cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of the onset of protection induced by Newcastle disease virus strain B1 and a fowl poxvirus recombinant Newcastle disease vaccine to a viscerotropic velogenic Newcastle disease virus challenge.

SUMMARY. Four-week-old specific-pathogen-free white rock chickens were immunized with either a commercial recombinant fowl poxvirus-vectored Newcastle disease vaccine (FPN) expressing the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase and fusion protein genes of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) strain B1 or live NDV B1. Vaccinates and controls were challenged by eyedrop and intranasal (E/I) route with a viscerotropic velogenic NDV at 14 days postvaccination to determine the time of clearance of challenge virus. In a subsequent experiment, chickens were challenged at 3, 6, or 10 days postvaccination to determine the onset of immunity. Chickens that received a recommended field dose (1 x) or a 0.01 x dose of FP-N subcutaneously (SC) and were seropositive by hemagglutination-inhibition test at 14 days postvaccination cleared the challenge virus by 14 days postchallenge. Clinical Newcastle disease and high challenge virus titers in tissues were seen only in seronegative FP-N 0.01 x dose vaccinates and controls. In a comparison of vaccination with FP-N (1 x, 104.9 median tissue culture infective dose) SC, B1 (106 median egg infective dose [EIDs0]) SC, or B1 (106 EID50) E/I, chickens vaccinated at 6 or 10 days before challenge with all vaccines were protected against clinical disease, but only those vaccinated with B1 E/I 10 days before challenge were protected against infection with the challenge virus. Vaccination at 3 days before challenge with B1 E/I provided early protection, but severe nervous signs developed later and reduced overall protection to 60%, whereas disease in chickens vaccinated with B1 SC and FP-N SC 3 days before challenge was similar to the challenge controls.
Self-Consistent Solutions of the Plasma Transport Equations in an Axisymmetric Toroidal System

A numerical method is presented for solving a recently derived (S. P. Hirshman and S. C. Jardin, Phys. Fluids22(1979), 731) reduced set of equations describing two-dimensional transport in tokamak plasmas. The formulation exploits the different diffusion time scales by dividing each time advancement step into two parts. In the first part, the one-dimensional surface averaged partial differential equations are advanced implicitly. In the second part, the two-dimensional generalized differential equation for the toroidal flux surface velocity is inverted directly. Accurate efficient solutions are obtained with only explicit terms coupling these two steps. Solutions are presented illustrating the validity and the accuracy of this method.
Reliability and minimal detectable change of inclinometric shoulder mobility measurements.

The shoulder complex is one of the most commonly affected regions for which individuals present to physical therapy. Numerous shoulder disorders result in altered mobility with posterior shoulder t...
Use Of Probabilistic Risk Assessment (PRA) In Expert Systems To Advise Nuclear Plant Operators And Managers

The use of expert systems in nuclear power plants to provide advice to managers, supervisors and/or operators is a concept that is rapidly gaining acceptance. f2 Generally, expert systems rely on the expertise of human experts or knowledge that has been codified in publications, books, or regulations to provide advice under a wide variety of conditions. In this work, a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA)3 of a nuclear power plant performed previously is used to assess the safety status of nuclear power plants and to make recommendations to the plant personnel. Nuclear power plants have many redundant systems and can continue to operate when one or more of these systems is disabled or removed from service for maintenance or testing. PRAs provide a means of evaluating the risk to the public associated with the operation of nuclear power plants with components or systems out of service. While the choice of the "source term" and methodology in a PRA may influence the absolute probability and consequences of a core melt, the ratio of two PRA calculations for two configurations of the same plant, carried out on a consistent basis, can readily identify the increase in risk associated with going from one configuration to the other. PRISIM,4 a personal computer program to calculate the ratio of core melt probabilities described above (based on previously performed PRAs), has been developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). When one or several components are removed from service, PRISM then calculates the ratio of the core melt probabilities. The inference engine of the expert system then uses this ratio and a constant risk criterion,5 along with information from its knowledge base (which includes information from the PRA), to advise plant personnel as to what action, if any, should be taken.
Defining similar regions of snow in the Colorado River Basin using self‐organizing maps

[1] We used self-organizing maps (SOMs) to define regions of homogeneity in the Colorado River Basin using snow telemetry (SNOTEL) snow water equivalent (SWE) data. SOMs are a specific application of artificial neural networks. Daily data for 216 stations using 15 years (1991–2005) of data from 1 October through 30 June were used. To identify areas of similar snow accumulation, persistence, and ablation patterns, data were transformed by dividing by the 15 year average peak SWE. Three experiments were performed to determine how the regions of homogeneous snowpack characteristics changed. The number of groups was increased from 4 to 6 to 9 to 16. By increasing this resolution, more subtle variations were defined. The temporal resolution of the data was decreased from daily to weekly to monthly to yearly. The accumulation and ablation of the snowpack over time represents a plot called a niveograph, which was summarized for yearly data by three variables. These were peak SWE, length of season, and date of peak SWE. Very similar results were produced using daily, weekly, and monthly time steps. However, using peak SWE produced only 50% of the same groupings, while using the other annual summary variables, even together, produced less than 25% of the same groupings. Using 18 physiographic variables to represent the SNOTEL stations yielded groups that were similar to those from using peak SWE but more evenly distributed in space. Using Ward's method of cluster analysis could only be performed with the individual annual summary variables. It produced groupings similar to the comparable SOM application but slightly less representative of the daily data groupings.
32P-base analysis of DNA.

Abstract A 32 P-labeling method for the base composition analysis of nonradioactive DNA was developed consisting of the digestion of DNA to deoxynucleoside 3′-monophosphates by incubation with a mixture of micrococcal nuclease and spleen phosphodiesterase, transfer of 32 P-label from [γ- 32 P]ATP to the 5′-hydroxyl groups of the mononucleotides by T4 polynucleotide kinase, two-dimensional anion-exchange thin-layer chromatography on PEI-cellulose of the resultant [5′- 32 P]deoxynucleoside 3′,5′-bisphosphates, autoradiography, and scintillation counting. The method was standardized to afford quantitative digestion of DNA to mononucleotides as well as to give quantitative incorporation of 32 P-label into the nucleotides in the DNA hydrolysate so as to make the method an accurate means for determining the base composition of eucaryotic DNA containing adenine, guanine, thymine, cytosine, and 5-methylcytosine.
Developmental potential of microbiopsied murine blastocysts

Objective To evaluate the frequency of mouse pups born following blastocyst biopsy and embryo transfer compared to nonbiopsied controls. Methods ICR Swiss albino and C57B1/6 mice served as embryo donors. Pregnant mare serum gonadotropin treatment was followed 46–52 hours later by hCG, when donors were paired with fertile males. Mating was confirmed the following day and embryos were collected on the afternoon of day 4. After overnight culture, hatching trophoblast was excised by micromanipulation with a fine-pulled glass pipette. Embryos (206 controls, 206 biopsied) were transferred to 26 pseudopregnant recipients. Alternate mouse strains were used to identify pups born from control or biopsied embryos. Results The end point was percentage of pups born ((number born/number transferred) × 100), using angular transformation before analysis. There was no significant difference ( P > .1) between percent live-born in control (27.7%) or biopsied (34.5%) embryos, nor were there any strain differences. Conclusion These data support the hypothesis that the developmental potential of murine blastocysts is not affected adversely by the biopsy procedure.
MIXED MESSAGES: Referees' Comments on the Manuscripts They Review

There are many criticisms of the manuscript review process but few systematic studies of the referees' comments on manuscripts they review. The authors examined comments on a sample of first submission manuscripts reviewed by the American Sociological Review (ASR), 1977-1981. Positive and negative comments were classified into twelve categories: topic, theory, review of literature, design, data, sample, measurement, analysis, results, style, ad hominem, general. No manuscripts received unequivocally favorable reviews, but some reviews were less negative than others. Referees were more critical of manuscripts in comments to the editor than in comments to authors. Authors did not see comments to the editor nor did they know the referees' recommendations concerning their manuscripts. Thus, editors had more information than authors, and authors may complain that they got mixed messages from two or more referees. However, there were surprisingly few actual contradictions in referees' comments. While most comments (both positive and negative) were general, a substantial number were about theory and analysis. Reviews of the same manuscript by different referees yielded surprisingly few contradictions, most of those about theory. The biggest difference between the comments by referees recommending publication and by those recommending rejection was praise. Referees were equally critical of all manuscripts, but were more likely to praise those recommended for publication.
Air Conditioning Waste Heat to Domestic Hot Water: A Student Design Project

The goal of the “Domestic Hot Water Heater Using Air Conditioner (A/C) Waste Heat” design project was to introduce students to designing mechanical systems in the “ETME475-Mechanical Systems Design” course. The design project was assigned to two Mechanical Engineering Technology students as their second design project in the course. Students were asked to do their own literature search and create their own designs. Both of them decided to use a concentric-tube heat exchanger to extract heat from hot refrigerant gas to heat water residing in domestic hot water heater tank. Their literature search led them to some manufacturers. Since delivery time for concentric-tube heat exchanger was too long, we purchased a side-by-side-tube heat exchanger and got it installed on our Heat Pump. Some test runs were conducted to measure the efficiency of the unit and its effect on the Coefficient of Performance (COP) of the Heat Pump when heat pump is operated in A/C mode. Contrary to our expectations, results indicate that, COP values have been reduced by about 22%. Measured efficiency of the unit was about 18%. Students have designed a concentric-tube heat exchanger, turned in their final reports and orally presented their designs to the class.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
ATP-dependent release of glucocorticoid receptors from the nuclear matrix.

Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) have the capacity to shuttle between the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments, sharing that trait with other steroid receptors and unrelated nuclear proteins of diverse function. Although nuclear import of steroid receptors, like that of nearly all other karyophilic proteins examined to date, requires ATP, there appear to be different energetic requirements for export of proteins, including steroid receptors, from nuclei. In an attempt to reveal which steps, if any, in the nuclear export pathway utilized by steroid receptors require ATP, we have used indirect immunofluorescence to visualize GRs within cells subjected to a reversible ATP depletion. Under conditions which lead to >95% depletion of cellular ATP levels within 90 min, GRs remain localized within nuclei and do not efflux into the cytoplasm. Under analogous conditions of ATP depletion, transfected progesterone receptors are also retained within nuclei. Importantly, GRs which accumulate within nuclei of ATP-depleted cells are distinguished from nuclear receptors in metabolically active cells by their resistance to in situ extraction with a hypotonic, detergent-containing buffer. GRs in ATP-depleted cells are not permanently trapped in this nuclear compartment, as nuclear receptors rapidly regain their capacity to be extracted upon restoration of cellular ATP, even in the absence of de novo protein synthesis. More extensive extraction of cells with high salt and detergent, coupled with DNase I digestion, established that a significant fraction of GRs in ATP-depleted cells are associated with an RNA-containing nuclear matrix. Quantitative Western blot (immunoblot) analysis confirmed the dramatic increase in GR binding to the nuclear matrix of ATP-depleted cells, while confocal microscopy revealed that GRs are bound to the matrix throughout all planes of the nucleus. ATP depletion does not lead to wholesale collapse of nuclear proteins onto the matrix, as the interaction of a subpopulation of simian virus 40 large tumor antigen with the nuclear matrix is not quantitatively altered in ATP-depleted Cos-1 cells. Nuclear GRs which are not bound to the nuclear matrix of metabolically active cells (i.e., a DNA-binding domain deletion mutant and a beta-galactosidase chimera possessing the GR nuclear localization signal sequence) are not recruited to the matrix upon depletion of cellular ATP. Thus, it appears that ATP depletion does not expose the GR to nuclear matrix interactions which are not normally encountered in cells but merely alters the dynamics of such interactions. The dynamic association of steroid receptors with the nuclear matrix may provide a mechanism which is utilized by these regulable transcription factors to facilitate their efficient scanning of the genome.
The Semantics of a Definiendum Constrains both the Lexical Semantics and the Lexicosyntactic Patterns in the Definiens

Most current definitional question answering systems apply one-size-fits-all lexicosyntactic patterns to identify definitions. By analyzing a large set of online definitions, this study shows that the semantic types of definienda constrain both lexical semantics and lexicosyntactic patterns of the definientia. For example, "heart" has the semantic type [Body Part, Organ, or Organ Component] and its definition (e.g., "heart locates between the lungs") incorporates semantic-type-dependent lexicosyntactic patterns (e.g., "TERM locates ...") and terms (e.g., "lung" has the same semantic type [Body Part, Organ, or Organ Component]). In contrast, "AIDS" has a different semantic type [Disease or Syndrome]; its definition (e.g., "An infectious disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus") consists of different lexicosyntactic patterns (e.g., "...causes by...") and terms (e.g., "infectious disease" has the semantic type [Disease or Syndrome]). The semantic types are defined in the widely used biomedical knowledge resource, the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS).
Theorem on the Lightest Glueball State.

This paper is devoted to proving that, in QCD, the lightest glueball state must be the scalar with {ital J}{sup {ital PC}}=0{sup ++}. The proof relies upon the positivity of the path integral measure in Euclidean space and the fact that interpolating fields for all spins can be bounded by powers of the scalar glueball operator. The problem presented by the presence of vacuum condensates is circumvented by considering the time and space evolution of the propagators. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Model-based ATR using synthetic aperture radar

The Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) program was initiated by the USA Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) and the USA Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in the summer of 1995. The goal of this project was to advance the state of automatic target recognition (ATR) using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery by developing the technology of model-based vision. This paper provides a retrospective discussion of the progress made in the course of the MSTAR project.
Kinship ties and solitary living among unmarried elderly women in Chile and Mexico.

Using census microdata this article describes living arrangements among unmarried elderly women in Chile and Mexico around 1990. Specifically it aims to examine the importance of kinship and solitary living among unmarried elderly women in these two very different Latin American countries. In addition to bonds between elderly women and their adult children bonds between elderly women and other extended family members are also considered. This included bonds between grown siblings bonds between grandparents and grandchildren and bonds between aunts and nieces/nephews. Overall it is noted that the traditional situation in both countries are consistent with the idea that kinship has an effect on the likelihood of living alone even in settings in which there are some differences in the living arrangements of unmarried elderly women. This traditional situation is due to change however as elders become more numerous and increasingly covered by reformed pension systems. Nevertheless there is still a need for a place socially for elders to share living arrangements with others and to give and receive assistance.
3-Dimensional Brain Source Imaging by Means of Laplacian Weighted Minimum Norm Estimate in a Realistic Geometry Head Model

We investigated the source localization performance of the Laplacian weighted minimum norm (LWMN) estimate technique in a realistic geometry (RG) head model in the present study. We simulated current sources at different brain regions with various noise levels. The present results show there is no obvious depth dependency on the three-dimensional (3D) source estimation. The average source localization error over all simulated cases is about 10 mm. The tangential sources exhibit larger localization errors than the radial sources when they are close to the epicortical surface. The localization error will increase when the noise level increases. The LWMN technique was applied to source imaging of motor potentials induced by finger movement in a human subject. Both activities in the motor and premotor cortex, which are related to the execution and coordinating of the finger movement, were reconstructed by the LWMN technique. The present study suggests that LWMN has great ability in 3D sources imaging.
Flavonoid Biosynthesis. A Colorful Model for Genetics, Biochemistry, Cell Biology, and Biotechnology

The role of flavonoids as the major red, blue, and purple pigments in plants has gained these secondary products a great deal of attention over the years. From the first description of acid and base effects on plant pigments by Robert Boyle in 1664 to the characterization of structural and
Rapid Thermal Annealing in III–V Compounds

Progress in applying rapid thermal annealing for activating implants is surveyed. Advantages to be gained through curtailing substrate semiinsulating loss, enhancing heavy n-type activation, and in reducing the diffusive redistribution of p-type implants are discussed in detail. Consideration is given to encapsulation requirements and the role of stoichiometry in activation. While the emphasis is on GaAs, work on InP and InGaAs has also been included.
Purification and characterization of an endoamylase from tulip (Tulipa gesneriana) bulbs

Amylase activity extracted from tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L. cv. Apeldoorn) bulbs that had been stored for 6 weeks at 4°C was resolved to 3 peaks by anion-exchange chromatography on diethylaminoethyl-Sephacel. These 3 amylases exhibited different relative mobilities during non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The most abundant amylase form (amylase I) was purified to apparent homogeneity using hydrophobic interaction chromatography, gel filtration and chromatofocusing. The apparent molecular mass of the purified amylase was estimated to be 51 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE and 45 kDa by gel filtration chromatography. The purified amylase was determined to be an endoamylase (EC 3.2.1.1) based on substrate specificity and end-product analysis. The enzyme had a pH optimum of 6.0 and a temperature optimum of 55°C. The apparent K m value with soluble starch (potato) was 1.28 mg ml -1 . The presence of Ca 2+ increased the activity and thermal stability of the enzyme. The presence of dithiothreitol enhanced the activity, while β-mercaptoethanol and reduced glutathione had no significant effect. When pre-incubated in the absence of the substrate, N-ethylmaleimide and 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) partially inhibited the enzyme. α-cyclodextrins or β-cyclodextrins had no effect on enzyme activity up to 10 mM. In addition to CaCl 2 , CoCl 2 slightly enhanced activity, while MgCl 2 and MnCl 2 had no significant effect at a concentration of 2 mM. ZnCl 2 , CuSO 4 , AgNO 3 and EDTA partially inhibited enzyme activity, while AgNO 3 and HgCl 2 completely inhibited it at 2.0 mM.
Searching the Web: Toward Maximizing Relevance

Searching for information on the Web is paradoxically easy but frustrating. There is an increasingly vast amount of high-quality information available on the Internet, but finding it can seem like groping through the world's largest haystack for the proverbial needle. This review discusses some of the most basic and important methods and techniques, (table 1) applicable to almost any search using almost any search engine, whose thoughtful application ensures that the information found is both high-quality and relevant. Table 1 Useful search features common to most search engines.
Microlithography in midlife crisis

Advances in optical lithography have been driven by the semiconductor industry's need to achieve the highest speed and density, and lowest cost per logic function or memory bit. The exponential decrease in the minimum feature size sustained by optical lithography over the past several decades has enabled over 1,000-fold increase in processor speed and 10,000-fold increase in circuit density, accompanied by an approximately 30% yearly decline in the cost per transistor or bit. As we approach the year 2000, uncertainty regarding the extendability of optical lithography casts doubt on the ability of the semiconductor industry to continue this rate of progress. We describe the approaches being taken to extend the capability of optical lithography, as well as its ultimate limits.
Quality improvement of International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, diagnosis coding in radiation oncology: Single-institution prospective study at University of California, San Francisco

Abstract Purpose Accurate International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnosis coding is critical for patient care, billing purposes, and research endeavors. In this single-institution study, we evaluated our baseline ICD-9 (9th revision) diagnosis coding accuracy, identified the most common errors contributing to inaccurate coding, and implemented a multimodality strategy to improve radiation oncology coding. Methods and materials We prospectively studied ICD-9 coding accuracy in our radiation therapy--specific electronic medical record system. Baseline ICD-9 coding accuracy was obtained from chart review targeting ICD-9 coding accuracy of all patients treated at our institution between March and June of 2010. To improve performance an educational session highlighted common coding errors, and a user-friendly software tool, RadOnc ICD Search, version 1.0, for coding radiation oncology specific diagnoses was implemented. We then prospectively analyzed ICD-9 coding accuracy for all patients treated from July 2010 to June 2011, with the goal of maintaining 80% or higher coding accuracy. Data on coding accuracy were analyzed and fed back monthly to individual providers. Results Baseline coding accuracy for physicians was 463 of 661 (70%) cases. Only 46% of physicians had coding accuracy above 80%. The most common errors involved metastatic cases, whereby primary or secondary site ICD-9 codes were either incorrect or missing, and special procedures such as stereotactic radiosurgery cases. After implementing our project, overall coding accuracy rose to 92% (range, 86%-96%). The median accuracy for all physicians was 93% (range, 77%‐100%) with only 1 attending having accuracy below 80%. Incorrect primary and secondary ICD-9 codes in metastatic cases showed the most significant improvement (10% vs 2% after intervention). Conclusions Identifying common coding errors and implementing both education and systems changes led to significantly improved coding accuracy. This quality assurance project highlights the potential problem of ICD-9 coding accuracy by physicians and offers an approach to effectively address this shortcoming.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of three intravenous doses of yohimbine in the horse.

DiMaio Knych, H. K., Steffey, E. P., Stanley, S. D. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of three intravenous doses of yohimbine in the horse. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap.34, 359–366. Yohimbine is an alpha 2 adrenergic receptor antagonist, which has been shown to counteract the CNS depressant effects of alpha 2 receptor agonists in a number of species. Recently, our laboratory identified yohimbine in the absence of detectable concentrations of an alpha 2 agonist in a regulatory sample collected from a horse racing in California. This coupled with anecdotal reports of CNS stimulation and documented reports of cardiovascular changes when administered in conjunction with an agonist led us to investigate the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of yohimbine when administered alone. Nine healthy adult horses received a single intravenous dose of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg yohimbine. Blood samples were collected at time 0 (prior to drug administration) and at various times up to 24 h postdrug administration. Plasma samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), and resulting data analyzed using both noncompartmental and compartmental analysis. Peak plasma concentrations were 106.0 ± 28.9, 156.7 ± 34.3, and 223.0 ± 44.5 ng/mL for doses of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively. Immediately following administration, two horses showed signs of sedation, one horse appeared excited, while the other six appeared behaviorally unaffected. Episodes of tachycardia were noted within minutes of administration for all horses at all doses; however, there was no correlation between behavioral responses and episodes of increased heart rate. Sixty-three percent of the horses (8, 6, and 4 of the 9 horses in the 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mg/kg dose groups, respectively) exhibited second-degree atrial-ventricular conduction blocks and bradycardia prior to drug administration that transiently improved or disappeared upon administration of yohimbine. Gastrointestinal sounds were transiently increased following all doses.
Quantitative myocardial perfusion analysis with a dual-bolus contrast-enhanced first-pass MRI technique in humans.

Materials and Methods: Rest and dipyridamole stress perfusion imaging was performed on 10 healthy humans by administering gadolinium contrast using a dual-bolus protocol. Ventricular and myocardial time-signal intensity curves were generated from a series of T1-weighted images and adjusted for surface-coil intensity variations. Corrected signal intensity curves were then fitted using fully quantitative model constrained deconvolution (MCD) to quantify MBF (mL/min/g) and MPR. The results were compared with semiquantitative contrast enhancement ratio (CER) and upslope index (SLP) measurements. Results: MBF (mL/min/g) estimated with MCD averaged 1.02 0.22 at rest and 3.39 0.59 for stress with no overlap in measures. MPR was 3.43 0.71, 1.91 0.65, and 1.16 0.19 using MCD, SLP, and CER. Both semiquantitative parameters (SLP and CER) significantly underestimated MPR (P 0.001) and failed to completely discriminate rest and stress perfusion. Conclusion: Rest and stress MBF (mL/min/g) and MPR estimated by dual-bolus perfusion MRI fit within published ranges. Semiquantitative methods (SLP and CER) significantly underestimated MPR.
Multi-segment foot kinematics and ground reaction forces during gait of individuals with plantar fasciitis

Abstract Background Clinically, plantar fasciitis (PF) is believed to be a result and/or prolonged by overpronation and excessive loading, but there is little biomechanical data to support this assertion. The purpose of this study was to determine the differences between healthy individuals and those with PF in (1) rearfoot motion, (2) medial forefoot motion, (3) first metatarsal phalangeal joint (FMPJ) motion, and (4) ground reaction forces (GRF). Methods We recruited healthy ( n =22) and chronic PF individuals ( n =22, symptomatic over three months) of similar age, height, weight, and foot shape ( p >0.05). Retro-reflective skin markers were fixed according to a multi-segment foot and shank model. Ground reaction forces and three dimensional kinematics of the shank, rearfoot, medial forefoot, and hallux segment were captured as individuals walked at 1.35 ms −1 . Results Despite similarities in foot anthropometrics, when compared to healthy individuals, individuals with PF exhibited significantly ( p Conclusion These data suggest that compared to healthy individuals, individuals with PF exhibit significant differences in foot kinematics and kinetics. Consistent with the theoretical injury mechanisms of PF, we found these individuals to have greater total rearfoot eversion and peak FMPJ dorsiflexion, which may put undue loads on the plantar fascia. Meanwhile, increased medial forefoot plantar flexion at initial contact and decreased propulsive GRF are suggestive of compensatory responses, perhaps to manage pain.
Maximizing FDDI network performance by parameter tuning

A fiber distributed data interface (FDDI) media access control (MAC) protocol is analyzed using a simulation model. The MAC protocol simulated conforms to the emerging ANSI/ISO standard. The parameters of the protocol have strong connections to the ring performance (ring utilization and frame delay time). The simulation model is then used to obtain the relationship between the FDDI parameters and performance, focusing in tuning the parameters to maximize the performance of a FDDI network with single- and multi-priority asynchronous traffic. The simulation results are presented. >
Simplified design of high-order recursive group-delay filters

A new, simplified method is presented for the design of group-delay filters. The method is derived assuming that the filter order is large and that the filter group-delay function is smooth. Satisfactory results, however, are achieved even if both of these assumptions do not apply. The method permits the realization of filters that are equal ripple approximations to the smooth portions of given group-delay characteristics. The filters are constructed from second-order all-pass sections in cascade. Examples of linear group-delay, quadratic group-delay, and "stair step" group-delay filters are presented. The design method is simple enough to be implemented with dedicated hardware.
Intervals, Events and Change

Whereas the logic and model theory of instant tense logic is relatively well developed, well understood and elegant, such cannot be said of period tense logic and event logic.
Politics and the Paralympic Games: Disability Sport in Rhodesia-Zimbabwe

White settler-ruled Rhodesia had one of the most successful Paralympic teams in the history of the Games, despite intense racial and disability discrimination at home and despite Rhodesia's exclusion from international sport in the 1960s and 1970s (including expulsion from the Olympic Games). This article explains why the Paralympic team continued to compete in international competition, and particularly why the British government allowed them to compete even as the British were maneuvering Rhodesian exclusion from the Mexico City and Munich Olympics.
Dating the origin of dinosaurs

In 1834, the salt-mining expert Friedrich von Alberti applied the name “Trias” to a succession of sedimentary rocks in Germany, which (from oldest to youngest) are the Buntsandstein (“colored sandstone”), Muschelkalk (“clam limestone”), and Keuper (derived from a word for the characteristic marls of this unit) (1). The Buntsandstein and Keuper each comprise predominantly continental siliciclastic strata, whereas the Muschelkalk is made up of carbonates and evaporites deposited in a shallow epicontinental sea. Alberti’s threefold rock succession more or less corresponds to the standard division of the Triassic into Lower, Middle, and Upper Triassic series. Marsicano et al. postulate that dinosaurs gradually diversified at middle to high paleolatitudes.Later researchers used fossils of marine invertebrates to correlate carbonate units exposed along the northern and southern flanks of the European Alps with the Triassic strata in the Germanic Basin. Starting in the late 19th century, geologists, mostly working in the Austrian Alps, established the global standard marine stages of the Triassic Period (from oldest to youngest): Scythian, Anisian, Ladinian, Carnian, Norian, and Rhaetian (2). The Scythian was later further divided into the Induan and Olenekian stages.
Summary of the Report of the Joint Commission on Prescription Drug Use, Inc.

In 1975, Senator Edward M. Kennedy suggested that the United States needed a better system for monitoring the use and effects of prescription drugs after they were marketed. In 1976, the Joint Commission on Prescription Drug Use was established in the United States by having the 18 Commissioners selected by Senator Kennedy, Chairman, Senate Subcommittee on Health, Dr. Theodore Cooper, Assistant Secretary for Health, and Dr. David Hamburg, President, The Institute of Medicine-National Academy of Sciences from among nominees proposed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, The American Hospital Association, The American Medical Association, the American Pharmaceutical Association, the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, and from nominees proposed by representatives of the public at large. Funds for the Commission’s activities were contributed by some of these organizations.
The Nature and Distribution of Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter in the Black Sea and the Cariaco Trench

Depth profiles of some of the chemical components of dissolved fluorescence in the Black Sea and the Cariaco Trench were measured using ion-pairing high performance liquid chromatography. Both individual compounds and unresolvable complex material were observed in the fraction retained by C18-bonded silica adsorbent. Identifiable individual compounds included riboflavin, lumiflavin, lumichrome, FAD, and FMN. Maxima in riboflavin concentrations occurred in association with maxima in chl a, bchl e, ETS, and bacterial cell numbers. The concentration of the complex material increased with depth, corresponding to an increase in the total dissolved fluorescence. The relative contribution of individual fluorescent compounds to total extractable fluorescence decreased from 13% at the surface to 2% at 270 m.
Urine specific gravity and water hardness in relation to urolithiasis in persons with spinal cord injury.

Study design: A matched case-control study. Objectives: To clarify the influence of urine specific gravity and drinking water quality on the formation of urinary stones in persons with spinal cord injury (SCI). Setting: A rehabilitation center within a university hospital. Methods: Between 1992 and 1998, 63 stone cases (31 kidney, 27 bladder, and five both) and 289 age-duration-matched controls were recruited from a cohort of SCI patients enrolled in an on-going longitudinal study. Data on urine specific gravity and other characteristics of study participants were retrieved from the database and medical charts. Community water supply information was provided by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the association with stone formation. Results: SCI individuals who had urinary stones were more likely than control subjects to use indwelling catheters and have decreased renal function. The occurrence of stones was not significantly related to gender, race, severity of injury, urinary tract infection, nor urine pH. After controlling for the potential confounding from other factors, a continuously increasing stone occurrence with increasing specific gravity was observed (P=0.05); this association was stronger for kidney (odds Ratio [OR]=1.8 per 0.010 g/cm3) versus bladder stones (OR=1.2) and for recurrent (OR=2.0) versus first stones (OR=1.5). Increased water hardness was not significantly associated with a decreased stone occurrence. Conclusions: Study results suggest that maintaining urine specific gravity below a certain level might reduce the occurrence of urinary stones. This could be easily achieved by using a dipstick for self-feedback along with appropriate fluid intake. For persons with SCI who are at an increased risk of a devastating stone disease, this prophylactic approach could be very cost-effective; however, this requires further confirmation. Spinal Cord (2001) 39, 571–576.
Effectiveness evaluation of occupational hazards control measures in a vehicle manufacture enterprise

Objective In order to implement the Chinese Law on Occupational Diseases Prevention and Control and ensure workers health,the effectives of occupational hazards control measures in a vehicle manufacture enterprise was evaluated.Methods The qualitative and quantitative methods,including field audit,the working environmental monitoring,the checklist analysis were used to evaluate the effectiveness of control measures.Results The major occupational hazards in the factory were benzene,toluene,xylene,acetone,ethy acetate,gasoline,butyl acetate,cyclohexanone,styrene,sodium hydroxide,formaldehyde,phosphoric acid,ethyl benzene,sulphuric acid,Welding soot,FRP dust,wood dust,silicon dust and noise.Among them,the environmental levels of the wood dust and noise were high,though the overall layout and setting of auxiliary health room,the management system of occupational disease prevention and surveillance accorded with the requirements of laws.Conclusion The more attention should be paid to the dust and noise in this construction project.
Alteration of essential fatty acids in secondary consumers across a gradient of cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria blooms pose an increasing threat to ecosystem services. Consequently, understanding their impacts on ecosystem function is important. Cyanobacteria are poor producers of long-chain essential fatty acids (LC-EFA; eicosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic, and arachidonic acids) and are inadequate for primary consumer growth and reproduction. Higher-level consumers such as planktivorous fishes are hypothesized to be negatively impacted through disruption of LC-EFA availability and transfer up the food web. We tested this hypothesis by comparing fatty acids in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and white perch (Morone americana) across a gradient of cyanobacteria densities spanning four sites in Lake Champlain and Shelburne Pond, Vermont, USA. Phytoplankton community composition and fatty acid content of seston and fish tissue (liver and muscle) were collected in June, August, and October 2013. Yellow perch liver and muscle tissue increased in percent composition of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid and decreased in LC-EFA with increased cyanobacteria. Total EFA and arachidonic acid in white perch muscle were negatively related to cyanobacteria. White perch liver did not show any relationship between EFA and cyanobacteria. We conclude that both fish species experienced altered EFA coinciding with cyanobacteria blooms, consistent with disruption of LC-EFA transfer across multiple trophic levels.
Multiple Donors and the Party as a Network

We define an activist as someone who gave to more than one candidate within the nomination process. Drawing from Social Network Analysis (SNA) literature, we know these brokers to be important connectors between different groups. By examining their behavior we hope to better understand the cohesive elements within a party. By allowing individuals to choose more than one option, we create a measure that removes the divisive “only one choice allowed” attribute of endorsements and polls. We argue for the importance of examining donors during the preprimary period of contested presidential nominations as a key barometer of party cohesion.
Introduction: Are These BRICS for Building?

Schaefer and Poffenbarger contend that the BRICS exist as a possible balancing coalition that could seek to constrain the United States, working to end its “unipolar moment” The balancing literature is reviewed to show the complete spectrum of balancing behavior from soft balancing to traditional forms of hard balancing. Schaefer and Poffenbarger review the functionalism literature in regards to the development of international organizations (IOs). The BRICS currently exist as a diverse and informal IO. If the body seeks to strongly check US power functional cooperation will have to take place to spur increased formalization. The United States must recognize that the BRICS is a response to US foreign policy, and that it should consider engaging in policies that limit challengers.
Individualized Dosing of Fludarabine (FLU) for Low Grade Lymphoproliferative Disorders Results in Administration of Less Medication with Fewer Infections and Equivalent Survival.

When used in the treatment of low-grade lymphoproliferative disorders, common practice is to administer 6 monthly cycles of FLU 25-mg/m2 daily × 5. This practice is reported to cause infections (including opportunistic such as PCP and Listeria) in over 50% of patients. It has been our practice to individualize the number of monthly cycles of FLU per treatment course based on response in general administering 1 cycle of therapy when rapid and substantial response is obtained, or 1 cycle past best response. Our objective is to describe our experience with this dosing schema - incidence of infections in relation to the number of cycles of FLU administered per treatment course and overall survival. We conducted a retrospective chart review of medical records of all patients who received FLU at the Stratton VA Medical Center. We defined one treatment course as the number of five day monthly FLU doses received. Any time interval of 3 or more months between FLU was considered to indicate a new treatment course. All infectious episodes of NCI grades 3 or higher that occurred within 6 months of the last FLU treatment course were attributed to that prior treatment course. Survival was estimated by Kaplan-Meier analysis from date of diagnosis to death or last known alive. There were 15 patients treated for CLL, 9 for low-grade lymphoma, and 4 for macroglobulinemia. Three individuals treated with FLAG for ANLL were excluded. These 28 patients received a total of 44 treatment courses (each treatment course with 1 to 6 monthly cycles) of FLU. Fifty-four (54) percent of the treatment courses were with ≤2 cycles. Mean ± SD age of the patients was 65 ± 11 years. The overall incidence of NCI grade 3 or higher infections was significantly increased with increased numbers of FLU cycles per treatment course (complex Chi-square = 0.0193). Treatment cycles with ≤2 compared with 3 or more cycles per treatment course (Chi-square with Yate’s correction = 0.0008) had significantly fewer infections. Median overall survival was 158 months with 78 ± 44 months of follow-up. Our data indicates that individualized dosing of FLU based on response results in using lower numbers of monthly cycles per treatment course, lower incidence of severe infections, and equivalent (based on historical controls) overall survival.
Foam flow in a layered, heterogeneous porous medium: A visualization study

Abstract Foams can divert flow from high permeability regions to low permeability regions in heterogeneous porous media. In this work, we present a visualization study of foam flow through a two-layer, heterogeneous model, where the performance of foam stabilized by surfactant-nanoparticle mixtures is evaluated. An in-house, 2D sandpack holder was fabricated with a transparent front plate to visualize foam displacement mechanisms. It was packed with two layers of silica sand which resulted in a permeability contrast of 6:1. Foam flow and oil displacement experiments were performed using either surfactants or surfactant-nanoparticle blends. Foam flow experiments revealed that inclusion of nanoparticles increases the resistance factor (RF) by a factor of 1.95 over that of the surfactant foams. In oil displacement experiments, the water flood recoveries were low (∼46% of the original-oil-in-place, OOIP) due to channeling through the top high-permeability region, leaving the bottom low-permeability region completely unswept. Foam flooding with an immiscible gas led to an improvement in sweep efficiency and resulted in an oil recovery as high as 80% OOIP. Foams stabilized by the surfactant-nanoparticle blend outperform surfactant-stabilized foams by 9% OOIP incremental oil. This study is the first-of-its-kind to visually demonstrate flow diversion due to nanoparticle-stabilized foam in a heterogeneous, porous system. Flow phenomena such as cross-flow between layers and foam phase separation are discussed. Complementary experiments such as static foam tests and confocal laser scanning microscopy are also performed to understand the effect of nanoparticles on foam stability.
Improving the accuracy of microelectrode recording in deep brain stimulation surgery with intraoperative CT

Abstract Microelectrode recording (MER) is used to confirm electrophysiological signals within intended anatomic targets during deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. We describe a novel technique called intraoperative CT-guided extrapolation (iCTE) to predict the intended microelectrode trajectory and, if necessary, make corrections in real-time before dural opening. Prior to dural opening, a guide tube was inserted through the headstage and rested on dura. Intraoperative CT (iCT) was obtained, and a trajectory was extrapolated along the path of the guide tube to target depth using targeting software. The coordinates were recorded and compared to initial plan coordinates. If needed, adjustments were made using the headstage to correct for error. The guide tube was then inserted and MER ensued. At target, iCT was performed and microelectrode tip coordinates were compared with planned/adjusted track coordinates. Radial error between MER track and planned/adjusted track was calculated. For comparison, MER track error prior to the iCTE technique was assessed retrospectively in patients who underwent MER using iCT, whereby iCT was performed following completion of the first MER track. Forty-seven MER tracks were analyzed prior to iCTE (pre-iCTE), and 90 tracks were performed using the iCTE technique. There was no difference between radial error of pre-iCTE MER track and planned trajectory (2.1 ± 0.12 mm) compared to iCTE predicted trajectory and planned trajectory (1.76 ± 0.13 mm, p > 0.05). iCTE was used to make trajectory adjustments which reduced radial error between the newly corrected and final microelectrode tip coordinates to 0.84 ± 0.08 mm (p