cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of seep habitats on sediment macrofaunal biodiversity and functional traits

Abstract Chemosynthetic ecosystems in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) support dense communities of seep megafaunal invertebrates that rely on endosymbiotic bacteria for nutrition. Distinct infaunal communities are associated with the biogenic habitats created by seep biota, where habitat heterogeneity and sediment geochemistry influence local macrofaunal community structure. Here we examine the community structure and function of seep infaunal communities in the GOM in relation to environmental drivers and estimated proximity to seeps. We modeled seep distribution within 3 major seep fields (AC601, GC852, and AT340), and examined the influence of proximity to seep and associated sediment environment on infaunal community structure and function. To model seep habitat distribution, we used known seep occurrence data from ROV and towed camera images, terrain variables derived from high resolution multibeam bathymetry (gridded to 3 m resolution), and a maximum entropy (Maxent) approach. Model performance was high, with mean area under the curve for each habitat ranging from 0.851 for mussel to 0.908 for tubeworm habitat, with the models highly influenced by terrain rugosity. Replicate sediment cores were collected from the three sites in 2007 and processed for macrofauna and environmental characteristics. A majority of the taxa (86%) occurred within 16 m of modeled seep habitat and increased distance from modeled seeps was generally associated with lower calculated seep index coupled with decreased macrofaunal densities. Distance-based linear regression indicated that patterns in macrofaunal communities were driven by proximity to modeled seep habitat and profile curvature, a metric for the shape of the maximum slope. Similarly, variance in infaunal functional traits was best explained by proximity to seep, but also sediment C:N, reflecting the relative influence of sediment chemistry, including organic content, on infaunal communities. Results suggest that northern GOM seep infaunal community assemblages and their function are structured by factors that influence food availability and habitat heterogeneity. Given the abundance of seeps in the GOM and in the world’s oceans, this study supports the premise that the sphere of influence of seeps is spatially extensive.
LED Air Warning System (LAWS) for First Responders and Public Safety Divers: A New Product Development-based Senior Capstone Design Project

First Responder/Public Safety Divers (FR/PSDs) conduct rescue and evidence recovery operations in dark, turbid waters, where visibility is often non-existent, making it impossible to read their pressure gauges to determine if they are low on air. The Florida State University-Panama City (FSUPC) Senior Electrical Engineering Class (EEL 4915C Senior Design II), working in collaboration with the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) under an Education Partnership Agreement (EPA), engaged in a senior design project that developed a concept prototype to reduce risk and help save lives for the FR/PSD community. The LED Air Warning System (LAWS) incorporates a pressure transducer connected to the diver's air tank and a multi-LED array attached to the diver's mask. The system provides detailed visual information about remaining air pressure during a dive clearly visible even in extremely poor visibility conditions. To continue development of the LAWS into a commercial product for the FR/PSD community NSWC PCD collaborated with industry partner Interspiro, Inc. (diving equipment manufacturer) through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to complete product development, user evaluation, and technology transition of the LAWS into production.
Higher Education Pathways: South African Undergraduate Education and the Public Good

A book review of Higher Education Pathways: South African Undergraduate Education and the Public Good Edited by Paul Ashwin and Jennifer M. Case.
Raising crosscap number while lowering unknotting number

We explore the relationship between two knot invariants, unknotting number and crosscap number. Specifically, we present two infinite families of knots with a specific crossing change that lowers t...
Amorphization of Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride: Effects of Physical State and Polymer Type on the Chemical Stability of Thiamine in Solid Dispersions

Thiamine is an essential micronutrient, but delivery of the vitamin in supplements or foods is challenging because it is unstable under heat, alkaline pH, and processing/storage conditions. Although distributed as a crystalline ingredient, thiamine chloride hydrochloride (TClHCl) likely exists in the amorphous state, specifically in supplements. Amorphous solids are generally less chemically stable than their crystalline counterparts, which is an unexplored area related to thiamine delivery. The objective of this study was to document thiamine degradation in the amorphous state. TClHCl:polymer dispersions were prepared by lyophilizing solutions containing TClHCl and amorphous polymers (pectin and PVP (poly[vinylpyrrolidone])). Samples were stored in controlled temperature (30-60 °C) and relative humidity (11%) environments for 8 weeks and monitored periodically by X-ray diffraction (to document physical state) and HPLC (to quantify degradation). Moisture sorption, glass transition temperature (Tg), intermolecular interactions, and pH were also determined. Thiamine was more labile in the amorphous state than the crystalline state and when present in lower proportions in amorphous polymer dispersions, despite increasing Tg values. Thiamine was more stable in pectin dispersions than PVP dispersions, attributed to differences in presence and extent of intermolecular interactions between TClHCl and pectin. The results of this study can be used to control thiamine degradation in food products and supplements to improve thiamine delivery and decrease rate of deficiency.
Angular Momentum about the Contact Point for Control of Bipedal Locomotion: Validation in a LIP-based Controller.

In the control of bipedal locomotion, linear velocity of the center of mass has been widely accepted as a primary variable for summarizing a robot's state vector. The ubiquitous massless-legged linear inverted pendulum (LIP) model is based on it. In this paper, we argue that angular momentum about the contact point has several properties that make it superior to linear velocity for feedback control. So as not to confuse the benefits of angular momentum with any other control design decisions, we first reformulate the standard LIP controller in terms of angular momentum. We then implement the resulting feedback controller on the 20 degree-of-freedom bipedal robot, Cassie Blue, where each leg accounts for nearly one-third of the robot's total mass of 35~Kg. Under this controller, the robot achieves fast walking, rapid turning while walking, large disturbance rejection, and locomotion on rough terrain. The reasoning developed in the paper is applicable to other control design philosophies, whether they be Hybrid Zero Dynamics or Reinforcement Learning.
Do Shareholders Welcome Court Intervention in CEO Pay Matters

Critics of CEO compensation argue that it reflects rent extraction, not efficient contracting, favoring the CEO’s interests to the detriment of shareholders. One mechanism to rein in executive pay is through court litigation, yet little academic research has examined this. We analyze the market’s reaction to an unanticipated court ruling in a lawsuit against Citigroup claiming corporate waste with regard to CEO pay, providing insights on shareholders’ view of court intervention in cases of excess pay. We find that shareholders of firms with excess pay react negatively to the court ruling consistent with shareholders perceiving court intervention as net costly. We also find that shareholders of financial firms with weaker shareholders’ rights react positively, relative to shareholders of non-financial firms, suggesting that while court intervention in the pay setting process is generally perceived as undesirable, it might be better received in these firms that have been the subject of recent criticisms.
Unsupervised Segmentation of B-Mode Echocardiograms

We present a method for unsupervised segmentation of echocardiograms (echo). The method uses an iterative Dijkstra's algorithm, a strategic node selection, and a novel cost matrix formulation based on intensity peak prominence and is thus termed the "Prominence Iterative Dijkstra's" algorithm, or ProID. Although the current analysis focuses on the left ventricle (LV), ProID is applicable to all four heart chambers. ProID was tested using artificial echo images representing five different systems. Results showed accurate LV contours and volume estimations as compared to the ground-truth for all systems. Subsequently, ProID was used to analyze a clinical cohort of 66 pediatric patients, including both normal and diseased hearts. Output segmentations, end-diastolic, end-systolic volumes, and ejection fraction (EF) were compared against manual segmentations from two expert readers. ProID maintained an average Dice similarity score of 0.93 when comparing against manual segmentation. Comparing the two expert readers, the manual segmentations maintained a score of 0.93, which increased to 0.95 when they used ProID. Thus, ProID successfully reduced the inter-operator variability across the two expert readers. Overall, this work demonstrates that ProID yields accurate boundaries across all age groups, disease states, and echo platforms with low computation cost, thereby establishing its clinical usefulness.
Network Diffusion Under Homophily and Consolidation as a Mechanism for Social Inequality

Network externalities (where the value of a practice is a function of network alters that have already adopted the practice) are mechanisms that exacerbate social inequality under the condition of ...
500 Consecutive Robotic Lobectomies for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Perioperative and Oncologic Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE Clinical adoption of robotic lobectomy for management of lung cancer is rapidly increasing across the world. Several studies have evaluated the technique with regards to perioperative and cost outcomes, with evidence beginning to grow regarding long-term oncologic outcomes. We report perioperative and oncologic outcomes in our single institution experience with 500 consecutive robotic lobectomies, including a significant portion for locally advanced disease. METHODS This study is a retrospective review of the first 500 robotic lobectomies performed at our institution from 2010 to 2018. Segmentectomy, pneumonectomy, and lobectomy for other conditions were excluded. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis are presented. RESULTS Pathologic stage distribution was IA in 194 (39%), IB in 54 (11%), IIA in 41 (8%), IIB in 109 (22%), IIIA in 83 (17%), IIIB in 11 (2%), and IV in 8 (2%). Elective conversion occurred in 26 cases (5.2%) and emergent conversion occurred in 3 cases (0.6%). Mean length of stay was 3.7 days (1 to 40). The most common complications encountered were atrial fibrillation in 71 (14.2%) and prolonged air leak in 49 (9.8%). Thirty-day mortality occurred in 3 patients (0.6%). Nodal upstaging was 16.6%. Stage specific overall survival outcomes included an 84% survival for stage IA patients, 73% for IB, 68% for IIA, 63% for IIB, and 49% for IIIA disease. CONCLUSIONS Robotic lobectomy for lung cancer is a feasible technique for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer with low perioperative morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, excellent oncologic outcomes can be achieved with this approach.
Tool path optimization of selective laser sintering processes using deep learning

Advancements in additive manufacturing (3D printing) have enabled researchers to create complex structures, offering a new class of materials that can surpass their individual constituent properties. Selective laser sintering (SLS) is one of the most popular additive manufacturing techniques and uses laser power to bond powdered material into intricate structures. It is one of the fastest additive manufacturing processes for printing functional, durable prototypes, or end-user parts. It is also widely used in many industries, due to its ability to easily make complex geometries with little to no additional manufacturing effort. In the SLS process, tool path selection is important because it is directly related to the integrity of a 3D printed structure. In this research, we focus on how to obtain an optimal tool path for the SLS process from a numerical simulation. Also, we apply a deep learning technique to accelerate the simulation of the SLS processes, while obtaining accurate numerical results.
Diabetes, Drug Treatment and Mortality in COVID-19: A Multinational Retrospective Cohort Study.

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes possibly due to dysregulated inflammatory responses. Glucose-regulating medications such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors, and pioglitazone are known to have anti-inflammatory effects that may improve outcomes in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In a multinational retrospective cohort study, we used the TriNetX COVID-19 Research Network of 56 large healthcare organizations to examine these medications in relation to the incidence of hospital admissions, respiratory complications, and mortality within 28 days following a COVID-19 diagnosis. After matching for age, sex, race, ethnicity, body mass index, and significant comorbidities, use of GLP-1R agonists and/or pioglitazone was associated with significant reductions in hospital admissions (GLP-1R: 15.7% vs 23.5%; RR, 0.67 [95% CI, 0.57-0.79]; P <.001; pioglitazone: 20.0% vs 28.2%; RR, 0.71 [95% CI, 0.54-0.93]; P =.01). Use of GLP-1R agonists was also associated with reductions in respiratory complications (15.3% vs 24.9%; RR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.52-0.73]; P <.001) and incidence of mortality (1.9% vs 3.3%; RR, 0.58 [95% CI, 0.35-0.97]; P =.04). Use of DPP-4 inhibitors was associated with a reduction in respiratory complications (24.0% vs 29.2%; RR, 0.82 [95% CI, 0.74-0.90]; P <.001), and continued use of DPP-4 inhibitors after hospitalization was associated with a decrease in mortality compared with those who discontinued use (9% vs 19%; RR, 0.45 [95% CI, 0.28-0.72]; P <.001). In conclusion, use of glucose-regulating medications such as GLP-1R agonists, DPP-4 inhibitors, or pioglitazone may improve outcomes for COVID-19 patients with T2DM; randomized clinical trials are needed to further investigate this possibility.
Multiview Graph Learning for single-cell RNA sequencing data

Characterizing the underlying topology of gene regulatory networks is one of the fundamental problems of systems biology. Ongoing developments in high throughput sequencing technologies has made it possible to capture the expression of thousands of genes at the single cell resolution. However, inherent cellular heterogeneity and high sparsity of the single cell datasets render void the application of regular Gaussian assumptions for constructing gene regulatory networks. Additionally, most algorithms aimed at single cell gene regulatory network reconstruction, estimate a single network ignoring group-level (cell-type) information present within the datasets. To better characterize single cell gene regulatory networks under different but related conditions we propose the joint estimation of multiple networks using multiview graph learning (mvGL). The proposed method is developed based on recent works in graph signal processing (GSP) for graph learning, where graph signals are assumed to be smooth over the unknown graph structure. Graphs corresponding to the different datasets are regularized to be similar to each other through a learned consensus graph. We further kernelize mvGL with the kernel selected to suit the structure of single cell data. An efficient algorithm based on prox-linear block coordinate descent is used to optimize mvGL. We study the performance of mvGL using synthetic data generated with a diverse set of parameters. We further show that mvGL successfully identifies well-established regulators in a mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation study and a cancer clinical study of medulloblastoma.
Emerging market MNE cross-border acquisition equity participation: The role of economic and knowledge distance

We theorize that in an attempt to facilitate the transfer of tacit assets during cross-border acquisitions, Emerging Market Multinationals (EMNEs) pursue higher levels of equity participation when targets are based in locations that are institutionally distant in terms of knowledge protection and economic development. Furthermore, we propose that these direct relationships are stronger for EMNEs than they are for MNEs. We test these propositions by comparing the cross-border acquisition activity of firms based in BRIC countries versus the U.K. While we do find a positive linear relationship between knowledge distance and equity participation, the link with economic distance is curvilinear. We also find that both dimensions of distance have greater positive effects on equity participation for EMNEs in comparison. The key implications are that institutional distance may be a positive for EMNEs and that their behavior does seem significantly different than traditional MNEs. This offers support for EMNE-specific internationalization theories.
Sertoli cell junctions: morphological and functional correlates.

Publisher Summary Modern cell biology has shown that cellular recognition and adhesion are not always manifested by junctions of a classical type or by morphological entities recognizable by standard transmission electron microscopy techniques. This chapter describes several junctions in which experimental data are the primary evidence for suggesting a junctional relationship between cells. The cyclic nature of spermatogenesis and the continually changing morphology of the Sertoli cell provide a dynamic framework in which junctions are periodically formed and eliminated. Desmosomes are important in maintaining the integrity of the seminiferous epithelium, a function, which should not be underemphasized, because many germ cell types appear only loosely arranged in the seminiferous epithelium. Based on circumstantial evidence, it is reasonable to suspect that, as yet, unrecognized junctional forms are present in the relationship of the Sertoli cell and germ cells and will be revealed in the future through methodological advances.
Measurement of Non-Tariff Barriers

For governments, the advantage of non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to trade is that their effects are more certain than for tariffs. Now that tariff barriers have been substantially reduced, there has been increasing interest in the ways that non-tariff barriers (NTBs) may distort and restrict international trade. This working paper assesses currently available methods for quantifying NTBs. Calculation of the tariff equivalent of a given NTB for a given economic indicator is complex, and requires a great deal of information. Measures that are equivalent for one indicator will not be so for others, and there is no substitute for NTB-specific expertise ...
The acute effect of a noontime meal on the serum levels of cortisol and DHEA in lean and obese women.

Abstract Lean [n=11, body mass index (BMI) 31.5) women consumed a noontime meal while serum levels of cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were measured. Before the meal the obese had lower levels of serum cortisol compared to the leans. Within 20–40 min of consuming the meal the levels of cortisol rose in both groups; those of the obese rose by a greater increment and in the first postprandial hour there were no differences between lean and obese. After the meal-induced peak, the obese again had lower cortisol values. DHEA levels rose with the meal in both groups but the difference over baseline was only significant for the obese. These results show that the lean and obese respond differently to the physiologic stimulus of a meal. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that obesity is influenced by differences in adrenal function that are demonstrable during stimulation with a meal.
Positive Power in Negative Terms.

In this article the author discusses the concept of power and the bases of power. He suggests ways for principals to regain lost power through the use of alternative power options.
Special features topic: the effects of limited work hours on surgical training in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW This paper reviews the historic events that culminated in the development of duty hour regulations, and then discusses many of the problems being encountered as the regulations are implemented. RECENT FINDINGS On July 3, 2003, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) instituted duty hour requirements for residency training programs in the United States. Although these regulations should have come as no surprise to graduate medical education programs, many were nevertheless unprepared for their implementation. In comparison to duty hour restrictions currently in place in European countries, those being implemented in this country are much more lenient. Both the fiscal and the educational impact of these requirements on graduate medical education are substantial. Recent accreditation actions taken against a training program at Johns Hopkins University clearly demonstrates that the ACGME is prepared to strictly enforce these standards. SUMMARY The impact of the new duty-hour requirements on residency training and education will be a matter of great interest as they are implemented throughout the graduate education system in the United States.
Randomized load balancing strategies with churn resilience in peer-to-peer networks

The objective of load balancing in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks is to balance the workload of peer nodes in proportion to their capacity so as to eliminate performance bottlenecks. It is challenging because of the dynamic nature in overlay networks, the time-varying load characteristics, and the inherent load imbalance caused by consistent hashing functions. It is known that simple randomized load balancing schemes can balance load effectively while incurring only a small overhead in general parallel and distributed computing contexts. Existing theoretical works which analyze properties of randomized load balancing schemes cannot be applied in the highly dynamic and heterogeneous P2P systems. In this paper, we characterize the behaviors of randomized load balancing schemes in a general P2P environment. We extend the supermarket model by investigating the impact of node heterogeneity and churn on load distribution in P2P networks. We prove that by using d-way random choices schemes, the length of the longest queue in a P2P system with heterogeneous nodes and churn for d>=2 is c*loglogn/logd+O(1) with high probability, where c is a constant. Our results have wide applicability and are of interest beyond the specific applications.
Information Surfing for Radiation Building

We develop a control scheme for a group of mobile sensors to map radiation over a given planar polygonal region. The advantage of this methodology is that it provides quick situational awareness regarding radiation levels, which is being updated and refined in real-time as more measurements become available. The control algorithm is based on the concept of information surfing, where navigation is done by following information gradients, taking into account sensing performance and the dynamics of the observed process. It is tailored to cases of weak radioactivity, where source signals may be buried in background. We steer mobile sensors to locations which are critical points of a function that quantifies the information content of the measured signal, while ∗Corresponding author the time-asymptotic properties of the selected information metric facilitate the stability of the group motion. Information surfing allows for reactive mobile sensor network behavior and adaptation to environmental changes, as well as human retasking. Computer simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the asymptotic behavior of the robot group, and its distributed sensing and mapping capabilities.
Effects of differentiated membranes on the developmental program of the cellular slime mold.

Abstract In the preceding paper isolated aggregation phase membranes (prepared from Dictyostelium discoideum cells which had proceeded through 12–14 hr of the developmental cycle) were found to be capable of preventing the aggregation and subsequent morphological development of vegetative cells when mixed with these and plated under normal conditions for slime mold development. In this paper we have extended the investigations on the nature of this interaction by monitoring the display of several developmentally controlled enzymes. It appears that exogenously applied aggregation phase membrane preparations are capable of influencing biochemical events inside D. discoideum cells through their interaction with the cell surface. This interaction leads to the induction or accumulation of some developmentally controlled enzymes, as well as the repression or excretion of others. The results suggest that the formation and maintenance of correct cell-cell contacts during normal development may be of crucial importance. They also show that changes in the specific activity of some developmentally controlled enzymes may in certain conditions be wholly divorced from both morphogenesis and the normal sequence of induction.
Combined effects of chlordiazepoxide treatment and food deprivation on concurrent measures of feeding and activity

The effects of chlordiazepoxide (CDP-0, 5, 10 mg/kg) on feeding, rearing, and ambulatory locomotion of male Holtzman rats were investigated in an open-field arena under 3 different conditions of food deprivation (0, 24, 48 hr). Both CDP and food deprivation enhanced feeding, with their combined effects being essentially additive. Also, CDP significantly decreased both rearing and ambulatory locomotion, although this effect tended to be counteracted by increases in food deprivation. The interrelationship (correlation) of the behavioral effects of CDP suggested that the reduction in activity measures is due, in part, to the competing or incompatible nature of feeding and that rearing and ambulatory locomotion are somewhat redundant measures of activity under the present conditions.
Multispecies model of cell lineages and feedback control in solid tumors

We develop a multispecies continuum model to simulate the spatiotemporal dynamics of cell lineages in solid tumors. The model accounts for protein signaling factors produced by cells in lineages, and nutrients supplied by the microenvironment. Together, these regulate the rates of proliferation, self-renewal and differentiation of cells within the lineages, and control cell population sizes and distributions. Terminally differentiated cells release proteins (e.g., from the TGFβ superfamily) that feedback upon less differentiated cells in the lineage both to promote differentiation and decrease rates of proliferation (and self-renewal). Stem cells release a short-range factor that promotes self-renewal (e.g., representative of Wnt signaling factors), as well as a long-range inhibitor of this factor (e.g., representative of Wnt inhibitors such as Dkk and SFRPs). We find that the progression of the tumors and their response to treatment is controlled by the spatiotemporal dynamics of the signaling processes. The model predicts the development of spatiotemporal heterogeneous distributions of the feedback factors (Wnt, Dkk and TGFβ) and tumor cell populations with clusters of stem cells appearing at the tumor boundary, consistent with recent experiments. The nonlinear coupling between the heterogeneous expressions of growth factors and the heterogeneous distributions of cell populations at different lineage stages tends to create asymmetry in tumor shape that may sufficiently alter otherwise homeostatic feedback so as to favor escape from growth control. This occurs in a setting of invasive fingering, and enhanced aggressiveness after standard therapeutic interventions. We find, however, that combination therapy involving differentiation promoters and radiotherapy is very effective in eradicating such a tumor.
An Lp inequality for polynomials

Let Pn be the class of all polynomials of degree at most n, and let Mp(g;ρ) denote the Lp mean of g on the circle of radius ρ centered at the origin. We specify a number ρ∗∈(0,1), depending on n and k, such that for any f∈Pn, the ratio Mp(f(k);ρ)/Mp(f;1) is maximized by f(z):=zn for all ρ∈[ρ∗,∞) and p⩾1. The interest of the result lies in the fact that ρ∗ is strictly less than 1.
Control of the Indian Mongoose Herpestes auropunctatus on St John, US Virgin Islands

Abstract Introduced mongooses have negatively impacted native biota on Caribbean islands. Mongooses were trapped from January through November 1983 on St John, US Virgin Islands. Trapping efficiency averaged 0·39 mongoose per trap day, and decreased in successive retrapping periods. Mongoose populations in localised areas were dramatically lowered by repeated intensive trapping. A mean of 86% of trappable mongooses were caught during the first 5 days of trapping in each trapped area.
Interactions of two selected field isolates of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene on Aeschynomene virginica

The fungal plant pathogen, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides f. sp. aeschynomene (CGA), has been used successfully since 1982 to control northern jointvetch (NJV), Aeschynomene virginica, in rice and soybeans in the USA as COLLEGO®, a bioherbicidal formulation of a single isolate of this pathogen. The interactions and fitness of different field isolates of this fungus and effective bioherbicide have not been fully examined. We examined CGA population structure and inter-isolate competition using molecular markers in field and greenhouse experiments. NJV plants were first inoculated with one isolate or a mixture of two isolates, Cla-5a and 3-1-3, followed by a challenge inoculation containing either one or both isolates, 4 or 5 days later. Plants first inoculated with Cla-5a alone, or in mixture with 3-1-3, had Cla-5a comprising approximately 80% of the population after 21 days regardless of challenge inoculation. In contrast, when the primary treatment was 3-1-3 alone, wounding, or benzodiathiazole, 3-1-3 detection only approached 50% of the population following challenge inoculation. Primary inoculation with Cla-5a significantly reduced the number of lesions caused by 3-1-3 challenge, whereas primary inoculation with 3-1-3 did not significantly affect the number of lesions caused by Cla-5a challenge. Size of lesions caused by the two isolates following challenge inoculations and dispersal of the isolates from lesions to healthy plants were not affected by the primary inoculation. These results suggest a specific interaction by Cla-5a with the host defense response creating a more favorable environment for its own colonization of NJV to the exclusion of 3-1-3.
Hand injury from high pressure injection of paint thinner

A case report of injection of paint thinner into the hand with a high pressure paint gun sprayer is described. The management of this injury emphasizes recognition of the serious nature of the injury and early, adequate surgical decompression. The pathophysiological process involves distention by fluid injected under pressure, formation of oleogranulomas and break down of the skin.
Dynamic 3D Visualization of Articulated Construction Equipment

Dynamic three-dimensional (3D) animation can be of significant value in improving the verification validation, and communication of discrete-event simulation (DES) models of construction operations, which in turn can make the models more credible and thus useful in operations planning and decision making. This paper presents research that led to the design and implementation of practical 3D animation methods to visualize multiply-articulated construction equipment in 3D animations of simulated construction operations. Using principles of forward and inverse kinematics, the writers designed and implemented generic virtual pieces of articulated construction equipment that accept task-level instructions from external software processes. DES models can configure and instantiate specific pieces of such equipment and instruct them to perform construction tasks using simple parametric text statements that embody a construction work-like terminology. Once instructed to perform specific tasks (e.g., load soil), th...
Imitative consonant feature production by children with multichannel sensory aids.

Objective To examine changes over time in consonant feature production by children with profound hearing impairments who used either the Nucleus multichannel cochlear implant or the multichannel vibrotactile aid, Tactaid 7. Design Imitative consonant productions of children with prelingual deafness were elicited and transcribed at two intervals: 1) before receiving their respective devices (predevice interval), and 2) after an average of 1.5 yr of device use (postdevice interval). The consonant productions were analyzed in terms of the percentage of consonant features (manner, place, and voicing) produced by the child that matched the features of the examiner's target. The percentage of features produced correctly was then averaged across repetitions, vowel environments, and participants within each group. Results At the predevice interval, the cochlear implant and Tactaid 7 participants demonstrated similar imitative consonant production abilities. After an average of 1.5 yr of device use, the cochlear implant participants demonstrated significantly greater gains than did the Tactaid 7 participants for the features of voicing and place of articulation. Although the cochlear implant participants showed a trend towards better production of the consonant manner features, this difference failed to reach significance. Conclusions The current results suggest that the use of a multichannel sensory aid yields improvements in consonant feature production. Furthermore, use of a cochlear implant appears to promote the production of consonant voicing and place features to a greater degree than does the use of a multichannel tactile aid.
Vasculitis Syndromes: Which maintenance therapy for ANCA vasculitis?

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides are usually treated with a combination of high-dose corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide therapy to induce remission, commonly followed by maintenance treatment with a less-toxic immunosuppressant. Azathioprine and methotrexate are both options for maintenance therapy, but whether one of these immunosuppressants is superior to the other is unclear.
On robust control synthesis and analysis in a Hilbert space

The motivation for this paper stems from the need to develop a uniform framework for addressing problems in identi!cation and robust control. System identi!cation for in!nite-dimensional Hilbert spaces has been addressed earlier by the authors. System identi!cation set in an Hilbert space results in uncertain models where the description of non-parametric error is typically a ball belonging to the Hilbert space. The scope of this paper is to complement these results — develop robust control-synthesis and analysis results — for some special, yet, important cases. In this paper we derive a convex parameterization of robustly stabilizing controllers for LTI discrete-time systems de!ned on Hilbert spaces. The perturbations are of rank-one type having both real-parametric and non-parametric components. The parameterization allows for imposing other constraints to obtain meaningful performance from the controller. Analysis tools are also developed for robust stability under SISO block-diagonally structured perturbations. The robustness analysis problem reduces to a !nite-dimensional LMI veri!cation which makes the procedure extremely e"cient. c
Rydberg states of He I using the polarization model

The polarization-model calculation of the hydrogenic He I excited states (l > or = 2) is reexamined. Compact expressions for the matrix elements allow the elimination of spurious irregularities. The agreement ..beta../subE//sup 1//sigma = (3/8..pi..)(Z..cap alpha..)/sup -2/, independent of shell and subshell; (AIP)
Management of the High-Risk Pregnancy

and her family with a physiologic process to produce a healthy full-term infant. In fact, the raison d’etre of prenatal care is to identify women who have risk factors with the potential to adversely affect this expected outcome of a healthy mother and child. A particular challenge for the clinician in the prenatal period is the management of pregnancy in women who have a pre-existing medical condition. This is the focus of this issue of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America. Coexisting medical complications are becoming more common in modern practice, because women are often delaying reproduction until later in life, when these conditions become more prevalent. We have endeavored to cover a wide range of topics, from those that are commonly seen by most obstetricians to those that are rarely managed in routine practice. Dr. Gregg reviews the current concepts of chronic hypertension, its treatment, and the development and treatment of pregnancy-induced hypertension. Drs. Conway and Griffith have provided an excellent review of the management principles involving diabetes, including diagnosis of the disease and treatment with both glyburide and insulin. Dr. Nader discusses thyroid disease and other less common endocrine conditions such as pituitary and adrenal disease in pregnancy. Hemoglobinopathies are frequently encountered by physicians caring for women from varied ethnic backgrounds. The comprehensive discussion of this topic by Drs. Rappaport, Velazquez, and Williams will be an invaluable resource for these physicians. Recently, much attention has been given to the issues of thrombophilias, both inherited and acquired. The article by Drs. Doyle and Monga on this topic is augmented by Drs. Warren and Silver’s review of
New concepts concerning the clinical control of IgE synthesis.

Summary Prospects for new therapeutic approaches to IgE-mediated allergic diseases have arisen from (1) recent experimental observations that have suggested new concepts concerning the pathogenesis of the allergic phenotype, and (2) adaptation of previously-described methods for induction of specific immunological tolerance to problems in allergy. The bases for these new approaches to allergic diseases are summarized herein.
Visual–Auditory Events: Cross-Modal Perceptual Priming and Recognition Memory

Modality specificity in priming is taken as evidence for independent perceptual systems. However, Easton, Greene, and Srinivas (1997) showed that visual and haptic cross-modal priming is comparable in magnitude to within-modal priming. Where appropriate, perceptual systems might share like information. To test this, we assessed priming and recognition for visual and auditory events, within- and across- modalities. On the visual test, auditory study resulted in no priming. On the auditory priming test, visual study resulted in priming that was only marginally less than within-modal priming. The priming results show that visual study facilitates identification on both visual and auditory tests, but auditory study only facilitates performance on the auditory test. For both recognition tests, within-modal recognition exceeded cross-modal recognition. The results have two novel implications for the understanding of perceptual priming: First, we introduce visual and auditory priming for spatio-temporal events as a new priming paradigm chosen for its ecological validity and potential for information exchange. Second, we propose that the asymmetry of the cross-modal priming observed here may reflect the capacity of these perceptual modalities to provide cross-modal constraints on ambiguity. We argue that visual perception might inform and constrain auditory processing, while auditory perception corresponds to too many potential visual events to usefully inform and constrain visual perception.
Three-dimensional numerical analysis of diffusion current and quantum efficiency of small area Hg 1-x Cd x Te photodiodes

Numerical techniques were used to solve the 3-dimensional diffusion equation for planar circular n+on p Hg 1-x Cd x Te photodiodes of radius "a". This is the first time that both the lateral contributions to the p-side diffusion current (limiting zero bias impedance R o ) and the photoresponse have been calculated for small area photodiodes. Our analysis reveals the saturation current I SAT is conspicuously independent of both lifetime τ e and diffusion length L e for diode dimensions small compared with diffusion length, whereas for larger diode dimensions we find I_{SAT} \infin a^{2}/L_{e} . Hence no additional reduction in I SAT nor increase in R o occurs for improvement in L e beyond about 4a for all p-side thicknesses. The lateral contributions to photocurrent for front side diode illumination were used to determine the performance tradeoffs from choice of photodiode junction area for fixed optical area.
Alterations in G protein and MAP kinase signaling pathways during cardiac remodeling in hypertension and heart failure.

The present study was undertaken to elucidate the G-protein and mitogen-activated kinase (MAP kinase) coupled signaling profile in a genetic model of hypertension and congestive heart failure (CHF) that mimics similar disease in humans. At the receptor level, Ang II type 1 receptor (AT 1R ) increased in left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and reverted to normal in CHF, whereas there was a downregulation of the Ang II type 2 receptor (AT 2R ) in CHF. At the transducer level, Gα q and Gα 12 protein levels were unchanged during LVH but decreased significantly in CHF. In contrast, Gβ and Gα 13 protein content were markedly upregulated in CHF. Furthermore, using phospho-specific antibodies in Western blots and in vitro kinase assays, we found at the effector level an upregulation of the small G-protein Rac1 activity during LVH but a decrease during CHF. In parallel, small G-protein Rho activity was significantly increased during LVH but was unchanged in failure. We found at the downstream level that MAP kinase isoforms extracellular signal regulated-kinase (ERK1/2), big mitogen-activated kinase (BMK1/ERK5), C- jun N-terminal–activated kinase (JNKs/SAPKs), and stress-activated kinase (p38) bioactivities were increased during LVH. During CHF, ERK1/2 and JNK1/2 kinase activities were decreased, whereas BMK1/ERK5 kinase activity reverted to normal values. In conclusion, this study demonstrates, for the first time, multistep alterations of G-protein and MAP kinase signaling pathways in LVH and progression to failure in a genetic model of hypertension and failure.
Brain acetylhydrolase that inactivates platelet-activating factor is a G-protein-like trimer

The platelet-activating factor PAF (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) is a potent lipid first messenger active in general cell activation, fertilization, inflammatory and allergic reactions, asthma, HIV pathogenesis, carcinogenesis, and apoptosis. There is substantial evidence that PAF is involved in intracellular signalling, but the pathways are poorly understood. Inactivation of PAF is carried out by specific intra- and extracellular acetylhydrolases (PAF-AHs), a subfamily of phospholipases A2 that remove the sn-2 acetyl group. Mammalian brain contains at least three intracellular isoforms, of which PAF-AH(Ib) is the best characterized. This isoform contains a heterodimer of two homologous catalytic subunits alpha1 and alpha2, each of relative molecular mass 26K, and a non-catalytic 45K beta-subunit, a homologue of the beta-subunit of trimeric G proteins. We now report the crystal structure of the bovine alpha1 subunit of PAF-AH(Ib) at 1.7 A resolution in complex with a reaction product, acetate. The tertiary fold of this protein is closely reminiscent of that found in p21(ras) and other GTPases. The active site is made up of a trypsin-like triad of Ser 47, His 195 and Asp 192. Thus, the intact PAF-AH(Ib) molecule is an unusual G-protein-like (alpha1/alpha2)beta trimer.
Space-efficient FCFS group mutual exclusion

In the group mutual exclusion problem [Y. Joung, Asynchronous group mutual exclusion, Distrib. Comput. 13 (2000) 189], which generalizes mutual exclusion [E. Dijkstra, Solution of a problem in concurrent programming control, Comm. ACM 8 (9) (1965) 569], a process chooses a session when it requests entry into the Critical Section. A group mutual exclusion algorithm must ensure that the mutual exclusion property holds: if two processes are in the Critical Section at the same time, then they request the same session. In addition to mutual exclusion, lockout freedom, bounded exit, and concurrent entering are basic properties that are desirable in any group mutual exclusion algorithm. Hadzilacos in [Proc. 20th Annual Symp. on Principles of Distributed Computing, 2001, pp. 100-106] first introduced a fairness condition, called first-come-first-served (FCFS), for group mutual exclusion. The only known FCFS group mutual exclusion algorithm is due to Hadzilacos [Proc. 20th Annual Symp. on Principles of Distributed Computing, 2001, pp. 100-106], and requires @Q(N^2) bounded shared registers, where N is the number of processes. We present a FCFS group mutual exclusion algorithm that uses only @Q(N) bounded shared registers. (The existence of such an algorithm was posed as an open problem by Hadzilacos.)
Commentary: Between Invention and Imagination—Nationalism, National Identity, Trieste, and the International Context

This is a story of a missed opportunity. Italian national identity emerged in the modern era on a feeble institutional basis. However, the completion of the country's unity with World War I offered the Italian Liberal state and its administrative elites a great chance. Italy's leaders and officials made the most conspicuous attempt to assert their function as genuine public servants of the general interest—the most effective way to corroborate a sense of national community from the top—by mastering the fervent irredentism in the Venezia Giulia with a mixture of encouragement and moderation. And yet, after four years, this enlightened conduct had to yield to the fanatic and counterproductive nationalism of the far right. Maura Hametz provides a perceptive explanation of this missed opportunity by focusing on the interplay between national choices and local politics in Trieste. Even better, Hametz's essay narrates the story at the microlevel with frequent reference to the international context, thus using a rare combination of ethnocultural and diplomatic history approaches. Few studies of national identity dare encroach on traditional diplomatic history territory. But when dealing with the border disputes among Austria's successor states, it becomes crucial to fit the anthropological and sociological aspects of microhistory into the general history of Europe's balance of power.
Nucleotide sequence of a cDNA encoding porcine testis 17α-hydroxylase cytochrome P-450

We describe the isolation and characterization of a cDNA encoding the complete porcine neonatal testis 17α-hydroxylase/C-17,20-lyase cytochrome P -450. The deduced amino acid sequence is 509 amino acids in length.