cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Testing the effects of four urbanization filters on forest plant taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity.

Ongoing urban development has significant effects on ecosystems, including changes to land cover, environmental conditions, and species' distributions. These various impacts may have opposing or interacting effects on plant communities, making it difficult to predict how plant biodiversity will respond to urban development. A frequently cited conceptual framework predicts how urban development influences plant taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity by simplifying multiple coincident effects of urbanization into four primary filters of biodiversity: habitat transformation, fragmentation, the urban environment, and human preferences. Each filter prevents some plant species from persisting in urban areas while promoting others, but species introductions according to human preferences are expected to cause a net increase in biodiversity while the other filters limit diversity. In this study, we used structural equation modeling to test these predictions and examine the relative importance of each filter on the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of riparian forest plant species sampled along an urban-to-rural gradient in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina. Most diversity measures declined with urbanization, but some (e.g., functional Rao's Q) increased with urbanization. We found support for some of the predicted relationships between urbanization filters and biodiversity, as well as some unexpected relationships, including positive effects of urban environments. Overall, urban environments and human preferences were stronger predictors than habitat transformation and fragmentation. Our approach could be used to test a general framework predicting the effects of urbanization on plant diversity across multiple cities and contribute to a more synthetic understanding of urban biodiversity.
Reconstituted HDL: Drug Delivery Platform for Overcoming Biological Barriers to Cancer Therapy

Drug delivery to malignant tumors is limited by several factors, including off-target toxicities and suboptimal benefits to cancer patient. Major research efforts have been directed toward developing novel technologies involving nanoparticles (NPs) to overcome these challenges. Major obstacles, however, including, opsonization, transport across cancer cell membranes, multidrug-resistant proteins, and endosomal sequestration of the therapeutic agent continue to limit the efficiency of cancer chemotherapy. Lipoprotein-based drug delivery technology, "nature's drug delivery system," while exhibits highly desirable characteristics, it still needs substantial investment from private/government stakeholders to promote its eventual advance to the bedside. Consequently, this review focuses specifically on the synthetic (reconstituted) high-density lipoprotein rHDL NPs, evaluating their potential to overcome specific biological barriers and the challenges of translation toward clinical utilization and commercialization. This highly robust drug transport system provides site-specific, tumor-selective delivery of anti-cancer agents while reducing harmful off-target effects. Utilizing rHDL NPs for anti-cancer therapeutics and tumor imaging revolutionizes the future strategy for the management of a broad range of cancers and other diseases.
INDÚSTRIA CULTURAL E CINEMA: PROJEÇÕES DA COMUNICABILIDADE DE GÊNERO NA EDUCAÇÃO

This study discusses ideologies culturally transmitted by technological artifacts that imprint our desires and sensations, fragmenting and causing the loss of meaning and intellectual stiffening in times of change. It is a question of analyzing gender issues evidenced in school, problematizing the formative processes through cinema, so that a critical, creative experience of dialogical learning and openness to differences can emerge, since the cinema can reeducate the homogenizing bases of the culture. By problematizing the cinema, we generate new hermeneutic understandings to break with trends and convenience in school and make this resource a pretext for educational interlocution, questioning the unequal, petrified and dominating gender narratives, perpetuated culturally. As a result, we indicated that the root cause of communicatively shared problems need a critical-reflexive look at human production, to resist immobility, the naive dissemination of stereotypes and exclusions in social environment. Keywords: Cultural industry. Cinema. Gender inequality. Education.
A meta-analysis of the association between psychopathy and sadism in forensic samples

Abstract This meta-analysis examined the association between psychopathic personality traits as assessed by the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 1991), and sadism. The PCL-R yields a total score as well as two factor scores. Factor 1 encompasses the interpersonal/affective components of psychopathy such as glibness, and callousness. Factor 2 captures the antisocial behavior aspects of psychopathy including impulsivity, and poor planning abilities. The meta-analysis included 19 independent adult, male forensic samples from 16 articles that included a total of 5161 participants. The average r across all studies for PCL-R total score and sadism was 0.24 (p
Role of Growth Factors in Gastroduodenal Protection and Healing of Peptic Ulcers

Proliferation and growth of gastroduodenal mucosal cells represent important elements of mucosal defense and any alterations in the balance between cell proliferation and cell loss may lead to trophic changes in mucosa. Acute mucosal lesions induced by local irritants such as bile salts, ethanol, aspirin, or stress are accompanied by widespread damage of surface epithelium followed by almost immediate repair due to mucosal cell restitution, which is unrelated to cell proliferation but does depend on the intrinsic property of mucosal cells to cover superficial defects. Cytoprotection involves the protection of the regeneration zone and the maintenance of blood flow to the mucosa. Various factors that exhibit mucosal growth-promoting action include EGF, gastrin, growth hormone, and GH-releasing factor. These factors protect the mucosa against acute injury but the mechanism of this effect is not clear. These trophic agents, especially EGF, accelerate the healing of chronic gastroduodenal ulceration and may contribute to the healing effects of sucralfate or De-Nol. These effects of trophic substances are related to their stimulation of cell proliferation and DNA, RNA, and protein synthesis and can be reversed by the suppression of mucosal growth. Prostaglandins, especially their stable methylated analogs, display trophic effects on the gastric mucosa but neither gastroprotective nor ulcer healing actions of PG can be attributed to their trophic effect. With increasing attention being paid to mucosal growth and repair as components of mucosal defense, the emphasis of drug therapy of acute or chronic gastroduodenal lesions is likely to move toward strengthening mucosal defense rather than the inhibition of aggressive factors.
COMPARATIVE EFFECTIVENESS OF CANINE- OR EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY FOR RESIDENTS WITH DEMENTIA

Older adults with dementia may manifest symptoms such as apathy, withdrawal, and aggressive actions (NIA, 2019). Even surrounded by people in LTC, residents with dementia may lack social engagement. Non-pharmacologic approaches are promising (Brodaty & Arasaratnam, 2012) and are reflected in the newer CMS F-tag guidelines (CMS, 2017), but there remains a gap in research about the most effective approaches for LTC residents. Limited research exists on animal-assisted interventions (AAI) as a non-pharmacological approach to increase engagement in people with dementia (Friedman, Thomas & Chung, 2015; Huff-Mercer, 2015) and no known research compares equine- and canine-assisted therapy protocols. This study employed a within-subject alternating-treatments design for three single subjects. Completing the similar tasks of grooming, walking, and interaction, the independent variables are two conditions: 1) Condition A: Equine-assisted activity 2) Condition B: Canine-assisted activity. Using the Dementia Interview Rating (Strauss & Sperry, 2002), apathy was measured before and after each phase. During each session, three outcomes were measured: 1) Engagement in Preferred Activities Scale (Nelson et al., 2014) was used to measure the level of engagement in the interaction; 2) Heart rate variability, a measure of coherence, was measured using the Emwave pro (Heart Math Institute, 2018), and 3) targeted observed social responsiveness (initiation, verbal response, non-verbal response, motor response to one-step instructions) using a smart tablet application. Preliminary results suggest past experience/preference impact the individual client’s response to differing protocols. Effective non-pharmacological interventions for older adults with dementia are an essential alternative to current practice.
Influence of post deposition annealing on microstructure and properties of laser additively manufactured titanium copper alloys

Abstract While copper is a potent strengthener in titanium alloys, its use in commercial alloys has been severely restricted due to the strong tendency for segregation during solidification, leading to heterogeneous microstructures and what has often been referred to as the “beta-fleck” problem. This problem can be largely obviated by using additive manufacturing (AM) for processing Ti-Cu alloys. This study focuses on AM of a binary Ti-4Cu and a ternary Ti-4Cu-4Al alloy using the laser engineered net shaping (LENS) process. The influence of post-deposition annealing treatments and the subsequent cooling rate on the microstructure and tensile properties of these alloys has been investigated in detail. The phase fraction of the eutectoid alpha + Ti2Cu product is dependent on the cooling rate from above the beta transus temperature. Additionally, the Ti2Cu phase exhibited a far-from equilibrium composition in case of the water-quenched Ti-4Cu-4Al alloy. Both the yield stress (∼550−650 MPa) as well as the ductility (∼15–18 %) were also higher in case of the ternary alloy. The high strengths exhibited by the water-quenched samples of both alloys, while maintaining appreciable tensile ductility, could be attributed to clustering of Cu within the α laths, revealed by atom probe tomography.
Vesper Time: The Spiritual Practice of Growing Older, by Frank J. Cunningham: Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2017, 138 pp., $18.00 (paperback), ISBN: 1 9781626982314

Books on the spirituality of aging abound nowadays highlighted by notable contributions from Joan Chittister, Richard Rohr, Robert Atchley, Lewis Richmond, William Martin, David Moberg, and others....
Augmenting U.S. Census data on industry and occupation of respondents

The U.S. Census Bureau classifies survey respondents into hundreds of detailed industry and occupation categories. The classification systems change periodically, creating breaks in time series. Standard crosswalks and unified category systems bridge the periods but these often leave sparse or empty cells, or induce sharp changes in time series. We propose a methodology to predict standardized industry, occupation, and related variables for each employed respondent in the public use samples from recent Censuses of Population and CPS data. Unlike earlier approaches, predictions draw from micro data on each individual and large training data sets. Tests of the resulting “augmented” data sets can evaluate their consistency with known trends, smoothness criteria, and benchmarks.
The expanding role of anthropogeomorphology in critical zone studies in the Anthropocene

Abstract Just as geomorphology evolved from a predominantly descriptive science to largely quantitative, a new framework for geomorphology is again required as rapidly increasing human population pushes anthropic-geomorphic processes to a dominant role in the Anthropocene. Understanding these processes requires new conceptual frameworks, interdisciplinarity, and a strong technology-assisted approach. We propose a focus on the Critical Zone as a useful conceptual framework in studies of Anthropocene geomorphology. Prior studies have assessed the Anthropocene with a focus on soils, which are generally considered the unifying thread of the Critical Zone. The Critical Zone in its entirety, however, extends from the top of the canopy to the base of the groundwater system. This concept thus permits a systems approach to geomorphology across scales, addressing the extensive role of human impact on Earth surface processes. Changing climatic conditions impact the delivery of water to the Critical Zone, causing an expansion of arid lands. Land-cover alteration is decreasing infiltration, armoring surfaces, increasing surface runoff, enhancing erosion rates, and is expected to expand in the future. Thus, the benefit of using the Critical Zone as a lens to study geomorphology will result in a broad, unified interdisciplinary study of the Anthropocene. These studies can be aided by modern technology, including drones and machine-learning applications. The trend toward technology-driven studies will continue throughout the geosciences, and geomorphology will be well-aided by its use. We present a comprehensive review of the concept of the Anthropocene and the Critical Zone making a case for the necessity of a Critical Zone-approach to anthropogeomorphology.
Chapter 246 – Strepsiptera

Publisher Summary This chapter explores Strepsiptera (twisted-winged parasites), cosmopolitan order of small insects, males, 1–7 mm and females, 2–30 mm, that are obligate insect endoparasites. The order comprises 600 species placed within 10 extant and 2 extinct families. All members of this group spend the majority of their life cycle as internal parasites of other insects and consequently have a highly specialized morphology, extreme sexual dimorphism, and a unique biology. The adult male strepsipteran is free living and winged, whereas the adult female is entirely parasitic within the host, with the exception of one family (Mengenillidae) in which the female last instar leaves the host to pupate externally. Strepsiptera parasitize species from seven insect orders: Zygentoma, Orthoptera, Blattodea, Mantodea, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, and Diptera. In one family (Myrmecolacidae), the males are known to parasitize ant hosts, whereas the females are parasites of Orthoptera and Mantodea. The life cycle of most strepsipteran species is unknown, and only a few species have been studied in detail.
On Fourier analysis of polynomial multigrid for arbitrary multi-stage cycles.

The Fourier analysis of the \emph{p}-multigrid acceleration technique is considered for a dual-time scheme applied to the advection-diffusion equation with various cycle configurations. It is found that improved convergence can be achieved through \emph{V}-cycle asymmetry where additional prolongation smoothing is applied. Experiments conducted on the artificial compressibility formulation of the Navier--Stokes equations found that these analytic findings could be observed numerically in the pressure residual, whereas velocity terms---which are more hyperbolic in character---benefited primarily from increased pseudo-time steps.
Native Language Similarity during Foreign Language Learning: Effects of Cognitive Strategies and Affective States

According to the US Department of State, a native English speaker can learn Spanish in about 600 h, but would take four times as long to learn Japanese. While it may be intuitive that similarity between a foreign language and a native tongue can influence the ease of acquisition, what is less obvious are the specific cognitive and emotional processes that can lead to different outcomes. Here, we explored the influence of cognitive strategies and affective states on native English speakers’ ability to learn artificial foreign words that vary in their similarity to the native language. Explicit word learning strategies were reported more often, and were more effective for learners of a more similar language, and cognitive strategies were especially helpful for learners with lower moods. We conclude that language similarity, strategy, and affect dynamically interact to ultimately determine success at learning novel languages.
The thermal decomposition of gallium nitrate hydrate, Ga(NO3)3·9H2O

Abstract The thermal decomposition of gallium nitrate hydrate, Ga(NO3)3·9H2O, was studied using visual observation, thermogravimetric analysis coupled with mass spectrometry, and X-ray crystallography. A decomposition scheme involving compounds containing the [Ga13(OH)24(OH2)24]15+ polycation, in addition to gaseous water and hydrogen nitrate, is proposed.
Attenuation Correction at KU Band for D3R Radar

In order to improve the quality of the dual-polarization radar data it is important to account for attenuation of the radar signal and correct it. Radars operating at very high frequencies are more affected by attenuation. Attenuation correction for radar data is necessary to improve the radar products and get accurate results. Most of the prior attenuation correction research for weather radars is primarily done for rain. Currently, limited research results are available for attenuation correction for ice hydrometeors especially in high frequency bands. An attenuation correction method using the hydrometeor classification and specific differential phase products from the DROPS2.0 algorithm for Ku band radars is presented in this work for use in dual-frequency, dual-polarization Doppler (D3R) Ku band radar. T-matrix simulations for the different hydrometeors are used in the algorithm to get the relationship between specific attenuation and specific differential phase. The main advantage of this method is that the attenuation correction can be done for ice hydrometeors as well. Rain and snow data from the D3R radar is considered here to show the performance of the proposed attenuation correction method. From the results it can be observed that the attenuation correction using this method works well and show promising results.
In-hospital outcomes and long-term survival of women of childbearing age with aortic dissection.

Abstract Objective In the present study, we defined the outcomes and effects of pregnancy in a cohort of women of childbearing age with acute aortic dissection (AAD). Methods We reviewed our database of AAD to identify all eligible female patients. Women aged Results A total of 62 women aged Conclusions The frequency of aortic dissection in women of childbearing age at our institution was low. However, pregnancy might increase the risk of those young women genetically predisposed to dissection events. From these data, this risk appears to be greatest in the immediate postpartum period, even for those who undergo cesarean section. Close clinical and radiographic surveillance is required for all women with suspected aortopathy, especially in the third trimester and early postpartum period.
Effects of motion and retrospective motion correction on the visualization and quantification of perivascular spaces in ultrahigh resolution T2-weighted images at 7T.

Purpose Motion can strongly affect MRI image quality and derived imaging measures. We studied the effects of motion and retrospective motion correction (MC) on the visualization and quantitative measures of the perivascular space and penetrating vessel (PVSV) complex, an essential part of the glymphatic system, on high-resolution T2 -weighted MRI images at 7T. Methods MC was achieved by adjusting k-space data based on head positions measured using fat navigator images. PVSV visibility and quantitative measures including diameter, volume fraction (VF), count, and contrast were compared between images with and without MC. Results Without MC, VF, and count decreased significantly with increasing head rotation. MC improved PVSV visualization in all cases with severe motion artifacts. MC decreased diameter in white matter (WM) and increased VF, count, and contrast in basal ganglia and WM. The changes of VF, count, and contrast after MC strongly correlated with motion severity. MC eliminated the significant dependences of VF and count on rotation and reduced the inter-subject variations of VF and count. The effect sizes of age and breathing gas effects on VF and count, and contrast increased in most cases after MC, while those on diameter exhibited inconsistent behavior. Conclusions Motion affects PVSV quantification without MC. MC improves PVSV visibility and increases the statistical power of detecting physiological PVSV VF, count, and contrast changes but may have limited benefits for increasing the power for detecting diameter changes.
Comparative outcomes of open abdominal therapy after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm via open and endovascular approaches.

Background Open abdomen therapy is sometimes a necessary lifesaving procedure after repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA). OAT aims to prevent or treat abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). This study aims to evaluate our experience with open abdomen therapy (OAT) after repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAAs). Design Retrospective cohort study Methods Medical records were retrieved for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm patients who underwent open surgical repair (OS) or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) between January 1, 2008 and December 12, 2015 from a single center. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed with statistical significance. Results The study included 171 patients. Thirty-three patients (19.3%) required OAT. A smaller percentage of patients required OAT after EVAR (9.8%) compared to OS (23.3%) (P = 0.05). Patients with OAT also had a significantly longer operation (257 vs. 202.7 minutes; P Conclusions OAT is a lifesaving procedure that is associated with higher morbidity and mortality following OS and EVAR for rAAA. Patients with longer operations and extensive fluid resuscitation are at higher risk for OAT following rAAAs. Preoperative permissive hypotension may be protective against OAT. OAT following the RP approach to rAAA is associated with earlier abdominal wall closure, earlier bowel recovery, and shorter hospital stay.
Blunt Trauma to the Heart: A Review of Pathophysiology and Current Management

Blunt cardiac injury (BCI), defined as an injury to the heart from blunt force trauma, ranges from minor to life-threatening. The majority of BCIs are due to motor vehicle accidents; however, injuries caused by falls, blasts, and sports-related injuries also can be sources of BCI. A significant proportion of patients with BCI do not survive long enough to receive medical care, succumbing to their injuries at the scene of the accident. Additionally, patients with blunt trauma often have coexisting injuries (brain, spine, orthopedic) that can obscure the clinical picture; therefore, a high degree of suspicion often is required to diagnose BCI. Traditionally, hemodynamically stable injuries suspicious for BCI have been evaluated with electrocardiograms and chest radiographs, whereas hemodynamically unstable BCIs have received operative intervention. More recently, computed tomography and echocardiography increasingly have been utilized to identify injuries more rapidly in hemodynamically unstable patients. Transesophageal echocardiography can play an important role in the diagnosis and management of several BCIs that require operative repair. Close communication with the surgical team and access to blood products for potentially massive transfusion also play key roles in maintaining hemodynamic stability. With proper surgical and anesthetic care, survival in cases involving urgent cardiac repair can reach 66%-to-75%. This narrative review focuses on the types of cardiac injuries that are caused by blunt chest trauma, the modalities and techniques currently used to diagnose BCI, and the perioperative management of injuries that require surgical correction.
Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring: Disaggregation of Energy by Unsupervised Power Consumption Clustering

There is a growing trend in monitoring residential infrastructures to provide inhabitants with more information about their energy consumption and help them to reduce usage and cost. Device-level power consumption information, while a functionality in newer smart appliances, is not generally available to consumers. In electricity consumption disaggregation, Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) refers to methods that provide consumers estimates of device-level energy consumption based on aggregate measurements usually taken at the main circuit panel or electric meter. The traditional NILM approach characterizes changes in the power signal when devices turn on or o , and it infers the consumption of different devices present in the home based on these changes. Generally, these NILM methods require training and models of the devices present in the home in order to function properly. Because of these challenges, much of the NILM literature does not address the actual energy disaggregation problem but focuses on detecting events and classifying changes in power. In this dissertation, we propose a relaxation to the traditional NILM problem and provide an unsupervised, data-driven algorithm to solve it. Specifically we propose Power Consumption Clustered Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (PCC-NILM), a relaxation that reports on the energy usage of devices grouped together by power consumption levels. In order to solve the PCC-NILM problem, we provide the Approximate Power Trace Decomposition Algorithm (APTDA). Unlike other methods, APTDA does not require training and it provides estimated energy consumption for different classes of devices.
Student Mental Health and Funding Constraints: A Delicate Balance

Abstract A wide range of serious psychiatric disorders that would be progressive if untreated was observed during the first 9 months of a 1-year psychotherapy fellowship at the student health center of a major New England university. This finding underscores the cost benefits, in both human and financial terms, of having a multidisciplinary mental health center staff on campus to provide timely, intensive, and comprehensive interventions.
The Nature and Limitations of Electron Microscopic Methods in Biology

The purpose of this chapter is to acquaint those biological scientists unfamiliar with the methods of transmission electron microscopy with certain selected aspects of the general techniques that are used in routine practice by electron microscopists. The chapter is not intended to be an exhaustive coverage of the subject matter. For instance, the important topics of scanning electron microscopy, high-voltage microscopy, and electron microprobe analysis are omitted. It is hoped that some feeling will be imparted for the power of the transmission techniques in general, and their inherent limitations in particular.
Crystal Structure of Shikimate 5-Dehydrogenase (SDH) Bound to NADP: Insights into Function and Evolution

Abstract The crystal structure of Methanococcus jannaschii shikimate 5-dehydrogenase ( Mj SDH) bound to the cofactor nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) has been determined at 2.35 A resolution. Shikimate 5-dehydrogenase (SDH) is responsible for NADP-dependent catalysis of the fourth step in shikimate biosynthesis, which is essential for aromatic amino acid metabolism in bacteria, microbial eukaryotes, and plants. The structure of Mj SDH is a compact α/β sandwich with two distinct domains, responsible for binding substrate and the NADP cofactor, respectively. A phylogenetically conserved deep cleft on the protein surface corresponds to the enzyme active site. The structure reveals a topologically new domain fold within the N-terminal segment of the polypeptide chain, which binds substrate and supports dimerization. Insights gained from homology modeling and sequence/structure comparisons suggest that the SDHs represent a unique class of dehydrogenases. The structure provides a framework for further investigation to discover and develop novel inhibitors targeting this essential enzyme.
The coordinate release of cytochrome c during apoptosis is rapid, complete and kinetically invariant.

The coordinate release of cytochrome c during apoptosis is rapid, complete and kinetically invariant
Amicus Brief in Sebelius v. Auburn Regional Medical Center, No. 11-1231

Sebelius v. Auburn Regional Medical Center, which the Court has set for argument this Term, presents the question whether the 180-day statutory time limit for filing an appeal with the Provider Reimbursement Review Board from a final Medicare payment determination made by a fiscal intermediary, 42 U.S.C. § 1395oo(a)(3), is subject to equitable tolling. In this amicus brief in support of neither party, I argue that the question should be answered without resolving whether the deadline is jurisdictional.
The fossil evidence for the evolution of human infant helplessness, complicated labor and big babies (335.3)

The human fossil record is much richer today than it was when the obstetrical dilemma was first proposed to explain the conflicting selective constraints that result when bipeds give birth to large-brained babies. An analysis of the morphology of several important discoveries of fossilized pelvic material from Gona in Ethiopia and Malapa in South Africa, demonstrate that a broad pelvis such as characterizes humans today did not result from expansion of the birth canal that coincided with encephalization during the last two million years, but was the primitive condition for hominins, existing in australopithecines, Homo erectus and all later humans. However, encephalization did select for further changes in the pelvis as well as changes in infant development and parental behavior. The complicated way that humans give birth and the maturational status of neonates are a result of that evolutionary history and the resulting constraints that include: bipedalism, our large brained newborns, the large size of th...
Optical measurement of vehicle body shapes in the wind tunnel

During the development of vehicles body-shapes with the lowest possible air-resistance are the goal of wind-tunnel experimentation. Aerodynamic features are invetigated and body-shapes are geometrically measured in order on the one hand, to document current vehicle geometry, whilst on the other, providing data on body-shape to facilitate numerical streamlining and body-shape optimisation. Photogrammetry has opened up the possibility of rapide and extensive geometrical measurement of vehicles in the wind-tunnel. The basis for this measurement method is a new approach multiple-image-matching which enables analysis on a digital basis. Employing this algorithm a new measure- ment system with great industrial potential is being developed. For the first time in the course of this project high resolution CCD-sensors with up to 7 million pixels per image for photogrammetric on-line-imaging are being used.
A unified inter-host and in-host model of antibiotic resistance and infection spread in a hospital ward.

Abstract As the battle continues against hospital-acquired infections and the concurrent rise in antibiotic resistance among many of the major causative pathogens, there is a dire need to conduct controlled experiments, in order to compare proposed control strategies. However, cost, time, and ethical considerations make this evaluation strategy either impractical or impossible to implement with living patients. This paper presents a multi-scale model that offers promise as the basis for a tool to simulate these (and other) controlled experiments. This is a “unified” model in two important ways: (i) It combines inter-host and in-host dynamics into a single model, and (ii) it links two very different modeling approaches - agent-based modeling and differential equations - into a single model. The potential of this model as an instrument to combat antibiotic resistance in hospitals is demonstrated with numerical examples.
Milford Redefined: A Model of Initial and Advanced Generalist Social Work

Abstract Social work has long sought a conceptual framework to describe its most basic approach to service delivery: generalist social work practice. A milestone in that process was the series of Milford conferences in the 1920s during which the elements of “generic casework” were first identified. This article presents a model that advances and clarifies the concepts of generalist social work as viewed at the beginning of the 1990s. Generalist social work at both the initial and advanced levels involves a way of viewing practice. It is a perspective that focuses on the interface between systems, on a client-centered and problem-focused philosophy, and on an openness to multiple theories and approaches for improving people's well-being. Practice at the initial level requires a set of competencies necessary to provide services consistent with the understanding derived from the perspective. Advanced generalist social work represents increased complexity in the learning process and greater breadth and depth ...
Julie Passanante Elman, Chronic Youth: Disability, Sexuality, and U.S. Media Cultures of Rehabilitation

Many books have been written about youth culture, and the ways in which the “troubled teen” has functioned as both a pop cultural trope and a site of medical, juridical, and governmental intervention (e.g., Breggin & Breggin, 1998; Hall & Jefferson, 1976; Kidd, 2004; Prescott, 1998; Rembis, 2011; Savage, 2007). However, few books on this topic have shown how the ongoing normalization of teenagers has been mobilized by cultural producers, policy makers, and medical professionals alike, in discourses of disability that relocate adolescence in a culture of rehabilitation. Julie Passanante Elman’s Chronic Youth: Disability, Sexuality, and U.S. Media Cultures of Rehabilitation offers a provocative new analysis of the rehabilitative cultural narratives that shape knowledge about youth, sexuality, disability, and policies that attempt to regulate teen behavior. Elman argues that rehabilitative discourses targeting young people do more than pathologize them; these discourses recast adolescence as a treatable “condition” which must be carefully diagnosed, prescribed, and (hopefully) cured.
BANK COMPETITIVENESS IN THE FACE OF INTEREST RATE RISK

The values of assets and liabilities of financial institutions are subject to fluctuations in interest rate. The differential impact in interest rate changes between assets and liabilities is referred to, in banking, as interest rate risk. Of all threats to bank competitiveness this risk dwarfs all others. Banks traditionally have dealt with interest rate risk by restructuring their loan portfolios. In this paper, we construct a model to measure interest rate risk, called the Degree of Interest Rate Sensitivity (DIRS), and demonstrate its effectiveness for banks to compete. The degree of interest rate risk is of vital importance to the commercial bank which has to know its level and degree of interest‐rate risk in order to prudently manage it. Failure to adequately manage interest rate risk can lead to bankruptcy or, at the least, a lack of competitiveness.
Structure and Oxygen-Sensing Paramagnetic Properties of a New Lithium 1,8,15,22-Tetraphenoxyphthalocyanine Radical Probe for Biological Oximetry

The synthesis, physicochemical properties, X-ray powder structure, electrochemical, and oxygen-sensing properties of a new phenoxy-substituted lithium phthalocyanine (lithium 1,8,15,22-tetraphenoxyphthalocyanine, LiPc-α-OPh) radical probe are presented. LiPc-α-OPh was synthesized in the form of a microcrystalline powder by an elctrochemical method and characterized by UV−visible, IR, 1H NMR, EPR, and mass spectroscopy. The UV−visible spectrum of LiPc-α-OPh showed a bathochromic shift of absorption bands due to delocalization of the π- electron density into the phenoxy ring. X-ray powder diffraction studies revealed a structural framework that possesses long, hollow channels running parallel to the packing direction. The channels measured approximately 4.9 × 8.7 A2 in the two-dimensional plane perpendicular to the length of the channel, allowing for diffusion of oxygen molecules (2.9 × 3.9 A2) through the channel. The powder exhibited a single, sharp EPR line under anoxic conditions, with a peak-to-peak li...
New strategies are needed in diffuse malignant mesothelioma

Background. Medical records of 50 patients with malignant mesothelioma were reviewed to determine the clinical features and factors influencing survival. Methods. Charts of all patients whose conditions were diagnosed as malignant mesothelioma were abstracted and analyzed by statistical software. Results. The male-to-female ratio was 4:l. The age distribution was younger than 45 years of age, 10%; 45–54 years of age, 12%; 55–64 years of age, 37%; 65–74 years of age, 33%; and 75 years of age or older, 8%. Both mean and median ages were 58 years. Among the 32 patients in whom asbestos exposure was recorded, 24 had documented exposure. The sites were pleura, 73%; peritoneum, 20%; and both, 6%. The histologic types were epithelial, 51%; sarcomatous, 10%; mixed, 15%; and not specified, 24%. The stage at presentation was Stage I, 37%; 11, 39%; 111, 12%; IV, 6%; and unknown, 6%. The common symptoms in pleural disease were dyspnea and pain; in peritoneal disease, abdominal distension and pain were common. The median time from first symptom to diagnosis was 3 months (range, 0–23 months). The median survival after the appearance of symptoms, the diagnosis, and the treatment were 13,10, and 8 months, respectively. Conclusions. The survival was independent of age, sex, and smoking behavior. It was longer in patients with earlier-stage disease, a good performance status, a longer duration of symptoms, an absence of pain, and who were treated with combined surgery and chemotherapy. Chemotherapy using anthracyclines yielded more remissions (9 of 21) than that using nonanthracyclines (0 of 13). The remission rate after primary chemotherapy with anthracyclines (7 of 16) may be higher than in recurrent tumor (2 of 14). In future trials, stratifization into primary chemotherapy and chemotherapy of recurrent cancer is suggested. There is a need for multi technique trials incorporating primary Chemotherapy.
Are men talking their reproductive health away

The advent of mobile phones has revolutionized communication trends across the globe. As the popularity of mobile phone usage continues to escalate, there is now growing concern about the effects of radiofrequency electromagnetic waves (RF-EMW) exposure on biological tissues, such as the brain and testes. Researchers have sought to link the much debated decline in human sperm quality in the last decade, with increased exposure to RF-EMW, particularly through mobile phone usage. In a recent systematic review and meta-analysis on the effect of mobile phone RF-EMW radiation on sperm quality, Adams et al. [1] demonstrated an association between mobile phone exposure and reduced sperm motility and viability, with inconsistent effects on sperm concentration. [1] Results from 10 pooled experimental (in vitro) and observational (in vivo)human studies (n = 1492) led these researchers to suggest that exposure to RF-EMW radiation from carrying a mobile phone in the trouser pocket negatively impacts sperm quality.
On-line aircraft state and stability derivative estimation using themodified-gain extended Kalman filter

A new on-line state and parameter identification algorithm called the modified-gain extended Kalman filter (MGEKF) is applied to the problem of on-line state estimation and identification of the stability derivatives of a F-111 type of vehicle. The conceptual basis for the MGEKF is the existence of a class of nonlinear functions that allow a universal linearization with respect to the measurement function. This class includes the problem of identification of linear systems. The previous single-output formulation is extended to a multioutput formulation where the only available measurements are acceleration and pitch rate, but not elevator deflection. The filter formulation includes a simplified Dryden wind gust model. The inclusion of the wind gust model results mainly in a slowed response in the estimation of the stability derivatives associated with the acceleration state; estimates of the stability derivatives associated with the pitch rate still respond very quickly. The accuracy of the acceleration stability derivatives depends upon the amplitude and frequency components of the persistently exciting dither signal.
Abstract 5297: Autocrine stimulation of VEGFR-2 by leptin is associated with Notch signaling pathway and cancer stem cell marker expression

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Obesity-related cancer is an increasing health problem. Leptin, the major adipokine, has been suggested a major factor in these relationships. Leptin is a pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic and mitogenic factor for breast cancer cells. Recently, we described a comprehensive mechanism for leptin induction of VEGF, and unveiled a novel crosstalk between Notch, IL-1 and leptin (NILCO) in breast cancer. NILCO regulates VEGF/VEGR-2 in breast cancer cells and could represent the integration of developmental, pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic signals critical for leptin oncogenic actions. However, the specific mechanisms for leptin-induced VEGFR2 are unknown. To answer this question, we re-cloned mouse VEGFR-2 promoter and prepared VEGFR-2 luc, then analyzed VEGFR-2 regulation and expression by using several kinase inhibitors, leptin peptide antagonist 2 (LPrA2), a VEGFR-2 kinase inhibitor (SU5416), as well as siRNA against VEGFR-2, Notch1, Notch3 in 4T1 cells. Our results demonstrated that leptin-induced JAK2/STAT3, MAPK/ERK 1/2, PI-3K/AKT1, PKC, p38 and JNK signaling pathways may correlate with upregulated VEGFR-2. Moreover, leptin-induced activation of Notch/VEGFR-2 was linked to the upregulation of cancer stem cell markers CD44 and ALDH1. These leptin effects were inhibited by siRNA-Notch1&3, leptin signaling antagonist (PEG-LPrA2), VEGFR2-kinase inhibitor (SU5416) and siRNA-VEGFR-2. Our results show for the first time how leptin's molecular signals regulate VEGFR-2 (an autocrine survival process) that was associated to Notch and cancer stem cell marker expression. These novel findings may help to design new strategies for prevention/treatment of breast cancer through the abrogation of tumor angiogenesis and breast cancer stem cell renewal in an obesity context. [This work was supported in part by NIH/NCI1SC1CA138658-02; NIH/ARRA/3SC1CA138658-02S1 and the Georgia Cancer Coalition Distinguished Cancer Scholar Award (to RRGP)]. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5297. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5297
Transcription factor expression is induced by axonal stimulation and glutamate in the glia of the developing optic nerve

Abstract Recent experiments have demonstrated that stimulation of the developing optic nerve affects several glial cell characteristics, such as ionic fluxes and cell proliferation. This investigation asked if transcription factor expression may be another stimulation-dependent process in the glia of the developing optic nerve. In unstimulated optic nerves, an antibody to c-fos-related antigens demonstrated positive cell body staining at postnatal days (P) 2, 7, 14, and 60. This nuclear staining was most prominent at early postnatal ages, although young adult (P60) optic nerves showed occasional positive cells. To demonstrate the inducibility of transcription factor antigens, optic nerves from P7 animals received intermittent 15–20 Hz electrical stimulation for 5–15 min. Two hours after this stimulation, an increased number of immunoreactive cells for c-fos-related antigens, c-jun, and NGFI-A was demonstrated. Additionally, optic nerves were exposed for 5–30 min to a solution of 300 μ M glutamate, latter maintained in a glutamate-free solution for 2 h, and then quickly frozen. Glutamate-treated nerves showed an increased expression of c-fos-related antigens compared to control nerves. No c-fos increase was seen in the absence of calcium. Expression of c-fos or NGFI-A occurred in cells that were S-100 positive, and most likely represented type 1 astrocytes. These studies indicate that developing (P7) optic nerves show a baseline expression of c-fos-related antigens, c-jun and NGFI-A. Stimulation through electrical nerve stimulation or glutamate results in an increased expression of these transcription factors.
NMR of enzymatically synthesized uniformly 13C15N-labeled DNA oligonucleotides.

Abstract A procedure for the enzymatic synthesis of uniformly 13C15N-labeled DNA oligonucleotides in milligram quantities for NMR studies is described. Deoxynucleotides obtained from microorganisms grown on 13C and 15N nutrient sources are enzymatically phosphorylated to dNTPs, and the dNTPs are incorporated into oligonucleotides using a 3'-5' exonuclease-deficient mutant of Klenow fragment of DNA polymerase I and an oligonucleotide template primer designed for efficient separation of labeled product DNA from unlabeled template. The labeling strategy has been used to uniformly label one or the other oligonucleotide strand in the DNA duplex dGGCAAAACGG.dCCGTTTTGCC in order to facilitate assignment and structure determination by NMR. Application of 15N and 13C heteronuclear NMR experiments to isotopically labeled DNA is presented.
Parental and community participation in improving educational quality in Africa : Current practices and future possibilities

In many countries in Southern and Eastern Africa, international development financing and involvement in education, particularly basic education, has increased significantly over the past two decades. International development funding for education, never a primary focus in early development financing, declined significantly following the oil crisis of the 1970s and the Structural Adjustment Policies of the 1980s. The 1990 World Conference on Education for All heralded a new era in international development education financing, programming, and theorizing. The Education for All (EFA) framework focused primarily on the need to expand basic formal education services to previously underserved populations. It laid out two central threads to ratio nalize such expansion. The first was economistic: rate-of-return studies con ducted in the late 1980s by economists, particularly from the World Bank, suggested that state investment in basic education and particularly basic education for girls had very high public rates of return (Psacharopoulos and Patrinos 2002). Such arguments were central to expanding international aid and political support for basic education. The second was rights-based: it ar gued that every person had a right to receive a basic education, quite aside from any other outcomes that might result from such education. Rights-based approaches tend to assume that such provision will result in particular politi cal and social outcomes related to, for example, empowerment, equity, and political democratization. Although not initially focused only on formal schooling, the EFA frame work in practice led to extensive support for the expansion of state-orga nized fee-free primary schooling for all children. A number of states in Africa (for example, Malawi, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda) adopted fee free or fee-reduced basic education policies following the Conference.1 Such adoptions were usually couched in terms of both economic and rights frame works, and they received extensive international support. These expansions generally resulted in rapid and massive increases in the number of children involved in the formal education sector. International and state discourses praised expansion policies for democratizing educational opportunity, but at