cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vulnerable City, recipient city, or climate destination? Towards a typology of domestic climate migration impacts in US cities.

Globally, the impacts of climate change will uproot and displace millions of individuals, and American cities are on the frontline of these future population shifts. Our analysis of empirical documentation of migration factors as well as theoretical demographic models shows three predominate types of US cities affected by climate migration pathways: (1) vulnerable cities—those that will suffer significant losses in population and tax revenue; (2) recipient cities—those that serve as unsuspecting or unwilling “receiving communities” from sudden-onset disasters without preparation; and (3) climate destinations—cities seeking to rebrand their communities as “climate havens” that welcome displaced residents through equitable planning and preparation. Despite the evidence of such migration trends, there currently is limited guidance for governments at any scale to plan and prepare for these changes. Forced or unplanned migrations will have a profound and disproportionate impact on communities of color, the elderly, and other at-risk populations that are already experiencing the compounding effects of climate and environmental injustices. A lack of adequate preparation and resources dedicated to minimizing the impacts of planned and unplanned migration pathways could exacerbate existing economic, environmental, and social inequalities. Drawing from case studies in cities across the country that illustrate the typology outlined above, this paper presents a framework with preliminary strategies for policy makers to bridge knowledge gaps and design responses for both short- and long-term planning initiatives. In particular, we encourage the use of typological frameworks for implementing scenario planning that can help cities navigate the challenges of planning for future climate-migration to plan for more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable cities for all.
Upgrading a ColdFusion-Based Academic Medical Library Staff Intranet

This article details the process of upgrading and expanding an existing academic medical library intranet to include a wiki, blog, discussion forum, and photo collection manager. The first version of the library's intranet from early 2002 was powered by ColdFusion software and existed primarily to allow staff members to author and store minutes of library team meetings. Other ColdFusion-based applications and functions were subsequently added, as were various other library documents and procedures. As a follow-up to the library's strategic plan, a library Staff Intranet Team was organized in early 2008 to reorganize the content of the intranet and to identify software tools that would allow greater staff participation in maintaining and updating intranet content. Early steps in the process included brainstorming, a card-sorting exercise, product research, a staff survey, and paper prototyping. The team focused on implementing various open-source, ColdFusion-based tools in order to accommodate existing tec...
Resultados en el estudiante a partir del aprendizaje en el laboratorio de química de la licenciatura: Una revisión de los proyectos subvencionados por la Fundación Nacional de Ciencias de Estados Unidos

Mucha de la investigacion acerca de innovacion curricular, educacion y evaluacion de la implementacion en la licenciatura de cursos de ciencia con laboratorio ha sido subvencionada por agencias publicas de financiamiento. Se ha realizado la revision y analisis enfocados a los otorgamientos hechos por la "National Science Foundation" entre 2000 y 2008 dirigidos al aprendizaje de quimica en la licenciatura. El estudio se dedica a caracterizar los tipos de intervencion educativa que se han presentado, lo que fue estudiado y sus resultados relativos al aprendizaje estudiantil y otros logros paralelos. Para los proyectos que se completaron en este periodo de nueve anos se presenta una panoramica del 'estado del arte' actual de la base empirica de conocimiento, con el interes de detectar brechas y oportunidades para el estudio ulterior. Se contrastan igualmente los hallazgos con un resumen reciente del estado de la investigacion educativa de la quimica, centrado en la ensenanza y el aprendizaje a nivel licenciatura, que fue presentado en un articulo de revision comisionado por las "National Academies of Science" como parte de un estudio consensual sobre investigacion educativa basada en las disciplinas
Management Strategies for Clopidogrel Hypersensitivity

Clopidogrel is a cornerstone of dual antiplatelet therapy. Hypersensitivity reactions potentially limit the use of this treatment and present a significant clinical challenge. The authors have developed recommendations for the management of clopidogrel hypersensitivity with consideration for the etiology, pathophysiology, and critical evaluation of potential management strategies. The clopidogrel hypersensitivity reaction is complex in mechanism and presents generally around day 5 of treatment. Generalized reactions are most common, but the reaction may also be localized or systemic. Screening patients for hypersensitivity is not always possible because the type IV delayed reaction is not detected reliably by conventional skin prick, intradermal challenge, or patch testing. Proposed strategies for management of clopidogrel hypersensitivity include treatment of the reaction with corticosteroids, clopidogrel desensitization, substituting an alternative P2Y12 inhibitor, or clopidogrel avoidance. The safety, efficacy, and cost of each potential strategy must be considered when managing a patient with clopidogrel hypersensitivity.
INTERSECTING SELF-REPORTED MOBILITY AND GAIT SPEED TO CREATEA MULTI-DIMENSIONAL MEASURE OF AMBULATION: THE "AMBULATION SPEED-ENDURANCE" (ASE) TYPOLOGY.

BACKGROUND Assessing mobility through readily available and affordable protocols may help advance public health by providing early detection and implementing intervention therapies aimed at mitigating the progression from physiological vitality to disability at older ages. Until now, little attention has been given to how self-reported mobility (SRM) and gait speed can be combined in a categorization scheme. OBJECTIVES The specific aim of this report is to introduce the Ambulation Speed-Endurance (ASE) Typology to the literature-a classification system that intersects SRM and gait speed to create a multi-dimensional measure of ambulation. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Community-dwelling older adults in the United States. PARTICIPANTS Evidence is provided from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (NHATS) that community-dwelling older adults (n=5,403) may be found in each of the ASE Typologies. The discussion is complimented by investigating the cross-sectional predictors of a "Discrepancy Score" (measure of gap between speed and endurance) amongst those with gait speeds < 0.99 m/sec (n=4,521). RESULTS Multivariable linear regression results indicate level of severity in speed-endurance discrepancy is higher amongst: non-Latino-Blacks (β=0.48); Latinos (β=0.42); older ages; and lower educated. Models also show that severity in speed-endurance discrepancy is lower amongst: females (β=-0.38); those with higher body mass index; with more chronic health conditions; and poorer self-rated health. CONCLUSION Research should continue to investigate how to optimize SRM.
Use of Ficoll-Hypaque Indium-111 labeled leukocytes in the diagnosis of infected synthetic vascular grafts

2708 Objectives Indium-111 labeled leukocytes, using the Ficoll-Hypaque (F/H) centrifugation technique, was developed to improve identification of vascular infections due to the higher labeling efficiency. This study aims to determine the accuracy of vascular infection diagnosis by using the F/H centrifugation technique. Methods An IRB approved and HIPPA compliant retrospective chart review of patients who underwent an In-111 labeled leukocyte scan that utilized F/H centrifugation techniques for the identification of vascular infection between January 2011 to January 2013, was completed. The diagnostic reports of F/H images of patients were reviewed for diagnostic findings. A chart review was performed and lab results were analyzed for diagnosis validation. With the collective of patient history and lab data, the accuracy of diagnosis based on an F/H In-111 scan was determined. Results The scintigraphic findings of 29 patients (mean age 66±13; range 18-94; 6 females, 23 males) who completed a F/H were evaluated. The mean dose of In-111 was 0.53±0.04 mCi (range of 0.39-0.61mCi). Types of imaging modalities included: whole body scan (N=1), SPECT/CT (N=18), and whole body and SPECT/CT (N=10). Indications for the F/H In-111 scan included: evaluation for vascular graft infection, pseudoaneurysm, or recurrent bacteremia results. Out of the 29 patients examined, 15 had positive F/H findings and 14 had negative findings. Of the patients with positive F/H findings, 66.7% (10 of 15) had positive blood and/or resected graft cultures and, 100% (15 of 15) had normal WBC values (average = 7.92 x 109/L±1.44). Of the patients with negative F/H findings, 0.0% (0 of 14) had positive blood cultures and only one patient had evidence of infection at surgery. Conclusions In our specific patient population, F/H In-111 labeled leukocyte scans have high sensitivity (93.8%) and specificity (100.0%) for diagnosing vascular infections. The WBC values were not elevated in patients with proven vascular infections and should not be the deciding factor in obtaining imaging.
A New Regional Price Index for Cote d'Ivoire Using Data From the International Comparisons Project

The authors report on an exercise in economic statistics. They develop a regional price index for Cote d'Ivoire building on the strengths of two independent data sources: the Cote d'Ivoire Living Standards Survey (CILSS) and the International Comparisons Project (ICP). The CILSS collected detailed information on household incomes, spending, employment, and so on, but its coverage of prices left much to be desired. The ICP collected a wealth of information on prices across the country, but collected no information on household spending patterns or other socioeconomic data. The authors bring together these two sources to produce a regional price index that they argue is superior to previous estimates based solely on the Living Standards Survey. The procedures they follow should be of interest to practitioners faced with similar data shortcomings, particularly when working on Africa. They show this to be no mere statistical exercise. Using the new price index can have a significant effect on earlier evaluations of poverty in Cote d'Ivoire. They also use the new price information to construct disaggregated indices by commodity category and by poverty group.
Working memory and executive function: evidence from neuroimaging

Traditional theories of working memory and executive function, when mapped in straightforward ways into the neural domain, yield predictions that are only partly supported by the recent neuroimaging studies. Neuroimaging studies suggest that some constituent functions, such as maintaining information in active form and manipulating it, are not discretely localized in prefrontal regions. Some hypothesized executive processes, such as goal management, have effects in several cortical regions, including posterior regions. Such results suggest a more dynamic and distributed view of the cortical organization of working memory and executive functions.
PRM38 Measurement Properties of the Spanish Version of the Pediatric Promis Fatigue Item Bank

MEASUREMENT PROPERTIES OF THE SPANISH VERSION OF THE PEDIATRIC PROMIS FATIGUE ITEM BANK Lai JS, Correia H, Cella D Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA OBJECTIVES: Fatigue is common among children with chronic conditions. In order to compare results across languages, a requirement for many clinical trials, one must ensure measurement is not biased by language. This paper reports the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the pediatric PROMIS (Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System) fatigue item bank (SpanishPedsFIB). Developed via a collaborative effort funded by the National Institutes of Health of the United States, PROMIS allows for comparisons across domains and conditions for both adults and children. METHODS: Data from 605 Spanish-speaking participants, recruited from a US general population panel, were analyzed. Average age was 12.3 years and 45.5% were female. Participants completed the 23-item Spanish-PedsFIB, translated from English via a rigorous methodology (2 forward translations, 1 reconciliation, 1 back-translation, review by bilingual experts, and cognitive debriefing). Psychometric analyses included confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to evaluate unidimensionality (criteria: comparative fit index CFI 0.95; RMSEA 0.08, MI 10), residual correlations to evaluate local dependency (criterion: r 0.15), S-G2 and S2 to evaluate item fit (criterion: p 0.01). Graded Response Model as implemented in MULTILOG was used to estimate item parameters, and LORDIF (R freeware) was used to evaluate differential item functioning between the Spanish and English versions (criteria: p .01). RESULTS: CFA results supported unidimensionality of these 23 items: CFI 0.995, RMSEA 0.056, residual correlation absolute values ranged from 0 to 0.05, and R2 ranged from 0.69 and 0.87. One item had poor fit with p 0.0041 and 0.0093 for S-G2 and S2, respectively. Six items (measuring more severe fatigue) exhibited significant DIF. Correlation between scores with and without DIF candidate items was 0.97. CONCLUSIONS: Excellent psychometric properties of the Spanish version of Spanish-PedsFIB were evidenced. Comparative studies can be conducted using the English and Spanish versions. Currently, more translations are in progress.
An anomalous journal impact factor

The impact factor (average number of citations per paper) for the Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series jumped between 2003 and 2004 from 6.247 to 15.231, giving it the world's second highest impact factor for an astronomical journal in 2004. Was this change due to a computing error or to an unusual occurrence? It is shown that it was due to the extremely high citation rates (average of 160 citations per year) for 13 papers in the special issue devoted to the WilkinsonMicrowave Anisotropy Probe. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Nucleation and growth mechanism of ferroelectric domain-wall motion

The motion of domain walls is critical to many applications involving ferroelectric materials, such as fast high-density non-volatile random access memory. In memories of this sort, storing a data bit means increasing the size of one polar region at the expense of another, and hence the movement of a domain wall separating these regions. Experimental measurements of domain growth rates in the well-established ferroelectrics PbTiO3 and BaTiO3 have been performed, but the development of new materials has been hampered by a lack of microscopic understanding of how domain walls move. Despite some success in interpreting domain-wall motion in terms of classical nucleation and growth models, these models were formulated without insight from first-principles-based calculations, and they portray a picture of a large, triangular nucleus that leads to unrealistically large depolarization and nucleation energies. Here we use atomistic molecular dynamics and coarse-grained Monte Carlo simulations to analyse these processes, and demonstrate that the prevailing models are incorrect. Our multi-scale simulations reproduce experimental domain growth rates in PbTiO3 and reveal small, square critical nuclei with a diffuse interface. A simple analytic model is also proposed, relating bulk polarization and gradient energies to wall nucleation and growth, and thus rationalizing all experimental rate measurements in PbTiO3 and BaTiO3.
A Cramer-Rao-like error bound in deterministic parameter estimation

This paper derives a Cramer-Rao-like lower bound on the parameter estimation error in a deterministic setting. The bound provides the theoretical limit for deterministic identifiers.
Multichannel time-slot permuters

We consider the general switching problem known as time-space-time domain permutations in telecommunications. We present a new set of multichannel time slot permuters for L parallel frames of M time slots (L equals 2l, M equals 2m). The multichannel time slot permuters are obtained by combining L X L spatial networks and time slot permuters for a frame of M time slots. In this paper, the Benes network, the Batcher sorter and the Lambda network for spatial networks, and their counterparts, the RJS time slot permuter, the S time slot sorter, and the Lambda time slot permuter are considered.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Theoretical assignments of the low-lying electronic states of carbon dioxide

Abstract Extensive configuration interaction calculations (1000 to 1500 determinants) have been carried out for the six low-lying valence states of carbon dioxide in order to provide reliable assignments for the transitions to these states. In addition, Hartree—Fock calculations were performed on the lowest five (singlet and triplet) Rydberg states and the 2 Π g state of the positive ion. These results yield an accurate description of the excited states of carbon dioxide and provide for definitive assignments of the transitions observed by optical and electron impact studies (for the five states known experimentally, the calculations agree to within 0.2 eV of the experimental transition energies).
Proton Radiography Peers into Metal Solidification

Historically, metals are cut up and polished to see the structure and to infer how processing influences the evolution. We can now peer into a metal during processing without destroying it using proton radiography. Understanding the link between processing and structure is important because structure profoundly affects the properties of engineering materials. Synchrotron x-ray radiography has enabled real-time glimpses into metal solidification. However, x-ray energies favor the examination of small volumes and low density metals. Here we use high energy proton radiography for the first time to image a large metal volume (>10,000 mm3) during melting and solidification. We also show complementary x-ray results from a small volume (<1 mm3), bridging four orders of magnitude. Real-time imaging will enable efficient process development and the control of structure evolution to make materials with intended properties; it will also permit the development of experimentally informed, predictive structure and process models.
Involvement of Thrombin Anion-binding Exosites 1 and 2 in the Activation of Factor V and Factor VIII

The role of anion-binding exosites of thrombin in the activation of factor V and factor VIII was studied using thrombin Arg93→ Ala, Arg97→ Ala, and Arg101→ Ala (thrombin RA), a recombinant exosite 2 defective mutant, and a synthetic N-acetylated dodecapeptide, Ac-Asn-Gly-Asp-Phe-Glu-Glu-Ile-Pro-Glu-Glu-Tyr-O-SO4Leu (hirugen), which competitively inhibits binding of macromolecules to exosite 1. The catalytic efficiency of the activation of factor VIII or of the first step of factor V activation by thrombin RA was approximately 10% that of wild-type thrombin. The overall rate of conversion to factor Va was not influenced by the mutation. In contrast to factor V, the slow activation of factor VIII by thrombin RA was associated with a decreased rate of cleavage at all three proteolytic sites (Arg372, Arg740, and Arg1689). Hirugen inhibited factor V and factor VIII activation. These results indicate that both anion-binding exosites of thrombin are involved in the recognition of factor V and factor VIII.
Seasonal–latitudinal variations of PMC particle size from SME measurements for the northern 1983 season and SNOE measurements for the northern 2000 and southern 2000/2001 seasons

The ultraviolet spectrometers (UVS) on the solar mesosphere explorer (SME) and student nitric oxide explorer (SNOE) measured scattered limb radiance at small and large scattering angles from polar mesospheric clouds (PMCs). The SME data are for the northern summer hemisphere (NH) in 1983 and 1984. The SNOE measurements are for the NH in 2000 and for the southern hemisphere (SH) in the 2000/2001 season. From this database, we deduce the modal particle size from the measured scattering angle asymmetry in radiance. This quantity is determined as a function of time within the PMC season, and latitude, assuming several scattering models depending on the adopted size distribution and particle shape. For assumed spherical particles with a Gaussian distribution of width of 14 nm, the results for SME show mode particle sizes that vary from about 35 to 60 nm throughout the season. The results for SNOE under the same assumption show that for high latitudes in the NH the particle size grows systematically from the seasonal onset, from about 25 nm to a maximum of about 45 nm at 30 days after solstice. Lower latitudes show a similar time dependence, but with smaller particle sizes. SH PMC particle sizes display a more complicated seasonal variability. Generally, variability in measured cloud height is anti-correlated with particle size for the seasons analyzed here. Particle sizes in the SH are generally smaller than those in the NH, consistent with the northern bias in PMC brightness, and with previous satellite studies. These results are interpreted in terms of our understanding of PMC microphysics and inter-hemispheric differences in temperature and dynamics. Our quantitative results for mode radius depend on the assumption of a constant distribution width. If the width varies with latitude or time, our calculated gradients of mode radius would be different.
Physical examination of the shoulder joint—Part I: Supraspinatus rotator cuff muscle clinical testing

Clinical testing is an easy and inexpensive tool that provides an informative guide toward initial diagnosis for shoulder joint dysfunctions. Clinical tests can be a powerful aid toward a correct diagnosis or at the least narrowing the differential diagnosis. Family physicians with good understanding of the underlying basic science knowledge of the commonly used clinical tests will be better able to employ a systematic approach in the initial workup and be able to avoid mistakes and errors in patient care. In this article, common clinical tests to differentiate the etiology of shoulder supraspinatus rotator cuff disorders are presented. The tests presented include the Neer impingement, the Hawkins-Kennedy, the Jobe (empty-can), the painful arc, and the drop-arm tests. This article shows the correct performance and positioning for all tests. Each test is presented with a rational analysis of the test concept, procedure, and clinical application integrated to the relevant underlying basic science.
BV Observations of the Long-Period Cepheid S Vulpeculae

The Vanderbilt Unviersity 16-inch APT was used to collect BV observations of the long period Cepheid S Vul. A period of 68.385 days was found from these observations. Comparison of these data with all the previous photoelectric observaitosn indicates a period decrease over 28 years of about 0.41 days. Cepheid evolution models were used to find the location of S Vul in an MV B-V instability strip from which an MV of -6.41 was determined.
Dangerously important moment(s) in reflexive research practices with immigrant youth

As a white, working middle‐class adult queer from the Southwest USA, my subjective relation to the Mexican (im)migrant, poor, working, straight adolescent boys in California participating in my study was tentative, politicized, controversial, and surveilled from both social and individual lenses. Our relationships were also mutually caring, loving, supportive, stimulating, and challenging. Our ethnographic encounters carried with them some long‐standing and dynamic social narratives that surround relations between and across groups of relative privilege and oppression. These narratives produced ‘ethically important moments’ wherein I confronted microethics of research practices that remained largely under‐theorized and misunderstood in methodological literature. By critically examining my reflexive processes and practices within one of these moments, insights into the workings of social narratives about race, class, and sexuality are revealed that can potentially assist future researchers as they confront...
Colonization, population contacts, and the emergence of new language varieties: A response to Peter Trudgill

Peter Trudgill's account of new-dialect formation is uniformitarian, a position I have embraced explicitly since Mufwene 2001 . In Mufwene 2006 , I show how similar the mechanisms involved are to those that account for the emergence of creoles, the basic difference lying in the composition of the contact setting's feature pool (see also below). The position I defend is even less moderate, as I argue that in the history of humankind language speciation has basically been a consequence of how internal variation within a language has been affected by migrations of its speakers and additionally by the different contacts the relevant populations have had among themselves (Trudgill's position) and with speakers of other languages in their new, colonial ecologies (Mufwene 2005 , 2007 , 2008 ). The reader should not be surprised to see in this response comments that are primarily intended to support and complement the position of the target article.
Doctors lying in the trenches.

Ten years ago, I found myself hopelessly lost on a desolate road in rural Ireland, staring at a bent signpost that marked an odd intersection. From the post hung two street signs, each pointing ind...
Lack of effect of dynorphin on consummatory behaviors in obese and normal rats

Abstract The possible role of dynorphin, an endogenous opioid peptide, in the regulation of appetite was studied in male genetically-obese (Zucker) rats and their litter mates of normal weight. Eighteen pairs were divided into 3 treatment groups: control, acutely dynorphin-treated (5 mg/rat), and implanted with Alzet miniosmotic pumps containing 2 mg dynorphin to be delivered at a rate of 10 μg/hr. Body weights and food and water consumption were determined daily for 7 days. Body weights were not significantly changed from initial values for any treatment group. Food and water consumption per 24 hours were generally the same for obese rats and their normal littermates, but in terms of consumption per 100 g body weight, the obese rats generally consumed less food and water. Neither acute nor continuous dynorphin administration affected consummatory levels.
Semiclassical treatment of electronic transitions in molecular collisions: Three-dimensional H+ + D2 → HD+ + D☆

Abstract A semiclassical study is carried out for the three-dimensional reaction H + + D 2 → HD + + D, which involves an electronic transition from the ground to the first excited singlet state of the H 3 + system. The potential energy surfaces corresponding to the two singlet states exhibit an avoided intersection, and they are analytically continued into the complex nuclear coordinate plane. S -matrix elements in the classical limit are computed from complex-valued classical trajectories which propagate on the analytically continued surfaces and switch surfaces continuously at the complex intersection. These elements are computed for the transition from the ground rotational and vibrational states of D 2 to the ground rotational and first excited vibrational states of HD + for zero total angular momentum and for energies in the range from 4.0 eV to 5.0 eV relative to the bottom of the D 2 well on the lower surface.
Quantitation of Phenylephrine Hydrochloride in Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

AbstractA reverse phase high-pressure liquid chromatography method for the quantitation of phenylephrine hydrochloride in a variety of pharmaceutical dosage forms has been developed. The developed method did not require the use of a counter-ion t o increase the retention time of phenylephrine. The method is simple, accurate, precise and reproducible with a percent relative standard deviation of 0.54 based on 6 injections. The results were in excellent agreement with the results obtained using a colorimetric method. The separation between phenylephrine, the internal standard and other ingredients is greatly affected by pH changes (between 5.9-6.1) and the particle size of the column materials (5 micron versus 10 micron). A number of other active ingradinents brompheniramine maleate, chlopheniramine maleate, phenylpropanolamine and guaifenesin, etc. and the excipients such as parabens and sodium benzoate did not interfere with the assay procedure.
A 2-D cadmium-centered polymer and its isomers

Abstract A new two-dimensional coordination polymer, [Cd(NA)2], has been synthesized under hydrothermal reaction conditions. The two-dimensional networks show paired stacking arrangement and the 2-D networks are stabilized via interdigitation and π–π interactions.
Stomping out barriers for hRBC mouse models.

In this issue of Blood , Hu et al show that depletion of mouse macrophages enables the development and persistence of human red blood cells (hRBCs) in immunodeficient mouse models.[1][1] ![Figure][2] Suppression of mouse macrophages by clodronate liposomes (CLO-LIP) enables hRBC survival in
Adipose Transplant for Inborn Errors of Branched Chain Amino Acid Metabolism in Mice

Liver transplantation appears to be quite beneficial for treatment of maple syrup urine disease (MSUD, an inherited disorder of branched chain amino acid metabolism); however, there is a limited availability of donor livers worldwide and the first year costs of liver transplants are quite high. Recent studies have suggested that intact adipose tissue, already widely used in reconstructive surgery, may have an underappreciated high capacity for branched chain amino acid (BCAA) metabolism. Here we examined the potential for adipose tissue transplant to lower circulating BCAAs in two models of defective BCAA metabolism, BCATm and PP2Cm [branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC) phosphatase] knockout (KO) mice. After 1-2g fat transplant, BCATm and PP2Cm KO mice gained or maintained body weight 3weeks after surgery and consumed similar or more food/BCAAs the week before phlebotomy. Transplant of fat into the abdominal cavity led to a sterile inflammatory response and nonviable transplanted tissue. However when 1-2g of fat was transplanted subcutaneously into the back, either as small (0.1-0.3g) or finely minced pieces introduced with an 18-ga. needle, plasma BCAAs decreased compared to Sham operated mice. In two studies on BCATm KO mice and one study on PP2Cm KO mice, fat transplant led to 52-81% reductions in plasma BCAAs compared to baseline plasma BCAA concentrations of untreated WT type siblings. In PP2Cm KO mice, individual BCAAs in plasma were also significantly reduced by fat transplant, as were the alloisoleucine/Phe ratios. Therefore, subcutaneous fat transplantation may have merit as an adjunct to dietary treatment of MSUD. Additional studies are needed to further refine this approach.
Axon Pruning: An Active Role for Glial Cells

Abstract Pruning to refine synaptic networks is a common feature of neural circuit development.New work has shown that, in the Drosophila brain, the steroid hormone ecdysone signals neurons to recruit active glial engulfment and phagocytosis for development-appropriate axonal pruning.
Morphometric sum optical density as a surrogate marker for ploidy status in prostate cancer: an analysis in 180 biopsies using logistic regression and binary recursive partitioning

We sought to identify morphometric descriptors predictive of nondiploidy in prostatic adenocarcinoma on prostate needle biopsies using logistic regression (LR) and binary recursive partitioning (BRP) and compare the equivalence of both methods. A total of 180 prostate needle biopsies diagnosed as prostatic adenocarcinoma were selected. Deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy and morphometry were performed separately on Feulgen-stained sections from these biopsies using the CAS-200 system and Nuclear Morphometry Suite, respectively. Seven morphometric predictors were tested as predictor variables, including nuclear area, circularity, elongation, sum optical density (OD), configuration run length, coefficient of variation (CV), and angularity. Logistic regression (LR) identified a two-parameter model including sum OD and circularity that had a 93.9% overall correct prediction rate (area under curve = 0.950; 95% CI: 0.913, 0.987). A reduced model including only sum OD was equally good without any significant loss of predictive accuracy (93.3% correct overall classification rate). BRP also selected sum OD as the most predictive parameter; a sum OD cut-off of 7.73 in this model identified 93.3% of the nondiploid cases correctly. Morphometric OD can be used as a surrogate marker of nondiploidy. LR and BRP models are both equivalent in identifying and correctly classifying nondiploid cases of prostate cancer using sum OD as the predictor variable.
Sample concentration and separation for nanoliter-volume NMR spectroscopy using capillary isotachophoresis.

Barnett Institute of Chemical and Biological AnalysisNortheastern UniVersity, Boston, Massachusetts 02115Department of Chemistry, Beckman Institute, andDepartment of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniVersity of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignUrbana, Illinois 61801ReceiVed August 18, 2000ReVised Manuscript ReceiVed February 1, 2001Full characterization of trace level analytes in complex mixturesis vital to diverse areas such as cellular analysis, natural productextraction, and combinatorial chemistry. Since nuclear magneticresonance (NMR) spectroscopy can provide structural anddynamic information unattainable by other means, it has foundbroad utility for compounds ranging from small organic moleculesto biopolymers. Despite major advances in performance, NMRsystems still require much greater sample amounts than othermolecular characterization methods. We present here a techniquethat concentrates analytes by capillary isotachophoresis (cITP)to generate the highest mass sensitivity
THE PROSTACYCLIN ANALOG CARBACYCLIN CROSSES THE PLACENTA IN AN IN VITRO PLACENTAL PERFUSION MODEL

THE PROSTACYCLIN ANALOG CARBACYCLIN CROSSES THE PLACENTA IN AN IN VITRO PLACENTAL PERFUSION MODEL
Pesticide Transformation to Aniline and Azo Compounds in Soil

The herbicide 39,49-dichloropropionanilide decomposes in soil to carbon dioxide and 3,4-dichloroaniline. and two molecules of the latter compound are condensed to form 3,39,4,49-tetrachloroazobenzene. Soil microorganisms are involved in both transformations.
Applications of computer-aided rasterstereography in spinal deformity detection

Abstract In this paper, a methodology developed for analyzing surface shapes using computer-aided rasterstereography is discussed and its applications in the field of medical science are highlighted. In this methodology, deviations are extracted from projected horizontal and vertical rasters and used in generating a profile of the surface under consideration. The magnitude and direction of deviations indicate 3-D properties of the surface. This technique is suitable for screening children for spinal deformities because it is simple, fast and non-invasive. It does not require very specific setup due to the reduction of errors using symmetry of the human back. The positive cases detected by the system can be referred to the physician for further diagnosis and treatment.
The Significance of Nitric Oxide Production in the Brain After Injury

Glutamate toxicity has been implicated in many aspects of brain injury including traumatic, ischemic, and hemorrhagic damage. We have used in vitro as well as in vivo methods to measure NO production and to examine the role of NO in glutamate toxicity. In building our recombinant system, we used human kidney embryonic cells, HEK 293, as host for transfection of nNOS and NMDA receptor proteins. Cells cotransfected with NMDA and nNOS were more resistant to glutamate toxicity. This resistance correlated with NO production as measured by citrulline assay. Meanwhile, the production of NO did not significantly change the response of the NMDA receptor as seen by calcium studies. Moreover, in vivo, NO production was directly correlated with brain tissue oxygen tension in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients. These data and others point toward the importance of NO production in the response of brain to injury.
Evidence for functional specialization of hippocampal subfields detected by MR subfield volumetry on high resolution images at 4 T

Animal studies suggest an involvement of CA3 and dentate gyrus (CA3&DG) in memory encoding and early retrieval and an involvement of CA1 in late retrieval, consolidation and recognition. The aim of this study was to test if similar associations could be found between hippocampal subfield volumes measured in vivo using a manual parcellation scheme and selected scores of the California Verbal Learning Test II (CVLTII): total immediate free recall discriminability (IFRD), short free recall discriminability (SFRD), and delayed recall discriminability (DRD). 50 elderly subjects (25 controls and 25 cognitively impaired subjects) had CVLTII and high resolution hippocampal MRI at 4T. Entorhinal cortex, subiculum, CA1, CA1-CA2 transition zone, and CA3&DG were manually marked on five slices in the anterior hippocampal body on the MRI. Pearson correlations followed by stepwise regression analysis were used to test for associations between subfield volumes and CVLTII. IFRD and SFRD, which are measures of encoding/early retrieval, were associated with CA3&DG, and DRD, which measures consolidation/late retrieval, with CA1. These preliminary findings demonstrate that subfield volumetry has the potential to study non invasively subfield specific memory functions.
A Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Modifications to the Angoff Method on Cutoff Scores and Judgment Consensus.

The Angoff method for setting cutoff scores on examinations has been researched extensively over the past 30 years, including investigations of several procedural modifications to the method. In the current study, the authors meta-analytically synthesized this research and evaluated the systematic effects of the most common modifications on the level of the resulting cutoff scores and the degree of consensus among judges. The authors found the following: (a) when judges use a common definition of minimally competent test-takers, this tends to increase judgment consensus; (b) when judges discuss their estimates, this tends to result in higher cutoff scores with increased consensus; and (c) when judges view normative data, this tends to systematically lower cutoff scores. In addition, the authors found an interaction effect which revealed that when judges use a common definition and later discuss their estimates, this tends to produce the highest standards on average, with the highest degree of consensus am...
Selecting a destination image for a capital city rather than for a nation: A segmentation study

Abstract This paper investigates whether when authorities use different types of places to build a destination image of a capital city, the general public considers that the places represent the city itself rather than a nation. Taipei City, the capital city of Taiwan, was used as an experimental case study. The survey results suggest that people tend to perceive that places associated with localities or natural landscapes represent a city. Meanwhile, places associated with state power, multi-ethnicity, or economic globalization may give rise to different interpretations of their representations. The results also reveal that in comparison to citizens, non-citizens may have stronger opinions on whether certain places represent a city or a nation. Overall, the present research provides a possible typology of places and a decision-making approach for selecting suitable places for building a destination image of a capital city.
High energy beams of radioactive nuclei and their biomedical applications

Abstract It is possible to produce energetic beam of radioactive nuclei, as secondary beams, from the heavy-particle compound accelerator called BEVALAC. These beam can be focused into experimental areas without significant contamination using suitable magnetic filters and proper beam-optics. Properly selected high-energy beam of radioactive nuclei (those which decay by positron emission) can provide a truly unique opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of these beam in localizing the Bragg peak on a tumor volume—necessary in heavy-particle therapy. Preliminary data are presented here to demonstrate the possible use of these beam in radiotherapy treatment-planning verification.
Ddb1 is required for the proteolysis of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe replication inhibitor Spd1 during S phase and after DNA damage.

Recently we showed that the Schizosaccharomyces pombe ddb1 gene plays a role in S phase progression. A mutant S. pombe strain lacking expression of the ddb1 gene exhibited slow replication through both early and late regions causing a slow S phase phenotype. We attributed the phenotypes in the ddb1 strain to an increased activity of the replication checkpoint kinase Cds1. However, the basis for a high basal Cds1 activity in the ddb1 strain was not clear. It was shown that Ddb1 associates with the Cop9/signalosome. Moreover, the phenotypes of the Δddb1 strain are remarkably similar to the Δcsn1 (or Δcsn2) strain that lacks expression of the Csn1 (or Csn2) subunit of the Cop9/signalosome. Cop9/signalosome cooperates with Pcu4 to induce proteolysis of Spd1, which inhibits DNA replication by inhibiting ribonucleotide reductase. Therefore, we investigated whether Ddb1 is required for the proteolysis of Spd1. Here we show that a S. pombe strain lacking expression of Ddb1 fails to induce proteolysis of Spd1 in S phase and after DNA damage. Moreover, deletion of the spd1 gene attenuates the Cds1 kinase activity in cells lacking the expression of ddb1, suggesting that an accumulation of Spd1 results in the increase of Cds1 activity in the Δddb1 strain. In addition, the double mutant lacking spd1 and ddb1 no longer exhibits the growth defects and DNA damage sensitivity observed in the Δddb1 strain. Our results establish an essential role of Ddb1 in the proteolysis of Spd1. In addition, the observation provides evidence for a functional link between Ddb1 and the Cop9/signalosome.
PSM-throttling: Minimizing Energy Consumption for Bulk Data Communications in WLANs

While the 802.11 power saving mode (PSM) and its enhancements can reduce power consumption by putting the wireless network interface (WNI) into sleep as much as possible, they either require additional infrastructure support, or may degrade the transmission throughput and cause additional transmission delay. These schemes are not suitable for long and bulk data transmissions with strict QoS requirements on wireless devices. With increasingly abundant bandwidth available on the Internet, we have observed that TCP congestion control is often not a constraint of bulk data transmissions as bandwidth throttling is widely used in practice. In this paper, instead of further manipulating the trade-off between the power saving and the incurred delay, we effectively explore the power saving potential by considering the bandwidth throttling on streaming/downloading servers. We propose an application-independent protocol, called PSM-throttling. With a quick detection on the TCP flow throughput, a client can identify bandwidth throttling connections with a low cost Since the throttling enables us to reshape the TCP traffic into periodic bursts with the same average throughput as the server transmission rate, the client can accurately predict the arriving time of packets and turn on/off the WNI accordingly. PSM-throttling can minimize power consumption on TCP-based bulk traffic by effectively utilizing available Internet bandwidth without degrading the application's performance perceived by the user. Furthermore, PSM-throttling is client-centric, and does not need any additional infrastructure support. Our lab-environment and Internet-based evaluation results show that PSM-throttling can effectively improve energy savings (by up to 75%) and/or the QoS for a broad types of TCP-based applications, including streaming, pseudo streaming, and large file downloading, over existing PSM-like methods.
ANALYSIS OF STEEL-CONCRETE COMPOSITE FRAMES WITH BOND-SLIP

Recent developments in modeling the slip in steel-concrete composite beams have led to an accurate and numerically stable force-based frame element. The element assumes force fields rather than displacement fields along the element. After a brief review of the element formulation, the paper discusses a new phenomenological law for the shear connection between steel girder and concrete slab that considers stiffness and strength degradation. Correlation studies with available push-pull tests on shear connectors are used to validate the proposed model. The steel-concrete composite frame element is then applied to (1) the study of a composite structural subassemblage for which experimental data are available; and (2) the analysis of a three-story, four-bay steel building with a composite deck. In the first case, good agreement is obtained with the experimental resutls for both full and partial connection conditions. In the second, the study shows the increase in stiffness and strength due to the composite action. The accuracy of the force-based element leads to the use of one or two elements for a single structural member, thus allowing entire frame analyses to be performed economically.
The Welfare Analytics of Transaction Costs, Externalities, and Institutional Choice

A natural result of the economist's participation in externality literature has been a strong emphasis upon market and price-guided policies. Available theoretical foundations are insufficient for supporting this ideology. Absent is a conceptual framework which integrates institutional options and their attendant resource costs with what we know of resource and technology constraints. This paper addresses this omission by incorporating an explicit role for transaction costs into traditional welfare diagrammatics.
OPTIMIZATION ISSUES IN FINITE ELEMENT CODES FOR SOLVING OPEN DOMAIN 3D ELECTROMAGNETIC SCATTERING AND CONFORMAL ANTENNA PROBLEMS

SUMMARY The first part of the paper presents the implementation and performance of a new absorbing boundary condition (ABC) for truncating finite element meshes. This ABC can be applied conformally to the surface of the structure for scattering and antenna radiation calculations. Consequently, the computational domain is reduced dramatically, thus allowing the simulation of much larger structures, and results are presented for three-dimensional bodies. The latter part of the paper discusses optimization issues relating to the solver's CPU speed on parallel and vector processors. It is shown that a jagged diagonal storage scheme leads to a four-fold increase in the FLOP rate of the code, and a standard matrix profile reduction algorithm substantially reduces the inter-processor communication.