cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting L-asparaginase activity in soils

Studies on the distribution of l-asparaginase in soil profile samples revealed that its activity generally decreases with sample depth and is accompanied by a decrease in organic C content. Statistical analyses indicated that l-asparaginase activity was significantly correlated (**P<0.01) with organic C (r=0.86**) and total N (r=0.78**) in the 26 surface soil samples examined. There was no significant relationship between l-asparaginase activity and the percentage of clay or sand. There was, however, a significant correlation between l-asparaginase activity and amidase (r=0.82**) and urease (r=0.79**) activities in the surface samples studied. The effects of 21 trace elements, 12 herbicides, 2 fungicides, and 2 insecticides on l-asparaginase activity in soils showed that most of the trace elements and pesticides, at the concentrations used, inhibited the reaction catalyzed by this enzyme. The degree of inhibition varied among soils. When the trace elements were compared, at the rate of 5 μmol g-1 soil, the average inhibition of l-asparaginase in three soils showed that Ag(I), Cd(II), Hg(II), Ni(II), Pb(II), and V(IV) were the most effective inhibitors (average inhibition ≥20%). The least effective inhibitors (average ≤10%) included Cu(I), Ba(II), Co(II), Sn(II), Zn(II), Al(III), Se(IV), As(V), and Mo(VI). Other trace elements that inhibited l-asparaginase activity in soils were Cu(II), Mn(II), As(III), B(III), Cr(III), Fe(III), Ti(IV), and W(VI). When the pesticides were compared, at the rate of 10 μg active ingredient g-1 soil, the average inhibition of l-asparaginase activity in three soils ranged from 4% with Merpan to 46% with Malaspray. Other pesticides that inhibited l-asparaginase activity in soils (average inhibition in parentheses) were Aatrex (17%), Alanap (21%), Amiben (18%), Banvel (12%), Bladex (24%), 2,4-D (17%), Dinitramine (19%), Eradicane (16%), Lasso (40%), Paraquat (33%), Sutan (39%), treflan (7%), Menesan (18%), and Diazinon (33%).
Effects of dose relative to body weight in the National Cooperative Gallstone Study: a fixed-dose trial.

Abstract Most clinical trials of a drug employ total fixed doses (mg/day) but the results are also often analyzed according to doses relative to body weight (mg/kg/day). The latter corresponds to a subgroup analysis stratified by body weight. This paper describes the difficulty in interpreting such results as illustrated by the National Cooperative Gallstone Study (NCGS). The NCGS evaluated the efficacy and safety of chenodiol for the dissolution of gallstones using fixed dosage groups (750, 375, and 0 mg/day). Analyses are presented comparing those patients who received high vs. low relative doses by virtue of a low (≦62.5 kg) vs. high (>62.5 kg) body weight. Although a significantly higher proportion of those with a low body weight achieved partial (50% reduction in volume) or complete dissolution of gallstones, these subgroups also differed significantly in a variety of characteristics (sex, age, percent ideal body weight; and floating gallstones) which have been shown to be prognostic of dissolution with a fixed dose of chenodiol. Similarly, although the body weight subgroups differed in the proportions of patients experiencing clinically significant diarrhea, they also differed in the characteristic (sex) associated with diarrhea. After adjustment for these characteristics, the differences for dissolution and diarrhea between the high and low relative dose subgroups were not significant. Thus, an analysis by relative (mg/kg) doses of the results of a fixed dose clinical trial should be used only with caution to determine whether a high relative dose (mg/kg) of an agent would be more efficacious or less safe when applied to the general population.
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia The Enigma of MEN

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) is an array of tumors found in various endocrine glands throughout the human body. A wide spectrum of clinical manifestations accompanies this syndrome. The complexities of the glandular function and subtle development of symptoms can cause the diagnosis to be missed, and individuals with MEN can be an enigma to the care team. Appropriate differential diagnosis and assessment are critical for these individuals to receive optimal care. An interprofessional team of health care providers, including an endocrinologist and an advanced practice endocrine nurse, must work in concert to orchestrate a plan of care across the continuum. Those specialized nurses who encounter individuals with MEN in a critical care setting are positioned to support the patient, the family, and the care team through this maze of multiple endocrinopathies and tumors.
The Point of Nonreturn: The Reemergence of the Disavowed

Mignolo’s essay responds to the mission statement published in the summer 2013 issue of Comparative Studies of South Asia, Africa and the Middle East . The essay asks: How could a journal based in the United States “decenter” itself? Can CSSAAME transcend and transgress scholarly restrictions and publish essays and statements that, rather than following scholarly norms, are made with the force and the demands of the public sphere? If “regions are sources of theory,” Mignolo claims, the regions should be responsible for using the journal to articulate their views and needs rather than mediating the views and needs of Western scholarship.
Histochemical study of the mucopolysaccharides in lungs of guinea pigs submitted to shock by drugs and antigens.

Abstract By means of histochemical techniques using toluidine blue, coloidal iron, and PAS, and with the pre- and postexperimental application of hyaluronidase, a study was made of the mucopolysaccharides in the lungs of normal guinea pigs and of guinea pigs shocked with drugs and antigens. Although mucopolysaccharides of the chondroitin sulfate C type appeared in the lungs of the guinea pigs intensely shocked by antigens, it cannot be stated with certainty that these are exclusive to experimental allergic phenomena.
The influence of entry point and radius of curvature on femoral intramedullary nail position in the distal femur.

Aim Perforation of the anterior cortex during femoral intramedullary nailing can be a major complication. We aim to determine the influence of entry point and radius of curvature on intramedullary nail position in the distal femur using a synthetic bone model.
What keeps people in mentoring relationships when bad things happen? A field study from the protégé's perspective

Abstract This study examines the association between negative mentoring experiences and protege intentions to leave the mentoring relationship. The role of perceived mentoring alternatives and fear of mentor retaliation was also examined as moderators of the relationship between negative mentoring experiences and intentions to leave. Results indicate that several types of negative mentoring experiences predict intentions to leave the mentoring relationship. In addition, three moderation effects were found. The results are discussed in terms of enhancing our understanding of mentoring relationships in the workplace.
Quantifying 3D post-accretionary tectonic strain in the Arabian–Nubian Shield: Superimposition of the Oko Shear Zone on the Nakasib Suture, Red Sea Hills, Sudan

Abstract Deformed conglomeratic clasts exposed along the Neoproterozoic Nakasib Suture and the Oko Shear Zone are used to calculate three-dimensional (3D) tectonic strain associated with the latter to quantify strain associated with post-accretionary deformational belts in the Arabian–Nubian Shield. The Nakasib Suture is a NE-trending fold and thrust belt that is sinistrally offset (∼10 km) by the cross-cutting NNW- to NW-trending strike-slip faults of the Oko Shear Zone. The Nakasib Suture was formed as a result of collision between the Haya terrane and the Gebeit terrane at ∼750 Ma ago. The Oko Shear Zone was subsequently formed as a result of an E–W directed shortening of the Arabian–Nubian Shield due to collision between East and West Gondwana at ∼670–610 Ma ago. This analysis indicates the following: (1) The Nakasib Suture is dominated by flattening strain with the flattening plane of the associated strain ellipsoid oriented at 21°/77°SE. This flattening deformation is interpreted to be associated with nappe emplacement from north to south. (2) Some regions along the Nakasib Suture are characterized by constriction strain that might be due to refolding of the early nappes about NE-trending axes. (3) The Oko Shear Zone is characterized by constriction strain, with the XY plane of the strain ellipsoid oriented at 171°/68°E. The strain ellipsoid associated with the Oko Shear Zone manifests superimposition of E–W shortening on the NE-trending fold and thrust belt associated with the Nakasib Suture. (4) The tectonic strain of the Oko Shear Zone, superimposed over the structures of the Nakasib Suture, is characterized by a strain ellipsoid whose flattening plane is oriented at 21°/49°W. The strain ellipsoid of the tectonic strain has a major axis with a quadratic elongation of 3.6 and an orientation of 357°/25°, an intermediate axis with a quadratic elongation of 1.2 and an orientation of 231°/30°, and a minor axis with a quadratic elongation of 0.25 and an orientation of 115°/18°. This suggests that the post-accretionary deformation of the Arabian–Nubian Shield was superimposed as a NW–SE directed shortening that created early N–S shortening zones and late NW-trending sinistral strike-slip faults.
HARNESSING AGGREGATION-INDUCED EMISSION (AIE) OF TETRAPHENYLETHYLENES IN METAL ION SENSING AND LUMINESCENT METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS

Tetraphenylethylene derivatives have emerged as valuable building blocks for construction of luminescent molecular sensor materials based on their ability to display aggregation induced emission. This paper summarizes recent efforts aimed at combining the luminescent properties of tetraphenylethylenes with metal ligating capability as a means to achieve metal ion detection. Research describing the incorporation of tetraphenylethylene ligands in metal-organic frameworks is also discussed. Though these areas of investigation have not received a great deal of attention, metal coordination complexes of tetraphenylethylenes show tremendous promise as switchable fluorescent sensors/indicators with a variety of potential applications.
Long-term complications in survivors of advanced stage neuroblastoma†

Background Few studies have assessed late effects in neuroblastoma (NB) survivors, particularly those with advanced stage disease. Methods Retrospective analysis of a cohort of advanced stage NB survivors followed in a late effect clinic at a single institution. Screening tests to detect late effects were tailored depending on the individual's treatment exposures. Results The study included 63 survivors (31 males). The median age at diagnosis was 3.0 years. The median follow-up from diagnosis was 7.06 years. All patients had surgery and received chemotherapy, 89% received radiation therapy (RT), 62% immunotherapy, and 56% autologous stem cell transplant. Late complications were detected in 95% of survivors and included: hearing loss (62%), primary hypothyroidism (24%), ovarian failure (41% of females), musculoskeletal (19%), and pulmonary (19%) abnormalities. The majority of complications were moderate, with only 4% being life-threatening. Survivors who received cisplatin were at greater risk to develop hearing loss compared to those not so treated (OR 9.74; 95% CI: 0.9–101.6). A total dose of cyclophosphamide greater than 7.4 g was associated with ovarian failure (P = 0.02). Conclusions Late complications occur frequently in survivors of advanced stage NB. The majority of these problems are of mild-moderate severity. Long-term follow-up (LFTU) and screening of this population is essential. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
DSMC and Navier-Stokes Predictions for Hypersonic Laminar Interacting Flows

Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) and NavierStokes calculations are performed for a Mach 11 25 deg.-55 deg. spherically blunted biconic. The conditions are such that flow is laminar, with separation occurring at the cone-cone juncture. The simulations account for thermochemical nonequilibrium based on standard Arrhenius chemical rates for nitrogen dissociation and Millikan and White vibrational relaxation. The simulation error for the Navier-Stokes (NS) code is estimated to be 2% for the surface pressure and 10% for the surface heat flux. The grid spacing for the DSMC simulations was adjusted to be less than the local mean-freepath (mfp) and the time step less than the cell transient time of a computational particle. There was overall good agreement between the two simulations; however, the recirculation zone was computed to be larger for the NS simulation. A sensitivity study is performed to examine the effects of experimental uncertainty in the freestream properties on the surface pressure and heat flux distributions. The surface quantities are found to be extremely sensitive to the vibrational excitation state of the gas at the test section, with differences of 25% found in the surface pressure and 25%-35% for the surface heat flux. These calculations are part of a blind validation comparison and thus the experimental data has not yet been re
Parental History of Substance Use Disorders (SUD) and SUD in Offspring: A Controlled Family Study of Bipolar Disorder

Background and Objectives Adolescents with bipolar disorder (BPD) have been previously shown to be at very high risk for substance use disorders (SUD). We now examine the influence of a parental history of substance use disorders on SUD risk in offspring with and without BPD. Methods We studied 190 parents ascertained through 104 adolescent BPD probands and 189 parents ascertained through 98 control probands using structured interviews. We compared the prevalence of SUD using logistic regression. Results While adjusting for BPD in our combined sample, probands with a parental history of SUD were more likely to have an alcohol use disorder compared to probands without a parental history. Probands with a parental history of SUD were not more likely to have a drug use disorder or overall SUD compared to probands without a parental history. BPD in the offspring did not pose any additional risk between parental history of SUD and offspring SUD. Conclusion Alcohol use disorders were more common in the offspring of parents with a SUD history compared to parents without SUD and the risk was not influenced by offspring BPD. Scientific Significance Clarifying the mechanisms linking parental SUD to offspring SUD, particularly in children and adolescents with BPD, would help clinicians to educate and monitor high-risk families, which would facilitate strategies to mitigate risks associated with parental substance abuse. (Am J Addict 2014;23:440–446)
Color science and spectrum inversion: a reply to Nida-Rümelin.

Martine Nida-Rumelin (1996) argues that color science indicates that behaviorally undetectable spectrum inversion is possible and raises this possibility as an objection to functionalist accounts of visual states of color. I show that her argument does not rest solely on color science, but also on a philosophically controversial assumption, namely, that visual states of color supervene on physiological states. However, this assumption, on the part of philosophers or vision scientists, has the effect of simply ruling out certain versions of functionalism. While Nida-Rumelin is quite right to search for empirical tests for claims about the nature of visual states, philosophical issues remain pivotal in determining the correctness of these claims.
Pb-free solder challenges in electronic packaging and assembly

Soldcrs are used in inan?. areas of clectronic packaging and assemblies. They have been uscd as electrical and mccllanical interconnects. such as fliu cluu buinuing and .I att;iclunent, ball grid amy (BGAs). surface mount technology (SMT). and soldering surface finishes, such as lcadfnme coating and print circuit board metal surface finish for several decades. As future electronics bccoine smaller. faster and cheapcr. lherc are scveral critical soldering technology gaps. Fundanrental understanding of Pb-frce soldcrs. Industry has ovcr 50 years of expcriencc with SnPb solders in electronics packagcs. Empirical rules for SnPb solders are not autornatically applicable to Pb-free solders. In addition, smaller. faster and cheaper electronics require increasing elcctrical power. The solder joints undergo mcchanical. electrical cirrrcnt as acll as thermal stresses in thc application. Tlrc responds of Pb-frec solders to the stresses are different from SnPb solders. Fundamental understanding of Pb-frec solders is kcy task for solder material researchers for next decadc.
Methoxychlor and Its Metabolites Inhibit Growth and Induce Atresia of Baboon Antral Follicles

Methoxychlor (MXC), an organochlorine pesticide, inhibits growth and induces atresia of antral follicles in rodents. MXC metabolites, mono-OH MXC (mono-OH) and bis-OH MXC (HPTE), are thought to be more toxic than the parent compound. Although studies have examined effects of MXC in rodents, few studies have evaluated the effects of MXC in primates. Therefore, the present study tested the hypothesis that MXC, mono-OH, and HPTE inhibit growth and induce atresia of baboon antral follicles. To test this hypothesis, antral follicles were isolated from adult baboon ovaries and cultured with vehicle (dimethylsulfoxide; DMSO), MXC (1-100 micro g/ml), mono-OH (0.1-10 micro g/ml), or HPTE (0.1-10 micro g/ml) for 96 hr. Growth was monitored at 24 hr intervals. After culture, follicles were processed for histological evaluation of atresia. MXC, mono-OH, and HPTE significantly inhibited follicular growth and increased atresia compared to DMSO. Moreover, the adverse effects of MXC and its metabolites on growth and atresia in baboon antral follicles were observed at lower (100-fold) doses than those causing similar effects in rodents. These data suggest that MXC and its metabolites inhibit growth and induce atresia of baboon antral follicles, and that primate follicles are more sensitive to MXC than rodent follicles.
RPH1 and GIS1 Are Damage-Responsive Repressors of PHR1

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae DNA repair gene PHR1 encodes a photolyase that catalyzes the light-dependent repair of pyrimidine dimers. PHR1 expression is induced at the level of transcription by a variety of DNAdamaging agents. The primary regulator of the PHR1 damage response is a 39-bp sequence called URSPHR1 which is the binding site for a protein(s) that constitutes the damage-responsive repressor PRP. In this communication, we report the identification of two proteins, Rph1p and Gis1p, that regulate PHR1 expression through URSPHR1. Both proteins contain two putative zinc fingers that are identical throughout the DNA binding region, and deletion of both RPH1 and GIS1 is required to fully derepress PHR1 in the absence of damage. Derepression of PHR1 increases the rate and extent of photoreactivation in vivo, demonstrating that the damage response of PHR1 enhances cellular repair capacity. In vitro footprinting and binding competition studies indicate that the sequence AG4 (C4T) within URSPHR1 is the binding site for Rph1p and Gis1p and suggests that at least one additional DNA binding component is present in the PRP complex.
DeViouS: a distributed environment for vision tasks

We present a system for the integration of computer vision tasks in a distributed environment. This system, called DeViouS, is based on the client/server model and runs in a heterogeneous environment of Unix workstations. It takes advantage of the free cycles in modern workstation environments to distribute and speed up the execution of vision tasks. Two primary goals of DeViouS are to provide a practical distributed system and a research environment for vision computing. DeViouS is based on a modular design that allows experimentation in various aspects of algorithm design, scheduling and network programming. It can make use of any existing computer vision package with very minor changes to DeViouS. DeViouS has been tested in an environment of SUN and Digital workstations and has shown substantial improvements in speed over sequential computing with negligible overhead. >
Optimal on-off controller with charge recovery for thin-film piezoelectric actuators for an autonomous mobile micro-robot

In this paper an efficient control strategy using charge recovery for a MEMS piezoelectric actuator is described. For piezoelectric actuators or other actuation schemes which act as capacitor loads, energy consumption can be reduced by minimizing the number of times the actuator is charged and by recovering the drained energy when it is turned off. An integer programming-based algorithm is used to drive micro-robotic legs consisting of piezoelectric actuators to a certain specific angle in a given time with the use of minimum energy. Partial charge recovery, which recovers a portion of the drained energy, is incorporated by making use of a lighter inductor. This allows the use of a more flexible controller than a pure ultra low-power on-off controller, with two or more intermediate voltage levels between the minimum and maximum voltages available to improve positioning accuracy, while also reducing energy consumption.
Murine colonic mucosa hyperproliferation. I. Elevated CFTR expression and enhanced cAMP-dependent Cl(-) secretion.

Fluid transport in the large intestine is mediated by the cystic fibrosis gene product and cAMP-dependent anion channel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). cAMP-mediated Cl−...
Opaque cells signal white cells to form biofilms in Candida albicans

Upon homozygosis from a/alpha to a/a or alpha/alpha, Candida albicans must still switch from the 'white' to 'opaque' phenotype to mate. It was, therefore, surprising to discover that pheromone selectively upregulated mating-associated genes in mating-incompetent white cells without causing G1 arrest or shmoo formation. White cells, like opaque cells, possess pheromone receptors, although their distribution and redistribution upon pheromone treatment differ between the two cell types. In speculating about the possible role of the white cell pheromone response, it is hypothesized that in overlapping white a/a and alpha/alpha populations in nature, rare opaque cells, through the release of pheromone, signal majority white cells of opposite mating type to form a biofilm that facilitates mating. In support of this hypothesis, it is demonstrated that pheromone induces cohesiveness between white cells, minority opaque cells increase two-fold the thickness of majority white cell biofilms, and majority white cell biofilms facilitate minority opaque cell chemotropism. These results reveal a novel form of communication between switch phenotypes, analogous to the inductive events during embryogenesis in higher eukaryotes.
The role of let-7 in cell differentiation and cancer

MicroRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are small noncoding RNAs capable of regulating gene expression at the translational level. Current evidence suggests that a significant portion of the human genome is regulated by microRNAs, and many reports have demonstrated that microRNA expression is deregulated in human cancer. The let-7 family of microRNAs, first discovered in Caenorhabditis elegans, is functionally conserved from worms to humans. The human let-7 family contains 13 members located on nine different chromosomes, and many human cancers have deregulated let-7 expression. A growing body of evidence suggests that restoration of let-7 expression may be a useful therapeutic option in cancers, where its expression has been lost. In this review, we discuss the role of let-7 in normal development and differentiation, and provide an overview of the relationship between deregulated let-7 expression and tumorigenesis. The regulation of let-7 expression, cancer-relevant let-7 targets, and the relationship between let-7 and drug sensitivity are highlighted. Endocrine-Related Cancer (2010) 17 F19‐F36
Cost effectiveness of conservation practices in controlling water erosion in Iowa

Iowa has severe water-induced soil erosion and associated water quality concerns because of intense agricultural activities. The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness and economic benefits of selected conservation practices in sediment reduction by water erosion in major soil areas of Iowa. One farm was selected to represent the typical soil and slope gradient in each of the eight Major Land Resource Areas (MLRAs) in Iowa. Three tillage systems [no-tillage (NT), strip-tillage (ST), and chiselplow tillage (CP)] and three conservation structures [grassed waterways (GS), grass filter strips (FS), and terrace systems (TS)] were investigated under a corn–soybean rotation using the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Corn yields of some areas were statistically lower under NT than under CP while soybeans showed little response to tillage operations. Estimated annual sediment yield with the chisel plow system ranged between 0.7 and 56.9 T ha 1 . The WEPP simulations showed that NT and ST systems were very effective in reducing soil erosion and sediment yield by approximately 90% in highly erodible lands compared to the CP system. The combination of conservation tillage with soil erosion control structures further mitigated soil loss and was more effective in areas with high water erosion potential than in the flat areas. The costs and benefits analysis indicated that the simulated conservation practices could increase the net benefit by up to $300 ha 1 compared to the CP system after the cost of eroded soil was taken into account. The findings suggest that NT and conservation structures have greater environmental and economic benefits in areas with high water erosion potential. The use of no-till in flat areas such as central Iowa may not be economically favorable because of the limited benefit in reducing soil water erosion. Overall, the study findings suggest that structural conservation practices coupled with tillage systems effectiveness were area-specific based on the soil and landscape in each area.
Long-term Rescue of a Lethal Murine Model of Methylmalonic Acidemia Using Adeno associated Viral Gene Therapy

Methylmalonic acidemia (MMA) is an organic acidemia caused by deficient activity of the mitochondrial enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT). This disorder is associated with lethal metabolic instability and carries a poor prognosis for long-term survival. A murine model of MMA that replicates a severe clinical phenotype was used to examine the efficacy of recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) serotype 8 gene therapy as a treatment for MMA. Lifespan extension, body weight, circulating metabolites, transgene expression, and whole animal propionate oxidation were examined as outcome parameters after gene therapy. One-hundred percent of the untreated Mut−/− mice (n = 58) died by day of life (DOL) 72, whereas >95% of the adeno-associated virus–treated Mut−/− mice (n = 27) have survived for ≥1 year. Despite a gradual loss of transgene expression and elevated circulating metabolites in the treated Mut−/− mice, the animals are indistinguishable from unaffected control littermates in size and activity levels. These experiments provide the first definitive evidence that gene therapy will have clinical utility in the treatment of MMA and support the development of gene therapy for other organic acidemias.
Disordered Eating Cognitions as Predictors of Attitudes toward Seeking Professional Psychological Services

The present study investigated whether young adults’ disordered eating cognitions predicted attitudes toward seeking professional psychological services. Two hundred and eighty three 18- to 24-year-old undergraduate students completed a survey package that included measures of disordered eating cognitions and help-seeking attitudes. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that greater disordered eating cognitions uniquely predicted lower degrees of favorable help-seeking attitudes overall, lower stigma tolerance with respect to seeking professional psychological services, lower interpersonal openness in the context of help-seeking, and lower confidence in psychological professionals. The findings suggest that outreach interventions should, among other things, focus on stigma associated with help-seeking and disordered eating problems.
Can Cumulative Selection Explain Adaptation

Two strong arguments have been given in favor of the claim that no selection process can play a role in explaining adaptations. According to the first argument, selection is a negative force; it may explain why the eliminated individuals are eliminated, but it does not explain why the ones that survived (or their offspring) have the traits they have. The second argument points out that the explanandum and the explanans are phenomena at different levels: selection is a population‐level phenomenon, whereas adaptation occurs on the individual level. Thus, selection can explain why individuals in a certain population have a certain trait, but it cannot explain why a certain individual has this trait. After pointing out that both arguments ignore the significance of the limitation of environmental resources, I will construe a positive argument for the claim that cumulative selection processes can, indeed, play a role in explaining adaptations.
Simultaneous smoothing and estimation of the tensor field from diffusion tensor MRI

Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) is a relatively new imaging modality in the field of medical imaging. This modality of imaging allows one to capture the structural connectivity if any between functionally meaningful regions for example, in the brain. The data however can be noisy and requires restoration. In this paper, we present a unified model for simultaneous smoothing and estimation of diffusion tensor field from DT-MRI. The diffusion tensor field is estimated directly from the raw data with L/sup P/ smoothness and positive definiteness constraints. The data term we employ is from the original Stejskal-Tanner equation instead of the linearized version as usually done in literature. In addition, we use Cholesky decomposition to ensure positive definiteness of the diffusion tensor. The unified model is discretized and solved numerically using limited memory quasi-Newton method. Both synthetic and real data experiments are shown to depict the algorithm performance.
A Practical Implementation and Comparative Assessment of the Radial-Angular-Transform Singularity Cancellation Method

A practical numerical integration approach is proposed for the radial-angular-transform singularity cancellation (SC) method such that all singular and near-singular integrals encountered in the method-of-moments (MOM) solution of integral equations are evaluated to arbitrary pre-specified error levels. In the proposed approach, the transformed MOM integrals are evaluated using the progressive Gauss-Patterson quadrature rules that provide on-the-fly error estimates; these error estimates are used to automate the choice of quadrature rules in the SC method whose performance strongly varies from one impedance matrix entry to another. This progressive numerical integration approach is carefully compared to a naive implementation of the SC method that uses static quadrature rules as well as to the more common singularity extraction (SE) method. Specifically, the SC and SE methods are applied to the classical solution of the frequency-domain electric field integral equation using RWG basis functions and several scattering problems are solved in the low- and high-frequency regimes of analysis. Numerical results show that although the proposed approach improves the efficiency of the SC method significantly, the SE method, especially if high-order asymptotic forms of Green functions can be extracted, remains the most efficient alternative when applicable.
The influence of bilateral prefrontal lobotomy on thyroid activity in psychiatric patients.

FOR many years the literature on schizophrenia, as well as that concerned with the other psychoses, has contained reports tending to implicate the various endocrine organs in these illnesses. More recently, attempts to explain the effects of electroshock therapy and prefrontal lobotomy have suggested that therapeutic changes in patients treated by these methods are associated with certain modifications in endocrine, including thyroid, function. Although there are few actual data to substantiate these speculations, a great deal of evidence has been collected, chiefly from animal experimentation, to indicate that the central nervous system plays a role in determining certain aspects of endocrine function. Harris's review of the neural control of the pituitary (1) presents inconclusive evidence in this regard, but Hume's (2) recent work is further evidence for some hypothalamic humoral control of anterior pituitary secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone. The increased use of prefrontal lobotomy affords an ...
Transformational Opportunities: Language and Literacy Instruction for English Language Learners in the Common Core Era in the United States

New demands of the Common Core State Standards imply instructional transformations for all classrooms in the United States, but teachers of students designated as English language learners (ELLs) are among those most likely to feel the impact in their daily professional lives. Language is an integral part of classroom learning in all subject areas, and this article addresses the new and special demands made by the English language arts Common Core Standards that are particularly relevant for the education of ELLs in mainstream and sheltered language arts and English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) classrooms. The authors propose three key reconceptualizations for teachers of ELLs in English language arts, outlining what is necessary to realize opportunities provided in the standards for these students' linguistic development and academic achievement. They illustrate these reconceptualizations with examples from an instructional unit that has been designed for linguistically diverse middle school Common Core classrooms and exemplifies subject-specific instructional practices that meet the needs of ELLs.
Central U.S. Springtime Precipitation Extremes: Teleconnections and Relationships with Sea Surface Temperature

Abstract Dynamical methods are used to investigate atmospheric teleconnections associated with extreme seasonal precipitation anomalies over the central United States during April–June. The importance of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in forcing atmospheric teleconnections is specifically addressed through analyses of atmospheric general circulation model (GCM) simulations forced with the monthly varying SSTs of the years 1950–98. The results from three different models, each run in ensemble mode, are compared with observations of extreme April–June precipitation events in the central United States during the last half of the twentieth century. Analysis of GCM simulations of April–June 1988 indicates that the atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with the 1988 drought were not forced by SST anomalies and that the coexistence of central U.S. drought and La Nina during that spring was coincidental. Likewise, composite analysis reveals no SST forcing for the teleconnections associated with ex...
Cuterebra Bot Flies (Diptera: Oestridae) and Their Indigenous Hosts and Potential Hosts in Florida

Abstract Typical mammal hosts (indigenous rodents and lagomorphs), geographic distributions and phenologies of the five species of Cuterebra bot flies occurring in Florida are described. This coverage includes a reevaluation of some previously reported host records and presentation of unpublished data on larval infestations and captures of adult Cuterebra in Florida. In addition, indigenous species of Florida rodents for which there appear to be no in-state reports of larval infestation are listed (both native species of lagomorphs in Florida are hosts of Cuterebra within the state). Many gaps in our knowledge of the biology of these flies in Florida are identified, but based on available information, it appears that Florida is not exceptional when compared with certain other areas of North America in Cuterebra species diversity or the species of native rodents that apparently are not used as larval hosts. The geographic affinities of the Florida Cuterebra are Nearctic. Four of the species (C. americana (...
A Sunblock Based On Bioadhesive Nanoparticles

The majority of commercial sunblock preparations use organic or inorganic ultraviolet (UV) filters. Despite protecting against cutaneous phototoxicity, direct cellular exposure to UV filters has raised a variety of health concerns. Here, we show that the encapsulation of padimate O (PO)—a model UV filter—in bioadhesive nanoparticles (BNPs) prevents epidermal cellular exposure to UV filters while enhancing UV protection. BNPs are readily suspended in water, facilitate adherence to the stratum corneum without subsequent intra-epidermal or follicular penetration, and their interaction with skin is water resistant yet the particles can be removed via active towel drying. Although the sunblock based on BNPs contained less than 5 wt% of the UV-filter concentration found in commercial standards, the anti-UV effect was comparable when tested in two murine models. Moreover, the BNP-based sunblock significantly reduced double-stranded DNA breaks when compared with a commercial sunscreen formulation. A water-resistant sunblock based on bioadhesive nanoparticles encapsulating a model ultraviolet filter at low concentrations adheres to the stratum corneum without subsequent intra-epidermal or follicular penetration.
The Effects of Reading Fluency Interventions on the Reading Fluency and Reading Comprehension Performance of Elementary Students With Learning Disabilities A Synthesis of the Research from 2001 to 2014

Fluent word reading is hypothesized to facilitate reading comprehension by improving automatic word reading, thus releasing a reader's cognitive resources to focus on meaning. Many students with learning disabilities (LD) struggle to develop reading fluency, which affects reading comprehension. This synthesis extends Chard, Vaughn, and Tyler's (2002) review, synthesizing fluency intervention research from 2001 to 2014. The search yielded 19 studies examining reading fluency and comprehension outcomes of reading fluency interventions for students with LD in kindergarten through 5th grade. Results showed repeated reading (RR), multicomponent interventions, and assisted reading with audiobooks produced gains in reading fluency and comprehension. Providing a model of fluent reading and performance feedback, using easier level text, setting a performance criterion, and practicing RR with peers also contributed to improved outcomes. Findings suggest that RR remains the most effective intervention for improving reading fluency for students with LD. Limitations include sample size, only three group design studies, and infrequent use of standardized measures.
Marginal Copper-Restricted Diets Produce Altered Cardiac Ultrastructure in the Rat

AbstractTo determine if chronic ingestion of a diet containing a marginally low level of Cu could cause deleterious alterations in cardiac ultrastructure, male offspring were nursed by dams fed a diet containing either 6.7 or 2.8 mg Cu/kg from midgestation through lactation before weaning to the same diet. Conventional measures of Cu status, including growth, relative heart weight, tissue concentrations of Cu, ceruloplasmin activity, and tissue activity of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) were similar in both dietary treatment groups at 5.5 months of age. However, significant increases in the number and volume of lipid droplets and an increased incidence of pathological abnormalities in mitochondria and basal laminae were observed in sections of hearts from rats chronically fed the diet containing 2.8 mg/kg Cu. Reduction of the dietary level of Cu from 2.8 to 1.3 mg/kg from 4 to 5.5 months of age caused significant reductions in the concentration of Cu in serum and liver, but Cu content, Cu, Zn-SOD activ...
Manufacturing of Magnetic Papermaking Fibers and Paper (Part I)

(1) Magnetic papers were made from magnetite and ferrite lumen-loaded pulps. When the papers were made only from the magnetic pulps, its breaking strength and burst factor were 5.1km and 313kPa/g/m2, respectively. The breaking strength and burst factor of the papers increased to 6.5km and 461kPa/g/m2, respectively, by addition of 2-3% fibrous Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) binder. Thus, physical properties of the magnetic papers added with PVA were nearly equal or rather superior to those of papers from unbleached softwood kraft pulp (USKP). Saturation magnetization value of each paper prepared from manganese-ferrite and manganese-zinc-ferrite lumen-loaded pulps was 16.1, 15.7 and 21.2emu/g, respectively, and each remanent magnetization value was 3.5, 3.1 and 4.5emu/g, respectively.(2) In the next experiment, magnetic papers were made by mixing a magnetic pulps and USKP by changing the mixture ratios of 0, 40, 70 and 100%. Breaking strength of these papers decreased with the increase in the added amount of USKP to the pulps. When the 2% PVA binder was added to the magnetic pulps (without addition of USKP), breaking strength of the papers was almost same as that of USKP. Magnetic properties of the papers prepared by mixture of manganese-zinc-ferrite lumenloaded pulps and USKP decreased in both their saturation magnetization values and their remanent magnetization values with the decrease in the mixture ratio of the magnetic pulps.(3) Furthermore, combination papers were made from a magnetic papers prepared from pulps lumen- loaded with magnetite and ferrite and a bleached softwood kraft papers (BSKP). When the 1-2% PVA binder was added to the papers, the interlayer stripping strength of the combination papers having two or three layers was improved to 1.7N at the 50mm sample width, thus the composite papers having sufficient inter-layer strength were obtained.(4) Security papers endowed higher security were made by sparsely binding of magnetite, manganese-ferrite or manganese-zinc-ferrite lumen-loaded pulps and BSKP.
Hammurabi’s Code: A primary datum in the conjoined professions of medicine and law:

The history of our current law dates from Palaeolithic times. The first written laws were codified by the rulers of Mesopotamian kingdoms, from the beginning of the second millennium B.C.E. This history, and those of the medico-legal specialties in particular, trace their origins to Hammurabi's Code. Hammurabi (ruled 1792-1750 B.C.E.) was the sixth King of the First Dynasty of ancient Babylon, today an archaeological site in modern-day Iraq. Hammurabi's Laws (c.1760 B.C.E.), inscribed on at least one diorite stele, were set up in public places in Babylon, towards the end of the King's 43-year reign. Comprising almost 300 specific laws, with judicial punishment for transgressions, Hammurabi's Code reflects his role both as a guardian of the vulnerable and as a protector of the weak and powerless. Just as medical papyri from ancient Egypt (e.g. the Edwin Smith papyrus c.1600 B.C.E.) are regarded as the origins of western medicine, so Hammurabi is the pioneer of "medical" laws as these have evolved to their sophisticated state today.
Pulmonary Hypertension and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: When Is It Out of Proportion?

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often present with mild pulmonary hypertension (PH). This finding has been attributed to hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. However, a sm...
Effects of Kinesio taping in patients with quadriceps inhibition: A randomized, single-blinded study.

Abstract Objective To determine effects of Kinesio taping (KT) on quadriceps activation and maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in patients with quadriceps inhibition. Design Randomized, single-blinded. Setting Laboratory. Patients Sixteen participants (9 males, 7 females) with quadriceps inhibition, as determined by 90% or lower in central activation ratio (CAR), participated. Main outcome measures Hoffmann reflex (H-reflex) of the vastus medialis and quadriceps CAR and MVIC were measured before taping, and participants were randomly allocated to either KT (KT application with tension) or sham (non-elastic tape application without tension) group. H-reflexes were assessed immediately and 20 min after tape was applied over the rectus femoris. All outcomes were measured again after tape was removed when participants returned the laboratory 24–48 h after taping. Results Two-way repeated ANOVA found no group-by-time interaction for: H-reflex (F 3,42 = 1.94, P = 0.14), CAR (F 1,14 = 0.03, P = 0.86), or MVIC (F 1,14 = 0.007, P = 0.93). None of the outcome measures differed between groups or over time ( P > 0.05). Conclusions KT applied to the rectus femoris did not change H-reflex of the vastus medialis and quadriceps CAR and MVIC in patients with quadriceps inhibition.
Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC)

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC) procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications, and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
An Online CPED Educational Leadership Program: Student Perspectives on Its Value and Influence on Professional Practice

This qualitative case study of an online educational doctorate program in educational leadership examined how students perceived the value and influence of their experiences as doctoral students while practicing as full-time school leaders. Data were collected using surveys and in-depth semi-structured interviews. Through ongoing analysis of data, three themes emerged surrounding the concepts of: change in ways of thinking; program presented multiple values; and connections to others. The significance of these findings are discussed in terms of how online doctorate programs can be successful in the eyes of students who participate in them by offering synchronous online delivery, providing applicable content, and developing worthwhile connections between students and faculty.
Asian pheretimoid earthworms in North America north of Mexico: An illustrated key to the genera Amynthas, Metaphire, Pithemera, and Polypheretima (Clitellata: Megascolecidae).

The invasion of the pheretimoid earthworms in North America, especially the genera Amynthas and Metaphire , has raised increasing concerns among ecologists and land managers, in turn increasing the need for proper identification. However, the commonly used keys to this group are more than 30 years old with outdated taxonomic information and are based primarily on internal morphology. The requirement of significant amount of taxonomic expertise and dissection, even from the first entry of the key, has prevented broader use of these keys. As a result, many publications in the United States have used Amynthas spp. to represent the group without identifying the species. We present here a new key and diagnoses for the 16 pheretimoid earthworm species recorded in North America north of Mexico, including four genera: Amynthas (10), Metaphire (4), Pithemera (1), and Polypheretima (1). The descriptions were based on published records with modifications following inspection of specimens archived at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. Photos of external and internal characters, including male pores, spermathecal pores, genital markings, spermathecae, prostate glands, and intestinal caeca, are presented to help identification. A summary of current knowledge about the ecology and historical context is provided for each species. We also highlight the previously overlooked and potentially common and widespread co-occurrence of three species— A. agrestis , A. tokioensis , and M. hilgendorfi —and point out that many recent claims of invasion of A. agrestis need to be re-evaluated for potential misidentification.