppl): Abstract nr PR02.
Comparison of the structures of the quinone-binding sites in beef heart mitochondria

The ubiquinone pool in mitochondrial membranes serves as an electron carrier between both NADH-coenzyme Q oxidoreductase (Complex I) and succinate-coenzyme Q oxidoreductase (Complex II) and ubiquinol-cytochrome-c oxidoreductase (Complex III). It has been reported (Saitoh, I., Miyoshi, H., Shimizu, R., and Iwamura, H. (1992) Eur. J. Biochem. 209, 73-79) that 2-alkyl-4,6-dinitrophenols compete with exogenous coenzyme Q (Q) to inhibit electron transport through cytochromes b and c1 in mammalian mitochondria as well as in photosystem II. We have probed the similarities and differences in the reaction sites of exogenous Q in all three segments of the respiratory chain using selected 2-alkyl-4,6-dinitrophenols. The inhibition of Q analog reduction by the dinitrophenol derivatives was competitive for Complex I and noncompetitive for Complex II. The inhibition of Complex III was competitive with the pentyl analog, but was uncompetitive with the decyl analog, which may be due to different interactions of the two quinol analogs with Complex III. The degree of inhibition by several of these compounds was comparable for Complexes I and III, but Complex II was inhibited to a much smaller extent. The inhibitory potency of these compounds for Complexes I and III was increased by branching and by lengthening the carbon chain at the 2-position equivalent to the isoprenoid side chain of ubiquinone. Hydrophobic substituents increased the inhibition of Complex II. Replacement of the phenolic OH group by a chlorine atom decreased the maximum inhibition of Complex III, but increased that of Complex I. These data suggest that the structures of the exogenous Q-binding sites in Complexes I and III may be similar, but not identical, and that they are different from that in Complex II.
Major equipment life cycle cost analysis

Equipment life-cycle cost analysis (LCCA) is typically used as one component of the equipment fleet management process and allows the fleet manager to make equipment repair, replacement, and retention decisions on the basis of a given piece of equipment’s economic life. The objective of this research is to develop a robust method that permits equipment fleet managers to maximize the cost effectiveness of the fleet by optimizing the overall lifecycle value of each piece in the fleet. Minneapolis Public Works Fleet Services Division (MPWFSD) equipment fleet data was utilized in developing the proposed stochastic LCCA model for public agency’s fleet. The research compared output using actual data from current software to the output from the new stochastic LCCA method using equipment deterioration curves and probabilistic input variables for capital costs, fuel, and other operating costs to demonstrate enhanced ability to optimize fleet management decisions. The interest rate was found to have a greater impact on economic life output than fuel prices for a dump truck. The fuel volatility did impact the life-cycle costs when applying the stochastic confidence levels. Based on Monte Carlo simulation sensitivity analysis results, the time factor and engine factor were found to be the most sensitive input variables to the LCCA model. This leads to the conclusion that when deciding to replace a piece of equipment, engine efficiency should be a high priority due to the costs associated with the time factor, engine factor, and its subsequent annual usage.
Taking the "U" out of Kuznets: a comprehensive analysis of the EKC and environmental degradation.

Unlike most Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) studies which focus on narrow measures of pollution as proxies for environmental quality, we test the validity of the EKC using the Ecological Footprint (EF), a more comprehensive measure of environmental degradation. We find no empirical evidence of an EKC relationship between the EF and economic development, and only limited support for such a relationship among the components of the EF. In addition, we discover that energy is largely responsible for the lack of an EKC relationship, and that energy consumption levels would have to be cut by over 50% in order for a statistically significant EKC relationship to emerge from the data. Overall, these results suggest that growth alone will not lead to sustainable development.
Estimation of nitric oxide production and reactionrates in tissue by use of a mathematical model

Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the vascular endothelium is an important biologic messenger that regulates vessel tone and permeability and inhibits platelet adhesion and aggregation. NO exerts its c...
A Quantum Conception of Man

Science has enlarged tremendously the potential of human life. By augmenting our powers it has lightened the weight of tedious burdens, and opened the way to a full flowering of man’s creative capacities. Yet, ironically, it is the shallowness of a conception of man put forth in the name of science that is the cause today of the growing economic, ecological, and moral problems that block that full flowering.
Narratives of dynamic lands: science education, indigenous knowledge and possible futures

We aim to share some of our work currently focused on understanding and unearthing the multiplicities of ways the denial of culture in relation to science and knowledge construction is embedded in issues of climate change and climate change education. The issues become more troubling when we consider how effects of climate change are manifesting locally in ways that force shifts in Indigenous ways of living while simultaneously nation-states seem to think that continued or increased control of Indigenous practice is warranted. For us, taking the implications of such approaches seriously requires significant consideration of how climate education impacts Indigenous learners and whether learning western climate science is indeed part of making real change important. In our work we have focused on the ways in which settler-colonialism and the resultant racialized hierarchies permeate science education and contribute to an expectation of human entitlement to land and a notion of land permanence.
An altitudinal cline in UV floral pattern corresponds with a behavioral change of a generalist pollinator assemblage

Spatial variation in pollinator communities or behaviors can underlie floral diversification. Floral traits in the UV spectrum are common and mediate plant-pollinator interactions, but the role of pollinators in driving or maintaining their geographic variation has not been fully explored. We identify an altitudinal cline of increasing relative size of the UV bullseye pattern in Argentina anserina (Rosaceae) flowers, and assess whether pollination context contributes to clinal variation. At four sites that varied in altitude, we document the pollinator assemblage, and pollinator preference and visitation behavior. We then determine how pollinator visits affected pollen receipt and export. Finally, we describe how the functional relationship between UV floral phenotype and pollen receipt changed with altitude. Floral UV bullseye size increased with altitude, which corresponded with a change from a hymenopteran- to a dipteran-dominated pollinator assemblage. While dipteran and hymenopteran preferences for bullseye size were similar, flowers with large bullseyes received more foraging visits than those with small bullseyes at higher altitude. The reverse was observed at the lower altitudes; pollinators approached large-bullseye flowers often but rarely foraged. These differences are expected to affect fitness because foraging visits increased pollen export and receipt. Indeed, when natural variation in bullseye size was considered, it had a stronger effect on pollen receipt than other traits (flower size, display, or color). Plants with larger bullseyes tended to receive more pollen at the highest-altitude site, while those with smaller ones received more pollen at the lowest-altitude site. Results suggest that altitudinal changes in preference and behavior of the overall pollinator assemblage, but not differential preferences of pollinator taxonomic groups, could contribute to clinal variation in a UV floral trait for a generalist-pollinated plant.
A usability evaluation of AlgoSketch: a pen-based application for mathematics

AlgoSketch is a pen-based system for entering and editing mathematics. It supports interactive computation and early-stage mathematical algorithm design. In its paper-like environment, mathematical expressions can be entered anywhere on the page. Recognition and computational feedback are given in real time. We present results of a formative user evaluation of AlgoSketch, examining its applicability as a new interaction paradigm and users' overall experience with its mathematical entry, feedback, and computational support. Using a goal, question metric (GQM) framework, we evaluated AlgoSketch using efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction metrics. Logging data was supported by a post-questionnaire and anecdotal data. Results indicate acceptance of the AlgoSketch paradigm; strong potential for workplace utility, and a need for better mathematical expression recognition.
Convergence of observables on quantum logics

We define two types of convergence for observables on a quantum logic which we call M-weak and uniform M-weak convergence. These convergence modes correspond to weak convergence of probability measures. They are motivated by the idea that two (in general unbounded) observables are “close” if bounded functions of them are “close.” We show that M-weak and uniform M-weak convergence generalize strong resolvent and norm resolvent convergence for self-adjoint operators on a Hilbert space. Also, these types of convergence strengthen the weak operator convergence and operator norm convergence of bounded self-adjoint operators on a Hilbert space. Finally, we consider spectral perturbation by showing that the spectra of approximating observables approach the spectrum of the limit in a certain sense.
Forest edges and landscape history shape interactions between plants, seed-dispersing ants and seed predators

Abstract Ant-dispersed plants are often conspicuously rare in young forests and near forest edges. We monitored the distributions of five ant-dispersed plant taxa, the seed-collecting ant community, and variation in seed predation pressure by rodents in a 350-acre mesic forest in northern New York, USA to assess the incidence and effect of plant–animal interactions within the context of landscape history and proximity to forest edges. Sample plots were located in young and older forest stands (distinguished based on an 1880 map for forest cover) at varying distances from the forest edge. All five plant taxa were rarer in plots near forest edges, although diversity was more strongly influenced by landscape history. A sixth herbaceous species, one dispersed by vertebrates, was not influenced by forest edge proximity. The most effective seed-collecting ant, Aphaenogaster rudis , was less common in forest edge plots relative to interior plots, and predation pressure by small mammals was almost twice as great in plots near forest edges. Exclusion experiments demonstrated that ants (mutualists) and rodents (seed predators) compete for access to seeds, that ants can provide seeds some protection from mammal predation in most plots, and that the density of ant-dispersed plants is correlated with the proportion of rodent-accessible seeds that are collected by Aphaenogaster . Greater predation pressure and a paucity of ant mutualists may contribute to the rarity of ant-dispersed plants in edge habitats relative to forest interiors.
Robust prostate-specific expression for targeted gene therapy based on the human kallikrein 2 promoter

Tissue-specific transcriptional regulatory elements can increase the safety of gene therapy vectors. Unlike prostate-specific antigen (PSA/hK3), whose expression displays an inverse correlation with prostate cancer grade and stage, human glandular kallikrein 2 (hK2) is upregulated in higher grade and stage disease. Therefore, our goal was to develop a strong and prostate-specific hK2-based promoter for targeted gene therapy. We identified the minimum "full-strength" hK2 enhancer and built transcriptional regulatory elements composed of multiple tandem copies of this 1.2-kb enhancer, fused to the hK2 minimal promoter. Relative to the weak induction of the minimal hK2 promoter by androgen analog (R1881) in androgen receptor (AR)-positive LNCaP cells, transcriptional activity was increased by 25-, 44-, 81-, and 114-fold when one to four enhancers were spliced to the hK2 promoter, respectively. In contrast, the enhancer/promoter elements were inactive in the AR(-) prostate cancer line PC-3 and in a panel of nonprostate lines, including 293, U87, MCF-7, HuH-7, and HeLa cells. Furthermore, we generated a recombinant adenovirus, ADV.hK2-E3/P-EGFP, expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) under the control of the hK2 triplicate enhancer/promoter, and compared its properties with ADV.CMV-EGFP expressing EGFP under the control of the cytomegalovirus (CMV) enhancer/promoter. Unlike the CMV promoter, the hK2-E3/P promoter was at least 100-fold inducible by R1881 in the adenoviral backbone. Compared with in situ injection of subcutaneous LNCaP tumors with ADV.CMV-EGFP, which led to detectable EGFP expression in tumor, liver, and brain tissue, ADV.hK2-E3/P-EGFP injection led to robust but tumor-restricted EGFP expression. These results suggest that the hk2 multienhancer/promoter should be a powerful novel reagent for safer targeted gene therapy of prostate cancer.
Differential secretion of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma by human peripheral blood-derived NK subsets and association with functional maturation.

Natural killer cells can be separated into three major subsets (free, binder, and killer) based on their ability to bind and kill sensitive target cells. The nonbinder, nonkiller free cells are the most immature and can be activated to become binders and killers. Natural killer (NK) cells synthesize and secrete several cytokines that are intimately involved in NK activation. This study investigated the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) by purified NK cells and NK subsets following activation by various stimuli. K562 target cells stimulated secretion of both TNF-α and IFN-γ by both the binder and the killer subsets but not by the free subset. IFN-α activated the secretion of IFN-γ only, whereas IL-2 activated the secretion of both TNF-α and IFN-γ by the binder and killer subsets and secretion was augmented by the addition of K562 to the cultures. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) and ionophore stimulated TNF-α and IFN-γ secretion in both the binder and the killer subsets, though IFN-γ secretion was more pronounced in the binder subset. Activation of TNF-α and IFN-γ secretion was dependent on de novo protein synthesis. Analysis at the single-cell level demonstrated that the binder subset had the highest frequency of cells secreting IFN-γ. These results demonstrate that both the binder and the killer subsets can be activated to secrete TNF-α and IFN-γ, whereas the free NK subset secretes little or no TNF-α and IFN-γ following activation. These data suggest that the ability of NK cells to secrete TNF-α and IFN-γ following activation correlates with the functional stage of maturation of NK cells.
Wavelet compression with set partitioning for low bandwidth telemetry from AUVs

Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) typically communicate with scientists on the surface over an unreliable wireless channel. The challenges of underwater acoustic communication result in very low data throughput. While there are several examples of scientific data, even imagery, being successfully transmitted over high rate acoustic links, channel coding methods with high rates of error-correction are often employed that limit data throughput to tens or a few hundred bits per second. Little research exists into appropriate methods for image and data compression for acoustic links at these very low rates.We recently have experienced great success using compression techniques based upon the Set Partitioning in Hierarchical Trees (SPIHT) embedded coding method, and feel they are particularly suited to underwater data in a number of ways. In particular, SPIHT provides a fully embedded coding method; truncating the encoded bitstream at any point produces the optimal encoding for that data length. This allows fine-resolution imagery to build on previously transmitted low-resolution thumbnails. For time-series data, we have developed a method for quantizing data to emphasize more important sections, such as the most recently collected data.In this paper we describe how these methods can be applied to compress scalar environmental data and imagery for communication over acoustic links. We also the present initial results of sea trials performed near Rota in the Commonwealth of Northern Marianas Islands, during which images were captured, compressed and transmitted in-situ.
Information Processing of Trauma Case Application of a Model

Using a conceptual framework drawn from the cognitive sciences of information theory and cybernetics, theories of stress response syndromes, and psychodynamic formulations, a trauma learning model describes how the child victim thinks and processes information about sexual abuse. Critical to the trauma experience is the encapsulation process, in which a defensive silence insulates the ongoing abuse, holds the event in present (rather than past) memory, depletes the child's psychic energy, and interrupts the child's academic, social, and personal development. A case involving a 3-year-old girl victim and a 5-year-old boy aggressor illustrates evaluation principles that address the three information-storage domains: sensations, perceptions, and cognitions.
Do Elementary School-based Child Abuse Prevention Programs Work? A High School Follow-Up.

Despite the widespread use of school-based abuse prevention programs, few studies support their effectiveness in helping children avoid victimization. Most studies that evaluate prevention programs measure changes in children's knowledge and not subsequent behavior. Further, the link between knowledge, behavior, and the ability to avoid or reduce victimization has not been established. In this study the impact of a school-based prevention program was assessed by surveying students at a high school in southern California where students from feeder elementary and junior high schools were known to have had abuse prevention programs available to them. Data were collected anonymously on 137 high school students during their Health class. A quasi-experimental design was utilized, comparing the 72 students who had attended one or more school-based abuse prevention program with the 65 who stated they had not participated in a prevention program. Demographic similarities between the two groups were established. Students who attended prevention programs were more knowledgeable about abuse concepts and reported fewer incidents of abuse. However, the effectiveness of students' responses to abuse, even when they were using strategies taught by the prevention programs, was variable. Questions about the effectiveness of these strategies with familial and nonfamilial abuse are discussed. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Synthesis of a benzothiazole nanoporous polymer for selective CO2 adsorption

A new benzothiazole linked nanoporous polymer, imine benzothiazole polymer (IBTP), was synthesized via a Schiff base condensation reaction. IBTP showed high isosteric heat of adsorption (Qst) (37.8 kJ mol−1 at 273 K) and reasonable CO2 adsorption (7.8 wt% at 273 K/1 bar) as well as good selectivities, CO2/N2 (51) and CO2/CH4 (6.3). The Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET) surface area of IBTP was 328 m2 g−1 and it also showed good thermal stability up to 450 °C under a N2 atmosphere, thus showing good potential for CO2 capture.
Prognostication of system-state in lead-free electronics equipment under cyclic and steady-state thermo-mechanical loads

In this paper, a mathematical approach for interrogation of system state under cyclic thermomechanical stresses has been developed for three-different leadfree solder alloy systems. Data has been collected for leading indicators of failure for alloy systems including, Sn1Ag0.5Cu, Sn3Ag0.5Cu, Sn4Ag0.5Cu second-level interconnects under the application of cyclic thermo-mechanical loads. Methodology presented resides in the pre-failure space of the system in which no macro-indicators such as cracks or delamination exist. Systems subjected to thermomechanical damage have been interrogated for system state and the computed damage state correlated with known imposed damage. The approach involves the use of condition monitoring devices which can be interrogated for damage proxies at finite time-intervals. Interrogation techniques are based on non-linear least-squares methods. Various techniques including the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm have been investigated. The system's residual life is computed based on residual-life computation algorithms. Detection of system-state significantly prior to catastrophic failure can significantly impact the reliability and availability of electronic systems. Requirements for system availability for ultrahigh reliability electronic systems are driving the need for advanced heath monitoring techniques for early detection of onset of damage. Traditional health monitoring methodologies have relied on reactive methods of failure detection often providing little on no insight into the remaining useful life of the system.
The effects of latency on player performance in cloud-based games

Cloud-based games are an increasingly popular method to distribute and play computer games on the Internet. While there has been some work studying network aspects of cloud-based games and examining the effects of latency on traditional games, there has not been sufficient research on the impact of latency on cloud-based games nor a comparison of the impact of latency on cloud-based games versus traditional games. This paper presents the results of two user studies that measure the objective and subjective effects of latency on cloud-based games, one study using the commercial cloud game system OnLive and the other study using the academic cloud game system GamingAnywhere. Analysis of the results shows both quality of experience and user performance degrade linearly with an increase in latency. More significantly, latency affects cloud-based games in a manner most similar to that of traditional first-person avatar games, the most sensitive class of games, despite the fact that the cloud-based games may have a different user perspective. These results have implications for cloud-based game designers and cloud system developers.