cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell-wall morphology of a recent placoderm desmid species, Staurastrum pingue, from Lake Worth Dam, Tarrant County, Texas, USA

Abstract The cell-wall morphology of the recent freshwater placoderm desmid species Staurastrum pingue is studied by both light and scanning electron microscopy. Cells of these two species were found in a middle Albian sample collected from Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. The cells are considered to be recent concomitants from the Fort Worth Dam water as none of the other Albian samples examined yielded any desmid cells. Placoderm desmid cells are constricted in the middle by an isthmus giving the appearance of two semicells that are mirror images of each other. Most of the cells reported here from the assemblage are actually one of the semicells which probably detached during the palynological processing of the sample.
Tests for Equivalence or Noninferiority Between Two Proportions

Bioequivalence between two treatments or two drugs is often assessed by comparing the two proportions (success rate or eradication rate) of binomial outcomes when the conventional pharmacokinetic parameters are inadequate for the assessment. Setting the equivalence limits can be based on one of the three measures: difference, ratio, or odds ratio between the two binomial probabilities. This paper reviews the existing asymptotic test statistics for comparing two independent binomial probabilities in terms of the three measures in the context of equivalence or noninferiority testing. The actual type I error and power of the asymptotic tests are evaluated by enumerating the exact probabilities in the rejection region. The results show that to establish an equivalence between two treatments with an equivalence limit of 20% in difference, a sample size of at least 50 per treatment is needed. When the sample size is sufficient, the actual type I error rate is close to the nominal level (slightly above the nominal level in several cases) for a test in terms of difference for equivalence limits, and it tends to exceed the nominal level for tests in terms of ratio or odds ratio.
New highly sensitive and selective catalytic DNA biosensors for metal ions

While remarkable progress has been made in developing sensors for metal ions such as Ca(II) and Zn(II), designing and synthesizing sensitive and selective metal ion sensors remains a significant challenge. Perhaps the biggest challenge is the design and synthesis of a sensor capable of specific and strong metal binding. Since our knowledge about the construction of metal-binding sites in general is limited, searching for sensors in a combinatorial way is of significant value. Therefore, we have been able to use a combinatorial method called in vitro selection to obtain catalytic DNA that can bind a metal ion of choice strongly and specifically. The metal ion selectivity of the catalytic DNA was further improved using a 'negative selection' strategy where catalytic DNA that are selective for competing metal ions are discarded in the in vitro selection processes. By labeling the resulting catalytic DNA with a fluorophore/quencher pair, we have made a new class of metal ion fluorescent sensors that are the first examples of catalytic DNA biosensors for metal ions. The sensors combine the high selectivity of catalytic DNA with the high sensitivity of fluorescent detection, and can be applied to the quantitative detection of metal ions over a wide concentration range and with high selectivity. The use of DNA sensors in detection and quantification of lead ions in environmental samples such as water from Lake Michigan has been demonstrated. DNA is stable, cost-effective, environmentally benign, and easily adaptable to optical fiber and microarray technology for device manufacture. Thus, the DNA sensors explained here hold great promise for on-site and real-time monitoring of metal ions in the fields of environmental monitoring, developmental biology, clinical toxicology, wastewater treatment, and industrial process monitoring.
Tungsten treatment prevents tumor necrosis factor-induced injury of brain endothelial cells.

Exposure to recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) or calcium ionophore (A23187) for 4 h increased (P 0.05) LDH release from brain EC. Pretreatment with tungsten decreased (P< 0.05) xanthine oxidase activity in brain EC and decreased (P< 0.05) LDH release from brain EC following exposure to TNF. Our results suggest that TNF-α injures brain microvascular EC and that this effect may be mediated by xanthine oxidase.
Quantification of Heat Flux From a Reacting Thermite Spray

Characterizing the combustion behaviors of energetic materials requires diagnostic tools that are often not readily or commercially available. For example, a jet of thermite spray provides a high temperature and pressure reaction that can also be highly corrosive and promote undesirable conditions for the survivability of any sensor. Developing a diagnostic to quantify heat flux from a thermite spray is the objective of this study. Quick response sensors such as thin film heat flux sensors can not survive the harsh conditions of the spray, but more rugged sensors lack the response time for the resolution desired. A sensor that will allow for adequate response time while surviving the entire test duration was constructed. The sensor outputs interior temperatures of the probes at known locations and utilizes an inverse heat conduction code to calculate heat flux values. The details of this device are discussed and illustrated. Temperature and heat flux measurements of various thermite spray conditions are reported. Results indicate that this newly developed energetic material heat flux sensor provides quantitative data with good repeatability.
Powers of a prime dividing binomial coefficients

(1989). Powers of a Prime Dividing Binomial Coefficients. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 96, No. 6, pp. 513-517.
Paired and unpaired metamorphic belts

Abstract Paired metamorphic belts occur in many parts of the circum-Pacific regions. A pair is composed of two contrasting belts running parallel: a high-pressure metamorphic belt which probably formed beneath a trench zone, and a low-pressure metamorphic belt which probably formed beneath a volcanic chain in the adjacent island arc or continental margin. The former and the latter belt are accompanied by basic-ultrabasic rocks and by granitic-andesitic-rhyolitic rocks, respectively. The rapid descent of a thick, cold oceanic plate along a convergent plate juncture should create an unusually low geothermal gradient to cause high-pressure metamorphism. If the rate of plate descent is relatively slow, or if the descending oceanic lithosphere is too thin or too hot, the resultant geothermal gradient will not be low enough to cause high-pressure, but may cause medium-pressure metamorphism. In this case, the contrast between the two associated metamorphic belts will be obscure. The heat transfer by the rise of magmas and mantle materials appears to be a necessary condition for the formation of low-pressure metamorphic belts. Presumably, paired and unpaired (single) metamorphic belts form by the same mechanism, and an unpaired belt represents paired belts in which the contrast between the two belts is obscure, or in which one of the two belts is undeveloped or lost. Progress in experimental petrology enables us to estimate the pressure and temperature during metamorphism, and to know the relations between the conditions of partial melting and the composition of the resultant magmas. This sets limits to our ideas about the relevant tectonic processes in plate junctures.
Relative Efficiency of Different Small Mammal Traps

At some time in any study of small mammal populations the investigator is faced with the problem of whether the particular kind of trap used will adequately sample the population. It is common knowledge that exclusive use of one type of trap will tend to bias the estimate of population density due to varying amounts of selectivity in obtaining a population sample, since different types of traps vary in efficiency with respect to numbers, genera and species caught. Trap size and the correlated mechanical sensitivity of the trap also are obviously selective with respect to the size of specimen taken. An apparent avoidance of certain kinds of traps by some genera and species may involve odor, the appearance of the trap to the animal, or trap placement. However, certain anthropocentric concepts are involved here which are difficult to evaluate. Painting traps or camouflaging them in various ways have been used by some to overcome any real or assumed behavior of this sort without giving much quantitative evidence of success. Successful fur-trappers apparently employ these methods with considerable success to overcome reaction of the animal to the trap. There may also be individual variation in response to traps, as suggested by Young et al. (1952), Tanaka (1952, 1956) and Geis (1955), which would, if present, introduce a bias with respect to numbers of particular species trapped. The behavior of individuals and species is thus an important factor to consider in sampling any small mammal population. Although bait preferences (Fitch, 1954) may play an important part in seasonal trap response, they are probably of little importance in determining success of different trap types and use of the same bait in all traps compared at the same season would tend to nullify this factor. Cockrum (1947) found that live-trapping provided …
Oviposition of the Gulf Coast Tick

Female Amblyomma maculatum Koch engorged on bovines and were held in the laboratory at 27°C, 70-98% RH, and a photocycle of 12 hr light: 12 hr dark. Thirty-fIve females were disturbed daily by removal of eggs, and 50 others were allowed to oviposit without being disturbed. Weights of females and number of eggs/♀ did not differ significantly in the 2 groups. Average weight of a newly laid egg was 52 μg; that of an egg from an egg mass after oviposition was complete (but before hatching) was 50 µg. For females which were disturbed daily, the number of eggs laid (avg 9963, range 0-17,592) was highly significantly corre!ated with the weight of the female (avg 0.973)g, range 0.390-1.443 g); the regression of number of eggs on weight of females was YD = 10,804 &-548. When females were undisturbed, the number of eggs laid (avg 9130, range 0-18,218) was also highly significantly correlated with weight of the female (avg 0.919 g, range 0.360-1.439 g); the regression was YUD = 13,878 &-3621. An index of reproduction efficiency (no. eggs/wt ♀), established to relate the capacity of the females to produce eggs to their body weight, and an index of conversion efficiency (wt eggs/wt ♀), established to relate the ability of females to convert body weight into egg weight to their body weight, did not differ between the 2 groups and was not correlated with the weight of females. All females showed a highly significant negative correlation of the preoviposition period (avg 4.15 days, range 1-9 days) with the weight of the female. Peak average daily oviposition was 1059 eggs/♀ on the 6th day of oviposition; an average of > 900 eggs/♀ were laid on days 4-8 of oviposition. The length of the oviposition period (avg 18.1 days, range 0-26 days) was highly significantly correlated with the number of eggs but was not correlated with the weight of the female. The average minimum incubation period was 21.9 days (range 19-24 days), and eggs laid during the 1st 2/3 of the oviposition period had a slightly shorter minimum incubation than those laid during the final 1/3 of the oviposition period.
Long-Term Evaluation of Chlorambucil plus Prednisone in the Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome of Childhood

We evaluated the long-term effects of a five to 15-week course of chlorambucil and prednisone in 59 children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome who had previously received prednisone alone and had had frequent relapses or steroid dependency or resistance. By actuarial analysis of 65 courses of dual therapy followed up for one to 12 years (mean, 5.0), we found that 95 per cent of patients were in remission at one year and 85 per cent at four years. All but two had remissions lasting longer than those induced by steroids alone, and only eight others had one or more relapses after therapy. Life-table analysis of two dosage schedules of chlorambucil at four years showed that 91 per cent of patients on low doses and 80 per cent of those on high doses were still in remission. Although immediate complications were minimal, the potential for long-term toxicity still requires careful selection of patients who receive chlorambucil. Prolonged use of chlorambucil in daily doses above 0.3 mg per kilogram of body weight per day or cumulative doses above 14 mg per kilogram is no longer warranted. Measured in terms of both the immediate and long-term responses, chlorambucil appears to lower the frequency of relapses in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.
Three-dimensional kinematics and dynamics of the foot during walking: a model of central control mechanisms

The foot is a critical interface between the body and supporting surface during walking, but there is no coherent framework on which to model the dynamics of the stance and swing phases. To establish this framework, we studied the rotational and translational dynamics of foot movement in three dimensions with a motion detection system (OPTOTRAK), while subjects walked on a treadmill. Positions, velocities, and durations were normalized to leg-length and gravity. Foot position and rotation at toe-off were closely related to walking velocity. Foot pitch at toe clearance increased with walking velocity, but the medial–lateral and vertical toe positions were unaltered. Phase–plane trajectories along the fore-aft direction, i.e., plots of toe velocity versus position, were circular during the swing phases, with radii proportional to walking velocity. Peak forward, lateral, and upward velocities were linearly related to corresponding excursions, forming main sequences. A second order model predicted the changes in toe position and velocity, and the approximately hyperbolic decrements in duration as a function of walking velocity. The model indicates that the foot is controlled in an overdamped manner during the stance phase and as a feedback-controlled undamped pendulum during the swing. The data and model suggest that the state of the foot at toe-off, set by walking velocity during the stance phase, determines the dynamics of the swing phase. Thus, in addition to determining locomotion kinematics, walking velocity plays a critical role in determining the phase–plane trajectories and main sequence relationships of foot movements during the swing phases.
In vivo analysis of straight-chain and branched-chain fatty acid biosynthesis in three actinomycetes

The starter units for branched-chain and straight-chain fatty acid biosynthesis was investigated in vivo in three actinomycetes using stable isotopes. Branched-chain fatty acids, which constitute the majority of the fatty acid pool, were confirmed to be biosynthesized using the amino acid degradation products methylbutyryl-CoA and isobutyryl-CoA as starter units. Straight-chain fatty acids were shown to be constructed using butyryl-CoA as a starter unit. Isomerization of the valine catabolite isobutyryl-CoA was shown to be only a minor source of this butyryl-CoA.
Location decisions — Factors impacting location models

This paper examines location decision in the light of recent developments in areas which impact on distribution decision making. It is shown that these developments have and will continue to have serious implications as far as the use of previously developed location models is concerned. First, the elements associated with total distribution and total cost concepts will be discussed. Second, the implications of customer service considerations will be mentioned. And finally, some of the more recent environmental developments which impact the location decision will be examined.
Avoiding pitfalls in bone marrow engraftment analysis: a case study highlighting the weakness of using buccal cells for determining a patient's constitutional genotype after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Abstract Background aims An accurate and reliable assessment of bone marrow engraftment (BME) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is based on the ability to distinguish between recipient and donor cells at selected polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) DNA loci. Buccal cells are an important source of DNA for determining the recipient's constitutional genotype, particularly in patients transplanted before the STR evaluation. Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from the recipient buccal cells and from isolated CD3+ (T-cell lymphocyte) and CD33+ (myelocyte) cells after HSCT. BME analysis was performed using a STR-based polymerase chain reaction amplification method followed by fragment-size analysis for assessing the recipient-derived or donor-derived composition of cell lineage-specific peripheral blood DNA. Results We identified three cases of complete buccal epithelial cell engraftment after HSCT detected by BME analysis, potentially leading to misinterpretation of testing results if these cells were used as the sole source for determining the recipient's genotype. Conclusions These cases suggest that complete engraftment of buccal epithelial cells may be a common finding in patients receiving HSCT, drawing attention to important issues such as the type of samples used for determining a patient's constitutional genotype that may confound testing results. This study also highlights the need for careful interpretation of the BME testing results in the context of the clinical findings.
Period increase of ocean swell

It can be considered well established that the observed periods of ocean swell are longer than the observed periods of the waves in the generating area. More recently it has been demonstrated that a wave spectrum is always present and that observed periods refer to the periods of the highest waves in the spectrum, the waves of maximum energy. These are called the significant waves. Furthermore, Munk has shown that at least the forerunners of swell have the character of impulsively generated waves in deep water which advance as conservative waves. Assuming that swell generally has these characteristics, it is shown that the air resistance which the swell encounters leads to a selective dissipation. The energy associated with the shorter period waves is dissipated more rapidly than that of the longer period waves, and consequently the energy maximum shifts toward longer periods, that is, the period of the significant waves increases. The effect is modified by following or opposing winds. Numerical examples are in satisfactory agreement with results from the semi-empirical graphs of Sverdrup and Munk. The energy considerations indicate numerous new possibilities for the interpretation of records of swell, and it is hoped that these suggestions will further stimulate the effort to establish well located swell-recording stations and to develop instruments for rapid analysis of wave records that give complete information as to the wave spectrum.
Calculating Direct Illumination from the Sky under Clear Sky Conditions

The overcast sky is often used as a minimum daylight design condition. There are, however, many locations where the clear sky would be more appropriate for calculations. Here, the author introduces a method of calculating illumination within rooms under clear skies, even though the overcast sky may be the design criterion.
GLUCOSE METABOLISM IN THE RAT DURING STARVATION AND REFEEDING FOLLOWING STARVATION.

SummaryMetabolism of glucose in starved and starved-refed rats was markedly different from pathways observed in non-starved, normal rats. “Supernormal lipogenesis” was observed in liver, heart and kidneys of starved rats, and the lipogenesis was increased some 90-fold in livers of starved-refed rats. The proportion of C14 in “neutral fat” to total fat was increased 2- to 3-fold in hearts and kidneys of starved-refed rats, although the total lipid contents in these organs were not appreciably affected. Neither glucose oxidation nor incorporation of C14 from glucose into lipids by homogenates of rat hearts was affected by prior starvation and refeeding.
Hypersonic laminar–turbulent transition on circular cones and scramjet forebodies

Abstract Laminar–turbulent transition in hypersonic boundary layers has a dramatic effect on heat transfer, skin friction, and separation. This effect is critical to reentry vehicles and airbreathing cruise vehicles, yet the physics of the transition process is not yet well enough understood to be used for predictive purposes. The literature for transition on circular cones and scramjet forebodies is reviewed, from an experimental point of view. Ground experiments, emphasized here, nearly always suffer from ambiguity caused by operating in the presence of high levels of facility noise. Measurements of the instabilities leading to transition reduce much of this ambiguity, and thus these instability measurements are emphasized. A number of transition measurements have also provided good control of extraneous effects, and several of these measurements are compared in detail. Small bluntness always delays transition on smooth cones at zero angle of attack (AOA), while large bluntness creates a change in mechanism that again moves transition forwards. For smooth cones at AOA with small or negligible bluntness, transition is always leeside-forward and windside-aft, although the movement with AOA is tunnel and geometry dependent. For cones with large bluntness, transition becomes windside forward and leeside aft. In both cases, nosetip roughness may be involved in the trend reversal. Reliable prediction of the trend reversal conditions is one of many topics requiring additional research. The limited existing database for transition on scramjet-vehicle forebodies is also reviewed, along with the literature for transition in the compression corners that are often a part of such forebody designs.
The Clinical Care of Frail, Older Adults

Frailty and its management represent an emerging area of clinical care in older adults. Geriatricians have long recognized a syndrome of multiple comorbid conditions, immobility, weakness, and poor tolerance of physiologic stressors in older adults. Patients with these characteristics are described as frail and suffer increased adverse clinical outcomes. This article reviews the clinical spectrum of frailty in older adults, its biologic etiology, and potential clinical interventions. Several operational definitions of frailty and the associated clinical signs, symptoms, and outcomes are outlined. The biologic mechanisms hypothesized to underlie frailty are explored, particularly in the musculoskeletal, endocrine, and immune systems. Treatment options for frail, older adults are discussed, including physiologic system-targeted interventions and geriatric models of care.
Statistics for Cohen's class distribution of white Gaussian noise

Processing a noise signal using Cohen's class of transformation gives a time-frequency distribution with distinct characteristics. Understanding the effects of noise is essential for using such distributions for signal analysis. The variance of a generalized discrete time- frequency distribution is developed analytically and confirmed numerically by simulation for several different time-frequency kernels.
Biventricular Failure due to Stress Cardiomyopathy after Pericardiectomy for Constrictive Pericarditis

Importance. Constrictive pericarditis is a rare clinical entity that frequently necessitates surgical intervention. Here we present a case of biventricular failure due to stress cardiomyopathy after pericardiectomy. This is an extremely rare complication that is not well described and does not have a definitive mechanism. Observations. A 40-year-old Ecuadorian woman who was found to have constrictive pericarditis due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection was referred to our institution. The presence of constrictive pericarditis was confirmed by echocardiography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and cardiac catheterization. Following pericardiectomy, the patient developed biventricular failure consistent with stress cardiomyopathy (Takotsubo cardiomyopathy), based on the echocardiographic assessment of the ventricles, which demonstrated an akinetic apex and hyperactive base in both ventricles, the absence of significant epicardial coronary atherosclerosis, and prompt normalization of the cardiac function after intensive medical therapy. Conclusions and Relevance. Biventricular failure in the form of stress cardiomyopathy after pericardiectomy in the manner presented here has not been previously described in the literature. While postulations as to the cause of single ventricle dysfunction have been described, the exact mechanism is unclear and current theories do not explain the clinical features in this case of stress cardiomyopathy after pericardiectomy.
Profile of belatacept and its potential role in prevention of graft rejection following renal transplantation.

The last several decades have witnessed a substantial decrease in the incidence of acute allograft rejection following kidney transplantation, although commensurate improvements in long-term graft function have not been realized. As a result, the primary focus of new immunosuppressive drug development has expanded to include ease of use and improved side effect profile, including reduced nephrotoxicity, in addition to the more traditional goal of improved short-term outcomes. A number of novel drugs are currently under investigation in Phase I, II, or III clinical trials, primarily to replace the nephrotoxic but highly effective calcineurin inhibitors. Belatacept is a humanized antibody that inhibits T cell costimulation and has shown encouraging results in multiple Phase II and III trials. This article reviews the mechanism of action of belatacept, as well as published and preliminary results of the Phase I–III clinical trials involving this novel immunosuppressive agent.
Ultrafast Electron Crystallography of Interfacial Water

We report direct determination of the structures and dynamics of interfacial water on a hydrophilic surface with atomic-scale resolution using ultrafast electron crystallography. On the nanometer scale, we observed the coexistence of ordered surface water and crystallite-like ice structures, evident in the superposition of Bragg spots and Debye-Scherrer rings. The structures were determined to be dominantly cubic, but each undergoes different dynamics after the ultrafast substrate temperature jump. From changes in local bond distances (OH··O and O···O) with time, we elucidated the structural changes in the far-from-equilibrium regime at short times and near-equilibration at long times.
What we talk about when we talk about software agents

There is so much talk these days about software agents, and close relatives with names such as softbots, knobots, and interface agents, that we are reminded of the early days of AI. The ideas are creative, early-stage, and all over the map. At Stanford University alone you will find agents that sort your mail, adaptively recommend Web pages, assist with scheduling, find people with interests similar to your own, translate between different knowledge bases, and have individual electronic personality and graphical depiction. Elsewhere, you can also find agents that help manage your network, shop for you, migrate in the network, have a natural-language understanding capability, and much more. The author discusses some of the properties that characterize software agents.
Binding of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist to rat ovarian granulosa cells.

We have previously shown that gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and its agonists inhibit ovarian functions by a direct action on ovarian granulosa cells in vitro. A labeled GnRH agonist, [des-Gly10, D-Ser (TBu)6, Pro9-NHEt]GnRH, was used here to examine the possibility that these inhibitory actions of GnRH were mediated through specific receptors which recognize GnRH. Ovarian membrane fractions obtained from immature, hypophysectomized diethylstilbesterol-treated rats were incubated with the 125I-GnRH agonist and specific binding was determined by a filtration assay. Stereospecific, high affinity binding was detected in the ovarian membranes; the dissociation constant for the labeled GnRH agonist was determined to be 0.84 ± 0.33 × 10−10 M and the binding capacity was calculated to be 12.9 fmol/mg protein, or 0.142 fmol/μg DNA. The binding affinity for the GnRH decapeptide was 3.3 times lower than that of the GnRH agonist whereas two GnRH partial peptides did not compete for the 125I-agonist binding. After sequential treatment with FSH, LH and prolactin to the hypophysectomized female rats, the ovarian GnRH binding capacity increased per ovary, but decreased per mg ovarian protein. Furthermore, ovarian granulosa cells were isolated and their binding capacity was determined to be 25.2 fmol/mg protein, or 0.133 fmol/μg DNA, suggesting that the granulosa cells contain GnRH binding sites. Thus, this report demonstrates the presence of stereospecific, high affinity GnRH binding sites in the rat ovarian granulosa cells.
Solar wind interaction with Mars upper atmosphere: Results from the one-way coupling between the multifluid MHD model and the MTGCM model

The 3-D multifluid Block Adaptive Tree Solar-wind Roe Upwind Scheme (BATS-R-US) MHD code (MF-MHD) is coupled with the 3-D Mars Thermospheric general circulation model (MTGCM). The ion escape rate from the Martian upper atmosphere is investigated by using a one-way coupling approach, i.e., the MF-MHD model incorporates the effects of 3-D neutral atmosphere profiles from the MTGCM model. The calculations are carried out for two cases with different solar cycle conditions. The calculated total ion escape flux (the sum of three major ionospheric species, O+, O2+, and CO2+) for solar cycle maximum conditions (6.6×1024 s−1) is about 2.6 times larger than that of solar cycle minimum conditions (2.5×1024 s−1). Our simulation results show good agreement with recent observations of 2–3×1024 s−1 (O+, O2+, and CO2+) measured near solar cycle minimum conditions by Mars Express. An extremely high solar wind condition is also simulated which may mimic the condition of coronal mass ejections or corotating interaction regions passing Mars. Simulation results show that it can lead to a significant value of the escape flux as large as 4.3×1025s−1.
Constructing the polynomlal identities and central identities of degree <9 of 3 × 3 matrices

Abstract We present an algorithm for computing an independent generating set for the multilinear identities and the multilinear central identities of the m × m matrices over a field o of characteristic zero or a large enough prime. Then we use it to construct all the multilinear identities and all the multilinear central identities of degree M 3 ( o ).
Object-oriented electrodynamic S-matrix code with modern applications

The S-matrix algorithm for the propagation of an electromagnetic wave through planar stratified media has been implemented in a modern object-oriented programing language. This implementation is suitable for the study of such applications as the Anderson localization of light and super-resolution (perfect lensing). For our open-source code to be as useful as possible to the scientific community, we paid particular attention to the pathological cases that arise in the limit of vanishing absorption.
Nomenclatural changes in Lithospermum (Boraginaceae) and related taxa following a reassessment of phylogenetic relationships

Lithospermum (Boraginaceae) comprises approximately 40 species in both the Old and New Worlds, with a center of diversity in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Using ten cpDNA regions, a phylogeny of Lithospermum and related taxa was reconstructed. Lithospermum (including New World and Old World species) and related New World members of Lithospermeae form a monophyletic group, with Macromeria, Onosmodium, Nomosa, Lasiarrhenum, and Psilolaemus nested among species of Lithospermum. New World Lithospermeae also is a monophyletic group, with Eurasian species of Lithospermum sister to this group. Because Lithospermum is not monophyletic without the inclusion of the other New World genera, species from these genera are transferred to Lithospermum, and appropriate nomenclatural changes are made. New combinations are Lithospermum album, Lithospermum barbigerum, Lithospermum dodrantale, Lithospermum exsertum, Lithospermum helleri, Lithospemum leonotis, Lithospermum notatum, Lithospermum oaxacanum, Lithospermum pinetorum, Lithospermum rosei, Lithospermum trinverium, and Lithospermum unicum; new names are Lithospermum chiapense, Lithospermum johnstonii, Lithospermum macromeria, Lithospermum onosmodium, Lithospermum rzedowskii, and Lithospermum turneri.
TH‐A‐213CD‐05: NEQ(k) The Signal and Noise Transfer Properties in Differential Phase Contrast CT

Purpose: As an emerging x‐ray tomographic imaging method for preclinical and eventually clinical applications, the grating‐based x‐ray differential phase contrast (DPC) CT is drawing increasing interest for its research and development. It has been hoped that the potential ▵S(k) in the DPC‐CT can be significantly larger than its counterpart in the conventional attenuation‐ based CT. We investigate the DPC‐CT's NEQ(k) under the ideal observer framework in this study. Methods: In general, the signal and noise transfer properties of an imagingsystem is determined by its modulation transfer function MTF(k) and noise power spectrum NPS(k), respectively, which jointly characterize the spectrum of noise equivalent quanta NEQ(k). The eventual performance of an imaging method is determined by its detectability index or squares signal‐to‐noise ratio defined as an integration of the product of inputting signal, i.e., the contrast between the object to be imaged and the background, fed into the system to implement the imaging method and the system's NEQ(k). Through theoretical analysis, modeling, simulation, we derive and evaluate the NEQ(k) of the DPC‐CT and compare it with that of the conventional CT.Results: Preliminary data show that, there exist only a modest difference in the signal transfer property MTF(k) between the DPC‐CT and conventional CT. However, owing to an adoption of the Hilbert filtering for image reconstruction, the noise transfer property NPS(k) of the DPC‐CT differs drastically from that of the conventional CT, which results in a dramatic difference in NEQ(k) between the DPC‐CT and conventional CT.Conclusions: Based on an in‐depth investigation, the potential imaging performance of the grating‐based DPC‐CT in comparison to the conventional attenuation‐based CT can be fully understood and appreciated, providing insightful guidelines on the design and performance optimization of DPC‐CT as a new imaging technology. This work is partially supported by the US National Institute of Health through grants P50‐AG025688 and 2P50AG025688.
The Importance of Relevant Practical Experience among Accounting Faculty: An Empirical Analysis of Students' Perceptions

AACSB International maintains a requirement that accounting faculty, as a whole, should demonstrate relevant professional experience for academic units seeking separate accounting accreditation. This study examines student perceptions of the importance of relevant practical experience by using a two‐phase method incorporating both a between‐subjects design of an experiment and a survey in which participants ranked the importance of various faculty attributes. The results of the Phase One experiment indicate that professors possessing relevant practical experience were perceived by students to be of significantly higher quality than professors lacking relevant practical experience. Survey results in Phase Two, limited due to the method used, provide some degree of validation of the results found in Phase One.
An autonomic problem determination system using adaptive multi-levels dictionaries and singular value decomposition techniques

An autonomic Problem Determination (PD) system can adapt to changing environments, react to existing or new error conditions and predict possible problems from a collection of seemingly unrelated events and take actions proactively. In this paper, we propose such a system with the use of the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) technique and dynamic and adaptive multi-levels dictionaries. Our proposed PD system applies an iterative method that enables a dynamic interaction between a set of sparsely related events and the current dictionaries, with its entries being continuously updated to reflect the relative importance of each event. Updating the dictionaries triggers an update of the SVD matrix, thereby accelerating the convergence of the SVD matrix. Our PD system can capture knowledge in a hierarchical form for complex knowledge representation. It does not require a formal knowledge model or intensive training by examples. It is an efficient system with sufficient accuracy for autonomic and adaptive problem determination.
Design sensitivity coefficients for elasto‐viscoplastic problems by boundary element methods

This paper is concerned with accurate and efficient determination of design sensitivity coefficients (DSCs) for solid mechanics problems with small strains and rotations, but with material non-linearities present (elasto-plastic or elasto-viscoplastic problems). This approach is based on direct differentiation (DDA) of the relevant derivative boundary element method (DBEM) formulation of the problem. Analytical differentiation of the DBEM equations leads to singular integral equations for the DSCs with weakly (logarithmically for 2-D) singular kernels which are easy to deal with. Also, stress components and their sensitivities are obtained on the boundary of a body with great accuracy. These quantities are typically difficult to obtain accurately from finite element methods (FEM). A computer program for general two-dimensional (plane strain and plane stress) problems has been developed based on the above formulation. Numerical results are presented for some sample problems and these are compared against direct solutions. The agreement between the DBEM and direct solutions is excellent for these examples.
On the Concentration of Expectation and Approximate Inference in Layered Networks

We present an analysis of concentration-of-expectation phenomena in layered Bayesian networks that use generalized linear models as the local conditional probabilities. This framework encompasses a wide variety of probability distributions, including both discrete and continuous random variables. We utilize ideas from large deviation analysis and the delta method to devise and evaluate a class of approximate inference algorithms for layered Bayesian networks that have superior asymptotic error bounds and very fast computation time.
Label-Free, Electrical Biomarker Detection Based on Nanowire Biosensors Utilizing Antibody Mimics as Capture Probes

Antibody mimic proteins (AMPs) are poly-peptides that bind to their target analytes with high affinity and specificity, just like conventional antibodies, but are much smaller in size (2–5 nm, less than 10kDa). In this report, we describe the first application of AMP in the field of nanobiosensors. In2O3 nanowire based biosensors have been configured with an AMP (Fibronectin, Fn) to detect nucleocapsid (N) protein, a biomarker for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Using these devices, N protein was detected at sub-nanomolar concentration in the presence of 44 µM bovine serum albumin as a background. Furthermore, negative control experiment is carried out to confirm the role of AMPs in N protein detection.
Multiplex mRNA profiling for the identification of body fluids

We report the development of a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for the definitive identification of the body fluids that are commonly encountered in forensic casework analysis, namely blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions. Using selected genes that we have identified as being expressed in a tissue-specific manner we have developed a multiplex RT-PCR assay which is composed of eight body fluid-specific genes and that is optimized for the detection of blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal secretions as single or mixed stains. The genes include beta-spectrin (SPTB) and porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) for blood, statherin (STATH) and histatin 3 (HTN3) for saliva, protamine 1 (PRM1) and protamine 2 (PRM2) for semen, and human beta-defensin 1 (HBD-1) and mucin 4 (MUC4) for vaginal secretions. The known or presumed functions of these genes suggest an extremely restricted pattern of gene expression, which is a basic requirement for incorporation into a tissue-specific assay. The methodology is based upon gene expression profiling analysis in which the body fluid-specific genes are identified by detecting the presence of appropriate mRNA species using capillary electrophoresis/laser induced fluorescence. An mRNA-based approach, such as the multiplex RT-PCR method described in the present work, allows for the facile identification of the tissue components present in a body fluid stain and could supplant the battery of serological and biochemical tests currently employed in the forensic serology laboratory.
Clinical applications of monoclonal antibodies.

This review highlights the properties, problems, and potentials of monoclonal antibodies as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. The most extensive experience has been obtained with antibodies specific for functionally distinct subsets of lymphocytes. They have been used to monitor the immunosuppression of organ-graft recipients and to attempt to elucidate the disturbance of immunologie function in a variety of conditions. Current therapeutic applications under trial include immunosuppression to treat organ-graft rejection and to eliminate cells responsible for graft-vs-host disease from the bone marrow. Applications to cancer diagnosis and treatment have been hampered by the difficulty of identifying truly tumor-specific antigens. Successes have, however, been obtained in the location of metastases and in the extracorporeal treatment of autologous marrow to purge it of malignant cells, and, more rarely, with the direct administration of monoclonal antibodies in vivo. The conjugation of cell-type specific monoclonal antibodies with cytotoxic agents should overcome a number of limitations.
TEACHING CLINICAL REASONING FOR PRACTICE IN GERIATRICS

Allied health education involves integration of theory and clinical practice. In this paper, gerontological concepts are applied to clinical practice through professional self-talk. This is a ease study teaching strategy which documents the clinical reasoning process and affective reactions of the therapist as they unfold in interaction with the patient. It aims at conveying content in a real-life context and at providing a model of clinical decision making. Professional self-talk is particularly appropriate for teaching geriatrics because of the rudimentary state of knowledge and practice in this area.
Polypropylene surface modification with stearyl alcohol ethoxylates to enhance wettability

Stearyl alcohol ethoxylated additives were melt-blended in polypropylene (PP) films, and the characteristics of the modified films were investigated. The melt blending of stearyl alcohol ethoxylates improved the hydrophilicity of the PP films through additive surface segregation. Surface specific techniques, such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry, were used to study the surface compositions of the samples modified with ethoxylated additives. This revealed that the surface concentrations of the additives were significantly higher than the bulk concentrations in all samples. In addition, the surface compositions of the additive-modified samples continuously changed, even after the films were fully solidified. We also found that the resulting surface characteristics were very dynamic, so the melt-additive-containing polymer surfaces responded to water exposure, and their surface properties and morphologies were altered as a result. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011
Does the presence of a condition-specific obstetric protocol lead to detectable improvements in pregnancy outcomes?

Objective We sought to evaluate whether the presence of condition-specific obstetric protocols within a hospital was associated with better maternal and neonatal outcomes. Study Design This was a cohort study of a random sample of deliveries performed at 25 hospitals over 3 years. Condition-specific protocols were collected from all hospitals and categorized independently by 2 authors. Data on maternal and neonatal outcomes, as well as data necessary for risk adjustment were collected. Risk-adjusted outcomes were compared according to whether the patient delivered in a hospital with condition-specific obstetric protocols at the time of delivery. Results Hemorrhage-specific protocols were not associated with a lower rate of postpartum hemorrhage or with fewer cases of estimated blood loss >1000 mL. Similarly, in the presence of a shoulder dystocia protocol, there were no differences in the frequency of shoulder dystocia or number of shoulder dystocia maneuvers used. Conversely, preeclampsia-specific protocols were associated with fewer intensive care unit admissions (odds ratio, 0.28; 95% confidence interval, 0.18–0.44) and fewer cases of severe maternal hypertension (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.77–0.96). Conclusion The presence of condition-specific obstetric protocols was not consistently shown to be associated with improved risk-adjusted outcomes. Our study would suggest that the presence or absence of a protocol does not matter and regulations to require protocols are not fruitful.
Isolation, Virulence, and Antimicrobial Resistance of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Methicillin Sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) Strains from Oklahoma Retail Poultry Meats

Staphylococcus aureus is one the top five pathogens causing domestically acquired foodborne illness in the U.S. Only a few studies are available related to the prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA in the U.S. retail poultry industry. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of S. aureus (MSSA and MRSA) in retail chicken and turkey meats sold in Tulsa, Oklahoma and to characterize the recovered strains for their antimicrobial resistance and possession of toxin genes. A total of 167 (114 chicken and 53 turkey) retail poultry samples were used in this study. The chicken samples included 61 organic samples while the rest of the poultry samples were conventional. The overall prevalence of S. aureus was 57/106 (53.8%) in the conventional poultry samples and 25/61 (41%) in the organic ones. Prevalence in the turkey samples (64.2%) was higher than in the chicken ones (42.1%). Prevalence of S. aureus did not vary much between conventional (43.4%) and organic chicken samples (41%). Two chicken samples 2/114 (1.8%) were positive for MRSA. PFGE identified the two MRSA isolates as belonging to PFGE type USA300 (from conventional chicken) and USA 500 (from organic chicken) which are community acquired CA-MRSA suggesting a human based source of contamination. MLST and spa typing also supported this conclusion. A total of 168 Staphylococcus aureus isolates (101 chicken isolates and 67 turkey isolates) were screened for their antimicrobial susceptibility against 16 antimicrobials and their possession of 18 different toxin genes. Multidrug resistance was higher in the turkey isolates compared to the chicken ones and the percentage of resistance to most of the antimicrobials tested was also higher among the turkey isolates. The hemolysin hla and hld genes, enterotoxins seg and sei, and leucocidins lukE-lukD were more prevalent in the chicken isolates. The PVL gene lukS-lukF was detected only in chicken isolates including the MRSA ones. In conclusion, S. aureus is highly prevalent in poultry retail meats sold in Oklahoma with a very low presence of human-originated MRSA. Multidrug resistance is not only prevalent in the MRSA isolates, but also in many MSSA poultry strains, particularly turkey.