cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of preharvest sprouting resistance in Clark's Cream white winter wheat

Resistance to preharvest sprouting has been observed in several white wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes, but the mode of resistance has not been determined. Studies were conducted to characterize the strong preharvest sprouting resistance in Clark's Cream genotype to facilitate breeding for the trait. Clark's Cream and five other hard red and white wheat genotypes were grown in the glasshouse and field and effects of simulated rain, embryo maturity, inhibitors in floral parts and GA, endogenous inhibitors, and ABA and GA combinations on sprouting were measured. The six genotypes differed significantly in sprouting after simulated rain, α-amylase activity, and response to GA and ABA. Embryo maturity and inhibition levels in floral parts and caryopses were nearly similar for all genotypes. Clark's Cream appeared to differ most in high embryo sensitivity, which was fairly nonspecific for ABA, GA, and endogenous inhibitor, and in low α-amylase production during sprouting. Breeding procedures that lead to the preharvest sprouting resistance of Clark's Cream are discussed.
Gastrointestinal side effects of intravenous erythromycin: incidence and reduction with prolonged infusion time and glycopyrrolate pretreatment.

Abstract objective: To determine the frequency of gastrointestinal toxicity due to intravenous (IV) erythromycin and to attempt to decrease this toxicity by prolonging the infusion time of erythromycin and/or pretreating with the peripheral anticholinergic, glycopyrrolate 0.1 mg IV. design: Randomized, double-blind, placebocontrolled trial. setting: General medical wards of a tertiary medical center. patients: A total of 51 hospitalized patients 18 years of age or older who were prescribed IV erythromycin lactobionate (EMLB) 500 mg every 6 hours by their attending physicians. interventions: Each of eight consecutive infusions of EMLB was randomly assigned to one of four groups: control—30-minute infusion/ placebo pretreatment; 60/P—60-minute infusion/placebo pretreatment; 30/G—30-minute infusion/glycopyrrolate pretreatment; and 60/G—60-minute infusion/glycopyrrolate pretreatment. main outcome measures: Each infusion was accompanied by a questionnaire in which patients rated the magnitude of nausea and vomiting on a scale of 1 (no toxicity) to 9 (severe toxicity). Scores for both nausea and vomiting were added together for a total toxicity score ranging from 2 to 18. A total score of greater than 8 was defined as clinically important. results: The 51 patients received a total of 356 infusions with gastrointestinal toxicity occurring in 27 of 51 (53%) patients. Among patients under the age of 40, 22 of 33 (67%) experienced toxicity compared with only five of 18 patients (28%) over the age of 40 (p = 0.018). Clinically important toxicity was seen in 19 of 51 patients (37%), including five who withdrew during the study because of severe nausea and vomiting. In this group, the combination of a 60-minute erythromycin infusion and glycopyrrolate pretreatment decreased clinically important toxicity by 79% from 47% to 10%, a statistically and clinically significant 37% (95% CI, 14% to 60%) difference (p = 0.007). conclusions: Gastrointestinal toxicity associated with the IV infusion of erythromycin is common and is more likely to occur in younger patients. A 1-hour infusion of erythromycin combined with pretreatment with glycopyrrolate, 0.1 mg IV, is effective in reducing this toxicity.
Modulation of transferrin receptor expression by insulin and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor in AML-193 leukemic cells

The effects of insulin and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) on the expression of transferrin receptors in AML-193 myeloid leukemia cell line were investigated. Insulin, alone or in combination with GM-CSF, caused an increase in surface transferrin receptors within 5 min. This increase was inhibited by hyperosmolarity but not by cycloheximide suggesting the involvement of receptor recycling from internal pools. In contrast, receptor increase after 18 h of incubation with insulin and GM-CSF was sensitive to cycloheximide indicating that long term effects of these growth factors are mediated through protein synthesis. These results may have implications on combined GM-CSF + antitransferrin receptor antibody therapy of leukemias.
Physical characteristics of the cerebral big prothoracicotropic hormone fromManduca sexta

The prothoracicotropic hormones (PTTHs) are cerebral peptides that control insect postembryonic development by stimulating the prothoracic glands to synthesize ecdysteroids. InManduca sexta, the tobacco hornworm, two classes of PTTH are distinguished by their Mr, small (ca. 7 kDa) and big PTTH (ca. 25–30 kDa). Little is known about the physical nature of the PTTHs and this study takes a first step towards defining characteristics of theManduca big PTTH. The neurohormone has a Stokes radius of 2.59 nm and a sedimentation coefficient of 2.76 S. Based on these data, an Mr of 29,443.7 and anf/f0 of 1.27 were calculated. Combined, the physical data revealManduca big PTTH is an asymmetrical acidic homodimeric peptide with intra- and intermolecular disulfide bonds.
Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Despite the use of intensive chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, approximately one-third of children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) still suffer relapse of their disease. It is unlikely that improvements in outcome can be achieved by further intensification of conventional chemotherapy. Instead, advances in the treatment of children with AML will require a greater understanding of the biology of the disease, with particular attention to the genetic abnormalities underlying leukemogenesis and drug resistance. Future clinical trials should include refined risk-directed therapy based on the genetics of the leukemic blasts and the patient’s response to therapy. More important, we must develop alternative treatment approaches, such as agents that target specific leukemia-associated abnormalities and agents that selectively eradicate leukemic stem cells.
The Effect of Task Experience on Assessments of Auditor Expert Potential

This paper proposes a model and methodology for studying the effect of experience on an auditor's expert potential. Expert potential is defined as an increase in the expected level of expertise at which an auditor will perform in an arbitrary future task. An auditor's behaviors during performance of a current task are treated as probes of that auditor's knowledge base. From an analysis of the responses thus obtained, inferences are made concerning the effects of task experience on the underlying properties of the knowledge driving task behaviors and on the probability of greater expert-like task behavior in the future. Application of the model is illustrated by evaluating the effects of experience on the expert potential of four first-year auditors who performed audit-related tasks in simulated auditing environments.
The Gendered Politics of Remittances in Ghanaian Transnational Families

AbstractUsing interviews with Ghanaian women in Toronto and members of their families in Ghana, this article extends the literature on remittances by drawing on insights from feminist scholarship on migration to investigate the social dynamics of remittances in transnational families. The growing literature on migration and remittances focuses on large-scale quantitative analyses of data on remittances. Less explored is how gender and kinship bonds (particularly, matrilineage affiliation) influence complex decision-making processes underlying remittances. I argue for a conceptualization of remittances as constituting relationships between senders and receivers that are continually being negotiated and contested in and across different places. Specifically, I focus on the cultural and gender-specific ways in which women and their families negotiate remittances, highlighting dilemmas that transnational families experience when they encounter contradictory aspects of remittances. Despite their material reali...
Top 10 Research Questions Related to Energy Balance

Obesity is the result of a mismatch between the amount of calories consumed and the amount of calories expended during an extended period of time. This relationship is described by the energy balance equation, which states the rate of change in energy storage depots in the body are equal to the rate of energy intake minus the rate of energy expenditure. Although this relationship may appear easy to understand based on simple mathematics, in reality, a variety of known and unknown systems influence the components of energy balance (energy storage, energy intake, energy expenditure). Clearly, if a complete understanding of energy balance was apparent, worldwide levels of obesity would not have reached pandemic proportions due to effective prevention and treatment strategies. The aim of the present article is to provide a brief overview of the components of energy balance and to identify 10 key topics and unanswered questions that would move the research field forward if addressed. These topics are intentionally diverse and range from general themes (e.g., methodological issues) to specific areas (e.g., intensity of exercise required to alter energy intake). Although this list is not meant to be exhaustive, it does provide a research agenda for scientists involved in the study of energy balance and recommendations for public health professionals developing obesity interventions.
DISPLACEMENT DURING PROGRESSIVE FAILURE ESTIMATED FROM MICROSEISMIC ACTIVITY

An acoustic emission (AE) system with eight channels of recording was used to monitor progressive failure of a weak sandstone in plane-strain compression. The recorded waveforms were analyzed for event location and source mechanism. In the quantitative assessment of acoustic emission, a localized event is idealized as a point source of displacement discontinuity. The point source can be modeled as the combination of body forces that would produce the same elastic wave-field as the defect. The assumed condition of self-equilibrium requires each body force to be paired with an equal and opposite force to form a dipole of forces called a seismic moment tensor. In this study, the seismic moment tensor of each event was evaluated and the source mechanisms were determined through a calibration of the sensors, where the first peak of the signal recorded by an AE sensor was assumed to correspond to the first peak of the normal displacement at the sensor. The microseismic events generated during progressive failur...
Design and FPGA implementation of radix-10 algorithm for square root with limited precision primitives

We present a radix-10 fixed-point digit-recurrence algorithm for square root using limited-precision multipliers, adders, and table-lookups. The algorithm, except in the initialization steps, uses the digit-recurrence algorithm for division with limited-precision primitives. We discuss the proposed square root algorithm, a design, and its FPGA implementation on a Xilinx Virtex-5 FPGA. We present the cost and delay characteristics for precisions of 7 (single-precision), 8, 14 (double-precision), 16, 24, and 32 decimal digits. The costs range from 720 to 2263 LUTs with maximum clock frequencies around 53MHz, and latencies ranging from 133 to 597 ns (with unoptimized routing delays). The proposed scheme uses short (2–3 digit-wide) operators which leads to compact modules, and may have an advantage at the layout level as well as in power optimization. The proposed approach is general and can be adapted to other higher radix square root implementations. Moreover, a combined scheme for division and square root can be efficiently implemented.
Frequency of pre-existing actinic keratosis in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

Background Controversy over the rate of malignant transformation of actinic keratosis (AK) into cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has generated considerable debate regarding the importance of treating all such precancers to preclude their transofrmation. Current changes in US healthcare policy will deny many individuals access to certain simple and effective treatment modalities for precancerous lesions. Objective Our purpose was to determine whether there is a significant association between the presence of cutaneous SCC and pre-existing AK. Methods One hundred and sixty five consecutive cases of cutaneous SCC, retrieved from the files of a university-affiliated dermatopathology laboratory serving north-central Florida, were selected for review by a single dermatopathologist (D.M.). Hematoxylin and eosin stained skin tissue slides were examined under light microscopy for the presence of AK in close proximity to, or giving rise to, cutaneous SCC. Results Of the 165 cutaneous SCC cases reviewed, 82.4% (136 out of 165) were found to have concomitant AK giving rise to and/or in close proximity to SCC. Of the 136 AK-positive SCC cases, 26.7% (44) were identified as superficial SCC arising within an AK (AKSSCC) and 55.7% (92) had AK in close proximity to SCC (AK + SCC). Close proximity is defined to include AK changes located directly adjacent to (on the shoulder of) SCC, to a maximum distance of 8 mm away. Conclusions The 82.4% prevalence of concomitant AK and cutaneous SCC in our biopsy population suggests a strong correlation between these two lesions. The fact that 26.7% of these lesions had SCC arising from AK highlights the importance of early recognition and effective treatment for AK.
The Decision to Incarcerate in Juvenile and Criminal Courts

Despite a recent proliferation of laws transferring adolescents from juvenile court to criminal court, no research examines whether these transfer policies subject adolescents to a different set of evaluative criteria in criminal courts than in juvenile courts. Prior literature and political rhetoric suggest that a criminal justice model of offense-based evaluative criteria would apply in the criminal court, in contrast to an offender-based juvenile justice model. Yet this hypothesis remains untested by prior research. In response, this article tests whether legal and case-processing factors have a relatively greater influence in criminal than in juvenile court, as the literature and political rhetoric would predict. To do so, the author uses comparable samples of cases, matched by age and offense, from two adjacent jurisdictions with different thresholds for criminal court eligibility. By finding no differences among factors predicting sentencing across the two legal forums, the results challenge widely ...
Identification of mothers at risk for congenital heart block and other neonatal lupus syndromes in their children. Comparison of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunoblot for measurement of anti-SS-A/Ro and anti-SS-B/La antibodies.

Objective. To identify the fine specificity patterns of maternal anti–SS-A/Ro and anti–SS-B/La antibodies that are associated with the birth of a child with transient or permanent manifestations of neonatal lupus syndromes, and to suggest a predictor algorithm for use in counseling. Methods. Sera were obtained from 4 groups of mothers: 57 whose children had congenital heart block, 12 whose children had transient dermatologic or hepatic manifestations of neonatal lupus but no detectable cardiac involvement, 152 with systemic lupus erythematosus and related autoimmune diseases, who gave birth to healthy infants, and 30 with autoimmune diseases whose pregnancy resulted in miscarriage, fetal death, or early postpartum death unrelated to neonatal lupus. Antibodies to SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La were assessed by enzymelinked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-immunoblot. Results. Anti–SS-A/Ro antibodies were identified by ELISA in 100%, 91%, 47%, and 43% of the mothers of infants with heart block, with transient neonatal lupus, healthy infants, and fetal death, respectively. High titers of anti–SS-A/Ro antibodies were present more often in mothers of children with cardiac disease or transient neonatal lupus than in either of the other 2 groups. Maternal antibodies to SS-B/La were detected by ELISA in 76% of the heart block group, 73% of the cutaneous neonatal lupus group, 15% of the group with healthy children, and 7% of the fetal death group. On SDS-immunoblot, sera from 91% of the heart block group mothers who had antibodies to SS-A/Ro but not to SS-B/La recognized at least 1 SS-A/Ro antigen, with significantly greater reactivity against the 52-kd component. In contrast, only 62% of the anti–SS-A/Ro positive, anti–SS-B/La negative responders in the healthy group recognized the 52-kd and/or the 60-kd component. Although there was no profile of anti–SS-A/Ro response unique to the mothers of children with heart block or cutaneous manifestations of neonatal lupus, only 1% of the healthy infants were born to mothers with antibodies directed to both the 52-kd SS-A/Ro and 48-kd SS-B/La antigens and not to the 60-kd SS-A/Ro antigen. Conclusion. Women with antibodies to both SS-A/Ro and SS-B/La have an increased risk of giving birth to children with neonatal lupus, especially if the anti-SS-A/ Ro response identifies the 52-kd component on SDS-immunoblot. Women whose sera contain only anti-SS-A/Ro antibodies in low titer and only recognize determinants that are altered by conditions of SDS-immunoblot have a low risk for giving birth to a child with neonatal lupus. Specific antibody profiles do not distinguish among the manifestations of the neonatal lupus syndromes.
Performance analysis of static locking in replicated distributed database systems

A technique that combines simulation and analysis is used to describe the impact of deadlock and evaluate the performance of a replicated distributed database with both shared and exclusive locks. The proposed approach is an extension of a technique presented by S.-C. Shyu and V.O.K. Li (1990). The authors use the proposed method to evaluate the effect of the number of data items, the number of data items accessed by each transaction, the ratio of read operations on transaction response time, and the number of replications. The results show the importance of considering both shared and exclusive lock requests, the deadlock probabilities and the number of replications of the database for response time evaluations. >
Solving difficult instances of Boolean satisfiability in the presence of symmetry

Research in algorithms for Boolean satisfiability (SAT) and their implementations (Goldberg and Novikov, 2002), (Moskewicz et al., 2001), (Silva and Sakallah, 1999) has recently outpaced benchmarking efforts. Most of the classic DIMACS benchmarks (ftp:dimacs.rutgers.edu/pub/challenge/sat/benchmarks/cnf ) can now be solved in seconds on commodity PCs. More recent benchmarks (Velev and Bryant, 2001) take longer to solve due to their large size, but are still solved in minutes. Yet, relatively small and difficult SAT instances must exist if P /spl ne/ NP. To this end, our paper articulates SAT instances that are unusually difficult for their size, including satisfiable instances derived from very large scale integration (VLSI) routing problems. With an efficient implementation to solve the graph automorphism problem (McKay, 1990), (Soicher, 1993) (Spitznagel, 1994), we show that in structured SAT instances, difficulty may be associated with large numbers of symmetries. We point out that a previously published symmetry extraction mechanism (Crawford et al., 1996) based on a reduction to the graph automorphism problem often produces many spurious symmetries. Our paper contributes two new reductions to graph automorphism, which extract all correct symmetries found previously (Crawford et al., 1996) as well as phase-shift symmetries not found earlier. The correctness of our reductions is rigorously proven, and they are evaluated empirically. We also formulate an improved construction of symmetry-breaking clauses in terms of permutation cycles and propose to use only generators of symmetries in this process. These ideas are implemented in a fully automated flow that first extracts symmetries from a given SAT instance, preprocesses it by adding symmetry-breaking clauses, and then calls a state-of-the-art backtrack SAT solver. Significant speed-ups are shown on many benchmarks versus direct application of the solver. In an attempt to further improve the practicality of our approach, we propose a scheme for fast "opportunistic" symmetry extraction and also show that considerations of symmetry may lead to more efficient reductions to SAT in the VLSI routing domain.
Analysis of Ricean MIMO channels based on a virtual channel representation

The ergodic capacity of Ricean MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) fading channels is investigated in this paper, based on a virtual (Fourier) channel representation. Coherent reception is assumed at the receiver. The Ricean statistics are due to a line-of-sight (LOS) path joining the transmitter and receiver. In the virtual domain, this LOS path corresponds to a single entry in the virtual channel matrix. The optimal input distribution of the correlated Ricean MIMO channel in the virtual domain has a diagonal covariance matrix structure, the same as in the Rayleigh fading MIMO case. Our method is used to get a tight lower bound and upper bound on the ergodic capacity. Further, the same analysis is used to obtain an approximate optimal input distribution analytically, in place of the usual Monte Carlo based numerical optimization methods.
Bridging Leadership and Culture: A Theoretical Consideration of Transformational Leadership and Collectivistic Cultures:

Although transformational leadership has gained increased attention by management researchers as a new paradigm for understanding leadership in organizations, little research effort has focused upo...
Bonding and Curing Considerations for Incipient and Hidden Caries

The development of polymer-based adhesive material systems has created opportunities to change significantly approaches to the restoration of carious lesions. The tenants of cavity preparation described by Black in 1917 [1] were designed for nonadhesive materials and had retention and resistance forms that forced the operator to remove disease-free tooth structure to accommodate the restorative material. The newer materials have made a minimally invasive [2] approach possible when surgical intervention for treating a carious lesion is unavoidable. Nevertheless, as is true for any new technology, an understanding of the mechanisms of function is critical for a successful restoration that can take advantage of the conservation of tooth structure. This knowledge is particularly necessary when using toothcolored restorative materials. The explosion of adhesive systems, restorative materials, polymerization devices, and even new cavity preparation devices has led to confusion. This article discusses a new classification system for cavities, the principles of contemporary dentin and enamel adhesion, the effect of polymerization stress on small cavities, cavity preparation considerations using newer hard tissue surgical devices, the selection of restorative materials, and the principles of restoration refurbishment. Cavity preparation design considerations for adhesive restorations Logically, the initiation of treating a carious lesion begins with the classification of the extent and complexity of the cavity. This classification lays the foundation for selection of the cavity design and restorative
SMAD3 prevents binding of NKX2.1 and FOXA1 to the SpB promoter through its MH1 and MH2 domains

Mechanisms of gene repression by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) are not well understood. TGF-beta represses transcription of pulmonary surfactant protein-B gene in lung epithelial cells. Repression is mediated by SMAD3 through interactions with NKX2.1 and FOXA1, two key transcription factors that are positive regulators of SpB transcription. In this study, we found that SMAD3 interacts through its MAD domains, MH1 and MH2 with NKX2.1 and FOXA1 proteins. The sites of interaction on NKX2.1 are located within the NH2 and COOH domains, known to be involved in transactivation function. In comparison, weaker interaction of FOXA1 winged helix, and the NH2-terminal domains was documented with SMAD3. Both in vitro studies and in vivo ChIP assays show that interaction of SMAD3 MH1 and MH2 domains with NKX2.1 and FOXA1 results in reduced binding of NKX2.1 and FOXA1 to their cognate DNA-binding sites, and diminished promoter occupancy within the SpB promoter. Thus, these studies reveal for the first time a mechanism of TGF-beta-induced SpB gene repression that involves interactions between specific SMAD3 domains and the corresponding functional sites on NKX2.1 and FOXA1 transcription factors.
Mechanism of coupling reactions of polystyryllithium with dihalomethanes

We report here an in-depth analysis of the reaction mechanisms involved in the formation of polymer dimers formed by the coupling of polystyryllithium (PSLi) with dichloromethane (DCM), dibromomethane (DBM), and diiodomethane (DIM) in tetrahydrofuran at −78 °C. The DBM-mediated reactions give a high degree of coupling but generate 1,2-diphenyl linkages in addition to the expected 1,3-diphenyl linkages and small amounts of β-substituted styrenic end groups that are detectable by fluorescence measurements. This is consistent with the formation of bromobenzyl end groups by lithium–bromine exchange and PSLi-mediated elimination. The formation of α-substituted styrenic end groups by conventional displacement and elimination is also possible. Although reactions of PSLi with DCM show no coupling at all, DIM is a much better coupling agent than DBM, significantly suppressing side reactions. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 40: 1081–1091, 2002
The International Bank in Political Perspective

Although the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development has been in existence for nearly two decades, the political aspects of its activities have received scant attention. Most of the literature on IBRD operations has been written by economists, who quite naturally emphasize the economic aspects. Political scientists, to the extent that they have discussed it at all, have described most of its operations as removed “from the sphere of international or domestic politics.” The purpose of the following analysis is to determine in what respects the activities of the International Bank may be described as “political.” Such a determination would be useful in three ways. First, it would, it is hoped, stimulate research on international organizations as actors in international politics; second, it would require revision of the standard explanations of the evolution of international development aid programs; and third, it would aid in evaluating the argument for more multilateral aid which assumes that such aid is “nonpolitical.”
Common principles underlying the control of rapid, single degree-of-freedom movements at different joints

Studies of rapid, single degree-of-freedom movements have shown different changes in electromyographic patterns for movement tasks that appear very similar (e.g., movements over different ranges of distance). However, it is not clear whether these differences are a result of joint-specific control schemes or whether they are instead due to the limited range of task parameters studied relative to the mechanical constraints of each joint (e.g., short compared with long movements relative to the range of motion of a particular joint). In this study, we measured and compared the kinematic trajectories and electromyograms recorded during various movement tasks at the wrist, elbow, and ankle. Subjects performed movements over a wide range of distances “as fast as possible,”“at a comfortable speed,” and against two inertial loads (at the elbow only), and they performed movements over a fixed distance at three different speeds at the wrist and ankle. For fast movements we show that, in spite of some joint-specific differences, the basic pattern of electromyographic (EMG) modulation is similar at all three joints; for example, the agonist EMG burst transitions from a fixed duration to an increasing duration with increasing movement distance at all three joints. Moreover, the distance at which this transition occurs in one joint relative to the distance at which this transition occurs in the other two joints is consistent across subjects. The transition occurs at the shortest distance at the ankle and the longest distance at the wrist. In general we suggest that the data are consistent with a single set of control rules applied at all three joints, with the biomechanical constraints at each joint accounting for the differences in the EMG and kinematic patterns observed across joints.
EL inference for partially identified models: Large deviations optimality and bootstrap validity

This paper addresses the issue of optimal inference for parameters that are partially identied in models with moment inequalities. There currently exists a variety of inferential methods for use in this setting. However, the question of choosing optimally among contending procedures is unresolved. In this paper, I rst consider a canonical large deviations criterion for optimality and show that inference based on the empirical likelihood ratio statistic is optimal. This nding is a direct analog to that in Kitamura (2001) for moment equality models. Second, I introduce a new empirical likelihood bootstrap that provides a valid resampling method for moment inequality models and overcomes the implementation challenges that arise as a result of non-pivotal limit distributions. Lastly, I analyze the nite sample properties of the proposed framework using Monte Carlo simulations. The
Airglow emissions and oxygen mixing ratios from the photometer experiment on the Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (TOMEX)

[1] The Turbulent Oxygen Mixing Experiment (TOMEX) combined Na lidar measurements from Starfire Optical Range in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with a launch of a payload from White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), located a little over 100 km from Starfire. The payload included a trmethyl aluminum release to measure winds and diffusion, a 5-channel ionization gauge to measure neutral densities, and a 3-channel photometer experiment to measure atomic oxygen related airglow. The payload was launched at 0957 UT on 26 October 2000 and successfully obtained data from all the experiments. The photometer experiment consisted of three liquid nitrogen cooled filter photometers which measured emission from the O2 atmospheric band (0, 0) emission, the OH Meinel (9, 4) band, and the OI(557.7 nm) greenline. Measurements were made as the rocket went from 80 to 110 km on the upleg. The pointing of the photometers was within a few degrees of zenith. Differentiating these data allowed volume emission rates to be derived which can be inverted to form atomic oxygen density profiles. The interpretation of the data made use of simultaneous atmospheric temperature data from the Na lidar. The airglow data showed lower brightness values and lower peak altitudes for the O2 atmospheric (0, 0) band and OI(557.7 nm) emissions than predicted by the thermosphere/ionosphere/mesopshere/electrodynamics general circulation (TIME-GCM) model. The peak altitude of the OH Meinel emission seemed nominal. Inverting the O2 atmospheric (0, 0) and OI(557.7 nm) data following McDade et al. [1986] produced O density profiles whose peak densities and peak altitudes are lower than the model values. The shape of the O density profile is also more constant with altitude than model predictions. The O mixing ratio shows a more altitude-independent profile than given by the model, especially between 85 and 95 km. Significant deviations in the measured shape of the mixing ratio also occur at 90, 97, and 102 km. The interpretation of these data is that the O mixing ratio was significantly perturbed by the passage of an atmospheric gravity wave or tide and the subsequent convective or dynamical instabilities produced by that wave. Dynamically or convectively unstable layers at 90, 97, and 102 km at the time of the launch also appear to be reflected in the mixing ratio data.
Enhanced Sediment Scavenging Due to Double-Diffusive Convection

ABSTRACT River water intruding into a lake or ocean typically results in a surface layer of warm, sediment-laden water overriding relatively dense, cold fluid. Though this system is stable with respect to density, instability may arise as a result of the different diffusivities of sediment and heat. A series of experiments were conducted which indicated that double-diffusive convection (DDC) was responsible for rapid sedimentation of slowly settling particles. A simple theory, based upon relevant physical processes, is developed that describes this behavior. It also incorporates the previously neglected effects of ambient stratification on the strength of the DDC. Application of the theory and our results to field data taken from oceanic river plumes demonstrates that the flux due to double-diffusive sedimentation (DDS) can be at least as strong as flocculation-enhanced gravitational settling.
Effect of thin film module geometry on solar cell current-voltage analysis

Extraction of diode quality factor and series resistance from current-voltage data may be complicated by voltage drops across the transparent conducting oxide. The effect of the voltage drops on I-V analysis is negligible for small solar cells, but becomes important for larger cells such as those found in thin-film modules. Agreement between predicted and measured voltage drops is demonstrated. Numerical results are presented for both CdTe and CuInSe/sub 2/ solar cells.
An electronic theory of democracy : house members on their computers.

iii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1 Plan of the thesis 5 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW 8 Introduction 8 Informative literature 8 Specific literature 13 Hypothesis definition 19 CHAPTER THREE: DATA AND METHODOLOGY 27 Methods 27 Positive Competitive 29 Negative Competitive 33 Traditional Campaign 36
Same-Sex Marriage, Religious Accommodation, and the Race Analogy

Can a state government allow its officials to opt out of issuing marriage licenses based on religious objections to same-sex marriage? Similarly, can a state create special religion-based exceptions to anti-discrimination laws? This article examines these questions by comparing traditional objections to same-sex marriage and racial integration, and by delving into how each category is treated by anti-discrimination law. We examine the ultimate refusal to legally accommodate analogous religiously-motivated objections to racial integration and conclude that any such exemptions in the same-sex marriage context would be unconstitutional violations of both the due process and equal protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Carbonic anhydrase in turtle bladder mitochondrial-rich luminal and subluminal cells

Bladders from March-April turtles were processed for carbonic anhydrase (CA) cytochemically using the method of D.A. Riley, S. Ellis, and J. Bain (Neuroscience 13: 189, 1984). CA-positive cells com...
ESTUARINE FISHERIES: ARE THEY DOOMED?

ABSTRACT In the most recent year for which U.S. commercial and recreational catch statistics are available, total fish and shellfish landings were about 6.5 billion pounds, of which about 4.5 billion were estuarine-dependent. On the Atlantic coast estuarine species were more important in catches from north to south, on the Pacific coast from south to north. In the Gulf of Mexico 98% were estuarine. Effects of human activities therefore should be relatively most severe from Chesapeake Bay south, in the Gulf, and in Alaska. But estuarine resources make important contributions in other areas: New England and Middle Atlantic landed commercial value was $70 million in 1970. In California, estuarine resources were only 3% by weight, but $12 million by landed value. No one can question the importance of maintaining estuarine environmental quality if fisheries are to continue. Present concerns about the environment probably have had beneficial effects, although cause and effect is difficult to prove. Doom has been averted, but constant vigilance is needed. Public education will be most important, for the issues are much more complicated than most people realize.
Platelet Rich Plasma in Foot and Ankle Surgery

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) typically contains a fivefold increase in platelet concentration, and can be obtained from autologous blood and/or bone marrow [1]. Alpha-granules, a type of secretory organelle found in platelets, act as a reservoir for a number of different growth factors. In the presence of trauma to bone, platelet activation leads to degranulation of these alpha-granules, which ultimately results in release of these growth factors localized to the site of injury (Table 7.1). Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF-β1) are among some of the factors released and play critical roles in bone heeling [1, 2]. Human and animal studies have demonstrated increased PDG + F (four to sixfold), IGF-I (one to twofold), TGF-β1 (three to fivefold), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (four to sixfold), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) (three to fivefold) levels in activated PRP compared to peripheral blood [3, 4].
Burning Bridges Or Building Them? The Effect Of Employee Mobility On Client Relationship Formation

Building on previous research on conflictual relationships between organizations, I explore a case of professional services firms that represent one side of the party in conflictual relationships s...
Elbow Arthrodesis as a Salvage Procedure for Combat-Related Upper Extremity Trauma.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Upper extremity amputation is associated with significant disability. Elbow arthrodesis (EA) is a rarely indicated salvage procedure with a narrow set of indications. The purpose of this case series is to describe the clinical course of those patients undergoing an EA following severe combat-related, upper extremity trauma. Methods: 5 patients treated for combat-related upper extremity injuries treated with an EA between 2003 and 2012 were identified. Demographic information, injury characteristics, and treatment course were evaluated. Results: 5 male patients with a mean age of 23.8 years were treated with an EA in relative extension following severe upper extremity trauma. 3 patients undergoing EA had concomitant bilateral above-knee amputations and 2 patients underwent fusion of their dominant arm. Successful arthrodesis was achieved in all patients. All patients reported good pain control without evidence of deep infection, the mean time from injury to arthrodesis was 305 days, a...
Basal plane dislocation reduction in nitrogen doped 8° 4H-SiC epilayers

Silicon carbide (SiC) has many materials properties that make it suitable for high temperature, high power devices [1]. However, extended defects propagating from the substrate into the epitaxially grown active regions of these devices limit device reliability and performance. Research has shown that minority carrier lifetime reductions and forward voltage drifts in 4H-SiC bipolar devices are directly related to the formation and expansion of Shockley-type stacking faults (SFs) in the drift layer [2]. These SFs are nucleated along basal plane dislocations (BPDs) that propagate from the substrate into the epitaxial drift layer [3]. During conventional epitaxy, 70–90% of BPDs in the substrate are converted into relatively benign threading edge dislocations (TEDs) at the substrate/epilayer interface. This conversion is attributed to either a large image force on the BPD or a reduction of elastic energy achieved through conversion [3]. However, a BPD density on the order of 103 cm-2 still propagates into the epilayer. The BPD conversion process can be enhanced on 8° off-cut wafers by KOH etching prior to growth [4], as well as from ex-situ or in-situ growth interrupts [5]. Previous work using interrupts was conducted using low-doped n-type SiC layers, but for power devices it is critical to have BPD mitigation in the n+ buffer layer to prevent any deleterious effects from SF formation in forward bias operation. This work investigates the effect of nitrogen doping on the BPD to TED conversion efficiency.
The Helicobacter pylori Methylome: Roles in Gene Regulation and Virulence

The methylome is defined as a map of DNA methylation patterns at single-base resolution. DNA methylation in bacteria was first discovered as a function of restriction–modification (R-M) systems. R-M systems in Helicobacter pylori, like those in other bacteria, are important host-specificity determinants that provide protection against foreign DNA. Moreover, the gene regulatory role of the methyltransferase (Mtase) unit of various Helicobacter pylori R-M systems is being increasingly recognized. Recent advances in the application of single-molecule real-time (SMRT) DNA sequencing to analyse DNA methylation have revealed for the first time comprehensive pictures of the genome-wide distribution of methylation sites in various strains of H. pylori. The methylomic data published so far have not only confirmed the significant inter-strain diversity of H. pylori Mtases and their DNA methylation profiles, but also identified numerous novel Mtase target recognition sites. The precise knowledge of the nucleotide sequence of Mtase recognition sites and their distribution within the H. pylori genome will in turn enable researchers to more readily test hypotheses on how H. pylori Mtases function to orchestrate gene regulation and/or modulate virulence. Methylomic studies hold promise for providing a deeper understanding into the roles of H. pylori Mtase and R-M systems in the physiology, epigenetics and possibly also pathogenesis of this important human pathogen. Consequently, the knowledge gained will provide crucial insights into the potential application of H. pylori methylomes as novel biomarkers for the prediction of disease outcome and/or antibiotic susceptibility.
De sensationele kankertherapie

De eigenaardige kankertherapie van tandarts William Kelley kreeg wereldwijde bekendheid toen de zeer populaire acteur Steve McQueen door hem behandeld werd. Maar had de therapie enige waarde?
Water–Energy Nexus for Thermal Desalination Processes

Water and energy are inextricably interconnected. Water is needed in various energy sectors (e.g., oil and gas upstream production and downstream processing, steam turbines in power plants, irrigation of biomass to be converted to biofuels). Energy is needed in water operations (e.g., desalination for residential and industrial applications, treatment of residential and industrial wastewater, pumping and distribution of water). This connection is referred to as the water–energy nexus . It is essential to adopt an integrated approach to understand this interrelationship and to devise effective strategies for enhancing the sustainability of these two critical resources. With the increasing world population, growing economies, and declining freshwater resources, it is imperative to identify and deploy cost-effective and energy efficient technologies to transform saline water and wastewater into fresh water. Thermal desalination is commonly used to provide drinking water and process water. It is also used to treat domestic and industrial wastewater. This chapter focuses on the important class of water–energy nexus in thermal desalination systems. The topic is covered through four thrust areas:
Distribution System Operational Deficiencies Coincide with Reported Legionnaires’ Disease Clusters in Flint, Michigan

We hypothesize that the increase in reported Legionnaires' disease from June 2014 to November 2015 in Genesee County, MI (where Flint is located) was directly linked to the switch to corrosive Flint River water from noncorrosive Detroit water from April 2014 to October 2015. To address the lack of epidemiological data linking the drinking water supplies to disease incidence, we gathered physiochemical and biological water quality data from 2010 to 2016 to evaluate characteristics of the Flint River water that were potentially conducive to Legionella growth. The treated Flint River water was 8.6 times more corrosive than Detroit water in short-term testing, releasing more iron, which is a key Legionella nutrient, while also directly causing disinfectant to decay more rapidly. The Flint River water source was also 0.8-6.7 °C warmer in summer months than Detroit water and exceeded the minimum Legionella growth temperature of 20 °C more frequently (average number of days per year for Detroit was 63 versus that for the Flint River, which was 157). The corrosive water also led to 1.3-2.2 times more water main breaks in 2014-2015 compared to 2010-2013; such disruptions have been associated with outbreaks in other locales. Importantly, Legionella spp. and Legionella pneumophila decreased after switching back to Detroit water, in terms of both gene markers and culturability, when August and October 2015 were compared to November 2016.
Comparison of the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Clinical Rating Scale and the Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale.

Background The Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (FTM) has been used in large trials for essential tremor (ET), but its anchors for ratings from 0 to 4 of upper limb tremor are probably too low for patients with severe tremor (tremor amplitude >4 cm; grade 4). The Essential Tremor Rating Assessment Scale (TETRAS) is a validated clinical scale designed specifically for the assessment of ET severity. TETRAS has anchors that span a larger range of tremor amplitudes (>20 cm = grade 4), making it more suitable for assessing patients with severe ET. However, there is no direct comparison of these scales in any clinical trial. Methods Upper limb postural and kinetic tremor items from both scales were compared using blinded, video-recorded examinations of patients with moderate-to-severe ET who participated in a trial of focused ultrasound thalamotomy. Results FTM ratings of postural and kinetic tremor correlated strongly with those of TETRAS. However, FTM exhibited a ceiling effect for severe tremor. Rest tremor, exclusive to FTM, correlated poorly with postural and kinetic tremor and had very poor test-retest reliability. In contrast, wing-beating postural tremor, exclusive to TETRAS, exhibited excellent test-retest reliability and a strong correlation with kinetic and limbs-extended-forward postural tremor. Test-retest reliabilities of the other TETRAS and FTM ratings were excellent, and both scales had good sensitivity to treatment effect. Conclusions TETRAS has 2 main advantages over FTM in the assessment of tremor severity: (1) the absence of a ceiling effect in patients with severe ET, and (2) the inclusion of wing-beating tremor.
Thermal Ultra Short Photodynamic Therapy: Heating Fibroblasts During Sub-30-Minute Incubation of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Increases Photodynamic Therapy-Induced Cell Death.

Background Actinic keratoses (AKs) prevalence was estimated at 39.5 million Americans in 2004, and the cost to treat AKs that year was approximately 1 billion dollars. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an FDA-approved therapy for the treatment of AK. Recent studies have focused on reducing PDT treatment time while maintaining efficacy. Objective To investigate the use of thermal modulation to improve the efficacy of ultra short aminolevulinic acid (ALA) incubation PDT. Materials and methods Human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were incubated for 10, 15, or 20 minutes with 0.5-mM ALA at various temperatures (21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, and 42°C). After ALA incubation, samples were treated for 1,000 seconds with blue light (417 ± 5 nm) resulting in a fluence of 10 J/cm. Samples were collected and stained for apoptosis/necrosis with annexin-V and 7-aminoactinomycin D (7-AAD), then analyzed by flow cytometry. Results Human dermal fibroblast treated with 10-minute ALA-PDT had no statistically significant changes in apoptosis at all temperatures. Human dermal fibroblast treated with 15- or 20-minute ALA-PDT had statistically significant increases in apoptosis at 39 and 42°C (p Conclusion These results suggest the use of thermal modulation may improve ultra short ALA incubation PDT efficacy.