cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predominant end-products of prophage Mu DNA transposition during the lytic cycle are replicon fusions

Abstract We present biochemical and genetic experiments which strongly suggest that the net result of transposition of prophage Mu and internally deleted Mu derivatives (mini-Mu's) during the lytic cycle is replicon fusion. When a Mu prophage located on pSC101, a low copy number plasmid, is induced, virtually all of the pSC101::Mu plasmid copies enter the host chromosome within 33 minutes. By cleaving the total host DNA with restriction endonucleases and by hybridization with 32P-labeled pSC101 DNA, we have found that the fused structures contain directly repeated copies of Mu at each junction of the plasmid and host DNA. These fused structures, called cointegrates, have been seen with Mu as low level genetic events and with almost all other transposable elements. Genetic analysis of mini-Mu transposition from pSC101 to an F′pro+lac episome has also shown that transposition invariably is associated with fusion of the whole plasmid with the episome; no simple linear insertions of a mini-Mu molecule into the F′ episome were recovered. Our results also indicate that jumping of Mu from a chromosomal location onto an F′ episome rarely results in the linear insertion of a single copy of Mu DNA; instead, the episome apparently first undergoes Mu-mediated fusion with the chromosome followed by release of Mu-containing episomes that carry extensive deletions or insertions. Integration of Mu into an F′ episome during lysogenization, however, leads to simple point insertions of the Mu genome. Our data strongly suggest that the end-products of Mu DNA transposition during prophage induction and during lysogenization are not the same. We infer, therefore, that the process of Mu DNA transposition can occur by either of two alternate pathways which differ with respect to the end-products they generate.
How HIV-1 Gag assembles in cells: putting together pieces of the puzzle

During the late stage of the viral life cycle, HIV-1 Gag assembles into a spherical immature capsid, and undergoes budding, release, and maturation. Here we review events involved in immature capsid assembly from the perspective of five different approaches used to study this process: mutational analysis, structural studies, assembly of purified recombinant Gag, assembly of newly translated Gag in a cell-free system, and studies in cells using biochemical and imaging techniques. We summarize key findings obtained using each approach, point out where there is consensus, and highlight unanswered questions. Particular emphasis is placed on reconciling data suggesting that Gag assembles by two different paths, depending on the assembly environment. Specifically, in assembly systems that lack cellular proteins, high concentrations of Gag can spontaneously assemble using purified nucleic acid as a scaffold. However, in the more complex intracellular environment, barriers that limit self-assembly are present in the form of cellular proteins, organelles, host defenses, and the absence of free nucleic acid. To overcome these barriers and promote efficient immature capsid formation in an unfavorable environment, Gag appears to utilize an energy-dependent, host-catalyzed, pathway of assembly intermediates in cells. Overall, we show how data obtained using a variety of techniques has led to our current understanding of HIV assembly.
Emergency response training: strategies for enhancing real-world performance

Emergency response training poses three problems that are not encountered in training for routine operations. The first of these is a need to remember the provisions of emergency plans and procedures over long periods of time until an emergency occurs. The second problem is a need to generalize from the specific conditions under which training occurred to the potentially very different conditions of an actual emergency. The third problem is a need to develop effective mechanisms for teamwork under conditions that limit retention and generalization. This article identifies nine ways that emergency response training programs can be modified to improve the effectiveness of nuclear power plant personnel who must respond to accident conditions.
Transition from granulocyte to macrophage predominance in bone marrow cultures.

Summary. These studies examine the mechanisms underlying the transition from granulocytes to macrophages that characterizes cultures of bone marrow cells. Normal mouse marrow was cultured for several weeks in diffusion chambers (DCs) implanted in previously irradiated host mice. Previous studies with this system have shown that there is a period of logarithmic cell growth for 7 d followed by a plateau in both total cell number and the numbers of CFU-S and CFU-C. The present studies show that this plateau in cell growth is associated with high cycling rates of both CFU-S and CFU-C. The plateau phase ends with a rapid decrease in the numbers of these progenitor cells. This is associated with a decline in the number of granulocytes, whereas macrophages persist at approximately the plateau level for the entire 48 d of culture. Transplantation of plateau phase cells into secondary DC cultures leads to a more rapid decline in the numbers of CFU-S and CFU-C followed by the total disappearance of granulocytes; in contrast, macrophage number undergoes a small increase which is maintained thereafter. When regular injections of 3H-thymidine are given to host mice bearing late phase secondary cultures, macrophage labelling rises to a plateau of only 30–40%, indicating that most macrophages at this stage of culture are long-lived cells. The kinetics of the stem cell changes implicate the CFU-C as the immediate precursor of granulocyte development in DC cultures but suggest that the CFU-S is the major determinant of overall cell renewal in this system. Macrophages doubtless also originate from CFU-C but, unlike granulocytes, these are often long-lived cells probably with some capacity for continuing cell division. These properties account for the often observed propensity of macrophages to repopulate bone marrow cultures from which stem cells and granulocytes have been depleted.
Biomedical communication and the reaction to the Queensland childhood lead poisoning cases elsewhere in the world.

L'interet des medecins du Queensland a l'empoisonnement des enfants par le plomb, leur connaissance biomedicale ainsi que la publication de leurs travaux dans la litterature medicale ont permis d'aider d'autres medecins dans le monde a traiter les memes cas
Trypsin, for the defense

The α-defensins from Paneth cells in intestinal crypts need processing to be fully functional. Unlike for mice, the cleaving enzyme for human HD5 turns out to be trypsin.
Variational calculations with unbounded operators

Abstract In a constrained variational calculation, the minimum of the expectation value of an operator H , subject to the constraint that the expectation value of an operator A have a definite value, is sought. Fonte and Schiffrer have recently noted that the Lagrange multiplier method of of determining the solution to this problem fails when the operator A is unbounded. We show that in this case, the expectation value of H can be made arbitrarily close to the unconstrained minimum, for any constrained value of 〈 A 〉. This result casts doubt on the validity of the results of calculations, in which an unbounded operator (such as the quadrupole moment of a nucleus) is constrained, even if these calculations are carried out using a finite-dimensional basis in which the restricted operator is bounded. Various alternatives to these calculations are discussed.
Groundwater denitrification capacity of riparian zones in suburban and agricultural watersheds.

Watson, Tara K., Dorothy Q. Kellogg, Kelly Addy, Arthur J. Gold, Mark H. Stolt, Sean W. Donohue, and Peter M. Groffman, 2010. Groundwater Denitrification Capacity of Riparian Zones in Suburban and Agricultural Watersheds. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(2):237-245. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00418.x Abstract: We evaluated the relationship of dominant watershed land use to the structure and nitrogen (N) sink function of riparian zones. We focused on groundwater denitrification capacity, water table dynamics, and the presence and pattern of organically enriched deposits. We used the push-pull method (measurement of 15N-enriched denitrification gases derived from an introduced groundwater plume of 15N-enriched nitrate) to evaluate groundwater denitrification capacity on nine forested wetland riparian sites developed in alluvial or outwash parent materials in southern New England. Three replicate sites were located in each of the three watershed types, those with substantial (1) irrigated agriculture, (2) suburban development, and (3) forest. Soil morphology and water table dynamics were assessed at each site. We found significantly lower mean annual water tables at sites within watersheds with substantial irrigated agriculture or suburban development than forested watersheds. Water table dynamics were more variable at sites within suburban watersheds, especially during the summer. Groundwater denitrification capacity was significantly greater at sites within forested watersheds than in watersheds with substantial irrigated agriculture. Because of the high degree of variability observed in riparian sites within suburban watersheds, groundwater denitrification capacity was not significantly different from either forested or agricultural watersheds. The highly variable patterns of organically enriched deposits and water tables at sites within suburban watersheds suggests that depositional events are irregular, limiting the predictability of groundwater N dynamics in these riparian zones. The variability of riparian N removal in watersheds with extensive suburbia or irrigated agriculture argues for N management strategies emphasizing effective N source controls in these settings.
Turn down the volume or change the channel? Emotional effects of detached versus positive reappraisal

Cognitive reappraisal, or changing one's interpretation of an event in order to alter the emotional response to it, is thought to be a healthy and an effective emotion regulation strategy. Although researchers recognize several distinct varieties of reappraisal, few studies have explicitly compared the effects of multiple reappraisal strategies on emotional responding. The present study compares the effects of detached and positive reappraisal on thought content, subjective emotional experience, physiological reactivity, and facial expressions of emotion while viewing film clips evoking sadness and disgust. Although both forms of reappraisal reduced overall emotional responding to unpleasant stimuli, the effects of detached reappraisal were stronger in this regard, and positive reappraisal was more likely to maintain subjective experience and facial expression of stimulus-appropriate positive emotions. The two reappraisal strategies also produced somewhat different profiles of physiological responding. Differences between detached and positive reappraisal with respect to subjective experience and facial expression were more pronounced among men than women; the reverse was true for differences with respect to physiological responding. Beyond these effects on individual emotion response systems, detached and positive reappraisal also had somewhat different effects on coherence in change across response systems. Implications for our understanding of emotion regulation processes, and for emotion theory more broadly, are discussed.
Soup Consumption Is Associated with a Reduced Risk of Overweight and Obesity but Not Metabolic Syndrome in US Adults: NHANES 2003–2006

A limited number of studies have found that soup consumption is related to a lower risk of overweight and obesity in Asian and European populations, however, these studies do not provide a consistent picture regarding the association between soup consumption and markers of metabolic syndrome. To date, no study examining the relationship between soup and body weight or metabolic syndrome have been conducted in the US population. The present study used a sample of 4158 adults aged 19–64 who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2003 and 2006. The frequency of soup consumption was determined using a food frequency questionnaire. The weighted prevalence of soup consumption was 94%, with a seasonal variation in the frequency of soup consumption being found. Non-consumers of soup were at a higher risk of being overweight or obese (adjusted odds ratio = 1.381, P = 0.013), with a higher adjusted prevalence of reduced HDL cholesterol (adjusted odds ratio = 1.280, P = 0.045), but there was no association between soup consumption and metabolic syndrome (P = 0.520). The frequency of soup consumption was inversely associated with covariate-adjusted body mass index and waist circumference (P<0.05), but not with biomarkers of metabolic syndrome, except for a lower fasting insulin level in frequent soup consumers (P = 0.022). Results from the present study suggest soup consumption is not associated with metabolic syndrome. However, there is an inverse relationship between soup consumption and body weight status in US adults, which support laboratory studies showing a potential benefit of soup consumption for body weight management.
Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanofibers Coupled with Organosilicon Electrolytes: Electrical Properties of a High-Stability Nanostructured Electrochemical Interface

Organosilicon compounds can form novel electrolytes having a number of unusual properties, including high electrochemical stability, high thermal stability, and low viscosity. Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers can act as exceptionally good nanostructured electrodes, with the vertical orientation and presence of edge-plane graphite along the sidewalls providing desirable electrochemical properties. We have explored the electrical properties of the interfaces of VACNF electrodes with a model organosilicon electrolyte solution. The compound 1-(3-{2-[2-(2-methoxy-ethoxy)-ethoxy]-ethoxy}-propyl)-1,1,3,3,3-pentamethyl-disiloxane (2SM3) with added lithium bis-oxalato-borate (LiBOB) was used. Forests of vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) ∼80 nm in diameter grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) were used as electrodes. Our results show that the resulting interfaces yield interfacial capacitances equal to the increase in geometric area, indicating full electrochemical accessibilit...
Nitrogen excretion and expression of carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase III activity and mRNA in extrahepatic tissues of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides).

Low levels of all of the enzymes required for urea synthesis via the urea cycle, including mitochondrial glutamine- and acetylglutamate-dependent carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase III (CPSase III) and cytosolic glutamine synthetase, are known to be present in liver of the teleost fish largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The levels of these enzymes are higher than those in most other teleosts, but they are significantly lower than the levels present in liver of ureoosmotic elasmobranchs. The purpose of this study was to assess the physiological role of CPSase III in the context of urea synthesis in adult bass. The results showed that urea–N accounts for about 30% of the total nitrogen (ammonia–N plus urea–N) excreted under control conditions. The rate of urea–N excretion did not increase in response to exposure to 1 mM NH4Cl (3 days) or 0.25 mM NH4Cl (12 days) in the external water, except for a transient increase after a day or two of exposure. CPSase III activity in liver also did not increase in response to exposure to ammonia. Adult largemouth bass, while apparently ureogenic, are primarily ammonotelic and remain so even in the presence of relatively high concentrations of ammonia in the external environment. The total units of CPSase III activity in liver are not sufficient to account for the quantity of urea that is excreted. However, CPSase III and ornithine carbamoyltransferase (OCTase) activities were found to be present in intestinal tissue and, unexpectedly, in muscle tissue. The total units of CPSase III and OCTase in muscle, intestine, and liver appear to be sufficient to account for the observed rate of urea excretion. The sequence of CPSase III cDNA was determined, which permitted the use of ribonuclease protection assays to demonstrate the presence of CPSase III mRNA in these tissues.
Carbon calabashes in a shock-produced carbon melt

Abstract Carbon calabashes similar to those reported during decomposition of CH 4 between 900 and 1050 °C also formed after thermal decomposition of dolomite, CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 in a low-angle impact experiment that produced a carbon melt and complex gas phase between 2700 and 3700 °C. The interrelationships among various carbon forms in this experiment support that the calabashes are quenched carbon-melt bubbles at high gas to liquid ratios. Carbyne forms of carbon that crystallized within the quenched-liquid shell of the bubbles did not require a spiral growth mechanism. Carbon calabashes are an oddity but not a new form of elemental carbon.
Dynamic parallel evaluation of the cross-product set using time-stamps

Abstract We consider the problem of dynamically generating the cross-product (cartesian product) of two or more sets, in parallel, on shared memory machines. Dynamic generation means that the cross-product set is computed on the fly as various elements of its constituent sets are generated asynchronously. Dynamic evaluation of the cross-product set finds application in a number of problems such as parallel evaluation of data-base joins. Generation of the cross-product set using the straight-forward nested-loop algorithms is inherently sequential because when elements of two constituent sets are generated simultaneously, computing the tuples of the cross-product set corresponding to these elements has to be done sequentially. We present a simple modification of the nested loop algorithm using time-stamps which results in a significant amount of parallelism being extracted. We present results of experiments done on the Sequent Symmetry multiprocessor which show that the overhead introduced for time-stamping is minimal while speed-ups obtained are linear.
Burning solids in acoustically excited, high-Reynolds-number flows

This study investigated the effect of pulsations on the smoldering combustion of bulk, surrogate solid waste in turbulent flows. Charcoal briquettes were burned with and without pulsations in airflow with Reynolds numbers ranging from 4700 to 47,000. Burn rates and the emissions of CO 2 , CO, and NO x were monitored. Pulsations significantly enhanced the burning rate of the sample under all conditions. This enhancement increased with increasing sound pressure level. While this effect was strongest under laminar conditions, pulsations doubled burning rates of the samples even in highly turbulent flows. Faster burning rates at elevated Reynolds numbers in steady flows were caused by larger turbulent velocity fluctuations rather than by increased mean flows. Burning rates were further enhanced by the addition of acoustic velocity oscillations, which dominated the process if they were much larger than the turbulent velocity fluctuations. Below this limit, acoustic modes with velocities normal to the main flow enhanced the combustion process more significantly than those parallel to the flow. The largest increases in sample regression rates were observed on surfaces parallel to the acoustic velocity fluctuations. The resulting acoustic shear appeared to accelerate the removal of combustion products including ash layers from the burning surface. Instantaeous pollutant emissions were much higher with pulsations than without. However, because of the significantly reduced combustion times, the effect of pulsations on overall emissions of CO and NO x was small. Pulsations did not affect the total amount of carbon converted into gaseous products from the sample but favored more complete combustion (i.e., less total CO emission). This was caused by a larger fraction of the sample being burned in small gas flamelets with pulsations. Total NO x emissions, on the other hand, were not affected by pulsations largely because during smoldering NO x is almost entirely formed from fuel bound nitrogen.
Influences Upon Organizational Ethical Subclimates: A Multi-Departmental Analysis of a Single Firm

Organizational values and beliefs significantly influence employee decision making and behavior and manifest themselves as multiple climates existing within a single organization. A subset of organizational climate is an ethical climate, embodying normative values and beliefs involving moral issues shared by the employees of the organization. Researchers have found multiple ethical climates present in an organization. This research explores a plausible explanation for the discovery of multiple ethical climates, or subclimates, within an organization. Specifically, the research tests the assumptions that the departmental task and stakeholder relationships influence and differentiate the ethical decision-making framework used by employees and the resulting ethical subclimate. Categories developed by Thompson Thompson, J. D. 1967. Organizations in Action. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. are extended to identify distinct departmental tasks and stakeholder relationships in order to assess their influence upon the employees' ethical decision-making process and departmental ethical subclimate. In order to uncover the various ethical subclimates within each workgroup, the Ethical Climate Questionnaire, developed by Victor and Cullen Victor, B., J. B. Cullen. 1987. A theory and measure of ethical climate in organizations. W. C. Frederick, ed. Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy: Empirical Studies of Business Ethics and Values, Vol. 9. JAI Press, Greenwich, CT, 51--71; Victor, B., J. B. Cullen. 1988. The organizational basis of ethical work climates. Admin. Sci. Quart.331 101--125., was used in a modified form. The original instrument required the subjects to rate, on a Likert scale, the relevance of each ethical climate statement. In this project, a ranking of the statements was performed by the subjects, which minimizes the social desirability bias in the subjects' responses. This research found that the departmental task and stakeholder relationships so strongly influence employee decision making in all three department types that the ethical subclimate was also affected. Employees in a technical core department tend to use an individual locus of analysis and an egoistic criterion for decisions, emphasizing an instrumental ethical climate type. Buffer department employees exhibit a mix of ethical decision characteristics, but clearly manifest a caring ethical climate type. Employees in boundary spanning departments show a preference toward a cosmopolitan perspective and principle ethical reasoning, as well as a law and code ethical climate type.
Update on Major Reconstruction of the Head and Neck

Reconstruction of soft-tissue defects in the head and neck is best accomplished using similar composite tissue. In the head and neck, this tissue is usually available in the form of adjacent tissue transfer. The local adjacent tissue resembles the resected tissue in color and composition. In some circumstances, the local tissue is not suitable for transfer. This may be due to previous surgery, exposure to radiation, or a defect that is too large for local tissue transfer. In these cases, free tissue transfer may be needed. Free tissue transfer allows for the replacement of similar composite tissue that has not seen previous treatment. The diversity of sites that may be harvested allows a relatively similar tissue match. This article discusses recent advances in the reconstruction of 3 areas that in the past have presented many problems to the reconstructive surgeon. Total nasal and lip reconstruction have been problematic. In heavily pretreated patients, the reconstruction often results in suboptimal outcomes. Large scalp defects in the setting of previous excisions or irradiation are difficult to reconstruct and rehabilitate. In all of these cases, the ability to transfer composite tissue has improved the functional and cosmetic outcomes.
Photonic crystal structures with large densities of states

Our work on photonic crystal structures exhibiting large densities of optical states, including high-quality nanocavities and two-dimensional coupled nanocavity arrays, is presented. Applications ranging from nanoscale and nonlinear optics to quantum information processing are discussed.
Performance and functional verification of microprocessors

We address the problem of verifying the correctness of pre-silicon models of a microprocessor. We touch on the latest advances in this area by considering two different aspects of the validation problem: (a) verifying the functional integrity of the model and (b) testing the model for timing accuracy at the architectural level. The latter area, that of performance verification, is of increasing importance in the design of server-class processor chips, with one or more high performance cores on a single die. We show how simulation-based test cases can be generated under a unified defect and coverage model to detect both performance and functional bugs. We present and discuss examples of such integrated validation methodologies used in real processor development projects.
Decision analysis for transportation risk management

Modern transport systems are complex, therefore requiring highly effective management decision tools. These tools would aid in ranking alternatives, allocating resources, and certifying critical transportation operations. Existing methods may not accommodate the dynamics of changing environments and personnel threats. They also may not handle hard-to-quantify, disparate data, and may be unable to realistically estimate uncertainty. In this paper, the authors discuss a coordinated set of ongoing model development efforts to overcome such difficulties.
Continuity and Change: Past Experience as Adaptive Repertoire in Occupational Adaptation

Narratives are gaining recognition as important ways occupational therapists and other clinicians can think about the life stories of clients. The purpose of this article is to examine a conceptualization of how changes from one chapter to another occur in life stories, using the metaphor of an adaptive repertoire, and to consider how this notion can be useful in helping clients maintain continuity and a coherent life story in times of change. Three premises based on the concept of adaptation address (a) configurations of occupational forms embedded in particular local worlds, (b) cumulative development of an adaptive repertoire that allows one to perform both competently and appropriately, and (c) adaptive transitions and application of one's repertoire to new circumstances. Implications for research and clinical practice in occupational therapy also are examined.
Ricketts Creates Rickettsiology, the Study of Vector-Borne Obligately Intracellular Bacteria

In 1904, an impressive article was published by Wilson and Chowning in the first volume of The Journal o f Infectious Diseases [1]. Their investigations in the Bitterroot Valley of western Montana had been stimulated by the high incidence of a severe disease, known locally as "spotted fever," that had a high case-fatality rate, spring seasonality, and lack of communicability. It was truly an emerging infectious disease of unknown cause. Their valid observations included the first description of severe Rocky Mountain spotted fever: clinical features (onset, incubation period, symptoms, rash, and course), findings from 8 autopsies, geographic distribution on the western side of the Bitterroot River, and negative bacterial cultures. Most cases occurred between May 15 and June 15 among 20-40-year-old males, because of "increased exposure to infection through their occupation or pleasure taking them outdoors in the foothills and mountains in the spring of the year" [1]. Wilson and Chowning's description of the presence of intraerythrocytic protozoa in patients and in Columbian ground squirrels, as well as their related hypothesis of transmission by tick bite, were broadly acclaimed and then subsequently rejected when the acknowledged experts-Stiles, Ashburn, and Craig-found no protozoa in the patients' blood.
An improved cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter controlled by an unbalanced voltage level sigma-delta modulator

Multilevel inverters have been proven to be viable solutions for high-power automotive motor drive applications due to their high volt-ampere ratings. Cascaded H-bridge inverters are a promising breed of multilevel inverters which generally require several independent dc sources. Replacement of all but one of the dc sources with capacitors in cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverters, which leads to single-dc-source per-phase cascaded inverters, has recently gained popularity. However, very few efforts have been made to address the challenging problem of voltage regulation in the replacing capacitors. In this paper, applicability of a real-time voltage control technique named unbalanced voltage level sigma-delta modulation technique to provide voltage regulation across the replacing capacitors is examined. In addition, a new voltage ratio for the H-bridge cells is introduced, which simplifies the control tasks. Analytical and simulation results prove the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Medication Initiation Burden Required to Comply with Heart Failure Guideline Recommendations and Hospital Quality Measures

Background —Guidelines for heart failure (HF) recommend prescription of guideline-directed medical therapy before hospital discharge; some of these therapies are included in publicly reported performance measures. The burden of new medications for individual patients has not been described. Methods and Results —Get With The Guidelines-HF registry 2008-2013 collected prescribing, indications, and contraindications for angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ACEI/ARB), beta-blockers (BB), aldosterone antagonists (AldA), hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrate (H/ISDN), and anticoagulants. The difference between a patient9s medication regimen at hospital admission and that recommended by HF quality measures at discharge was calculated. Among 158,922 patients from 271 hospitals with a primary discharge diagnosis of HF, initiation of ACEI/ARB was indicated in 18.1% of all patients (55.5% of those eligible at discharge were not receiving ACEI/ARB at admission), BB in 20.3% (50.5% of eligible), AldA in 24.1% (87.4% of eligible), H/ISDN in 8.6% (93.1% of eligible), and anticoagulant in 18.0% (58.0% of eligible). Cumulatively, 0.4% of patients were eligible for 5 new medication groups, 4.1% for 4, 9.4% for 3, 10.1% for 2, and 22.7% for 1; 15.0% were not eligible for new medications because of adequate prescribing at admission; and 38.4% were not eligible for any medications recommended by HF quality measures. Compared with newly indicated medications (mean 1.45±1.23), actual new prescriptions were lower (mean 1.16±1.00). Conclusions —A quarter of patients hospitalized with HF need to start more than 1 medication to meet HF quality measures. Systems for addressing medication initiation and managing polypharmacy are central to HF transitional care.
Tests and confidence intervals for a common upper endpoint in fossil taxa

Statistical inference about the upper and lower endpoints of the stratigraphic ranges of fossil taxa can be based on the pattern of finds. Strauss and Sadler (1989) described a test and confidence interval for a common upper or lower endpoint in two or more taxa. This approach is conservative, in the sense that it provides only an upper bound on the significance level. This paper describes and illustrates a test and confidence interval for which the significance level is known.
Bone marrow augmentation in solid organ transplantation--any conclusions?

Donor-specific bone marrow infusion after organ grafting can induce tolerance in animals. In this randomized, controlled study we show it has no benefit in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Of 25 patients, 9 received bone marrow 5 days after a 10 day course of antithymocyte globulin. Immunosuppression was maintained with cyclosporin only. An average of 3·0 rejection episodes per patient was seen in the bone marrow group compared to 3·1 in the controls. Chimerism was not found in peripheral blood or bone marrow of recipients using erythrocyte antigen markers, PCR for donor class II DNA or γ-probe in-situ hybridisation in one female recipient of male liver and bone marrow.
Is activity sensored pacing in children and young adults a feasible option

Activity sensing pacemakers are being utilized with increasing frequency in adults, but less frequently in the pediatric and young adult age group. We evaluated 12 young patients with activity sensing devices. Seven of the implanted devices were VVIRO, four were DDDRO and one was AAIRO. Patients ranged in age from 1-21 years, mean 9.3 years, median 8 years. Weights ranged from 8.25 to 80 kgs, mean 35 kgs, median 27.6 kgs. Anatomical diagnoses revealed six normal hearts, two P/O tetralogy, one P/O transposition, two P/O ablations, and one P/O Fontan. Rhythm diagnoses included congenital complete atrioventricular block in five, acquired complete atrioventricular block in three, sinus bradycardia in two, and His-bundle catheter ablation in one patient. Rate responsive settings of medium and 7 were used in 10 out of 12 patients. Treadmill exercise testing showed that 5 out of 7 patients' rates were controlled by the activity sensor at peak exercise while two were tracking sinus rhythm (average rate increase was 76.8 ppm in the five patients). Ambulatory monitoring revealed that 10 out of 12 patients used their activity sensor to control their heart rate (average rate increase was 54 ppm). Follow-up has ranged from 1-26 months, mean 6.8 months, median 5.5 months. There was one death. Effective rate modulated, activity sensing pacing was achieved in 7 out of 9 young patients. It should be considered when the atrium itself is not a feasible sensor.
A single-chip programmable digital CMOS imager with enhanced low-light detection capability

The advent of high performance imaging in CMOS technology using active pixel sensors has enabled ultra-low power, miniature, single-chip, digital camera systems. We report at fully digital, programmable, 5-wire, large format (512/spl times/512) camera-on-a-chip that integrates the imager array, control logic, ADC, and bias generation on the same chip. The chip runs off a single (3.3 V) power supply, consumes only 10 mW, is capable of electronic panning, and produces high quality images with a low noise of <40 e/sup -/, and excellent response linearity down to read noise levels.
Perceived contrast of electronically magnified video

It has been observed that electronic magnification of imagery results in a decrease in the apparent contrast of the magnified image relative to the original. The decrease in perceived contrast might be due to a combination of image blur and of sub-sampling the larger range of contrasts in the original image. In a series of experiments, we measured the effect on apparent contrast of magnification in two contexts: either the entire image was enlarged to fill a larger display area, or a portion of an image was enlarged to fill the same display area, both as a function of magnification power and of viewing distance (visibility of blur induced by magnification). We found a significant difference in the apparent contrast of magnified versus unmagnified video sequences. The effect on apparent contrast was found to increase with increasing magnification, and to decrease with increasing viewing distance (or with decreasing angular size). Across observers and conditions the reduction in perceived contrast was reliably in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 log units (89% to 63% of nominal contrast). These effects are generally consistent with expectations based on both the contrast statistics of natural images and the contrast sensitivity of the human visual system. It can be demonstrated that 1) local areas within larger images or videos will usually have lower physical contrast than the whole; and 2) visibility of 'missing content' (e.g. blur) in an image is interpreted as a decrease in contrast, and this visibility declines with viewing distance.
Population, resources, and environment: Implications of human behavioral ecology for conservation

Current attempts to solve the multitude of environmental problems have had only minimal effects clearly indicating that a new paradigm is needed. 2 human behaviorists from the University of Michigan propose a behavioral ecological approach which asserts the humans have evolved to obtain resources to survive and reproduce (i.e. short-term goals) an that the individual and family welfare and not the welfare of the group have always been important. Human like other living organisms while competing with each other have evolved to use resources effectively but our ingenuity allowed us to develop a new evolutionary circumstances-- technology. The combination of evolved behaviors and this new state may destroy us. Over the last 20 years the most successful conservation efforts have been those that incorporate an individual cost-benefit leverage while the least successful efforts have been those based just on information. Reciprocity is a powerful force that should be considered when encouraging extension of the meaning of family or shared interest in real ways to benefit conservation programs. A key strategy to solving conservation problems is defining manageable portions of the problems resulting in a series of small successes creation of a sense of control reduction in frustration and anxiety and promotion of continued enthusiasm. Raising children in a conservation ethic may make it easier for them as adults to do slightly costly behaviors which will benefit the group in the long term. We could also promote conservation ethics as a social norm. Information reciprocal interactions and promotion of social norms may be more successful when translated into local scenarios with immediate payoffs. In conclusion think globally act locally.
Floristic dynamics across a semi-arid volcanic chronosequence in northern Arizona

Abstract The San Francisco Volcanic Field is one of the dominant volcanic fields on the Colorado Plateau, and its four million-year volcanic history has created a dramatic substrate age gradient. Sites within Pinyon-Juniper woodlands of the volcanic field share similar climate, elevation, and geology yet display dramatically different chemical and structural soil characteristics. The relative degree of soil development associated with ecosystem age strongly influences both the spatial distribution and composition of the local flora. A multiple response permutation procedure indicated that two distinct floristic assemblages occur; one in substrates younger than 150,000 years and one in older substrates. Indicator species analysis revealed that shrubs dominated younger, coarser, poorly developed volcanic soils while grasses and perennial herbs dominated older, finer, more nutrient-rich soils. Younger substrates harbored a higher degree of endemism, and species richness was positively correlated with ecosyst...
Training Evaluation in the Military: Misconceptions, Opportunities, and Challenges

Due to a number of misconceptions about training evaluation in the military, these evaluations are rarely done. In this article, we review recent findings that identify obstacles to training evaluation in the military and offer some alternatives for dealing with these problems. Further, we discuss the use of theoretically driven evaluation outcomes to provide evaluators with information that can feed back into the training system. Finally, we discuss future challenges for training evaluation in the military environment, such as the evolution from physical to cognitive tasks; training large, distributed teams; and the use of simulation in training design. The small number of training evaluations that are routinely completed (and subsequently reported) are surprising. It is tempting merely to create our best solutions to training problems and rest with the belief that this training is effective. Military training is expensive, however. It has been estimated that in past years $27.1 billion was spent on individual and collective training, and an additional $2.2 billion was spent for simulators and necessary support (Orlansky et al., 1994). This expenditure is often made without asking such questions as (a) Does training really work? (b) Is a multi-million-dollar piece of simulation technology effective at training war-fighting skills? (c) Do military personnel learn after attending training? In
Serum blood urea nitrogen as an independent marker of subsequent mortality among patients with acute coronary syndromes and normal to mildly reduced glomerular filtration rates.

Objectives: We hypothesized that elevated blood urea nitrogen (BUN) would be associated with adverse outcomes independent of serum creatinine (sCr)-based estimates of kidney function in patients wi...
Patient perceived effectiveness of a new male sling as treatment for post-prostatectomy incontinence.

Purpose: Objective measures show the AdVance™ sling provides some benefit in post-prostatectomy incontinence. To our knowledge no validated, patient determined outcomes have been used to assess this procedure. We described the patient perceived effectiveness and postoperative complications.Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was followed by a telephone survey consisting of the Patient Global Impression of Improvement, Patient Global Impression of Severity, and questions about recommending the surgery, daily pad use and complications. Successful outcomes were Patient Global Impression of Improvement responses of very much better or much better without further incontinence treatment. Objective success is defined as pad-free or a reduction to 2 or less pads daily.Results: A total of 35 patients received the sling a median of 25 months after prostatectomy. Telephone surveys were administered a mean of 35 weeks after the sling procedure and 33 patients were contacted. Of the cases 18 (51.4%) an...
The Correlates of War Project: a Bibliographic History of the Scientific Study of War and Peace, 1964-2000:

The Correlates of War (COW) project is a unique research project that has been central to the world politics research community for thirty-six years. Since its founding by J. David Singer at the University of Michigan in 1964, the project has contributed significantly to the scientific study of war and conflict. In this article, we provide a historical summary of the COW research program through a selected bibliography of its published scholarship in four stages from 1964 to 2000.
Optimizing Ackermann's function by incrementalization

This paper describes a formal derivation of an optimized Ackermann's function following a general and systematic method based on incrementalization. The method identifies an appropriate input increment operation and computes the function by repeatedly performing an incremental computation at the step of the increment. This eliminates repeated subcomputations in executions that follow the straightforward recursive definition of Ackermann's function, yielding an optimized program that is drastically faster and takes extremely little space. This case study uniquely shows the power and limitation of the incrementalization method, as well as both the iterative and recursive nature of computation underlying the optimized Ackermann's function.
Experimental Characterization of the Transient Response of Air/Water Crossflow Heat Exchangers for Data Center Cooling Systems

Data Center hybrid air/liquid cooling systems such as rear door heat exchangers, overhead and in row cooling systems enable localized, on-demand cooling, or “smart cooling.” At the heart of all hybrid cooling systems is an air to liquid cross flow heat exchanger that regulates the amount of cooling delivered by the system by modulating the liquid or air flows and/or temperatures. Due the central role that the heat exchanger plays in the system response, understanding the transient response of the heat exchanger is crucial for the precise control of hybrid cooling system. This paper reports on the transient experimental characterization of heat exchangers used in data centers applications. An experimental rig designed to introduce controlled transient perturbations in temperature and flow on the inlet air and liquid flow streams of a 12 in. × 12 in. heat exchanger test core is discussed. The conditioned air is delivered to the test core by a suction wind tunnel with upstream air heaters and a frequency variable axial blower to allow the control of air flow rate and bulk temperature. The conditioned water is delivered to the test core by a water delivery system consisting of two separate water circuits, one delivering cold water, and the other hot water. By switching from one circuit to the other or mixing water from both circuits, the rig is capable of generating step, ramp and frequency perturbations in water temperature at constant flow or step, ramp or frequency perturbations in water flow at constant temperature or combinations of temperature and water flow perturbations. Experimental data are presented for a 12×12 heat exchanger core with a single liquid pass under different transient perturbations.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Nitrogen transfer in a Caribbean mutualistic network

Coral reef symbioses are well-established models for studying multi-level networks of species interactions that provide nutritional benefits to partners. While the contributions of endosymbionts to cnidarian hosts have been extensively documented, relatively little is known about how exosymbionts contribute to nutrient cycling in coral reef cnidarians. We investigated exosymbiotic sources of ammonia and their contributions to physiological processes in Caribbean corkscrew sea anemones Bartholomea annulata. In laboratory experiments, anemones absorbed ammonia from seawater, which significantly enhanced the mitotic index of their endosymbiotic microalgae Symbiodinium, while anemone shrimp presence alone had no effect. Anemone shrimps excreted ammonia at much slower rates than anemones were able to absorb it, indicating that shrimp alone were not able to meet host nitrogen demand. Client fishes excreted ammonia ~10× more rapidly than did associated shrimps. On Caribbean coral reefs, anemone shrimps attract diverse client fishes through their parasite-cleaning behavior; these fishes excrete substantial ammonia near anemones while being cleaned. Exosymbiotic anemone shrimps thus may provide nutritional benefits to host anemones and microalgae indirectly, through their attraction of nitrogen-excreting fishes. This multi-level mutualistic network facilitates tight nutrient cycling among diverse species belonging to several phyla on coral reefs. While we assessed the rates and benefits of nutrient transfer under laboratory conditions, further research is needed to quantify the contributions of ammonia and other nutrients from client fishes through cleaner shrimps to host sea anemones in the field.
Tuberculous Epididymitis Occurring 35 Years After Renal Tuberculosis

AbstractAn unusual case of tuberculous epididymitis occurring 35 years after renal tuberculosis is reported. The possible mechanisms of this delayed presentation of the epididymal lesion are discussed. This case emphasizes the importance of adequate treatment as well as long-term followup of patients with genitourinary tuberculosis.