cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A possible genetic association between PROP-tasting and alcoholism

Fifty-five young adult subjects and their parents were classified as alcoholic or nonalcoholic based on a standardized questionnaire (the MAST) filled out by the subjects. Subjects' thresholds for detection of 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP; a PTC-like compound) were determined with the experimenter blind to MAST responses. There was a significantly higher proportion of nontasters of PROP among children of alcoholics than among children of nonalcoholics. There was no relationship between the child's alcoholism status and ability to taste PROP. These results are inconsistent with the view that excessive use of alcohol causes the association between nontasting and alcoholism and are consistent with the view that there is a genetic association between PROP/PTC-tasting and alcoholism.
How the civil rights movement revitalized labor militancy

Can newly ascendant social movements revitalize the militant culture of older, institutionalized movements? Recent studies have focused on relations between new ascendant social movements like the civil rights, women's, and peace movements that emerged during the postwar cycle of protest, and therefore have been unable to address this question. Focusing on revitalization as a qualitatively different form of intermovement relation, the authors examine the possibility that civil rights movement insurgencies and organizations revitalized workplace labor militancy during the postwar decades. Time-series models show that the civil rights movement fueled an expanded militant worker culture that challenged management and sometimes union leadership. However, this revitalization of labor militancy was contingent on institutional context (stronger in the public sector than the private sector) and form of insurgent action (protests, riots, organizations) differentially embedded in historical phases (civil rights versus Black Power) of movement development. Theoretical implications for the study of social movements, industrial relations, and class conflict are discussed
Lipases: three-dimensional structure and mechanism of action

Abstract The high-resolution X-ray structures of three lipases show that they are all α/β proteins containing a central core comprising: a mixed, although predominantly parallel, β-pleated sheet; a catalytic triad of serine, histidine and an acidic residue (aspartate or glutamate) with a handedness opposite that of the serine proteases; and, a flexible loop or ‘lid’ that prevents substrate access to the active site.
A first course in program verification and the semantics of programming languages

We describe a first course in program verification and the semantics of programming languages developed for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The course is intended to support other courses in the curriculum that stress a disciplined approach to programming as well as to prepare students for more advanced courses in semantics and other areas such as software engineering and compiler technology. In order of emphasis, the course covers axiomatic, operational, translational, and denotational semantics. We discuss the development of the course, course prerequisites, the rationale for the selection of the topics covered, and the appropriateness of the course in the curriculum.
A reconfigurable computing architecture for semantic information filtering

The increasing amount of information accessible to a user digitally makes information retrieval & filtering difficult, time consuming and ineffective. New meaning representation techniques proposed in literature help to improve accuracy but increase problem size exponentially. In this paper, we present a novel reconfigurable computing architecture that addresses this issue, outperforms contemporary many-core processors such as Intel's Single Chip Cloud computer and Nvidia's GPU's by ~20x for semantic information filtering. We validate our design using industry standard System-on-chip virtual prototyping and synthesis tools. Such a high performance reconfigurable architecture can form a template for a wide range of content-based and collaborative filtering engines used for big-data analytics.
Knudsen vapor pressure measurements on pure materials and solutions dispersed in porous media: molded nitroglycerin tablets.

The gravimetric Knudsen method for vapor pressure measurement may be subject to serious systematic errors when the sample: (a) consists of the volatile component dispersed in an inert porous matrix and/or (b) contains a dissolved polymeric solute. Vaporization of water present as an impurity in the matrix may result in an appreciable “background” mass loss, and “nonequilibrium effects” may be present; i.e., the vapor of interest may be unable to escape from the sample rapidly enough to maintain the equilibrium vapor pressure in the Knudsen cell. Methods for eliminating the interference due to background effects are described, and a theoretical analysis of nonequilibrium effects is presented. The essential validity of the theories for nonequilibrium effects and the effectiveness of the methods for circumventing background effects were verified by experimental studies with molded nitroglycerin tablets. With nitroglycerin tablets, accurate Knudsen vapor pressure data may be obtained using the modified procedures and data analysis presented in this report.
Insertion loss concepts

The term "insertion loss" has become such a popular one and is applied to so many different concepts that it is becoming unsuitable for precise use. Certain other concepts connected with insertion loss such as attenuation and mismatch loss, are in need of clarification. A logical set of definitions and equations are presented as a suggested approach to more precise terminology. The effect of complex characteristic impedance on these equations is given in an Appendix. Specific suggestions are given for changes in the usage of terms, which if acceptable and adopted would improve the situation.
Assessment of interactions between components of fungicide mixtures against Monilinia fructicola

Abstract Mixtures of fungicides with different modes of action can exhibit synergism, i.e. an inhibition of pathogen growth above that expected from independent action of the mixture components. Two-way mixtures of commercial formulations of propiconazole with either benomyl, captan, chlorothalonil, cyprodinil or vinclozolin were evaluated in vitro for potential synergism in inhibiting Monilinia fructicola , the causal agent of blossom blight and brown rot of stone fruits. Propiconazole was emphasized because of its widespread use and the recent detection of isolates of M. fructicola with reduced sensitivity to this fungicide. Experiments included each active ingredient at low, medium and high concentrations in all possible pairwise combinations. Inhibition of radial growth of two isolates of M. fructicola was not significantly different ( P >0.01) from that predicted by a simple model of independent action for any of the fungicide–concentration combinations, indicating absence of synergism between active ingredients. Results were similar when mixtures of propiconazole with either benomyl, chlorothalonil or cyprodinil were evaluated on peach fruit treated with fungicide. While fungicide mixtures are useful in delaying the development of fungicide resistance, they are unlikely to be used in practice unless synergistic interactions allow for applications at reduced concentrations. The absence of synergism suggests little incentive exists for favoring propiconazole-based fungicide mixtures over a rotating schedule of fungicides for control of and resistance management in M. fructicola .
Virtual Environments with Four or More Spatial Dimensions

We describe methods for displaying complex, texturemapped environments with four or more spatial dimensions that allow for real-time interaction. At any one moment in time, a three-dimensional cross section of the high-dimensional environment is rendered using techniques that have been implemented in OpenGL. The position and orientation of the user within the environment determine the 3-D cross section. A variety of interfaces can be used to control position and orientation in 4-D, including a mouse “freelook” interface for use with a computer monitor display, and an interface that uses a head-tracking system with three degrees of freedom and PINCH gloves in combination with a head-mounted display. The methods avoid the use of projections that require depth buffering in greater than three dimensions and can be used in conjunction with either 2-D or 3-D texture mapping. A computer graphic engine that displays 4-D virtual environments interactively uses these methods, as does a level editor and modeling program that can be used to create 4-D environments.
Efficient interfacing of fluid and structure for aeroelastic instability predictions

An efficient procedure for multidisciplinary computation of fluid and structure interaction problems of aerospace vehicles is presented. It features the use of Meshless Methods, Finite Elements, Rayleigh–Ritz, and Kernel Functions enabling the aeroelastic requirements to be included in design without demanding prohibitive computational efforts. Improvements made are in terms of choosing meshless fluid–structure interface for displacement and aerodynamic load transfer, including nine modes in Rayleigh–Ritz, introducing Gradient Adaptive Transfinite Element in Finite Element model, and taking into account deformations of structure in aerodynamic load calculations. Numerical results are presented for flutter and divergence type aeroelastic responses of lifting surfaces constructed of advanced composites and supper alloys at subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flight velocities. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DNA repair genotype interacts with arsenic exposure to increase bladder cancer risk.

Abstract Drinking water arsenic exposure has been associated with increased bladder cancer susceptibility. Epidemiologic and experimental data suggest a co-carcinogenic effect of arsenic with exposure to DNA damaging agents, such as cigarette smoke. Recent evidence further supports the hypothesis that genetic variation in DNA repair genes can modify the arsenic–cancer relationship, possibly because arsenic impairs DNA repair capacity. We tested this hypothesis in a population-based study of bladder cancer with XRCC3, ERCC2 genotype/haplotype and arsenic exposure data on 549 controls and 342 cases. Individual exposure to arsenic was determined in toenail samples by neutron activation. Gene–environment interaction with arsenic exposure was observed in relation to bladder cancer risk for a variant allele of the double-strand break repair gene XRCC3 T241M (adjusted OR 2.8 (1.1–7.3)) comparing to homozygous wild type among those in the top arsenic exposure decile (interaction p-value 0.01). Haplotype analysis confirmed the association of the XRCC3 241. Thus, double-strand break repair genotype may enhance arsenic associated bladder cancer susceptibility in the U.S. population.
Production, characterization and evaluation of virulence of an adhesion defective mutant of Flavobacterium columnare produced by β-lactam selection

Aims: The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate mutants of Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease in fish. Methods and Results: Serial passage on ampicillin (β-lactam) enriched modified Hsu-Shotts medium resulted in a F. columnare mutant that differed from the parent strain in colony morphology, whole cell proteins, adhesion and virulence. The mutant differed from its parent in virulence during immersion challenge, but not during injection challenge or generation of antibodies. Conclusion: Flavobacterium columnare exposure to ampicillin produces both resistance to that antibiotic and produces mutants that lack or have reduced adhesion characteristics and modified ability to adhere to fish tissue. Significance and Impact of the Study: This is the first description of an adhesion-defective mutant of F. columnare and the effects of altered adhesion on columnaris disease. This mutant has considerable potential as a tool to study the role of adhesion in columnaris disease.
Research Note: Effect of Soybeans Varying in Trypsin Inhibitor Content on Performance of Laying Hens

A 6-wk experiment was conducted with commercial laying hens (35 wk of age) to study the effects of feeding raw, conventional, full-fat soybeans (CSB) and raw, Kunitz trypsin inhibitor-free, full-fat soybeans (KFSB) on layer performance. Dietary treatments consisted of corn and soybean meal diets formulated to contain 16% total protein with 100, 72, or 48% of the soybean protein from CSB or KFSB. The remainder of the dietary soybean protein was provided as dehulled soybean meal (DSBM). Egg production, egg weight, egg yield (grams of egg per hen per day) and feed efficiency increased as the level of CSB and KFSB decreased. In general, diets containing KFSB resulted in better performance than those containing CSB. The diet containing 48% of the soybean protein from KFSB yielded performance that was not different (P greater than .05) than that obtained from a corn-DSBM diet. Performance from all other diets was inferior to that from the corn-DSBM diet. Pancreas weight (as a percentage of body weight) was greater for hens fed CSB compared with those fed KFSB, and both were greater than pancreas weight of hens fed the corn-DSBM diet. The dietary treatments had no consistent effect on egg specific gravity or Haugh units.
The Prevalence of Burnout and Depression and Their Association with Adherence to Safety and Practice Standards: A Survey of United States Anesthesiology Trainees

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of burnout and depression in anesthesiology residents has not been determined. It is also unknown whether anesthesiology resident burnout/depression may affect patient care and safety. The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of burnout and depression in anesthesiology residents in the United States. We hypothesized that residents at high risk of burnout and/or depression would report more medical errors as well as a lower rate of following principles identified as the best practice of anesthesiology. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was sent to 2773 anesthesiology residents in the United States. The questionnaire was divided into 5 parts examining trainees’ demographic factors, burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), depression (Harvard depression scale), 10 questions designed to evaluate best practice of anesthesiology, and 7 questions evaluating self-reported errors. Best practices and self-reported error rates were compared among subjects with a high risk of burnout only, high risk of depression only, high risk of burnout and depression, and low risk of burnout and depression. Pairwise comparisons were considered significant at P 70 hours per week, having >5 drinks per week, and female gender were associated with increased burnout risk. Twenty-two percent (298 of 1384) screened positive for depression. Working >70 hours of work per week, smoking, female gender, and having >5 drinks per week were associated with increased depression risk. Two hundred forty (17%) respondents scored at high risk of burnout and depression, 321 (23%) at high risk of burnout, 58 (4%) at high risk of depression only, and 764 (56%) at low risk of burnout or depression. Median best practice scores (maximum = 30) for residents at high risk of burnout (difference −2; 99.6% CI, −1 to −2; P < 0.001) or high risk of burnout and depression (difference −4; 99.6% CI, −3 to −6; P < 0.001) were lower than scores of residents at low risk for burnout or depression. Thirtythree percent of respondents with high burnout and depression risk reported multiple medication errors in the last year compared with 0.7% of the lower-risk responders (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Burnout, depression, and suicidal ideation are very prevalent in anesthesiology residents. In addition to effects on the health of anesthesiology trainees, burnout and depression may also affect patient care and safety. (Anesth Analg 2013;117:182–93)
Predicting College Success: The Relative Contributions of Five Social/Personality Factors, Five Cognitive/Learning Factors and SAT Scores.

To-date, studies have examined simultaneously the relative predictive powers of two or three factors on GPA performance. The present study examines the relative powers of five social/personality factors, five cognitive/learning factors, and SAT scores to predict freshmen and non-freshmen (sophomores, juniors, seniors) academic success (i.e., GPA). The results revealed many significant predictors of GPA for both freshmen and non-freshmen. However, subsequent regressions showed that only academic self-efficacy, epistemic belief of learning, and high-knowledge integration explained unique variance in overall GPA (19%-freshmen, 23.2%-non-freshmen), a finding that suggests that test anxiety, locus of control and achievement motivation goals fail to account for unique variance in GPA and that social/personality measures are more predictive of GPA then are learning/cognitive measures. Further for freshmen, SAT scores explained an additional unique 10.6% variance after the influences attributed to these three predictors was removed whereas for non-freshmen, SAT scores failed to explain any additional variance. These results highlight the unique and important contributions of academic self-efficacy, epistemic belief of learning and high-knowledge integration to overall GPA beyond other previously-identified predictors, such as test anxiety, locus of control, achievement motivation and SAT scores.
Covenants with weak swords: ISO 14001 and facilities' environmental performance

Voluntary environmental programs are codes of progressive environmental conduct that firms pledge to adopt. This paper investigates whether ISO 14001, a voluntary program with a weak sword—a weak monitoring and sanctioning mechanism—can mitigate shirking and improve participants’ environmental performance. Sponsored by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 14001 is the most widely adopted voluntary environmental program in the world. Our analysis of over 3,000 facilities regulated as major sources under the U.S. Clean Air Act suggests that ISO 14001-certified facilities reduce their pollution emissions more than noncertified facilities. This result persists even after controlling for facilities’ emission and regulatory compliance histories as well as addressing potential endogeneity issues between facilities’ environmental performance and their decisions to join ISO 14001. © 2005 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management
Novel Optical Measurement Approach for the Quantitation of Liposome Immunomigration Assays

Abstract In a recent series of papers1–3 the use of dye-containing liposomes as a component of immunochemical field assay methods for the detection and measurement of environmental contaminants has been demonstrated. These assays produce a colored measurement zone on a plastic-backed nitrocellulose strip, with the amount of color in the zone being proportional to the amount of analyte present in the test sample. The color in this zone has been measured using scanning densitometry of the strips. While giving a quantitative measurement, such a system is not field-portable and cannot differentiate between multiple colors in the measurement zone. The human eye is also limited in the case of mixed colors. In this report, the use of a ColortronTM 32-band digital color sensor for the quantitation measurement is demonstrated. This instrument is designed for inexpensive color analysis in the desktop publishing industry, but the fact that it can be used as a portable scanning reflectometer means that it has great p...
Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment: A Research-Based Pedagogy for Teaching Science with Classroom Response Technology

Classroom response systems (CRSs) are a promising instructional technology, but most literature on CRS use fails to distinguish between technology and pedagogy, to define and justify a pedagogical perspective, or to discriminate between pedagogies. Technology-enhanced formative assessment (TEFA) is our pedagogy for CRS-based science instruction, informed by experience and by several traditions of educational research. In TEFA, four principles enjoin the practice of question-driven instruction, dialogical discourse, formative assessment, and meta-level communication. These are enacted via the question cycle, an iterative pattern of CRS-based questioning that can serve multiple instructional needs. TEFA should improve CRS use and help teachers “bridge the gap” between educational research findings and practical, flexible classroom strategies for science instruction.
The balance of forward and backward hippocampal sequences shifts across behavioral states

Place cell firing patterns in the rat hippocampus are often organized as sequences. Sequences falling within cycles of the theta (6-10 Hz) local field potential (LFP) oscillation represent segments of ongoing behavioral trajectories. Sequences expressed during sharp wave ripple (SWR) complexes represent spatial trajectories through the environment, in both the same direction as actual trajectories (forward sequences) and in an ordering opposite that of behavior (backward sequences). Although hippocampal sequences could fulfill unique functional roles depending on the direction of the sequence and the animal's state when the sequence occurs, quantitative comparisons of sequence direction across behavioral and physiological states within the same experiment, employing consistent methodology, are lacking. Here, we used cross-correlation and Bayesian decoding to measure the direction of hippocampal sequences in rats during active behavior, awake rest and slow-wave sleep. During pretask sleep, few sequences were detected in either direction. Sequences within theta cycles during active behavior were overwhelmingly forward. Sequences during quiescent moments of behavior were both forward and backward, in equal proportion. During postbehavior sleep, sequences were again expressed in both directions, but significantly more forward than backward sequences were detected. The shift in the balance of sequence direction could reflect changing functional demands on the hippocampal network across behavioral and physiological states.
Comparison of small-area analysis techniques for estimating prevalence by race.

INTRODUCTION The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is commonly used for estimating the prevalence of chronic disease. One limitation of the BRFSS is that valid estimates can only be obtained for states and larger geographic regions. Limited health data are available on the county level and, thus, many have used small-area analysis techniques to estimate the prevalence of disease on the county level using BRFSS data. METHODS This study compared the validity and precision of 4 small-area analysis techniques for estimating the prevalence of 3 chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, and hypertension) by race on the county level. County-level reference estimates obtained through local data collection were compared with prevalence estimates produced by direct estimation, synthetic estimation, spatial data smoothing, and regression. Discrepancy statistics used were Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, mean square error, mean absolute difference, mean relative absolute difference, and rank statistics. RESULTS The regression method produced estimates of the prevalence of chronic disease by race on the county level that had the smallest discrepancies for a large number of counties. CONCLUSION Regression is the preferable method when applying small-area analysis techniques to obtain county-level prevalence estimates of chronic disease by race using a single year of BRFSS data.
Foundations of the potential energy boundary surface method for power system transient stability analysis

A theoretical foundation is provided for the potential energy boundary surface (PEBS) method for power system transient stability analysis. First, a theory of stability boundaries for two classes of dynamical systems: generalized gradient systems and systems described by a second-order vector differential equation. A complete characterization of the stability boundaries of these two dynamical system classes is given, and a qualitative analysis is conducted of the stability boundary when the vector field of the system is under a certain kind of perturbation. Using these results, the PEBS method is evaluated. Conditions under which the PEBS method gives good stability assessments are derived. A modified PEBS method is suggested. >
Skeletal muscle and bone: effect of sex steroids and aging

Both estrogen and testosterone are present in males and females. Both hormones contribute to the well being of skeletal muscle and bone in men and women, and there is evidence that the loss of sex hormones is associated with the age-related decline in bone and skeletal muscle mass. Hormonal supplementation of older adults to restore estrogen and testosterone levels to those of young men and women is not without penalty.
Two New Species of Eimeria (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) from the Mountain Beaver, Aplodontia rufa (Rodentia: Aplodontiidae), from Oregon

Abstract: Two mountain beavers, Aplodontia rufa, were collected in Lincoln County, Oregon, and examined for coccidia. Both were infected with 2 new species of Eimeria. Oocysts of Eimeria chitkoae n. sp. were ellipsoidal with a bilayered wall and measured (L × W) 24.5 × 20.2 μm, with a shape index (SI) of 1.2. Both micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but a polar granule of several fragments was present. Sporocysts were ovoidal, 12.5 × 7.9 μm, SI was 1.6. Stieda and substieda bodies were present, but a parastieda body was absent; a sporocyst residuum was present, composed of a cluster of moderately coarse granules with many scattered fine granules. Stout sporozoites were 14.7 × 2.9 μm in situ, with spheroidal anterior and posterior refractile bodies. Oocysts of Eimeria lewisi n. sp. were ovoidal, with a smooth single-layered wall, and measured 13.7 × 7.8 μm, SI was 1.7. A micropyle and oocyst residuum were absent, but 1–2 polar granule(s) were present. Sporocysts were 6.6 × 4.2 μm, with SI of 1.6. A ...
Albert Camus: The challenge of the unbeliever

Albert Camus (1913–60), novelist, essayist, journalist and member of the French Resistance, reflected in his work the turbulent period through which he lived. His powerful portrayal of a world dominated by violence and suffering resonates with us today. An atheist, Camus had been, as a young man, drawn to the Christian faith: his postgraduate thesis was on the development of early Christianity. The thesis reveals the nature of the attraction which the faith held for Camus, and the unresolved problems which prevented him from embracing it. In maturity, Camus sought rather to convince fellow human beings of the need to work together to reduce suffering, without relying on belief in a transcendent being. He respected Christians, however, and welcomed dialogue with them. This article examines the possible basis for such dialogue revealed by the thesis. It goes on to consider the possibilities opened up by contemporary theology for dialogue between Christians and those unbelievers who share the perspective, the doubts and concerns of Albert Camus.
NFATc4 is negatively regulated in miR-133a-mediated cardiomyocyte hypertrophic repression

Activation of NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells)-mediated hypertrophic signaling is a major regulatory response to hypertrophic stimuli. A recent study unveiled potential regulatory roles f...
Recent advances in the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma: the impact of lung cancer screening on histopathologists

Abstract Innovations in thoracic radiology and surgery stand as rays of light in the century-long, mostly unsuccessful battle against lung cancer. Early detection, minimally invasive diagnostic procedures and lung-sparing resections have captured the public's attention, yet real progress with declining mortality rates has not been demonstrated. Clinical improvement and scientific progress are greatly dependent on the histopathologist's handling of specimens. Proper diagnosis of malignancy and proper subclassification of pulmonary adenocarcinomas are necessary for accurate therapy and prognostication. It is imperative that histopathologists are aware of changes in the adenocarcinoma classification scheme and practical differential diagnoses with the ever smaller glandular lesions, and that they understand the clinical ramifications of their diagnoses within the context of lung cancer treatment.
Genetic polymorphisms and metastatic breast cancer survival.

Evaluation of: Bewick MA, Conlon MS, Lafrenie RM: Polymorphisms in XRCC1, XRCC3 and CCND1 and survival after treatment for metastatic breast cancer. J. Clin. Oncol. 24, 5645–5651 (2006). Variability of disease progression and survival exists among metastatic breast cancer patients. Treatment efficacy may be dependent on genetic variants in DNA repair and cell-cycle regulatory genes. This study examined three genetic variants in DNA repair and cell-cycle control genes (XRCC1, XRCC3 and CCND1) in 95 patients treated with high-dose chemotherapy. They found that all three were significantly associated with disease progression and survival independently, and that combinations of these variants progressively worsened breast cancer survival. Prior to identifying these genetic variants as prognostic indicators, replication of results in large randomized trials using standard treatment regimens is warranted.
A luminescent tricarbonylchlororhenium(I) complex featuring a flexible “crown ether” ligand. Manipulation of photoexcited state properties via binding of small cations†

A luminescent complex, [Re(CO)3(Cl)(LL)] where LL is 1,11-bis(4-pyridylcarboxy)-3,6,9-trioxaundecane, was prepared, and the crystal structures of two solvates were determined. The flexible polyether chain of the chelating ligand adopts an all gauche conformation about the aliphatic C–C bonds, and does not appear to introduce any appreciable constraints on the geometry at the octahedral metal center. The cavity formed by the “crown ether” has a diameter of ca. 7 A. Binding of cations causes a decrease of the luminescence lifetime of the ReIILL– excited state, consistent with an “energy gap” effect and with a rapid excited-state equilibrium between bound and unbound moieties. Binding constants were determined for several alkali metal ions, and for the ammonium cation. The chemical affinity of the crown-functionalized ligand is not specific for any of the cations studied, but, instead, is similar for a range of cations. Comparative studies with a complex containing ester-functionalized pyridine ligands, but lacking the polyether linkage necessary to form the crown, also showed excited state binding of small cations, indicating that the anionic ester pyridyl fragment, rather than the polyether fragment, is responsible for the binding.
Estimating survival of a streamside salamander: importance of temporary emigration, capture response, and location

Estimating survival for highly secretive aquatic animals, such as stream salamanders, presents numerous challenges. Salamanders often spend a considerable time in refugia where they are difficult to capture. Few studies have calculated vital rates for stream salamanders, yet the need is substantial as they are threatened by a wide range of land-use stressors, especially urban development. In this study, we used 34 months of continuous field samples collected at an urban and undisturbed stream and robust design mark-recapture analysis to evaluate the importance of temporary emigration, capture response, and location on survival estimates of the salamander Desmognathus fuscus. We constructed a set of candidate models incorporating combinations of time- and location-varying capture and recapture probabilities, capture responses, temporary emigration, and survival estimates and ranked models using Akaike’s Information Criterion. We found strong support for month-specific capture probabilities, recapture probabilities, temporary emigration and a negative behavioral response to capture in the majority of months. We found no support for variation in capture probabilities, recapture probabilities, and temporary emigration between locations. However, we found that location strongly influenced survival estimates. Specifically, survival estimates were significantly higher at the undisturbed site than at the urban site. Our results emphasize the importance of estimating capture probabilities, recapture probabilities, capture response, and temporary emigration when evaluating survival in highly secretive aquatic animals. Failure to account for these population parameters will likely yield biased estimates of survival in freshwater animal populations.
Testosterone and cardiac mass and function in men with type 1 diabetes in the Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications Study (EDIC)

Men with type 1 diabetes have a cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality risk that is approximately 10 times that of men without diabetes.1 This may be due, in part, to abnormalities in ventricular mass, volume, or function.2 Although many studies have not noted strong correlations between hypertension and testosterone levels,3 at least one report has noted that low concentrations of endogenous testosterone correlate with higher blood pressure levels4 which would increase risk for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy5 and heart failure.6 Through associations with CVD risk factors7 or apart from these risk factors,8 low testosterone concentrations have also been associated with increased prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis and thus could increase risk of heart failure through ischemia.
Development of a High Resolution, Real Time, Distribution-Level Metering System and Associated Visualization, Modeling, and Data Analysis Functions

NREL is developing measurement devices and a supporting data collection network specifically targeted at electrical distribution systems to support research in this area. This paper describes the measurement network which is designed to apply real-time and high speed (sub-second) measurement principles to distribution systems that are already common for the transmission level in the form of phasor measurement units and related technologies.
Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law - Volume 15, 2012: Correspondents' Reports

This correspondent report compiles examples of where and how the United States demonstrated its compliance with international humanitarian law by prosecuting its service members in 2012.
Embolic superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion secondary to a cardiac sarcoma

We present a case of embolic acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) secondary to an underlying cardiac sarcoma, an exceedingly rare presentation only reported twice before. A 46-year-old man presented to accident and emergency department during the night with severe abdominal pain and vomiting. An urgent CT angiograph demonstrated superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion with ischaemic small bowel. Joint surgical effort from vascular and general surgeons successfully recanalised the SMA and a 20 cm segment of small bowel was resected. Postoperatively, an echocardiogram demonstrated a mass within the left atrium. After cardiothoracic resection, the mass was found to be a rare undifferentiated cardiac sarcoma. Further staining on the embolus retrieved from the SMA revealed scattered spindle cells with a similar immunohistochemistry profile to that of the resected cardiac sarcoma. The patient was subsequently discharged well on lifelong warfarin.
DNA methylation reduces binding and cleavage by bleomycin.

In a recent study, we described the enhanced double-strand cleavage of hairpin DNAs by Fe·bleomycin (Fe·BLM) that accompanies increasingly strong binding of this antitumor agent and suggested that this effect may be relevant to the mechanism by which BLM mediates its antitumor effects. Because the DNA in tumor cells is known to be hypomethylated on cytidine relative to that in normal cells, it seemed of interest to study the possible effects of methylation status on BLM-induced double-strand DNA cleavage. Three hairpin DNAs found to bind strongly to bleomycin, and their methylated counterparts, were used to study the effect of methylation on bleomycin-induced DNA degradation. Under conditions of limited DNA cleavage, there was a significant overall decrease in the cleavage of methylated hairpin DNAs. Cytidine methylation was found to result in decreased BLM-induced cleavage at the site of methylation and to result in enhanced cleavage at adjacent nonmethylated sites. For two of the three hairpin DNAs stud...
Foraging Behavior and Nocturnal Activity Patterns of Missouri Bats, with Emphasis on the Endangered Species Myotis grisescens and Myotis sodalis

Foraging behavior of nine species of bats, especially Myotis grisescens and M. sodalis , was studied in eastern Missouri by observing 400 bats to which were affixed Cyalume chemical lights. Observers viewed the bats either from a helicopter or from widely-spaced stations on the ground. Individuals of M. grisescens foraged mostly over the water of streams with well-developed riparian vegetation. Helicopter observations indicated that M. grisescens distributed themselves along as much as 17 kilometers (km) of the river upstream and downstream from the roost cave. Myotis sodalis , however, foraged mostly under the forest canopy on ridges and hillsides. Foraging M. sodalis were not observed more than 2 km from the cave of release, because individuals were very easily lost from view in the dense forest in which they foraged. The other species foraged in a variety of situations, but sample sizes were small.
Potential Projective Material on the Rorschach: Comparing Comprehensive System Protocols to Their Modeled R-Optimized Administration Counterparts

Exner ( 1989 ) and Weiner ( 2003 ) identified 3 types of Rorschach codes that are most likely to contain personally relevant projective material: Distortions, Movement, and Embellishments. We examine how often these types of codes occur in normative data and whether their frequency changes for the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or last response to a card. We also examine the impact on these variables of the Rorschach Performance Assessment System's (R-PAS) statistical modeling procedures that convert the distribution of responses (R) from Comprehensive System (CS) administered protocols to match the distribution of R found in protocols obtained using R-optimized administration guidelines. In 2 normative reference databases, the results indicated that about 40% of responses (M = 39.25) have 1 type of code, 15% have 2 types, and 1.5% have all 3 types, with frequencies not changing by response number. In addition, there were no mean differences in the original CS and R-optimized modeled records (M Cohen's d = -0.04 in both databases). When considered alongside findings showing minimal differences between the protocols of people randomly assigned to CS or R-optimized administration, the data suggest R-optimized administration should not alter the extent to which potential projective material is present in a Rorschach protocol.
NASA L-SAR Instrument for the NISAR (NASA-ISRO) Synthetic Aperture Radar Mission

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in the United States and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have partnered to develop an Earth-orbiting science and applications mission that exploits synthetic aperture radar to map Earth’s surface every 12 days or less. To meet demanding coverage, sampling, and accuracy requirements, the system was designed to achieve over 240 km swath at fine resolution, and using full polarimetry where needed. To address the broad range of disciplines and scientific study areas of the mission, a dual-frequency system was conceived, at L-band (24 cm wavelength) and S-band (10 cm wavelength). To achieve these observational characteristics, a reflector-feed system is considered, whereby the feed aperture elements are individually sampled to allow a scan-on-receive (“SweepSAR”) capability at both L-band and S-band. The instrument leverages the expanding capabilities of on-board digital processing to enable real-time calibration and digital beamforming. This paper describes the mission characteristics, current status of the L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (L-SAR) portion of the instrument, and the technology development efforts in the United States that are reducing risk on the key radar technologies needed to ensure proper SweepSAR operations.
Rite Makes Right

This paper considers ritual phenomena in the context of a naturalistic theory of religion. Religious traditions are described as mythic traditions, where myth is understood to be a narrative integration of cosmological and moral ideas. Ritual practices emerge as part of a cluster of strategies that function collectively to revitalize the power of the myth to influence the ways people think, feel and act.
Refusal of recommended travel-related vaccines among U.S. international travellers in Global TravEpiNet

Background: International travellers are at risk of travel-related, vaccine-preventable diseases. More data are needed on the proportion of travellers who refuse vaccines during a pre-travel health consultation and their reasons for refusing vaccines. Methods: We analyzed data on travellers seen for a pre-travel health consultation from July 2012 through June 2014 in the Global TravEpiNet (GTEN) consortium. Providers were required to indicate one of three reasons for a traveller refusing a recommended vaccine: (1) cost concerns, (2) safety concerns or (3) not concerned with the illness. We calculated refusal rates among travellers eligible for each vaccine based on CDC recommendations current at the time of travel. We used multivariable logistic regression models to examine the effect of individual variables on the likelihood of accepting all recommended vaccines. Results: Of 24 478 travellers, 23 768 (97%) were eligible for at least one vaccine. Travellers were most frequently eligible for typhoid ( N = 20 092), hepatitis A ( N = 12 990) and influenza vaccines ( N = 10 539). Of 23 768 eligible travellers, 6573 (25%) refused one or more recommended vaccine(s). Of those eligible, more than one-third refused the following vaccines: meningococcal: 2232 (44%) of 5029; rabies: 1155 (44%) of 2650; Japanese encephalitis: 761 (41%) of 1846; and influenza: 3527 (33%) of 10 539. The most common reason for declining vaccines was that the traveller was not concerned about the illness. In multivariable analysis, travellers visiting friends and relatives (VFR) in low or medium human development countries were less likely to accept all recommended vaccines, compared with non-VFR travellers (OR = 0.74 (0.59–0.95)). Conclusions: Travellers who sought pre-travel health care refused recommended vaccines at varying rates. A lack of concern about the associated illness was the most commonly cited reason for all refused vaccines. Our data suggest more effective education about disease risk is needed for international travellers, even those who seek pre-travel advice.
Mechanical Properties of a Sand-Ice System

The mechanical properties of a saturated frozen sand were studied using constant axial stress creep tests and constant axial strain-rate tests. Observation of the effects on deformational behavior produced by the addition of sand particles to the ice matrix led to an analysis useful in predicting creep rates for a constant stress and stress levels for a constant strain rate. The relationship between strain rate and stress for polycrystalline ice considers a strain dependent hardening term and a strain energy dependent softening term. Parameters of the equation include stress and temperature. Stress factors, dependent on sand volume concentration and friction and dilatancy of the sand, are used in conjunction with the equation for polycrystalline ice to give predictions of the mechanical behavior of the sand-ice system. These are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.
Work-Augmented Laziness with the Los Task Request System

Quotidian system administration is often characterized by the fulfillment of common user requests, especially on sites that serve a variety of needs. User creation, group management, and mail alias maintenance are just three examples of the many repetitive tasks that can crowd the sysadmin's day. Matters worsen when users neglect to provide necessary information for the job. They can grow bleakest, however, at volunteer-run or otherwise loosely-coordinated sites, where sysadmins often collectively hope for someone else to attend to the task.The Los Task Request System addresses all three problems. It mitigates user vagueness with web forms generated from XML parameter specification files. It skirts sysadmin sloth by requiring one simple review and approval step to set changes into motion. It then saves time by automatically executing commands tailored from user input. Amidst this convenience, cryptographic signatures on Los directives ensure that only administrators can alter the system. Overall, Los aims to make life easier for users and sysadmins by standardizing and streamlining the submission, review, and execution of requests for common system tasks.
Developmental Mechanisms in Gene-by-Intervention (GxI) Effects in the Fast Track Trial

This research is directed toward understanding mechanisms through which early preventive intervention has an effect on mitigating the development of externalizing psychopathology and the mechanisms through which interaction with one gene, the glucocorticoid receptor gene NR3C1, has on regulating intervention response. Dysregulated glucocorticoid signaling is known to disrupt hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response to and recovery from a wide range of environmental stressors and has been linked to externalizing psychopathology. We report that random assignment to the Fast Track (FT) preventive intervention at age 5 is more efficacious in preventing externalizing psychopathology at age 25 among carriers of the NR3C1 A allele (18% externalizing disorder for FT participants vs. 75% for controls) than among non-carriers (56% for FT participants vs. 57% for controls). This effect is mediated by an early positive response to intervention. These findings are consistent with a general hypothesis that children who are at higher genetic risk may be more responsive than others to preventive intervention.
Hyperpolarizability and Operational Magic Wavelength in an Optical Lattice Clock.

Optical clocks benefit from tight atomic confinement enabling extended interrogation times as well as Doppler- and recoil-free operation. However, these benefits come at the cost of frequency shifts that, if not properly controlled, may degrade clock accuracy. Numerous theoretical studies have predicted optical lattice clock frequency shifts that scale nonlinearly with trap depth. To experimentally observe and constrain these shifts in an $^{171}\mathrm{Yb}$ optical lattice clock, we construct a lattice enhancement cavity that exaggerates the light shifts. We observe an atomic temperature that is proportional to the optical trap depth, fundamentally altering the scaling of trap-induced light shifts and simplifying their parametrization. We identify an ``operational'' magic wavelength where frequency shifts are insensitive to changes in trap depth. These measurements and scaling analysis constitute an essential systematic characterization for clock operation at the ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}$ level and beyond.