cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electronic Medical Records and Diabetes Quality of Care: Results From a Sample of Family Medicine Practices

PURPOSE Care of patients with diabetes requires management of complex clini- cal information, which may be improved by the use of an electronic medical record (EMR); however, the actual relationship between EMR usage and diabetes care quality in primary care settings is not well understood. We assessed the relationship between EMR usage and diabetes care quality in a sample of family medicine practices. METHODS We conducted cross-sectional analyses of baseline data from 50 prac- tices participating in a practice improvement study. Between April 2003 and December 2004 chart auditors reviewed a random sample of medical records from patients with diabetes in each practice for adherence to guidelines for diabe- tes processes of care, treatment, and achievement of intermediate outcomes. Prac- tice leaders provided medical record system information. We conducted multivari- ate analyses of the relationship between EMR usage and diabetes care adjusting for potential practice- and patient-level confounders and practice-level clustering. RESULTS Diabetes care quality in all practices showed room for improvement; however, after adjustment, patient care in the 37 practices not using an EMR was more likely to meet guidelines for process (odds ratio (OR), 2.25; 95% confi dence interval (CI), 1.42-3.57) treatment (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.07-2.60), and intermediate outcomes (OR, 2.68; 95% CI, 1.49-4.82) than in the 13 practices using an EMR . CONCLUSIONS The use of an EMR in primary care practices is insuffi cient for insuring high-quality diabetes care. Efforts to expand EMR use should focus not only on improving technology but also on developing methods for implementing and integrating this technology into practice reality.
Digital formations of the powerful and the powerless (keynote)

This talk compares two kinds of socio-technical formations: electronic financial networks and local social activist movements that are globally networked. Both cut across the duality global/national and each has altered the economic and political landscapes for respectively financial elites and social activists. Using these two cases helps illuminate the very diverse ways in which the growth of electronic networks partially transforms existing politico-economic orderings. They are extreme cases, one marked by hypermobility and the other by physical immobility. But they show us that each is only partly so: financial electronic networks are subject to particular types of embeddedness and local activist organizations can benefit from novel electronic potentials for global operation. I show how financial electronic networks and electronic activism reveal two parallel developments associated with particular technical properties of the new ICTs, but also reveal a third, radically divergent outcome, one I interpret as signaling the weight of the specific social logics of users in each case.
Molar occlusion and jaw mechanics of the Eocene primate Adapis

Wear facets on molars of the Eocene primate Adapis magnus are described. Striations on these wear facets indicate three separate directions of mandibular movement during mastication. One direction corresponds to a first stage of mastication involving orthal retraction of the mandible. The remaining two directions correspond to buccal and lingual phases of a second stage of mastication involving a transverse movement of the mandible. The mechanics of jaw adduction are analysed for both the orthal retraction and transverse stages of mastication. During the orthal retraction stage the greatest component of bite force is provided by the temporalis muscles acting directly against the food with the mandible functioning as a link rather than as a lever. A geometrical argument suggests that during the transverse stage of mastication bite force is provided by the temporalis muscles of both sides, the ipsilateral medial and lateral pterygoid muscles, and the contralateral masseter muscle.
Effect of Screw Length on Bioabsorbable Interference Screw Fixation in a Tibial Bone Tunnel

Initial tibial fixation strength is the weak link after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with a quadrupled hamstring tendon graft fixed with bioabsorbable interference screws. The purpose of this study was to determine the biomechanical differences between 28-mm and tapered 35-mm interference screws for tibial fixation of a soft tissue graft in 16 young cadaveric tibias. Failure mode, displacement before failure, and ultimate failure load were tested with a testing machine aligned with the tibial tunnel to simulate a worst-case scenario. The mode of failure was graft slippage past the screw in all but one of the specimens. The mean maximum load at failure of the 28-mm screw was 594.9 +/- 141.0 N, with mean displacement at failure of 10.97 +/- 2.20 mm. The mean maximum load at failure of the 35-mm screw was 824.9 +/- 124.3 N, with a mean displacement to failure of 14.38 +/- 2.15 mm. The 38% difference in mean maximal load at failure was significant. Important variables in hamstring tendon graft fixation within a bone tunnel include bone mineral density, dilatation, gap size, screw placement, and screw width and length. Attention to these variables will help to provide secure graft fixation during biologic incorporation throughout the rehabilitation period.
Immobilization of uranium in contaminated sediments by hydroxyapatite addition

Batch equilibrations were performed to investigate the ability of hydroxyapatite (Ca5(PO4)3OH) to chemically immobilize U in two contaminated sediment samples having different organic carbon contents (123 and 49 g kg-1, respectively). Apatite additions lowered aqueous U to near proposed drinking water standards in batch equilibrations of two distinct sediment strata having total U concentrations of 1703 and 2100 mg kg-1, respectively. Apatite addition of 50 g kg-1 reduced the solubility of U to values less than would be expected if autunite (Ca(UO2)2(PO4)2·10H2O) was the controlling solid phase. A comparison of the two sediment types suggests that aqueous phase U may be controlled by both the DOC content through complexation and the equilibrium pH for a given apatite application rate. Sequential chemical extractions demonstrated that apatite amendment transfers U from more chemically labile fractions, including water-soluble, exchangeable, and acid-soluble (pH ≈ 2.55) fractions, to the Mn-occluded fractio...
X-deficient woodchuck hepatitis virus mutants behave like attenuated viruses and induce protective immunity in vivo

The X protein (HBX) of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been shown to be important for the establishment of HBV infection in vivo. Our previous studies suggested that interaction of HBX with the proteasome complex may underlie the pleiotropic functions of HBX. In this study, we generated a series of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) X mutants, including mutants of the domain interacting with the proteasome, and studied their infectivity in woodchucks. Many of the mutants were defective in transactivation but none of them were completely replication defective in vitro. In vivo, all the wild-type and some X mutant–transfected animals demonstrated evidence of infection with anti-WHc and/or anti-WHs seroconversion. Most of the wild-type– and X mutant–transfected animals had transient viremia. Some animals were later challenged with infectious WHV. Animals inoculated with X mutants, including those with no serologic evidence of infection, were protected from the challenge, suggesting previous infection with resulting protective immunity. Our study demonstrates that the previously described functional domains of HBX are biologically important and the X-defective mutants, possibly as attenuated viruses, are not completely replication defective in vivo.
Homogeneous linewidth in CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals

Summary form only given. Understanding dephasing in quantum dots, especially dephasing due to electron-phonon interactions, is essential for the use of quantum dots as artificial atoms in applications such as quantum information processing. In this paper, we report experimental studies on dephasing in CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystals using high resolution spectral hole burning. These studies not only allow us to determine the homogeneous linewidth, but also reveal directly discrete acoustic phonon sidebands. The extremely small homogeneous linewidth (32 /spl mu/eV) obtained at low temperature along with the nonlinear temperature dependence of the homogeneous linewidth indicates that the quantization of acoustic phonon modes leads to strong suppression of dephasing associated with electron-phonon interactions in nanocrystals. The dependence of the spectral hole width on the modulation frequency also reveals exciton spectral migration occurring on a time scale of order of 100 /spl mu/s.
Differential Suppression of priA2::kan Phenotypes in Escherichia coli K-12 by Mutations in priA, lexA, and dnaC

First identified as an essential component of the ϕX174 in vitro DNA replication system, PriA has ATPase, helicase, translocase, and primosome-assembly activities. priA1::kan strains of Escherichia coli are sensitive to UV irradiation, deficient in homologous recombination following transduction, and filamentous. priA2::kan strains have eightfold higher levels of uninduced SOS expression than wild type. We show that (1) priA1::kan strains have eightfold higher levels of uninduced SOS expression, (2) priA2::kan strains are UV S and Rec − , (3) lexA3 suppresses the high basal levels of SOS expression of a priA2::kan strain, and (4) plasmid-encoded priA300 (K230R), a mutant allele retaining only the primosome-assembly activity of priA + , restores both UV R and Rec + phenotypes to a priA2::kan strain. Finally, we have isolated 17 independent UV R Rec + revertants of priA2::kan strains that carry extragenic suppressors. All 17 map in the C-terminal half of the dnaC gene. DnaC loads the DnaB helicase onto DNA as a prelude for primosome assembly and DNA replication. We conclude that priA 9s primosome-assembly activity is essential for DNA repair and recombination and that the dnaC suppressor mutations allow these processes to occur in the absence of priA.
Fatigue Damage Evaluation through Stiffness Measurements in Boron-Epoxy Laminates:

Stiffness reductions, resulting from fatigue damage, were measured for unnotched [±45]s, [0/90] s, and [0/90/ ±45 ] s boron/epoxy laminates. Deg radation in the various in-plane stiffnesses (Exx, Byy, Gxy) were measured using a combination of uniaxial tension, rail shear, and flexure tests. An attempt was made to predict stiffness loss at failure from a secant modulus criterion. Damage growth and stiffness loss were load-history dependent, hence, the secant modulus criterion is not a valid criterion for general application.
Congenital deafness and cardiac arrhythmias

Abstract Both deafness and cardiac arrhythmias occur as congenital problems either separately or together. Based on the study of two families discovered from an electrocardiographic survey of deaf children in Michigan, it is suggested that congenital deafness and cardiac arrhythmias may be closely related in inheritance but that either may occur separately within the siblings of a single family. In the presence of a prolonged Q-T interval (also a heritable trait), supraventricular arrhythmias may cause ventricular arrhythmias, frequent syncopal attacks and occasionally sudden death. The Dalmatian dog is sometimes born deaf and when so afflicted often has cardiac arrhythmias. Because of this similarity to the human syndrome, the Dalmatian dog may prove a useful experimental genetic model to study the association of congenital deafness and cardiac arrhythmias.
Early cannabis use and Schizotypal Personality Disorder Symptoms from adolescence to middle adulthood

Background While increasing evidence suggests that cannabis use may play a role in the development of schizophrenia in some young people, less is known about the strength and specificity of its relationship to latent schizophrenia liability, i.e., schizotypal personality disorder traits.
Fields of Number Theory

The first two chapters have been done in great generality. Before we can move on to the deeper results of number theory we shall have to make additional assumptions about the underlying field F. We shall do this by explicitly stating our fields of interest. They are the field of rational numbers or any field of rational functions in one variable over a finite field of coefficients, all finite extensions of these fields, and all completions thereof. By restricting ourselves to these fields we obtain two additional properties. Roughly speaking, the first of these properties is one of finiteness of the residue class field and the second is one of dependence among the valuations. These are actually the decisive properties that distinguish the rest of the arithmetic theory from the first two chapters. In fact it is possible to axiomatize these properties1 and to show that they lead directly to the fields of number theory, but we shall not go into that here.
Film Policy under MERCOSUR: The Case of Uruguay

Abstract: This paper explores the cultural dimensions of regional integration that could result from the regional trade pact of the Latin American Southern Cone called MERCOSUR. The aim of this study is to understand whether cultural industries such as film can be aided by state policies that work to erase borders between neighbouring countries and to facilitate interchange and trade through regional integration. Despite grassroots mobilization by filmmakers, this cultural dimension of MERCOSUR has not been realized in any material fashion. This research explores the various reasons for the failure of this policy. The Uruguayan film industry serves as a case study of some of the obstacles to cultural integration. Resume : Cette etude explore les dimensions culturelles d'une integration entre pays dans le Cone sud latino-americain pouvant resulter d'un accord d'echange regional du nom de MERCOSUR. Le but de cet article est de comprendre si des industries culturelles comme le cinema peuvent beneficier de politiques d'etat dont le but est d'effacer les frontieres entre pays voisins et de faciliter ainsi les echanges de biens et services et la communication entre pays. Malgre un appel de mobilisation de la part de cineastes, la dimension culturelle de MERCOSUR ne s'est pas realisee de maniere concrete. Cet article explore les diverses raisons de cet echec. L'industrie du film uruguayenne sert d'etude de cas pour recenser certains des obstacles a l'integration culturelle.
Resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa chronic lung infection requires cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator-modulated interleukin-1 (IL-1) release and signaling through the IL-1 receptor.

Innate immunity is critical for clearing Pseudomonas aeruginosa from the lungs. In response to P. aeruginosa infection, a central transcriptional regulator of innate immunity—NF-κB—is translocated within 15 min to the nuclei of respiratory epithelial cells expressing wild-type (WT) cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). P. aeruginosa clearance from lungs is impaired in CF, and rapid NF-κB nuclear translocation is defective in cells with mutant or missing CFTR. We used WT and mutant P. aeruginosa and strains of transgenic mice lacking molecules involved in innate immunity to identify additional mediators required for P. aeruginosa-induced rapid NF-κB nuclear translocation in lung epithelia. We found neither Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) nor TLR4 nor TLR5 were required for this response. However, both MyD88-deficient mice and interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R)-deficient mice failed to rapidly translocate NF-κB to the nuclei of respiratory epithelial cells in response to P. aeruginosa. Cultured human bronchial epithelial cells rapidly released IL-1β in response to P. aeruginosa; this process was maximized by expression of WT-CFTR and dramatically muted in cells with ΔF508-CFTR. The IL-1R antagonist blocked P. aeruginosa-induced NF-κB nuclear translocation. Oral inoculation via drinking water of IL-1R knockout mice resulted in higher rates of lung colonization and elevated P. aeruginosa-specific antibody titers in a manner analogous to that of CFTR-deficient mice. Overall, rapid IL-1 release and signaling through IL-1R represent key steps in the innate immune response to P. aeruginosa infection, and this process is deficient in cells lacking functional CFTR.
The World, The Mind and Mathematics

Mathematics is a field full of dichotomies: continuous versus discrete, size versus shape, finite versus infinite and static versus dynamic to name just a few. But certainly the most controversial division is the notorious “pure” versus “applied”. And in a provocative 1981 article [1] titled “Applied Mathematics is Bad Mathematics”, Paul Halmos set the fox in among the chickens by claiming that usually the answer is Yes!, and that the reason ultimately comes down to a question of taste. To use one of Halmos’s analogies, a Picasso portrait is usually regarded as better art than a police photograph of a wanted criminal But the Picasso is probably not a very good likeness, while the police photo is far from inspiring to look at. So is it completely unfair to say that the portrait is a bad copy of nature and the photograph is bad art?
GLACIAL-EUSTATIC CONTROL OF VIRGILIAN CYCLOTHEMS IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS

Virgilian strata in north-central Texas consist of repetitive sedimentary sequences called cyclothems. These cyclothems were caused by waxing and waning of glaciers in the southern hemisphere (Gondwana). During the transgressive phase, deltas were drowned, forming estuaries, and the oxygen-minimum zone responsible for the black shales in the Midland basin rose to a position well up on the shelf area, resulting in a sequence of lithofacies and corresponding biofacies which indicate a water column with stratified dissolved oxygen content. During early regression, the oxygen-minimum zone and the characteristic lithofacies and biofacies began retreating toward the Midland basin. Deltas began prograding well out onto the outer shelf, and the resulting lithofacies and biofacies depended upon the relationship between paleogeography and the prograding deltas. During maximum regression, the oxygen minimum zone was restricted to the Midland basin, and the shelf-edge carbonates were subaerially exposed, resulting in extensive freshwater diagenesis, which was responsible for enhancing secondary porosity. End_of_Article - Last_Page 142------------
JBJS Classics: Inferior Capsular Shift for Involuntary Inferior and Multidirectional Instability of the Shoulder

In thirty‐six patients (forty shoulders) with involuntary inferior and multidirectional subluxation and dislocation, there had been failure of standard operations or uncertainty regarding diagnosis or treatment. Clinical evaluation of these patients stressed meticulous psychiatric appraisal, conservative treatment, and repeated examination of the shoulder. All patients were treated by an inferior capsular shift, a procedure in which a flap of the capsule reinforced by overlying tendon is shifted to reduce capsular …
Robot tool behavior: a developmental approach to autonomous tool use

The ability to use tools is one of the hallmarks of intelligence. Tool use is fundamental to human life and has been for at least the last two million years. We use tools to extend our reach, to amplify our physical strength, and to achieve many other tasks. A large number of animals have also been observed to use tools. Despite the widespread use of tools in the animal world, however, studies of autonomous robotic tool use are still rare. This dissertation examines the problem of autonomous tool use in robots from the point of view of developmental robotics. Therefore, the main focus is not on optimizing robotic solutions for specific tool tasks but on designing algorithms and representations that a robot can use to develop tool-using abilities. The dissertation describes a developmental sequence/trajectory that a robot can take in order to learn how to use tools autonomously. The developmental sequence begins with learning a model of the robot's body since the body is the most consistent and predictable part of the environment. Specifically, the robot learns which perceptual features are associated with its own body and which with the environment. Next, the robot can begin to identify certain patterns exhibited by the body itself and to learn a robot body schema model which can also be used to encode goal-oriented behaviors. The robot can also use its body as a well defined reference frame from which the properties of environmental objects can be explored by relating them to the body. Finally, the robot can begin to relate two environmental objects to one another and to learn that certain actions with the first object can affect the second object, i.e., the first object can be used as a tool. The main contributions of the dissertation can be broadly summarized as follows: it demonstrates a method for autonomous self-detection in robots; it demonstrates a model for extendable robot body schema which can be used to achieve goal-oriented behaviors, including video-guided behaviors; it demonstrates a behavior-grounded method for learning the affordances of tools which can also be used to solve tool-using tasks.
Notes on Brazilian Species of Ravenelia

7. Koch, H. A. 1962. Ergebnisse von Bodenuntersuchungen in Thiiringen mit besonderer Beriicksichtigung der Isolierung von Dermatophyten. Tagung der Ges. fur Med. Mykol der DDR, Leipzig, 1964. (cited by Schinborn, C. 1967. Vergleichende Untersuchungen an geophilen MicrosporumStammen edaphischer, animaler und humaner Herkunft, Mykosen 10: 283300, 425-440.) 8. Morganti, L., F. Caprilli, G. Battelii, and M. Bianchedi. 1974. Dermatofiti isolati dell'uomo, del cane e del gatto nella citta di Roma. Ann. Sclavo (In Press). 9. Sethi, K. K., H. S. Randhawa, P. V. Kurup, and L. Ajello. 1967. Isolation of Microsporum vanbreuseghemii from soil in India. Sabourarudia 6: 81-82.
Electron dynamics in dye-sensitized solar cells: effects of surface terminations and defects.

The electron dynamics in a TiO2/alizarin based dye-sensitized solar cell is studied by a means of ab initio nonadiabatic molecular dynamics. The effects of surface terminations and vacancy defects on photoexcited interfacial electron transfer (ET) and energy relaxation of injected electrons are examined in detail. In particular, we consider three plausible TiO2 surface terminations which are stable at zero temperature. However, only one of them maintains structural integrity at room temperature while the other two terminations lead to broken interfacial Ti−O bonds. An ultrafast ET dynamics (4.6 fs) is observed for the intact interface, consistent with relevant experimental and theoretical results. On the other hand, the ET dynamics of the two other terminations takes either a much longer time or results in less charge transfer. The surface vacancies in TiO2 are found to play important roles in the structural integrity, the interfacial ET dynamics, and the energy relaxation in the TiO2 conduction bands. Fo...
Hepatopulmonary Syndrome and Liver Transplantation: A Recent Review of the Literature

A severe and common pulmonary vascular complication of liver disease is hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS). It is a triad of liver dysfunction and/or portal hypertension, intrapulmonary vascular dilatations, and increased alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient. Prevalence varies according to various study groups from 4%–47%. While the most common presenting symptom of HPS is dyspnea, it is usually asymptomatic, and thus all liver transplant candidates should be screened for its presence. Pulse oximetry is a useful screening method, but arterial blood gas examination is the gold standard. If there is an abnormal P (A-a)O2 gradient, microbubble transthoracic echocardiography should be done for diagnosis. Outcome is unpredictable, and there is currently no effective medical therapy. The only effective therapy is considered to be liver transplantation. Complete resolution of HPS after liver transplantation is seen within a year in most HPS patients.
Land and Water Impacts of Oil Sands Production in Alberta

Expansion of oil sands development results not only in the release of greenhouse gas emissions, but also impacts land and water resources. Though less discussed internationally due to to their inherently local nature, land and water impacts can be severe. Research in key areas is needed to manage oil sands operations effectively; including improved monitoring of ground and surface water quality. The resulting information gap means that such impacts are not well understood. Improved analyses of oil sands products are required that compare land and water use with other transportation fuel pathways and use a regional perspective so local effects can be considered and mitigated.
Deployable 3D linkages with collision avoidance

We present a pipeline that allows ordinary users to create deployable scissor linkages in arbitrary 3D shapes, whose mechanisms are inspired by Hoberman's Sphere. From an arbitrary 3D model and a few user inputs, our method can generate a fabricable scissor linkage resembling that shape that aims to save as much space as possible in its most contracted state. Self-collisions are the primary obstacle in this goal, and these are not addressed in prior work. One key component of our algorithm is a succinct parameterization of these types of linkages. The fast continuous collision detection that arises from this parameterization serves as the foundation for the discontinuous optimization procedure that automatically improves joint placement for avoiding collisions. While linkages are usually composed of straight bars, we consider curved bars as a means of improving the contractibility. To that end, we describe a continuous optimization algorithm for locally deforming the bars.
Bioactivity-Guided Identification of Botanical Inhibitors of Ketohexokinase.

Objective In developed countries with westernized diets, the excessive consumption of added sugar in beverages and highly refined and processed foods is associated with increased risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. As a major constituent of added sugars, fructose has been shown to cause a variety of adverse metabolic effects, such as impaired insulin sensitivity, hypertriglyceridemia, and oxidative stress. Recent studies have shown that ketohexokinase isoform C is the key enzyme responsible in fructose metabolism that drive’s fructose's adverse effects. The objective of this study was to identify botanical ingredients with potential for inhibitory activity against ketohexokinase-C and fructose-induced metabolic effects by using a series of in vitro model systems. Methods Extracts from 406 botanicals and 1200 purified phytochemicals were screened (initial concentration of 50 μg/mL and 50 μM, respectively) for their inhibitory activity using a cell free, recombinant human ketohexokinase-C assay. Dose response evaluations were conducted on botanical extracts and phytochemicals that inhibited ketohexokinase-C by > 30% and > 40%, respectively. Two different extract lots of the top botanical candidates were further evaluated in lysates of HepG2 cells overexpressing ketohexokinase-C for inhibition of fructose-induced ATP depletion. In addition, extracts were evaluated in intact Hep G2 cells for inhibition of fructose-induced elevation of triglyceride and uric acid production. Results Among the botanical extracts, phloretin (Malus domestica) extracts were the most potent (IC50: 8.9–9.2 μg/mL) followed by extracts of Angelica archangelica (IC50: 22.6 μg/mL—57.3 μg/mL). Among the purified phytochemicals, methoxy-isobavachalcone (Psoralea corylifolia, IC50 = 0.2 μM) exhibited the highest potency against ketohexokinase isoform C activity followed by osthole (Angelica archangelica, IC50 = 0.7 μM), cratoxyarborenone E (Cratoxylum prunifolium, IC50 = 1.0 μM), and α-/γ-mangostin (Cratoxylum prunifolium, IC50 = 1.5 μM). Extracts of Angelica archangelica, Garcinia mangostana, Petroselinum crispum, and Scutellaria baicalensis exhibited ketohexokinase inhibitory activity and blocked fructose-induced ATP depletion and fructose-induced elevation in triglyerides and uric acid. Conclusions Angelica archangelica, Garcinia mangostana, Petroselinum crispum, and Scutellaria baicalensis were the top four botanical candidiates identified with inhibitory activity against ketohexokinase-C. Future studies are needed to show proof of mechanism and the efficacy of these botanical extracts in humans to blunt the negative metabolic effects of fructose-containing added sugars.
In Vivo and in Vitro Efflux of Conjugated Amines into Superfusates from Discrete Areas of the Central Nervous System of Cats and Rats

We have previously found (Tyce et al, 1980) considerable amounts of an acid-hydrolyzable conjugate of dopamine (DA), presumably DA-sulfate, in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of dogs following intravenous administration of L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). The amounts of this DA conjugate present in the CSF were decreased when α-methyldopahydrazine, which inhibits decarboxylation of L-DOPA in peripheral tissues, was administered in addition to L-DOPA. Since this treatment could be expected to preferentially increase central stores of DOPA and DA (Melamed et al, 1980), our data suggested that the DA conjugate present in the CSF of dogs had been formed in the periphery, and transported into the brain and CSF. Amine sulfates form internal salts carrying little electrical charge at physiological pH and might therefore penetrate biological membranes more readily than the parent amines which are not easily transported across biological membranes (Jenner & Rose, 1973).
Antecedents of Business Travelers’ Satisfaction

AbstractThe concept of business travelers’ satisfaction is acknowledged as the most important component to the success of hoteliers around the globe. Yet, the extant literature is largely focused on the context of Western countries. A better awareness of business travelers’ satisfaction in non-Western countries could help scholars and hoteliers to understand the full picture of business travelers’ satisfaction. This study, therefore, investigates and discusses the antecedents of business traveler’s satisfaction in Latin America, specifically Panama. A total of 216 business travelers’ reviews and feedback on the TripAdvisor website were reviewed and content analyzed. The findings suggest that physical hotel facilities, bedroom attributes, hotel facilities, staff attributes, restaurant attributes, hotel location, and price factors are responsible for generating business travelers’ satisfaction in the Panamanian context. Limitations of this study and the avenues for future study are also discussed.
Research Facilities in Lebanon

Research facilities in Lebanon are excellent and the research climate, as of June 1972, was fairly good. Lebanon continues to fulfill its historic function as a meeting place for Western and Arab culture. But the same political factors that are alienating the Arab world as a whole from the Anglo-Saxon community, notably the Arab-Israeli conflict, inevitably threaten this liberal research climate. There are vocal and influential elements of Lebanese opinion which feel that American imperialism harnesses even the scholarly community for its exploitative ends. Lebanon has had no Camelot scandal so far, but the American University of Beirut was once forced to cancel a project supported by the U.S. Department of Defense. Under these circumstances it is always possible that an innocent researcher could accidentally create a crisis that would jeopardize research conditions. Thus, it may not be out of place to suggest that visiting scholars should make special efforts to be prudent, candid, courteous and patient in their research work. It is desirable to have at least one reputable Lebanese friend who will be willing to advise and if necessary endorse the research project. It is not necessary that a local institution formally sponsor a project, but some kind of local association can be useful both in assisting the research itself and in avoiding troubles. Graduate students doing field research should definitely have some local advisor or patron.
Extraction of Rice Straw Alpha Cellulose Micro/Nano Fibres

Rice straw cellulose a biomass materials, naturally found in abundance. It is low cost, eco-friendly and biodegradable. Alpha cellulose is prepared from rice straw using chemical method namely acid hydrolysis and alkaline treatment. Both of the samples treatments were bleached using sodium chlorite (NaClO2). Alkaline treatment shows higher in producing alpha cellulose, 20.68% rather than 12.20% by acid hydrolysis.
Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Activity of [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Model Complexes with Non-Innocent Chelating Nitrogen-Donor Ligands

To probe the influence of redox non‐innocent ligands on a well‐known class of [FeFe]‐hydrogenase models, three new asymmetrically disubstituted diiron complexes of the general formula (µ‐SRS)[Fe(CO)3][Fe(CO)(N‐N)] {SRS = propane‐1,3‐dithiolate (pdt) or benzene‐1,2‐dithiolate (bdt), and N‐N = 2,2′‐bipyridine (bipy) or 2,2′‐bipyrimidine (bpym)} have been synthesized from their parent hexacarbonyls and characterized. The new complexes, (µ‐pdt)Fe2(CO)4(κ2‐bpym) (2), (µ‐bdt)Fe2(CO)4(κ2‐bipy) (3), and (µ‐bdt)Fe2(CO)4(κ2‐bpym) (4), were fully characterized by spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, and the results are compared to those of a related complex, (µ‐pdt)Fe2(CO)4(κ2‐bipy) (1). The crystal structures of 2–4 show that, in each complex, the two iron units are in an eclipsed orientation, and the N‐N ligand lies in the basal plane. IR spectra and electrochemical analyses indicate that electron density at the iron centers decreases in the order 1 > 2 > 3 > 4. Furthermore, compound 2 undergoes a ligand‐centered reduction at the same potential that the hexacarbonyl precursor undergoes its first reduction. However, unlike the 2,2′‐bipy derivatives 1 and 3, the 2,2′‐bpym complexes 2 and 4 are not effective catalysts for electrochemical proton reduction from acetic acid.
Carbon emissions and economic growth: A replication and extension

Abstract I replicate estimates and then extend the analysis from Holtz-Eakin and Selden (1995) . The results hold up surprisingly well when adding nearly 20 years and 45 countries to the sample, with several key differences. First, per capita emissions peak at a lower GDP per capita than the original estimates. Second, emissions in 2100 may actually decline in the last part of the century depending on population growth and global convergence. Third, near-term and mid-century forecasts are greater than the original estimates, which appear to have been overly optimistic.
Sonography of the endometrium during conception and nonconception cycles of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer

The thickness of the endometrium was compared in 15 patients who conceived and 15 who did not with an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) protocol after ovulation induction with human menopausal gonadotropin/human chorionic gonadotropin (hMG/hCG). There was no statistically significant difference (P = 1.0) in the endometrial thickness in the conception versus the nonconception group. Average estradiol (E2) values and number of mature follicles were also not statistically different in the two groups (P = 0.78, P = 0.81). There was a slightly significant difference in the number of embryos transferred in the conception versus nonconception groups (2.5 versus 1.9, P = 0.005). However, the most significant difference between the conception and nonconception groups was the total number of oocytes retrieved (4.4 versus 2.8, P = 0.005). These findings indicate that there are no sonographically detectable differences in the endometrial thickness in patients who achieve pregnancy versus those that do not when given a similar ovulation induction regimen of hMG/hCG for IVF-ET.
Hereditary dyserythropoiesis with abnormal membrane folate transport.

Dyserythropoiesis, which morphologically and serologically resembles congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type III but is not accompanied by anemia, is described in a young man. In addition to striking gigantism and multinuclearity of erythroid precursors, electron microscopy revealed widening of nuclear pores, nuclear clefts, and cytoplasmic inclusions. Membrane transport of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate by the patient's red cells was markedly reduced; total uptake, uptake velocity, and maximal velocity of uptake were all significantly less than in controls. In contrast, red cell uptake of pteroylglutamic acid was normal. Bone marrow cells in culture also showed decreased 5- methyltetrahydrofolate uptake, as well as very low thymidine incorporation. Because folate uptake by mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes was normal, the defect apparently does not involve all cell lines. These results suggest that a specific membrane defect, affecting the carrier system for reduced folate compounds, is present in this patient's erythrocytes, and perhaps, their bone marrow precursors.
Business ethics teaching for effective learning

This paper is concerned with answering thequestion: ``How can business ethics be taught tostudents so that effective learning takesplace?'' It is the contention of this paperthat the question is best answered by focusingon six areas important to teaching businessethics: goals, relevancy, experientialpedagogy, classroom climate, debriefing, andoutcomes assessment.
Individual Differences in Mental Ability

One of the most obvious “facts of life” to all teachers, at every level of education, is the phenomenon of individual differences—in mental abilities, special talents, and traits of personality. Especially salient are those characteristics of pupils that are the most clearly related to the success of teachers’ efforts to impart knowledge and intellectual skills. The most prominent of such characteristics is general mental ability, or intelligence. Consequently, the study of individual differences, especially differences in intelligence, has been one of four major themes of educational psychology (along with development, learning, and measurement) ever since this field was formally recognized as a branch of psychology.
Hidden Killers: The Problem of Landmines and Unexploded Ordinance

Landmines and unexploded ordinance (LM/UXO) are lethal and lasting legacies of modern conflict. Though designed to kill combatants or destroy combat equipment during conflict, LM/UXO often remain unexploded, contaminating the ground long after a conflict and posing an indiscriminant threat to civilians as well as peacekeeping and humanitarian staff. The threat of landmines is widespread as they are relatively inexpensive and easily deployed, amounting to more than 100 million mines in more than 60 countries, where they remain active for years or even decades after war (Beardsley 1997). As indiscriminate weapons, landmines kill or injure more than 15,000 people each year, mostly civilians (Strada 1996). Though mines laid and mapped by well-trained armies may be lifted after conflict, many times they are not. In many contemporary conflicts, inexperienced or untrained combatants conduct mining, with no thought of mapping the devices for postconflict clearance. A similar threat, unexploded ordinance, includes a wide range of fired but undetonated weapons, especially grenades, artillery shells, and air-to-surface munitions. Especially pernicious are cluster bombs, designed to open over a battlefield and release many smaller bomblets, each of which explodes firing ball bearings or other body-tearing fragments across a wider area than can be reached by a single large shell.
CMV Colitis: A rare complication in a LGI-1 antibody encephalitis patient treated with Cellcept (P6.112)

Objective: To describe a case of CMV colitis and viremia that a patient developed during the course of treatment of LGI-1 encephalitis with Cellcept and prednisone. Background: Autoimmune encephalitis is a rare and complicated condition and treatment with immunomodulator therapy increases the risk of opportunistic infections such as CMV colitis and viremia. Design/Methods: A 54-year-old female with history of VGKC/LGI-1 antibody encephalitis on Cellcept 1000 mg/1500 mg daily (for 6 months) and prednisone 50 mg daily was presented with a 3-week history of vague abdominal pain, low grade fever, malaise, and diarrhea. Her initial work up with stool studies was negative and she was discharged after observation. She presented 5 days later with hematochezia. She had pancytopenia with WBC count of 2.61 K/mcl and an absolute lymphocyte count of 0/mcl. She underwent EGD and colonoscopy, which showed gastric, duodenal, and colonic ulcers. Biopsy results confirmed CMV-related cytopathic changes. Her blood CMV PCR result showed an elevated CMV titer of 274781 IU/ml. Her Cellcept was held and prednisone was continued. She was treated with IV ganciclovir for 2 weeks followed by oral valganciclovir for an additional week and her symptoms resolved. Her CMV titer decreased to 2942 IU/ml. Her pancytopenia finally improved with a WBC count of 8.32 K/mcl and an absolute lymphocyte count of 750/mcl. Cellcept was discontinued and she was maintained on oral prednisone followed by a gradual taper. Results: NA Conclusions: Vague clinical symptoms in an immunocompromised patient warrant thorough clinical investigation. Pancytopenia, especially lymphopenia, is an important initial laboratory finding in CMV infection/viremia that may be overlooked during immunomodulator therapy. Disclosure: Dr. Hameed has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chaparala has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ranjan has nothing to disclose.
Refining the metamemory in adulthood questionnaire: a 20-item version of change and capacity designed for research and clinical settings.

Objective: Subjective memory concerns (SMCs) might be an early indicator of future cognitive decline and conversion to dementia. However, a rich history of mixed findings, moderating factors, and h...
On the use of discrete element method for multi-scale assessment of clay behavior

Abstract This paper presents a review of the physics controlling various forces between clay particles, and the incorporation of these forces in a DEM contact model in PFC3D. This contact model was validated against a 1-D consolidation experiment from the literature, and the clay microstructure was assessed. It was found that this contact model can predict the compression index and the pore size evolution with the increase of stresses. However, it is recommended that the compression curve from DEM simulation be normalized using the minimum void ratio and the corresponding maximum vertical stress to match the experimental results. Furthermore, the paper presents an analysis of the microstructure regarding the evolution of the pore sizes and particles orientations under 1-D consolidation extending the data available in the literature about the use of DEM to microscale analysis.
The Role of the Federal Government in Supporting Domestic Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery

A series of serious domestic catastrophes in the new millennium brought attention to many of the specific vulnerabilities of children in disaster. Both on its own initiative and steered by advisory bodies, since then, the federal government has taken an increasingly proactive role in supporting the needs of children in the preparedness for, response to, and recovery from disasters. This report will provide the pediatric provider with an understanding of the federal authorities, policies, and tools that exist to support communities before, during, and after the impact of disaster, with a special emphasis on pediatric preparedness. It will also provide the reader with potential options for becoming more involved in disaster preparedness and response. The goal of improving the care of children in disaster is being approached through a national-level whole community model of preparedness that considers children of all abilities and needs, as well as the places where they spend their time as integral components of a prepared and resilient community. The federal government is a critical partner along with state, local, and regional stakeholders to improve the care of children impacted by disaster.
What is new in endothelial neoplasia

The classification of vascular neoplasms continues to evolve as we accumulate more genetic and clinical data, particularly for rare tumor types. Because of tumor rarity, changes to classification schema, overlapping histologic features, and in some cases, lack of morphologic evidence of vasoformation, vascular neoplasms present a diagnostic challenge. Here, we discuss recent developments in our understanding of vascular tumors, with a detailed discussion of epithelioid hemangioma, tufted angioma, kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, composite hemangioendothelioma, pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma, epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, and angiosarcoma.
Added-variable plots with confidence intervals

An added-variable plot is an effective way to show the correlation between an independent variable and a dependent variable conditional on other independent variables. For multivariate estimation, ...
Sex and Race/Ethnicity Differences in Atrial Fibrillation.

Atrial fibrillation (AF), a worldwide epidemic, contributes to frequent hospitalizations, stroke, heart failure, disability, mortality, and health-resource consumption ([1][1]). AF affects people differently with regard to sex, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status, and reviews of these
Thermal effects in carbon nanotube VLSI interconnects

This chapter is on the thermal effects in contrast to the process variations or leakage issues of the previous chapters. The thermal effect is considered in interconnects of the integrated circuits (ICs). In a paradigm shift, not traditional metal interconnects, but carbon nanotube (CNT) based interconnects are considered. Thus an important post-CMOS era IC design consideration, the CNT-based interconnects is presented in detail in this chapter.