cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forage variation in brood-rearing areas used by pacific black brant geese on the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta, Alaska

1 We investigated the effects of grazing by black brant geese on Carex subspathacea lawns on the Yukon-Kuskokwim delta, Alaska. 2 We compared variation in growth and forage quality in both grazed and temporarily exclosed sites to determine responses of C. subspathacea to grazing at landscape scales within two nesting colonies that had experienced different population dynamics over recent decades. 3 Landscapes differed in forage quality, grazing patterns, and in the effect grazing had on C. subspathacea forage characteristics. We found no effect of grazing on net above-ground primary productivity (NAPP) over a wide range of natural grazing intensities at the landscape scale. 4 No differences in forage quality, NAPP, or response of C. subspathacea growth rates to grazing pressures could be detected between colonies. This suggests that goose grazing does not have deleterious effects on C. subspathacea in this ecosystem. 5 It has been suggested that gosling growth rates are sensitive to seasonal declines in forage availability and quality. Spatial variation in forage quality and availability per sampled area exceeded seasonal variation in these characteristics and is likely to have dramatic effects on gosling growth and recruitment rates.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC AND ELECTROPHYSIOLOGIC STUDY OF THE PACEMAKER IN THE SINO-ATRIAL NODE OF THE RABBIT HEART.

Within the sino-atrial node, which is a thin structure of 30–50 mm2, surrounded by atrial myocardium, the pacemaker, latent pacemaker areas and occasionally atrial myocardium were located by electrophysiological methods. Tissue from these areas was studied with the phase-contrast and the electron microscope.
A Rhetoric of Ubiquity: Terminal Space as Omnitopia

This article develops the notion of omnitopia as an experience of place as the convergence of multiple spaces such that each individual locale appears as a manifestation of the whole. Aided by thick description of airport “terminal space,” the article proposes three central aspects of omnitopia: generic environments, continual movement, and atomized interactions. In so doing, the article extends upon previous inquiries into utopia and heterotopia while commenting upon the changes to terminal life wrought by the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
Between Pre-German and Pre-English: The Origin of Dutch

This paper examines the socio-historical context in which Dutch arose as a result of contact between Frankish and Ingvaeonic speakers in the seventh and eighth centuries. I first consider some persistent pitfalls in socio-historical linguistics with regard to better-known instances of language contact in medieval Europe. I review the reflexes of umlaut in Dutch and propose a solution for this long-standing problem in terms of language contact. Finally, the linguistic analysis is placed in a social and historical context, with special attention to the role of slavery in creating the context for the linguistic developments that took place.*
Increased host acceptance in experienced females of the parasitoid Brachymeria intermedia: which types of oviposition behaviour contribute to experience?

Brachymeria intermedia (Nees) (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) is a solitary endoparasitoid of the gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae). The probability that a wasp will parasitise this host is increased if she had a previous oviposition experience. We investigated which types of pre-oviposition and oviposition behaviour induced this change by comparing the acceptance behaviour of wasps with zero to five oviposition experiences as well as wasps with various partial host handling experiences (from no contact with a host to one complete oviposition sequence). The percentage of females accepting the host increased gradually with both the number of previous oviposition experiences and the amount of handling of a single host. Furthermore, the naive females were less likely (44%) to walk to the host than females with a variety of experiences (72-100%). A single antennal contact with the host was sufficient to increase the probability of walking to the host. Additional handling and additional oviposition experiences further elevated the propensity to oviposit. Thus, the modification of the acceptance behaviour through experience was essentially a gradual process in which antennal contact with a pupa was a major element. It is suggested that naive wasps learned the host odour when they first antennated a pupa. As a result, they were attracted to the host odour in subsequent encounters.
Measurement of Single Molecule Folding/unfolding Trajectories

We have measured folding/unfolding trajectories of single protein G (B1 domain) molecules, a simple two-state folder, by simultaneously measuring the fluorescence intensity, lifetime, and spectrum at various concentrations of denaturant. Protein molecules were labeled by a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) pair, Alexa Fluor 488 and Alexa Fluor 594 and were immobilized on a glass surface coated with polyethyleneglycol via streptavidin-biotin linkage. The vast majority of molecules (∼ 85%) exhibits simple two-state trajectories, with either high or low values of the FRET efficiency, corresponding to the folded and unfolded states, respectively, with unresolvable jumps between them. About 10% of the trajectories show transitions in the unfolded state that can be attributed to a ∼20 nm spectral shift of the donor, as revealed by measurements of their emission spectra. The mean FRET efficiency of immobilized molecules matches the value measured in free diffusion experiments. There is a distribution of these values beyond the width expected from shot noise, which can, however, be quantitatively accounted for by the distribution of acceptor lifetimes. In spite of these complications from photophysics, rate coefficients obtained from the exponential distribution of residence times in either the folded or unfolded state yield relaxation times that agree within a factor of 2 with those measured on the dye-labeled protein by stopped flow kinetics. In addition, no correlation is observed between the donor and acceptor intensity in the unfolded state from microseconds to seconds suggesting that structural averaging between unfolded conformations occurs on the nanosecond timescale, as expected from previous measurements by B. Schuler and coworkers (PNAS:104,2655,2007). All these results indicate that we have successfully immobilized the protein without significantly altering its structure, kinetics, or dynamics, and represent a major step forward toward the goal of “watching” individual molecules fold.
Synthesis of 3-alkyl naphthalenes as novel estrogen receptor ligands.

A series of estrogen receptor ligands based on a 3-alkyl naphthalene scaffold was synthesized using an intramolecular enolate-alkyne cycloaromatization as the key step. Several of these compounds bearing a C6-OH group were shown to be high affinity ligands. All compounds had similar ERα and ERβ binding affinity ranging from micromolar to low nanomolar.
Stratified refractivity effects on microwave propagation near the earth's surface

The effects on microwave radar performance of a horizontally stratified refractive index within the first 8 m of the earth's surface are considered. The radar propagation paths examined are near horizontal and about 1 km in length. The effects of several assumed refractivity profiles on the antenna pattern and on the interference produced by ground reflection are shown. Field test results compare the predicted radar performance obtained from a knowledge of the refractivity profile with the observed performance.
Parallel Processor for the Spin Spectrometer

Current maximum data rates from the Spin Spectrometer of ~5000 events/s (up to 1.3 MBytes/s) and minimum analysis requiring at least 3000 operations/event require a CPU cycle time near 70 ns. In order to achieve an effective cycle time of 70 ns, a parallel processing device is proposed. Up to 4 independent processors will be implemented in parallel in a quasi-CAMAC environment. The individual processors are designed around the Am2910 Microsequencer, the AM29116 ?P, and the Am29517 Multiplier. Satellite histogramming will be handled by a commercial 16-bit ?P system.
Altered pathogenesis of a mutant of the murine coronavirus MHV-A59 is associated with a Q159L amino acid substitution in the spike protein

C12, an attenuated, fusion delayed, very weakly hepatotropic mutant of mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 (MHV-A59) has been further characterized. We have previously shown that C12 has two amino acid substitutions relative to wild type virus in the spike protein, Q159L (within a region of S1 shown to bind to viral receptor in an in vitro assay) and H716D (in the proteolytic cleavage recognition site). We have sequenced the rest of the 31-kb genome of C12 and compared it to wild type virus. Only three additional amino acids substitutions were found, all encoded within the replicase gene. Analysis of C12 in vivo in C57Bl/6 mice has shown that despite the fact that this virus replicates in the brain to titers at least as high as wild type and causes acute encephalitis similar to wild type, this virus causes a minimal level of demyelination and only at very high levels of virus inoculation. Thus acute encephalitis is not sufficient for the induction of demyelination by MHV-A59. Analysis of mutants isolated at earlier times from the same persistently infected glial cell culture as C12, as well as mutants isolated from a second independent culture of persistently infected glial cells, suggests that both the weakly demyelinating and the weakly hepatotropic phenotypes of C12 are associated with the Q159L amino acid substitution. q 1997 Academic Press
Rupture mechanism and interface separation in foam rubber models of earthquakes: a possible solution to the heat flow paradox and the paradox of large overthrusts

Abstract Spontaneous stick-slip along the interface between stressed foam rubber blocks is a simple analog of earthquake rupture and stick-slip. Results from this model are used to elucidate the role of normal stress variations along the interface in the stick-slip process. Observations indicate significant normal interface vibrations and separation during slip, suggesting that dynamic changes in normal stress (rather than a drop in the coefficient of friction) may control stick-slip, as suggested, for example, by Tolstoi, Oden and Martins and Brune and co-workers. Observations of particle trajectories indicate that stick-slip shear motion is associated with various degrees of fault separation. For an asymmetric model, the motion is consistent with slipping motion of the type suggested by Schallamach and Price. For a symmetric model, the motion is similar to that suggested by Comninou and Dundurs. If interface waves of this type, involving separation during slip, occur in earthquakes, they may be a solution to the heat flow paradox, since a major part of the slip occurs during separation and during low normal stress. Thus frictional heat generation is reduced. Normal interface vibrations during stick-slip may explain the high corner frequency of P wave spectra and the generally high levels of P wave spectra beyond the corner frequency. Schallamach-Comninou type waves are consistent with the partial stress drop-abrupt locking-self healing models of Brune and Heaton.
Assessment of D3 versus D2 receptor modulation of the discriminative stimulus effects of (+)-7-OH-DPAT in rats.

Although there are presently no highly selective agonists for the D3 dopamine receptor, a number of compounds reported to bind with moderate selectivity to D3 receptors are currently employed to investigate the importance of D3 receptors in the behavioral effects of psychostimulant drugs. For example, 7-hydroxy-N,N-di-n-propyl-2-aminotetralin (7-OH-DPAT) has been used extensively to investigate the role of D3 receptors in the reinforcing and discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine and d-amphetamine. However, recent investigations with a relatively selective D3 antagonist, PNU-99194A, have led us to question the importance of D3 receptors in the discriminative stimulus effects of 7-OH-DPAT. In the present study, 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate (+)-7-OH-DPAT (0.03 mg/kg, subcutaneously (s.c.)) from saline in a two-choice operant procedure using a fixed-ratio 20 schedule of water reinforcement. Consistent with previous findings, PNU-99194A appeared to attenuate only partially (+)-7-OH-DPAT discrimination at a dose that disrupted responding in most subjects. Moreover, a highly selective D2 agonist, PNU-91356A, substituted completely and in a dose-dependent manner for (+)-7-OH-DPAT, while d-amphetamine produced only partial substitution for the training drug. These data indicate that D2 receptor actions appear to be more important than D3 receptor actions in exerting the discriminative stimulus effects of (+)-7-OH-DPAT. Continued efforts to determine the relative importance of D2 vs D3 receptor actions in the modulation of the discriminative stimulus effects of (+)-7-OH-DPAT are discussed. © 1999 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Studies on the interaction of T7 RNA polymerase with a DNA template containing a site-specifically placed psoralen cross-link: II. Stability and some properties of elongation complexes

Abstract We constructed a 66 base-pair DNA template capable of supporting transcription by T7 RNA polymerase. This template had a psoralen cross-link downstream from a T7 promoter such that a 36 (+1) nucleotide transcript was synthesized at the time the T7 polymerase came to a stop at the cross-link. The stability of elongation complexes formed on this template, and the effect of different factors that are known to affect polymerase-DNA interactions was investigated by non-denaturing gel electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography. We found that an elongation complex could lose its RNA component but the T7 polymerase still remained attached to the DNA template for extended periods of time (at least up to 18 h). This type of an elongation complex, bereft of its nascent RNA transcript, is called a quasi-elongation complex. DNase I footprinting within gel slices indicated that the polymerase molecules were arrested at the psoralen cross-link on the DNA template in the quasi-elongation complexes. The quasi-elongation complexes were found to be extremely stable in 0.5 m -NaCl and in 0.2 m -NaCl plus 60m m -MgCl 2 , and could withstand temperatures up to 42 °C. The quasi-elongation complexes were destabilized by heparin and excess calf thymus DNA. Excess tRNA caused only a minimal degree of disruption. Non-promoter-containing plasmid DNAs did not have a destabilizing effect on the quasi-elongation complexes. Interestingly, it was observed that in a T7 ternary transcriptional complex arrested by a psoralen cross-link, the nascent RNA transcript could be stabilized from release by the presence in trans of a plasmid DNA bearing a T7 promoter and a T7 terminator. Such a stabilization against RNA release was not observed with plasmid DNAs containing either only a promoter or a terminator. The elongation complexes were stable during gel filtration through Sephacryl S-300 HR. However, it was found that 30% to 45% of the labeled RNA was retained during gel filtration as RNA that was apparently free from ternary complexes.
Heat capacity and thermal diffusivity of a glass sample.

We report on measurements of the specific heat and thermal diffusivity of Pyrex 7740 glass for temperatures between 20 and 310 K. The thermal conductivity was determined from the measured quantities. Our results are compared with theoretical predictions for glasses.
Visual control of foot placement when walking over complex terrain

The aim of this study was to investigate the role of visual information in the control of walking over complex terrain with irregularly spaced obstacles. We developed an experimental paradigm to measure how far along the future path people need to see in order to maintain forward progress and avoid stepping on obstacles. Participants walked over an array of randomly distributed virtual obstacles that were projected onto the floor by an LCD projector while their movements were tracked by a full-body motion capture system. Walking behavior in a full-vision control condition was compared with behavior in a number of other visibility conditions in which obstacles did not appear until they fell within a window of visibility centered on the moving observer. Collisions with obstacles were more frequent and, for some participants, walking speed was slower when the visibility window constrained vision to less than two step lengths ahead. When window sizes were greater than two step lengths, the frequency of collisions and walking speed were weakly affected or unaffected. We conclude that visual information from at least two step lengths ahead is needed to guide foot placement when walking over complex terrain. When placed in the context of recent research on the biomechanics of walking, the findings suggest that two step lengths of visual information may be needed because it allows walkers to exploit the passive mechanical forces inherent to bipedal locomotion, thereby avoiding obstacles while maximizing energetic efficiency.
Myofibromatosis: A case report with a unique clinical presentation

Myofibroma and myofibromatosis have been described under different names since 1951. These lesions are a benign fibroblastic and myofibroblastic proliferation containing a biphasic presentation of spindle-shaped cells surrounding a central zone of less differentiated cells focally arranged in a hemangiopericytoma-like pattern. Classically, these lesions are described in children younger than 2, with two thirds present at birth, and rarely in adults. The typical clinical presentation shows variable growth pattern of a painless purple to pink soft tissue mass, often showing secondary ulceration. Controversy exists as to an autosomal dominant or recessive inheritance versus sporadic occurrence. Presented here is a unique case of myofibromatosis presenting first as a superficial scalp lesion at age 2, followed by other primary lesions of the right mandibular vestibule, right temple, and left mandibular vestibule at ages 9, 12, and 23, respectively. All were treated with excision, without recurrence at the primary site.
Femurs from rats fed diets deficient in copper or iron have decreased mechanical strength and altered mineral composition

A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of copper and iron deficiencies upon femur mineral content and biomechanical properties. Radiogrametry and single photon absorptiometry were used to evaluate femur bone mass. Long-Evans male rats were fed purified diets either adequate or deficient in the selected element from weanling until 9 weeks of age. Results demonstrate that in rats fed both the copper and iron restricted diets, the breaking strength was significantly decreased in both femurs. Lower levels of iron and copper were observed in the livers of the respected trace element restricted groups, and femur iron and copper were depressed in both of these groups as well. Femur Cu:Zn was decreased in the copper deficient group and femur zinc levels were elevated in the iron deficient group. Copper and iron restricted rats had smaller cortical and, larger medullary area in a portion of the femur, 1/4 from the distal end, as determined by radiogrametry, but there were no differences at the mid point or proximal portions of the femurs. The influence of iron restriction upon the decreased bone biomechanical strength is a novel finding and deserves further attention, in that iron deficiency anemia is a prevalent public health problem. J. Trace Elem. Exp. Med. 10:197–203, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
IgE Concentrations in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

AbstractHypothesis: Allergies have been proposed as a cause or contributing factor of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). If this is so, then the stigmata of atopy, such as symptoms of allergic rhinitis and high serum IgE, should be present in CFS subjects.Methods:Medical records from an allergy and immunology clinic were retrospectively reviewed. All subjects who had had a serum IgE measurement performed over a 4-year period were identified, and allergy history and skin test data reviewed. Patients were then classified as: (a) allergic rhinitis (n = 51), (b) CFS (n = 113, 1992 criteria), and (c) normal subjects without atopy, CFS or immunodeficiency (n = 76). IgE levels were compared between groups.Results:A clinical history of allergic rhinitis was present in 31% (35/113) of the CFS subjects. The IgE levels of allergic rhinitis subjects and the subset of CFS subjects with allergic rhinitis were 392 ± 73 and 406 ± 123 IU/ml, respectively. In contrast, normal subjects and CFS subjects who did not give a histo...
Target values and method evaluation in proficiency testing programs.

A recent opinion article (1) in this journal presented sound metrologic principles and a plan of action to improve analytical accuracy in medical laboratories. In addition to the use of Certified Reference Materials outlined by Muller (1), use of proficiency testing and external quality-control programs can have a broader impact on interlaboratory comparability. Ideally, target values should be derived from reference methods and reference materials, but both are limited in their availability, and the mean (or other indicator of central tendency) of participant data is frequently used. This has been shown to provide a basis of comparison often comparable to reference methods (2). The means of subsets of methods (peer-group means) are often reported as target values, a practice usually ascribed to method-dependent behavior of proficiency test specimens and so-called matrix effects (3)(4); this use of multiple “true values” in proficiency testing has been criticized (5)(6). In the US, the CLIA’88 serves as the basis for any accredited external quality-control program. The current regulations (7) state …
External fixation versus open reduction with locked volar plating for geriatric distal radius fractures

The optimal management of displaced dorsal radius fractures (DRFs) in older patients remains an issue of debate. Bridging external fixation is a well-accepted treatment modality for severely comminuted DRFs, while open reduction and internal fixation with locked volar plating has emerged as a promising alternative in recent years. The current body of randomized trials supports the trend toward locked volar plating, as it allows for quicker improvement in subjective and functional outcomes. There is no clear evidence to suggest that one technique carries significantly less complications than the other. Locked volar plating should be considered in patients for whom an accelerated functional recovery would be advantageous. Otherwise, both external fixation and locked volar plating provide good long-term clinical outcomes.
Evaluation of the Binax NOW, BD Directigen, and BD Directigen EZ Assays for Detection of Respiratory Syncytial Virus

The Binax NOW assay (Binax, Inc., Portland, Maine) and the BD Directigen EZ assay (Becton Dickinson and Company, Sparks, Md.), two new rapid immunoassays for detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), as well as the BD Directigen RSV assay (DRSV) (Becton Dickinson and Company) and direct immunofluorescence staining (DFA) were compared with culture for detection of RSV in fresh specimens from both children and adults during the 2002-2003 respiratory virus season. The majority (95%) of specimens were nasal or nasopharyngeal washes or aspirates. A total of 47 (26%) were culture positive for RSV. The overall sensitivities of DFA (n = 149), NOW (n = 118), EZ (n = 88), and DRSV (n = 180) compared with culture (n = 180) were 93, 89, 59, and 77%, respectively. The specificities of DFA, NOW, EZ, and DRSV were 97, 100, 98, and 96%, respectively. However, when results were separated into those from children and those from adults, DFA was the only rapid test adequate for detection of RSV (sensitivity of 100% compared to 0, 0, and 25% for NOW, EZ, and DRSV, respectively) in adults. For children the sensitivities of DFA, NOW, EZ, and DRSV were 93, 94, 72, and 81%. The NOW assay was the most sensitive and specific and the easiest to perform of the kit tests for detecting RSV in children. None of these three rapid kit tests was sensitive for detecting RSV in specimens from adults. DFA remains the rapid method of choice for detecting RSV in the adult population.
Is Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Caused by Coxsackievirus B Infection? A Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence

The evidence that coxsackievirus B plays a causal role in the etiology of insulindependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) is reviewed. This hypothesis is biologically plausible; one variant of another picornavirus, encephalomyocarditis virus, causes diabetes in genetically susceptible mice, but prior infection with another, serologically indistinguishable variant prevents this. The seasonal distributions of infection due to coxsackievirus B and of IDDM are similar. Case reports document coxsackievirus B infection coincident with the onset of IDDM. More than one-third of patients with recent-onset IDDM have antibody to coxsackievirus B but have not necessarily had recent infection. Case-control studies show no consistent association, with odds ratios ranging from 0.7 to 20. In two prospective studies, IDDM did not follow coxsackievirus B epidemics, but the sample sizes were small. Although epidemiologic data are too inconsistent to allow one to conclude that coxsackievirus B is a frequent cause of IDDM, methodologic difficultiesillustrated in the animal model -suggest that it would be premature to discard this hypothesis.
A 3 GigaHertz 4:1 time division multiplexer with output retiming

A 3 GHz 4:1 multiplexer has been designed in Hewlett Packard's newest bipolar process. The circuit is fully differential and uses ECL-level outputs. Inputs are also ECL levels. The design uses a travelling wave divider approach to generate the timing signals for a 4:1 series gated asynchronous multiplexer. An output flip-flop and an inverting (on-chip) delay line are used in conjunction to retime the output data. The chip operates to 3 GHz from approximately 100 MHz with a power dissipation of 1.8 W. Off-chip drivers are on chip terminated to approximately 100 Omega to present a VSWR of better than 2:1 at the output. Full input registers lock in the data at the inputs. >
PPA-A precise, data driven component tool

This paper outlines the development of a data-driven, fine pitch component placement machine, PPA-A, which is an integrated robotic workcell developed for attaching fine pitch integrated circuit components to printed circuit boards. In particular, the objectives for the machine are reviewed, and an overview of the solution is given. Problems encountered during the development are discussed, and details of the algorithms developed to solve these problems are given. These problems relate to achieving very precise placement of components, and are solved by novel calibration and execution schemes. >
An iteratively interpolative vector quantization algorithm for image data compression

An iterative scheme is proposed in which vector quantization is applied to images represented by interpolative pyramids. An N*N image, where N=2/sup n/+1, is subsampled successively to form a pyramid. A 'spline under tension' interpolation algorithm is applied to each level to form an interpolative pyramid. A differential pyramid is then generated by taking the difference between the corresponding levels of the subsampled pyramid and the interpolative pyramid. A universal code book can be found to vector quantize the differential pyramid on a level-by-level basis and the pyramid can be transmitted iteratively. The receiver recovers the information by decoding the differential pyramid and adding the difference into the interpolative pyramid at each level. The algorithm properly carries out the errors of vector quantization to the next level of the pyramid. >
The Impact of Research Collaboration on Scientific Productivity

Based on the curricula vitae and survey responses of 443 academic scientists affiliated with university research centers in the USA, we examine the longstanding assumption that research collaborati...
Does extinction wield an axe or pruning shears? How interactions between phylogeny and ecology affect patterns of extinction

Extinctions are caused by environmental and ecological change but are recognized and measured in the fossil record by the disappearance of clades or lineages. If the ecological preferences of lineages or taxa are weakly congruent with their phylogenetic relationships, even large ecological perturbations are unlikely to drive major clades extinct because the factors that eliminate some species are unlikely to affect close relatives with different ecological preferences. In contrast, if phylogenetic relatedness and ecological preferences are congruent, then ecological perturbations can more easily cause extinctions of large clades. In order to quantify this effect, we used a computer model to simulate the diversification and extinction of clades based on ecological criteria. By varying the parameters of the model, we explored (1) the relationship between the extinction probability for a clade of a given size (number of terminals) and the overall intensity of extinction (the proportion of the terminals that go extinct), and (2) the congruence between ecological traits of the terminals and their phylogenetic relationships. Data from two extinctions (planktonic foraminifera at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary and vascular land plants at the Middle/Late Pennsylvanian boundary) show phylogenetic clustering of both ecological traits and extinction probability and demonstrate the interaction of these factors. The disappearance of large clades is observed in the fossil record, but our model suggests that it is very improbable without both high overall extinction intensities and high congruence between ecology and phylogeny.
Convergence of weighted sums of independent random variables

1. Introduction. Let {Xk: k ≥ 1} be a sequence of independent, but not necessarily identically distributed, random variables. Suppose that the random variables Xn are uniformly bounded by a random variable X in the sense that(1) P(|Xn| ≥x) ≤ P(|X| ≥ x)for all x > 0. Write qn(x) = P(|Xn| ≥ x) and q(x) = P(|X| ≥ x).
The Schedule and Dose of Alemtuzumab Determine the Incidence of Mixed Chimerism in Pediatric Patients Undergoing Reduced Intensity Conditioning Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

s / Biol Blood Marrow Transplant 19 (2013) S109eS128 S123 for whom HCT is appropriate, ii) the choice of the different donor sources. A risk-adapted treatment strategy is crucial to improve the outcome of pts with HRHD. Our policy is to offer a haploidentical HCT to adult pts lacking a matched donor in the appropriate time according to clinical indications (www.leukemianet.org, www.ebmt.org). This policy is integrated in ongoing protocols for primary disease. Methods: Here we are reporting the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis of HCT in all consecutive HRHD pts referred to our Institution between January 2004 and June 2012. Results: Indication to HCT was given to 611 pts (median age 49 y, range 10-76; male 394), 120 pts (20%) received a transplant from a MRD; 187 pts (30%) activated a MUD search; 118 pts (19% of total pts, 63% of MUD searching) received a MUD transplant; 12 pts (2%) received a umbilical cord blood unit. Overall, 237 pts received a haplo-HCT (49%). The median time from indication to HCT was 87 days. The median time from indication to activation was 12 days and the median time from activation to HCT was 114 days (range 22-824). Lack of donor was not a limiting factor. Age was not a limiting variable to HCT execution: 107 patients (out of 487 SCT e 22%) were in the 60-69 range of age. The overall survival (OS) analysis in ITT for the entire populationwas 43% at 2 years, with a median time of survival of 767 days. The 2yOS in pts transplanted in CRwas 60%, in pts transplanted in PD is 25% (p CR1 and PD, respectively. The outcome analysis (OS, relapse incidence, transplant related mortality) per donor source was comparable (p1⁄4ns) within CR setting. Conclusion: For many pts with HRHD, HCT from a MRD provides the best chance for long-term survival. However, only approximately 30% of individuals have a MRD. In our experience, haplo-HCT offers a concrete option of cure to HRHD pts: outcome results are superimposable to MRD and MUD in pts in CR at HCT. In ITT analysis, 80% of candidate pts received an HCT as a potential immunotherapy. All patients affected by HRHD, for whom an HCT is part of their therapeutic program, should proceed with a well-timed HCT whatever the stem cell source, and in the absence of a fully HLA-compatible donor the option of a haploidentical donor should be simultaneously considered.
Prevention of childhood injury: clinical and public policy challenges.

Injuries are the leading killer of children in the United States, at a rate significantly higher than in other industrialized countries. In this article, we outline how a behaviorally and developmentally based model of prevention may assist in determining effective interventions for various injury risks. Two conclusions emerge: (a) the strength of perceived costs and consequences for taking effective safety actions greatly influences the probability that they will be implemented; and (b) intervening at the most developmentally appropriate time is likely to result in more effective outcomes. Further, clinical psychologists are uniquely suited to assess contingencies that maintain unsafe practices, but we need to enlist the participation of citizens and other professionals to mount persuasive intervention campaigns. Despite strong demonstration projects, childhood injury reduction has lagged behind other public health endeavors. Obstacles to injury prevention include (a) the diffusion of injury threats, complicating the identification of effective targets for intervention; (b) the tendency of parents and even some health professionals to regard injuries as products of fate, which fosters complacency; (c) the failure of U.S. social service policy to support preventive strategies; and (d) an American cultural tradition of opposing regulation. Suggestions for improved public policy and intervention procedures are advanced.
Hypoosmotic Dialysis and Ultrafiltration Technique for Preparation of Mammalian Hemoglobin: a Comparison of Three Species

Dialysis of human, bovine, and ovine red blood cells using a hypotonic solution and a commercial kidney dialysis unit, followed by ultrafiltration through 0.1μm pore hollow-fibers provides an easily managed method for isolation of lipid-free hemoglobin (LFHB). High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of hemoglobin indicated 99% protein purity. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis demonstrated that LFHB migrates as a single band. Processing one-half liter of packed red blood cells requires approximately 10 hours and resulting in an average of 93% hemoglobin recovery.
Effect of Internal Lubricants on Defects in Compacts Made from Spray-Dried Powders

The role of internal lubricants in the closure of large intergranular pores during dry-pressing was investigated. Alumina was spray-dried with and without an internal lubricant to yield granules with similar characteristics other than lubricant effects. Green and sintered microstructures were evaluated at different compaction pressures. The defects were quantified by evaluating the fracture surface of ∼90% dense sintered compacts. The samples that contained an internal lubricant had higher green densities and fewer defects at comparable compaction pressures. The internal lubricant did not cause any significant reduction in green strength or increase in springback.
Numerical calculations of two-beam energy coupling gains in photorefractive BaTiO/sub 3/ crystal

Steady-state two-beam energy coupling gains are numerically obtained in photorefractive BaTiO/sub 3/ crystal. The energy coupling gains are calculated by changing the angle subtended by two incident beams and by rotating the crystal relative to the grating wave vector. Polarizations of the two incident beams are assumed to be (ordinary, ordinary), (extraordinary, extraordinary), (ordinary, extraordinary), or (extraordinary, ordinary). The wavelength of the beams is assumed to be 515 nm. The maximum coupling gain is found to be 4.8/cm when both beams are ordinary and 74.7/cm when the beams are extraordinary. It is also shown that energy can transfer between ordinary (extraordinary) and extraordinary (ordinary) beams. In this case the maximum energy coupling gain is found to be 9.2/cm. >
CR2+ Marginal Zone B Cell Production of Pathogenic Natural Antibodies Is C3 Independent

Intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (IR)-induced damage requires complement receptor 2 (CR2) for generation of the appropriate natural Ab repertoire. Pathogenic Abs recognize neoantigens on the ischemic tissue, activate complement, and induce intestinal damage. Because C3 cleavage products act as ligands for CR2, we hypothesized that CR2(hi) marginal zone B cells (MZBs) require C3 for generation of the pathogenic Abs. To explore the ability of splenic CR2(+) B cells to generate the damaging Ab repertoire, we adoptively transferred either MZBs or follicular B cells (FOBs) from C57BL/6 or Cr2(-/-) mice into Rag-1(-/-) mice. Adoptive transfer of wild type CR2(hi) MZBs but not CR2(lo) FOBs induced significant damage, C3 deposition, and inflammation in response to IR. In contrast, similarly treated Rag-1(-/-) mice reconstituted with either Cr2(-/-) MZB/B1 B cells (B1Bs) or FOBs lacked significant intestinal damage and displayed limited complement activation. To determine whether C3 cleavage products are critical in CR2-dependent Ab production, we evaluated the ability of the natural Ab repertoire of C3(-/-) mice to induce damage in response to IR. Infusion of C3(-/-) serum into Cr2(-/-) mice restored IR-induced tissue damage. Furthermore, Rag-1(-/-) mice sustained significant damage after infusion of Abs from C3(-/-) but not Cr2(-/-) mice. Finally, adoptive transfer of MZBs from C3(-/-) mice into Rag-1(-/-) mice resulted in significant tissue damage and inflammation. These data indicate that CR2 expression on MZBs is sufficient to induce the appropriate Abs required for IR-induced tissue damage and that C3 is not critical for generation of the pathogenic Abs.
Production Practice Alternatives for Income and Suitable Field Day Risk Management

Production risk includes yield and days suitable for fieldwork variability. Both were modeled using biophysical simulation and a mean-variance, chance-constrained mathematical programming formulation representing a Kentucky corn, soybean, and wheat producer. While crop diversification, planting date, and maturity group can be used to reduce the types of risk considered, interaction between the two influences how production practices are used to manage risk. For the conditions studied, plant population alterations were less effective for risk reduction of either component. The study provides evidence of the importance of the consideration of both elements of production risk in whole farm planning.
Marangoni instabilities in liquid mixtures with Soret effects

The stability of a binary liquid mixture heated from above is analysed. The heat transfer is driven by the imposed temperature difference between the horizontal bottom plate and the ambient gas. The mass flux in the layer is induced by the Soret effect. The gravitational effects are ignored, and the instability is driven by solutocapillarity and retarded by thermocapillarity. The interface is allowed to deform, and both the small-wavenumber and the Pearson-type instabilities are studied. Oscillatory instability can exist when the thermocapillary is destabilizing and the solutocapillarity is stabilizing.
A Bayesian analysis of the logarithmic-Poisson execution time model based on expert opinion and failure data

We propose a Bayesian approach for predicting the number of failures in a piece of software, using the logarithmic-Poisson model, a nonhomogeneous Poisson process (NHPP) commonly used for describing software failures. A similar approach can be applied to other forms of the NHPP. The key feature of the approach is that now we are able to use, in a formal manner, expert knowledge on software testing, as for example, published information on the empirical experiences of other researchers. This is accomplished by treating such information as expert opinion in the construction of a likelihood function which leads us to a joint distribution. The procedure is computationally intensive, but for the case of the logarithmic-Poisson model has been codified for use on a personal computer. We illustrate the working of the approach via some real live data on software testing. The aim is not to propose another model for software reliability assessment. Rather, we present a methodology that can be invoked with existing software reliability models. >
Using event-based translation to support dynamic protocol evolution

All systems built from distributed components involve the use of one or more protocols for inter-component communication. Whether these protocols are based on a broadly used standard or are specially designed for a particular application, they are likely to evolve. The goal of the work described here is to contribute techniques that can support protocol evolution. We are concerned not with how or why a protocol might evolve, or even whether that evolution is in some sense correct. Rather, our concern is with making it possible for applications to accommodate protocol changes dynamically. Our approach is based on a method for isolating the syntactic details of a protocol from the semantic concepts manipulated within components. Protocol syntax is formally specified in terms of tokens, message structures, and message sequences. Event-based translation techniques are used in a novel way to present to the application the semantic concepts embodied by these syntactic elements. We illustrate our approach by showing how it would support an HTTP 1.1 client interacting with an HTTP 1.0 server.
Epoxy adhesion to metals

Metal/epoxy structural adhesive bonding systems and coating systems possess the potential to provide strong metal-to-metal bonds, with a number of distinct advantages over conventional metal joining techniques, and to successfully protect metals from damaging environments, respectively. Exceptional strength of adhesion can be achieved by these systems under dry conditions. However, because metal/polymer adhesion systems generally exhibit a great reduction in strength in the presence of moisture, their use has been severely limited. This chapter reviews the major factors which influence the adhesion of epoxy resins to metals. Emphasis is placed on discussing the mechanisms by which water can decrease the strength of these systems along with the possible methods that can be employed to improve their durability in moist or wet environments.
ICE: Intra-Procedural Evaluation and Guidance During Closure of PFO

Adequate imaging to allow percise visualization of the septum and defect is a cornerstone of the patent foramen ovale closure procedure. The advent of intracardiac echocardiography has allowed for very accurate imaging capabilities while allowing the patient to remain awake for the procedure. In this chapter the authors review options for intracardiac echocardiography imaging and go through the protocol used for patent foramen ovale closure.
Spectrophotometric Assay of Erythrocyte Orotidylate Decarboxylase

A new spectrophotometric assay for activity of erythrocyte orotidylate decarboxylase is presented. In the assay a known quantity of orotidine-5'-monophosphate (OMP) was incubated in the presence of hemolysates containing the enzyme. After deproteinization of the mixture by precipitation with trichloroacetic acid and centrifugation, OMP remaining in the supernate was reacted with saturated bromine water, ascorbic acid, and Ehrlich’s reagent to form a colored product with maximal absorbance at wavelength 480 m μ ,. By comparison of absorbance of the supernate with that produced by OMP standards, OMP consumed by the enzymatic reaction was calculated. The assay was found to be linear over a broad range of enzyme concentrations and incubation periods. Change of absorbance in the assay due to conversion of OMP to uridine-5′-monophosphate (UMP) was proportional to recovery of 14C-carbon dioxide released from 14C-carboxyl- OMP as a product of the enzymatic reaction. Specific activities of erythrocyte orotidylate decarboxylase from 37 control subjects averaged 29 (range 11 to 62) m μ moles OMP converted to UMP per 0.1 ml. erythrocytes per hour.
Public relations as humane conversation: Richard Rorty, stakeholder theory, and public relations practice:

While R Edward Freeman’s stakeholder theory has become one of the most generative contemporary management theories and has shaped the public relations lexicon, its influence on public relations the...
Short answer question case series: a case of total body pain

A middle-aged male with sickle β thalassaemia presents to the emergency department with increasing joint, abdominal and back pain with fatigue and intermittent fevers, nausea and vomiting for 1 week. Vital signs included a pulse of 99 beats/min, BP of 144/82 mm Hg, RR of 16 times/min, a pulse oximetry of 100% on room air, and temperature of 37.0. On physical exam, he had mild, diffuse abdominal pain with a normal motor-sensory exam of the lower extremities but increased left hip pain on extension of left leg. He kept his knees and hips in a flexed position. Labs revealed a normal leukocyte count, haemoglobin and reticulocyte count. 1. What are the concerning historical and physical exam findings? 2. What imaging should be considered? 3. What does the CT (figure 1) demonstrate? 4. What other work-up should be obtained? 5. How should these patients be treated? 1. This patient does not appear to be having a vaso-occlusive crisis. Although he is afebrile and does not have a leukocytosis, he is relatively immunocompromised and may not mount …
Three New Species of Psyllids and the Description of the Allotype of Livia Opaqua Cald (Homoptera: Psyllidae)

Livia opaqua Cald. Length, 3.3 mm.; forewing, 2.5 mm. Appearing black. Eyes greatly flattened. Forewing extremely opaque. Dorsal valve of female similar to ohioensis Cald., more elongate and sinuate; serration on caudal half very coarse and irregular. Anal opening decidedly raised in profile. Female allotype is in the Illinois Natural History Surveycollection. Collected at Hopedale, 111., October 2, 1917.
Joint seminormality and Dirac operators

In this article, an approach to joint seminormality based on the theory of Dirac and Laplace operators on Dirac vector bundles is presented. To eachn-tuple of bounded linear operators on a complex Hilbert space we first associate a Dirac bundle furnished with a metric-preserving linear connection defined in terms of thatn-tuple. Employing standard spin geometry techniques we next get a Bochner type and two Bochner-Kodaira type identities in multivariable operator theory. Further, four different classes of jointly seminormal tuples are introduced by imposing semidefiniteness conditions on the remainders in the corresponding Bochner-Kodaira identities. Thus we create a setting in which the classical Bochner's method can be put into action. In effect, we derive some “vanishing theorems” regarding various spectral sets associated with commuting tuples. In the last part of this article we investigate a rather general concept of seminormality for self-adjoint tuples with an even or odd number of entries.
Changing the Prism

In this chapter, I will explore the ways in which theoretical and methodological approaches from the discipline of International Relations (IR) offer expansive possibilities in building a critical research agenda for the field of Education in Emergencies (EiE).