cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maximizing efficiency in a high occupancy setting to utilize ultraviolet disinfection for isolation rooms

Background Ultraviolet (UV) disinfection decreases nosocomial disease rates in acute care settings; effective program implementation is poorly understood. We developed a program to UV-disinfect rooms following discharge of patients in transmission-based precautions (TBP) and assessed its effect on hospital-acquired infection (HAI) rates. Methods An isolation room housed a patient in any type of TBP. A priority room was an isolation room in TBP for multidrug resistant organisms or Clostridioides difficile infection. Percent rooms disinfected and HAI rates were calculated monthly. The two-robot program was started by Infection Prevention utilizing a single environmental services employee. Efficiency was increased by granting environmental services’ personnel oversight, increasing coverage, and modifying shift-based goals. Our primary goal was disinfection of all discharged priority rooms. Our secondary goal was disinfection of all discharged isolation rooms. Results The program achieved 6-month disinfection averages of 85.7% of isolation, and 87.7% priority rooms, respectively. Using a dedicated UV disinfection team and setting isolation room per shift goals improved coverage. HAI rates decreased by 16.2% following program implementation. Conclusions We implemented an effective UV disinfection program, and observed HAI reduction, by focusing on broad coverage and efficient deployment of assets without affecting patient flow or expanding the robot fleet.
Mental health and substance use affect perioperative opioid demand in upper extremity trauma surgery

Background Patients undergoing upper extremity fracture surgery often have postoperative pain that can be mitigated with opioid pain medications. Opioid misuse and abuse are growing concerns regarding the liberal use of opioids in the perioperative setting. The impact of mental health disorders and substance abuse on perioperative opioid demand is largely unknown. The purpose of this study is to describe perioperative opioid filling and risk factors for increased filling after upper extremity fractures. The study hypothesis is that poor mental health and substance abuse will be associated with increased opioid demand. Methods This is a retrospective, cohort study of 26,283 patients undergoing operative fixation of upper extremity fractures involving the proximal humerus through distal radius using a commercially available insurance database. Opioid prescription filling in oxycodone 5-mg equivalents and refills were tabulated from 1 month preoperation to 1 year postoperation. Multivariable linear and logistic regression models were constructed in R (Statistical Analysis Software) to evaluate associations between mental health and substance use disorders and opioid-related outcomes with adjustment for baseline patient and treatment factors such as age, sex, comorbidities, and fracture location. Results Of the 26,283 patients in the cohort, 79.9%, 32.6%, and 83.1% filled at least 1 opioid prescription in the 1-month preoperative to 90-day postoperative, 3-month postoperative to 1-year postoperative, and 1-month preoperative to 1-year postoperative time frames, respectively. Mean opioid volume prescribed during those time frames was 103.7, 53.5, and 156.9 oxycodone 5-mg equivalents, respectively. Drug abuse, psychoses, and preoperative opioid filling were significant mental health–related drivers of increased postoperative opioid demand. Discussion This study reports the rate and volume of opioid prescription filling in patients undergoing upper extremity fracture surgery. Mental health and substance use disorders were significant drivers of perioperative opioid demand. These study findings can guide surgeons to anticipate expected perioperative opioid demand and identify patients who may benefit from collaboration with pain management specialists during the perioperative period.
Stellar scattering and the formation of exponential discs in self-gravitating systems

We show, using the N-body code GADGET-2, that stellar scattering by massive clumps can produce exponential discs, and the effectiveness of the process depends on the mass of scattering centres, as well as the stability of the galactic disc. Heavy, dense scattering centres in a less stable disc generate an exponential profile quickly, with a timescale shorter than 1 Gyr. The profile evolution due to scattering can make a near-exponential disc under various initial stellar distributions. This result supports analytic theories that predict the scattering processes always favour the zero entropy gradient solution to the Jeans/Poisson equations, whose profile is a near-exponential. Profile changes are accompanied by disc thickening, and a power-law increase in stellar velocity dispersion in both vertical and radial directions is also observed through the evolution. Close encounters between stars and clumps can produce abrupt changes in stellar orbits and shift stars radially. These events can make trajectories more eccentric, but many leave eccentricities little changed. On average, orbital eccentricities of stars increase moderately with time.
Innovations in practice: Adaptation of developmental and behavioral pediatric service in a tertiary center in Singapore during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background As the coronavirus 2019 pandemic continues, healthcare services need to adapt to continue providing optimal and safe services for patients. We detail our adaptive framework as a large Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics service in a tertiary academic institution in Singapore. Methods The multidisciplinary team at our unit implemented various adaptations and workflow processes during this evolving pandemic in providing continued clinical care tailored to the challenges specific to our patient population. Services were continued via teleconsultation mode during the ‘Circuit Breaker’ (enhanced movement restriction) period. Specific workflow processes, IT infrastructure, and staff training were put in place to support smooth running of this service. Segregation of services into two teams based at two separate sites and implementation of stringent infection control measures surrounding the clinic visit by providers, patients and their families were incorporated to ensure safety. Measures were also taken to ensure providers' mental wellbeing. Results The clinical service was continued for the majority of our patients with a lowest reduction in patient consultations to half of baseline during the ‘Circuit Breaker’ period. We received positive feedback from families for teleconsultation services provided. Conclusion We have been able to continue services in our DBP clinics due to our dynamic reassessment of workflow processes and their prompt implementation in conjunction with the hospital and national public health response to the pandemic. Given that this pandemic is likely to be long drawn, our unit remains ready to constantly adjust these workflows and make adaptations as we go along, together with the support for mental health of patients, parents and staff. Continual improvements in workflows will be helpful even beyond the pandemic to ensure good continuity of care for our patients and families.
Writing with Data: A Study of Coding on a Data-Journalism Team.

Coding has typically been understood as an engineering practice, where the meaning of code has discrete boundaries as a technology that does precisely what it says. Multidisciplinary code studies r...
Analysis of hair color and texture for forensic examinations.

Efforts have been conducted to evaluate hair features empirically, for example, color; however, a review of current literature showed few studies investigating cortical texture analysis. The development of high-resolution digital microscopes allows researchers to obtain more accurate measurements of hair features. In this study, digital microscopy was used to explore variance within the cortical texture, color, and density characteristics throughout hair strands. In this study, 20-25 naturally shed hairs from 12 individuals of different ancestries were collected. Measurements of three different features were collected: entropy texture measurements, that is, measurement of the randomness of pigment granules and cortical fusi; color distributions of the hairs via a red-green-blue (RGB) color model; and the calculation of the pigment density ratio using hue-saturation-value color model. Analysis of variance was performed on data collected from each analysis type to assess inter- and intra-person variability. The F-ratios obtained, which compares inter-person to intra-person variability, ranged from 9.29 to 69.24. Cortical texture and color measurements showed promising results in differentiating between inter-person samples. Although density ratios showed the least potential for discrimination, it provided another level for differentiating inter-person hair samples. The location that provided the best differentiation of strands from different donors could be made at a 20.0 mm distance from the strand's proximal end for all three features measured. The methods proposed in this study show the potential to quantify hair features that exhibit better differentiation of hair from different individuals.
Hydrogel particles improve detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from multiple sample types.

Here we present a rapid and versatile method for capturing and concentrating SARS-CoV-2 from contrived transport medium and saliva samples using affinity-capture magnetic hydrogel particles. We demonstrate that the method concentrates virus from 1 mL samples prior to RNA extraction, substantially improving detection of virus using real-time RT-PCR across a range of viral titers (100–1,000,000 viral copies/mL) and enabling detection of virus using the 2019 nCoV CDC EUA Kit down to 100 viral copies/mL. This method is compatible with commercially available nucleic acid extraction kits (i.e., from Qiagen) and a simple heat and detergent method that extracts viral RNA directly off the particle, allowing a sample processing time of 10 min. We furthermore tested our method in transport medium diagnostic remnant samples that previously had been tested for SARS-CoV-2, showing that our method not only correctly identified all positive samples but also substantially improved detection of the virus in low viral load samples. The average improvement in cycle threshold value across all viral titers tested was 3.1. Finally, we illustrate that our method could potentially be used to enable pooled testing, as we observed considerable improvement in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from sample volumes of up to 10 mL.
Characterization of a mouse neuropathic pain model caused by the highly active antiviral therapy (HAART) Stavudine.

Although highly active antiviral therapies (HAART) exert control over viral replication in persons with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), neuropathic pain is a side effect. Symptoms include hyperalgesia and allodynia. Stavudine, also known as D4T, is a HAART used to treat Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This study examined the extent to which D4T produces neuropathic pain and examined pharmacological management with a standard opioid analgesic. Male and female C57BL/6 J mice were injected intraperitoneally with one dose of vehicle or D4T (10–56 mg/kg). Mice were tested through day 92 post injection for mechanical allodynia, assessed with von Frey filaments, and thermal hyperalgesia, assessed via the hotplate test. Separate cohorts received vehicle or 56 mg/kg D4T, the presence of allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia confirmed, and mice received intraperitoneal vehicle, morphine, or 0.032 mg/kg naltrexone + morphine. D4T produced dose- and time-dependent mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. The smallest effective D4T dose was 17.8 mg/kg. This dose produced mechanical allodynia but not thermal hyperalgesia. Larger D4T doses (32 and 56 mg/kg) produced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia lasting 92 days. Morphine dose-dependently alleviated both mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in D4T-treated mice with ED50 values of 4.4 and 1.2 mg/kg, respectively. Naltrexone produced a rightward shift of the morphine dose–response function, i.e., increased the ED50 value of morphine by at least 3.8-fold. Stavudine produced neuropathic pain as a function of dose and time in mice. Opioid analgesics appear to be effective in alleviating neuropathic pain in a D4T-induced mouse model.
Interventions with Inversity in Unknown Networks Can Help Regulate Contagion.

Network intervention problems often benefit from selecting a highly-connected node to perform interventions using these nodes, e.g. immunization. However, in many network contexts, the structure of network connections is unknown, leading to a challenge. We develop and examine the mathematical properties of two distinct informationally light strategies, a novel global strategy and local strategy, that yield higher degree nodes in virtually any network structure. We further identify a novel network property called Inversity, whose sign determines which of the two strategies, local or global, will be most effective for a network. We demonstrate that local and global strategies obtain a several-fold improvement in node degree relative to a random selection benchmark for generated and real networks (including contact, affiliation and online networks). In some networks, they achieve a 100-fold improvement. We show how these new strategies can be used to control contagion of an epidemic spreading across a set of village networks, finding that the strategies developed here require far fewer ($<50\%$) nodes to be immunized, relative to the random strategy baseline. Prior research has typically used the complete network structure to choose nodes for optimal seeding. The relevant network is often costly to collect, and is privacy-invasive, requiring knowing each person's network neighbors, and might not be possible to obtain for time-sensitive interventions. Our interventions are less invasive of individual privacy, since each selected node only needs to nominate some network neighbors for intervention, while mathematically guaranteed to provide better connected nodes.
High Fat Diet-Induced Maternal Obesity Programs Senescence Signaling and Glucose Metabolism in Rat Embryonic Osteoblastic Cells

Epidemiological studies suggest that diet quality and nutritional status in utero and early postnatal life influence the risk of chronic diseases. However, evidence on the impact of gestational eve...
Oxidative Steam Reforming

Publisher Summary This chapter explores aspects of oxidative steam reforming (OSR) chemistry that are important in a fuel-reforming process. In this method, steam and oxygen are fed together as oxidants to reform the hydrocarbon fuel into a H2-rich fuel stream suitable for fuel cells. OSR is generally considered as a combination of partial oxidation and steam reforming. Feeding air and steam together utilizes the heat generated from exothermic oxidation of the fuel to promote the endothermic steam-reforming reactions. OSR has been an established technology for H2 generation since the late 1950s. It is capable of producing H2 efficiently at high throughputs, which generally makes it the preferred method for industrial use in petrochemical production. However, using OSR for such applications requires a separation plant to remove N2 from air to reduce process gas volumes. Oxygen separation is very capital intensive (almost 40% of total cost) and generally precludes the use of OSR for large-scale applications. However, OSR does have some disadvantages. Using steam requires a water storage and supply system, which adds weight, complexity, and cost to the process. Also, as with any system that uses water, appropriate insulation is needed for applications in colder climates, and added space would be required for a reservoir in an already confined area (assuming for transportation use). Attempts to mitigate storage problems have looked into recycling the fuel cell exhaust to provide the necessary water requirements to maintain reforming capabilities under OSR conditions.
Hydride Complexes of Ruthenium, Rhodium, and Iridium

Publisher Summary Transition metal hydride chemistry is a rather recent area of development in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. The field has expanded tremendously since that time, and one can now find a number of review articles on transition metal hydride complexes, most of them written prior to 1972. Although transition metal-hydride complexes have an interesting chemistry of their own, the greatest interest in hydrides comes from their importance in homogeneous catalysis. A large number of transition metal complexes have been demonstrated to catalyze homogeneously a wide variety of organic transformations, and the hydride ligand ranks second only to phosphorus donor ligands in importance of having a crucial role in catalysis. Hydride complexes are known to be intimately involved in catalyzed hydrogenations, deuterations, olefin isomerizations, hydroformylations, and hydrosilations, and also have been shown to be important in some olefin oligomerization and polymerization reactions.
Using Think Aloud Protocols to Assess E-Prescribing in Community Pharmacies

Introduction: Think aloud protocol has rarely been used as a method of data collection in community pharmacies. Purpose: The aim of the report is to describe how think aloud protocols were used to identify issues that arise when using e-prescribing technology in pharmacies. In this paper, we report on the benefits and challenges of using think aloud protocols in pharmacies to examine the use of e-prescribing systems. Methods: Sixteen pharmacists and pharmacy technicians were recruited from seven community pharmacies in Wisconsin. Data were collected using direct observation alongside think aloud protocol. Direct observations and think aloud protocols took place between January-February, 2011. Participants were asked to verbalize their thoughts as they process electronic prescriptions. Results: Participants identified weaknesses in e-prescribing that they had previously not conceived. This created heightened awareness for vigilance when processing e-prescriptions. The main challenge with using think aloud protocols was due to interruptions in the pharmacies. Also, a few participants found it challenging to remember to continue verbalizing their thought process during think aloud sessions. Conclusion: The use of think aloud protocols as method of data collection is a new way for understanding the issues related to technology use in community pharmacy practice. Think aloud protocol was beneficial in providing objective information on e-prescribing use not solely based on pharmacist's or technician's opinion of the technology. This method provided detailed information on a wide variety of real time challenges with e-prescribing technology use in community pharmacies. Using this data collection method can help identify potential patient safety issues when using e-prescribing and suggestions for redesign. Type: Note
The shape of the recovery: economic implications for the nursing workforce.

Abstract Given this analysis of the factors behind the apparent end to the recession, the uncertain shape of the recovery and whether the overall job market will rebound quickly or slowly, and the implications for nurse employment and earnings, what can nurse executives and managers do to prepare for the future? Nursing executives and unit-level managers should assess their nursing staff's attitudes toward their jobs, job satisfaction, and their spouse's employment status. Executives should also identify the major employers in their local economy and establish a strategy to monitor their economic performance. Working with the human resources department, nurse leaders should develop an action plan to identify initiatives that can be implemented in the near term, such as taking steps to increase job satisfaction, promote better relationships between management and nurses, and improve the ergonomic environment of the workplace to ease the physical and mental strain on older RNs. Nurse executives and managers must sharpen their focus on how quickly the job recovery unfolds and prepare for how the recovery will affect the nursing workforce in their own institution and community.
The platelet: life on the razor's edge between hemorrhage and thrombosis.

I am truly honored and deeply humbled to receive the 2013 Karl Landsteiner Award. The past recipients of this award are not only stellar members of the transfusion medicine firmament, but also my heroes, and in some cases, my mentors, role models, and friends. I was most fortunate to have my introduction to transfusion medicine during my training in the Clinical Pathology Department at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Harvey Alter, Dr. Paul Schmidt, Dr. Paul Holland, Dr. Harvey Klein, and Mary McGinnis were wonderful teachers. Thereafter, I was also fortunate to have Dr. Dennis Galanakis as a colleague at Stony Brook and Dr. Richard Rosenfeld, Dr. Mort Spivack, and Dr. Carolyn Whitsett as colleagues at Mount Sinai. I feel a close bond to Karl Landsteiner since he joined the Rockefeller Institute in 1923 at the invitation of Dr. Simon Flexner, who knew of his landmark contribution to blood group immunohematology and his discovery of the polio virus, and who also knew that Landsteiner did not have suitable support for his research in Post-World War I Europe. Landsteiner went on to make many additional discoveries at Rockefeller including his work on the Rh antigen. He became an Emeritus Professor in 1929 but stayed active in his lab until 1943 when he suffered a heart attack while still at the bench, pipette in hand, and died 2 days later. The progress we have made since then in preventing and treating heart attacks will be one of the themes of this presentation.
Magnetic measurements of the solar wind interaction with the moon

The solar wind is almost completely absorbed or neutralized by the lunar surface leaving a plasma void on the antisolar side of the Moon. The magnetic signature of this interaction, as observed by the Apollo 15 subsatellite, is an enhanced field directly behind the Moon, bounded on either side by two dips in the field strength. On occasion, compressions of the field strength are observed external to either one or sometimes both of these dips. Theories of the interaction postulate either that these compressions are a general feature of the solar wind-Moon interaction modulated by changes in the solar wind parameters or that they are associated with the appearance of specific lunar regions at the limbs. The measurements of the lunar magnetic field with the Apollo 15 and 16 sub-satellites, the mapping of projected source positions of limb compressions onto the lunar surface, and the study of the persistance of limb compressions supports the hypothesis that limb compressions are formed when regions of high magnetization are at the lunar limbs.
Differences in time course and visual requirements of ocular responses to lenses and diffusers

RESULTS. (i) The time course of the changes in axial length over the first 72 hours was significantly faster in LCM than in FDM. Indeed, the diffusers did not begin to significantly affect the total length of the globe for 3 days, although the vitreous chamber had deepened after 9 hours, because the choroid thinned extremely rapidly (within 1 hour) with either diffusers or negative lenses. (ii) Scleral proteoglycan synthesis was higher in eyes with negative lenses than in those with diffusers at 11 hours, but the reverse was true at 27 hours. (iii) Brief periods of stroboscopic light attenuated FDM more than LCM. (iv) In contrast, interruption of the nights by brief periods of light attenuated LCM more than FDM. (v) Neither lighting manipulation affected LCH. (vi) Choroidal proteoglycan synthesis decreased similarly with 3 hours of wearing either diffusers or negative lenses. CONCLUSIONS. Although both negative lenses and diffusers cause similar increases in the rate of ocular elongation, the responses differ in time course and in the effect of manipulations of the daily lighting. The responses to positive lenses differ from both of these. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2001;42:575‐583)
Preliminary study on triboelectric generator harvesting energy from breathing motion

A simple and cost-effective approach of using contact-electrification effect to convert mechanical energy due to breathing motion into electric energy is demonstrated. A triboelectric generator (TG) is fabricated by using two polymer films made of materials with distinct triboelectric characteristics, with metal electrode deposited on the non-contact side of each film. The TG is housed in a substrate structure that maintains a space between the two polymer films, except when a force is applied. The force on the TG is applied and released using a manual benchtop pumping mechanism which crudely represents inhalation and exhalation. The TG used in conjunction with the pumping system gives an average peak-to-peak output voltage of about 2.17V. TGs have the potential of harvesting energy from breathing motion and other human activities to solve an important power supply problem with a variety of healthcare applications such as continuous monitoring of heart, lung, and brain functions using wearable electronic sensor networks. Applications can also be extended to self-powering systems for various consumer electronic devices.
Predicting Lawyer Effectiveness: Broadening the Basis for Law School Admission Decisions

Law school admission decisions are heavily influenced by a student’s undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score. These measures, although predictive of first-year law school grades, make no effort to predict professional competence and, for the most part, they do not. These measures also create adverse impact on applicants from underrepresented racial/ethnic groups. This article describes the rationale for and process by which we explored new tests to predict lawyer effectiveness rather than law school grades and reports results of a multiyear empirical study involving over 3,000 graduates from Berkeley Law School and Hastings College of the Law. Tests measuring personality constructs, interests, values, and judgment predicted lawyering competency but had little or no adverse impact on underrepresented minority applicants. Combined with the LSAT and UGPA, these broader tests could assess law applicants on the basis both of projected professional effectiveness and academic indicators.
TLR9 ligation in pancreatic stellate cells promotes tumorigenesis

Modulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling can have protective or protumorigenic effects on oncogenesis depending on the cancer subtype and on specific inflammatory elements within the tumor milieu. We found that TLR9 is widely expressed early during the course of pancreatic transformation and that TLR9 ligands are ubiquitous within the tumor microenvironment. TLR9 ligation markedly accelerates oncogenesis, whereas TLR9 deletion is protective. We show that TLR9 activation has distinct effects on the epithelial, inflammatory, and fibrogenic cellular subsets in pancreatic carcinoma and plays a central role in cross talk between these compartments. Specifically, TLR9 activation can induce proinflammatory signaling in transformed epithelial cells, but does not elicit oncogene expression or cancer cell proliferation. Conversely, TLR9 ligation induces pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) to become fibrogenic and secrete chemokines that promote epithelial cell proliferation. TLR9-activated PSCs mediate their protumorigenic effects on the epithelial compartment via CCL11. Additionally, TLR9 has immune-suppressive effects in the tumor microenvironment (TME) via induction of regulatory T cell recruitment and myeloid-derived suppressor cell proliferation. Collectively, our work shows that TLR9 has protumorigenic effects in pancreatic carcinoma which are distinct from its influence in extrapancreatic malignancies and from the mechanistic effects of other TLRs on pancreatic oncogenesis.
Base stacking and molecular polarizability: Effect of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines

Substitution of a methyl group in the 5-position of pyrimidines increases melting temperatures and modifies biological properties of DNA. Increased DNA stability is often attributed to hydrophobic interactions between water and the methyl group. However, we present evidence that the major effect of methyl substitution is to increase the molecular polarizability of the pyrimidine, thereby increasing the base stacking. Experimentally determined base stacking interaction constants for free bases in water are shown to correlate well with calculated molecular polarizability and DNA melting temperatures.
Glutamate transporters in the biology of malignant gliomas

Malignant gliomas are relentless tumors that offer a dismal clinical prognosis. They develop many biological advantages that allow them to grow and survive in the unique environment of the brain. The glutamate transporters system x c (-) and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAAT) are emerging as key players in the biology and malignancy of these tumors. Gliomas manipulate glutamate transporter expression and function to alter glutamate homeostasis in the brain, which supports their own growth, invasion, and survival. As a consequence, malignant cells are able to quickly destroy and invade surrounding normal brain. Recent findings are painting a larger picture of these transporters in glioma biology, and as such are providing opportunities for clinical intervention for patients. This review will detail the current understanding of glutamate transporters in the biology of malignant gliomas and highlight some of the unique aspects of these tumors that make them so devastating and difficult to treat.
Evidence for extensive polymorphism of class I genes in the rat major histocompatibility complex (RT1).

Abstract The major histocompatibility complex of the rat (RT1) has been poorly characterized with respect to the number, linkage, and polymorphism of class I genes. To estimate the number of class I RT1 genes and the relative extent of their polymorphism, we performed Southern blot analysis with liver DNA from rat strains expressing eight RT1 haplotypes. After digestion with EcoRI and BamHI, the DNA was separated on agarose gels, blotted onto nitrocellulose, and hybridized with mouse H-2 cDNA probes, pH-2III and pH-2IIa. Ten to 20 EcoRI and 13 to 20 BamHI bands hybridized with pH-2III and pH-2IIa; restriction fragment length patterns were observed to be highly polymorphic. The restriction fragments associated with different RT1 haplotypes differed by 17-70%; this range is similar to the differences observed between mouse H-2 haplotypes. The same restriction fragment pattern was observed in DNA from three different rat strains sharing the same RT1 allele, confirming that the patterns were RT1-associated. Further, the RT1l and RT1lvl haplotypes, which differ at a single previously identified RT1-linked locus, were associated with EcoRI restriction pattern differences of 39-50%, confirming the supposition that RT1 class I genes identified by previous serological and T-cell-mediated assays have identified only a minority of the actual number of RT1-linked class I genes. In summary, the results reported in this communication demonstrate that the RT1 complex encompasses a large family of highly polymorphic class I genes similar to the H-2 and HL-A complexes of mouse and man.
Accurate modeling of protein conformation by automatic segment matching

Segment match modeling uses a data base of highly refined known protein X-ray structures to build an unknown target structure from its amino acid sequence and the atomic coordinates of a few of its atoms (generally only the C alpha atoms). The target structure is first broken into a set of short segments. The data base is then searched for matching segments, which are fitted onto the framework of the target structure. Three criteria are used for choosing a matching data base segment: amino acid sequence similarity, conformational similarity (atomic co-ordinates), and compatibility with the target structure (van der Waals' interactions). The new method works surprisingly well: for eight test proteins ranging in size from 46 to 323 residues, the all-atom root-mean-square deviation of the modeled structures is between 0.93 A and 1.73 A (the average is 1.26 A). Deviations of this magnitude are comparable with those found for protein co-ordinates before and after refinement against X-ray data or for co-ordinates of the same protein in different crystal packings. These results are insensitive to errors in the C alpha positions or to missing C alpha atoms: accurate models can be built with C alpha errors of up to 1 A or by using only half the C alpha atoms. The fit to the X-ray structures is improved significantly by building several independent models based on different random choices and then averaging co-ordinates; this novel concept has general implications for other modeling tasks. The segment match modeling method is fully automatic, yields a complete set of atomic co-ordinates without any human intervention and is efficient (14 s/residue on the Silicon Graphics 4D/25 Personal Iris workstation.
Structure development in melt‐spinning syndiotactic polystyrene and comparison to atactic polystyrene

Syndiotactic polystyrene (s-PS) and atactic polystyrene (a-PS) were melt-spun into filaments. The s-PS filaments exhibited increasing amounts of crystallinity and orientation with increasing drawdown ratio and spinline stress. The a-PS filaments were amorphous but exhibited birefringence. The birefringence and Hermans orientation factors for a-PS were proportional to this spinline stress. In ice water and at low drawdown ratios, the s-PS is glassy or mesomorphic. At higher drawdown ratios and spinline stresses, it crystallized. The crystalline form was the zigzag TTTT hexagonal α-form. The birefringence and orientation factors of the s-PS filaments were higher than those of the a-PS filaments and the difference of the birefringence increased with increasing spinline stress. Mechanical testing results showed that the Young's modulus and tensile strength generally increased with increasing spinline drawdown ratio for both a-PS and s-PS filaments. The elongation to break was enhanced for both materials by increased chain orientation. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:2141–2147, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Effects of pressure and isotopic substitution on the Raman spectrum of alpha -Fe2O3: Identification of two-magnon scattering.

We report measurements of the effects of high pressure and O-isotope substitution on the Raman spectrum of \ensuremath{\alpha}-${\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. Spectra for the pressure effects were obtained from single crystals in a diamond-anvil cell; those for isotopic substitution from polycrystalline films grown in a controlled atmosphere. The Gr\"uneisen parameters and isotope shifts of the first-order phonons are found to be comparable to the same quantities for the strong 1320-${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ line, consistent with its assignment by McCarty [Solid State Commun. 68, 799 (1988)] as a phonon overtone. We identify the two-magnon scattering as a weak and broad feature at \ensuremath{\sim}1525 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, showing a temperature dependence consistent with a magnetic origin. As expected, the magnon peak does not shift with isotopic substitution, and its frequency is in good agreement with that predicted by an Ising-model calculation (1540 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$).
Errors without conflict: Implications for performance monitoring theories of anterior cingulate cortex

Recent theories of the neural basis of performance monitoring have emphasized a central role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Replicating an earlier event-related potential (ERP) study, which showed an error feedback negativity that was modeled as having an ACC generator, we used event-related fMRI to investigate whether the ACC would differentiate between correct and incorrect feedback stimuli in a time estimation task. The design controlled for response conflict and frequency and expectancy effects. Although participants in the current study adjusted their performance following error feedback, we did not observe error feedback-evoked ACC activity. In contrast, we did observe ACC activity while the same subjects performed the Stroop task, in which an area of the ACC activated during both conflict and error trials. These findings are inconsistent with previous dipole models of the error feedback negativity, and suggest the ACC may not be involved in the generation of this ERP component. These results question involvement of the ACC in the detection of errors per se when controlling for conflict.
Initial Experience of Sequential Surgical Epicardial-Catheter Endocardial Ablation for Persistent and Long-Standing Persistent Atrial Fibrillation With Long-Term Follow-Up

Background Patients with long-standing persistent (LSP) atrial fibrillation (AF) who have previously undergone catheter ablation represent a challenging patient population. Repeat catheter ablation in these patients is arduous and associated with a high failure rate, whereas surgical ablation can be complicated by multiple flutters. We sought to determine if minimally-invasive surgical ablation, followed by catheter ablation of all inducible flutters, would improve success rates over repeat catheter ablation alone. Methods Fifteen patients (Sequential) with persistent or LSP AF who failed at least one catheter ablation and one anti-arrhythmic drug (AAD) underwent surgical ablation, followed by planned endocardial evaluation and catheter mapping with ablation during the same hospitalization. Sequential patients were matched to 30 patients who had previously failed at least one catheter ablation and underwent a repeat catheter ablation (catheter-alone). The primary end point was event-free survival of any documented AF recurrence or AAD use. Results All patients underwent uncomplicated surgical ablation and electrophysiology procedure. Five Sequential patients had seven inducible flutters that were mapped and ablated. After a mean follow-up of 20.7 ± 4.5 months, 13/15 (86.7%) Sequential patients, but only 16/30 (53.3%) catheter-alone patients, were free of any atrial arrhythmia and off of AAD ( p = 0.04). On AAD, 14/15 (93.3%) Sequential patients were free of any atrial arrhythmia recurrence, compared to 17/30 (56.7%) catheter-alone patients ( p = 0.01). Conclusions For patients with atrial fibrillation who have failed catheter ablation, Sequential minimally invasive epicardial surgical ablation, followed by endocardial catheter-based ablation, has a higher early success rate than repeat catheter ablation alone.
Researching Professionals or Professional Researchers? A Comparison of Professional Doctorate and PhD Programs in Criminology & Criminal Justice

There are many questions asked by people who are thinking of entering a PhD program in criminology or criminal justice (CCJ). In addition to standard questions about completion time and assistantships, working professionals sometimes ask questions unique to them, such as whether a PhD will help them to obtain positions as upper-level administrators in law enforcement or why is it necessary to learn research skills. These questions take on added significance today because of the emergence of “professional doctorate programs.” This paper examines differences between professional doctorate and PhD programs in CCJ, with special emphasis on differences in research training and practical experience. This examination suggests that unlike other disciplines, the professional doctorate in CCJ is seen as a complementary degree to the PhD, designed to attract working professionals in the field to higher education, rather than as a competing degree as in other disciplines.
Cost-effective soft-error protection for SRAM-based structures in GPGPUs

The general-purpose computing on graphics processing units (GPGPUs) are increasingly used to accelerate parallel applications. This makes reliability a growing concern in GPUs as they are originally designed for graphics processing with relaxed requirements for execution correctness. With CMOS processing technologies continuously scaling down to the nano-scale, on-chip soft error rate (SER) has been predicted to increase exponentially. GPGPUs with hundreds of cores integrated into a single chip are prone to manifest high SER. This paper aims to enhance the GPGPU reliability in light of soft errors. We leverage the GPGPU microarchitecture characteristics, and propose energy-efficient protection mechanisms for two typical SRAM-based structures (i.e. instruction buffer and registers) which suffer high susceptibility. We develop Similarity-AWare Protection (SAWP) scheme that leverages the instruction similarity to provide the near-full ECC protection to the instruction buffer with quite little area and power overhead. Based on the observation that shared memory usually exhibits low utilization, we propose SHAred memory to Register Protection (SHARP) scheme, it intelligently leverages shared memory to hold the ECCs of registers. Experimental results show that our techniques have the strong capability of substantially improving the structure vulnerability, and significantly reducing the power consumption compared to the full ECC protection mechanism.
Undergraduate teaching in electroheat

Despite the multi-disciplinary nature of electroheat, close scrutiny of the topics comprising it reveals the existence of unified themes which can be adapted with the view to teaching it as an undergraduate discipline. A case is presented, with raw statistical data, based on several years experience of teaching electroheat from its embryonic to a fully fledged stage as part of a third-year module
Physiological effects of shortening steeplechase in a 3‐day‐event

Summary Various methods for modifying the Speed and Endurance portion (Day 2) of the 3-day-event have been proposed to aid horses in dealing with the hot and humid conditions expected during the next Olympic 3-day-events in Atlanta, Georgia USA in 1996. This study was designed to characterise the effects of shortening the distance required during the steeplechase (Phase B) in the face of Atlanta-like hot and humid weather conditions. Eight conditioned Thoroughbred horses (mean ± s.e.m. age 3.75 years, range 3–5 years) underwent 3 randomised permutations of a standardised exercise test on a high speed treadmill. Each test consisted of trotting at 3.7 m/s for 10 min (Phase A); galloping at 11 m/s (Phase B) for 4 (cool, control laboratory conditions), 3 (hot and humid), or 2 (hot and humid) min; trotting at 3.7 m/s for 30 min (Phase C); and walking at 1.8 m/s for 10 min (Phase X). Subjects had Swan-Ganz catheters inserted into the pulmonary artery (PA) for measuring core temperature (PAT) in mixed venous blood every 2 min. Heart rate (HR) was measured by an on-board HR computer every 2 min. Rectal temperature (RT) was measured at the beginning (RT0) and end (RT10) of Phase X using a mercury rectal thermometer as under typical field conditions. Pre- and post exercise bodyweights (bwt) were determined on a digital electronic scale. The point on Phase C at which each horse visibly fatigued and drifted toward the back of the treadmill was defined as the point of fatigue. Differences between treatments were tested for significance (P<0.05) by repeated measures, Student-Neuman-Keul's and Student's t tests where appropriate. Heart rate increased (mean 115.7–136.1) with the onset of trotting exercise in Phase A (P 0.05). From 3–10 min in Phase X (recovery), HR after 2 min B (mean 81.3–91) were lower than after 3 min B (mean ± s.e.m. 98.4–100.5, P 0.05). Pulmonary artery blood temperature increased (mean 38.1–38.7) with trotting in Phase A (P<0.05), increased further with Phase B galloping (mean 39.4–40.2, P<0.05) for all 3 treatments and then decreased (mean ± s.e.m. 39.3–39.9, P<0.05) during Phase C under cool conditions (4 min B) but plateaued or continued to rise slightly under hot and humid conditions (mean 39.7–40.2). Throughout Phases C and X, PAT was lower for 4 min B than for either hot and humid treatment (P<0.05). Bodyweight decreased after exercise for all treatments (P 0.05), but there was a trend for both RT0 and RT10 to be highest after the 3 min B, lower after the 2 min B, and lowest after the 4 min cool B. It was concluded that there was a progressive gain in restoring cool weather performance and recovery by a progressive shortening of Phase B under hot and humid conditions, based on net weight loss, point of fatigue and recovery HR. Shortening Phase B by as much as 50% under hot and humid conditions still did not allow a complete return to cool weather performance and recovery. Further modifications to Phase C will be required in order to aid horses in net heat loss during Phases B and C.
Comparison of close-coupling and approximate methods for F(2P12) + H2 non-reactive collisions: Translational wavefunction analysis☆

Abstract Electronic-rotational energy transfer in F(2P 1 2 ) + H2 (j = 0) non-reactive collisions is studied by analyzing the translational wavefunctions (TW) and transition probabilities of four model problems: full close-coupling (CC), diabatic (DDW) and adiabatic (ADW) distorted-wave Born theories, and an asymptotic sine-wave model. Comparisons among the approximate models are discussed and their accuracy is examined. DIM theory provides the diabatic electronic matrix elements, and the close-coupled equations are solved by the R-matrix method. The resulting S-matrix elements times their appropriate asymptotic wavefunctions when propagated in along the reaction coordinate generate the TW. For the CC results, relations between the TW and the adiabatic electrotational energy correlation diagrams are emphasized, while for the other models the effects of classical turning points, diabatic energy level structure, unitarization techniques, and other dynamical factors on the state-to-state transition probabilities are examined.
Thoracolumbar Spine Trauma

Thoracic and lumbar fractures are highly prevalent injuries. No accepted operative treatment protocol exists for the management of burst fractures in this region, and anterior, posterior, and combined approaches all have been successfully described in the literature. Appropriate surgical strategy is dependent on an accurate assessment of spinal stability, the neurologic status of the patient, and the morphology of injury. Posterior instrumentation using distraction and ligamentotaxis is a well-accepted method for addressing unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures with or without an associated neurologic deficit in which direct decompression is not required. Anterior decompression, however, remains the preferred method of treatment for burst fractures with incomplete neurologic deficits in association with significant canal occlusion and relative sparing of the posterior ligamentous complex. In this work, we explore the indications, contraindications, and technical complexities of posterior decompression with pedicle screw instrumentation, distraction, and ligamentotaxis, as well as anterior decompression and interbody fusion.
Retail credit usage and relationship marketing

Takes an initial look at ways consumers use credit and how differences in credit usage by store type may be used to develop relationship building marketing programs. Retailers are recognizing the importance of developing and maintaining long‐term relationships with customers. Using credit usage information is one way of identifying consumers’ purchasing behavior. Illustrates how differences in retail credit usage could be used to individualize marketing efforts by retailers. Also suggests how these efforts will benefit retailers in terms of creating loyal customers.