cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Primary Care Providers' Prediabetes Screening, Testing, and Referral Behaviors

Introduction Intensive behavioral counseling is effective in preventing type 2 diabetes, and insurance coverage for such interventions is increasing. Although primary care provider referrals are not required for entry to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)–recognized National Diabetes Prevention Program lifestyle change program, referral rates remain suboptimal. This study aims to assess the association between primary care provider behaviors regarding prediabetes screening, testing, and referral and awareness of the CDC-recognized lifestyle change program and the Prevent Diabetes STAT: Screen, Test, and Act Today™ toolkit. Awareness of the lifestyle change program and the STAT toolkit, use of electronic health records, and the ratio of lifestyle change program classes to primary care physicians were hypothesized to be positively associated with primary care provider prediabetes screening, testing, and referral behaviors. Methods Responses from primary care providers (n=1,256) who completed the 2016 DocStyles cross-sectional web-based survey were analyzed in 2017 to measure self-reported prediabetes screening, testing, and referral behaviors. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the effects of primary care provider awareness and practice characteristics on these behaviors, controlling for provider characteristics. Results Overall, 38% of primary care providers were aware of the CDC-recognized lifestyle change program, and 19% were aware of the STAT toolkit; 27% screened patients for prediabetes using a risk test; 97% ordered recommended blood tests; and 23% made referrals. Awareness of the lifestyle change program and the STAT toolkit was positively associated with screening and referring patients. Primary care providers who used electronic health records were more likely to screen, test, and refer. Referring was more likely in areas with more lifestyle change program classes. Conclusions This study highlights the importance of increasing primary care provider awareness of and referrals to the CDC-recognized lifestyle change program.
Chemoenzymatic Synthesis of Unnatural Nucleotide Sugars for Enzymatic Bioorthogonal Labeling

In recent years, the development of the enzymatic bioorthogonal labeling strategy has offered exciting possibilities in the probing of structure-defined glycan epitopes. This strategy takes advantage of relaxed donor specificity and strict acceptor specificity of glycosyltransferases to label target glycan epitopes with bioorthogonal reactive groups carried by unnatural nucleotide sugars in vitro. The subsequent covalent conjugation by bioorthogonal chemical reactions with either fluorescent or affinity tags allows further visualization, quantification, or enrichment of target glycan epitopes. However, the application and development of the enzymatic labeling strategy have been hindered due to the limited availability of unnatural nucleotide sugars. Herein, a platform that combines chemical synthesis and enzymatic synthesis for the facile preparation of unnatural nucleotide sugars modified with diverse bioorthogonal reactive groups is described. By this platform, a total of 25 UDP-GlcNAc and UDP-GalNAc de...
Open quiz solution: Case report 789

Dorsal defect of the patella is an uncommon but well known abnormality. It is believed to be an incidental finding that should not merit further intervention. However, the association of patellofemoral symptoms and a dorsal defect of the patella suggests abnormality of the cartilage overlying the defect. Resection of this area of abnormal cartilage has resulted in relief of symptoms in some patients. A patient who had a dorsal defect of the patella and persistent symptoms had MR imaging. The MR scans showed signal inhomogeneity with streaks of high signal in the cartilage overlying the lesion on both T1-weighted and T2-weighted images. Drilling of the defect relieved his pain.
View-Dependent Topology Simplification

We propose a technique for performing view-dependent sim­plifications for level-of-detail-based renderings of complex models. Our method is based on exploiting frame-to-frame coherence and is tolerant of various commonly found degeneracies in real-life polygonal models. The algorithm proceeds by preprocessing the input dataset into a binary tree of vertex collapses. This tree is used at run time to generate the triangles for display. Dependencies to avoid mesh foldovers in manifold regions of the input object are stored in the tree in an implicit fashion. This obviates the need for any extra storage for dependency pointers and suggests a potential for application to external memory prefetching algo­rithms. We also propose a distance metric that can be used to unify the geometry and genus simplifications with the view-dependent parameters such as viewpoint, view-frustum, and local illumination.
Autologous Stem-Cell Banks for Restoring Hemopoiesis

Publisher Summary This chapter explores the use of autologous stem-cell banks for restoring hemopoiesis. Recent developments may modify planning for management of the hemopoietic syndrome after acute total-body irradiation and similar marrow depression from chemotherapy of neoplasms. Despite earlier pessimism about the number of stem cells obtainable from human blood, a five-hour leukapheresis with the IBM–NIH centrifuge—processing about 10 liters of blood—probably would yield enough cells for autologous hemopoietic restoration. These cells can be preserved at –196°C although the theoretical expectation that they would survive for many years lacks clinical confirmation. This confirmation is not likely to be obtained quickly from the use of cryopreserved cells for radiation accidents, which are rare. However, leukapheresis and cryopreservation could readily be assessed for autologous hemopoietic restoration in selected patients treated intensively for cancer, thereby obviating the multiple marrow aspirations that now require a general or spinal anesthesia. If the efficacy of the administered cells for restoring hemopoiesis in human beings could be correlated with their ability to form colonies in cultures, then in vitro assays could be used to establish the feasibility of long-term cryopreservation.
Transposable element dysregulation in systemic lupus erythematosus and regulation by histone conformation and Hsp90

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) represents an autoimmune disease in which activation of the type I interferon pathway leads to dysregulation of tolerance and the generation of autoantibodies directed against nuclear constituents. The mechanisms driving the activation of the interferon pathway in SLE have been the subject of intense investigation but are still incompletely understood. Transposable elements represent an enormous source of RNA that could potentially stimulate the cell intrinsic RNA-recognition pathway, leading to upregulation of interferons. We used RNA-seq to define transposable element families and subfamilies in three cell types in SLE and found diverse effects on transposable element expression in the three cell types and even within a given family of transposable elements. When potential mechanisms were examined, we found that Hsp90 inhibition could drive increased expression of multiple type of transposable elements. Both direct inhibition and the delivery of a heat shock itself, which redirects heat shock regulators (including Hsp90) off of basal expression promoters and onto heat shock-responsive promoters, led to increased transposable element expression. This effect was amplified by the concurrent delivery of a histone deacetylase inhibitor. We conclude that transposable elements are dysregulated in SLE and there are tissue-specific effects and locus-specific effects. The magnitude of RNAs attributable to transposable elements makes their dysregulation of critical interest in SLE where transposable element RNA complexed with proteins has been shown to drive interferon expression.
Overview of the Data, Plan, and Methods

This chapter describes the large sample of schools studied, the ways the data were collected, and our plan for the research. And it tells about our methods, and why we chose them.
Effects of Cangrelor as Adjunct Therapy to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with angiographic evidence of intracoronary thrombus is associated with in-hospital and 30-day adverse clinical outcomes. Cangrelor, a direct, rapid-onset acting intravenous P2Y12 receptor inhibitor, has been proved to be effective by reducing peri-PCI ischemic complications in subjects who underwent PCI. This study aimed to assess the angiographic and in-hospital clinical outcomes in all-comer patients receiving cangrelor immediately before PCI at a tertiary care center. The study analyzed consecutive unselected subjects treated with cangrelor at the time the decision was made to proceed with PCI. At the end of the procedure, all patients were transitioned to oral antiplatelet therapy. The target lesion angiographic assessment of Thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade (TIMI-Flow), TIMI-thrombus grade (TIMI-Thrombus), myocardial blush grade, and TIMI-myocardial perfusion grade (TMPG) was performed before and post-PCI. Clinical events were recorded during the procedure and at discharge. In total, 223 patients (244 lesions) were included in the analysis (106, 97, and 20 patientswith TIMI-Flow 0/1, TIMI-Flow 2/3, and cardiogenic shock, respectively). The overall mean age was 63 ± 12 years, 70% men and 38% with diabetes mellitus. Acute myocardial infarction was the main presentation (72%). The use of cangrelor improved TIMI-Flow, MGB, TMPG, and TIMI-Thrombus in patients with initial TIMI-Flow 0 to 2. Major bleeding rate was 2.0%. In conclusion, cangrelor was effective and safe in restoring TIMI-Flow 3, reducing thrombus burden and improving myocardial blush grade and TMPG when administered to unselected subjects who underwent PCI. Therefore, cangrelor should be considered in patients presenting with intracoronary thrombus before intervention.
Black Immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean Have Similar Rates of Diabetes but Africans Are Less Obese: the New York City Community Health Survey 2009–2013

This study was designed to determine (a) whether the prevalence and odds of either obesity or diabetes differed in foreign-born black Africans and Caribbeans living in New York City (NYC) and (b) whether time in the United States (US) affected odds of either outcome. Data were obtained from NYC Community Health Survey 2009–13 for 380 African-born blacks and 2689 Caribbean-born blacks. Weighted logistic regression estimated odds of obesity and diabetes, adjusting for age, sex, education, income, marital status, children < 18, BMI (diabetes models only), and time in the US. Obesity prevalence in Africans (60.2%, male; age, 46.0 ± 13.5 years, (mean ± SD); BMI, 27.3 ± 5.6 kg/m2) was 16.7 and 30.2% in Caribbeans (39.3%, male; age, 49.7 ± 14.7 years; BMI, 28.0 ± 5.8 kg/m2). Prevalence of diabetes was 10.5% in Africans and 14.7% in Caribbeans. Africans had lower adjusted odds of obesity (aOR = 0.60 (95% CI, 0.40–0.90); P = 0.015), but there was no difference in diabetes odds between groups. Obesity odds were higher in African (aOR = 2.35 (95% CI, 1.16–4.78); P = 0.018) and Caribbean women (aOR = 2.20 (95% CI, 1.63–2.98); P < 0.001) than their male counterparts. Odds of diabetes did not differ between sexes in either group. Time in the US did not affect odds of either obesity or diabetes. Africans living in NYC are less obese than Caribbeans, but odds of diabetes do not differ. Time in the US does not affect odds of either obesity or diabetes. Hence, BMI and diabetes risk profiles in blacks differ by region of origin and combining foreign-born blacks into one group masks important differences.
Targeting HIV-1 Protease Autoprocessing for High-throughput Drug Discovery and Drug Resistance Assessment

HIV-1 protease autoprocessing liberates the free mature protease from its Gag-Pol polyprotein precursor through a series of highly regulated autoproteolysis reactions. Herein, we report the development and validation (Z’ ≥ 0.50) of a cell-based functional assay for high-throughput screening (HTS) of autoprocessing inhibitors using fusion precursors in combination with AlphaLISA (amplified luminescent proximity homogeneous assay ELISA). Through pilot screening of a collection of 130 known protease inhibitors, the AlphaLISA assay confirmed all 11 HIV protease inhibitors in the library capable of suppressing precursor autoprocessing at low micromolar concentrations. Meanwhile, other protease inhibitors had no impact on precursor autoprocessing. We next conducted HTS of ~23,000 compounds but found no positive hits. Such high selectivity is advantageous for large-scale HTS campaigns and as anticipated based on assay design because a positive hit needs simultaneously to be nontoxic, cell permeable, and inhibiting precursor autoprocessing. Furthermore, AlphaLISA quantification of fusion precursors carrying mutations known to cause resistance to HIV protease inhibitors faithfully recapitulated the reported resistance, suggesting that precursor autoprocessing is a critical step contributing to drug resistance. Taken together, this reported AlphaLISA platform will provide a useful tool for drug discovery targeting HIV-1 protease autoprocessing and for quantification of PI resistance.
State Constitutional Law Teaching Materials for 1L Constitutional Law Classes (Supplement)

This set of materials, intended for use in a 1L Constitutional Law course, offers a concise introduction to state constitutions and state constitutional principles. The materials are intended to be teachable in a single class session, and offer students an introduction to the "other" constitutions that offer a basis for constitutional claims and arguments, i.e., state constitutions.
Three Patients With Structurally Abnormal X Chromosomes, Each With Xq13 Breakpoints and a History of Idiopathic Acquired Sideroblastic Anemia

Structural abnormalities of the X chromosome are rarely found in neoplastic disorders. We describe three patients with a history of idiopathic acquired sideroblastic anemia (IASA); each one had an abnormal clone of cells in the bone marrow, characterized by a structurally abnormal X chromosome. In two of these patients, the predominant karyotype was 47,X,2idic(X)(q13); in the other patient, it was 46,X,t(X;11)(q13;p15). Inasmuch as all three of these cases involved chromosome band Xq13, as did two previously published cases, we suggest that band Xq13 may be more prone to structural rearrangement than other X chromosome bands in hematologic disorders. The common Xq13 chromosome breakpoint and clinical presentation (IASA) among these three patients and the occurrence of an X-linked type of sideroblastic anemia may suggest that an association exists between X chromosome abnormalities and IASA. Perhaps alteration of a gene or chromosome structure in or near band Xq13 predisposes to development of IASA. The fact that two of these patients had preleukemia and the third had overt acute leukemia may imply that patients with IASA and X chromosome abnormalities have a poor prognosis. Cases of IASA without associated X chromosome abnormalities are known; thus, if an association between IASA and an abnormal X chromosome does exist, most likely it involves only some patients with IASA.
Fluorescence-activated analysis and sorting of protoplasts and somatic hybrids

The first accounts of the application of flow cytometry and cell sorting to higher plant systems were published in 1982 (for reviews, see [3–5]). Since that time, a large variety of further reports have appeared covering such diverse subject areas as somatic hybridization, characterization of cell type, analysis of gene expression, cell cycle measurements, chromosome sorting, and secondary product accumulation. This diversity derives from a recognition of the unique analytical attributes of flow cytometry and cell sorting, which enable this technology to provide insights otherwise impossible using other techniques.
The right side of history, inc.: Social issues management, social license to operate, and the Obergefell v. Hodges decision

Abstract Rather than standing on the sidelines, corporations are increasingly engaging with publics and taking stands on contentious social issues. This study analyzes corporate public statements about same-sex marriage before and after the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell v. Hodges decision. Utilizing the framework of an organization’s social license to operate (SLO) and community engagement (CE), this research builds on the work of Coombs and Holladay in developing social issues management (SIM) theory and explicating the shift toward corporate engagement in public discourse on social change issues. The findings demonstrate that corporations utilize both episodic and relational SLO when managing contentious social issues, connecting these legitimacy-building actions with the processes of SIM.
Market Affect and the Rhetoric of Political Economic Debates: by Catherine Chaput, Columbia, University of South Carolina, 2019, 232 pp., $44.99 (hardcover)

How can scholars and critics account for the perpetual triumph of capitalism in the face of numerous critiques? From Marx to Adorno and beyond, leftist theorists, activists, and critics have called...
Youthfulness and Rousseau’s Anti-Pluralist Realism about Political Pluralism:

Rousseau’s attitude toward political pluralism is receiving renewed attention. Against the traditional portrayal of the utopian, anti-pluralist Rousseau, scholars today either explore how his theor...
Investigating Malware-in-the-Loop Autopilot Attack Using Falsification of Sensor Data

The proliferation of unmanned air systems (UAS) in recent years has provided advanced capabilities in many fields and industries. However, this widespread usage of UAS has also introduced many cyber threats. One of the primary threats faced by UAS is the threat of hijacking by cyber attack. This paper seeks to investigate and understand this threat by implementing and validating a cyber hijacking attack on a UAS using a software-in-the-loop simulation. The relevant control theory necessary to develop the attack is explained and demonstrated on a generic linear second-order system, and the attack is implemented in a Gazebo simulation and demonstrated on a quadcopter using the ArduCopter autopilot. This simulation permitted evaluation of the attack throughout several experiments. The experiments allowed for evaluation of the attack under multiple different flight conditions. Simulation results presented in the paper demonstrate that the attack poses a legitimate threat to UAS. The attacker demonstrates successful performance when the vehicle is attempting to hold position, but demonstrates only marginal control over the vehicle when it is attempting to fly to a desired position.
Bondholders vs. Retirees in Municipal Bankruptcies: The Political Economy of Chapter 9

Financially distressed U.S. municipalities may be eligible for federal bankruptcy protection under chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code. These municipal debtors tend to be burdened by the claims of two large classes of creditors: bondholders, on the one hand, and beneficiaries of underfunded retirement plans, on the other. In recent high-profile chapter 9 cases, U.S. Bankruptcy Courts have clarified the legal rights and entitlements of these two types of claimants, paving the way for insolvent cities to use bankruptcy to restructure both bond and pension obligations. Notwithstanding these judicial pronouncements, bankrupt cities have mostly declined to use chapter 9 to adjust their pension promises, instead advancing plans of adjustment that privilege pension claims over all others. This Article constructs detailed case studies to challenge the assumption that employee-centric principles of fairness and equity are driving case outcomes. Rather, the political economy of chapter 9 has enabled large and prominent pension administrators to exert more power and influence over restructurings. Meanwhile, it is not clear that these outcomes actually serve employees’ and retirees’ broader economic interests, as the prototypical municipal bankruptcy restructuring still exacts a heavy toll on past, present, and future city workers and taxpayers. Reforms are needed to both preserve the integrity of the municipal bankruptcy process and better safeguard the interests of employees and retirees.
Cerebral venous thrombosis in the puerperium; report of two cases with necropsy findings.

Abstract 1. 1. Two cases of primary cerebral venous thrombosis in the puerperium are reported. 2. 2. The clinical features and treatment of this condition are briefly reviewed.
A programmable gain amplifier buffer design for video applications

A programmable gain amplifier (PGA) for video decoder application is presented: 16 linear gain steps from 1.35 to 5.4, 2.5 Vpp output swing, better than -55 dB THD (1 MHz, 2.5 Vpp) for 10 pF loading and 3 V power supply. The programmability is implemented by switching on/off resistors through a low distortion switching scheme. In this scheme, as the switches are symmetrically positioned at amplifier virtual ground, not only low distortion but also gain independent offset are achieved.
Nitrogen on the Moon: What Does it Tell Us?

The lunar regolith contains gases that have been implanted in its grains by the solar wind. These gases include nitrogen, and measurements of 15N/14N in lunar soils have revealed puzzling temporal variations. These variations have frustrated attempts to determine the value of 15N/14N in proto-solar nitrogen. A new measurement of this important isotope ratio on Jupiter allows us to clarify the lunar problems and to establish relationships among nitrogen reservoirs in the solar system and the galaxy.
Towards ubiquitous mobile-computing-based artificial leg control

This paper presents a rapid prototype approach for the development of a real-time capable neural-machine-interface (NMI) for control of artificial legs based on mobile processor technology (Intel Atom™ Z530 Processor.) By effectively exploiting the architectural features of a mobile embedded CPU, we implemented a decision-making algorithm, based on neuromuscular-mechanical fusion and gait phase-dependent support vector machines (SVM) classification to meet the demanding performance constraints. To demonstrate the feasibility of a real-time mobile computing based NMI, real-time experiments were performed on an able bodied subject with window increments of 50ms. The experiments showed that the mobile computing based NMI provided fast and accurate classifications of four major human locomotion tasks (level-ground walking, stair ascent, stair descent, and standing) and a 46X speedup over an equivalent MATLAB implementation. The testing yielded accuracies of 96.31% with low power consumption. An offline analysis showed the accuracy could be increased to 98.87% with minor modifications to the application.
Moisture absorption studies of fluorocarbon films deposited from pentafluoroethane and octafluorocyclobutane plasmas

The moisture absorption and diffusion characteristics of fluorocarbon films deposited from pentafluoroethane (PFE) and octafluorocyclobutane C4F8 plasmas are presented. The moisture absorption studies were carried out using a quartz crystal microbalance in a controlled environment. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared (IR) spectroscopy were used to monitor the changes in bulk and surface chemical structure and composition of the deposited films. The equilibrium moisture uptake at relative humidity >90% was lower than 0.13 wt.% for films deposited from PFE or C4F8 monomers. Humidity cycling measurements showed no moisture chemisorption in the deposited films. Attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) spectra of the deposited films indicated negligible change in the bulk composition of the deposited films. The estimated diffusivities of water in the deposited fluorocarbon films were of the order of 10-10 cm2/sec, and films deposited from C4F8 monomer showed higher diffusivity as compared to films deposited from PFE monomer. The equilibrium moisture uptake is affected by the presence of polar groups, the F/C ratio, and the O/C ratio. The relatively high diffusivity of water in the fluorocarbon films is attributed to the lack of polar groups in the deposited films. Adsorption onto the surface followed by diffusion into the bulk is proposed as the mechanism for moisture absorption in the fluorocarbon films. Finally, the moisture uptake of the fluorocarbon and hydrofluorocarbon films is compared to that of a conventionally used microelectronic polymer, polyimide (PI 2611), in order to evaluate the effect of polar groups and fluorine content on diffusion and equilibrium moisture uptake.
Cognitive function in older women with breast cancer treated with standard chemotherapy and capecitabine on Cancer and Leukemia Group B 49907

Cognitive changes in older women receiving chemotherapy are poorly understood. We examined self-reported cognitive function for older women who received adjuvant chemotherapy on Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) 49907. CALGB 49907 randomized 633 women aged ≥65 with stage I-III breast cancer to standard adjuvant chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide-methotrexate-5-fluorouracil or doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide) versus capecitabine. We examined self-reported cognitive function in 297 women (CALGB 361002) who enrolled on the quality of life substudy and had no gross impairment on cognitive screening. Women were evaluated using an 18-item instrument at six time points (baseline through 24 months). At each time point for each patient, we calculated a cognitive function score (CFS) defined as the mean response of items 1-18 and defined impairment as a score >1.5 standard deviations above the overall average baseline score. Differences in scores by patient characteristics were evaluated using a Kruskal-Wallis test. A linear mixed-effects model was used to assess CFSs by treatment over time. Among 297 women, the median age was 71.5 (range 65-85) and 73 % had performance status of 0. Baseline depression and fatigue were reported in 6 and 14 % of patients, respectively. The average CFS at baseline was 2.08 (corresponding to "normal ability"), and baseline cognitive function did not differ by treatment regimen (p = 0.350). Over 24 months, women reported minimal changes at each time point and insignificant differences by treatment arm were observed. In a healthy group of older women, chemotherapy was not associated with longitudinal changes in self-reported cognitive function.
Pulmonary response to impaired lung clearance in rats following excessive TiO2 dust deposition

Rats were exposed to TiO2 by the inhalation route at concentrations of 0, 10, 50, or 250 mg/m3 for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 2 years. Lung weights of rats at 10 mg/m3 were within normal limits after 2 years exposure. Lung weights increased significantly after 6 months at 50 mg/m3 and after 3 months at 250 mg/m3. After 2 years exposure, TiO2 retention in dried lung was 3.1% (26.5 mg per lung) at 10 mg/m3, 16.9% (124 mg per lung) at 50 mg/m3, and 28% (665 mg per lung) at 250 mg/m3. Lung clearance mechanisms appeared to be overloaded at 250 mg/m3. Dust particles were retained in the lung in a dose-related fashion, but there was no significant difference in lung clearance rate between 10 and 50 mg/m3. Lung response at 10 mg/m3 satisfied the biological criteria for a "nuisance dust," while adverse effects resulting from gradually accumulated particles (8.1%, 67.7 mg per lung) were found after 1 year of exposure to 50 mg/m3. An early pulmonary response indicating an overloaded lung clearance mechanism was manifested by massive accumulation of dust-laden macrophages (dust cells), foamy dust cells, free particles, or cellular debris derived from disintegrated foamy dust cells in the alveoli adjacent to the alveolar ducts. Alveolar proteinosis also appeared to be an important marker of an overloaded lung clearance mechanism and was observed at 50 and 250 mg/m3 after 1 year of exposure. Cholesterol granulomas were developed with degenerative foamy dust cells at 50 and 250 mg/m3 after 1 year of exposure. After 2 years exposure at 250 mg/m3, bronchioalveolar adenomas occurred in the alveoli showing type II pneumocyte hyperplasia, while cystic keratinizing squamous carcinomas were developed from squamous metaplasia of alveoli showing bronchiolarization in the alveolar duct region. Since the lung tumors were a unique type of experimentally induced tumors under exaggerated exposure conditions and have not usually been seen in man or animals, their relevance to man is questionable.
Predicting Rice Yield Losses Caused by Multispecies Weed Competition

Monoculture of irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.) in Latin America has led to serious weed problems and intensive herbicide use. Yield loss prediction enables the economic analysis of weed control, providing a basis for strategic use of herbicides and diversified weed management, but site differences restrict predictions to the environments for which the models are calibrated. We developed an algorithm for predicting rice yield losses based on early assessments of multispecies weed infestations emerging in successive flushes within variable crop stands. Rice was drill-seeded near Palmira, Colombia, at 75, 150. 200, 250, and 300 kg ha 1 , and grown under nonflood intermittent irrigation for two growing seasons. Five common weeds were allowed to emerge at 15, 24, and 30 days after rice emergence (DAE), when farmers usually decide about early, intermediate, and late herbicide applications. Yield losses were predicted using hyperbolic models with independent variables deseribing the mixed-weed infestations in terms of density (no, of plants m -2 ), leaf area index, dry matter m -2 , relative density [weed/(weed + rice)], relative leaf area (RLA), and a visual estimate of relative ground cover (RC,). With early weed emergence (15 DAE), weed density accounted poorly (r 2 = 0.77) for yield loss. Regression fits improved when RLA (r 2 = 0.86) and RC, (r 2 = 0.90) were used as independent variables to describe weed infestations in terms of the light apportionment between rice and weed canopies. Measured in terms of RC, late-emerging (24 and 30 DAE) weeds had lower effects on yield loss variability (r 2 = 0.69 and 0.59, respectively). Although subjective, RC, is easier to estimate than RLA, and was the best single variable to describe the competitiveness of a mixed-weed infestation. An additional variable was needed only when yield losses were predicted from weed density. Predictions based on RLA were further improved (by 36%) when each species' RI was measured separately and the model was extended for additive effects of all species. Yield loss predictions using empirical equations cannot be extrapolated widely across different locations; however, these data suggest that meaningful independent variables can strengthen the usefulness of hyperbolic equations for predicting rice yield losses over a range of situations, such as mixtures of weed species at various densities and times of emergence, and different rice seeding rates.
Tritium: Distribution in Busycon canaliculatum (L.) Injected with Labeled Reserpine

Tritiated reserpine was injected into the body cavities of specimens of Busycon canaliculatum (Mollusca, Gastropoda). Only the ganglia, liver, and kidney were radioactive throughout the 14-day experiment. Radioactivity of the kidney and liver increased after the first measurement; that of the ganglia declined during the first day but later remained constant.
Ultracapacitor shift topologies with high energy utilization and low voltage ripple

Ultracapacitors have numerous advantages including remarkably high energy density as compared with conventional capacitors, long life cycle, temperature stability, and require no maintenance, which make them a good candidate to replace batteries as energy storage devices in renewable energy applications. However, ultracapacitors, just like conventional capacitors, inevitably suffer from constant voltage drop during discharging, which may limit their energy utilization, increase the voltage ripple of the DC bus across which the capacitors are connected and consequently increase the VA stresses of the subsequent converter stage. To alleviate the above limitations, parallel-series ultracapacitor shift circuits are employed to improve the energy utilization and minimize the DC bus voltage ripple. Two generalized parallel-series ultracapacitor shift topologies are presented and analyzed, and some design considerations and optimization methods are discussed.
Experimental equations of state for calcium, strontium, and barium metals to 20 kbar from 4 to 295 K

Piston-displacement measurements have been used to determine the equations of state of high-purity calcium and strontium (both fcc) and barium (bcc) metals to 20 kbar from 4 to 295 K. For each metal, the results have roughly 1% accuracy for the P=0 bulk modulus at 295 K and for the total volume change with pressure. The results also give the change with temperature of both the P=0 volume and the isothermal bulk modulus for these metals. While the bulk moduli for calcium and strontium are dependent only on the volume, those for barium show a significant temperature dependence with decreasing volume. Specifically, the bulk modulus for barium at 10 kbar is roughly 3% smaller at 295 K than would be predicted from the 0-K value at the same volume. Differences between the pressure-volume relations for bare samples and for those which were jacketed with indium metal are not understood.
Poly(vinyl fluoride) solution characteristics

Nine unfractionated poly(vinyl fluoride) samples were characterized for molecular weight and polydispersity by means of sedimentation velocity, osmometry, and viscosity measurements. Molecular weights were in the range of 143,000–654,000 and Mw/Mn = 2.5–5.6. The Mark-Houwink (M-H) relation was established as [η] = 6.52 × 10−5M0.80. The M-H exponent is at the Flory-Fox upper limit (0.80), as is characteristic of extended, polar polymers, in good solvents. The unperturbed chain dimensions, characteristic ratio and steric factor were derived by the methods of Stockmayer and Fixman and Kurata and Stockmayer. The steric factor is 1.7, which agrees with data reported for other poly(vinyl halides).
Interagency collaboration: An administrative and operational assessment of the Metro‐LEC approach

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine an interagency collaboration (The Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council – Metro‐LEC), consisting of 42 law enforcement agencies that provide mutual aid and assistance to member agencies in times of need. Design/methodology/approach – In total, four sources of data (personnel interviews, written survey, organizational documents and participant observation) were used as part of a case study method, to assess the administrative and operational functioning of the Metro‐LEC. Findings – In sum, the findings conclude that the organization is meeting the needs of the member agencies, with few unmanageable impediments. Research limitations/implications – Since the current study relies on a case study from a single collaborative agency, the findings come with caution, in terms of generalizability. Originality/value – This psprt contributes to the literature on police interagency collaboration and is the first known study on a Law Enforcement Council (LEC).
A Comparison of Substance Abuse Severity among Homeless and Non-Homeless Adults

The purpose of this study was to determine whether mental health status and being homeless were significant predicators of substance abuse severity among adults and to determine whether mental health status was a significant predictor of substance abuse severity among adults over and above homeless status. Data were collected from 60 individuals from the Baltimore metropolitan area. Thirty individuals were homeless and attended a breakfast program; 30 individuals were residents of a community in close proximity to the program. Modes of measurement consisted of the Addiction Severity Index Self Report Form and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Data for this study were coded numerically and analyzed using multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that housing status was a significant predictor of alcohol abuse and that mental health status was not a significant predicator of substance abuse severity over and above homeless status.
Ocean disposal of nuclear wastes

The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Christopher Yuen, Craig S. Harrison and Sherry P. Broder, all attorneys in Hawaii. Funding for this work was received from the Environment and Policy Institute and the Pacific Islands Development Program of the East-West Center; the University of Hawaii Sea Grant College Program (Project No PP/R-5) under the InstGutional Grant No NA81/D the UH Japan Studies Endowment, funded by a grant from the Japanese government; and the Richardson School of Law, University of Hawaii at Manoa.
The respective roles of earth tremors and convection currents in the development of layering in intrusive rocks

Abstract The development of mineralogical and textural layering in basic intrusives is believed to be due to the intermittent occurrence of earth tremors during the solidification of the magma. Qualitatively at least, the effect would be comparable to that of shocks being administered to a repeatedly supercooled liquid in the laboratory. It should therefore, in principle at least, be possible to interpret the seismic history of the region during the crystallization of the intrusive from a critical and detailed analysis of the pattern of layering developed. Convection currents, on the other hand, could not possibly play a role in the development of layering, because the dimensions and distribution of convection cells are rigorously controlled by the depth of the liquid which decreases continuously as crystallization progresses.
Inferring deep-brain activity from cortical activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is an increasingly popular technology for studying brain function because it is non-invasive, non-irradiating and relatively inexpensive. Further, fNIRS potentially allows measurement of hemodynamic activity with high temporal resolution (milliseconds) and in naturalistic settings. However, in comparison with other imaging modalities, namely fMRI, fNIRS has a significant drawback: limited sensitivity to hemodynamic changes in deep-brain regions. To overcome this limitation, we developed a computational method to infer deep-brain activity using fNIRS measurements of cortical activity. Using simultaneous fNIRS and fMRI, we measured brain activity in 17 participants as they completed three cognitive tasks. A support vector regression (SVR) learning algorithm was used to predict activity in twelve deep-brain regions using information from surface fNIRS measurements. We compared these predictions against actual fMRI-measured activity using Pearson’s correlation to quantify prediction performance. To provide a benchmark for comparison, we also used fMRI measurements of cortical activity to infer deep-brain activity. When using fMRI-measured activity from the entire cortex, we were able to predict deep-brain activity in the fusiform cortex with an average correlation coefficient of 0.80 and in all deep-brain regions with an average correlation coefficient of 0.67. The top 15% of predictions using fNIRS signal achieved an accuracy of 0.7. To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the feasibility of using cortical activity to infer deep-brain activity. This new method has the potential to extend fNIRS applications in cognitive and clinical neuroscience research.
Absorption of Zinc from Small and Large Intestine of Calves

Calves fed a high-zinc diet were used to study zinc absorption from various sections of the small intestine. Absorption was determined by measuring zinc-65 in various tissues and plotting the tissue concentrations against dosing site, expressed as percentage of intestinal length. Zinc absorption, per unit of intestinal length, was similar throughout the small intestine and was as great in the distal as in the proximal end. Apparently, early researchers using isolated loops and everted sac techniques failed to recognize rate of digesta passage and tissue homeostasis as major factors associated with zinc uptake when they concluded that the duodenum was the primary site of zinc absorption. The data show that the duodenum is not the major site of zinc absorption in calves regardless of dietary zinc. In a separate experiment, zinc-65 was injected directly into the large intestine of calves fed a low zinc diet. Only about 2% of total zinc absorption was from the large intestine.
Alternative Schools as a Model for Public Education.

Alternative education differs considerably from most other reform proposals, including open education and progressive education. While the latter seem to have originated from theories, or on drawing boards, alternative education originated and is evolving largely in practice. This considerable difference gives rise in turn to a number of others, and it generates both advantages and disadvantages for alternative schools. Educational scholars often share a particular conception of how educational orientations originate. It is a linear view not unlike the research-
Outcome of acute cholecystitis in patients with diabetes mellitus

Prophylactic cholecystectomy has been recommended in patients who have diabetes and silent gallstones because of the reports of increased mortality resulting from acute cholecystitis in such patients. To assess recent mortality rates, we reviewed the course of acute cholecystitis in patients hospitalized between 1960 and 1981 at one hospital. Death occurred in 3 of 46 patients with diabetes and in 7 of 263 patients without the disease (p = 0.55). The age-adjusted estimate of the relative risk for death was 2.2 (95% confidence interval, 0.5 to 9.4) for diabetic compared with nondiabetic patients. All 3 diabetic patients who died had been diagnosed as having diabetes within 5 years of death, and only one had been taking insulin. Patients who had elevated blood urea nitrogen levels (greater than 20 mg/dL) were found to have an increased mortality rate when compared with patients with normal levels (27% compared with 2%; p less than 0.001). Results were similar for the outcome of serious complications. These results suggest the need for reconsideration of the recommendation for prophylactic cholecystectomy in diabetic patients with silent gallstones.
Fiber-optic force and displacement sensor based on speckle detection with 0.1 nN and 0.1 Å resolution

Abstract A new mode of operation for a high-multimode optical-fiber sensor based on the detection of modal interference is described. The main mechanism on which the sensor is based is coupling between different modes due to curvature induced upon bending the fiber. In contrast to previous work, the variation of the length and the average longitudinal strain of the fiber under such curvatures may be neglected in this work. A sensor of this kind has been implemented and shows a resolution of 10 −11 m in displacement and 10 −10 N in force. Such a high resolution in this type of sensor has not been reported previously. The ‘spring’ constant of the sensor is relatively small (5.6 N/m) compared to that of similar sensors. A theoretical analysis of the transduction mechanism is given and some guidelines to understanding its performance are discussed. The potential for this sensor to perform as the sensing element of an atomic force microscope is discussed.
From the endometrium physiology to a comprehensive strategy for the discovery of ovarian cancer biomarkers

The development of comprehensive strategies for biomarker discovery of gynecological cancers is needed. The unique physiology of the female genital track revolves around ovulatory cycles ending by the proteolysis of the endometrium triggered by progesterone decline during the last part of the luteal phase. Building on the known link between incessant ovulation and ovarian cancer, we hypothesize that life-long menstruations could damage neighboring organs such as fallopian tubes, ovaries and peritoneum via endometrial secretions, and thus endometrium neighboring structures may have developed highly efficient protective strategies that could, in turn, be hijacked by cancer cells for survival and invasion. After literature review, we could classify the molecules involved in ovulation and menstruation pathways in three main categories: proteases, proteases inhibitors and cell-surface protectors. Strikingly, all validated biomarkers for ovarian cancers belong to at least one of these categories. We thus propose the development of comprehensive methods for identification of early diagnostic markers for gynecological cancers using systematical mapping and characterization of surface or soluble molecules belonging to physiological pathways linked to menstruation and differently expressed during luteal cycles.
Determining the clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci isolated from blood cultures.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Coagulase-negative staphylococci are both an important cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections and the most common contaminants of blood cultures. Judging the clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci is vital but often difficult and can have a profound impact on an institution’s bloodstream infection rates. Our objective was to develop an algorithm to assist in determining the clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci. DESIGN: A single experienced reviewer examined the medical records of 960 consecutive patients with positive blood cultures in a tertiar y-care referral teaching hospital. Four hundred five of the cultures contained coagulase-negative staphylococci. A determination of clinical significance was made and the performances of various published algorithms that contained readily available clinical and laborator y data were compared. RESULTS: Eighty-nine (22%) of the episodes were considered significant, whereas 316 were contaminants. Patients with bacteremia were significantly more likely to be neutropenic and exhibit signs of sepsis syndrome. The algorithm with the best combined sensitivity (62%) and specificity (91%) for determining the clinical significance of coagulase-negative staphylococci was defined as at least two blood cultures positive for coagulasenegative staphylococci within 5 days, or one positive blood culture plus clinical evidence of infection, which includes abnormal white blood cell count and temperature or blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Use of this algorithm could potentially reduce misclassification of nosocomial bloodstream infections and inappropriate use of vancomycin for positive blood cultures likely to represent contamination (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005;26:559-566).
Peptide E and other proenkephalin-derived peptides are potent kappa opiate receptor agonists

Various proenkephalin-derived peptides such as peptide E and the bovine adrenal medulla peptides BAM-12P and BAM-22P are potent competitors on mu and kappa binding sites in guinea pig brain sections. Moreover, they are all potent agonists in the rabbit vas deferens, a specific kappa opiate receptor bioassay. As described before, dynorphin and some of its fragments are also potent kappa agonists. Our results suggest that not only prodynorphin-derived peptides could act as endogenous kappa ligands but also some proenkephalin-derived peptides such as peptide E.