cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infrared radiance and solar glint at the ocean-sky horizon.

An analytic model is developed for the mean and clutter infrared radiance emitted from the ocean surface near the horizon and in the presence of solar glint. The model is based on the identification of a characteristic facet dimension over which the ocean surface is essentially flat. Fluctuations in the facet orientation generated by the water wave motion are modeled by a parameterized wave height power spectral density that provides the two orthogonal wave slope variances. The mean and root-mean-square facet radiances are calculated with Gaussian probability-density functions for the wave slopes. One can determine the number of facets within the field of view of a single detector by estimating the exposed ocean area and dividing by the facet area. This estimation takes into account shadowing effects of the swell wave, the swell wavelength, and the transverse detector field of view. The number of exposed facets together with the central-limit theorem permits computation of the radiance clutter as a function of look-down angle below the horizon. Vertical radiance profiles, parameterized by the azimuthal offset from the solar position, are calculated over a sensor look-down angle range of ±50 mrad about the horizon. The results of this analysis are compared with infrared radiance measurements of the ocean surface near the horizon and in the presence of solar glint. Agreement between the measured and calculated values of the mean and clutter radiances is good.
Effects of Maternal Infections on Fetal Adrenal Steroid Production

We sought to determine the effect of maternal infections on the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Umbilical cord blood was collected at vaginal delivery after labor (24-44 wk. gestation) from 361 infants of women having normal pregnancy ( apart from preterm delivery in some) and 110 infants of women diagnosed with infections: 86% of these women had amnionitis. Infants exposed to antenatal corticosteroids, being growth retarded, or having developmental abnormalities that would be expected to alter function of the hypothalamic-pituitary unit were excluded. Umbilical cord serum was assayed for dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DS) and for cortisol. The data were analyzed by use of SAS. The gestational age of the infants of normal women (35.8+/-0.2 wk., Mean +/- SE) was greater than that of the infants of women having infections (34.3+/-0.4 wk., P = 0.003). Umbilical cord serum levels of DS and cortisol rose as a function of gestational age in both groups of infants (P<0.01). Despite being, on average, 1 wk. younger than the normal infants are, the infants of women having infections during pregnancy had higher serum levels of cortisol and DS than did those infants of the normal women. These data are consistent with activation of the fetal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in pregnancies complicated by maternal infections. Such a fetal response could be the consequence of transplacental passage of products of the activated maternal immune system.
Complication of the Jackson esophageal bougie.

Jackson silk-woven bougies are effective and generally safe for dilation of esophageal strictures. However, when using older dilators, they should be carefully checked for cracks and weakness at the junction with the metal shaft and bougie as a moderate amount of bending in this area may cause separation which could lead to the complications described in this report.
Energy release rate and phase angle of delamination in sandwich beams and symmetric adhesively bonded joints

Delamination in sandwich structures along the interface between the face sheet and the core, or along the adherend/adhesive interface in adhesively bonded joints, is one of the most common failure modes of this type of tri-layer structure. This delamination is usually modeled as an interface crack problem, for which the energy release rate and phase angle can be calculated using interface fracture mechanics solutions. Existing interface fracture mechanics solutions, however, ignore the effect of transverse shear deformation, which can be significant for short crack. In an effort to overcome this shortcoming, this study presents new analytical solutions for the energy release rate and for the phase angle of the interface crack in sandwich structures or adhesively bonded joints. Since the new solutions incorporate relative rotation at the tip of the delamination, transverse shear effects are taken into account in this study. Typical delaminated sandwich and adhesively bonded joint specimens are analyzed by using the new solutions, as well as by the existing solutions. The energy release rate predicted by the present model agrees very well with that predicted by FEA, and furthermore it is considerably more accurate relative to existing models. As the existing model neglects the transverse shear force, it underestimates the total energy release rate. A stress field analysis is also conducted in this study in order to clarify some misunderstandings in the literature on the determination of the phase angle of adhesively bonded joints using an interface stress-based method.
Feeding Experiments with Leghorns

Abstract Feeding experiments, particularly for the Middle West colleges, have taken a general trend toward the farmer's problem directly rather than toward deep scientific investigation. At the Purdue Experiment Station we have been working for nine years endeavoring to find out about various kinds of animal protein, the proportions that should be used and their influences upon the hens. Bulletins have been published on our earlier experiments with Leghorns and duplicate experiments with Plymouth Rocks. The farmers of Indiana have, for their hogs and cattle, an abundance of tankage and cotton seed meal and when meat scraps or skim milk are recommended they are desirous of knowing what can be done with tankage or cottonseed meal. Since our plan is to work for the farmers local needs, an experiment was run during 1917–18 comparing tankage with meat scraps, and also using a pen lacking in meat scraps. The grain ration …
Fever in honeybee colonies

Honeybees, Apis spp., maintain elevated temperatures inside their nests to accelerate brood development and to facilitate defense against predators. We present an additional defensive function of elevating nest temperature: honeybees generate a brood-comb fever in response to colonial infection by the heat-sensitive pathogen Ascosphaera apis. This response occurs before larvae are killed, suggesting that either honeybee workers detect the infection before symptoms are visible, or that larvae communicate the ingestion of the pathogen. This response is a striking example of convergent evolution between this "superorganism" and other fever-producing animals.
Frozen section underestimates the need for surgical staging in endometrial cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE To compare the risk status for lymph nodal metastasis at frozen section in endometrial cancer by applying a model based on tumor grade and myometrial involvement. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective analysis was performed on 174 early-stage endometrial cancer patients on whom an intraoperative frozen section was requested. Patients were retrospectively divided into low, intermediate, and high risk for lymph nodal involvement based on tumor grade and myometrial invasion based on Gynecologic Oncology Group 33 data. Concordance of risk status at frozen and permanent sections was performed. RESULTS Risk status at frozen and permanent sections were highly correlated (P < 0.01). Agreement between frozen and permanent sections was substantial (kappa = 0.625). In 16% of the cases, frozen section underestimated the risk when compared with permanent section. CONCLUSION Relying on intraoperative frozen section of the uterus to assess risk status for lymph nodal involvement in early-stage endometrial cancer patients leads to suboptimal management in a substantial number of cases.
Central bank policy making in competing payment systems

This paper analyzes the interaction between two payment systems. Administrators of both systems establish intraday credit interest fees, caps, and collateral requirements. Analysis of the model indicates that if a central bank does not take into account the effects that its policies have on its share of payment system transactions, then its efforts to contain risks associated with daylight overdrafts on its wire system will require a loss in its share of total transactions volume. If it does recognize the potential loss in its share of payments, then socially optimal policy instrument settings are unlikely to emerge.
Pathological skin picking in individuals with body dysmorphic disorder

Objective The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence and clinical correlates of pathological skin picking (PSP) in a large sample of individuals with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).
Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry with a Pulsed Glow Discharge Ionization Source.

The pulsed glow discharge (GD) plasma source exhibits several characteristics that make it ideally suited for use with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS). TOFMS uniquely affords the ability to monitor a narrow temporal window for a time-varying process such as ion formation in the pulsed glow discharge plasma. Pulsed GD-TOFMS exhibited distinct advantages for the direct determination of trace elements in solid state samples. Initially, the pulse-powered GD-TOFMS system used for these investigations exhibited poor resolution. In an effort to improve resolution, a slit was introduced to narrow the ion beam orthogonally entering the extraction region of the TOFMS. In an effort to determine optimal operating conditions, the influence of slit width on TOF performance was investigated. In the course of this study, the slit width was found to influence isotope ratio accuracy as well as resolution. A slit width of 1.0 mm was determined to provide the best compromise between resolution and isotope ratio accu...
The First Antinomy and Spinoza

Scholars commonly assume that Kant never seriously engaged with Spinoza or Spinozism. However, in his later writings Kant argues several times that Spinozism is the most consistent form of transcendental realism. In the first part of the paper, I argue that the first Antinomy, debating the age and size of the world, already reflects Kant's confrontation with Spinozist metaphysics. Specifically, the position articulated in the Antithesis – according to which the world is infinite and uncreated – is Spinozist, not Leibnizian, as commonly assumed. In the second part of the paper, I raise the chief Spinozist challenge to the Antinomy, arising from Spinoza's reliance on a cosmological `totum analyticum' – an infinite whole which is prior to its parts. In conclusion, I begin to elaborate a defence of the Kantian position, confronting Spinoza's infinite whole with Kant's account of the absolutely infinite in his discussion of the sublime.
The May 1 Marchers in Los Angeles Overcoming Conflicting Frames, Bilingual Women Connectors, English-Language Radio, and Newly Politicized Spanish Speakers

Author(s): Dionne, KY; DeWitt, D; Stone, M; Chwe, MSY | Abstract: In this article, we study protest participants in the May 2006 immigration rights marches in Los Angeles. Analysis of original survey data of 876 march participants yields five main results. First, despite substantial dispute among organizers on how to frame the marches, we find protest participants were similar across march locations organized by different coalitions. Second, we find Spanish-English bilingual participants seemed to benefit from being in two media environments, as they reported more information sources about the protest events than monolingual participants. Third, women reported hearing about the protest events from more information sources, and Spanish-English bilingual women reported hearing from more information sources than any other group, suggesting they acted as social connectors behind the massive participation. Fourth, we confirm the importance of Spanish-language radio as an information source, but our data also point to the significance of television and English-language radio. Finally, analyzing data of first-time protesters, we estimate the immigrant rights marches newly politicized 125,000 people in Los Angeles who spoke Spanish and not English.
UNCERTAINTY PROPAGATION IN FRONT END FACTOR ANALYSIS FOR NOISE ROBUST SPEAKER RECOGNITION

In this study, we explore the propagation of uncertainty in the state-of-the-art speaker recognition system. Specifically, we incorporate the uncertainty associated with observation features into the i-Vector extraction framework. To prove the concept, both the oracle and practically estimated uncertainty are used for evaluation. The oracle uncertainty is calculated assuming the knowledge of clean speech features, while the estimated uncertainties are obtained using SPLICE and joint-GMM based methods. We evaluate the proposed framework on both YOHO and NIST 2010 Speaker Recognition Evaluation (SRE) corpora by artificially introducing noise at different SNRs. In the speaker verification experiments, we confirmed that the proposed uncertainty based i-Vector extraction framework shows significant robustness against noise.
Relationship of Compressibility Parameters to Municipal Solid Waste Decomposition

Recently, there has been substantial interest in the enhancement of refuse decomposition in landfills, which results in increased settlement. In this paper, changes in waste compressibility as a function of the state of decomposition are reported. Samples representative of residential refuse were decomposed under conditions designed to simulate decomposition in both control and bioreactor landfills. Twenty four one-dimensional oedometer tests (63.5 mm cell) were performed on refuse prepared in laboratory-scale reactors for measurement of primary (Cc) and secondary (Ci, representing creep, and Ci, representing biological) compression indices. The state of decomposition was quantified by the methane yield and the cellulose (C) plus hemicellulose (H) to lignin (L) ratio. The magnitude of compressibility was shown to increase as refuse decomposed and compressibility parameters were correlated with the state of decomposition. Initial settlement increased with decreasing (C + H)/L ratio while the creep index was fairly independent of the state of decomposition. The coefficients of primary compression (Cc) for bioreactor samples showed an increasing trend with decreasing (C + H)/L ratios. Cc increased from 0.16 to 0.36 as (C + H)/L decreased from 1.29 to 0.25, and similar values of Cc were obtained with control samples at similar (C + H)/L ratios. The creep index range was estimated at 0.020.03 for control and bioreactor samples in various states of decomposition. The magnitude of the biological degradation index (Ci) depended on the degradation phase with the highest value of 0.19 obtained during the phase of accelerated methane production. Proposing a single Cc for landfill settlement calculations may lead to inaccurate predictions. Properties of each waste sublayer will change as a function of the decomposition stage, and dominating processes with appropriate compressibility parameters should be applied to individual sublayers.
Effects of rosemary extracts and major constituents on lipid oxidation and soybean lipoxygenase activity

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis L.) leaves were extracted with three different solvents, namely hexane, acetone and methanol. A reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography system in combination with a mass detector was used to quantitate the content of carnosol, carnosic acid and ursolic acid in the rosemary extracts. All rosemary extracts showed strong inhibitory effects on lipid oxidation and soybean lipoxygenase activity.
Postprandial lipoprotein (a) response to a single meal containing either saturated or ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in subjects with hypoalphalipoproteinemia

We have recently reported that the apolipoprotein (apo) B-100-apo(a) complex, the protein moiety of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], has a high affinity for triglyceride(TG)-rich particles (TRP) and that this complex can affiliate with endogenous TG-rich lipoproteins. To shed more light on the apo B-100-apo(a) complex associated with plasma TRP during postprandial lipidemia, we fed five male subjects presenting with primary hypoalphalipoproteinemia (HP) and four male controls a single fat meal (60 g/m2) containing saturated fatty acids (SFA) and, 6 weeks later, an isocaloric meal containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The subjects were phenotyped for plasma Lp(a) and apo C-III levels, apo(a) and apo E isoforms, and lipoprotein lipase and hepatic lipase activities. Vitamin A was included in the meal as a marker of intestinally derived TRP. Following the SFA meal, three of the HP subjects showed a decrease in plasma levels of Lp(a) that lasted 10 to 12 hours in the presence of an increased hypertriglyceridemic response. Two HP subjects who had low preprandial lipoprotein lipase activity and elevated plasma apo C-III levels showed an increase in plasma Lp(a) levels along with the hypertriglyceridemic excursion. However, in all cases, inclusive of the controls, there was an elevation in plasma levels of TRP of Sf greater than 1,000 that contained apo B-100-apo(a) 6 to 8 hours after the meal. This TRP excursion appeared not to be related to the basal levels of plasma Lp(a), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, TGs, or apo(a) and apo E isoforms, and it did not coincide with the retinyl ester peak.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An optoelectronic system for making quasi-simultaneous recordings of muscle transparency at orthogonal laser beam polarisations

An optoelectronic system is described for making quasi-simultaneous recordings of muscle transparency at orthogonal beam polarisations. A Pockels cell is used to oscillate the E-vector of a laser beam ( lambda =632.8, 514.5, 488 and 457.9 nm) through pi /2 radians (at 7.4 kHz), between 0 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the muscle long axis. The intensity of light transmitted by the muscle is detected using a photomultiplier tube. The photomultiplier output is fed to a sample-hold device which generates two analogue signals, each of which records the transmitted intensity at one of the two incident E-vector orientations. The data are captured using a dual-channel transient recorder and are stored on floppy discs. The ability of the system to make time-resolved (millisecond scale) measurements of muscle conservative dichroism is illustrated with recordings made during 'ramp' stretches applied to fully activated frog muscles.
Simulation of lattice-strain-driven bcc→fcc phase transitions in Pd thin films

Etude par simulations de Monte-Carlo. On observe une competition entre le relief de la contrainte interfaciale favorisant une croissance pseudomorphe, et le relief d'une contrainte intra-couche dans la couche superieure de Pd, ce qui favorise une structure incommensurable. Pd croit de facon pseudomorphique jusqu'a une monocouche equivalente. Une transformation commensurable cubique centre a incommensurable cubique a face centree est predite dans la 1ere couche monomoleculaire pour des epaisseurs entre 1 et 1,25 couche monomoleculaire
The Conformations of -cyclododecene. Evidence from dynamic NMR spectroscopy and iterative force-field calculations

Abstract cis -Cyclododecene shows conformations barriers of 7 and 9.6 kcal/mol and exists as a mixture of two unsymmetrical conformations, labelled [1 ene 2333] and [1 ene 2342].
Home Environments and Family Lifestyles in California

The first section of this article describes the quality of the home environment of some 200 families and identifies 4 dimensions useful in characterizing home environments. The second section relat...
The Case for Labour Subsidies in the Greek Economy: A Synthesis

The synchronous failure of conventional policies to achieve “acceptable” levels of employment, growth and price stability has provoked scepticism and led researchers to build up a pantheon of countercyclical credit motives. In this article we focus on Greek employment level, a method to promote employment and an empirical investigation. More specifically, using Greek time‐series data we shall concentrate on employment subsidies whose aim is to endorse labour‐intensive technology in Greek production process
Preparing the patient for a barium enema: a comparison of nurse and patient opinions

The purpose of this research was to explore possible differences in nurse versus patient opinions about patient education information appropriate for the barium enema procedure. Twenty-eight nurses and 30 patients participated in the study. Findings showed that nurses believed a patient should have more information than the patients believed a patient needs, and that patients wanted only minimal detailed information about events that will happen during the procedure. Rather, patients were interested in knowing the benefits and purpose of the procedure while nurses believed that this information should be provided by the physician and not the nurse. Finally, nurses were dissatisfied, in general, about their patient education information that they have given to patients in the past for a barium enema procedure.
Analysis of respiratory complications after minimally invasive esophagectomy: Preliminary observation of persistent aspiration risk

Minimally invasive (MI) esophageal resection (ER) has the theoretical advantage of reduced postoperative complications compared with standard ER. However, the impact of MIER on rates and severity of pulmonary complications is unclear. Four patients underwent laparoscopic gastroesophageal mobilization and resection followed by gastric pull-up and cervical esophageal anastomosis (MIER). Videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSS) assessed pharyngolaryngeal function postoperatively. All postoperative complications were documented. Each MIER was completed successfully without intraoperative complications. Mean operative time was 4.3 ± 2 h. Postoperatively, VFSS detected laryngeal penetration, vocal cord paralysis, and/or aspiration in three patients, two of whom experienced severe respiratory complications. MIER patients are susceptible to aspiration, likely due to transient denervation of the pharynx and laryngeal structures. Following MIER, aggressive pulmonary toilet and aspiration precautions are emphasized to reduce pulmonary complications. Furthermore, serial evaluation of deglutition is encouraged to guide the safe and appropriate resumption of oral feeding.
Comparing the convergent validity and clinical utility of the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Parent Rating Scales and Child Behavior Checklist in children with epilepsy.

Abstract The convergent validity and clinical utility of two parent-report child behavior rating scales, the Behavior Assessment System for Children-Parent Rating Scales (BASC-PRS) and Child Behavior Checklist/Ages 6–18 (CBCL), in children with epilepsy were examined. Analogous broadband and narrowband behavior rating scales were evaluated in 60 subjects aged 6–17 years (mean = 11.0, SD = 3.4) with Full Scale IQ >70. Correlations for each similarly labeled scale were statistically significant ( P r = 0.71–0.79) than with narrowband ( r = 0.41–0.78) scales. The BASC captured significantly less composite internalizing symptoms ( P P P
Determinants of success in endoscopic cerebrospinal fluid leak repair.

Objectives To identify factors influencing success in endoscopic repair of CSF leaks of the anterior skull base. Methods Through retrospective chart review, 24 endoscopic closures of anterior skull base CSF leaks were analyzed for factors correlating with initial repair outcome. Results Thirteen patients with either spontaneous leaks or iatrogenic leaks arising from FESS were repaired with significantly lower recurrence rate (8%) than 11 patients with leaks induced by skull base procedures (45%). However, in the latter group, only 14% recurred when the dural defect was directly visualized, whereas leaks always recurred when bony dehiscences were patched in the absence of visible dural defects. Such defects were least frequently localized in patients with craniotomy-induced leaks. A trend toward morbid obesity was also noted among repair failures. Conclusions Direct visualization of the dural defect is essential for endoscopic repair of anterior skull base CSF leaks, with craniotomy-induced leaks being the most challenging to localize. Obesity is another likely factor contributing to repair failure.
Function of Giant Mauthner's Neurons in the Lungfish.

Unit spikes were recorded from the spinal cord of the lungfish Protopterus and were identified with Mauthner9s axon. With these spikes occurred nongraded tail flips suggesting startle responses. The tail flip and the giant spike resulted from certain forms of jarring and prodding. The conduction velocity for the slightly myelinated. 45 µ diameter fibers was 18.5 m/sec.
Insulin-like growth factor (IGF) induced proliferation of human lung fibroblasts is enhanced by neurotensin

Fibroblasts are key cells in tissue repair and important contributors to the inflammatory response. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) have been shown to participate in growth, in immune responses and in tissue repair where they stimulate cell growth. Neurotensin (NT) has been suggested to participate in inflammation and in tissue repair and is an autocrine or paracrine growth factor for several cancer cell types. Here we show that IGF-induced proliferation of fibroblasts is enhanced by NT in a concentration and type 1 NT-receptor dependent manner. This action of NT was blocked by inhibitors of phospholipase C and protein kinase C but not by inhibitors of phosphoinositide-3-kinase. An inhibitor of MEK 1/2 significantly reduced the proliferative effects of the IGFs but NT's ability to enhance IGF-induced proliferation was not effected. The ability of NT to enhance IGF-induced proliferation did not involve an autocrine factor. These results suggest that interactions between NT and the IGFs may contribute to the regulation of fibroblasts in for example, inflamed or injured tissues.
Chemistry : Synthesis with a twist

Amide bonds underpin protein stability, but distortion from their preferred geometry makes them reactive. An archetypal twisted amide has at last been made, and its chemistry will be revelatory.
Tit-for-tat during predator inspection, or shoaling?

Etude du comportement exhibe par certains poissons face a des predateurs: «l'exploration du predateur». Les auteurs apportent des modifications methodologiques a une procedure developpee par ailleurs
Can a strongly interacting Higgs boson rescue SU(5)

Renormalization-group analyses show that the three running gauge coupling constants of the standard model do not become equal at any energy scale. These analyses have not included any effects of the Higgs boson's self-interaction. In this paper, I examine whether these effects can modify this conclusion, and show that they are too small to affect the failure of coupling constant unification.
Some Boundary Conditions for Bystander Misidentification

For this study, 650 undergraduate students viewed a videotaped, simulated robbery. Participants were significantly more likely to select a bystander from a photoarray than the actual perpetrator, and they were more confident in their misidentifications of the bystander. Participants who were shown a photoarray without the bystander present were over six times more likely to select the perpetrator than observers who were shown an array that included the bystander. The significant misidentifications of the bystander were eliminated when the event was restaged to show both the bystander and the perpetrator for a few seconds in the same frames of the video. It was concluded that mere bystander presence is not sufficient to produce significant bystander misidentifications and that an eyewitness must make an inference that the bystander and the perpetrator are the same person. Implications for the understanding of unconscious transference are explored.
Model calculations of the spectra of rare-gas impurities in alkali hosts

The spectra of rare-gas impurities in alkali hosts are evaluated for a change of mean-field (ΔMF) model. The model produces absorption and emission edge anomalies and asymmetric X-ray photoemission line shapes, but the threshold shapes are different from those observed by Tilton, Phelps and Flynn. The resolution of the discrepancy between theory and experiment appears to lie beyond this ΔMF model.
Vector Floating-Point Data Format

Memory has always been a major factor in determining the cost of a computer system. Many schemes have been proposed for reducing memory cost without degrading system performance or increasing system cost or complexity significantly. This paper presents a particular data type that may have been used occasionally by programmers who have had to simulate floating-point hardware by software. This new data type is useful in large scientific problems and may be able to serve as a replacement for floating-point data type on special-purpose processors. Its hardware implementation on orthogonal and pipeline processors is discussed in detail and the implications of these implementations for a programming language (APL) (Iverson's language) are examined.
The association between chronic renal failure and renal cell carcinoma may differ between black and white Americans

In the United States, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) incidence is higher among blacks than among whites. Risk of RCC is elevated among end-stage renal disease patients, although no studies have looked at differences by race in the relationship between chronic renal failure and RCC. We investigated RCC risk in relation to chronic renal failure in a population-based case–control study of blacks and whites in Chicago and Detroit. Data, including information on kidney disease, were collected from interviews with 1,217 RCC cases (361 blacks, 856 whites) and 1,235 controls (523 blacks, 712 whites). Odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. Risk of RCC was increased in relation to chronic renal failure (OR 4.7, 95 % CI 2.2–10.1) and dialysis (OR 18.0, 95 % CI 3.6–91). The association remained after defining exposure as those who had chronic renal failure ≥10 years prior to RCC diagnosis. Chronic renal failure was more strongly associated with RCC among blacks than among whites (OR 8.7, 95 % CI 3.3–22.9 and 2.0, 0.7–5.6, respectively; p interaction = 0.03) and among those without a history of diabetes relative to diabetic subjects (OR 8.3, 95 % CI 3.1–22.7 and 1.9, 0.6–5.9, respectively; p interaction = 0.03). These results suggest that chronic renal failure is a strong risk factor for RCC, particularly among black and non-diabetic subjects. Our findings of differences in risk estimates by race, to our knowledge the first such report, require replication.
The Arabidopsis phenylalanine ammonia lyase gene family: kinetic characterization of the four PAL isoforms☆

In Arabidopsis thaliana, four genes have been annotated as provisionally encoding PAL. In this study, recombinant native AtPAL1, 2, and 4 were demonstrated to be catalytically competent for l-phenylalanine deamination, whereas AtPAL3, obtained as a N-terminal His-tagged protein, was of very low activity and only detectable at high substrate concentrations. All four PALs displayed similar pH optima, but not temperature optima; AtPAL3 had a lower temperature optimum than the other three isoforms. AtPAL1, 2 and 4 had similar K(m) values (64-71 microM) for l-Phe, with AtPAL2 apparently being slightly more catalytically efficacious due to decreased K(m) and higher k(cat) values, relative to the others. As anticipated, PAL activities with l-tyrosine were either low (AtPAL1, 2, and 4) or undetectable (AtPAL3), thereby establishing that l-Phe is the true physiological substrate. This detailed knowledge of the kinetic and functional properties of the various PAL isoforms now provides the necessary biochemical foundation required for the systematic investigation and dissection of the organization of the PAL metabolic network/gene circuitry involved in numerous aspects of phenylpropanoid metabolism in A. thaliana spanning various cell types, tissues and organs.
People v. objects: a reply to Rakison and Cicchino

In our Brief Article (KBW, this issue), we present data showing that 5-month-old infants interpret the movements of inanimate objects according to the constraint of spatiotemporal continuity, but do not interpret peoples’ motion according to this same constraint. We suggest from this finding that infants may possess distinct systems for learning, interpreting, and reasoning about the actions and interactions of inanimate material objects, on the one hand, and intentional agents (of which the canonical exemplar is people), on the other. Rakison and Cicchino (RC Oaks, 1994; Quinn & Eimas, 1998; Sodian, Schoeppner, & Metz, 2004; Spelke, Breinlinger, Macomber, & Jacobson, 1992). It is also similar to that of the original study we replicated in Experiment 1 (Spelke, Kestenbaum, Simons, & Wein, 1995). Moreover, statistical analyses are for precisely the purpose of determining the chance likelihood of a set of results, given the sample size. Both parametrically and nonparametrically, the chance likelihood of our results in Experiment 1 (Boxes) is well below the “0.05” standard (with P-values of #0.02), and in Experiment 2 (Humans) is above the standard (P-values .0.4). And the effect sizes in the two experiments differ by a full order of magnitude (0.41 versus 0.04). These analyses support our claim that infants are responding substantially differently to our human versus inanimate stimuli.
Structure and function of glutamate receptor amino terminal domains

The amino terminal domain (ATD) of ionotropic glutamate receptor (iGluR) subunits resides at the extracellular region distal to the membrane. The ATD is structurally and functionally the most divergent region of the iGluR subunits. Structural studies on full-length GluA2 and the ATDs from three iGluR subfamilies have shed light on how the ATD facilitates subunit assembly, accommodates allosteric modulator compounds, and controls gating properties. Here recent developments in structural and functional studies on iGluR ATDs are reviewed.
The application of eigenanalysis to tide-gauge records of relative sea level

Abstract Eigenanalysis has been applied in the past to analyse tide-gauge records of relative sea level. The purpose of this analysis has been to detect “coherent modes” of sea level change among the records. By applying eigenanalysis to simple models of the records, it is shown that the results can be misleading. In particular, these results can depend on differences in noise variance, noise correlation, and period of observation among the records, and not only on the information-rich component of the records. When the records have the same rate of change, differences in these factors cause eigenanalysis to attribute different rates of change to them. When the records have different positive rates of change, eigenanalysis tends to underestimate the extreme rates. For the purposes of policy formulation to deal with sea level rise, this underestimation can have serious consequences.
Vertical nanowire electrode arrays as a scalable platform for intracellular interfacing to neuronal circuits

Arrays of vertical silicon nanowires can record and stimulate neuronal activity from within mammalian nerve cells, and can also map multiple individual synaptic connections between these cells.
Endangered species and a threatened discipline: behavioural ecology

Behavioural ecologists often see little connection between the current conservation crisis and the future of their discipline. This view is myopic because our abilities to investigate and interpret the adaptive significance and evolutionary histories of behaviours are increasingly being compromised in human-dominated landscapes because of species extinctions, habitat destruction, invasive species, pollution, and climate change. In this review, we argue that many central issues in behavioural ecology will soon become prohibitively difficult to investigate and interpret, thus impeding the rapid progress that characterizes the field. To address these challenges, behavioural ecologists should design studies not only to answer basic scientific questions but also to provide ancillary information for protection and management of their study organisms and habitats, and then share their biological insights with the applied conservation community.
A tunable matching network for power amplifier efficiency enhancement and distortion reduction

Variable load technique has been proposed as a solution for improving the efficiency of power amplifiers at reduced drive levels. To provide variable load impedance to a transistor, various configurations for tunable matching networks may be used. However, many of them can introduce large AM-PM distortion. To avoid the degradation in linearity, a T-network that in principle causes no phase variation is presented in this work. A 1750-MHz medium power amplifier along with a tunable matching network using GaAs hyperabrupt varactor diodes is designed, fabricated, and tested. Experimental results for the power amplifier show that the power-added efficiency (PAE) at reduced power levels is enhanced when variable load is used. Meanwhile, lower AM-AM and AM-PM distortions are observed, demonstrating its potential for improving the efficiency as well as the linearity.
Modification of the Yeast-Growth Assay Method for Biotin

SummaryThe addition of a biotin-free casein hydrolysate to the test medium increases both the specificity and the range of biotin determinations by the yeast growth method.
Adhesion of electrochemically formed polypyrrole coatings to low carbon steel

The lap shear strength of polypyrrole coatings formed on low carbon steel (∼ 23 MPa) is shown to be significantly higher (by ∼ 60%) than that obtained using uncoated steel as the adherend. The lap shear (adhesion) strength of polypyrrole-coated steel varied with the pH of the monomer–electrolyte solution and the applied current. The low carbon steel-containing polypyrrole coatings formed at low pH (pH ≤ 2.4) have higher adhesion strength than those coated with polypyrrole at higher pH (pH ≥ 6.0). However, poly(N-methyl pyrrole)-coated steel showed significantly lower adhesion strength. Increasing the applied current density decreased the adhesion strength. The surface free energies of polypyrrole coatings, ∼ 49–53 mJ/m2 are similar to that obtained for uncoated low carbon steel, ∼ 53 mJ/m2, indicating that polypyrrole will effectively wet low rbon steel. The extent of wetting of low carbon steel by the coatings was additionally confirmed by an interaction parameter, ϕ, of unity. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2757–2763, 2002
THE EFFECT OF CONTEXT ON THE SIZE OF THE PERCEPTUAL UNIT USED IN WORD RECOGNITION

Good and poor readers from the second and fourth grades read words which varied in length from 3 to 6 letters under three exposure conditions; context, miscue and no-context. Word recognition latency for the nouns in each word length category was recorded. An increase in latency relative to word length would suggest component-letter processing, while no increase would suggest holistic processing. Results indicated that under all conditions poor second grade readers used holistic processing. Poor fourth grade readers used holistic processing with context but component-letter processing in no-context and miscue conditions. These findings suggest that the size of the word recognition unit is sensitive to reader skill and con- text condition. The effect of context on speed and accuracy of word recognition has been well documented. It is known, for example, that for subjects with some degree of reading skill, accuracy of recognition is increased for words presented in context as con- trasted with words presented in isolation. It is also known that, depending upon the kind of context which is used, context can either facilitate or retard recognition speed (Tulving & Gold, 1963; Samuels, Begy, & Chen, 1975). What has not been well documented is the effect of context on the size of the perceptual unit used in word recognition, Previous studies have examined the size of the perceptual unit for words in isolation. In the present study, while the design also allows us to examine the effects of context on speed of word recognition, the major focus and interest are on the perceptual unit of recognition. There are contrasting models of word recognition which suggest that different size units may be used in the recognition process. Hierarchical models (Estes, 1974; LaBerge & Samuels, 1974) assume that a word code may be activated through outputs The authors would like to acknowledge the efforts of Barbara Dewitz who assisted in collecting the data and Lawrence Hecht who assisted in analyzing the data.
Roentgen diagnosis of midgut malrotation: Value of upper gastrointestinal radiographic study

Abstract Thirty-two cases of malrotation of the bowel were reviewed and the radiographic findings analyzed in an attempt to correlate plain-film patterns with underlying surgical pathology, particularly the presence of volvulus. Although certain patterns were more common than others in various clinical and pathologic groups, no clearcut conclusions can be drawn from plain radiographs, with the exception of evidence of small-bowel obstruction that strongly suggests volvulus and possible intestinal ischemia. Barium studies are necessary for specific diagnosis in the majority of cases. An upper gastrointestinal examination is of greater diagnostic value than a barium enema, the former being a direct approach to the demonstration of obstruction located high in the gut, as well as being easier to interpret.
Association of kidney disease with prevalent gout in the United States in 1988-1994 and 2007-2010.

Objective To determine the prevalence of gout associated with progressive degrees of kidney disease in the US population. Methods We performed a cross-sectional analysis among non-institutionalized adults (age 20 and older) of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys in 1988–1994 and 2007–2010. Gout status was ascertained by self-report of physician-diagnosed gout. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) was defined in stages based on estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and single albuminuria measurements (albumin-to-creatinine ratio). Prevalence ratios comparing successive categories of GFR, albuminuria, and CKD as well as temporal trends over a 22-year interval were determined via Poisson regression. Results In the US, the crude prevalence of gout was 2–3% among participants without CKD, 4% among participants with CKD stage 1, 6–10% for stage 2, 11–13% for stage 3, and over 30% for stage 4. The adjusted prevalence ratio comparing the CKD stage 4 stratum to participants without CKD was 3.20 (95% CI: 1.96, 5.24) in 2007–2010 and remained significant even after adjustment for serum uric acid. Notably, there was a statistically significant, progressively greater adjusted prevalence ratio of gout associated with successively lower categories of GFR and higher categories of albuminuria. Conclusions Among US adults, there exists a strong dose–response association between impaired renal function and prevalent gout. Health providers should be aware of the elevated burden of gout among patients with CKD especially when evaluating new onset joint pain and swelling.
The glycine plus serine requirement of broiler chicks fed low-crude protein, corn-soybean meal diets

SUMMARY Low-protein, amino acid-supplemented, all-vegetable diets for broilers may not result in optimal FCR unless they are supplemented with Gly. Three experiments were conducted to determine the Gly + Ser requirement in a low-CP, corn- and soybean meal-based diet with 0.25% l-Lys·HCl, a level which previously had been shown to result in optimal growth performance of broilers as long as it is supplemented with Gly to maintain a minimum of 2.32% total Gly + Ser. Glycine addition to the diet did not affect ADG or ADFI but decreased FCR. When the FCR data from all 3 experiments were combined, the total Gly + Ser minimum requirement was estimated to be 2.10% (P < 0.014) in 0- to 18-d-old broilers. The response to Gly was not a result of added N from Glu.
A GUIDE TO THE ADEQUACY OF THERAPY IN RESISTANT RICKETS DUE TO FAMILIAL OR ESSENTIAL HYPOPHOSPHATEMIA.

The regulation of vitamin-D dosage in resistant rickets (familial or essential hypophosphatemia) is best accomplished by measuring the twenty-four-hour urinary calcium output against the curve of normal excretion. For such comparison the subject's weight and a fairly close estimate of calcium intake are also necessary. Qualitative tests for urine calcium are of no real value in determining the child's status with respect to vitamin-D therapy. Urinary calcium values before treatment are usually three standard deviations or more below the normal mean excretion value. With high doses of vitamin D, urinary calcium rises toward the mean, the rate of rise paralleling the size of the dose. Maintenance of urine calcium at values approximating the normal mean will promote healing of clinical rickets and avoid hypervitaminosis D. A rise of urinary calcium to approximately three standard deviations above the mean, or higher, means hypervitaminosis, and the dosage should be decreased sharply. The abnormal rise in urinary calcium from overtreatment precedes a rise in serum calcium by days or weeks, except after operative treatment when the child will be thrown into acute hypervitaminosis D unless the vitamin is discontinued for a time starting before operation.
Evaluation of student-led journal clubs

Abstract Objective To evaluate the effect of voluntary student-led journal clubs on students' perceived confidence in ability to evaluate primary literature. Methods Third-year pharmacy students were invited to voluntarily present a journal article of their choosing. At each session, student presenters and attendees were given pre- and post-session questionnaires to assess confidence in evaluating primary literature. Presenters were also asked additional questions regarding self-confidence in presentation, teaching, and public speaking proficiency. Survey questions were scored using a five-point Likert scale. Results Four journal clubs were held by four student pairs during the 2013–2014 academic year ( n = 8). Attendees ( n = 67) reported a significant improvement in confidence to evaluate primary literature statistical methods (3.37 ± 0.83 vs. 3.60 ± 0.76, p = 0.0018), primary literature study designs (3.34 ± 0.88 vs. 3.61 ± 0.78, p p Conclusion Student-led, extracurricular journal clubs provide an excellent opportunity for students to increase their confidence in evaluating medical literature.
Law 2.0: Intelligent Architecture for Transactional Law

On Friday, August 13, 2010, the Silicon Flatirons Center convened leaders from the legal, academic, and software related fields to discuss recent and future developments in transactional law due to changes in technology (the "Roundtable"). The Roundtable analyzed how accelerating adoption of technological "enablers" is qualitatively affecting business models for the provision of transactional legal services. Participants saw some novel business model innovations as "disruptive," and others as "sustaining," but in the aggregate the Roundtable participants agreed that the practice of transactional law is undergoing notable, significant and irreversible change.
241. Rectotomia posterior

Bericht uber 57 Falle, in denen uber eine Rectotomia posterior (Kraske) Rectumtumoren entfernt wurden (42 mal villoses Adenom, 15 umschriebene Rectum-Carcinome). Postoperative Komplikationen: in 20% allgemeine Wundinfektion, in 5 Fallen rectocutane Fistel. Rezidive bisher 7 Falle (5 Adenome, 2 Carcinome). Vorteil der Methode in exakter Tumor-Exstirpation bei volligem Erhalten der Stuhlkontinenz zu sehen. Rectoskopische Kontrollen alle 3–6Monate obligatorisch.