cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shrub encroachment, landscape restoration, and intraguild predation

Abstract Shrub encroachment into arid grasslands occurs globally with the potential to affect vertebrates and their interactions. In the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico, shrub encroachment has prompted intensive efforts by land management agencies to remove shrubs and restore historical grassland habitats. We asked if restoration actions involving shrub removal affected dynamics of intraguild predation (IGP) including an IGP predator (coyote, Canis latrans), an IGP prey (kit fox, Vulpes macrotis), plus their shared lagomorph prey. We used camera traps on 14 sites with paired treated and untreated areas to examine spatial and temporal niche partitioning of coyotes and kit foxes. Shrub removal did not produce straightforward effects on abundances of coyotes, kit foxes, or their prey resources. Instead, abundances of kit foxes were constrained when coyote abundance reached a threshold. Below this threshold, kit foxes were more common on areas with low shrub cover, possibly due to lack of hiding cover for lagomorph prey that increased their predation risk. Our system included two alternative states: IGP predator dominated and coexistence of IGP predator and prey. Coexistence may have been facilitated by temporal niche partitioning as diel activity patterns differed for coyotes and kit foxes. Future research on intraguild predation should integrate spatial and temporal niches to understand species coexistence including on dynamic landscapes undergoing restoration.
Assistive Robotics: Robotic Trajectory Planning for Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Patients with Hemiparesis

Rehabilitation of upper limb movements in patients with hemiparesis has been a longstanding struggle for physical therapy professionals. Tools such as robotically assisted therapies have shown great potential to assist in the rehabilitation process of patients. Regarding traditional rehabilitation interventions, robotic systems can provide more effective and intensive physical therapy as new interventions are now being used to assist in the rehabilitation of patients with certain movement restrictions especially after stroke. Currently, this research work aims to present a study on the trajectory planning of a robotic arm, which will be suggested to the patient in order to perform the movement for rehabilitation. Furthermore, it is intended that the trajectory can be generated in real time to better meet the patient’s movement requirements and restrictions. In view of the need for real-time trajectory generation, it is necessary that a simple model of the manipulator work area is used as a boundary and boundary condition for the task space. In parallel, there is the development of a prototype of the REHABOT robot, a mechanical project developed with components from the Cyton Gamma 1500 and Reachy robots.
Aporia: Webs, Passages, Getting Lost, and Learning to Go On

After several unsuccessful attempts to weld my results together into...a whole, I realized that I should never succeed...My thoughts were soon crippled if I tried to force them on in any single direction against their natural inclination. — And this was, of course, connected with the very nature of the investigation. For this compels us to travel over a wide field of thought criss-cross in every direction.
Benchmark Dose Analysis via Nonparametric Regression Modeling.

Estimation of benchmark doses (BMDs) in quantitative risk assessment traditionally is based upon parametric dose-response modeling. It is a well-known concern, however, that if the chosen parametric model is uncertain and/or misspecified, inaccurate and possibly unsafe low-dose inferences can result. We describe a nonparametric approach for estimating BMDs with quantal-response data based on an isotonic regression method, and also study use of corresponding, nonparametric, bootstrap-based confidence limits for the BMD. We explore the confidence limits’ small-sample properties via a simulation study, and illustrate the calculations with an example from cancer risk assessment. It is seen that this nonparametric approach can provide a useful alternative for BMD estimation when faced with the problem of parametric model uncertainty.
Language Deficiency and the Occupational Attainment of Mexican Immigrants

The number of Mexican immigrants that have entered the U.S. has greatly increased over the past decade. The occupational attainment of these immigrants provides insight into how successful they are in the host country and language deficiency has an effect on this occupational attainment. By controlling for language proficiency, human capital characteristics and other variables from the IPUMS database, this project uses probit analysis to predict the probablity that an immigrant will be employed in a favorable occupation in the U.S. Results show that language deficiency reduces the probability of attaining a favorable occupation, but having no English language skills decreases the probability by a lesser amount than if the immigrant had any English language skills. This information is important to the analysis of immigration policy and to language training for immigrants in the United States. This article is available in Undergraduate Economic Review: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/uer/vol2/iss1/9 Language Deficiency and the Occupational Attainment of Mexican Immigrants The number"fM""ican immigrnnts that have entered the u.s. has greatly increased over the past decade. The occupational attainment "fthese immigrants provides insight into how successliJl they are in the host oountry and language deficiency has an eff<:X't on tlLis occupational altainm~'I\t. Dy oontrolling for language proficiency. human capital characteristics and "ther variables from the lPUMS dalabasc, this project uscs probit anaI)"'is t" predict the probability that an immigrnnt will be employed in a famrable occupali"n in the u.s. Results show thaI language deficiency reduces the probability of attaining a favorable occupation, but having no English languab't: skillsd= the pmbahility by a Ie"",," am<)unt than if the immigrant had any English language skills. This infonnation is impoI1anl to the analysis of immigration policy aoo to language training for immigrants in the United States. Elizall<.-1h Planas Dr. Mich:1c1 Sccborg· Illinois Wesleyan UruvCf"Sity Honors RCSCMCh Proje<:t Spring, 2005 1 Planas '05: Language Deficiency and the Occupational Attainment of Mexican Im Published by Digital Commons @ IWU, 2006
Robustness Analysis of Distillation Column Control Schemes using Structured Singular Values

This paper discusses the use of the structured singular value (SSV) for robustness analysis of process control systems and presents some new results for distillation columns.
Food availability, personal constraints, and community resources

In the USA, a wide variety of affordable, nutritious food, such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean proteins, found in supermarkets is often less available in economically deprived neighbourhoods compared with more affluent neighbourhoods.1–3 At the same time, availability of inexpensive, energy-dense nutrient-poor foods, …
An information theoretic approach to identify the role of higher-order interactions between cortical neurons in stimulus coding

The massive “wiring” observed between cortical neurons suggests that these neurons are interacting in encoding external covariates. We propose an information theoretic approach to determine how this interaction may provide an optimal encoding strategy. Using a biologically plausible statistical learning model, we compared the performance of the proposed approach with an independent and a maximum entropy model in capturing the information in a motor task using a subset of neurons drawn randomly from a larger population encoding the task. We demonstrate that a substantial amount of information about the task is encoded in second order interactions, confirming in vitro experimental results using maximum entropy models. Additionally, a considerable amount of information was captured by third order interactions, suggesting that higher order interaction may be playing a larger role in cortical information processing in vivo. We believe that this framework may be useful for improving real-time decoding performance in Brain Machine Interfaces.
The lachrymatory principle of Petiveria alliacea

The lachrymatory principle of Petiveria alliacea has been isolated from a fresh homogenate of the root. Its structure and geometric configuration have been determined as (Z)-thiobenzaldehyde S-oxide by means of NMR, IR, MALDI-MS and by comparison with an authentic compound obtained by synthesis. This unique compound represents only the third naturally occurring sulfine (thiocarbonyl S-oxide) to be reported. Its formation and possible subsequent rearrangements are discussed. Its antibacterial and antifungal activities are also reported.
Organ specificity in mesenchymal induction demonstrated in the embryonic development of the mammary gland of the mouse.

Mammary gland rudiments of 12- to 14-day mouse embryos developed typically in organ culture, forming a nipple with a nipple sheath, a ramifying duct system, and adipose tissue. By contrast, rudiments taken from 16-day embryos failed to develop under the same culture conditions. The characteristic “resting phase” in the early development of the gland was also observed in vitro, and its length was found to depend on the age of the epithelial component. Trypsin-isolated epithelial rudiments did not develop in the absence of mesenchyme but spread on the substrate. Epithelial spreading also occurred when the amount of accompanying mesenchyme was very small. Trypsin-isolated mammary epithelia of 12- to 16-day embryos could successfully be recombined with 12-day mammary mesenchyme, but when salivary mesenchyme was used instead, only 16-day epithelia were able to continue development. Trypsin-isolated 16-day mammary epithelia and 12-day epithelial rudiments, mechanically deprived of most of their adhering mesenchymal cells, were combined with mesenchyme of the submandibular salivary gland of 13-day embryos. The morphogenetic pattern of the resulting glandular structure was similar to that of the salivary gland. Epithelial growth and branching was greatly stimulated, the branching pattern shifted from monopodial to dichotomous, and even adenomere formation occurred. When mammary or salivary gland epithelia were exposed to the simultaneous presence of both types of mesenchyme their morphogenesis was strongly inhibited and typical of neither organ. This is interpreted as a mutual interference of the morphogenetic influences of mammary and of salivary mesenchyme. The obvious organ specificity of (salivary) mesenchymal induction, and the epitheliomesenchymal interface as a possible site of its action are discussed.
Scalar mixing in a turbulent stirred tank with pitched blade turbine: Role of impeller speed perturbation

Abstract Mixing of a passive scalar inside a pitched blade turbine (PBT) impeller stirred tank (STR) is studied using large-eddy simulation (LES) coupled with the immersed boundary method (IBM) for resolving moving interfaces. Mixing time is calculated based on the 95% homogenization of the scalar over the entire tank volume. Growth rate of the unmixed tracer volume is observed in order to identify the effects of low frequency macroinstability (MI) oscillations. Mixing time is significantly reduced when the STR flow is perturbed using a step-change in the impeller speed with a specific MI frequency. The enhancement in turbulent kinetic energy and changes in mean flow field due to the perturbation is observed. The spatio-temporal behavior of the large-scale mixing structures for the fixed impeller-speed case and the perturbed case are compared. The mechanism of mixing enhancement is further explored by observing dynamic changes in the concentration distribution and the velocity field over a perturbation cycle. Penalty in power requirement due to perturbation is calculated.
Vitamin A and aflatoxin: effect on liver and colon cancer.

Abstract A vitamin A (retinyl acetate)‐deficient diet enhanced liver cancer in rats exposed to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) and also caused a 29% incidence of colon cancer. The following factors were considered in attempts to define conditions under which vitamin‐A‐deprived rats were more susceptible to colon cancer induced by AFB1: liver morphology, enterohepatic recirculation, level of reduced glutathione (GSH) in liver, and differing capacities for conjugation of aflatoxin to GSH. Enzyme concentrations in liver, in intestinal and colon mucosa, and in intestinal and colon contents suggested that AFB1 may have different metabolites and that there may be differing susceptibilities of colon mucosa to carcinogenesis. Binding studies supported this hypothesis. Previous studies have shown that colon epithelium from vitamin‐A‐deficient rats binds more AFB1 than colon epithelium from normal, vitamin‐A‐supplemented animals. In the present study, vitamin A supplementation to the vitamin‐A‐deficient rats before oral admini...
Phylogenetic relationships within Cicuta (Apiaceae tribe Oenantheae) inferred from nuclear rDNA ITS and cpDNA sequence data

The genus Cicuta (Apiaceae tribe Oenantheae Dumort.) is the most virulently poisonous group of flowering plants native to the north temperate zone. A recent treatment recognized four species (C. bulbifera L., C. douglasii (DC.) J.M. Coult. & Rose, C. maculata L., and C. virosa L.), with C. maculata divided into four varieties. We present results of phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) internal transcribed spacer (ITS) locus and the region bounded by the chloroplast genes psbI and trnK 5' exon to determine taxonomic limits and relationships among these taxa, and to assess the taxonomic status of C. douglasii, a polyploid thought to be derived from C. maculata and C. virosa. Ci- cuta bulbifera and C. virosa are each resolved as monophyletic, the latter is a sister group to all other species. Discordance between the ITS- and plastid-derived phylogenies and lack of resolution in the ITS trees preclude unequivocal hypotheses of relationship; all trees do suggest, however, that the allotetraploid C. douglasii is polyphyletic and possibly polytopic, with all examined accessions but one nested within C. maculata. This single outstanding accession is from California and, pending further study, might warrant recognition as a distinct species. The diploid C. bulbifera may also be of hybrid ori- gin, as revealed by significant discordance between data sets. Within C. maculata, only the western North American var. angustifolia Hook. is resolved in the ITS trees. In the cpDNA trees, C. maculata var. angustifolia comprises a strongly supported clade with C. maculata var. bolanderi (S. Watson) G.A. Mulligan and C. douglasii, both of primarily western North American distribution. The eastern North American taxa, C. maculata vars. maculata and victorinii (Fernald) B. Boivin, also comprise a clade, sister group to C. bulbifera.
Anticonvulsant activity of melatonin against seizures induced by quinolinate, kainate, glutamate, NMDA, and pentylenetetrazole in mice

Melatonin was tested in an ongoing attempt to find the endogenous antagonists of quinolinic acid, an endogenous convulsant. Among a great number of metabolites that have been tried before, only a few were found (cerulein and quinaldic acid in mice and kynurenic acid in rats). In SHR (bred from Swiss) male mice, intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) pretreatment with melatonin (1.25-10.0 microg) attenuated (in the descending order of potency) the convulsant effect of i.c.v. administered kainate, quinolinate, glutamate, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and pentylenetetrazole. Melatonin was ineffective against i.p. administered pentylenetetrazole. Systemically (intraperitoneal, i.p.) administered melatonin (12.5-100.0 mg/kg) attenuated the convulsant effect of quinolinate, while the action of other convulsants used remained unaltered. It is suggested that melatonin could be tried against grand mal seizures in epileptic patients.
Paraplegia induced by mild trauma in a child with thoracic spinal arachnoid cyst

Spinal arachnoid cysts are rare entities that often present with progressive myelopathy and are treated via surgical excision and fenestration. The acute onset of symptoms from these lesions is not well described in the literature. We report an 18-month-old child with acute onset of paraplegia following a mild trauma, who was found to have a compressive dorsal thoracic intradural spinal arachnoid cyst and emergently treated via surgical decompression and cyst resection. After several months of physical therapy the child achieved meaningful neurologic recovery. Spinal arachnoid cysts can cause acute decompensation in children with serious neurological injury following mild trauma, this risk should be weighed when managing asymptomatic lesions.
Real-time ab initio KMC simulation of the self-assembly and sintering of bimetallic epitaxial nanoclusters: Au + Ag on Ag(100).

Far-from-equilibrium shape and structure evolution during formation and post-assembly sintering of bimetallic nanoclusters is extremely sensitive to the periphery diffusion and intermixing kinetics. Precise characterization of the many distinct local-environment-dependent diffusion barriers is achieved for epitaxial nanoclusters using density functional theory to assess interaction energies both with atoms at adsorption sites and at transition states. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation incorporating these barriers then captures structure evolution on the appropriate time scale for two-dimensional core-ring and intermixed Au–Ag nanoclusters on Ag(100).
FOUNDER CENTRALITY, MANAGEMENT TEAM CONGRUENCE AND PERFORMANCE IN FAMILY FIRMS: A KENYAN CONTEXT

Applying social network theory to family business, founder centrality has been generally shown to positively affect top-management-team congruence and, as a consequence, firm performance. This study applies social network and strategic leadership theory to an examination of founder centrality in family businesses. It focuses on family businesses in Kenya, and examines the impact of the founder's influence on management team congruence in the three strategic areas of culture, vision, and goals. The discussion considers the research findings in Kenya of a negative influence of founder centrality on management team congruence and firm performance. The study concludes with a presentation of some possible reasons for this dynamic in developing countries like Kenya, where family business is prevalent, and in which the founder plays a central role.
Characterizing the wave energy resource of the US Pacific Northwest

The substantial wave energy resource of the US Pacific Northwest (i.e. off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and N. California) is assessed and characterized. Archived spectral records from ten wave measurement buoys operated and maintained by the National Data Buoy Center and the Coastal Data Information Program form the basis of this investigation. Because an ocean wave energy converter must reliably convert the energetic resource and survive operational risks, a comprehensive characterization of the expected range of sea states is essential. Six quantities were calculated to characterize each hourly sea state: omnidirectional wave power, significant wave height, energy period, spectral width, direction of the maximum directionally resolved wave power and directionality coefficient. The temporal variability of these characteristic quantities is depicted at different scales and is seen to be considerable. The mean wave power during the winter months was found to be up to 7 times that of the summer mean. Winter energy flux also tends to have a longer energy period, a narrower spectral width, and a reduced directional spread, when compared to summer months. Locations closer to shore, where the mean water depth is less than 50 m, tended to exhibit lower omnidirectional wave power, but were more uniform directionally. Cumulative distributions of both occurrence and contribution to total energy are presented, over each of the six quantities characterizing the resource. It is clear that the sea states occurring most often are not necessarily those that contribute most to the total incident wave energy. The sea states with the greatest contribution to energy have significant wave heights between 2 and 5 m and energy periods between 8 and 12 s. Sea states with the greatest significant wave heights (e.g.>7 m) contribute little to the annual energy, but are critically important when considering reliability and survivability of ocean wave energy converters.
Utility of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for early graft failure following heart transplantation in infancy.

Abstract Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is widely used for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock in children. However, the efficacy of ECMO for early post-heart transplant graft failure in infants has not been reported. Our aims were to determine: (1) the utility of ECMO in infants with severe donor-heart dysfunction, (2) predictors for requiring ECMO, and (3) the long-term outcome of surviving ECMO patients. Methods All infants (age Results 14 (12 HLHS, 2 non-HLHS) of 63 (46 HLHS, 17 non-HLHS) infants were placed on ECMO. Ten patients (71%) were successfully weaned from ECMO and 8 (57%) were discharged alive. All ECMO hospital survivors remain alive (mean follow-up 36.2 ± 21.4 months, range 13.1–77.6 months). Mean duration of ECMO support was 68 hours in weaned patients vs 144 hours ( p = 0.19) in nonweaned patients, and 64 hours in survivors vs 123 hours ( p = 0.35) in nonsurvivors. ECMO deaths were due to sepsis ( n = 3), intractable pulmonary hypertension ( n = 2), and intracranial bleed ( n = 1). Neurologic deficits occurred in 2 survivors. Median ICU and hospital stays for ECMO survivors were 29 and 33 days vs 7 ( p = 0.0003) and 9 ( p = 0.0004) days for non-ECMO patients. Age listed, age transplanted, wait time, body weight, donor/recipient weight ratio, total ischemia time, and diagnosis did not predict the need for ECMO. Conclusions (1) ECMO is useful for post-heart transplant circulatory support in infants with early graft failure. (2) All survivors were weaned in fewer than 4 days. (3) Three-year survival of ECMO hospital survivors has been high, but neurologic complications are prevalent.
Atomic force microscopy study of the effects of Mg2+ and other divalent cations on the end-to-end DNA interactions

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was applied to directly visualize the end-to-end DNA interaction mediated by magnesium cations. We took advantage of the APS-mica, allowing the preparation of samples in a broad range of monovalent and divalent cations to separate the effects of Mg 2+ and Na + cations on the interaction of restriction DNA fragments with cohesive end. The AFM data clearly show that DNA restriction fragments with cohesive ends form substantial amount of circles in the presence of Mg 2+ cations, suggesting that Mg 2+ cations stabilize the interaction of cohesive ends. This effect depends on the MgCl2 concentration, so that the yield of circles approaches 18% in the presence of 50 mM MgCl2. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this conferred cohesive end stability is specific for divalent cations, as substitution of MgCl2 with NaCl leads to a near complete loss of cohesive end stability. We further demonstrate that cohesive end stabilization is achieved by substituting Mg 2+ with Ca 2+ ,M n 2+ ,o r Zn 2+ . The data obtained suggest that the end stabilization mediated by divalent cations is primarily the result of inter-base interactions rather than bridging of phosphate moieties.
Control of prosthetic bacterial infection: evaluation of an easily incorporated, tightly bound, silver antibiotic PTFE graft.

Abstract Despite the use of prophylactic antibiotics in vascular surgery, prosthetic infection rate remains 2–5%. Antibiotics bound to vascular prostheses can control experimentally induced infection but prolonged antibacterial activity has not been achieved. This study evaluates the in vivo efficacy and antibiotic retention of an easily prepared silver-antibiotic prosthesis. Prostheses were prepared by combining silver with oxacillin or amikacin using an organic solvent. After evaporation of the solvent, the graft was left impregnated with the antibiotic complex. In vivo retention studies were performed by implanting PTFE 110 Ag-oxacillin prostheses in four canine abdominal aortas. When prostheses were explanted at 1 week, mean antibiotic retention was found to be 20% of original activity, higher than the mean inhibitory concentration for Staphylococcus aureus . In three groups of five dogs, 20 × 7-mm prostheses of PTFE alone, PTFE silver-oxacillin, or PTFE silver-amikacin were implanted in the abdominal aorta and the grafts were inoculated with 10 7 S. aureus of a known bacteriophage type, in a closed retroperitoneal pocket. The animals were sacrificed at 1 week and the prostheses were excised for quantitative bacterial culture. PFTE silver-oxacillin, and PTFE silver-amikacin prostheses had 1.7 × 10 2 and 2.0 × 10 2 colonies, respectively, significantly less ( P 6 colonies). These data suggest that antibiotic prostheses can be easily prepared without binding agents. They retain the bound antibiotic for a prolonged period and are effective in reducing graft infection in a stringent direct contamination model.
Shaking the conceptual foundations of reference: A perspective

I'm sorry I looked into the whole thing. I mean reference service in libraries and a new economic model for reference.
Tolerance, Toxicity, and Caloric Availability of Intravenously Injected Tapioca Dextrin Solution in Rabbits

Dutch strain rabbits were given eleven consecutive daily intravenous injections (via an indwelling plastic catheter) of tapioca dextrin solution containing amino acid hydrolysate, B-complex vitamins, and adequate potentially available calories for complete parenteral nutrition. Intravenous tapioca dextrin was shown not to be a source of high caloric intake. The intravenous regime was well tolerated by the majority of animals. Recovery occurred in those animals developing symptoms of toxicity if the infusions were not continued too long after their onset. Hydropic degeneration found in the epithelium of the proximal convoluted tubules of the kidney at the end of the injections was reversible during an oral feeding recovery period. Hyaline degeneration was not observed in the glomeruli of the kidney or the blood vessel in the lungs, and foam cells were absent in the reticulo-endothleial system.
Assembly and structural characterization of an authentic complex between human follicle stimulating hormone and a hormone-binding ectodomain of its receptor.

Abstract Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) is secreted from the pituitary gland to regulate reproduction in vertebrates. FSH signals through a G-protein coupled receptor (FSHR) on the target cell surface. We describe here the strategy to produce a soluble FSH–FSHR complex that involves the co-secretion of a truncated FSHR ectodomain (FSHRHB) and a covalently linked FSHαβ heterodimer from baculovirus-infected insect cells. FSH binds to FSHRHB with a high affinity comparable to that for the full-length receptor. The crystal structure of the FSH–FSHRHB complex provides explanations for the high affinity and specificity of FSH interaction with FSHR, and it shows an unexpected dimerization of these complexes. Here we also compare the crystal structure with theoretical models of the FSH–FSHR-binding mode. We conclude that the FSH–FSHRHB structure gives an authentic representation of FSH binding to intact FSHR.
Haploid loss of the tumor suppressor Smad4/Dpc4 initiates gastric polyposis and cancer in mice

The tumor suppressor SMAD4, also known as DPC4, deleted in pancreatic cancer, is a central mediator of TGF-beta signaling. It was previously shown that mice homozygous for a null mutation of Smad4 (Smad4-/-) died prior to gastrulation displaying impaired extraembryonic membrane formation and endoderm differentiation. Here we show that Smad4+/- mice began to develop polyposis in the fundus and antrum when they were over 6 - 12 months old, and in the duodenum and cecum in older animals at a lower frequency. With increasing age, polyps in the antrum show sequential changes from hyperplasia, to dysplasia, in-situ carcinoma, and finally invasion. These alterations are initiated by a dramatic expansion of the gastric epithelium where Smad4 is expressed. However, loss of the remaining Smad4 wild-type allele was detected only in later stages of tumor progression, suggesting that haploinsufficiency of Smad4 is sufficient for tumor initiation. Our data also showed that overexpression of TGF-beta1 and Cyclin D1 was associated with increased proliferation of gastric polyps and tumors. These studies demonstrate that Smad4 functions as a tumor suppressor in the gastrointestinal tract and also provide a valuable model for screening factors that promote or prevent gastric tumorigenesis.
Synthesis of ureidomuraymycidine derivatives for structure-activity relationship studies of muraymycins.

One of the key constituents of the muraymycins is the 6-membered cyclic guanidine, (2S,3S)-muraymycidine (or epi-capreomycidine). In order to diversify the structure of the oligopeptide moiety of the muraymycins for thorough structure–activity relationship studies, we have developed a highly stereoselective synthesis of ureidomuraymycidine derivatives with the lactone 4a.
New Support for a Folk Remedy: Cranberry Juice Reduces Bacteriuria and Pyuria in Elderly Women

Cranberry juice has developed a following as a simple, nonpharmacologic means to reduce or treat urinary tract infections, yet the scientific basis for such a claim has been lacking. A new study suggests that bacterial infections (bacteriuria) and associated influx of white blood cells into the urine (pyuria) can be reduced by nearly 50% in elderly women who drink 300 mL of cranberry juice cocktail each day over the course of a 6-month study. The results of this study suggest that consumption of cranberry juice is more effective in treating than preventing bacteriuria and pyuria. Along with earlier reports on the ability of cranberry juice to inhibit bacterial adherence to urinary epithelial cells in cell culture, this new work suggests that drinking cranberry juice each day may be clinically useful. Additional work must be conducted, however, to more completely define the efficacy of cranberry juice.
Dynamic Reactions Produced by Deflating a Blood Pressure Cuff

Intra-arterial pressure was recorded at various points in the compressed segment of brachial artery during deflation of a standard blood pressure cuff in human subjects with arms of normal girth. Cuff pressure and the Korotkoff sounds also were recorded simultaneously. The data were analyzed in terms of the various dynamic reactions produced by cuff deflation, which may influence the auscultatory indications of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Cuff pressure was incompletely transmitted to the compressed arterial segment. As a result, muffling, the auscultatory indication of diastolic pressure, occurred at a cuff pressure higher than the directly recorded intra-arterial diastolic blood pressure. The first Korotkoff sound, on the other hand, provided a close approximation of intra-arterial systolic pressure. This may be due to a delay in penetration of the diminutive pulse waves into the distal part of the compressed arterial segment at systolic levels of cuff pressure. This effect appears to compensa...
Design and performance of the Beamlet laser third harmonic frequency converter

The Beamlet laser is a full-scale, single-aperture scientific prototype of the frequency-tripled Nd:glass laser for the proposed National Ignition Facility. At aperture sizes of 30 cm x 30 cm and 34 cm x 34 cm using potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystals of 32 cm x 32 cm and 37 cm x 37 cm, respectively, the authors have obtained up to 8.3 kJ of third harmonic energy at 70%--80% whole beam conversion efficiency.
Measuring and modeling intensity distributions of light sources in waveguide illumination systems

We discuss our experimental measurement and theoretical modeling of flux distributions from light sources used in waveguide illumination systems. We have constructed a computer-controlled goniometric detection system to map the intensity distributions of these light sources. As an example, we measure the intensity distribution of an incandescent light bulb. This light bulb is used in the waveguide illumination system of an automobile dashboard. The intensity distribution of this light bulb is not uniform. We present a model for this intensity distribution based on radiometric principles and the shape of the light bulb filament. This model describes the light bulb's intensity distribution as a function of the filament's projected area as seen from the detector.
The effects of indomethacin and terbutaline on human fetal umbilical artery velocimetry: A randomized, double-blind study

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the effects of indomethacin and terbutaline on umbilical artery impedance as measured by the systolic/diastolic ratio. STUDY DESIGN: Normal, low-risk patients at 26 to 32 weeks' gestation were enrolled. A baseline evaluation of the umbilical artery systolic/diastolic ratio was performed. The patients were then randomized to one of three groups and received a coded capsule that contained either terbutaline (5 mg), indomethacin (50 mg), or placebo. Repeat evaluation of the umbilical artery systolic/diastolic ratio was performed 4 hours later. The ratios before and after administration of the medication were compared in the control and study groups. Analysis of variance and paired Student t test were applied. RESULTS: Fifteen patients received indomethacin, 14 placebo, and 12 terbutaline. Pretreatment and posttreatment systolic/diastolic ratios were 3.2 and 3.1 for the indomethacin group, 3.2 and 3.3 for the placebo group, 3.0 and 2.8 for the terbutaline group, respectively. The changes in the systolic/diastolic ratio in the indomethacin and terbutaline groups, as compared with the placebo group, were not found to be significant. CONCLUSION: Terbutaline and indomethacin do not have a significant effect on the human umbilical artery impedance as measured by the systolic/diastolic ratio.
Structure determination of an anti-HIV-1 Fab 447-52D-peptide complex from an epitaxially twinned data set

Although antibodies against the third variable loop (V3) of the HIV-1 viral envelope glycoprotein are among the first neutralizing antibodies to be detected in infected individuals, they are normally restricted in their specificity. X-ray crystallo­graphic studies of V3-specific antibodies have con­tributed to a more thorough understanding of recognition of this epitope and of conserved features in the V3 loop that could potentially aid in the design of a multi-component vaccine. The human antibody 447-52D exhibits relatively broad neutralization of primary viral isolates compared with other V3-loop antibodies. A crystal structure of Fab 447-52D in complex with a V3 peptide (UG1033) was determined at 2.1 A resolution. The structure was determined using an epitaxially twinned data set and in-house programs to detect and remove overlapping reflections. Although the processed data have lower than desired completeness and slightly higher than normal R values for the resolution, good-quality electron-density maps were obtained that enabled structure determination. The structure revealed an extended CDR H3 loop that forms a β-sheet with the peptide, with the predominant contacts being main-chain hydrogen bonds. The V3 peptide and Fab show high structural homology with the previously reported structures of other Fab 447-52D complexes, reinforcing the idea that the V3 loop may adopt a small set of conserved structures, particularly around the crown of the β-hairpin.
Lethal giant discs, a novel C2 domain protein, restricts Notch activation during endocytosis

The Notch signaling pathway plays a central role in animal growth and patterning, and its deregulation leads to many human diseases, including cancer. Mutations in the tumor suppressor lethal giant discs (lgd) induce strong Notch activation and hyperplastic overgrowth of Drosophila imaginal discs. However, the gene that encodes Lgd and its function in the Notch pathway have not yet been identified. Here, we report that Lgd is a novel, conserved C2-domain protein that regulates Notch receptor trafficking. Notch accumulates on early endosomes in lgd mutant cells and signals in a ligand-independent manner. This phenotype is similar to that seen when cells lose endosomal-pathway components such as Erupted and Vps25. Interestingly, Notch activation in lgd mutant cells requires the early endosomal component Hrs, indicating that Hrs is epistatic to Lgd. These data suggest that Lgd affects Notch trafficking between the actions of Hrs and the late endosomal component Vps25. Taken together, our data identify Lgd as a novel tumor-suppressor protein that regulates Notch signaling by targeting Notch for degradation or recycling.
Disseminating hypnosis to health care settings: Applying the RE-AIM framework.

Hypnosis was one of the earliest mind-body interventions to be used in medical settings, and was originally performed for pain relief during surgical procedures in eras without effective pharmacological analgesia (Esdaile, 1957). Modern research has continued to demonstrate therapeutic effects of hypnosis. Hypnosis is considered an evidence-based intervention for chronic pain associated with cancer (NIH technology assessment, 1996) and numerous meta-analyses have found that hypnosis can reduce a wide variety of medical symptoms and side effects. For example, hypnosis can: 1) reduce pain, distress, and other side effects arising from medical or surgical procedures (Montgomery, David, Winkel, Silverstein, & Bovbjerg, 2002; Montgomery, DuHamel, & Redd, 2000; Schnur, Kafer, Marcus, & Montgomery, 2008; Tefikow et al., 2013); 2) help control cancer treatment-related side-effects such as nausea, vomiting, and fatigue (Montgomery et al., 2009; Montgomery et al., 2014; Redd, Montgomery, & DuHamel, 2001; Richardson et al., 2007; Schnur, Kafer, et al., 2008); and, 3) help manage the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (Moser et al., 2013; Rutten, Reitsma, Vlieger, & Benninga, 2013; Whitehead, 2006; Wilson, Maddison, Roberts, Greenfield, & Singh, 2006). Even as the evidence for hypnosis has grown, its popularity has waxed and waned, and despite over a century of hypnosis practice and research, hypnosis is not yet typically offered as part of standard medical care. Support for the widespread dissemination of hypnosis in medical settings requires a new body of research that extends beyond efficacy, and that considers both individual and organizational level variables (Bowen et al., 2009; Glasgow, Vogt, & Boles, 1999; Proctor et al., 2009). Like much of the psychotherapy literature (McHugh & Barlow, 2010), hypnosis research has focused on building an evidence base for treatment efficacy, without making an argument for the factors that would make hypnosis a practical, acceptable, and disseminable intervention to patients and healthcare providers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to: 1) review, using the RE-AIM guidelines (Glasgow et al., 1999), the evidence for hypnosis as a brief intervention with the potential for dissemination; and, 2) emphasize new research directions suggested by the RE-AIM framework. We will begin with a definition of hypnosis and then a brief description of some basic hypnosis components.
The Role of Uncertainty Analysis in Model Validation

Our increased dependence on mathematical models for engineering design, coupled with our decreased dependence on experimental observation, leads to the obvious question — how do we know that our models are valid representations of physical processes? We test models by comparisons between model predictions and experimental observations. As our models become more complex (i.e., multiphysics models), our ability to test models over the range of possible applications becomes more difficult. This difficulty is compounded by the uncertainty that is invariably present in the experimental data used to test the model, the uncertainties in the parameters that are incorporated into the model, and the uncertainties in the model structure itself. When significant uncertainties of these types are present, evaluating model validity through graphical comparisons of model predictions to experimental observations becomes very subjective. Here we consider the impact of uncertainty and the role of uncertainty analysis in model validation. We focus on uncertainty in the model predictions due to parameter uncertainty, and on experimental uncertainty due to measurement noise. We show that characterizing these uncertainties allows us to use a meaningful metric for model testing that is less subjective than the traditional “view graph norm” or the evaluation of correlation coefficients. We demonstrate this methodology through its application to a model and experimental observations of thermally induced foam decomposition.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Disparities and Challenges in Adherence to Oral Antineoplastic Agents

The issue of medication noncompliance is becoming increasingly important in oncology as more cancer therapies are delivered orally. Medication adherence is difficult to assess and there is no gold standard of measurement. The act of measuring adherence can affect outcomes. Medication noncompliance is common, and is estimated to be 50% in treatment of chronic diseases. Studies have shown that women initiate adjuvant hormonal therapy for breast cancer 64% to 88% of the time when prescribed. Of those who initiate therapy, 50% to 80% are adherent for the prescribed duration, depending on the study. Patients noncompliant with adjuvant hormonal therapy for breast cancer have worse overall survival than their counterparts. Suboptimal treatment responses in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) are also associated with medication noncompliance. Poor adherence can also affect clinical trial results, leading to inaccuracies of treatment efficacy. Barriers to compliance can occur on the individual, cultural, or system level. Examples of specific barriers are side effects, cost and access to medication, and individual health beliefs. Specific populations, including racial minorities, elderly patients, and very young patients, may be at higher risk for medication noncompliance. Strategies to improve compliance are multifactorial and include improvement of patient education, reduction of treatment side effects, interventions to alter behavior, and changes in public policy to improve financial barriers to treatment. Technology has been an effective tool in improving compliance in noncancer-related illness, and ongoing studies are evaluating its role in the oncology population.
Transient delayed spectrum of collisionally damped resonance fluorescence in a partially coherent field

The time-dependent spectrum of the light scattered by a collisionally damped two-level atom weakly excited off resonance by a partially coherent laser field is evaluated. Both the collisional and the laser noise are treated as classical Markovian, Gaussian processes while, in addition, the atom is assumed to experience damping and fluctuations that are due to its coupling to an unspecified exterior reservoir. The scattered-field spectra are determined both at steady state and at times following the abrupt turn off of the laser field (the delayed spectrum). The distinct contributions to these spectra arising from the various noise sources as well as the finite bandwidth of the detecting interferometer are investigated in each case. Where appropriate, comparisons are made with related work of Saari [ Light Scattering in Solids ( Plenum, New York, 1979)]. A general inequality is also found that must be satisfied by the longitudinal and the transverse decay rates induced by the exterior reservoir. Finally, the inverse detuning of the laser is found to provide a limit on the time in which the undressing of the atom could be observed to occur following the turn off of the laser.
Finally Persuaded: The Creation of the 1889 Geological Survey of Kansas

While much has been written about the State's first two geological surveys in 1864 and 1865, much less information is available concerning the establishment of the current incarnation of the Geological Survey at the University of Kansas in 1889. This paper briefly traces the events leading to the Survey's recreation: legislative attempts at a survey in the 1880's, arguments made for and against a survey, and the circumstances leading to the Survey's placement at KU. The Kansas Academy of Science particularly was active in the battle for a survey, and appealed to State pride and practical benefits as reasons for a survey's creation. The Academy finally succeeded in 1889, probably in part because of a burgeoning minerals industry in the State. In addition, a change in the KU budget allowed the Legislature to establish the Survey at KU without appropriating additional funds for its operation. No appropriation was made for the Survey from 1889 to 1895, although some field work was undertaken. This paper also ...
Life events and juvenile bipolar disorder: Conceptual issues and early findings

There is increasing interest in the psychosocial variables that might predict the course of child and adolescent bipolar disorder. In the literature on adult bipolar disorder, life events have been shown to be a major predictor of symptoms. In this review, we focus on studies of how life events influence the course of child and adolescent bipolar disorder. To begin, we review methodological considerations in life events research, and briefly summarize the findings regarding life events in adult bipolar disorder. Then, we discuss available studies on life events as a predictor of the course of juvenile bipolar disorder. We conclude with suggested directions for future research.
An Isentropic Vertical Coordinate Model: Design and Application to Atmospheric Frontogenesis Studies

Summary The isentropic vertical coordinate model developed at UCLA is briefly reviewed. The review includes an outline of the approach used to overcome technical difficulties in handling model layers with small mass. The model's performance is demonstrated by simulating the evolution of a middle-latitude baroclinic disturbance. During the evolution of the disturbance, sharp frontal zones are generated in the upper and middle troposphere with realistic tropopause folding. The extent to which different dynamical processes contribute to frontogenesis is analyzed. While the model successfully simulates frontogenesis in the upper and middle troposphere, it has a difficulty in simulating surface fronts. The difficulty arises due to the lack of degrees of freedom in surface temperatures since an isentropic vertical coordinate model requires a large number of vertical layers to obtain a high horizontal resolution at the lower boundary. This suggests the potential of a hybrid vertical coordinate, which approaches 0 at upper levels and cr at lower levels.