cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased Ion Transmission for Differential Ion Mobility Combined with Mass Spectrometry by Implementation of a Flared Inlet Capillary.

Differential ion mobility spectrometry (DIMS) is capable of separating components of complex mixtures prior to mass spectrometric analysis, thereby increasing signal-to-noise and signal-to-background ratios on millisecond timescales. However, adding a DIMS device to the front end of a mass spectrometer can reduce the signal intensity of subsequent mass spectrometric analysis. This is a result, in part, of ions lost due to inefficient transfer of ions from the DIMS device through the aperture leading into the mass spectrometer. This problem of transferring ions can be at least partially corrected by modifying the front end of the inlet capillary leading to the vacuum of the mass spectrometer. The inner diameter of the ion-sampling end of the inlet capillary was enlarged by drilling into the face. This results in a conical flare at the front end of the capillary, while the other end of the capillary remains unmodified. These flared capillaries allow for a greater number of ions from the DIMS device to be sampled relative to the unmodified standard capillary. Four flare dimensions were tested, differing by the angle between the wall of the flare and the outer wall of the inlet capillary. All flared capillaries showed greater signal intensity than the standard capillary with a DIMS device present without reducing the resolving power. It was also observed that the signal intensity increased as the flare angle decreased. The flared capillary with the smallest flare angle showed greater than a fivefold increase in signal intensity compared with the standard capillary.
Nuclear Medicine Instrumentation

J. Prekeges Burlington, Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett, 2013, 376 pages, $105.95 This soft-cover textbook on nuclear instrumentation was written for an audience of nuclear medicine technology students, medical imaging technologists, nuclear medicine physicians, radiologists, medical imaging
WC1 + γδ T cells from cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis respond differentially to stimulation with PPD-J.

A role for γδ T cells in protection against mycobacterial infections including Johne’s disease (JD) has been suggested. In neonatal calves where the risk to infection with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is high, the majority of circulating CD3+ lymphocytes are γδ TCR+. Bovine γδ T cells are divided into two major subsets based on the surface expression of workshop cluster 1 (WC1). The WC1+ subset, the predominant subset in periphery, is further divided into WC1.1+ and WC1.2+ subpopulations. The ability of γδ T cells to produce IFN-γ prior to CD4+ αβ T cell activation could be crucial to the outcome of MAP infection. In the current study, cattle were naturally infected with MAP and were classified as either in the subclinical or clinical stage of infection. Compared to the control non-infected group, γδ T cell frequency in circulating lymphocytes was significantly lower in the clinical group. The observed decline in frequency was restricted to the WC1.2+ subset, and was not associated with preferential migration to infection sites (distal-ileum). γδ T cells proliferated significantly in recall responses to stimulation with purified protein derivative from MAP (PPD-J) only in subclinically infected cattle. These responses were a heterogeneous mixture of WC1.1 and WC1.2 subsets. Proliferation and IFN-γ production by the WC1.1+ γδ T cell subset was significantly higher in the subclinical group compared to the control and clinical groups. Our data indicates differences in MAP-specific ex-vivo responses of peripheral WC1+ γδ T cells of cattle with the subclinical or clinical form of JD.
The Effect of Treatment with Guanfacine, an Alpha2 Adrenergic Agonist, on Dopaminergic Tone in Tobacco Smokers: An [ 11 C]FLB457 PET Study

Guanfacine, a noradrenergic alpha2a agonist, reduced tobacco smoking in a 4-week trial and in animal models has been shown to reduce cortical dopamine release, which is critically involved in the reinforcing effect of tobacco smoking. We measured amphetamine-induced extrastriatal dopamine release before and after treatment with guanfacine with [11C]FLB457, a dopamine D2/D3 receptor radiotracer, and positron emission tomography (PET). Sixteen tobacco smokers had one set of [11C]FLB457 PET scans on the same day, one before and one at 2.5–3 h after amphetamine (0.4–0.5 mg/kg, PO). A subset (n=12) then underwent guanfacine treatment (3 mg/day for 3 weeks) and the set of scans were repeated. [11C]FLB457-binding potential (BPND) was measured pre- and post amphetamine in extrastriatal brain regions. The fractional change in BPND after vs before amphetamine (Δ BPND) is an indirect measure of DA release and was compared between the untreated and guanfacine-treated conditions. Guanfacine treatment attenuated amphetamine-induced DA release; however, the change was due to a global 8% decrease in baseline BPND from the untreated to the guanfacine-treated condition. Chronic guanfacine treatment reduced [11C]FLB457 BPND in tobacco smokers, suggesting an increase in dopaminergic tone. Guanfacine-induced normalization of dopamine signaling may be an important mesocortical mechanism contributing to its ability to aid in tobacco smoking cessation.
Political Philosophy, Migration, and Methodological Nationalism

This chapter explains in detail the cognitive bias of methodological nationalism and shows how it has shaped much work in the political philosophy of migration. Methodological nationalism combines the assumptions of sedentariness, state sovereignty, territorial borders, and membership encouraged by nation-building projects. Political philosophers have for the most part assumed that the site of justice is a closed nation-state in which people enter by birth and exit by death. Though in recent years philosophers have begun to shake off the methodological nationalism of their discipline, it remains a powerful influence that has distorted reflection on the ethics of migration and discouraged reflection on forms of exclusion that take place within, outside, and across state territorial borders.
A Evidência da Mamografia de Rastreio na Diminuição da Mortalidade por Cancro da Mama: Uma Revisão Sistemática

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer screening is performed through mammography in women. The purpose of this review is to determine if screening mammography decreases breast cancer mortality. METHODS: A review of articles published in the last 10 years was done using the terms MeSH mammography, mortality, mass screening, breast neoplasms. The Strenght of Recommendation Taxonomy Scale was used to assess the levels of evidence and assignment recommendation forces. RESULTS: Fifteen articles were included: three systematic reviews, two meta-analyzes, three retrospective cohort studies, four opinion articles, a case-control study, a classic review and a clinical trial. DISCUSSION: The studies analyzed were mostly methodologically robust and with good quality, pointing to a reduction in breast cancer mortality but not from global mortality. Therefore, the continuity of organized breast cancer screening programs is jeopardized, constituting a recommendation force A. CONCLUSION: The evidence of overdiagnosis caused by screening programs seems to be consensual in the literature, the implications of which can’t be underestimated.
Chronic Painless Hematuria and Urethral Bleeding as the Presenting Manifestations of Osler-Weber-Rendu Disease

A case of a young man with profound iron deficiency anemia, chronic painless hematuria and urethral bleeding is presented. He had the typical cutaneous findings of Osler-Weber-Rendu disease (hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia). Appropriate urological studies demonstrated bladder and urethral telangiectases, with no other explanation for the bleeding. Osler-Weber-Rendu disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic painless hematuria.
Hegel on Cosmopolitanism, International Relations, and the Challenges of Globalization

In this essay, I attempt to challenge the prevailing views and misconceptions concerning Hegel’s philosophy of international relations, and I aim to present a more complete (cosmopolitan and internationalist) account of Hegel’s and Hegelian thought which, I contend, is much more supportive of conceptions of global justice, human rights promotion, and peaceful international relations. I argue that Hegel’s “realism” about interstate relations is compatible with global cooperation and commonality, and that his well-known acknowledgement of war is compatible with a broader account of international comity. I argue also that he allows for legal arrangements that transcend the bounded confines of territorial state sovereignty, and that his situated conception of norms is compatible with a universal and even cosmopolitan conception of human rights as well as obligations. While Hegel may oppose cosmopolitan political notions of a world government as being conceptually problematic and empirically undesirable, he nonetheless recognizes the need for a more rationalized global order that promotes the freedom of individuals, the mutual recognition of diverse national states and cultures, and a global commitment to the ideas of right and justice. In the end, as I hope to show, Hegel emerges as a subtle international ethicist and global thinker very much aware of the dialectical and historical interplay of (a) global unity as sustained throughout local and regional differences, (b) abstract right and concrete culture, (c) Enlightenment cosmopolitanism, and (d) the realpolitische other.
Exposure and Response Prevention in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Current Perspectives

Numerous clinical trials support the efficacy of exposure and response prevention (ERP) for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Accordingly, ERP has been formally recognized as a first-line, evidence-based treatment for OCD. This review discusses the theoretical underpinnings of the treatment from a behavioral and neurobiological perspective and summarizes the evidence supporting the efficacy of ERP across child and adult populations. Next, we discuss predictors of ERP treatment outcome and discuss implementation strategies designed to improve feasibility and adoption. Finally, strategies to improve treatment dissemination are discussed.
ASTEROID LIGHTCURVE ANALYSIS AT CS3-PALMER DIVIDE STATION: 2013 MAY-JUNE.

Lightcurves for eleven asteroids were obtained at the Center for Solar System Studies-Palmer Divide Station (CS3-PDS) in 2013 May and June. The asteroids were a mostly a mix of Hungaria and Phocaea members along with some outer main-belt asteroids. New data failed to remove the existing rotation period ambiguity for the Hungaria asteroid 1355 Magoeba, although the number of possibilities may have been reduced. A new period is proposed for 4436 Ortizmoreno, 8.24 h (or 16.48 h), superseding the one reported by Birlan et al. (1996). The Hungaria member 26074 Carlwirtz may be a binary with a primary rotation period of P1 = 2.5493 ± 0.0003 h and a satellite orbital period of Porb = 16.11 ± 0.02 h. The Phocaea member (125742) 2001 XT117 shows signs of a low amplitude precision period, i.e., it is possibly in non-principal axis rotation (NPAR).
Examining the Impact of Systemic Tensions on Agency and Identity: The Multiple Positions of Reggie in Production-Centered, Technology-Mediated Activity

This paper presents two examples of production-centered, technology-mediated activities in a one-to-one laptop classroom, and examines how those activities supported vastly divergent forms of stude...
Jail and Emergency Department Utilization in the Context of Harm Reduction Treatment for People Experiencing Homelessness and Alcohol Use Disorder.

People experiencing homelessness are disproportionately affected by alcohol use disorder (AUD). Abstinence-based treatment, however, does not optimally engage or treat this population. Thus, Harm Reduction Treatment for Alcohol (HaRT-A) was developed together with people with the lived experience of homelessness and AUD and community-based agencies that serve them. HaRT-A is a compassionate and pragmatic approach that aims to help people reduce alcohol-related harm and improve quality of life (QoL) without requiring abstinence or use reduction. The parent RCT showed that HaRT-A precipitated statistically significant reductions in alcohol use, alcohol-related harm, AUD symptoms, and positive urine toxicology tests. This secondary study tested HaRT-A effects on more distal, 6-month pre-to-posttreatment changes on jail and emergency department (ED) utilization. People experiencing homelessness and AUD (N = 168; 24% women) were recruited in community-based clinical and social services settings. Participants were randomized to receive HaRT-A or services as usual. Over four sessions, HaRT-A interventionists delivered three components: (a) collaborative tracking of participant-preferred alcohol metrics, (b) elicitation of harm-reduction and QoL goals, and (c) discussion of safer-drinking strategies. Administrative data on jail and ED utilization were extracted for 6 months pre- and posttreatment. Findings indicated no statistically significant treatment group differences on 6-month changes in jail or ED utilization (ps > .23). Exploratory analyses showed that 2-week frequency of alcohol use was positively correlated with number of jail bookings in the 12 months surrounding their study participation. Additionally, self-reported alcohol-related harm, importance of reducing alcohol-related harm, and perceived physical functioning predicted more ED visits. Future studies are needed to further assess how harm-reduction treatment may be enhanced to move the needle in criminal justice and healthcare utilization in the context of larger samples, longer follow-up timeframes, and more intensive interventions.
A two-stage modeling approach for breast cancer survivability prediction

Abstract Background Despite the increasing number of studies in breast cancer survival prediction, there is little attention put toward deceased patients and their survival lengths. Moreover, developing a model that is both accurate and interpretable remains a challenge. Objective This paper proposes a two-stage data analytic framework, where Stage I classifies the survival and deceased statuses and Stage II predicts the number of survival months for deceased females with cancer. Since medical data are not entirely clean nor prepared for model development, we aim to show that data preparation can strengthen a simple Generalized Linear Model (GLM) 1 to predict as accurate as the complex models like Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) 2 and Multilayer Perceptron based on Artificial Neural Networks (MLP-ANNs) 3 in both stages. Methods In Stage I, we use recent Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 4 data from 2004 to 2016 to predict short term survival statuses from 6-months to 3-years with 6 month increments. Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE), 5 Relocating Safe-Level SMOTE (RSLS) 6 , Adaptive Synthetic (ADASYN) 7 re-sampling techniques, Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) 8 and Random Forest (RF) 9 feature selection methods along with integer and one-hot encoding are combined with the three popular data mining methods: GLM, XGB, and MLP. In Stage II, we predict the number of survival months for patients who are correctly predicted as deceased within 3-years. Again, we employ GLM, XGB, and MLP for regression along with LASSO and RF for feature selection and one-hot encoding to encode the categorical features. Results We obtain Area Under the Receiver Operating Characteristic Curve (AUC) 10 values of 0.900, 0.898, 0.877, 0.852, 0.852, and 0.858 for 6-month, 1-, 1.5-, 2-, 2.5, and 3-year survival time-points, respectively, using OneHotEncoding-GLM-LASSO-ADASYN. We use the change in the Odds Ratio values in GLM to manifest the impact of individual categorical levels and numerical features on the odds of death. In Stage II, we obtain Mean Absolute Error (MAE) 11 of 7.960 months using OneHotEncoding-GLM-LASSO when predicting the number of survival months for deceased patients. We present the top contributing features and their coefficient values to illustrate how the presence of each feature alters the predicted number of survival months. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that implements both breast cancer survival classification and regression in a two-stage approach. All data-driven findings are presented in order to assist clinicians make better care decisions using GLM, an interpretable and computationally efficient method that predicts survival status and survival lengths for deceased patients, to help foster human and machine interactions.
Outline of a Nonideal Theory of Justice

Until recently, Rawlsian orthodoxy held that John Rawls’ ideal theory of justice as fairness can be straightforwardly extended to nonideal social conditions. A. John Simmons has demonstrated this view to be false. Rawls lacks any analysis of transitional fairness. Simmons, however, is skeptical about the possibility of constructing a comprehensive theory of transitional fairness. I show that such a theory is possible by beginning a project that Rawls once suggested: systematically extending his “original position” to nonideal theory. I construct a nonideal theoretic original position on the basis of Rawls’ arguments, showing how the parties to it ought to prioritize a special class of “nonideal theoretic primary goods” over Rawls’ principles and priority relations. Finally, I show that the parties should agree to a general principle which distributes these goods to the maximum advantage of the most oppressed.
Iron oxychloride/bovine serum albumin nanosheets for catalytic H2O2 activation

Abstract In the present research, the nanosheets of iron oxychloride (FeOCl) in an aqueous solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA) was prepared by ultrasonication. The preparation process is feasible and green. It takes only 30 min of ultrasonication to exfoliate bulk FeOCl and convert it to BSA-stabilized nanosheets. Besides, no organic solvent was used during the production process. The exfoliation experiment was optimized by full factorial design. Characterization of the nanosheets showed that the average size of FeOCl-BSA nanosheets is around 300 nm. They are negatively charged and almost stable in aqueous dispersion after two weeks of storage at 4 C. FeOCl-BSA nanosheets show superior catalytic activity toward H2O2 activation than that of the bulk material. Most importantly, they are relatively non-toxic to cells. The toxicity of these nanomaterials on 3D cell spheroids and 2D monolayer cell culture was evaluated using MTT assay and Live-Dead assay. It was observed that the toxicity of FeOCl-BSA nanosheets in 2D and 3D cell cultures was negligible. Overall, it is proposed that this work will broaden the application of FeOCl nanosheets in bio-based and catalytic systems.
Activating the Hospital Incident Command System Response in a Community Specialty Practice: The Mayo Clinic Experience

Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic presented health care organizations with a unique challenge in determining effective management of a large-scale incident across an extended time period. Case presentation This report describes the response of a multisite integrated system to the COVID-19 pandemic through activation of the Hospital Incident Command System. Discussion A robust emergency response plan with multidisciplinary involvement can help to ensure clear lines of accountability and expedite decision-making. Consistent physician input across affected specialties allows for a robust understanding of impacted areas, peer-to-peer communication, and a sense of ownership across the medical staff. The necessity of effective communication with staff and patients during times of crisis cannot be understated. The potential for information overload in a pandemic is significant but can be overcome through consistent and transparent communication from leadership. Conclusion Health systems should have a well-organized emergency response system prepared to launch in small-scale or large-scale situations. The threshold to implement the response system and accountability to make that decision must be a clearly defined organizational policy.
X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of the Actinides

The recent availability of synchrotron radiation has revolutionized actinide chemistry. This is particularly true in environmental studies, where heterogeneous samples add to the already multifaceted chemistry exhibited by these ions. Environmental samples are often inhomogeneous, chemically diverse, and amorphous or poorly crystalline. Even surrogates prepared in the laboratory to simplify the natural complexity are plagued by multiple oxidation state and varied coordination polyhedra that are a reflection of inherent 5f chemistry. For example, plutonium can be found as Pu3+ Pu4+ Pu(V)O2 +, and Pu(VI)O2 2 + within naturally occurring pH–Eh conditions, consequently complex equilibria are found between these oxidation states in one solution. In addition, dissolved actinides have significant affinities for various mineral surfaces, to which they can adsorb with or without concomitant reduction–oxidation (redox) activity, depending on details of the solution and surface conditions.
The Effectiveness of Age-Specific Isolation Policies on Epidemics of Influenza A (H1N1) in a Large City in Central South China

During the early stage of a pandemic, isolation is the most effective means of controlling transmission. However, the effectiveness of age-specific isolation policies is not clear; especially little information is available concerning their effectiveness in China. Epidemiological and serological survey data in the city of Changsha were employed to estimate key model parameters. The average infectious period (date of recovery – date of symptom onset) of influenza A (H1N1) was 5.2 days. Of all infected persons, 45.93% were asymptomatic. The basic reproduction number of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic was 1.82. Based on the natural history of influenza A (H1N1), we built an extended susceptible-exposed-infectious/asymptomatic-removed model, taking age groups: 0–5, 6–14, 15–24, 25–59, and ≥60 years into consideration for isolation. Without interventions, the total attack rates (TARs) in each age group were 42.73%, 41.95%, 20.51%, 45.03%, and 37.49%, respectively. Although the isolation of 25–59 years-old persons was the most effective, the TAR of individuals of aged 0–5 and 6–14 could not be reduced. Paradoxically, isolating individuals ≥60 year olds was not predicted to be an effective way of reducing the TAR in this group but isolating the age-group 25–59 did, which implies inter-age-group transmission from the latter to the former is significant. Isolating multiple age groups increased effectiveness. The most effective combined isolation target groups were of 6–14 + 25–59 year olds, 6–14 + 15–24 + 25–59 year olds, and 0–5 + 6–14 + 25–59 + ≥60 year olds. The last of these isolation schemas reduced the TAR of the total population from 39.64% to 0.006%, which was exceptionally close to the effectiveness of isolating all five age groups (TAR = 0.004%).
On regreening and degradation in Sahelian watersheds

Over many decades our understanding of the impacts of intermittent drought in water-limited environments like the West African Sahel has been influenced by a narrative of overgrazing and human-induced desertification. The desertification narrative has persisted in both scientific and popular conception, such that recent regional-scale recovery ("regreening") and local success stories (community-led conservation efforts) in the Sahel, following the severe droughts of the 1970s-1980s, are sometimes ignored. Here we report a study of watershed-scale vegetation dynamics in 260 watersheds, sampled in four regions of Senegal, Mali, and Niger from 1983-2012, using satellite-derived vegetation indices as a proxy for net primary production. In response to earlier controversy, we first examine the shape of the rainfall-net primary production relationship and how it impacts conclusions regarding greening or degradation. We conclude that the choice of functional relationship has little quantitative impact on our ability to infer greening or degradation trends. We then present an approach to analyze changes in long-term (decade-scale) average rain-use efficiency (an indicator of slowly responding vegetation structural changes) relative to changes in interannual-scale rainfall sensitivity (an indicator of landscape ability to respond rapidly to rainfall variability) to infer trends in greening/degradation of the watersheds in our sample regions. The predominance of increasing rain-use efficiency in our data supports earlier reports of a "greening" trend across the Sahel. However, there are strong regional differences in the extent and direction of change, and in the apparent role of changing woody and herbaceous components in driving those temporal trends.
Animal models of cannabinoid reward

The endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in numerous physiological and neuropsychological functions. Medications that target this system hold promise for the treatment of a wide variety of disorders. However, as reward is one of the most prominent of these functions, medications that activate this system must be evaluated for abuse potential. Meanwhile, cannabis is already being used chronically by millions of people, many of whom eventually seek treatment for cannabis dependence. Therefore, there is a need for procedures that can be used to: (i) better understand the mechanisms of cannabinoid reward; (ii) evaluate the abuse potential of new medications; and (iii) evaluate the effectiveness of medications developed for treating cannabis dependence. Animal models of cannabinoid reward provide a means of accomplishing these goals. In this review, we briefly describe and evaluate these models, their advantages and their shortcomings. Special emphasis is placed on intravenous cannabinoid self-administration in squirrel monkeys, a valid, reliable and flexible model that we have developed over the past decade. Although the conditions under which cannabinoid drugs have rewarding effects may be more restricted than with other drugs of abuse such as cocaine and heroin, work with these models indicates that cannabinoid reward involves similar brain mechanisms and produces the same kinds of reward-related behaviour. By continuing to use these animal models as tools in the development of new medications, it should be possible to take advantage of the potential benefits provided by the endocannabinoid system while minimizing its potential for harm. This article is part of a themed issue on Cannabinoids. To view the editorial for this themed issue visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1476-5381.2010.00831.x
Examples of the effcct of the loss function on the best equzvarlhnt estimator

In point estimation, squared error loss is usually used because of its mathematical convenience. In some cases this choice of loss function does not have any effecton the comparison of pr cedures or on the nature of an optimalone. Some examples are considered here which illustrate the large quantitative effect the loss function may have on the optimal Procedures.
Clonal segregation of multiple and overlapping matrix adhesive responses in dorsal root neuronal derivative cells.

Clones of F11 hybrid (neuroblastoma X dorsal root neuron) cells have been tested for adherence and neurite outgrowth on three different substrata on which the parental cells display some competence–;plasma fibronectin (pFN) with its multiple receptors, cholera toxin subunit B(CTB) as a model ganglioside GM1-binding substratum, and platelet factor-4 (PF4) as a model proteoglycan-binding substratum. This paradigm tests for independently segregating and overlapping mechanisms of neuritogenesis via transmembrane processes in pluripotent hybrid cells based on random loss of chromosomes contributed by the parent neural cells. For the nine clones tested, attachment was significantly lower on CTB but much higher on PF4 for all clones when compared to their attachment on pFN. Supplementation of cells with GM1 stimulated attachment of only two clones (on all three substrata). Neurite outgrowth was observed in a substratum-specific pattern and varied from 0 to >60% on pFN; on CTB and PF4 substrata, the patterns were similar to each other but differed markedly from the pattern on pFN. In contrast, PF4- and CTB-directed neurites differed morphologically from each other while sharing some characteristics with neurites on pFN. Supplementation with GM1 or GT1b, but not GD1a, was inhibitory for neurite outgrowth in certain clones. Cycloheximide pretreatment distinguished several classes of clones based on inhibition of neuritogenesis. While most clones on pFN were unaffected, all clones on CTB and PF4 displayed significant and comparable degrees of inhibitior, suggesting the sharing of some protein intermediate(s) on these substrata. Exposure to cycloheximide only during the active period of neuritogenesis generated higher percentages and longer neurites for all clones, indicating a widelyused negative regulation mechanism. Based on substratum type and cycloheximide protocols, these data have resolved six or more different transmembrane signalling processes for generating different classes of neurites. Some mechanisms have been segregated into individual clones while others overlap in other clones, providing cell systems for biochemical and molecular biological dissection of these processes.
Nucleotide Sequence of the 18-kb Conjugative Transposon Tn916 from Enterococcus faecalis

Conjugative transposon Tn916 from Enterococcus faecalis DS16 encodes tetracycline resistance (Tet M) as well as determinants necessary for its own movement. Determination of the nucleotide sequence of Tn916 has been completed. The element is 18,032 bp in length and has an overall G+C content of 38.8%. Twenty-four potential open reading frames (ORFs) were identified based on sequence analysis. Similarities of the ORFs to other known determinants, which were revealed by database searches, are discussed.
Standard Deviation of Local Tallies in Global Monte Carlo Calculation of Nuclear Reactor Core

Time series methodology has been studied to assess the feasibility of statistical error estimation in the continuous space and energy Monte Carlo calculation of the three-dimensional whole reactor core. The noise propagation was examined and the fluctuation of track length tallies for local fission rate and power has been formally shown to be represented by the autoregressive moving average process of orders p and p − 1 [ARMA(p,p − 1)], where p is an integer larger than or equal to two. Therefore, ARMA(p,p − 1) fitting was applied to the real standard deviation estimation of the power of fuel assemblies at particular heights. Numerical results indicate that straightforward ARMA(3,2) fitting is promising, but a stability issue must be resolved toward the incorporation in the distributed version of production Monte Carlo codes. The same numerical results reveal that the average performance of ARMA(3,2) fitting is equivalent to that of the batch method with a batch size larger than 100 and smaller than 200 c...
A Note on the Noncentral Beta Distribution Function

Abstract The noncentral beta and the related noncentral F distributions have received much attention during the last decade, as is evident from the works of Norton, Lenth, Frick, Lee, Posten, Chattamvelli, and Chattamvelli and Shanmugam. This article reviews the existing algorithms for computing the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of a noncentral beta random variable, and proposes a simple algorithm, based on a sharp error bound, for computing the cdf. A variation of the noncentral beta random variable when the noncentrality is associated only with the denominator χ2 and its computational details are also discussed.
Evaluation of the Validity of Anthropometric Design Assumptions

Some designers assume that if an individual's stature is a certain population percentile, his/her other body dimensions will also be the same population percentile. It is also frequently assumed that anthropometric dimensions are normally distributed. This study evaluated the validity of these two assumptions. 140 subjects, 70 male and 70 female, were grouped according to their stature in the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentile categories. Each category had 10 males and 10 females. 14 body dimensions were measured and recorded on each individual. A comparison between sample mean percentiles and corresponding population percentiles reported in the published literature did not validate the assumption that a certain percentile stature person will also have his/her other body dimensions in the same percentile. Tests for normality also indicated that a number of dimensions were non-normal (5 of the 14 dimensions for males, 6 of the 14 for females).
Carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectra of aortic α-elastin in solution, coacervate and fibrous states

Abstract Carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectra are reported for aortic α-elastin in solution, coacervate and fibrous states. The observation of spectra for the coacervate and fibrous states indicates retention of some chain mobility in these condensed phases and qualitative comparisons demonstrate selected and identifiable losses of resonance intensity on progressing from the solution state to the coacervate and fibrous states. Comparison of the carbonyl regions of α-elastin and the polypentapeptide, HCO-(Val1-Pro2-Gly3-Val4-Gly5)n-Val-OMe, spectra suggests that the polypentapeptide is a good model for the observable carbonyls of α-elastin. With the polypenta-peptide model, certain resonances of elastin in each of the three states can be assigned and related to previously defined features of sequence and of conformation. This approach will ultimately lead to substantial and detailed information on the structure and dynamics of fibrous elastin.
Blood-tumor barrier normalization effects on cytotoxic drug delivery to brain tumors

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts delivery of anti-cancer drugs to brain tumors, but the leaky neovasculature of the blood-tumor barrier (BTB) permits systemically delivered cytotoxic agents to reach the tumor. Anti-angiogenic therapies such as bevacizumab (BEV) have been shown to “normalize” brain tumor vasculature,1 but the impact on chemotherapy delivery remains unclear.2 The goal of this study was to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the consequences of BTB normalization, via BEV, on temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy. Non-invasive MRI techniques were used to track the transport of a chemotherapy surrogate, a low molecular contrast agent (Gd-DTPA), in an intracerebrally implanted human glioma. MRI-derived Gd-DTPA concentration curves were fit to a transvascular exchange model to measure vascular permeability changes and were used to quantify initial area under the gadolinium curve (IAUGC) over the course of treatment.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Whole body protein synthesis in relation to basal energy expenditure in healthy children and in children recovering from burn injury.

Summary: Dynamic aspects of whole body nitrogen metabolism in children recovering from burn injury have been examined in relation to basal metabolic rate (BMR). A continuous administration of [15N]glycine was used to estimate the rates of whole body protein synthesis (S) and breakdown (C) in five acutely burned children (ages 5–16 years) and in nine healthy subjects (ages 9–18 years). S (grams of protein per kg body wt per day) and BMR were significantly correlated (r = +0.73; P < 0.01). There was no significant correlation of C with BMR. The ratio of S (grams of protein per day) to BMR (kilocalories per day) was the same in burned and healthy children; the mean value for all children was 0.10 ± 0.03 g protein synthesis/basal kcal. Calorie intake and S were significantly correlated (r = +0.70; P < 0.01). There were significant correlations between BMR and percentage of total body surface area burned (r = +0.66; P < 0.01), and BMR and age (r = −0.57; P < 0.05). Age did not correlate significantly with percent of total body surface burned. Speculation: A significant proportion of basal energy expenditure is directly associated with energy needs for whole body protein synthesis and breakdown. The results of the present study demonstrated an increase in BMR in children recovering from burn injury, and the statistical correlations between the rate of S and BMR suggest that body protein synthesis accounts for approximately 50% of the variation in resting energy expenditure in the burned child. If more extensive data on the correlation between rates of S and energy expenditure can be obtained, it should be possible to exploit this relationship to estimate the energy intake required to support a rate of S that would equal or exceed the rate of C and result, therefore, in net tissue protein gain.
Isotopic and geochemical assessment of in situ biodegradation of chlorinated hydrocarbons.

Currently there is no in situ method to detect and quantify complete mineralization of chlorinated hydrocarbons (CHCs) to CO2. Combined isotopic measurements in conjunction with traditional chemica...
Velocity spectra and cospectra and integral statistics over Arctic leads

From the high frequency velocity measurements of the AIDJEX Lead Experiment we derive estimates of u and w spectra and uw cospectra both above Arctic leads and over relatively smooth pack ice. The measurements over the leads are unique for two reasons: they were made within a geophysical internal boundary layer (IBL) resulting from a large step change in surface temperature; and all were made within 50cm of the surface. The intense mixing within the IBL and the nearness of the measurements to the surface affect the shapes of all the over-lead spectra and cospectra. The u and w spectra have rounded peaks and no inertial subrange. The cospectra contain substantial energy at frequencies typically in the inertial subrange. Coherence spectra are greater than zero out to nondimensional frequencies of order ten. Despite the anisotropy of their origin, however, normalized spectra and cospectra plotted against the nondimensional frequency fz/U and grouped according to Reynolds number collapse into single curves. The integral statistics (w2/ − uw)1/2 and (u2/ −uw)1/2 have values smaller than those usually reported, as a consequence of both the mixing and the low measurement height.
Accumulation and Transfer of 32P by Male Southern House Mosquitoes

After 3rd- and 4th-instar larvae of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus Say were exposed to 32P in water for 48 hours, about 0.86% of the total radioactivity of the male was found in the reproductive organs. Of this amount, about 31% was in the accessory glands and the remainder in the testes, vas deferens, and seminal vesicles. Since the accessory glands make up ⅓ of the volume of the reproductive organs, there was apparently no selectivity on the distribution of 32P in these organs. Approximately 0.09% of the radioactivity found in the male was transferred to the female after mating. Males that averaged 27,000 counts per minute (0.012 μCi) were able to compete favorably with untreated males in inseminating virgin females in the laboratory.
Investigation of electron-stimulated desorption of nitrogen from Pt(111)

Abstract The effects of electron-beam irradiation of molecular adlayers of N 2 on Pt(111) are investigated. N + was seen desorbing from the surface, but no N − . The electron-stimulated desorption cross-section for removal of adsorbed N 2 was found to be greatest at a 150 eV beam energy, and the current-density averaged value for this cross-section was determined to be σ = 6.7 × 10 −17 cm 2 . Dissociative adsorption of N 2 molecules was not seen following electron bombardment of molecular N 2 adlayers on Pt(111). However, chemisorbed N atom deposition was observed when the sample was negatively biased.
A comparative study of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus in saliva of penicillin-treated and nontreated individuals.

Abstract In the evaluation of different culture media, the presence of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus was noted in 40 to 52.8 per cent of saliva samples cultured on a high-salt-content selective medium. In contrast, duplicate samples cultured on routine blood agar media accounted for only 10 to 17 per cent of positive cultures. Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus strains were isolated from saliva of 67.3 per cent of penicillin-treated patients and from 45.5 per cent of nontreated controls. These organisms were isolated from both nasal swabs and saliva samples, obtained simultaneously, in 60 per cent of the penicillin-treated series and in 30 per cent of the nontreated controls. In incidences where only the nasal swab or saliva sample was positive for Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus, cultures from nasal swabs were positive more than twice as often as were saliva samples. Of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus strains isolated from saliva of penicillin-treated patients 52.9 per cent were highly resistant and 26.5 per cent were moderately resistant to penicillin. In contrast, only 6.4 per cent of strains from controls were highly resistant and 23 per cent were moderately resistant to penicillin. In spite of the presence of a high percentage of penicillin-resistant strains, the relative numbers of these organisms in saliva did not exceed 0.16 per cent of the total aerobic cultivable flora in any of the fifty-five patients on continued penicillin therapy.
A clinical trials outcome paradox: should survival prevail in the absence of clinical benefit?

Evaluation of: Gulley JL, Arlen PM, Madan RA et al.: Immunologic and prognostic factors associated with overall survival employing a poxviral-based PSA vaccine in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Cancer Immunol. Immunother. 1, 27–29 (2009). A comparison was made using an established prognostic nomogram to determine the impact of survival on patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer using a pox-based vaccine. Survival in the treated cohort of 32 patients had improved compared with what was anticipated for the same group using an established nomogram. With a median follow-up of 44.6 months, the median overall survival for all 32 patients in the study was 26.6 months compared with a median nomogram-predicted survival of 17.4 months. The data suggested that there may be measures by which patients may be preselected and therefore may be more responsive candidates to a vaccine treatment approach. This study brings to light improved survival for patients, but the issue of how to reconcile ...
Child Welfare Workers’ Perspectives on Contributing Factors to Retention and Turnover: Recommendations for Improvement

Abstract Rates of turnover are high in child welfare settings, impacting the organization, remaining workers and the children and families under their care. A number of demographic, psychological, social and organizational features have been associated with increased staff turnover, although we have limited understanding about how and why these factors are important; differences in influence at varying levels of seniority and career duration; and workers’ perspectives on how to address workplace issues. This qualitative study assessed how factors impact employee retention and turnover in focus groups with 25 employees at different stages of employment: resigned case managers, case managers employed for less than one year and more than three years, and supervisors. Results suggested few differences in themes identified by groups. Two broad themes emerged for retention: supportive environment (including themes relating to children/parents, co-workers, and the organization) and opportunities within the agency (including new positions, experience and knowledge and job security). Two broad themes emerged for turnover: organizational issues (including themes about low compensation, challenging work demands, and system issues) and stress. Workers’ perspectives and recommendations on how to address workplace problems were reported. Results are consistent with the existing literature, although a number of unique issues were identified, including workers’ desire for clear communication flow through hierarchies, increased collaboration, and revisions to the way data is used/integrated. Workers expressed a strong desire to be heard by management, and this study reflects an important effort to provide feedback. These findings are relevant for informing organizational policy in child welfare agencies.
The ethics of the New Finance

This paper examines the normative ideas flowing from the contemporary theories that make up the New Finance. These theories include the Irrelevance Theorem, Efficient Market Hypothesis, Capital Asset Pricing Model, Options Pricing Model, and Agency Theory. The behavioral consequences that would ensue if everyone took the normative precepts of the New Finance seriously are subjected to a Kantian analysis to determine their ethical implications. It is concluded that the corporate world in the New Finance is a place where the firm can select any operating and financial strategies that it wishes, and the investors will respond immediately through a combination of homemade portfolio diversification, clever option positions, and carefully constructed agency relationships, all of which results in a pervasive nihilism. Recommendations are offered on how these features of the New Finance might be avoided or moderated.
Homomorphisms and quotients of degree structures

We investigate homomorphisms of degree structures with various relations, functions and constants. Our main emphasis is on pseudolattices, i.e., partially ordered sets with a join operation and relations simulating the meet operation. We show that there are no 5nite quotients of the pseudolattice of degrees or of the pseudolattice of degrees 6 0 � , but that many 5nite distributive lattices are pseudolattice quotients of the pseudolattice of computably enumerable degrees. c 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. MSC: Primary: 03D25
Some parameters of high output CO2 laser experimental surgery.

FOUR years ago, investigations on carbon dioxide laser surgery were initiated in our laboratory. This laser was relatively inexpensive by comparison with ion lasers, the only other high output continuous wave (CW) lasers with surgical potential. The CO2 laser could be coupled with beam guides used as manipulators, was flexible, had a high efficiency and provided the continuous wave (CW) power needed for an “optical knife”. One disadvantage was, of course, the output of an invisible beam far out in the infrared at 10,600 nm and the consequent expensive infrared optics required. The safety programme for investigative laser surgery has been reported before by our laboratory1. Specific hazards for the high output CO2 laser arise from the reflexions from target areas and from surgical instruments. Our initial surgical experiments with 25 W output (Perkin Elmer CO2 laser) were done on metastatic melanoma of man. Non-specific thermal coagulation necrosis developed after laser surgery. There was no local dissemination of tissue fragments from the CO2 laser.
Decay Studies of 238U Fission Products at the HRIBF (Oak Ridge)

Abstract An overview of decay studies of neutron-rich nuclei performed at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is given. Examples are presented of impact of HRIBF results on nuclear structure, astrophysics and applied studies.
The effect of atmospheric haze on images of the Earth's surface

The adding method to solve the equation of radiative transfer has been applied to a sunlit haze above a reflecting surface. The method was modified to include the effect of inhomogeneities on the underlying surface whose dimensions are less than the mean free path of the photons in the haze. Numerical examples of surface-feature contrast degradation due to haze are presented. This analysis renders it feasible to determine the optical thickness of hazes from haze-degraded images of the ground and also provides a technique to restore ground-image contrast, which has been obscured by haze, in photoelectrically scanned images.