cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Costs and effectiveness of staging and treatment options in early-stage Hodgkin's disease.

Abstract Purpose: Using a cost-effectiveness analysis, to weigh the costs and benefits of the different staging and treatment options in early-stage Hodgkin’s disease. Methods: We constructed a decision-analytic model for a hypothetical cohort of 25-year-old patients with early-stage Hodgkin’s disease. Markov models were used to simulate the lifetime costs and prognosis of each staging and treatment strategy. Baseline probabilities and cost estimates were derived from published studies and bills of relevant patient cohorts. Results: Among the six management strategies considered, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of laparotomy and tailored treatment compared with mantle and para-aortic-splenic radiation therapy in all clinical stage I–II patients was $24,100/quality-adjusted life year, while that of the strategy of combined modality therapy in all clinical stage I–II patients compared with laparotomy was $61,700/quality-adjusted life year. All the remaining strategies were dominated by one of these three strategies. Sensitivity analysis showed that the cost-effectiveness ratios were driven predominantly by the effectiveness rather than the cost of each strategy. In particular, the analysis was heavily influenced by the utility of the post-laparotomy health state. Conclusions: In considering the various alternative management strategies in early-stage Hodgkin’s disease, even very small gains in effectiveness were enough to justify the additional costs of more expensive treatment options.
Pseudorabies virus infectivity for swine skin characterized in vitro

The infectivity of pseudorabies virus (PrV) was demonstrated in a cell substrate derived from swine skin explant cultures designated primary porcine skin cells (c/cSLA PPSC).c/cSLA PPSC infected with either wild type or TK− PrV strain Kaplan (Ka) developed typical cytopathologic changes (CPE) as early as 4 h post inoculation (p.i.). The CPE caused by PrV onc/cSLA PPSC was specifically neutralized by covalescent swine sera. Synthesis of late viral proteins was demonstrated in PrV-infectedc/cSLA PPSC by indirect fluorescent antibody staining using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for PrV gIII. PrV induced protein synthesis was further confirmed by specific immunoprecipitation of35S-methionine labeled viral polypeptides from PrV-infectedc/cSLA PPSC with PrV convalescent swine serum, PrV immune mouse serum or mAb to PrV gIII. Moreover, the virus progeny derived fromc/cSLA PPSC was shown to be infectious for MDBK cells and this infection was specifically neutralized by PrV convalescent swine serum. The capacityc/cSLA PPSC to support a complete growth cycle of PrV and the relative ease of deriving these cells from pigs can be applied in an autologous fashion in studies of cellular immunity where the MHC needs to be matched.
A new mycobactin, mycobactin J, fromMycobacterium paratuberculosis

This paper reports the production, purification, and biological assay of a new mycobactin fromMycobacterium paratuberculosis. This new mycobactin, designated mycobactin J, is produced by a strain ofM. paratuberculosis adapted to growth on synthetic medium without exogenous mycobactin. Mycobactin J reduces the incubation period ofM. paratuberculosis in complex medium by 3 weeks when compared with medium containing mycobactin P, and a higher proportion of the organisms, in inocula from infected tissues or fecal specimens, produce colonies. Also, some strains ofM. paratuberculosis will grow on medium containing mycobactin J that will not grow on medium containing mycobactin P.
The affordance of barrier crossing in young children exhibits dynamic, not geometric, similarity

Previous research has shown that adults perceive affordances like the passability of apertures, climbability or crossability of steps and graspability of objects. In this study, the affordance for stepping over or onto barriers was examined in young children. This was done by placing three distinct barriers (a foam obstacle, a gap, and a single step up), which were scaled to body size, in the walking paths of 4- and 6-year olds and adults, and observing how they crossed the barriers. Age-related differences in the scaling of these actions corresponded to levels of movement variability, indicating that children as young as 4 years old are sensitive to their own constraints and scale their actions accordingly. These results indicate that affordances are not directly related to leg geometry, but rather entail the dynamics of the developing perception–action system.
Interactions of coupled acoustic and vortical instability

In the past, the acoustic combustion instability was studied independently of the hydrodynamic instability induced by vortex motions. This paper is intended to combine the two different sources of energy everywhere within the spatial domain and determine the effect of one upon the other. This can be achieved by calculating the mean flow velocities and vorticities and their fluctuating parts of velocities and vortices, as well as the fluctuating pressure. The Orr-Sommerfeld equation is utilized to determine the wavenumbers and unsteady stream functions from which vortically coupled acoustic instability growth constants are calculated. This process demonstrates that there are two different frequencies, acoustic and hydrodynamic, various combinations of which contribute to either damping or amplification. It is found that stability boundaries for coupled acoustic and vortical oscillations are somewhat similar to the classical hydrodynamic stability boundaries, but they occur in the form of multiple islands.
The effect of glycerol and intracarotid phenoxybenzamine after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage. An ultrastructural study.

Twenty-four hours and one week, respectively, after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) had been experimentally induced in baboons, therapeutic dosages of glycerol and/or phenoxybenzamine hydrochloride were injected intravenously. Groups of three animals were studied at various time intervals after SAH: one animal served as a control, one animal per group received phenoxybenzamine hydrochloride (PBZ), and thefinal animal received both PBZ and a 10% glycerol (in saline) injection. The animals were prepared for electron microscopy by whole body perfusion with a glutaraldehyde/phosphate fixative.
On Crossing Sets, Disjoint Sets, and Pagenumber

Let G=(V,E) be a t-partite graph with n vertices and m edges, where the partite sets are given. We present an O(n2m1.5) time algorithm to construct drawings of G in the plane so that the size of the largest set of pairwise crossing edges and, at the same time, the size of the largest set of disjoint (pairwise noncrossing) edges are Ot·m. As an application we embed G in a book of Ot·m pages, in O(n2m1.5) time, resolving an open question for the pagenumber problem. A similar result is obtained for the dual of the pagenumber or the queuenumber. Our algorithms are obtained by derandomizing a probabilistic proof.
Reduction in infarct size by synchronized selective coronary venous retroperfusion of arterialized blood

Abstract The effectiveness of selective synchronized pulsatile coronary venous retroperfusion for the temporary metabolic support of a region of acutely ischemic myocardium has previously been demonstrated. This study was designed to determine the degree of reduction in ultimate infarct size that may be achieved when coronary venous retroperfusion initiated early after coronary occlusion is combined with later anterograde reperfusion. In 10 baboons, the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 4 hours at which time anterograde reperfusion was restored. In five baboons (Group A), coronary venous retroperfusion was initiated 15 minutes after occlusion. Five baboons (Group B) underwent an identical procedure without coronary venous retroperfusion. Epicardial electrograms were recorded from 24 sites overlying the ischemic region. At 24 hours, hearts were excised and serial transverse sections of the left ventricle were stained with nitroblue tetrazolium for stereometric determination of infarct size. In Group A 12 ± 5.4 percent (mean ± standard error of the mean) of epicardial sites with S-T segment elevation at 15 minutes after occlusion showed subsequent Q waves, compared with 96 ± 2.3 percent in Group B (p
Changing patterns of fibronectin, laminin, type IV collagen, and a basement membrane proteoglycan during rat Mullerian duct regression

Antibodies to type IV collagen, laminin, heparan sulfate proteoglycan, and fibronectin were used to study the regression of the rat Mullerian duct. All four of these matrix constituents are located at the perimeter of the Mullerian duct within the ductal basement membrane. As the Mullerian duct regresses, the staining of all of these basement membrane constituents becomes irregular and discontinuous. Fibronectin, which is also present in the interstitium, becomes undetectable in the mesenchyme which condenses around the regressing Mullerian duct. These data indicate that degradation of the extracellular matrix around the male Mullerian duct is a central event in the regression of this structure.
Scaling a code in the human dimension

As scientists' needs for computational techniques and tools grow, they cease to be supportable by software developed in isolation. In many cases, these needs are being met by communities of practice, where software is developed by domain scientists to reach pragmatic goals and satisfy distinct and enumerable scientific goals. yt is a visualization and analysis toolkit built around physically-motivated inquiry of astrophysical data, deployed widely across XSEDE systems. Enzo is an adaptive mesh refinement platform for astrophysical simulations. We present techniques that have been successful in growing and engaging communities of practice, specifically in the yt and Enzo communities, and suggest that their successful application in the relatively small computational astrophysics community be viewed as a testbed for wider deployment in the computational science and XSEDE communities.
T GROUPS: AN ESSENTIAL MODEL IN THE TRAINING OF GROUP THERAPISTS

This paper argues for the T group (training group) model as the preferred experiential aspect of training in group psychotherapy. The rationale for preferring the T group model centers around aspects of: 1) contractual clarity; 2) the management of the learning regression; 3) the effectiveness of the T group as a professional holding environment; and 4) the development of a professional identity as a group therapist. Some difficulties with the model are also noted, and some case examples are offered to illustrate various aspects of the work within the T group model.
The Effects of Line Width and Slot Etching on Silicon-Based CPW at MM-Wave Frequencies

An experimental study is in progress to investigate the performance of coplanar waveguide (CPW) transmission lines which are printed on high-resistivity silicon. In one sample group a nominal characteristic impedance of 50 ? is maintained while the ground plane spacing and ground plane width are varied. In this group conventional CPW lines are included, as well as lines in which the slots have been etched to create a triangular-shaped recess between the center conductor and ground planes. The slot-etching technique is known to be an effective method to decrease attenuation, and is demonstrated here with measurements up to 67 GHz. In another group of samples identical lines with and without etching are characterized to determine the difference in attenuation and characteristic impedance. All lines used in this work are classified as finite ground CPW (FGC), as the ground plane width is comparable to the slot and center conductor dimensions.
The information utility: a project retrospective

The Information Utility was a large research and development project in a medium-sized company. The project encompassed a number of very challenging problems central to the information industry, e.g. libraries. In this project, in this environment, the technical challenges were overshadowed by the philosophical changes required within the company itself. The question of when or whether to move out of a proprietary hardware product environment was central to many of the problems and is faced by other small or medium-sized companies with similar approaches. This paper examines the technical challenges faced by the project in light of this environment. Although this is an example from a single project, similar problems arise in many different projects and companies
Is it Possible and Desirable for Theologians to Recover from Kant

Kant marks a watershed in the history of theology, after which the anxious questions, “Can we speak of God? How can we?” have continually haunted modern theologians, insisting on being addressed before any others. Feeling compelled not to say about God what they want to say without first establishing that they are justified or entitled in saying those things, theologians have experienced both frustration and anxiety. However, the widespread assumption that one must experience the Kantian agony in order to be a modern theologian is challenged. Wolterstorff contends that one can move beyond Kant by rejecting the mental representationalist picture required by the latter’s account of intuitions and concepts. Conceiving of our intuitions as ’inputs’ which are then mentally represented according to concepts, is not only unnecessary but misleading. Theologians are better off rejecting the assumption that awareness always represents input and adopting instead the view that perceptual awareness, for example, is not so much an input but an action – the actualization of one of our human powers. Such an alternate pathway (opened up by Thomas Reid) would allow modern theologians to appropriate Kant without being appropriated by Kant.
Meta-scoring: automatically evaluating term weighting schemes in IR without precision-recall

In this paper, we present a method that can automatically evaluate performance of different term weighting schemes in information retrieval without resorting to precision-recall based on human relevance judgments. Specifically, the problem is: given two document-term matrixes generated from two different term weighting schemes, can we tell which term weighting scheme will performance better than the other? We propose a meta-scoring function, which takes as input the document-term matrix generated by some term weighting scheme and computes a goodness score from the document-term matrix. In our experiments, we found out that this score is highly correlated with the precision-recall measurement for all the collections and term weighting schema we tried. Thus, we conclude that our meta-scoring function can be a substitute for the precision-recall measurement that needs relevance judgments of human subject. Furthermore, this meta-scoring function is not limited only to text information retrieval can be applied to fields such as image and DNA retrieval.
Highly efficient photocurrent generation from a self-assembled monolayer film of a novel C60-Tethered 2,5-dithienylpyrrole triad

A C60-tethered 2,5-dithienylpyrrole triad was synthesized and the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold electrode was prepared. The three-electron reduced C60 radical anions of the triad in both solution and SAM film at room temperature were detected. The redox kinetics between the C60 moieties and the gold electrode is faster compared to that of the C60 SAMs with nonconjugated flexible bridge/anchor systems, as determined by smaller peak splitting in the cyclic voltammogram. The photocurrent generated in a (Au/C60-triad/MV2+/Pt) cell upon irradiation of light is exceptionally large (3200 nA/cm2) with high quantum yield (51%). The electron-rich characteristics of the molecule and the rigid conjugated molecular framework stabilize the C60 radical anions generated during electrochemical reduction and lead to remarkable enhancement of photocurrent generation.
Evidence for the Big Five personality trait structure in memory organization

Abstract The extent to which the “Big Five” personality trait factors guide organization in free recall was examined. Unlike previous studies, which failed to find effects, this study used traits with factor purity as stimuli. Significant levels of clustering in free recall around the Big Five factors were found. In addition, this level of clustering was compared with that found for common object nouns and personality type nouns.
Demo: avoiding the rush hours, wifi energy management via traffic isolation

WiFi continues to be a prime source of energy consumption in mobile devices. This paper observes that, despite a rich body of research in WiFi energy management, there is room for improvement. Our key finding is that WiFi energy optimizations have conventionally been designed with a single AP in mind. However, network contention among different APs can dramatically increase a client's energy consumption. Each client may have to keep awake for long durations before its own AP gets a chance to send packets to it. As the AP density increases in the vicinity, the waiting time inflates, resulting in a proportional decrease in battery life.We design SleepWell, a system that achieves energy efficiency by evading network contention. The APs regulate the sleeping window of their clients in a way that different APs are active/inactive during non-overlapping time windows. The solution is analogous to the common wisdom of going late to office and coming back late, thereby avoiding the rush hours. We implement SleepWell on a testbed of 8 Laptops and 9 Android phones, and evaluate it over a wide variety of scenarios and traffic patterns (YouTube, Pandora, FTP, Internet radio, and mixed). Results show a median gain of up to 2x when WiFi links are strong; when links are weak and the network density is high, the gains can be even more. We believe SleepWell is a desirable upgrade to WiFi systems, especially in light of increasing WiFi density.
Impacts of deficit irrigation on carbon sequestration and soil physical properties under no-till.

Deficit irrigation is an important strategy to manage water, but its impacts on soil C sequestration and physical properties have not been well documented. We assessed changes in soil organic C (SOC) and soil inorganic C (SIC) concentrations and selected soil physical properties at two no-till experiments on Ulysses silt loam (a fine-silty, mixed, superactive, mesic Aridic Haplustoll) with < 1% slope under six irrigation treatments (66,86,117,152, 182, and 217 mm of water applied) at Garden City and three (127, 254, and 381 mm of water applied) at Tribune in western Kansas after 5 and 8 yr of management, respectively. For the 0- to 10-cm depth, SOC concentration and wet aggregate stability increased with an increase in irrigation amount, but bulk density, particle-size distribution, and SIC concentration were unaffected. At Garden City, the SOC pool in the 0- to 10-cm depth increased by 46% (11.2 vs. 16.4 Mg ha -1 ) from the lowest (66 mm) to the highest (217 mm) irrigation amount. At Tribune, the SOC concentration in the 5- to 10-cm soil depth increased by 30% when the irrigation amount increased from 127 (7.8 g kg -1 ) to 254 (10.2 g kg -1 ) mm. The amount of macroaggregates increased with an increase in the irrigation amount, particularly in the 5- to 10-cm depth. At Garden City, irrigation-induced increase in SOC concentration increased the mean weight diameter of aggregates (r = 0.66; P < 0.001). Overall, deficit irrigation affected SOC concentration and soil structural development near the soil surface, but the magnitude of impacts was site specific.
Nitroblue tetrazoliumdye test and differential diagnosis of meningitis

Summary The NBT test has been found to be highly useful in the differentiation of bacterial from viral and tuberculous meningitis. The test is of limited value in association with inappropriately treated bacterial meningitis and is not dependable in patients with sickle cell anemia and pneumococcal meningitis.
A circular dichroism study of the structure of Apis mellifera melittin.

Abstract The secondary structure of the polypeptide melittin has been examined employing circular dichroism. In water or dilute buffer at pH 7, this protein is approximately 25–30% helical. Helicity is increased to near 50% by increasing the pH to 9 or above. High concentrations of phosphate buffer dramatically increase mean residue ellipticity at 222 nm to a value near the maximum expected for a totally helical molecule. Dilute solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate have the same effect. In contrast, the secondary structure of melittin is little affected by bromide ion, calcium ions, or dihexanoyl-phosphatidylcholine.
Lactoferrin expression and secretion in the stallion epididymis

Lactoferrin is one of the most abundant proteins secreted by the stallion epididymis, but its cellular localization and regulation remain unknown. This study was designed to address the following objectives: (1) identify the epididymal cell types producing lactoferrin in pre-pubertal, peri-pubertal and post-pubertal animals; (2) demonstrate that lactoferrin binds to stallion sperm; and (3) determine if testosterone and estradiol regulate lactoferrin secretion in vitro. Using an immunohistochemical method, lactoferrin was localized in the cytoplasm of principal cells in the corpus and cauda of peri- and post-pubertal animals. The epididymis of pre-pubertal animals did not express lactoferrin. Immunolabeling of lactoferrin was also observed on the mid-piece and tail of the sperm. The role of estradiol and testosterone in regulating secretion of lactoferrin in the post-pubertal epididymis was investigated using tissue culture methods. Lactoferrin concentration in the culture media was determined by validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Testosterone did not increase the concentration of lactoferrin in the media in any epididymal region. In contrast, estradiol-17β significantly increased the concentration of lactoferrin in the media containing tissue from the cauda. In conclusion, the expression of lactoferrin was found in the cytoplasm of principal cells in the corpus and cauda of the epididymis in peri- and post-pubertal stallions but not pre-pubertal stallions. Furthermore, lactoferrin binds to sperm, suggesting a biological role for protection or regulation of sperm in the corpus and cauda. In addition, estrogen appears to regulate lactoferrin secretion in the cauda of the epididymis in post-pubertal stallions.
Using Constructivist Theories to Educate the “Outsiders”

Some students are “outsiders” in today's science classroom. What makes an outsider, and how can the teacher break down barriers and reach these students? This article details one teacher's journey as she attempts to understand and connect with an outsider in her science classroom. Written from the first person, it is a poignant tale of self-reflection, a tale that incorporates current educational theory in an attempt to make the border crossing into the science classroom easier for one disconnected student.
Reaction injection molding of polyureas I. Kinetics study

Summarized in this paper are the experimental results and mathematical modeling of processing of polyureas. The experimental part includes the applications of solution polymerization to study the reaction kinetics of polyureas. The theoretical part includes a kinetic and heat transfer model that can apply solution polymerization data to predict the bulk polymerization of polyurea in the reaction injection molding process.
THERMOSTABLE BST DNA POLYMERASE I LACKS A 3' 5' PROOFREADING EXONUCLEASE ACTIVITY

A thermostable DNA polymerase, the Bst DNA polymerase I, from Bacillus stearothermophilus N3468 was prepared to near-homogeneity. The dominant species of the Bst DNA polymerase I preparation sized about 97 kDa when analyzed on SDS polyacrylamide gels. The Bst polA gene that codes for Bst polymerase I was cloned and sequenced. Comparative sequence analysis showed that all three conserved 3'-->5' exonuclease motifs found in E. coli DNA polymerase I were missing in Bst DNA polymerase I. This cast doubt on the existence of a 3'-->5' exonuclease function in that enzyme. Four biochemical assays were used to measure exonuclease activities of Bst DNA polymerase I, testing both full-length Bst polymerase I and the Bst large fragment which lacks the N-terminal 5'-->3' exonuclease domain. These exonuclease assays demonstrated that Bst DNA polymerase I only contained a double-strand dependent 5'-->3' exonuclease activity but lacked any detectable 3'-->5' proofreading exonuclease activity. The lack of 3'-->5' exonuclease function in a variety of thermostable repair DNA polymerases may reflect enhancement of thermostability at the expense of proofreading activity.
Female meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) demonstrate same-sex partner preferences.

Female meadow voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus) are territorial during warm months but demonstrate social tolerance under low temperatures. In spring, females nest together and some pairs participate in communal nursing and rearing of young. Because communal nursing involves significant cooperation, selective pair-bonds may develop between 2 nestmates. Using a choice apparatus, the authors determined that (a) captive females demonstrated partner preferences for a nestmate; (b) partner preferences were enduring and persisted after dyadic separation; and (c) following the loss of a nestmate, females did not develop preferences for a new nestmate, even after extended cohabitation. Data support the hypothesis that captive meadow voles develop selective and enduring same-sex social bonds that may, under free-living conditions, facilitate communal nesting and cooperative rearing of young.
Key priorities, challenges and opportunities to advance an integrated mental health and education research agenda

A critical priority for the fields of education and mental health is to develop an integrated research agenda to advance empirical and practical progress towards the goal of reducing a significant research to practice gap. This study presents qualitative findings from an intensive dialogue meeting held with a multidisciplinary sample of 35 leaders in education, children's mental health and related fields. Comprehensive data from the meeting by three independent notetakers were analysed and integrated to fully capture the discussion of research priorities for education and mental health. Synthesized content represented the three categories of key priorities, challenges and opportunities towards an integrated mental health and education research agenda. Themes identified by qualitative analysis of the notes, as well as suggestions, current progress and future directions for reducing the research-to-practice gap, are described.
h/e Aharonov-Bohm effect in gold rings

Abstract Measurements of the magnetoresistance of very small Au rings have revealed Aharonov-Bohm oscillations with a fundamental period h/e . These oscillations persist to very large magnetic field. The temperature dependence of the oscillations is consistent with predictions that apply in the absence of inelastic scattering.
Assessing the role of immuno-proteasomes in a mouse model of familial ALS

The accumulation of protein aggregates is thought to be an important component in the pathogenesis of mutant SOD1-induced disease. Mutant SOD1 aggregates appear to be cleared by proteasomes, at least in vitro, suggesting a potentially important role for proteasome degradation pathways in vivo. G93A SOD1 transgenic mice show an increase in proteasome activity and induction of immuno-proteasome subunits within spinal cord as they develop neurological symptoms. To determine what role immuno-proteasomes may have in mutant SOD1-induced disease, we crossed G93A SOD1 transgenic mice with LMP2-/- mice to obtain G93A SOD1 mice lacking the LMP2 immuno-proteasome subunit. G93A SOD1/LMP2-/- mice show significant reductions in proteasome function within spinal cord compared to G93A SOD1 mice. However, G93A SOD1/LMP2-/- mice show no change in motor function decline, or survival compared to G93A SOD1 mice. These results indicate that the loss of immuno-proteasome function in vivo does not significantly alter mutant SOD1-induced disease.
Ca-Mg diffusion in diopside: tracer and chemical inter-diffusion coefficients

We have experimentally determined the tracer diffusion coefficients (D*) of 44Ca and 26Mg in a natural diopside (~Di96) as function of crystallographic direction and temperature in the range of 950–1,150 °C at 1 bar and f(O2) corresponding to those of the WI buffer. The experimental data parallel to the a*, b, and c crystallographic directions show significant diffusion anisotropy in the a–c and b–c planes, with the fastest diffusion being parallel to the c axis. With the exception of logD*(26Mg) parallel to the a* axis, the experimental data conform to the empirical diffusion “compensation relation”, converging to logD ~ −19.3 m2/s and T ~ 1,155 °C. Our data do not show any change of diffusion mechanism within the temperature range of the experiments. Assuming that D* varies roughly linearly as a function of angle with respect to the c axis in the a–c plane, at least within a limited domain of ~20° from the c-axis, our data do not suggest any significant difference between D*(//c) and D*(⊥(001)), the latter being the diffusion data required to model compositional zoning in the (001) augite exsolution lamellae in natural clinopyroxenes. Since the thermodynamic mixing property of Ca and Mg is highly nonideal, calculation of chemical diffusion coefficient of Ca and Mg must take into account the effect of thermodynamic factor (TF) on diffusion coefficient. We calculate the dependence of the TF and the chemical interdiffusion coefficient, D(Ca–Mg), on composition in the diopside–clinoenstatite mixture, using the available data on mixing property in this binary system. Our D*(Ca) values parallel to the c axis are about 1–1.5 log units larger than those Dimanov et al. (1996). Incorporating the effect of TF, the D(Ca–Mg) values calculated from our data at 1,100–1,200 °C is ~0.6–0.7 log unit greater than the experimental quasibinary D((Ca–Mg + Fe)) data of Fujino et al. (1990) at 1 bar, and ~0.6 log unit smaller than that of Brady and McCallister (1983) at 25 kb, 1,150 °C, if our data are normalized to 25 kb using activation volume (~4 and ~6 cm3/mol for Mg and Ca diffusion, respectively) calculated from theoretical considerations.
INAA study of Hg, Se, As, and Br irradiation losses from l -cysteine treated and untreated reference materials

U. S. Food and Drug Administration in-house reference material (RM) Cocoa Powder and National Institute of Standards and Technology Standard RMs (SRMs) 1515 apple leaves, 1547 peach leaves, 1571 orchard leaves, 1566a oyster tissue, and 1568a rice flour were co-irradiated together with polyethylene blanks and analyzed for Hg and Se by anticoincidence instrumental neutron activation analysis. The three botanical SRM portions showed a combined Hg recovery of 70 % while the other portions showed a combined Hg recovery of 169 %, indicating that volatile Hg was lost from botanical SRMs and absorbed by the other irradiated portions. Total Hg recovery for all portions was 82 %. Se results showed no evidence of cross-contamination and all results agreed with certified and known values. National Research Council of Canada Certified RMs DOLT-3 dogfish liver, TORT-2 lobster hepatopancreas, and DORM-3 fish protein were separately analyzed either with no treatment or after treatment with l-cysteine solutions followed by drying over magnesium perchlorate. Each set of portions was co-irradiated with polyethylene and treated filter blanks. Analysis of all components of each treated portion irradiation package showed that essentially all Hg was retained within the package. Treated DOLT-3 portions (inorganic Hg content 53 %) showed a tenfold improvement with 99 % Hg retention. Hg retention for DORM-3 (7 % inorganic Hg) was 85 % (a twofold improvement) while retention for TORT-2 (44 % inorganic Hg), was 94 %, similar to that for untreated portions (96 %). Small irradiation losses (≤0.5 %) of volatile species of Se, As, and Br were observed.
Classification of attractors for systems of identical coupled Kuramoto oscillators

We present a complete classification of attractors for networks of coupled identical Kuramoto oscillators. In such networks, each oscillator is driven by the same first-order trigonometric function, with coefficients given by symmetric functions of the entire oscillator ensemble. For N≠3 oscillators, there are four possible types of attractors: completely synchronized fixed points or limit cycles, and fixed points or limit cycles where all but one of the oscillators are synchronized. The case N = 3 is exceptional; systems of three identical Kuramoto oscillators can also posses attracting fixed points or limit cycles with all three oscillators out of sync, as well as chaotic attractors. Our results rely heavily on the invariance of the flow for such systems under the action of the three-dimensional group of Mobius transformations, which preserve the unit disc, and the analysis of the possible limiting configurations for this group action.
Finite Element Modeling of Aortic Tissue Using High Speed Experimental Data

Traumatic rupture of the aorta (TRA) is responsible for 10% to 20% of motor vehicle fatalities [1]. Both finite element (FE) modeling and experimental investigations have enhanced our understanding of the injury mechanisms associated with TRA. Because accurate material properties are essential for the development of correct and authoritative FE model predictions, the objective of the current study was to identify a suitable material model and model parameters for aorta tissue that can be incorporated into FE aorta models for studying TRA. An Ogden rubber material (Type 77B in LS-DYNA 970) was used to simulate a series of high speed uniaxial experiments reported by Mohan [2] using a dumbbell shaped FE model representing human aortic tissue. Material constants were obtained by fitting model simulation results against experimentally obtained corridors. The sensitivity of the Ogden rubber material model was examined by altering constants G and alpha (α) and monitoring model behavior. One single set of material constants (α = 25.3, G = 0.02 GPa, and μ = 0.6000E-06 GPa) was found to fit uniaxial data at strain rates of approximately 100 s−1 for both younger and older aortic tissue specimens. Until a better material model is derived and other experimental data are obtained, it is recommended that the Ogden material model and associated constants derived from the current study be used to represent aorta tissue properties when using FE methods to investigate mechanisms of TRA.© 2005 ASME
Acquired paediatric subglottic cysts: A series from Manchester

Summary Subglottic cysts (SGC) have long been regarded as a rare cause of airway obstruction but through increased awareness an increase in the number of cases of SGC has been reported. Objective This paper describes the pathogenesis and management of SGC. Design Retrospective case series. Ethical approval not sought. Setting Royal Manchester Children's Hospital. Patients Two hundred and six new referrals for direct laryngotracheobronchoscopy (DLTB) were identified from records between September 2003 and September 2005. Main outcomes measured Age at birth, sex, length of intubation, presenting symptoms, age at presentation, DLTB findings, interventional procedures, and follow-up DLTBs. Results Fourteen out of 206 (6.8%) infants were diagnosed as with subglottic cysts. This represented the fourth most common cause of upper airway pathology. Thirteen out of 14 (93%) infants were preterm (26.8 weeks S.D. 25.3–28.3 weeks). All infants had been intubated ranging from 1 to 180 days (median 42 days). The onset of symptoms ranged from 1 to 13 months (median 4.25 months). Initially, 8/14 (57.2%) infants had SGC cysts marsupialised with microforceps. A further six cysts (50%) were decapped between 2 and 4 months and one between 6 and 12 months. Conclusion The number of cases of SGC has been increasing over the last three decades and represents the fourth most common causes of airway obstruction in our series. There is a delay in onset of symptoms and high rate of recurrence in the first 4 months. It is therefore prudent to reschedule further endoscopic evaluation between 2 and 4 months and after 6 months should the clinical need arise.
Small-bowel obstruction secondary to pericecal hernia

Pericecal hernia is a rare type of internal hernia and, though congenital in origin, may occur at any age, usually with symptoms of acute intestinal obstruction. The pathophysiology and character of these defects are described, and the management of this situation in an 80-year-old patient is reported. Prompt operative intervention to avoid the associated high mortality secondary to strangulation is urged. It is suggested that closure of these defects be performed if incidentally found at laparotomy
An efficient searching algorithm for approximate nearest neighbor queries in high dimensions

We present an approximate nearest neighbor search algorithm that uses heuristics to decide whether or not to access a node in the index tree, based on three interesting data distribution properties. We demonstrate that the proposed algorithm significantly reduces the number of nodes accessed over the algorithms that have been proposed in earlier works. Also, it is demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can retain close to 100% of the K nearest neighbors in most cases.
B2B seller competence: Construct development and measurement using a supply chain strategy lens

Abstract In less than a decade, Internet-enabled business-to-business (B2B) commerce has become central to supply chain management. But little is known about the infrastructural competencies required for manufacturers engaged in Internet-enabled activities with downstream business customers. This paper aims to take a first step in operationalizing a set of new, multi-item measures that tap into infrastructural (or “soft”) competencies required for leveraging B2B commerce. We use a structured, two-stage approach to develop and refine a set of constructs, items, and new multi-item measurement scales in order to rigorously evaluate their measurement properties. By drawing upon the literature as well as extensive interviews with expert practitioners, we define and measure the salient infrastructural competencies – termed B2B seller competence (B2B-SC) – associated with the seller-side of Internet-enabled commerce. We find that the conceptual domain of B2B-SC comprises seven theoretically important dimensions: (1) technical skills, (2) change disposition, (3) conflict management, (4) market acuity, (5) coordinated logistics, (6) knowledge channels, and (7) fluid partnering. Operational indicators that tap into constructs pertaining to each B2B-SC dimension are developed through an iterative process. In the second stage, we conduct a field study to more fully assess the measurement properties of item and scale reliability and validity using a covariance structure framework. The results indicate that our new scales exhibit sufficient psychometric properties, which make them useful for theory building, testing, and the refinement of supply chain strategy paradigms in the emerging area of B2B commerce.
Predictive models for multibiometric systems

Recognizing a subject given a set of biometrics is a fundamental pattern recognition problem. This paper builds novel statistical models for multibiometric systems using geometric and multinomial distributions. These models are generic as they are only based on the similarity scores produced by a recognition system. They predict the bounds on the range of indices within which a test subject is likely to be present in a sorted set of similarity scores. These bounds are then used in the multibiometric recognition system to predict a smaller subset of subjects from the database as probable candidates for a given test subject. Experimental results show that the proposed models enhance the recognition rate beyond the underlying matching algorithms for multiple face views, fingerprints, palm prints, irises and their combinations.
Leptin Analog Antagonizes Leptin Effects on Food Intake and Body Weight but Mimics Leptin-Induced Vagal Afferent Activation

A recombinantly produced murine leptin analog (MLA) antagonizes leptin-induced signaling in cell lines that express the long form of the leptin receptor. However, the effects of MLA on the activity of leptin-sensitive neurons and on central neural controls of food intake have not been reported. Here we report effects of MLA on food intake and body weight in adult rats and on the activity of cultured rat vagal afferent neurons. Daily intracerebroventricular coinjection of MLA with exogenous leptin significantly attenuated leptin-induced reduction of 48-h food intake and body weight. Coinjection of MLA with leptin also reduced leptin-induced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in the hypothalamus. In addition, chronic intracerebroventricular MLA infusion over 14 d via osmotic minipumps significantly increased daily food intake, rate of body weight gain, fat-pad mass, and circulating plasma leptin concentrations. Surprisingly, however, MLA did not antagonize leptin-evoked increases in cytosolic calcium concentrations in vagal afferent neurons in primary culture. Rather, MLA itself produced acute activation selectively in leptin-responsive vagal afferent neurons. These data suggest that MLA is an antagonist for the central effects of leptin on food intake and body weight but an agonist at sites where leptin induces acute neuronal activation. This mixed antagonist/agonist action suggests either 1) that the coupling of a single leptin receptor (ObRb) to acute activation of neurons occurs by a signaling mechanism different from those that mediate centrally evoked reductions in food intake and body weight or 2) that acute neuronal activation and centrally induced reductions of food intake and body weight are mediated by different leptin receptor subtypes.
When Stars Shine: The Effects of Faculty Founders on New Technology Ventures

Despite the increasing importance of faculty entrepreneurship to technology diffusion, wealth creation, and economic growth, we know little about the effects that academic faculty turned entrepreneurs have on the performance of new technology ventures. We argue faculty inventors select their most promising projects for commercialization. We further posit that star faculty founders have positive effects on new venture performance, above and beyond that of the average faculty founder. In addition, we develop two contingency hypotheses to unearth specific situations when ‘stars shine.’ We posit that star faculty founders are able to overcome geographic distance to venture capitalists as well as the disadvantages of not being affiliated with a top research university. We test our hypotheses on a broad sample of 238 university-related new technology ventures at 65 U.S. universities. Copyright © 2012 Strategic Management Society.
Peptide Aptamers That Bind to a Geminivirus Replication Protein Interfere with Viral Replication in Plant Cells

The AL1 protein of tomato golden mosaic virus (TGMV), a member of the geminivirus family, is essential for viral replication in plants. Its N terminus contains three conserved motifs that mediate origin recognition and DNA cleavage during the initiation of rolling-circle replication. We used the N-terminal domain of TGMV AL1 as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen of a random peptide aptamer library constrained in the active site of the thioredoxin A (TrxA) gene. The screen selected 88 TrxA peptides that also bind to the full-length TGMV AL1 protein. Plant expression cassettes corresponding to the TrxA peptides and a TGMV A replicon encoding AL1 were cotransfected into tobacco protoplasts, and viral DNA replication was monitored by semiquantitative PCR. In these assays, 31 TrxA peptides negatively impacted TGMV DNA accumulation, reducing viral DNA levels to 13 to 64% of those of the wild type. All of the interfering aptamers also bound to the AL1 protein of cabbage leaf curl virus. A comparison of the 20-mer peptides revealed that their sequences are not random. The alignments detected seven potential binding motifs, five of which are more highly represented among the interfering peptides. One motif was present in 18 peptides, suggesting that these peptides interact with a hot spot in the AL1 N terminus. The peptide aptamers characterized in these studies represent new tools for studying AL1 function and can serve as the basis for the development of crops with broad-based resistance to single-stranded DNA viruses.
Influence of climate model variability on projected Arctic shipping futures

Though climate models exhibit broadly similar agreement on key long-term trends, they have significant temporal and spatial differences due to inter-model variability. Such variability should be considered when using climate models to project the future marine Arctic. Here we present multiple scenarios of 21st-century Arctic marine access as driven by sea ice output from 10 CMIP5 models known to represent well the historical trend and climatology of Arctic sea ice. Optimal vessel transits from North America and Europe to the Bering Strait are estimated for two periods representing early-century (2011–2035) and mid-century (2036–2060) conditions under two forcing scenarios (RCP 4.5/8.5), assuming Polar Class 6 and open-water vessels with medium and no ice-breaking capability, respectively. Results illustrate that projected shipping viability of the Northern Sea Route (NSR) and Northwest Passage (NWP) depends critically on model choice. The eastern Arctic will remain the most reliably accessible marine space for trans-Arctic shipping by mid-century, while outcomes for the NWP are particularly model-dependent. Omitting three models (GFDL-CM3, MIROC-ESM-CHEM, MPI-ESM-MR), our results would indicate minimal NWP potential even for routes from North America. Furthermore, the relative importance of the NSR will diminish over time as the number of viable central Arctic routes increases gradually toward mid-century. Compared to vessel class, climate forcing plays a minor role. These findings reveal the importance of model choice in devising projections for strategic planning by governments, environmental agencies, and the global maritime industry.
Ceratotherium simum (White rhinoceros)

Skin biopsies were grown from two animals of the Souther race maomtained at San Diego Zoo, California. Pairing of chromsomes is arbitrary. Previously this species is reported to have a karyotype of 2n=82 with one less submetacentric pair (1).