cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Molecular Biomarkers of Pancreatobiliary and Gastrointestinal Tract Neoplasms

Molecular genetic alterations in gastrointestinal tract neoplasms can be classified into four categories: (1) Chromosomal alterations, including numerical and or structural anomalies of chromosome; (2) Gene-level somatic alterations, including point mutation, deletion, insertion, and amplification; (3) Epigenetic alteration, including promoter methylation of specific genes and microRNA deregulation; (4) Protein level alteration, including increased or decreased protein expression and posttranslational modification. Chromosomal numerical alterations are changes in copy number of various genetic regions. Chromosomal structural alterations are gains, losses, translocations, or rearrangement of chromosomes, resulting in alterations of DNA copy number at the chromosome locus level. Genetic mutation is permanent alteration of DNA sequence of a gene and can be either germ line, i.e., present in all cells of the body, or somatic in tumor cells only. It is true that not every mutation has clear biological significance. Mutations that have functional consequence and confer selectively growth for tumor development are “driver” mutation. Conversely, genetic mutations without functional consequence of tumor growth are “passenger mutation.” Mutations can be classified as “Small-scale mutations” and “large-scale mutations.” Point mutations, insertions, deletions are small-scale mutations, whereas amplification, deletion of large regions, gene fusion such as chromosomal translocations, inversions, interstitial deletions, and LOH are large-scale mutations. Amplification is an increase in the number of copies of a gene without increasing copy numbers of a chromosome. Epigenetics generally modifies and regulates transcriptional activity by adding methylation to CpG islands at the promoter regions of a specific gene, or regulates chromosomal structure by methylating or demethylating certain histone proteins.
The International Long Term Ecological Research Network: a platform for collaboration

Many scientists around the world became interested in the U.S. Long Term Ecological Research (U.S. LTER) Network's research model during the 1990s and began to develop LTER and Long Term Socio-ecological Research networks in their own countries. These local networks, including the U.S. LTER Network, were loosely federated in 1993 to form the International Long Term Ecological Research (ILTER) Network, a “network of networks.” Although the first 10 yr of ILTER Network activities were largely supported by funds from the U.S. National Science Foundation, the ILTER Network had transformed into a robust, self-sustaining entity by 2006 following a two-year strategic planning process. The goal of the ILTER Network is to improve understanding of how pressures such as climate change and land use affect global ecosystems in order to inform solutions to current and future environmental problems. To fulfill this mission, the ILTER Network fosters collaborations among member scientists to extend the scope of their research across disciplinary boundaries and across more of the ILTER's 600+ research sites. The ILTER Network also has many long-term data sets that are freely available for use by students, scientists, and policymakers all over the world. In this collection of papers, we consider how the ILTER Network has been, and will be, leveraged by U.S. researchers to advance understanding of ecological and socio-ecological systems around the globe.
Attraction of Nesting Wading Birds to Alligators ( Alligator mississippiensis ). Testing the ‘Nest Protector’ Hypothesis

Ecological facilitation (mutualism and commensalism) appears to be a strong force shaping biotic communities, and may be more likely in stressful and dynamic environments like wetlands. We examined a specific type of mutualism, ‘protective nesting associations,’ between herons and egrets (Ardeidae) and American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). We predicted that wading birds would be attracted to sites with alligators. A survey of potential nesting sites in the Everglades showed strong nonrandom association, with wading birds never nesting without alligators. At previously unoccupied nesting colony sites, we experimentally manipulated apparent densities of alligators and birds using alligator and bird decoys. Small day-herons (little blue herons (Egretta caerulea), tricolored herons (Egretta tricolor), and snowy egrets (Egretta thula)) were significantly more numerous at sites with both alligator and bird decoys than other treatments. These findings together support the hypothesis that wading birds actively choose predator-protected nesting locations based in part on information from both conspecifics and alligators, and suggest that the mechanism supporting this habitat choice is primarily due to nest protection benefits the alligators inadvertently provide. We propose that this interaction is strong and could be geographically widespread, and suggest that it may be critical to shaping management and conservation of wetland function.
Distributed Link Anomaly Detection via Partial Network Tomography

We consider the problem of detecting link loss anomalies from end-to-end measurements using network tomography. Network tomography provides an alternative to traditional means of network monitoring by inferring link-level performance characteristics from end-to-end measurements. Existing network tomography solutions, however, insist on characterizing the performance of all the links, which introduces unnecessary delays for anomaly detection due to the need of collecting all the measurements at a central location. We address this problem by developing a distributed detection scheme that integrates detection into the measurement fusion process by testing anomalies at the level of minimal identifiable link sequences (MILSs). We develop efficient methods to configure the proposed detection scheme such that its false alarm probability satisfies a given bound. Meanwhile, we provide analytical bounds on the detection probability and the detection delay. We then extend our solution to further improve the detection performance by designing the probing and fusion process. Our evaluations on real topologies verify that the proposed scheme significantly outperforms both centralized detection based on link parameters inferred by traditional network tomography and distributed detection based on raw end-to-end measurements.
PULSE-HEIGHT RESOLUTION PERFORMANCE STUDIES OF HIGH-SPEED PHOTON DETECTORS

The pulse-height resolution capabilities of prototype microchannel plate high-gain photon detectors have been investigated. Specifically, the device studied included LEP HR350, PM 137 and ITT F4129--proximity focused high-gain microchannel plate photomultipliers. The experimental data have been compared with results obtained on conventionally designed RCA 8850 high-speed photomultiplier.
Chitin Synthesis in Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)

Chitin is a major structural component of fungal cell walls (Bartnicki-Garcia 1968; Cabib and Shematek 1981). In filamentous fungi, it contributes to the structure of both lateral walls and septa. In the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it is mainly found in the primary septum, although a small amount appears to be dispersed throughout the cell wall (Molano et al. 1980; Horisberger and Vonlanthen 1977; Mol and Wessels 1987). This localization suggested that the formation of chitin and of the chitinous septum would make a good model for the study of mechanisms of morphogenesis. We approached this problem by investigating the synthesis of chitin at the molecular level in the hope that the mechanisms by which chitin synthetase activity is controlled would also be operative in regulating in vivo the formation of the structure supported by the polysaccharide.
Thin-Layer Distributed Piezoelectric Neurons And Muscles: Electromechanics and Applications

Artificial distributed sensors and actuators integrated with an elastic continuum (a distributed parameter system) provide life-like sensation and action/reaction capabilities for the elastic continuum. In this paper, artificial thin-layer distributed piezoelectric neurons and muscles are integrated with an elastic thin shell and new distributed neural sensation and actuation theories are derived. Distributed neural signals are formulated based on induced elastic membrane, shear, and bending strains of the shell continuum. System dynamic equations of the shell with integrated piezoelectric muscles are derived and their control applications discussed. The derived theories can be directly simplified to a number of distributed systems, e.g., spherical shells, cylindrical shells, conical shells, zero-curvature shells, non-shell type continua, etc. Simplification procedures are demonstrated in two case studies: 1) a hemispheric shell (Case 1) and 2) a cylinder with distributed shell neurons and muscles (Case 2). Distributed convolving ring sensors are designed and their performance studied (Case 3). Segmented distributed piezoelectric sensors/actuators on a plate are investigated and their observability/controllability evaluated (Case 4).
Protective Coatings for Aluminum Alloys

Abstract Aluminum is an important material due to its lower density, potentially high strength to weight ratio in mechanical strength, and cyclic flexural performance, depending on alloying elements and microstructure. While alloying yields improved mechanical performance, it can also result in sensitivity to corrosion. The chapter reviews the driving forces for corrosion and surface pretreatments, conversions, and surface coatings for prevention of aluminum or aluminum alloy corrosion. The article discusses how the alloy composition influences corrosion sensitivity and whether and how this sensitivity can be remediated. A few industrial examples of corrosion prevention, corrosion problems, and analysis methods are presented.
Grading system for costs and values of anti-cancer drugs in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

e16518Background: Cancer patients desire to live longer with good quality of life (QoL). Cost-effectiveness of $100,000 quality adjusted life-year of anticancer drugs is considered acceptable. We p...
Language and Content Outcomes of CLIL and EMI: A Systematic Review.

Around the world, language teachers are shifting to content-based instruction (CBI) as a way to teach English, most commonly in the form of Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) or English-Medium Instruction (EMI). With the spread of CBI around the world, it is important to understand how this shift in teaching has affected student outcomes. Using a systematic literature review approach, this study examines current literature on the effect of CBI on language and content outcomes. Twenty-five articles met the inclusion criteria for this study and were examined. The results show mixed findings on the effectiveness of CBI on student outcomes, with the majority of studies showing either positive or neutral effects for CBI when compared with non-CBI classrooms. However, the study also reveals multiple methodological issues that cause difficulties for any strong conclusions about CBI to be made. In addition, while CLIL in Spain has received a lot of research attention, other countries remain understudied. Therefore, this study concludes with a call for future research of CBI outcomes that examine a variety of countries and account for the methodological flaws identified.
The Neurobiology of Behavioral Inhibition as a Developmental Mechanism

Humans are social creatures and have variable responses to novel social cues that range from cautious avoidance to eager approach. These trait differences in response to novelty have been defined as behavioral inhibition, a temperament that ranges from behaviorally inhibited on one extreme to behaviorally uninhibited at the other. For centuries temperament has been thought to reflect underlying differences in biology. With advances in neuroimaging methods, we now have a unique opportunity to identify the neurobiological basis of behavioral inhibition. In this chapter, we review the evidence that behavioral inhibition is associated with alterations in brain structure, function, and connectivity and present implications for understanding developmental trajectories. The emerging findings point to alterations in “bottom-up” mechanisms—heightened reactivity to novelty and failure to habituate—and “top-down” processes, failure of cognitive control and maladaptive anticipatory processing.
A nanoliter resolution implantable micropump for murine inner ear drug delivery

Abstract Advances in protective and restorative biotherapies have created new opportunities to use site-directed, programmable drug delivery systems to treat auditory and vestibular disorders. Successful therapy development that leverages the transgenic, knock-in, and knock-out variants of mouse models of human disease requires advanced microsystems specifically designed to function with nanoliter precision and with system volumes suitable for implantation. Here we present results for a novel biocompatible, implantable, scalable, and wirelessly controlled peristaltic micropump. The micropump configuration included commercially available catheter microtubing (250 μm OD, 125 μm ID) that provided a biocompatible leak-free flow path while avoiding complicated microfluidic interconnects. Peristaltic pumping was achieved by sequentially compressing the microtubing via expansion and contraction of a thermal phase-change material located in three chambers integrated adjacent to the microtubing. Direct-write micro-scale printing technology was used to build the mechanical components of the micropump around the microtubing directly on the back of a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The custom PCBA was fabricated using standard commercial processes providing microprocessor control of actuation and Bluetooth wireless communication through an Android application. The results of in vitro characterization indicated that nanoliter resolution control over the desired flow rates of 10–100 nL/min was obtained by changing the actuation frequency. Applying 10× greater than physiological backpressures and ± 3 °C ambient temperature variation did not significantly affect flow rates. Three different micropumps were tested on six mice for in vivo implantation of the catheter microtubing into the round window membrane niche for infusion of a known ototoxic compound (sodium salicylate) at 50 nL/min for 20 min. Real-time shifts in distortion product otoacoustic emission thresholds and amplitudes were measured during the infusion. There were systematic increases in distortion product threshold shifts during the 20-min perfusions; the mean shift was 15 dB for the most basal region. A biocompatibility study was performed to evaluate material suitability for chronic subcutaneous implantation and clinical translational development. The results indicated that the micropump components successfully passed key biocompatibility tests. A micropump prototype was implanted for one month without development of inflammation or infection. Although tested here on the small murine cochlea, this low-cost design and fabrication methodology is scalable for use in larger animals and for clinical applications in children and adults by appropriate scaling of the microtubing diameter and actuator volume.
Vowel System Sandbox: Complex System Modelling of Language Change

Vowel System Sandbox is a complex agent-based modelling tool which is intended for linguists and speech researchers to test hypotheses about how vowel sounds are transmitted and used through the generations in a language community, and thus how vowel systems may change over generational time. Written in Python 3, the code repository is on Github and can be run in Linux, Windows 7+ and MacOS. This is the first software that provides a computational model of sound change in language by implementing first principles of speech perception and production. Funding statement: This project was partially funded by Provost awards for Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity at Fresno State University.
China’s precious children

China’s population has been in the international spotlight for decades not only because it is the world’s largest, but also because the “one-child” family planning policy, introduced in 1980, was t...
Cluster Size Control toward High Performance Solution Processed InGaZnO Thin Film Transistors

Clusters in a precursor solution play an important role in metal oxide semiconductor films. Additives including acetic acid (AcOH) and acetylacetone (acac) were applied in a precursor solution to a...
We Asked, They Told Us: The Use of an Electronic Survey to Address Parental Health Concerns for Children:

Population health includes medical conditions and social determinants of health, and it can be measured through community health needs assessments (CHNAs). A pediatric hospital utilized a survey to...
High-pressure phase transitions of ScPO 4 and YPO 4

${\text{ScPO}}_{4}$ and ${\text{YPO}}_{4}$ with the tetragonal zircon-structure were studied at room temperature and pressures up to $\ensuremath{\sim}50\text{ }\text{GPa}$. Pressure-induced phase transitions to the sheelite structure occur at 30 GPa for ${\text{ScPO}}_{4}$ and 16.3 GPa for ${\text{YPO}}_{4}$, respectively. In addition to the scheelite-type high-pressure phase, an intermediate phase with the monoclinic monazite-type structure formed during the phase transition process of ${\text{YPO}}_{4}$. The high-pressure phases of ${\text{ScPO}}_{4}$ and ${\text{YPO}}_{4}$ are not quenchable on pressure release. The pressure dependence of the total energy of the different phases was calculated using density-functional method, and the results confirm the experimentally observed phase relations under pressure. Structural parameters and compressibility of each phase were determined by refinement of the x-ray diffraction patterns. The high-pressure phase of ${\text{ScPO}}_{4}$ has a very large bulk modulus [376(8) GPa].
Nonlinear multigrid based on local spectral coarsening for heterogeneous diffusion problems

Abstract This work develops a nonlinear multigrid method for diffusion problems discretized by cell-centered finite volume methods on general unstructured grids. The multigrid hierarchy is constructed algebraically using aggregation of degrees of freedom and spectral decomposition of reference linear operators associated with the aggregates. For rapid convergence, it is important that the resulting coarse spaces have good approximation properties. In our approach, the approximation quality can be directly improved by including more spectral degrees of freedom in the coarsening process. Further, by exploiting local coarsening and a piecewise-constant approximation when evaluating the nonlinear component, the coarse level problems are assembled and solved without ever re-visiting the fine level, an essential element for multigrid algorithms to achieve optimal scalability. Numerical examples comparing relative performance of the proposed nonlinear multigrid solvers with standard single-level approaches—Picard’s and Newton’s methods—are presented. Results show that the proposed solver consistently outperforms the single-level methods, both in efficiency and robustness.
Characterization of HA1 gene of the victoria lineage influenza B virus in Mentougou district of Beijing during 2015-2016.

Objective To understand the genetic variantion of HA1 gene from the Victoria like strain of infienza B virus isolated in Mentougou District of Beijing during 2015-2016, and to compare the genovariation with current vaccine stains, so as to provide the basis for the efficacy assessment of influenza B vaccine. Methods The nucleic acid was extracted from influenza B virus cultured and isolated from madin-darby canine kidney (MDCK), and HA1 gene was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The PCR products were sequenced and phylogenetic trees were constructed with the neighbor-joining method. Results The Victoria lineage of influenza B virus was the predominanted in Mentougou Ddistrict of Beijing. The 14 isolated strains of influenza B virus were closer to the vaccine strain B/Brisbane/60/2008 (FJ766842) recommended by WHO for 2016-2017, and to the representative circulating strain B/JilinNanguan/1223/2016 (EPI768805). Comparing to the amino acid sequences of HA1 gene in the above 2 strains, all 14 strains had substitutions occured in two positions. There were some other mutations in certain strains but the antigenic determinants remained intact. The isolated stains were distant in relationship with the vaccine strain B/Phuket/3073/2013 which was recommended by WHO for 2015- 2016. Conclusions The Victoria lineage of influenza B virus was predominant in Mentougou district of Beijing in 2015-2016 while the vaccine stain recommended by WHO belonged to the Yamagata lineage, indicating a poor matching of local stains with the vaccine strain. Key words: Influenza B virus; Victoria lineage; Sequence analysis; Genetic characteristics
Analysis of PEV User Charging Behavior at Household Charging Stations, Omaha Case Study

While the increase in EV use is a positive step towards embracing green technology, the heightened energy demands resulting from this rapid growth present major challenges to local energy grid load management. For context, the new EVs being deployed store approximately 100 kWh, about four times the daily electricity use of the average household in the U.S. Current local distribution grids do not have the capacity to accommodate these massively increased loads. For this reason, it is important that local utilities have a full understanding of the charging demand within a given grid. The main objective of this research is to deepen the understanding of charging behavior at the household level using real data. Specifically, data from existing 417 residential Level-2 charging stations, located in Omaha, Nebraska, USA, are collected and analyzed. The results show a clear pattern in user behavior for the starting time of sessions, as well as the connection duration, charging duration, and subsequent energy demand.
The Modification of Semiconductor Surfaces by Molecular Self-Assembly

The spontaneous adsorption of organic molecules at surfaces to form monolayer films has been a well known phemonenon for years. However, it is now widely recognized that specific molecule/substrate combinations under appropriate conditions can lead to stable, highly organized films, termed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). These monolayers can be prepared as very uniform, robust structures of nanometer-scale thicknesses, with surfaces exhibiting a wide range of physical and chemical responses, distinctly different from the substrate upon which the film is attached. For these reasons a number of technological and scientific applications have been envisioned and recent efforts, predominantly in the latter area, have demonstrated the usefulness of these films, particularly for the system of alkanethiols on planar gold surfaces. In reality, very few examples of high quality SAMs exist. From a technological point of view it is important to explore applications to semiconductors. Two definitive examples of semiconductor-based SAMs are known, alkylsiloxanes on SiO2/Si and alkanethiols on GaAs(100). General applications of these types of films are discussed, particularly for control of surface states and for use as ultrahigh resolution lithographic resist films. Finally, a brief discussion is presented of the need for development of new types of semiconductor/molecule chemistry to allow the development of new types of SAMs and the issue is raised of the requirement of interdisciplinary efforts in this type of research.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Teaching Package Utilizing Behavioral Skills Training and In Situ Training to Teach Gun Safety Skills in a Preschool Classroom.

There are a number of different safety threats that children face in their lives. One infrequent, but highly dangerous situation a child can face is finding a firearm. Hundreds of children are injured or killed by firearms each year. Fortunately, behavioral skills training (BST) and in situ training (IST) are effective approaches for teaching a number of different skills, including safety skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a teaching package for preschool teachers to learn to conduct BST to teach safety skills. Following teacher-implemented BST, the experimenter completed in situ training and supplemental instructions. A multiple baseline across subjects design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of this teaching package implemented by the teacher and experimenter with five preschoolers. Five children demonstrated the skills following IST and additional reinforcement or time out. The use of additional reinforcement, as well as treatment fidelity are discussed.
The Maze of APP Processing in Alzheimer’s Disease: Where Did We Go Wrong in Reasoning?

Late onset sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (sAD) has remained a conundrum after vigorous studies today, and the main reason is the stagnation in understanding the mechanism of origins of plaques and tangles. While they are widely thought to be the “culprits” of the disease or products of the “aberrant” pathways, we believe that plaques and tangles result from natural aging. From this new perspective we have proposed that age-related inefficiency of α-secretase is the underpinning for Aβ overproduction. This view contrasts sharply with the current doctrine that Aβ overproduction is the product of the “overactivated” β- and γ-secretases. Following this doctrine it has been claimed that the two secretases are “positively identified” and that their inhibitors have “successfully reduced Aβ levels”. But, why have these studies not led to the understanding of the disease? And if so where did they go off course in reasoning? These questions touch the basics of biological science and must be answered. In this paper I dissected several prevailing assumptions and influential reports with an attempt to trace the origins of the conundrum. This work led me to a new model for Aβ overproduction and also to a serious question: given the knowledge that boosting α-secretase reduces Aβ, a straightforward highway for intervention, then why is there such an obsession on “inhibiting β- and γ-secretases”, a much more costly and twisting road even if possible? This issue requires the attention of policymakers and all researchers. I therefore call for a game change in sAD study.
Social Anxiety Disorder and Shyness

Shyness and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) have much in common and may, in non-extreme cases, be difficult to distinguish. While shyness is widespread but varies greatly in intensity and impairment, the prevalence rates for SAD have proven elastic and depend heavily on the threshold used to determine distress or impairment. Keywords: anxiety; anxiety disorders; illness; pharmaceuticals
Speeding up Stochastic Dynamic Programming with Zero-Delay Convolution

We show how a technique from signal processing known as zero-delay convolution can be used to develop more efficient dynamic programming algorithms for a broad class of stochastic optimization problems. This class includes several variants of discrete stochastic shortest path, scheduling, and knapsack problems, all of which involve making a series of decisions over time that have stochastic consequences in terms of the temporal delay between successive decisions. We also correct a flaw in the original analysis of the zero-delay convolution algorithm.
Compounds with pentavalent phosphorus and with tetravalent phosphorus from the reactions of trivalent phosphorus compounds with α,β-unsaturated ketones

Abstract The phosphorus of trialkyl phosphines, R 3 P, and dialkylarylphosphines, R 2 PhP, added to the β-carbon of the α,β-unsaturated ketone, 3-benzylidine-2,4-pentanedione. The crystalline 1:1 adducts had the structure of open dipolar with tetravalent phosphorus. These gave negative 31 P NMR shifts relative to H 3 PO 4 . The 1:1 adducts from the reactions of the same unsaturated ketone with phosphite, phosphonite, and phosphinite esters, (RO) 3 P, (RO) 2 PhP, (RO)Ph 2 P, had the structure of 5-membered cyclic oxyphosphoranes with pentavalent phosphorus. These gave positive 31 P NMR shifts. These differences are attributed mainly to the higher electronegativity of oxygen than of carbon, which tends to favor the pentacovalent state of the phosphorus. The operation of steric effects is indicated by the relative instability of the adducts made from dialkylaryl-phosphines and triaryl phosphines, which tend to dissociate into the tertiary phosphine and the unsaturated ketone.
Power, Disability, and Democracy

Ashley Taylor’s goal in “Can You Hear Me: Questioning Dialogue Across Differences of Ability” is to demonstrate the ways power structures inherent to dialogue across differences of ability serve to “challenge the goals of dialogue and the possibilities for mutual understanding that are central to the project.” Arguably, she has unquestionably met her goal — and with clarity and elegance. Upon finishing her essay, a very clear sense of the problems that attend dialogue across differences of abilities is evident. Indeed, her is essay so convincing that while she refuses to consider the difficulties insurmountable, I am ready to do so — that is, at least under the terms Taylor describes.
Test Bed Design for Evaluating the Space Station ECLSS Water Recovery System

The design of the Phase III Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) Water Recovery System (WRS) test bed is in progress at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), building 4755, in Huntsville, Alabama. The overall design for the ECLSS WRS test bed will be discussed. Described within this paper are the design, fabrication, placement, and testing of the supporting facility which will provide the test bed for the ECLSS subsystems. Topics to be included are sterilization system design, component selection, microbial design considerations, and verification of test bed design prior to initiating WRS testing.
Outcomes of referrals to Child Protective Services for medical neglect in patients with phenylketonuria: Experiences at a single treatment center

Phenylketonuria (PKU) results in an accumulation of phenylalanine (phe) in the blood which can lead to multiple health consequences in affected individuals. Treatment for PKU is available; however adherence to medical management recommendations can be difficult. When recommendations are not followed and the health of a child is at risk, one intervention that may be necessary is a referral for medical neglect to the local child protective services (CPS) agency. This study summarizes the cases that were referred from our metabolic clinic at the Children's Hospital of Michigan to CPS, and the outcomes of that intervention. CPS referrals helped to improve adherence to medical management recommendations in the majority of cases, including a lower blood phe level for the child; however, at times that improvement did not occur until after a second referral and/or the child's temporary removal from the home.
Fire suppression impacts on postfire recovery of Sierra Nevada chaparral shrublands

A substantial portion of chaparral shrublands in the southern part of California’s Sierra Nevada Mountain Range has never had a recorded fire since record keeping began in 1910. We hypothesised that such long periods without fire are outside the historical range of variability and that when such areas burn, postfire recovery is weaker than in younger stands. We predicted that long fire-free periods will result in loss of shrub species and deterioration of soil seed banks, which, coupled with higher fire intensities from the greater accumulation of dead biomass, will lead to poorer postfire regeneration. The 2002 McNally Fire burned ancient stands that were as much as 150 years old, as well as much younger (mature) stands. Based on shrub skeletons in the burned area as a surrogate for prefire density, we found that ancient stands change in structure, owing primarily to the loss of obligate seeding Ceanothus cuneatus; other species appear to have great longevity. Despite the reduction in C. cuneatus, postfire shrub–seedling recruitment remained strong in these ancient stands, although some seed bank deterioration is suggested by the three-quarters lower seedling recruitment than recorded from mature stands. Total diversity and the abundance of postfire endemic annuals are two other response variables that suggest that these ancient stands are recovering as well as mature stands. The one area of some concern is that non-native species richness and abundance increased in the ancient stands, suggesting that these are more open to alien colonisers. It is concluded that chaparral more than a century old is resilient to such long fire-free periods and fire severity impacts are indistinguishable from those in younger chaparral stands.
Burden of basal cell carcinoma in USA

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common malignancy diagnosed in the USA and its incidence continues to increase. While BCC is still most prevalent in the older segments of the population, it is becoming ever more frequent in younger individuals. The costs of treatment and morbidity associated with BCCs place a heavy public health and economic burden on patients, their families and the American healthcare system and underscore the importance of efficient management and prevention efforts directed toward this malignancy. In this article, we address economic aspects of BCC using evidence from large-scale epidemiological studies. This information may help clinicians in developing better and more cost-effective methods for dealing with the most common cancer in America and in the world.
Cerebral protection during aortic arch surgery.

I n this issue of the Journal, Kazui and associates1 report an outstanding series of patients with aortic arch operations, with an exceptionally low mortality and incidence of neurologic complications. This is the latest in a series of reports by Kazui, who has been a pioneer championing the use of antegrade cerebral perfusion during these operations. He is to be congratulated for his independence, ingenuity, and skill, documenting ever-improving results of aneurysm operations in this elderly, high-risk population and providing exemplary leadership in devising improved techniques for cerebral protection during aortic surgery. In the hands of most aortic surgeons, results of aortic arch surgery have been improving gradually, although few can claim results quite so good as Kazui’s. Neurologic damage is a frequent cause of death and complications after these operations, as a result either of focal thromboembolic episodes or of global ischemia during arrest of antegrade cerebral circulation. Various approaches are currently being used throughout the world to try to reduce the incidence of both kinds of neurologic complications. In addition to clinical studies, such as that of Kazui, laboratory investigations have also contributed to an understanding of how best to protect the brain during surgery that requires interruption of normal cerebral perfusion. What follows is a discussion of the benefits and possible drawbacks of each of the techniques for cerebral protection currently used clinically. Some specific precautions to avoid embolization during these procedures are also suggested.
Pathogenesis and medical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract Benign prostatic hyperplasia is an almost universal disorder of aging males. The disease is heterogeneous with respect to the histology, size, symptoms, and response to medical management. Current medical therapies are based upon the knowledge of the pathophysiology of the disease and include hormonal therapies and α 1 -adrenergic blockade. Although there are at present no prognostic indicators of response to therapy, future studies may help delineate those patients who will most benefit from the various forms of treatment.
Critical Micelle Concentration of Nonionic Surfactants in Water and Carbon Tetrachloride

The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of two nonionic surface-active agents was studied. The micellization properties of polysorbate 80 and sorbitan monooleate were investigated in water and chloroform utilizing iodine as the indicator. Mixtures of polysorbates and sorbitans in various proportions were also tested relative to the CMC for mixed micelles in both solvents. A spectrophotometric method was used to determine the CMC in both solvents; the aqueous systems were also studied by a surface-tension method.
Dynamic scaling at classical phase transitions approached through non-equilibrium quenching

We use Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate generic scaling aspects of classical phase transitions approached through a quench (or annealing) protocol where the temperature changes as a function of time with velocity $v$. Using a generalized Kibble-Zurek ansatz, we demonstrate dynamic scaling for different types of stochastic dynamics (Metropolis, Swendsen-Wang, and Wolff) on Ising models in two and higher dimensions. We show that there are dual scaling functions governing the dynamic scaling, which together describe the scaling behavior in the entire velocity range $v\ensuremath{\in}[0,\ensuremath{\infty})$. These functions have asymptotics corresponding to the adiabatic and diabatic limits, and close to these limits they are perturbative in $v$ and $1/v$, respectively. Away from their perturbative domains, both functions cross over into the same universal power-law scaling form governed by the static and dynamic critical exponents (as well as an exponent characterizing the quench protocol). As a by-product of the scaling studies, we obtain high-precision estimates of the dynamic exponent $z$ for the two-dimensional Ising model subject to the three variants of Monte Carlo dynamics: for single-spin Metropolis updates ${z}_{\mathrm{M}}=2.1767(5)$, for Swendsen-Wang multicluster updates ${z}_{\mathrm{SW}}=0.297(3)$, and for Wolff single-cluster updates ${z}_{\text{W}}=0.30(2)$. For Wolff dynamics, we find an interesting behavior with a nonanalytic breakdown of the quasiadiabatic and diabatic scalings, instead of the generic smooth crossover described by a power law. We interpret this disconnect between the two scaling regimes as a dynamic phase transition of the Wolff algorithm, caused by an effective sudden loss of ergodicity at high velocity.
Diffuse Alveolar Damage as the Initial Presentation of Dermatomyositis and Successfully Treated with Intravenous Immunoglobulin and Steroids: A Case Report

Background: Severe rapid progressive respiratory involvement as the initial manifestation of dermatomyositis is rare, but may be life threatening. Diffuse alveolar damage is the worst of the pulmonary findings in dermatomyositis patients because of its poor response to therapy and poor prognosis; almost all patients die.Case: The subject is a 37-year-old female complaining of mild dyspnea lasting three weeks and followed with symmetrical polyarthritis and very mild proximal myalgia one week after the onset of dyspnea. Moreover, the heliotrope sign was transient and very faint. A chest X-ray revealed diffuse bilateral infiltration and laboratory findings showed significantly elevated muscle enzymes. The muscle biopsy revealed typical myositis change. One week after hospitalization, the respiratory condition rapidly progressed to respiratory failure and mechanical ventilation support was required. Open lung biopsy demonstrated interstitial pneumonia with diffuse alveolar damage. Intravenous immunoglobulin t...
Long-term survival of Desulfovibrio vulgaris on carbon steel and associated pitting corrosion

Abstract Organic substrates may not be constantly available in the environments. It is important to know if and how sulfate reducing bacteria survive and corrode metal under organic electron donor starvation. In this study, biofilm structure of Desulfovibrio vulgaris on carbon steel and associated corrosion was examined over up to 55 days of organic starvation. Planktonic cell viability diminished rapidly but results of scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy showed persistent pitting corrosion and high viability of the cells attached around or inside pits and in FeS crust. Results suggested the SRB cells survived with electrons from iron oxidation.
Illness career descent in institutions for the elderly

This paper examines the social psychological consequences of illness careers in a retirement facility. As elderly residents' health declines, they experience an illness career descent. This refers to the movement through the social structure of the healthcare facility as a consequence of the downward trajectory of chronic illness. Illness career descent requires the formal relocation of the individual and the informal social consequences of loss of control, stigmatization, and segregation from prior friendship networks. Individuals react in a three-stage manner. At first, residents resist being moved “down.” Next, there is a negative impact on their self-image as relocated residents accept the evaulation by staff that they have become less competent. Third, they adjust to their new location and enhance their self-image by developing new roles, finding a “poor dear,” re-evaluating prior stereotypes, and engaging in post-decisional dissonance reduction.
Curve evolution methods for dynamic tomography with unknown dynamic models

In this paper, we propose a variational framework for tomographic reconstruction of dynamic objects with unknown dynamic models. This is an extension of our previous work on dynamic tomography using curve evolution methods where the shape dynamics are known a priori. We assume the dynamic model of the shape is a parameterized affine transform and propose a variational framework that incorporates information from observed data, intensity dynamics, spatial smoothness prior, and the dynamical shape model. A coordinate descent algorithm based on a curve evolution method is then proposed for the joint estimation of the intensities, object boundary sequences, and the unknown dynamic model parameters. For implementation of the curve evolution and parameter estimation process, we use efficient level set methods.
Buried heterostructure AlGaAs lasers on semi-insulating substrates

Buried heterostructure (BH) AlGaAs lasers were fabricated on Cr-doped semi-insulating substrates. Low threshold current (8 mA/μm stripe width for cavity length of 300 μm), a high differential quantum efficiency (55%), and stable transverse mode operation were realised.
Serologic and molecular characterization of the T15 idiotype—I. Topologic mapping of idiotopes on tepc15☆

The present study was designed to determine the minimum number of idiotopic determinants (Id) comprising the T15 idiotype and to construct a topological map of Id on the TEPC15 immunoglobulin molecule. Seven monoclonal anti-Id antibodies were used to map determinants by solid phase competition radioimmunoassay. The binding of some anti-Id to T15 was inhibited by phosphorylcholine-protein conjugates, while other anti-Id were not, suggesting that these anti-Id bind to different portions of T15 relative to the paratope. In addition, Id were mapped relative to one another in reciprocal competition assays between the anti-Id for binding to T15 coated plates. The topologic relationships between six Id were discerned by this method. A seventh binding site was identical or so close that it could not be discriminated. These studies suggest that the T15 idiotype is composed of at least six discrete overlapping Id whose locations range from the antigen binding region to the CH1 domain on TEPC15.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Case Method Instruction Findings from Preservice Training in Family-Centered Care

Student outcomes were investigated in a preservice training course where the Case Method of Instruction (CMI) was the predominant instructional strategy. Sixty-seven graduate students taking an int...
Saturable elimination and saturable protein binding account for flavone acetic acid pharmacokinetics

Flavone acetic acid (FAA) is an antineoplastic agent that has undergone extensive study in Phase I trials. Concentration-dependent plasma protein binding has been demonstrated in vitroconcentrations of total drug that are achieved in vivo.Moreover, dose-dependent total systemic clearance has been described when FAA has been administered as a short iv infusion. When administered as a prolonged 24-hr infusion, total FAA (bound plus unbound) plasma pharmacokinetics are well described with a first-order two-compartment model. However, measurement of unbound FAA intra- and post-intravenous infusion in eight patients revealed a twofold increase in fraction of FAA unbound in plasma intrainfusion. We attempted to fit pharmacokinetic structural models of varying complexity to the unbound concentrations alone and simultaneously to the unbound and bound FAA plasma concentrations. The data were adequately described only by a model that incorporated simultaneous saturable plasma protein binding and a Michaelis-Menten process for elimination. A comparison among models is presented, as well as pharmacokinetic parameter estimates for FAA in children. These clinical data are consistent with predictions of the clearance model in which both saturable protein binding (resulting in a dynamically increasing unbound fraction) and saturable elimination (resulting in gradually decreasing unbound intrinsic clearance) are operative.
Diasporas and Their Discontents: Return without Homecoming in the Forging of Liberian and African-American Identity

The Price of Liberty is an engaging and thoroughly researched account of how just over 2,000 North Carolinian blacks left for Africa between1820 and 1893 and of the role they played in the establis...
MALDI-TOF MS Characterization of Carboxyl-End-Capped Polystyrenes Synthesized Using Anionic Polymerization

A comparative study of three strategies used to synthesize well-defined carboxyl-end-capped polystyrenes is reported. Structural characterization was carried out using a combination of thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). For the reaction of polystyryl anions with 4-bromo-1,1,1-trimethoxybutane, in addition to the major product, Bu−PS−CH2CH2CH2COOH, four byproducts were observed. Their mass values suggest the following structures: Bu−PS−H, Bu−PS−CH3, Bu−PS−CH2CHCH−CHO, and Bu−PS−CH2CH2CH2−CO−PS−Bu. The reaction of polystyryl anions with succinic anhydride generated the targeted compound, Bu−PS−CO−CH2CH2COOH, but also yielded the byproducts Bu−PS−H and dimer Bu−PS−CO−CH2CH2−CO−PS−Bu. Under appropriate conditions, the reaction of carbon dioxide gas with polystyryl anions could yield quantitative carboxyl chain-end-functionalization.
A rapid radioimmunoassay for serum testosterone

Abstract This technique of R.I.A. was developed for students in classroom laboratory situations where rat serum testosterone assays could be completed within two 3-hour laboratory periods. The assay utilizes commercially prepared testosterone R.I.A. Pak. Plasma samples and extraction controls are prepared for extraction with a 1:10 dilution in phosphate buffer of which 0.1 ml is then incubated with 40 units of the enzyme Subtilisin Carlsberg (for steroid extraction from the Sex Hormone Binding Protein and other plasma proteins) for a period of two hours. After extraction, the enzyme is heat inactivated for two minutes at 100°C. At this point, the assay can be stopped for 24–48 hours by storage of extraction samples at 2–3°C. The assay is concluded with assembly of standard curve tubes and by addition of antibody, antigens system to all tubes for the final two hour incubation followed by the Dextran charcoal separation of unbound components and the decanting of bound complexes into scintillation counting vials. This assay technique has a range of 0.05 ng/ml to 0.05–5.0 ng/ml. The mean serum testosterone level of fifteen adult male Sprague-Dawley rats was determined to be 262 ng/100 ml.