cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brief Alcohol Interventions With Mandated or Adjudicated College Students.

This article summarizes the proceedings of a symposium presented at the 2003 RSA Meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, organized and chaired by Nancy Barnett. The purpose of the symposium was to present information and efficacy data about approaches to brief intervention with students who get into trouble on their campuses for alcohol and as a result are required to attend alcohol education or counseling. Presentations were (1) Differences Between Mandated College Students and Their Peers on Alcohol Use and Readiness to Change, by Tracy O'Leary Tevyaw; (2) An Effective Alcohol Prevention Program for Mandated College Students, by Kim Fromme; (3) Two Brief Alcohol Interventions for a Referred College Population, by Kate Carey; and (4) Brief Motivational Intervention With College Students Following Medical Treatment or Discipline for Alcohol, by Nancy Barnett. The data presented in this symposium indicated that students who are evaluated or disciplined for alcohol use are on average heavy drinkers who drink more heavily than their closest peers. Brief intervention approaches described by the speakers included group classroom sessions, individual motivational intervention, individual alcohol education, and computerized alcohol education. Reductions in consumption and problems were noted across the various intervention groups. Brief motivational intervention as a general approach with mandated students shows promise in that it reduced alcohol problems in a group of mandated students who were screened for being at risk (in the Borsari and Carey study) and increased the likelihood that students would attend further counseling (in the Barnett study).
Probing the binding of the coumarin drugs using peptide fragments of DNA gyrase B protein

Department of Biochemistry and Technological Chemistry UNESP - Institute of Chemistry, Caixa Postal 355, 14800-900 Araraquara, Sao Paulo
Conductimetric determination of soil urease activity

Abstract A fast and sensitive method to determine urease activity in soils is described. It involves extraction of NH4‐N with 1 N. KC1 : 0.01 N HC1 and measurement of NH4 concentration by electroconductivity using a steady state flow system across a membrane. Sampling was done directly from the extracts with an automatic sampler at 40 samples per hour. The detection limit for NH4‐N was below 0.05 ppm in the extract. Extracts could be stored at room temperature for 17 hours before measuring NH4. No post‐treatment hydrolysis of urea occured.
Polyphenol-rich cranberry juice has a neutral effect on endothelial function but decreases the fraction of osteocalcin-expressing endothelial progenitor cells

Cranberry juice (CJ) contains a remarkably high concentration of polyphenols, considered to be beneficial for cardiovascular and bone health. The current double-blind, randomized study was designed to test whether daily consumption of double-strength Ocean Spray light CJ (2 × 230 ml) over 4 months has beneficial effects on vascular function and on endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) carrying the osteoblastic marker osteocalcin in particular. A total of 84 participants (49.5 ± 16.2 years) with peripheral endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular risk factors were enrolled in this double-blind, randomized, controlled trial (69 completed the 4-month protocol—32 in the CJ group and 37 in the placebo group, respectively). Vascular responses to reactive hyperemia were measured non-invasively by peripheral arterial tonometry (EndoPAT). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were stained for EPC markers, as well as osteocalcin, and counted by flow cytometry. Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. The effect of CJ on peripheral endothelial function and on circulating EPC counts (CD34+/CD133+/KDR+) did not change during the study. A high percentage of EPCs expressed osteocalcin (59.4 ± 35.7%). CJ, as compared to placebo, induced a decrease in the fraction of EPCs expressing osteocalcin (−8.64 ± 48.98 and 19.13 ± 46.11%, respectively, p = 0.019). Systemic levels of the adhesion marker ICAM correlated significantly with the number of EPCs expressing osteocalcin. The study demonstrated that long-term supplementation of polyphenol-rich CJ did not improve peripheral endothelial function. However, the decrease in the fraction of osteocalcin+ EPCs suggests a potential beneficial effect of polyphenol-rich CJ.
The agrarian question in the neoliberal era: primitive accumulation and the peasantry

The agrarian question in the neoliberal era: primitive accumulation and the peasantry, by Utsa Patnaik and Sam Moyo, Cape Town, Fahamu Books and Pambazuka Press, 2011, vi + 89 pp., £8.95 (paperback...
The sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase, SERCA1a, contains endoplasmic reticulum targeting information

The fast-twitch skeletal muscle Ca 2+ -ATPase isoenzyme, SERCAla, is localized in chick skeletal myotubes to both the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and to the nuclear envelope, an extension of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The ER labeling remained after cycloheximide treatment, indicating that it did not represent newly synthesized SERCA1a in transit to the SR. Expression of the cDNA encoding SERCA1a in cultured non-muscle cells led to the localization of the enzyme in the ER, as indicated by organelle morphology and the co-localization of SERCA1a with the endogenous ER luminal protein, BiP. Immunopurification analysis showed that SERCA1a was not bound to BiP, nor was any degradation apparent. Thus, the SR Ca 2+ -ATPase appears to contain ER targeting information.
EFFECTS OF CONFLICT UPON SCHEDULE-INDUCED CONSUMPTION OF WATER AND ALCOHOL

Schedule-induced polydipsic consumption of water and ethanol was conditioned in two groups of 6 Charles River rats which were then exposed to approach-avoidance (food-shock) conflict. Water intake was attenuated by conflict but ethanol consumption remained essentially unaltered. Alcohol's pharmacodynamic effect was implicated as responsible for differences in fluid consumption by the two groups.
Hypothermia attenuates the loss of hippocampal microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2) following traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) produces a tissue-specific decrease in protein levels of microtubule-associated protein 2 (MAP2), an important cross-linking component of the neuronal cytoskeleton. Bec...
The role and basics of computer simulation in support of critical decisions in plant breeding

A number of crucial decisions face the plant breeder before any field activities directed to crop genetic improvement are actually initiated, primarily related to choice of parents and breeding strategy options. Because of the impact, the complexity of these decisions, and the cost of implementing multiple options, computer simulation can be an important resource for the modern breeder. To maximize utility, the simulation tool must be based on effective models of the genome, the breeding process, and other ‘processes’ involved in genetic recombination, identification, and production of new cultivars. Additionally, the statistical methodology employed has ramifications for predicting performance and breeding outcome. The objective of this work is to highlight the role of computer simulation in the planning phases of crop genetic improvement, the basics of model building, statistical considerations, and key issues to be addressed. Examples of publicly available simulation software for plant breeding scenarios are described (features, functionalities, and assumptions) and new directions for improved/expanded approaches and tools are discussed.
Solving the nanostructure problem: exemplified on metallic alloy nanoparticles

With current technology moving rapidly toward smaller scales nanometer-size materials, hereafter called nanometer-size particles (NPs), are being produced in increasing numbers and explored for various useful applications ranging from photonics and catalysis to detoxification of wastewater and cancer therapy. Nature also is a prolific producer of useful NPs. Evidence can be found in ores on the ocean floor, minerals and soils on land and in the human body that, when water is excluded, is mostly made of proteins that are 6–10 nm in size and globular in shape. Precise knowledge of the 3D atomic-scale structure, that is how atoms are arranged in space, is a crucial prerequisite for understanding and so gaining more control over the properties of any material, including NPs. In the case of bulk materials such knowledge is fairly easy to obtain by Bragg diffraction experiments. Determining the 3D atomic-scale structure of NPs is, however, still problematic spelling trouble for science and technology at the nanoscale. Here we explore this so-called “nanostructure problem” from a practical point of view arguing that it can be solved when its technical, that is the inapplicability of Bragg diffraction to NPs, and fundamental, that is the incompatibility of traditional crystallography with NPs, aspects are both addressed properly. As evidence we present a successful and broadly applicable, 6-step approach to determining the 3D atomic-scale structure of NPs based on a suitable combination of a few experimental and computational techniques. This approach is exemplified on 5 nm sized PdxNi100−x particles (x = 26, 56 and 88) explored for catalytic applications. Furthermore, we show how once an NP atomic structure is determined precisely, a strategy for improving NP structure-dependent properties of particular interest to science and technology can be designed rationally and not subjectively as frequently done now.
Measuring entrepreneurial passion: Conceptual foundations and scale validation

Abstract Along with other affective and emotional dimensions, passion is at the heart of entrepreneurship. Yet past research on entrepreneurial passion (EP) has been hindered by the lack of a sound measurement instrument. Through a series of empirical studies conducted with samples from relevant populations, we develop and validate an instrument to capture EP and its inherent dimensions. We show that the task-specific dimensions of EP (intense positive feelings toward the domains of inventing, founding and developing, and the centrality of these domains to entrepreneurs' self-identity) are conceptually and empirically distinct from one another, and from other emotions and cognitions known to play a role in entrepreneurship. Our theory and results indicate that proper measurement of entrepreneurial passion incorporates the interaction between entrepreneurs' feelings and identity centrality for each domain. We discuss the implications of our model, instrument and findings for future research on the affective components of innovation and entrepreneurship. We also develop specific guidelines for using our validated instrument in future research.
Spatial organization and division of labour in the bumblebee Bombus impatiens

Individuals in many types of animal groups show both reproductive and task-related division of labour. In some social insect species, such division of labour may be related to the spatial organization of workers inside the nest. We examined colonies of bumblebees and found that (1) 11–13% of workers maintained small spatial fidelity zones inside the nest, and all workers tended to remain at a specific distance from the colony centre independent of their age; (2) smaller individuals maintained smaller spatial zones and tended to be closer to the centre; and (3) individuals that were more likely to perform the in-nest task of larval feeding tended to remain in the centre of the nest, whereas foragers were more often found on the periphery of the nest when not foraging. Individuals that performed other tasks did not maintain a predictable distance to the centre, and there was no evidence that spatial preferences changed over time. Instead, spatial patterns may result from inherent differences between individuals in terms of activity level, and may be a self-organized sorting mechanism that influences division of labour among workers.
Social Values and Health in Spain: Some Preliminary Considerations

This article suggests that there is an intimate relationship between sociocultural values and concepts of health (both positive and negative) in Spain; in other words, that medicine has social implications and is not simply a professional phenomenon. I take it that this general relationship is now accepted by most anthropologists. Its corollary—that those who are entrusted with resolving medical problems treat them with these social values in mind—is not, of course, necessarily true; nor is it my primary concern at this juncture.
Assessing Injuries with Proxies: Implications for Understanding Concurrent Relations and Behavioral Antecedents of Pediatric Injuries

Objective To examine the implications of using proxies of medically attended injuries (minor injuries and close calls) for understanding concurrent relations among—and behavioral antecedents of—pediatric injuries. Methods Participants were 812 children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care. Measures of externalizing behavior, maternal depression, SES, and the home environment were examined as prospective predictors of minor injuries, close calls, and medically attended injuries. Results Minor injuries and close calls were associated with medically attended injuries concurrently. Regression equations revealed different prospective predictors across the three outcome variables. Conclusions This study was the first to examine concurrent associations among minor injuries, close calls, and medically attended injuries. Prospective antecedents of each injury assessment were also examined. The present findings signify the importance of distinguishing between these different methods of assessing pediatric injury. The study also illustrated that different analytic strategies were needed to represent observed data of each outcome variable.
Part 1: Treatment of Snial Bait Toxicity in Dogs: Literature Review

Summary Metaldehyde and methiocarb are two snail baits (molluscicides) which are commonly ingested by dogs and cause rapid onset of severe neurological symptoms. Rapid and appropriate treatment is essential for patient survival. This paper summarizes the literature on treatment of metaldehyde and methiocarb toxicity, based primarily on actual case reports from the past 35 years. There are important differences between metaldehyde and methiocarb in their mechanisms and treatment. Metaldehyde's mechanism is unknown; methiocarb is a carbamate and parasympathomimetic. Pentobarbitone anesthesia and atropine have been the mainstays of treatment in metal-dehyde and methiocarb toxicity, respectively; their limitations and disadvantages are discussed. Other drugs and aspects of treatment, such as acetylpromazine, diazepam, gastric lavage, and hypetihermia, are also discussed. Clinical signs are similar in both types of toxicity, but treatment may be complicated by the development of hyperthermia and atropine poisoning which also have similar clinical signs.
Reduction of collisions between aircraft and surface vehicles

Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) will be the basis of future surveillance systems in the United States as well as in many other countries. The more frequent and more accurate information available with ADS-B could improve the performance of conflict-alerting systems for vehicles operating on airport surfaces. Ten years of National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) airport surface accident reports were reviewed, and four encounter scenarios representing the most commonly observed interactions between aircraft and airport surface vehicles were created. A concept of operation was then defined for how an ADS-B-based alerting system could take advantage of ADS-B-specific information to generate alerts in each of those four encounter scenarios. Through the use of historical ADS-B data from the Boston, Massachusetts; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Louisville, Kentucky, airports, proof of concept was established. The concepts show promise in reducing...
High performance superconducting thin films on large area substrates

The first fabrication of 3-in-diameter, thin films of thallium-based superconductors is reported. (Tl/sub 0.5/Pb/sub 0.5/)Sr/sub 2/Ca/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 9/ thin films on LaAlO/sub 3/ are found to display the best surface resistance (R/sub s/) properties of any superconductor at higher temperatures and show approximately 50* better performance than copper at 100 K and 10 GHz. A Tl/sub 2/Ba/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ thin film, processed as a 1.8-m-long, 10- mu m-wide meander line carries about 1*10/sup 7/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 4.2 K and 2*10/sup 6/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 80 K. The thallium-based superconductors are compared to YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ with respect to T/sub c/, R/sub s/, and Q. >
A code generation tool for simulation and control, based on colored Petri nets

The subject of this paper is a Petri net tool for simulation and control. This tool is used in conjunction with a Petri net editor called NETMAN to create a well integrated toolset for design, simulation, and control. This paper discusses a type of colored Petri nets that are used for the model description and the simulation tool. The details of the code generation are discussed, along with some possible uses of the generated code for both simulation and control. A published example of a stochastic Petri net is presented, and the results from the simulation are compared to the numerical solution.
Histone Demethylase UTX and Chromatin Remodeler BRM Bind Directly to CBP and Modulate Acetylation of Histone H3 Lysine 27

Trithorax group (TrxG) proteins antagonize Polycomb silencing and are required for maintenance of transcriptionally active states. We previously showed that the Drosophila melanogaster acetyltransferase CREB-binding protein (CBP) acetylates histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27ac), thereby directly blocking its trimethylation (H3K27me3) by Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) in Polycomb target genes. Here, we show that H3K27ac levels also depend on other TrxG proteins, including the histone H3K27-specific demethylase UTX and the chromatin-remodeling ATPase Brahma (BRM). We show that UTX and BRM are physically associated with CBP in vivo and that UTX, BRM, and CBP colocalize genome-wide on Polycomb response elements (PREs) and on many active Polycomb target genes marked by H3K27ac. UTX and BRM bind directly to conserved zinc fingers of CBP, suggesting that their individual activities are functionally coupled in vivo. The bromodomain-containing C terminus of BRM binds to the CBP PHD finger, enhances PHD binding to histone H3, and enhances in vitro acetylation of H3K27 by recombinant CBP. brm mutations and knockdown of UTX by RNA interference (RNAi) reduce H3K27ac levels and increase H3K27me3 levels. We propose that direct binding of UTX and BRM to CBP and their modulation of H3K27ac play an important role in antagonizing Polycomb silencing.
Cost Effectiveness of Integrated Medicine

The article by Coriat et al1 begins to explore the potential economic benefits of expanded follow-up care after chemotherapy, with the goal of avoiding treatment-related hospital admissions. The savings in the intervention cohort were approximately $1,100 per patient, and there was a two-fold reduction in hospitalizations.
Effects of After-School Programs with At-Risk Youth on Attendance and Externalizing Behaviors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

The popularity, demand, and increased federal and private funding for after-school programs have resulted in a marked increase in after-school programs over the past two decades. After-school programs are used to prevent adverse outcomes, decrease risks, or improve functioning with at-risk youth in several areas, including academic achievement, crime and behavioral problems, socio-emotional functioning, and school engagement and attendance; however, the evidence of effects of after-school programs remains equivocal. This systematic review and meta-analysis, following Campbell Collaboration guidelines, examined the effects of after-school programs on externalizing behaviors and school attendance with at-risk students. A systematic search for published and unpublished literature resulted in the inclusion of 24 studies. A total of 64 effect sizes (16 for attendance outcomes; 49 for externalizing behavior outcomes) extracted from 31 reports were included in the meta-analysis using robust variance estimation to handle dependencies among effect sizes. Mean effects were small and non-significant for attendance and externalizing behaviors. A moderate to large amount of heterogeneity was present; however, no moderator variable tested explained the variance between studies. Significant methodological shortcomings were identified across the corpus of studies included in this review. Implications for practice, policy and research are discussed.
Testicular torsion with contralateral vanishing testis

An infant with a left hydrocele and nonpalpable right testis had an antenatal ultrasonogram showing a left hydrocele and normal right testis. When left inguinal hydrocelectomy was performed, extravaginal torsion of the spermatic cord and a normal testis was discovered. The right spermatic cord ended in a testicular remnant. We propose that this was a case of bilateral antenatal torsion that would have resulted in bilateral vanishing testis syndrome had the left hydrocele not prevented vascular compromise when antenatal testicular torsion occurred. This case gives visible support to the theory that testicular remnants are the result of antenatal torsion.
RBMS at 30: Growing Along With the Profession

In 1988, the Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (ACRL/ALA) marks its thirtieth year as a separate Section within the Association of College and Research Libraries. The origins of a professional organization devoted to the concerns of rare book, manuscript, and special collections librarians go back at least a decade earlier. In 1948, an ACRL University Libraries Section meeting was devoted to rare books in the university library. John Cook Wyllie, speaking on “Why a Rare Book Room?” named “some of the best known curators of rare books in this country,” and asked his audience to guess how many belonged to . . .
The New Affirmative Action after Fisher v. University of Texas: Defining Educational Diversity Through the Sixth Amendment's Cross-Section Requirement

Skin color and diversity are not synonymous, and race provides no basis upon which to stereotype individuals or groups, regardless of whether the reasons are malevolent or benign.Affirmative action policies in higher education should focus on the things that individuals have overcome, not the traits that individuals — and groups — cannot change. Currently, the opposite is true, as such policies typically equate racial diversity with educational diversity, thereby precluding consideration of factors such as family and personal background, life experience, and the overcoming of adversity that would result in true educational diversity. This is not to say that race is irrelevant, as studies have shown that race contributes to achieving a diverse student body. The problem is that, by foreclosing a more searching review of every applicant’s background, universities achieve, at best, an incomplete form of diversity that undermines, rather than furthers, the goal of creating a diverse and intellectually stimulating classroom environment. This essay proposes that affirmative action programs should reflect a more comprehensive and empirically-sound definition of diversity. To do so, universities should adopt the framework created by the United States Supreme Court when interpreting the Sixth Amendment’s requirement that juries represent a cross-section of the community. Under this approach, although defendants are entitled to a jury that represents a cross-section of the community, such cross-section need not mirror a community’s racial and ethnic composition. By refusing to construe the cross-section requirement along racial and ethnic lines, the Court has implicitly recognized that a cross-section of the community can be realized by considering individual factors versus immutable characteristics. Affirmative action policies that embrace the concepts underlying the Court’s cross-section jurisprudence would achieve a more meaningful type of educational diversity that reflects the various life experiences, adversities and backgrounds that shape an individual’s perspective and worldview. This approach would also recognize that race is neither a proxy for diversity nor a basis upon which to make judgments about individuals. Indeed, until affirmative action programs employ more holistic and individualized admissions practices, the use of race and ethnicity as measures of individuality will continue to be as prevalent in modern society as it was during the Jim Crow era.
Gonadotropin Interpretation in a 25-Year-Old Man.

Apreviously healthy 25-year-oldman presented to the urology clinic with concerns of low energyandan interest in testosteronereplacementtherapy.Hereportednosymptomsof low libido,erectiledysfunction,orejaculatorydysfunction.Hismedicalhistorywassignificantonly forattention-deficit/hyperactivitydisorder forwhichhewasprescribeddextroamphetamine/ amphetamine. Although hewas not currently trying to conceive, hewas interested in future fertility.Onphysicalexamination,hewas178cmtallandweighed82kg(bodymass index,25.8), waswelldeveloped,hadnovisual fielddefects,andhadnogynecomastia.Hehadbilateraldescended atrophic testes that were each 4mL in volume (reference volume, 20mL). His epididymides and spermatic cord structureswere present and normal bilaterally. Given the patient’s clinical presentation and examination findings, blood tests and a semenanalysiswereperformed.Results fromthe laboratory testingare shown in theTable.
CRISPR: Pursuit of profit poisons collaboration

The CRISPR–Cas9 patent battle demonstrates how overzealous efforts to commercialize technology can damage science, writes Jacob S. Sherkow.
Cryptococcus neoformans: Giemsa Stained Characteristics That Facilitate Detection

While evaluating Giemsa stained smears of pulmonary specimens from patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, we observed that cells of Cryptococcus neoformans are clearly delineated by staining of the capsule and cell wall perimeter, which is separated by a clear space. Awareness of these staining attributes may aid diagnosis.
Physics iv 10-11 as a Parallel Account

Given the context of the Physics just explored, it will not be a surprise if time (chrόnos) in Aristotle’s analytic of time turns out to be not a being qua itself but an attribute of motion, an interval.
Numerical Analysis of Flow and Combustion Process in a 10t/h Incineration Boiler

The numerical simulation in process of flow and combustion of a 10t/h incineration boiler was carried out.The Species Transport model was adopted.During computation,the gas phase transportation is simulated by k-turbulence model,and heat radiation transfer is calculated by P-1 radiation model.The law of the distributions of temperature,velocity and concentration of gas compositions was analysed.The analysis and the comparison were made,the calculation results show agreement with the measured figures.
Determination apomorphine hydrochloride and its relative substances in apomorphine hydrochloride nasal spray by HPLC

OBJECTIVE To develop a method for the determination of apomorphine hydrochloride and its relative substances in apomorphine hydrochloride nasal spray.METHODS Apomorphine hydrochloride and its relative substances were analysed on a Diamonsil C_(18)(5μm,4.6mm×150mm) column.The mobile phase was CH_(3)CN-H_(2)O-H_(3)PO_(4)(16∶84∶0.4) with the flow rate of 1.0 mL·min~(-1).The column temperature was maintained at 30℃,and the detective wavelength was set at 273 nm. RESULTS The calibration cruve was linear in the range of 7.2~934μg·mL~(-1)(n=9),and the detection limit was 0.5ng.The method was repeatable with RSD 0.8%(n=9).3 batches of sample were analyzed and the apomorphine hydrochloride contents were 98.0%~(98.1%) of the label amount,and the relative substances were 0.52%~0.68%.CONCLUSION The method is simple,sensitive and reliable,which can be used for the quality control of this preparation.
Pest Management, Evolution and

Evolutionary principles have long been applied to management of pest species. Various techniques have been used to limit the extent to which insect pests evolve resistance to insecticides, though the success of these methods is mixed. Biological control uses other species (typically natural enemies) to reduce the size of pest species populations. In addition to the use of whole organisms, a variant of biological control is the use of selfish genetic elements and the bacterium Wolbachia . This article concludes with a discussion of the niche explosion, a new hypothesis that explains the origin of some highly generalist pest species.
Immune responses to spermatozoa in homosexual men

Immunologic responses to spermatozoa were investigated in homosexual and heterosexual men. Ten of 18 (56%) of the homosexual men had serum levels of IgG antibody to spermatozoa that were at least 2 standard deviations above the mean level for the heterosexual men; only 2 homosexual men had IgA antibody to spermatozoa. Similar increases above heterosexual levels in sperm-related antigen were detected in the sera of 56% (10 of 18) of the homosexual men. Circulating immune complexes (CICs) were detected at high levels (>1000 μ g/ml) in 61% (11 of 18) of the homosexual men. The CICs were relatively small ( μ g/ml). In the homosexual men, CICs and sperm-related antigen levels were positively correlated ( r =0.41, P r =−0.24, P r =−0.24, P
Stochastic Optimization of Conjunctive Use in Pakistan

This paper describes an optimization analysis of conjunctive use of ground and surface water that incorporates stochastic inflows and regional variations in groundwater quality and availability. The objective function includes the effects of salinity, water deficits and/or waterlogging on expected crop production as well as income from the sale of water and hydroelectric power. The model is applied to a very large irrigation system in the Indus Plains in Pakistan, which has saline and fresh groundwater regions and a random surface water inflow. The results for the Indus Plains indicate that crop losses can be substantially reduced by replacing the historical policy, which involves constant pumping rates, with a flexible policy that modifies groundwater pumping and surface water allocations among regions in response to fluctuations in the surface water supply.
Flatness: The Global Disaggregation of Value Creation

At the most general level, the idea of ‘flatness’ in the context of economic development has to do with parity. This is the property whereby different individuals or areas of the world are roughly similar in terms of their levels of economic outcomes. Thus, in comparing one individual or area to another, the observer perceives similarity in terms of measurable outcomes like standards of living and incomes.
Migraine and Ischemic Stroke

The relation between migraine and ischemic stroke in 72 young women aged under 45 and 173 controls was investigated at five hospital in Paris and suburbs.
Introduction to Nanobiophotonics

Nanobiophotonics is combination of nanotechnology and biotechnology with photonics. The basic principles and new advances in nanophotonics probes for biomedical technology and challenges in this field are presented. Bioimaging and biosensing using nanoprobes to study cellular and tissue interactions, control of excited state dynamics for photodynamic therapy, and nanocontrol dynamics in fluorescence resonance energy transfer for real time monitoring and drug delivery, as examples, are also discussed.
Robustness of Reconstructed Ancestral Protein Functions to Statistical Uncertainty

Hypotheses about the functions of ancient proteins and the effects of historical mutations on them are often tested using ancestral protein reconstruction (APR)-phylogenetic inference of ancestral sequences followed by synthesis and experimental characterization. Usually, some sequence sites are ambiguously reconstructed, with two or more statistically plausible states. The extent to which the inferred functions and mutational effects are robust to uncertainty about the ancestral sequence has not been studied systematically. To address this issue, we reconstructed ancestral proteins in three domain families that have different functions, architectures, and degrees of uncertainty; we then experimentally characterized the functional robustness of these proteins when uncertainty was incorporated using several approaches, including sampling amino acid states from the posterior distribution at each site and incorporating the alternative amino acid state at every ambiguous site in the sequence into a single "worst plausible case" protein. In every case, qualitative conclusions about the ancestral proteins' functions and the effects of key historical mutations were robust to sequence uncertainty, with similar functions observed even when scores of alternate amino acids were incorporated. There was some variation in quantitative descriptors of function among plausible sequences, suggesting that experimentally characterizing robustness is particularly important when quantitative estimates of ancient biochemical parameters are desired. The worst plausible case method appears to provide an efficient strategy for characterizing the functional robustness of ancestral proteins to large amounts of sequence uncertainty. Sampling from the posterior distribution sometimes produced artifactually nonfunctional proteins for sequences reconstructed with substantial ambiguity.
Using Maximum Subarrays for Approximate String Matching

In this paper, we evaluate maximum subarrays for approximate string matching and alignment. The global alignment score as well as local sub-alignments are indicators of good alignment. After showing how maximum sub-arrays could be used for string matching, we provide several ways of using maximum subarrays: long, short, loose, strict, and top-k. While long version extends the local sub-alignments, the short method avoids extensions that would not increase the alignment score. The loose method tries to achieve high global score whereas the strict method converts the output of loose alignment by minimizing the unnecessary gaps. The top-k method is used to find out top-k sub-alignments. The results are compared with two global and local dynamic programming methods that use gap penalties in addition to one of the state-of-art methods. In our experiments, using maximum subarrays generated good overall as well as local sub-alignments without requiring gap penalties.
Discovery of Fragment-Derived Small Molecules for in Vivo Inhibition of Ketohexokinase (KHK)

Increased fructose consumption and its subsequent metabolism have been implicated in hepatic steatosis, dyslipidemia, obesity, and insulin resistance in humans. Since ketohexokinase (KHK) is the principal enzyme responsible for fructose metabolism, identification of a selective KHK inhibitor may help to further elucidate the effect of KHK inhibition on these metabolic disorders. Until now, studies on KHK inhibition with small molecules have been limited due to the lack of viable in vivo pharmacological tools. Herein we report the discovery of 12, a selective KHK inhibitor with potency and properties suitable for evaluating KHK inhibition in rat models. Key structural features interacting with KHK were discovered through fragment-based screening and subsequent optimization using structure-based drug design, and parallel medicinal chemistry led to the identification of pyridine 12.
Heavy Flavor Production, Energy Loss and Flow — Experimental Overview

Abstract In this proceedings, I highlight selected experimental results on heavy flavor quark production presented at the Quark Matter 2017 conference. I show experimental evidences that charm quarks interact strongly and flow with the QGP medium and that bottom quarks lose less energy compared to charm quarks. These high quality data will offer stringent constraints on theoretical model calculations and help precision determination of QGP medium transport parameters. In the end, I look forward to a more prospective future of the heavy flavor program with further improved detector equipments at both RHIC and LHC.
Gendering Illegality: Undocumented Young Adults’ Negotiation of the Family Formation Process:

Although previous scholarship demonstrates that gender profoundly affects the immigrant incorporation process, few studies assess the role of gender in the lives of 1.5-generation undocumented youn...
OpenOpticalFlow: An Open Source Program for Extraction of Velocity Fields from Flow Visualization Images

This paper describes OpenOpticalFlow, an open source optical flow program in Matlab for extraction of high-resolution velocity fields from various flow visualization images. This program is a useful tool for researchers to use the optical flow method in various flow measurements. The principles of the optical flow method are concisely described, including the physics-based optical flow equation, the variational solution, and errors. The central part of this paper is the descriptions of the main program, relevant subroutines and selection of the relevant parameters in optical flow computation. Examples are given to demonstrate the applications of the optical flow method.
NosN, a Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Methylase, Catalyzes Both C1 Transfer and Formation of the Ester Linkage of the Side-Ring System during the Biosynthesis of Nosiheptide.

Nosiheptide, a member of the e series of macrocyclic thiopeptide natural products, contains a side-ring system composed of a 3,4-dimethylindolic acid (DMIA) moiety connected to Glu6 and Cys8 of the thiopeptide backbone via ester and thioester linkages, respectively. Herein, we show that NosN, a predicted class C radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) methylase, catalyzes both the transfer of a C1 unit from SAM to 3-methylindolic acid linked to Cys8 of a synthetic substrate surrogate as well as the formation of the ester linkage between Glu6 and the nascent C4 methylene moiety of DMIA. In contrast to previous studies that indicated that 5′-methylthioadenosine is the immediate methyl donor in the reaction, in our studies, SAM itself plays this role, giving rise to S-adenosylhomocysteine as a coproduct of the reaction.
Genetics of Hypertension

Review of the literature helped to establish hypertension as a multifactorial disease, meaning that malfunctions in certain genes predispose individuals to developing the condition but the genes are not particularly dominant and the expression of the final phenotype is heavily influenced by the patient’s lifestyle and environment. There is also a disparity concerning the prevalence of chronic illness between individuals of a lower and higher socioeconomic status. It has been shown that people coming from low socioeconomic backgrounds are disadvantaged in terms of disease management. In this study, 30 Zucker rats were used in the first trials of a medication for patients genetically predisposed to hypertension who struggle to manage their condition. The test subjects were separated into 3 groups: a control group who merely got fed twice a day, group 2 who got fed twice a day and received the medication with their first meal, and group 3 who were fed twice a day and received the medication with both meals. The results showed that the test subjects that received the lower dosage did have a decrease in blood pressure although it was slower and less stable compared to the rats that received the higher dosage. Studies must still be conducted although the medication has been deemed safe enough to continue on to the next phase: non-human primates. The hope is that within 5 years, through government assistance such as grants, the medication will be distributed throughout community health centers for the at-risk patient base.
REV-ERBβ is required to maintain normal wakefulness and the wake-inducing effect of dual REV-ERB agonist SR9009

Circadian signaling regulates and synchronizes physiological and behavioral processes, such as feeding, metabolism, and sleep cycles. The endogenous molecular machinery that regulates circadian activities is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. The REV-ERBs are transcription factors that play key roles in the regulation of the circadian clock and metabolism. Using pharmacological methods, we recently demonstrated the involvement of the REV-ERBs in sleep architecture. Another group reported a delayed response to sleep deprivation and altered sleep cycles in REV-ERBα null mice, indicating a role of REV-ERBα in sleep. Given that REV-ERBβ is structurally and functionally similar to REV-ERBα, we investigated the role of REV-ERBβ in sleep and wakefulness by assessing electroencephalographic recordings in REV-ERBβ deficient mice and the mechanism underlying effects of loss of REV-ERBβ on sleep. Our data suggest that REV-ERBβ is involved in the maintenance of wakefulness during the activity period. In addition, REV-ERBβ-deficient mice administered with dual REV-ERB agonist SR9009, failed to show drug-induced wake increase. Finally, the expression of a number of genes known to mediate sleep and wakefulness were altered in REV-ERBβ null mice.
Multidisciplinary Conference and Clinical Management of Rectal Cancer.

Background Presentation of rectal cancer cases at a colorectal cancer multidisciplinary conference (CRC-MDC) is a required standard for the newly formed National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer administered by the Commission on Cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and manner in which CRC-MDC changed the management of rectal cancer patients at a tertiary academic center. Study Design All rectal cancer cases presented at a weekly CRC-MDC between July 2015 and June 2016 were prospectively included. Patient demographics and clinical information were recorded. The presenting physician completed a uniform written questionnaire outlining any changes in management as a result of the discussion. Results There were 408 rectal cancer cases included, and survey responses were obtained for 371 (91%). Thirty-nine patients (11%) had stage IV disease and 20 (5%) had locally recurrent cancer. There was a documented change in plan as a result of the CRC-MDC discussion in 97 of 371 (26%) cases surveyed. Changes in management included a change in therapy or change in therapy sequence in 76 cases, and recommendation of additional evaluation in 36 cases. Rates of management change were similar regardless of surgeon experience. Changes occurred in 23%, 28%, and 26% of cases presented by surgeons with 20 years of experience, respectively (chi-square p = 0.63). Conclusions The CRC-MDC changes clinical management for a significant portion of rectal cancer patients at a tertiary center, independent of the presenting surgeon's years of clinical experience. Our results support the CRC-MDC standard for the National Accreditation Program for Rectal Cancer.
RiskPol : A Risk Assessment Framework for Preventing Attribute-Forgery Attacks to ABAC Policies

Recently, attribute-based access control (ABAC) has emerged as a convenient paradigm for specifying, enforcing and maintaining rich and flexible authorization policies, leveraging attributes originated from multiple sources, e.g., operative systems, software modules, remote services, etc. However, attackers may try to bypass ABAC policies by compromising such sources to forge the attributes they provide, e.g., by deliberately manipulating the data contained within those attributes at will, in an effort to gain unintended access to sensitive resources as a result. In such a context, performing a proper risk assessment of ABAC policies, taking into account their enlisted attributes as well as their corresponding sources, becomes highly convenient to overcome zero-day security incidents or vulnerabilities, before they can be later exploited by attackers. With this in mind, we introduce RiskPol, an automated risk assessment framework for ABAC policies based on dynamically combining previously-assigned trust scores for each attribute source, such that overall scores at the policy level can be later obtained and used as a reference for performing a risk assessment on each policy. In this paper, we detail the general intuition behind our approach, its current status, as well as our plans for future work.
Measuring Attitudes About End-of-Life Care: Evaluation of a Modified Version of the Hospice Philosophy Scale:

The Hospice Philosophy Scale (HPS) is the only scaled instrument that measures health professionals’ attitudes about end-of-life care consistent with the hospice philosophy. This study tested the p...
Spinal Cord Compression Syndrome

Spinal cord compression syndrome includes tumor involvement of the spinal cord, adjacent nerve roots, or cauda equina [1, 2]. This devastating complication of cancer is diagnosed in more than 18,000–20,000 patients annually in the United States [3] and thus is second in frequency to brain metastases as the cause of cancer-related neurologic complications [4]. The frequency of spinal cord compression will increase as the treatment of cancer improves and patients survive longer [5]. For those patients with neurologic deficits and pain, the quality of life is adversely affected and the costs of care are increased.
Expert Systems In Marketing: An Introduction

This chapter describes the implementation of a small marketing expert system in M.1 and in IBM’ s Expert System Environment, thus making the reader familiar with an actual marketing system as well as the working of an expert system tool.
EXAMPLES, COUNTEREXAMPLES AND THE COMPUTER

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the application of computer in mathematical problem, which is to determine whether there exist non-Desarguesian projective planes of order 16. It presents the calculation of Veblen–Wedderburn systems of a certain type. If it is tried to be done in the crudest possible way, the computations get too cumbersome, and so it was necessary to devise a clever scheme to reduce the problem to manageable proportions. The computer printed out all the examples, for it indicated that the problem was solved and that there had to be at least one non-Desarguesian plane. Moreover, the computer is used concerning an identity in alternative rings. A ring may be defined to be alternative in case every subring, which can be generated by two elements is associative.
The good daughters

Abstract This study explores the dynamics of informal care of the elderly in Mexican-American families. Quantitative and qualitative data drawn from interviews with caregivers are presented, which illustrate how acculturation affects the caregiving experience itself and its consequences in terms of stress, burden, rewards, and overall satisfaction. The burden of caregiving for both highly acculturated and less acculturated caregivers was substantial, but there were dramatic differences between the groups in levels of satisfaction. Contrary to expectations, the less acculturated caregivers experienced greater stress, burden, and significantly lower satisfaction even though they were more clearly fulfilling role obligations and they had more family members available to assist with caregiving. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.
Bargeld in privaten Geldsystemen

Das Verschwinden des Bargelds kennzeichnet einen tief greifenden Wandel des Geldes in der fortschreitenden Moderne, in dem Geld sich immer weiter ausdifferenziert und privatisiert. Langst liegt der Grosteil des Geldes in unbarer Form vor, als von den privaten Geschaftsbanken erzeugtes Giralgeld. Der bargeldlose Zahlungsverkehr wird durch Zahlungsinstrumente wie Uberweisung, Lastschrift, Bank- oder Kreditkarten abgewickelt und ersetzt zunehmend die bisherigen monetaren Transaktionen mit dem staatlich legitimierten Zahlungsmittel des Bargeldes.