cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supporting Active Living Through Community Plans: The Association of Planning Documents With Design Standards and Features.

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to examine the association between the presence of supportive community planning documents in US municipalities with design standards and requirements supporti...
Sleep in Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Sleep problems in children and adolescents with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are challenging from a diagnostic and therapeutic standpoint, but elucidation and successful management of sleep issues in these patients can result in considerable mitigation of daytime neurobehavioral symptoms. All children presenting with ADHD symptoms should be systematically screened for primary sleep disorders. The relative contributions of psychotropic medication, comorbid psychiatric conditions, circadian rhythm issues, and sleep hygiene to sleep problems in the individual patient should be carefully assessed. Sedative/hypnotic medications may be indicated in select cases, in combination with behavioral and sleep hygiene strategies.
Micromachined Shear Stress Sensors for Flow Control Applications

This paper reviews existing microelectromechanical systems-based shear stress sensors in the context of their suitability for various flow control situations. The advantages and limitations of existing devices for use in flow control systems are discussed. Unresolved technical issues are summarized and recommendations provided for future sensor development.
A Distributed System for Collaboration and Control of UAV Groups: Experiments and Analysis

This chapter describes a distributed system for collaboration and control of a group of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The system allows a group of vehicles to work together to accomplish a mission via an allocation mechanism that works with a limited communication range and is tolerant to agent failure. This system could be used in a number of applications including mapping, surveillance, search and rescue operations.
An examination of the social psychology of Blacks' consumption of sport

Black consumers' general sport attendance is relatively poor; however, their attendance at historically Black college/university (HBCU) sport events is noteworthy. The purpose of this study was to examine how factors such as general perception of sport, psychosocial involvement with HBCU sports, and intensity of ethnic identification influenced Black consumers' (n = 278) attendance at HBCU sports and their general/non-HBCU sport consumption patterns. Descriptive statistics revealed that the respondents attended HBCU sports more frequently than they did any other type of sport events and were also avid consumers of televised sports. Multivariate multiple regression analyses revealed that intensity of ethnic identification and psychosocial involvement with HBCU sports significantly influenced HBCU sports attendance frequency. Moreover, psychosocial involvement with HBCU sports exerted a profound and positive influence on general sport consumption. This study offered an examination of the social psychology t...
Multi-layer Large-Scale Functional Connectome Reveals Infant Brain Developmental Patterns

Understanding human brain functional development in the very early ages is of great importance for charting normative development and detecting early neurodevelopmental disorders, but it is very challenging. We propose a group-constrained, robust community detection method for better understanding of developing brain functional connectome from neonate to two-year-old. For such a multi-subject, multi-age-group network topology study, we build a multi-layer functional network by adding inter-subject edges, and detect modular structure (communities) to explore topological changes of multiple functional systems at different ages and across subjects. This “Multi-Layer Inter-Subject-Constrained Modularity Analysis (MLISMA)” can detect group consistent modules without losing individual information, thus allowing assessment of individual variability in the brain modular topology, a key metric for developmental individualized fingerprinting. We propose a heuristic parameter optimization strategy to wisely determine the necessary parameters that define the modular configuration. Our method is validated to be feasible using longitudinal 0–1–2 year’s old infant brain functional MRI data, and reveals novel developmental trajectories of brain functional connectome. This work was supported by the NIH grants, EB022880, 1U01MH110274, and MH100217.
Dual random lattice modeling of backward erosion piping

Abstract This manuscript provides a novel random lattice model to simulate the progressive degradation of soil embankments induced by the backward erosion piping (BEP) phenomenon. The progressive evolution of the piping process is described by expressing apparent diffusivity of the soil as a function of the local hydraulic gradient. In order to accurately compute local field gradients, a dual lattice approach that evaluates the response on both Delaunay and Voronoi nodes is formulated. The response computed at the Delaunay nodes is then employed to augment field gradient computation on the Voronoi grid. The proposed dual lattice model is numerically verified and validated by comparing numerical results with BEP experiments available in the literature.
Enchanted consumption and the gift(s) of diaspora

This article explores consumption practices in Paule Marshall’s Praisesong for the Widow (1983) and Helen Oyeyemi’s The Opposite House (2007), which it reads as a macroeconomic critique. This criti...
Online education

There has been an explosion of interest in Online Education since Stanford made three computer science courses freely available in September 2011 and attracted 300,000 "students." Yet Online Education has been around in various forms for thirty plus years. What accounts for the sudden inflection point sparked by these courses? Will the rush to put courses online prove to be (a) a flash in the pan, (b) the savior of higher education, (c) the death knell of universities as we know them, (d) all of the above?
Expression and regulation of mutant forms of cardiac TnI in a reconstituted actomyosin system: role of kinase dependent phosphorylation.

When phosphorylated, the inhibitory subunit of troponin (TnI) causes a loss in calcium sensitivity and a decrease in actomyosin ATPase. To examine this process, we bacterially expressed wild type TnI and TnI mutants in which serine 22 and 23, a putative protein kinase A (PKA) site, and threonine 143, a putative protein kinase C (PKC) site, were replaced by alanine S22A/23A and TI43A. PKA dependent phosphorylation was approximately 90% reduced in the S22A/23A mutant and unaffected in T143A. PKC dependent phosphorylation was markedly reduced in T 143A relative both to a wild type construct and to S22A/23A, although some residual phosphorylation (likely at sites other than T143) was seen. The calcium sensitivity (i.e. inhibition of actomyosin ATPase in the presence of EGTA) and regulation of the reconstituted actomyosin system was preserved in the absence of phosphorylation using wild type TnI or either mutant. Calcium sensitivity was decreased by both PKA and PKC with the wild type TnI but was unaffected by PKA when the S22A/23A mutant was employed and by PKC when the T143A mutant was reconstituted. The calcium dependency of the ATPase curve was substantially right shifted when PKC phosphorylated wild type TnI was employed for regulation, and this was markedly attenuated when T143 A was reassociated (although a slight rightward shift and a reduction in maximal ATPase activity was still seen). These data confirm that phosphorylation of TnI by regulatory kinases plays a major role in the regulation of myofibrillar ATPase. The N-terminal serines (22 and 23) appear to be uniquely important for the PKA response whereas threonine 143 is involved in the PKC response although other residues may also have functional significance.
Effects of Planting Date and Irrigation on Yield and Grade in Runner-type Peanut Cultivars in North Florida

ABSTRACT Peanuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) have been one of the most profitable crops in the southeastern coastal plains but with increasing cost of production, growers continually seek to lower inputs...
Pregnancy per artificial insemination during summer in lactating dairy cows after treatment with aspirin

Abstract Embryonic loss in cattle may be related to a hormonal imbalance resulting in alterations in timing of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) secretion around the time of maternal recognition of pregnancy. The objective of this study was to examine effects of aspirin (a PGF2α inhibitor) on pregnancy per AI (P/AI), and progesterone (P4), and pregnancy specific protein B (PSPB) concentrations in lactating dairy cows inseminated more than once after parturition. Fourteen days after second or subsequent AI (Day 0 = Day of AI), 556 cows were assigned randomly to aspirin (187.2 g total; n = 277) or control (n = 279) groups. Aspirin was administered orally on Day 14 and 15, and control cows were subjected to sham bolus administration. On Day 25, blood samples were collected from a subset of cows (n = 194) to quantify P4 and PSPB, whereas pregnancy was determined in all cows at 35–42 days post-AI. Maximum daily ambient temperature ranged from 38-41 °C during the experiment. Mean parity, days in milk, and times bred before treatment (TBRD) did not differ between groups. There were no differences in P/AI between treatments (aspirin 21.6 % compared with control 27.5 %). Neither treatment, parity, TBRD, or any two-way interactions with treatment affected concentrations of P4. Moreover, there were no effects (P > 0.50) of treatment, or treatment by TBRD interaction on serum PSPB concentrations. A tendency (P = 0.07) occurred for multiparous cows to have greater serum PSPB concentrations compared with primiparous cows. Mean serum PSPB concentrations tended (P = 0.07) to be greater for second or third TBRD compared to fourth and greater TBRD. These results provide evidence that aspirin administered during periods of heat stress after the second and subsequent AI post-partum during the summer months does not improve P/AI or alter P4 and PSPB in lactating dairy cows.
Optimizing the Use of an Online Self-assessment Exam to Promote Self-directed Learning Behaviors in Medical Students

Online self-assessment exams (SAEs) can be used to encourage self-directed learning (SDL) in medical education, but their effectiveness depends on how they are incorporated into the curriculum. In this pilot, we applied adult learning principles to the curricular design for implementing an online SAE in the neurology clerkship. We examined student perceptions of the efficacy in promoting SDL behaviors by analyzing survey responses from 76 medical students in the clerkship. Factors in the design and implementation of the SAE that promoted SDL behaviors included fostering autonomy, promoting paced study, broadening content exposure, encouraging self-reflection, and providing content with perceived value.
Risk factors and outcomes of postoperative emergency response team activation: a matched case-control study

Objective To determine patient and perioperative characteristics associated with unexpected postoperative clinical deterioration as determined for the need of a postoperative emergency response team (ERT) activation. Design Retrospective case-control study. Setting Tertiary academic hospital. Participants Patients who underwent general anaesthesia discharged to regular wards between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2015 and required ERT activation within 48 postoperative hours. Controls were matched based on age, sex and procedure. Main outcome measures Baseline patient and perioperative characteristics were abstracted to develop a multiple logistic regression model to assess for potential associations for increased risk for postoperative ERT. Results Among 105 345 patients, 797 had ERT calls, with a rate of 7.6 (95% CI, 7.1-8.1) calls per 1000 anaesthetics (0.76%). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed the following risk factors for postoperative ERT: cardiovascular disease (odds ratio [OR], 1.61; 95% CI, 1.18-2.18), neurological disease (OR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.11-2.22), preoperative gabapentin (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.17-2.20), longer surgical duration (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.11, per 30 min), emergency procedure (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.09-2.18), and intraoperative use of colloids (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.17-1.92). Compared with control participants, ERT patients had a longer hospital stay, a higher rate of admissions to critical care (55.5%), increased postoperative complications, and a higher 30-day mortality rate (OR, 3.36; 95% CI, 1.73-6.54). Conclusion We identified several patient and procedural characteristics associated with increased likelihood of postoperative ERT activation. ERT intervention is a marker for increased rates of postoperative complications and death.
Investigating grammatical complexity in L2 English writing research: Linguistic description versus predictive measurement

Abstract We argue in the present paper that the (socio)linguistic description of grammatical complexity provides a necessary complement to predictive omnibus measures as an analytical approach for the study of student writing proficiency and development. That is, while omnibus measures can be effective for predicting student performance, we argue that a comprehensive grammatical description is required to fully understand and interpret the linguistic characteristics of written texts produced by students. The logic of our argument is simple: Descriptions of grammatical complexity in student writing must be based on linguistically-interpretable analyses of grammar (including syntactic differences). We develop this argument from several perspectives, including a survey of the structural/syntactic features relating to the construct of grammatical complexity in English, an overview of corpus-based research showing that these distinctions truly matter for the description of academic writing, and a critical evaluation of the descriptive adequacy of omnibus measures when considered from this linguistic perspective. In summary, although we recognize the utility of omnibus complexity measures for purely predictive purposes (e.g., to assess L2 writing proficiency), we argue that a comprehensive linguistic description of grammatical structures and uses is required to fully understand the characteristics of student texts and the nature of student writing development.
Risk Factors for 30- and 90-Day Readmission due to Intestinal Bowel Obstruction after Posterior Lumbar Fusion.

Study design A retrospective analysis of data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Readmissions Database (HCUP-NRD). Purpose To identify the perioperative characteristics associated with 30-day and 90-day readmission due to intestinal bowel obstructions (IBOs) following posterior lumbar fusion (PLF) procedure. Overview of literature PLF procedures are used to repair spinal injuries and curvature deformities. IBO is a common surgical complication and its repair often necessitates surgery that increases the readmission rates and healthcare costs. Previous studies have identified the preoperative risk factors for 30-day readmissions in PLF; however, no study has specifically investigated IBO or identified risk factors for 90-day readmissions. Methods Data on demographic characteristics and medical comorbidities of patients who underwent PLF with subsequent readmission were obtained from the HCUP-NRD. The perioperative characteristics that were significantly different between patients readmitted with and without an active diagnosis of IBO were identified with bivariate analysis for both 30-day and 90-day readmissions. The significant characteristics were then included in a multivariate analysis to identify those that were independently associated with 30- day and 90-day readmissions. Results Drug abuse (odds ratio [OR], 4.00), uncomplicated diabetes (OR, 2.06), having Medicare insurance (OR, 1.65), age 55-64 years (OR, 2.42), age 65-79 years (OR, 2.77), and age >80 years (OR, 3.87) were significant risk factors for 30-day readmission attributable to IBO after a PLF procedure. Conclusions Of the several preoperative risk factors identified for readmission with IBO after PLF surgery, drug abuse had the strongest association and was likely to be the most clinically relevant factor. Physicians and care teams should understand the risks of opioid-based pain management regimens, attempt to manage pain with a multimodal approach, and minimize the opioid use.
Sampling error correction in ensemble Kalman inversion.

Ensemble Kalman inversion is a parallelizable derivative-free method to solve inverse problems. The method uses an ensemble that follows the Kalman update formula iteratively to solve an optimization problem. The ensemble size is crucial to capture the correct statistical information in estimating the unknown variable of interest. Still, the ensemble is limited to a size smaller than the unknown variable's dimension for computational efficiency. This study proposes a strategy to correct the sampling error due to a small ensemble size, which improves the performance of the ensemble Kalman inversion. This study validates the efficiency and robustness of the proposed strategy through a suite of numerical tests, including compressive sensing, image deblurring, parameter estimation of a nonlinear dynamical system, and a PDE-constrained inverse problem.
Advocacy journalism in the 21st century: Rethinking entertainment in digital Black press outlets:

The Black press is often conceptualized as an advocacy press, but in the current digital environment, in which there are numerous entertainment-focused outlets, what exactly constitutes advocacy is...
E-084 Nicardipine versus clevidipine for post mechanical thrombectomy blood pressure management in patients with ischemic stroke due to isolated middle cerebral artery occlusion

Objective Intensive blood pressure (BP) management after mechanical thrombectomy (MT) may be beneficial in patients with acute anterior circulation (AC) Ischemic stroke (IS) due to large vessel occlusion (LVO). We sought to evaluate the efficacy of Nicardepine (NCR) vs. Clevidipine (CLV) in IS patients with LVO who underwent successful MT. Methods With IRB approval, we retrospectively collected data on consecutive patients with isolated MCA M1 occlusion who underwent successful MT (TICI score of 2B or 3). Patient demographics, baseline characteristics, time efficiencies, procedural data, incidence of hemorrhagic transformation (HI) and symptomatic ICH per ECASS II criteria on 24H head CT, and clinical outcomes were recorded. We also recorded duration from recanalization to optimal BP control (ROBP), IV drip utilized (NCR vs. CLV), number of SBP excursions, and total duration of time outside the target SBP in first 24H. Results We identified 111 patients between 2017 and 2020, 57 patients required a drip (43 NCR, 14 CLV), and 54 patients were managed with prn medications. Median NIHSS was higher in the drip group (18, IQR 13-21) vs. 15.5 (IQR 9-20), p value= 0.03. There was no significant difference in the rate of good clinical outcome defined as mRs of 0-2 or return to baseline (47.4 vs 61.1%, p value=0.18); rate of any HI (29.8% vs. 27.8%, p value=0.84) and sICH(5.3% vs 0%, p value=0.24) between the two groups ( drip vs. no drip). When comparing the NCR to CLV groups, median ROBP was significantly shorter in the CLV group, 5min (IQR 0.75-7) vs. 17min (IQR 6-35), p value= 0.003; and total duration of time outside the pre-specified BP range was 37.5 min (IQR 19-120) vs. 118 min (57-227) consecutively, p value=0.045. HT rates (14.3% vs. 34.9%, p value=0.19), sICH rates (0 vs. 7%, p value=0.57), and rate of good clinical outcome (64.3% vs. 41.9%, p value=0.22) were similar between the two groups (CLV vs. NCR). In a Multivariate analysis, after adjusting for age, gender, IV tPA administration, drip used and time out of range; NIHSS (OR 0.8, CI 0.70-0.91, p=0.0008) and ROBP (OR=1.05, CI 1.0-1.1, p value=0.032) were independent predictors of good clinical outcome. Conclusion CLV achieved faster ROBP time and better BP control after MT. Further prospective studies are needed. Disclosures M. Oliver: None. J. Shawver: None. H. Salahuddin: None. S. Desai: None. S. Zaidi: None. M. Jumaa: None.
Anatomy of the Facial Nerve

The facial nerve supplies muscles that are derived from the second pharyngeal arch. At birth, the facial nerve is located beneath the skin near the mastoid tip, where it emerges from the temporal bone. As the mastoid tip continues to elongate during childhood, the facial nerve becomes more medially located. Axons of the facial nerve do not complete myeli nation until the age of four.
Using tomographic images for internal exposure dose estimates

2100 Objectives Dose estimates of internal radiation exposure (IDE) are based on the bio-distribution (BioD) of radiotracers in a standard (normal) individual. However, in many patients, the "standard" BioD model does not always apply. The objective of this study was to find an image-based IDE method, applicable to individual patients, to evaluate the errors caused by assuming standard BioD. The proposed procedure uses acquired 3D images as indicators of actual BioD. Assumptions: 1) Patient images show areas of any significantly abnormal BioD and 2) static 3D images represent BioD in quasi steady state. Methods Pre- and post-treatment PET volumes (PreImg and PostImg, respectively) were anisotropicaly scaled along their three axes to closely overlay the reference MIRD human phantom (RefImg). Organ overlap between the PET volumes and the RefImg provided the segmentation. The values of PreImg were scaled so its integral was equal that of PostImg over the entire common volume. The ratio of organ averages, PreImg/PostImg, was applied as a correction factor for the standard (adult) normalized cumulated activity to re-compute the IDE using OLINDA. Results Segmentation inaccuracies were minimized for this study by using oncologic FDG-PET images pre- and post- successful treatment. In the clearest case of significant bio-redistribution (mesothelioma), if one assumes “standard” IDE for the PostImg, the effective dose increased by +10.5% and the largest individual organ dose change was +48%. Conclusions While the recalculations of IDE may have been affected by the somewhat crude registration method, they revealed local quantitative variations by which an image-based BioD will produce estimates that are more realistic and significantly different from those obtained with the “standard” BioD approach. This is especially evident in situations where radiation sources have significant redistribution or appear near organs with high radiosensitivity. Research Support NIH Clinical Center 2012 Summer Internship Program
Modeling Sentencing Decisions

Criminal-justice researchers perennially have tried to determine whether defendants are convicted and punished as much for who they are as for what they have done. Motivating dozens of multivariate statistical analyses of sentencing decisions is a basic concern for justice and “equal treatment before the law” (Hagan, 1975b). The question is whether defendants are treated according to the legal seriousness of their offenses and without regard to age, race, socioeconomic status, sex, or other “extralegal” attributes. Largely, studies addressing this question in the last three decades examined the influence of various legal and extra-legal 1 factors on imposed sentences, rather than investigating the process by which various dispositional outcomes are produced.2
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SOVIET FOREST MANAGEMENT

Exploitation of forest resources in the USSR requires choices among a set of uses which are at times mutually exclusive. Trees have predominantly been used in industry, often harvested by methods which have caused environmental damage and have not allowed for optimum utilization of the resource. It appears that increasing recognition is given to other functions of forest stands, including food supply, social recreation, and non-consumptive uses such as ecosystem preservation and environmental amelioration.
Biosynthesis of 4-thiouridylate. Participation of a sulfurtransferase containing pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.

Abstract The formation of 4-thiouridine through the transfer of sulfur from cysteine to a uridine in enzymatically activated tRNA is mediated in the Escherichia coli system by a sulfurtransferase which requires pyridoxal 5-phosphate. Resolution of the enzyme may be accomplished by hydroxylapatite chromatography. The sulfurtransferase is inactivated by incubation with hydroxylamine or potassium borohydride. It may be reactivated by a short treatment with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, but not pyridoxal, pyridoxamine, or pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate. Incubation of the holoenzyme with amino acids leads to partial inactivation. This inactivation is alleviated if α-keto acids are present along with the amino acids.
Contrasts in Innovation: Pittsburgh Then and Now

Assessments of the relationship among law, innovation, and economic growth often begin with one or more propositions of law or law practice and predict how changes might affect innovation or business practice. This approach is problematic when applied to questions of regional economic development, because historic and contemporary local conditions vary considerably. This paper takes a different tack. It takes a snapshot of one recovering post-industrial economy, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. For most of the 20th century, Pittsburgh's steelmakers were leading examples worldwide of American economic prowess. Pittsburgh was so vibrant with industry that a late 19th century travel writer called Pittsburgh "hell with the lid taken off," and he meant that as a compliment. In the early 1980s, however, Pittsburgh's steel economy collapsed, a victim of changing worldwide demand for steel and the industry's inflexible commitment to a large-scale integrated production model. As the steel industry collapsed, the Pittsburgh region collapsed, too. Unemployment in some parts of the Pittsburgh region peaked at 20%. More than 100,000 manufacturing jobs disappeared. Tens of thousands of residents moved away annually. Over the last 30 years, Pittsburgh has slowly recovered, building a new economy that balances limited manufacturing with a broad range of high quality services. In 2009, President Barack Obama took note of the region's rebirth by selecting the city to host a summit of the Group of 20 (G-20) finance ministers. The paper describes the characteristics of Pittsburgh today and measures the state of its renewal. It considers the extent, if any, to which law and the legal system have contributed to Pittsburgh's modern success, and it identifies lessons that this Pittsburgh case study might offer for other recovering and transitioning post-industrial regions.
Timing of dietary fat exposure and mammary tumorigenesis: Role of estrogen receptor and protein kinase C activity

The possible association between a high fat diet and increased breast cancer risk has remained controversial. This largely reflects the conflicting data obtained from migrant, case control and animal studies, which generally support this association, and cohort studies which often fail to show a link between fat and breast cancer. The mammary gland is particularly sensitive to estrogens during the fetal development, leading us to hypothesize that dietary fat levels during this period may significantly influence breast cancer risk. Using chemically-induced mammary tumors in rats as our experimental model, we have demonstrated the ability of a maternal diet, high in the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) linoleic acid, to alter mammary gland differentiation, accelerate the onset of sexual maturation, and increase breast cancer risk. The mammary glands of female rats exposed to a highfat diet in utero have more of the undifferentiated structures (terminal end buds) and fewer of the differentiated structures (alveolar buds) than the glands of rats exposed to a low-fat diet in utero. Furthermore, these mammary glands contain lower levels of total estrogen receptors and have reduced total protein kinase C activity. These effects appear to be mediated by an increase in tne serum estradiol levels of pregnancy, which are elevated at least 30% in pregnant dams fed a high fat diet. Furthermore, the administration of estradiol to pregnant dams produce effects on mammary gland development, onset of puberty and sensitivity to chemical carcinogenesis comparable to those seen in the offspring of rats fed a high fat diet during pregnancy. Our results, thus, support the hypothesis based on epidemiological data that high maternal estrogen levels increase daughters' breast cancer risk. The results also suggest that a high-fat diet may be an important factor in increasing pregnancy estrogenic activity.
The Biochemical Requirements for Bacterial Division

We are searching for biochemical events related to the process of bacterial division. Data obtained with intact bacteria, using inhibitors primarily, suggest that protein synthesis must occur through most of the division cycle in order that a bacterium can divide at the end of the cycle. Hence, one approach is to look for a protein that is made throughout the division cycle and whose production is related to ability of the bacteria to divide. Dr Masayori Inouye modifled the ability of the bacterium Escherichia coli to divide, using mutants, inhibitors or nutritional deficiencies, and then looked for alterations in the pattern formed by electrophoresis of membrane proteins on polyacrylamide gels. One protein peak on the gels was strongly increased whenever the cells were prevented from dividing. We named this protein “X”; it has a molecular weight of about 50000. A role was sought for the protein made throughout the cycle but showing its effect only at the end. Earlier observations by Dr Helene Smith showed that brief heating of the bacteria (16 min at 45 °C) produced synchronous cell division; heating delayed division in a way suggesting that a protein needed for division had been damaged and must be resynthesized before division occurs. Damage to this protein causes the cells to swell; this swelling appears to be the prime basis for the delay of cell division, as shown recently by Dr Po Chi Wu. The swelling caused by an osmotic shift similarly delayed cell division; a result that is support for this hypothesis. A model is proposed for the role of the X protein as a sort of “girdle” that must be built up during the cycle, and that constricts the cells at the time of division.
Medical debt and aggressive debt restitution practices: predatory billing among the urban poor.

BACKGROUND: Health care providers are increasingly relying on collection agencies to recoup charges associated with medical care. Little is known about the prevalence of this practice in low-income communities and what effect it has on health-seeking behavior.
Structural and catalytic aspects of some NASICON - based mixed metal phosphates

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses several studies where the researchers have synthesized a number of vanadium, containing sodium super-ionic conductor (NASICONS), characterized them, and checked the catalytic properties of some of them for the oxidation of n-butane. The synthesized compositions have been characterized by X-ray diffraction and the results are discussed in the chapter. Most of the NASICON phases that have been synthesized are relatively pure. Magnetic susceptibility measurements of two of the synthesized compositions strongly suggest that the majority oxidation state of vanadium in these NASICON phases is V4+. The respective measured values are 1.57 BM for NbVP3O12 and 2.13 BM for SbVP3O12. The composition of NbTi0.75V0.25P3O12 exhibits an X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern characteristic of a NASICON structure and has a surface area of 16.9 m 2/g. The catalytic properties of this phase have also been investigated for the oxidation of n-butane and are discussed in the chapter. The results reveal that this composition possesses catalytic properties, activates n-butane under oxidizing conditions, and converts it to maleic anhydride and waste products, CO and CO2. The sole nonCOx product is maleic anhydride. The Nb-Ti-V-P-oxide catalyst investigated is relatively active for the oxidation of paraffins, as it has a V/P ratio of only 1/12 as compared to a 1/1 ratio for (VO)2P2O7. Another observed fact is that the Nb-Ti-V-P-oxide under investigation shows an amorphous overlayer via transmission electron microscopy (TEM) that is enriched in vanadium. Future studies are underway to further refine the syntheses methods and isostructural key catalytic element substitutions to achieve the desired goals of rational catalyst design, and thereby influencing the reaction channels of oxidation reactions.
Abstract P109: The Cross-sectional and Longitudinal Association of Dispositional Optimism with Sleep Duration and Quality: Findings form the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Background: Sleep disturbance is associated with multiple adverse cardiovascular-related health outcomes. Little is known about the relationship between psychological well-being, an independent modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and sleep disruptions. This study examines cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of optimism with sleep duration and quality. Methods: Data were collected from 3,549 Black and White adults aged 33-45 years who participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study during follow-up years 15 (2000-2001) and 20 (2005-2006). Optimism was assessed in 2000-2001 using the Life-Orientation Test—Revised, with possible scores ranging from 6 (least optimistic) to 30 (most optimistic). Single-item questions on sleep quality and duration in the past month were assessed during 2000-2001 and 2005-2006. Cross-sectional analyses considered optimism and sleep measures at follow-up year 15. Longitudinal analyses considered 5-year incidence of poor sleep quality (fairly/very bad) and duration (short/long sleep) in 2005-2006 by optimism in 2000-2001 (participants with poor sleep quality and duration in 2000-2001 were excluded). Results: Among 3,549 participants (56% female, 46% Black) with complete data on optimism in 2000-2001, 15.9% reported fairly/very bad sleep quality. Sleep duration was distributed as follows: short-sleep (47.9%), sufficient sleep (31.6%), and long-sleep (20.5%). In unadjusted and fully adjusted models, a 1-unit higher optimism score was cross-sectionally associated with 11% lower odds of having fairly/very bad sleep quality and 3-5% lower odds of having short-sleep duration (Table 1). Cross-sectional associations were attenuated after adjustment for depressive symptoms (not shown). Incidence of poor sleep quality in 2005-2006 was 7% lower with each unit higher optimism score, after full adjustment. Conclusion: Optimism is associated with lower incidence of poor self-reported sleep quality over a 5-year period.
‘Age of Complexity’ offers opportunity for the multidisciplinary perspective of landscape ecologists

So these chapters are about ecology, the way it is done and the way it is used. They are also about landscapes and waterscapes, what we know about them, how they work and how they can be managed. Inevitably they are also about society, culture, place, values and other ways of knowing. I will assert that the world is much more complex and precarious than we have hitherto assumed and that this realisation, together with the increasingly complex relationships within and between society and the environment, will have major implications for the way we conserve, manage and restore landscape, catchments and aquatic ecosystems. (p. 11)
AAPM/RSNA physics tutorial for residents: physics of flat-panel fluoroscopy systems: Survey of modern fluoroscopy imaging: flat-panel detectors versus image intensifiers and more.

In fluoroscopy imaging systems, flat-panel detectors (FPDs) are replacing image intensifiers as the modern solid-state image receptors; FPDs have potential to reduce patient radiation doses and to eliminate image degradation due to glare, vignetting, spatial distortions, and defocusing effects.
Transesterification of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer in a modular intermeshing corotating twin screw extruder with different screw configurations

The transesterification of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer to produce ethylenevinyl alcohol copolymer (EVAL) was studied in both a batch reactor and in a modular corotating twin screw extruder with various screw configurations. Increasing the number of left-handed screw elements and kneading disc blocks increases the extent of conversion under any set of operating conditions. Conversion is increased by decreasing screw speed and reducing throughput. Reactor design models have been developed to represent the modular twin screw extruders. These use a drag flow reactor for screw elements, a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) to represent kneading disc blocks and a plug flow reactor to represent post screw and die regions. Comparison are made with experiment. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Influence of turbostratic carbon nanostructures on electrical conductivity in shales

Abstract Shales spanning a range of thermal maturity (~ 0.6 to > 4.5%Re) were examined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) in order to characterize the occurrence of turbostratic carbon nanostructures. Such structures, termed Basic Structural Units (BSU), were found in both demineralized and whole-rock samples. Highly aromatic turbostratic nanostructures found in a pre-oil window shale were verified by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Turbostratic nanostructures increase in abundance with increasing thermal maturity with their greatest frequency occurring in high maturity (> 3.6%R), natural and artificially matured organic rich shales that exhibit anomalously high electrical conductivity in well logs. We hypothesize that these turbostratic carbon nanostructures initially form upon oil generation, increase in frequency with increasing thermal maturation, and eventually become numerous enough to establish mutual contact, either directly or through graphene-like sheets, so that the shale becomes conductive on a macroscopic scale.
Contrasting leaf chemical traits in tropical lianas and trees: implications for future forest composition

Lianas are an important growthform in tropical forests, and liana abundance and biomass may be increasing in some regions. Explanations for liana proliferation hinge upon physiological responses to changing resource conditions that would favour them over trees. Testing a chemical basis for such responses, we assessed 22 foliar traits in 778 lianas and 6496 trees at 48 tropical forest sites. Growthform differences in chemical allocation occurred on a leaf mass and area basis. Light capture-growth and maintenance-metabolism chemicals averaged 14.5 and 16.7% higher mass-based concentration in lianas than in trees globally, whereas structure and defence chemicals averaged 9.0% lower in lianas. Relative differences in chemical allocation by lianas and trees were mediated by climate with peak differences at about 2500 mm year(-1) and 25 °C. Differences in chemical traits suggest that liana expansion could be greatest in forests undergoing increased canopy-level irradiance via disturbance and climate change.
Total replacement of solvent in polyurethane synthesis using carbon dioxide soluble 1,3-dichlorodistannoxane catalysts

This work demonstrates catalytic synthesis of polyurethanes using 1,3-dichlorodistannoxane catalysts (1) in carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon dioxide expanded liquids (CXL). Catalytic polyurethane synthesis was also performed in pure organic solvent (dimethylformamide) for comparison. In this study, mainly, 4, 4′-methylene-bis-(phenyl isocyanate) (MDI) as the diisocyanate precursor and ethylene glycol (EG) as the diol precursor were used for polyurethane synthesis. In addition to MDI, hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), toluene diisocyanate (TDI), and p-isocyanatobenzylisocyanate (PIBI) were also used for polyurethane synthesis with different diols or triol in CO2. Polyurethanes with a molecular weight ranging from 3000 to 70,000 were synthesized depending upon the combination of diisocyanate and diol used. Comparable yields of polyurethanes were obtained using an all butyl group substituted (1a) catalyst in CO2 (55 bars, 50°C) and in DMF (50°C). Additionally, the yield and polydispersity index (PDI) of polymer formed in neat CO2 was comparable with those synthesized in the largely used organic solvent DMF. Interestingly, catalyst 1a in CXL (55 bars, 50°C) gave higher yields, and polymers with lower PDI (1.19). Reactions carried out in scCO2 at 145 bars using PIBI and EG were found to be about three times faster than the reaction carried out in DMF. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Stability studies of a pH-sensitive polymer matrix: applications to fiber optic pH sensors

A ratiometric pH-sensitive fluorescent dye (hydroxypyrenetrisulfonic acid) was covalently attached to an acrylamide polymer. These pH-sensitive copolymers were either covalently bonded to the end of an optical fiber or polymerized into separate gels. Long-term, accelerated aging studies were performed on the fibers and gels in 43°C distilled H20. The fiber-immobilized optrodes gave good pH responses for up to 2 months. The pH-sensitive gels were physically attached to optical fibers and gave very good pH responses for over one year. These physically immobilized, one-year-old, pH-sensitive copolymers provided optrodes with linear pH responses between pH 6 and 8 and resolution greater than 0.25 pH unit. A simple photostability experiment on these optrodes showed that they were very photostable. The results of this study indicate that pH-sensitive copolymers in a simple optrode design can be employed as pH sensors with useful lifetimes exceeding one year.
RAPID AXOPLASMIC TRANSPORT IN DYSTROPHIC MICE

Abstract— Rapid axoplasmic transport was studied in dystrophic mice of the 129/ReJ-dy strain. Proteins transported in vivo through α-motoneurons of the sciatic nerve were labeled by injections of [3H] or [35S] amino acids into the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord. Following an 18 h incubation, axoplasmic transport was quantitated by summing the radioactivity in the 10 mm length of sciatic nerve proximal to a ligation. Although the amount of transported radioactivity was small, transport appeared depressed when adult dystrophic mice were compared to controls. Transport was also studied in the sensory fibers of the sciatic nerve under in vitro conditions, resulting in high levels of transported radioactivity. In this system transport was strongly depressed. The severity of the deficiency varied with age, being small in animals with early clinical signs and becoming maximal (80–90%) in animals over 60 days of age. Proteins transported by adult dy/dy and +/+ animals were compared by gel electrophoresis using double-label techniques. Transport of nearly all proteins was depressed in dy/dy mice, although the possibility exists that small differences occur. The data suggest that the dystrophic state produces a significant deficiency in rapid axoplasmic transport in both motor and sensory fibers, and may interfere with transport processes in all neurons. Since rapid axoplasmic transport has been associated with membranes, the data are consistent with a general alteration of cellular membranes in dystrophic animals.
Increases in mouse uterine heat shock protein levels are a sensitive and specific response to uterotrophic agents.

There is increasing consensus that the uterotrophic estrogenicity assay should be coupled with other morphometric or molecular end points that might enhance its sensitivity. We have previously show...
Review of current hypotheses of origin and tectonic significance of schistosity (foliation) in metamorphic rocks

In the fabrics of most metamorphically deformed rocks some degree of parallel alignment of planar or linear fabric elements is evident. Such rocks are said to be schistose or foliated. Although these two terms have been used in different senses by some writers [Harker, 1932], in this paper schistosity and foliation are defined synonymously to include all parallel fabrics of metamorphic origin which impart megascopic fissility to the rocks in which they occur. This definition, like Sander's use of the descriptive term s-surfaces to cover similar phenomena [Sander, 1930, pp. 97–99], avoids the difficulty which arises when genetic terms like “flow cleavage” and “fracture cleavage” are applied to structures whose origin may be impossible to demonstrate by ordinary field and petrographic observations.
Rare Inverted Maxillary Third Molar Impaction: Report of Case

Radiographic examination of a 23-year-old woman who complained of pain in the right maxilla showed an inverted third molar situated in a radiolucent region. The decision was made to extract the molar. A firm sac was also removed with the tooth as it was extracted during the surgical procedure. Healing of the extraction site was uncomplicated. The pathologist’s report of a dentigerous cyst attached to an extracted molar tooth confirmed the original diagnosis.
Housing development erodes avian community structure in U.S. protected areas

Protected areas are a cornerstone for biodiversity conservation, but they also provide amenities that attract housing development on inholdings and adjacent private lands. We explored how this development affects biodiversity within and near protected areas among six ecological regions throughout the United States. We quantified the effect of housing density within, at the boundary, and outside protected areas, and natural land cover within protected areas, on the proportional abundance and proportional richness of three avian guilds within protected areas. We developed three guilds from the North American Breeding Bird Survey, which included Species of Greatest Conservation Need, land cover affiliates (e.g., forest breeders), and synanthropic species associated with urban environments. We gathered housing density data for the year 2000 from the U.S. Census Bureau, and centered the bird data on this year. We obtained land cover data from the 2001 National Land Cover Database, and we used single- and multiple-variable analyses to address our research question. In all regions, housing density within protected areas was positively associated with the proportional abundance or proportional richness of synanthropes, and negatively associated with the proportional abundance or proportional richness of Species of Greatest Conservation Need. These relationships were strongest in the eastern forested regions and the central grasslands, where more than 70% and 45%, respectively, of the variation in the proportional abundance of synanthropes and Species of Greatest Conservation Need were explained by housing within protected areas. Furthermore, in most regions, housing density outside protected areas was positively associated with the proportional abundance or proportional richness of synanthropes and negatively associated with the proportional abundance of land cover affiliates and Species of Greatest Conservation Need within protected areas. However, these effects were weaker than housing within protected areas. Natural land cover was high with little variability within protected areas, and consequently, was less influential than housing density within or outside protected areas explaining the proportional abundance or proportional richness of the avian guilds. Our results indicate that housing development within, at the boundary, and outside protected areas impacts avian community structure within protected areas throughout the United States.
“Changing the Way I Teach” Building Teacher Knowledge, Confidence, and Autonomy

In this article, the authors examine the effect of a National Writing Project professional development model on a group of middle school writing teachers. The authors examine how contact with other...