cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Noise-tolerant similarity search in temporal medical data.

Abstract Temporal medical data are increasingly integrated into the development of data-driven methods to deliver better healthcare. Searching such data for patterns can improve the detection of disease cases and facilitate the design of preemptive interventions. For example, specific temporal patterns could be used to recognize low-prevalence diseases, which are often under-diagnosed. However, searching these patterns in temporal medical data is challenging, as the data are often noisy, complex, and large in scale. In this work, we propose an effective and efficient solution to search for patients who exhibit conditions that resemble the input query. In our solution, we propose a similarity notion based on the Longest Common Subsequence (LCSS), which is used to measure the similarity between the query and the patient’s temporal medical data and to ensure robustness against noise in the data. Our solution adopts locality sensitive hashing techniques to address the high dimensionality of medical data, by embedding the recorded clinical events (e.g., medications and diagnosis codes) into compact signatures. To perform pattern search in large EHR datasets, we propose a filtering approach based on tandem patterns, which effectively identifies candidate matches while discarding irrelevant data. The evaluations conducted using a real-world dataset demonstrate that our solution is highly accurate while significantly accelerating the similarity search.
Combined Surgical Approach to Young Adults with Hip Dysplasia and Concomitant Intra-Articular Pathology Using Intra-Abdominal Monitoring.

Background Combined hip arthroscopy and periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) allows for treatment of intra-articular hip pathology with simultaneous correction of acetabular version and femoral head coverage in patients with symptomatic hip dysplasia. Currently, scant data is available to surgeons regarding optimal technique, sequence of repair, perioperative management, and the use of intra-abdominal monitoring in patients undergoing these combined procedures. The purpose of this study is to describe a two-surgeon, muscle-sparing, approach for sequential hip arthroscopy and PAO for the treatment of adults with acetabular dysplasia and concomitant intra-articular hip pathology. Methods In this article, we present the indications for combined hip arthroscopy and PAO, in addition to patient set-up and positioning. A detailed discussion of hip arthroscopy and a muscle sparing PAO techniques are then presented, with overview of a novel intra-abdominal pressure monitoring technique and post-operative rehabilitation protocol. Results Through technical refinement and experience, our indications and protocol for the treatment of patients with symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with concomitant intra-articular hip pathology involves a refined and reproducible, two surgeon procedure utilizing hip arthroscopy followed by PAO. The use of intra-abdominal monitoring allows for assessment of intra-peritoneal pressures to monitor for the development of abdominal compartment syndrome secondary to fluid extravasation. Conclusion The performance of concomitant hip arthroscopy and PAO for concurrent hip dysplasia and intra-articular hip pathology represents an increasingly common approach in hip preservation surgery. The hip arthroscopy and muscle-sparing PAO protocol using intra-abdominal monitoring described here serves to further refine and advance the indications and technical aspects of this challenging procedure.Level of Evidence: V.
Experimental evaluation of super-resolution imaging and magnification choice in single-particle cryo-EM.

Abstract The resolution of cryo-EM reconstructions is fundamentally limited by the Nyquist frequency, which is half the sampling frequency of the detector and depends upon the magnification used. In principle, super-resolution imaging should enable reconstructions to surpass the physical Nyquist limit by increasing sampling frequency, yet there are few reports of reconstructions that do so. Here we directly examine the contribution of super-resolution information, obtained with the K3 direct electron detector using a 2-condenser microscope, to single-particle cryo-EM reconstructions surpassing the physical Nyquist limit. We also present a comparative analysis of a sample imaged at four different magnifications. This analysis demonstrates that lower magnifications can be beneficial, despite the loss of higher resolution signal, due to the increased number of particle images obtained. To highlight the potential utility of lower magnification data collection, we produced a 3.5 A reconstruction of jack bean urease with particles from a single micrograph.
Enhancing the reduction of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes during traditional salami processing by adding a finishing phase

Abstract The main objective of this study was to quantify reduction of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes during salami production phases. Salami batter was prepared, inoculated with Salmonella and L. monocytogenes, stuffed into casings (50 and 80 mm), and subjected to four processing trials (A-D). Trials A/B included fermentation (32 °C, 95% RH, 24 h) and drying (15 °C, 72% RH, 31 d). Trials C/D were identical except 80 mm salami were dried 60 d and both diameters completed an additional finishing phase (21 °C, 50% RH, 20–30 d). After drying, pathogen populations were reduced by 5.4 and > 4.9 log CFU/g of Salmonella and L. monocytogenes, respectively. Results confirmed fermentation and drying may be insufficient to achieve pathogen reduction but demonstrated a finishing phase can be an effective lethality strategy.
MRI Radiomic Features of Radiation Induced Cardiac Toxicity and the Effects of c-GAS/STING Signaling

Purpose/Objective(s) The mechanism of late cardiac toxicity after radiation treatment is not well understood, and the ability to evaluate and predict this toxicity would be of great clinical value. We sought to identify radiomic features of cardiac MRI that were associated with cardiac toxicity after radiation treatment in wild type mice and a c-GAS/STING knockout model that has previously been shown to be resistant to radiation induced cardiac toxicity. Materials/Methods All protocols were approved by our institution's animal care and use committee. Cardiac irradiation was delivered to adult wild type C57BL/6 and commercially available CGAS−/- strains using a precision small animal irradiator. At 28 and 84 days after treatment, cardiac MRI was acquired with retrospective gating. The heart was segmented using open-source software. Gabor edge features, which are directionally sensitive edge detectors, were extracted for each segmented voxel using an angle of 90° and bandwidth of √2, which roughly corresponds to the voxel spacing in the MR images. The Gabor edges strengths were summarized within heart and left ventricle using first order (mean, standard deviation, skewness, and kurtosis) features. Two-tailed T tests were used to compare features between radiation treatment versus sham treatment along with the 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the difference between the group means. Results A total of 42 MRI scans were analyzed and features in the left ventricle myocardium were found to be associated with irradiation. There were significant differences in Gabor skewness (P = 0.037, CI 0.015 to 0.46) and Gabor kurtosis (P = 0.034, CI 0.13 to 3.0) in irradiated compared to sham treated wild type mice. There was no significant difference in Gabor mean edges (P = 0.060, CI -4.1 to 0.091) or Gabor SD (P = 0.25, CI -4.3 to 1.2) after irradiation. In the radioresistant CGAS−/−strain, only Gabor skewness showed a significant difference in irradiated versus sham treated mice (P = 0.007, CI 0.14 to 0.72). Conclusion We identified Cardiac MRI features that were associated with radiation induced damage. These may represent structural and/or functional changes in the left ventricle as a result of radiation induced inflammation and fibrosis. In this preliminary study, it is notable that only one of the two features associated with irradiation in wild type mice was significant in the radioresistant CGAS−/−strain. Further studies are planned to determine how these imaging features correlate with inflammation, fibrosis, and functional impairment of the heart after radiation treatment. In addition to better understanding the physiology of radiation induced cardiac toxicity, MRI radiomic analysis after cardiac exposure to radiation could be explored for clinical application.
An initial biochemical and cell biological characterization of the mammalian homologue of a central plant developmental switch, COP1

Constitutive photomorphogenic 1 (COP1) has been defined as a central regulator of photomorphogenic development in plants, which targets key transcription factors for proteasome-dependent degradation. Although COP1 mammalian homologue has been previously reported, its function and distribution in animal kingdom are not known. Here we report the characterization of full-length human and mouse COP1 cDNAs and the genomic structures of the COP1 genes from several different species. Mammalian COP1 protein binds to ubiquitinated proteins in vivo and is itself ubiquitinated. Furthermore, mammalian COP1 is predominately nuclear localized and exists primarily as a complex of over 700 kDa. Through mutagenesis studies, we have defined a leucine-rich nuclear export signal (NES) within the coiled-coil domain of mammalian COP1 and a nuclear localization signal (NLS), which is composed of two clusters of positive-charged amino acids, bridged by the RING finger. Disruption of the RING finger structure abolishes the nuclear import, while deletion of the entire RING finger restores the nuclear import. Our data suggest that mammalian COP1, similar to its plant homologue, may play a role in ubiquitination. Mammalian COP1 contains a classic leucine-rich NES and a novel bipartite NLS bridged by a RING finger domain. We propose a working model in which the COP1 RING finger functions as a structural scaffold to bring two clusters of positive-charged residues within spatial proximity to mimic a bipartite NLS. Therefore, in addition to its well-characterized role in ubiquitination, the RING finger domain may also play a structural role in nuclear import.
The eosinophilia of magnesium deficiency.

Experimental magnesium deficiency has been produced by dietary means in intact and adrenalectomized rats. The numbers and distributions of eosinophiles and mast cells were studied. 1. Adrenal ablation produced a mild blood eosinophilia and the numbers of mast cells were reduced in peritoneal fluid. Tissue eosinophilia was not observed. 2. Magnesium deficiency in both intact and adrenalectomized rats is accompanied by an extremely high blood eosinophilia. Concurrently the numbers of peritoneal fluid eosinophiles increased while the numbers of peritoneal mast cells decreased. 3. Massive infiltration of eosinophiles into the lung, submaxillary gland and mesenteric lymph nodes were observed in all magnesium deficient groups. Mast cells were found in the liver sinusoids and spleen of adrenalectomized, magnesium deficient animals of the chronic phase where these cells are not normally present.
EFFECTS OF DIETARY MAGNESIUM AND FLUORIDE ON THE MAGNESIUM CONTENT OF TISSUES FROM GROWING CHICKS.

Two factorial experiments were conducted in which the effect of supplemental magnesium and fluoride on the magnesuim content of plasma (total and diffusible), bone, muscle, heart, liver and kidney were determined. Bone, liver and total and diffusible plasma magnesium were greater in birds fed diets containing high levels of both magnesium and fluoride than in birds fed diets high in either magnesium or fluoride alone. Muscle magnesium did not vary greatly with the dietary treatments and the magnesium content of the heart was remarkably constant. Previous work in this laboratory has shown that the addition of high levels of both magnesium and fluoride to the diets of growing chicks caused a greater reduc tion in growth rate than the addition of high levels of either magnesium or fluoride alone (1, 2). Leg weakness and reduced bone ash were observed in the birds fed high magnesium-high fluoride diets but not in birds fed diets high in either ele ment alone. The lack of a rapid and accurate method of analysis for magne sium limited the amount of information obtained on magnesium distribution in the earlier studies. The acquisition of an atomic absorption spectrophotometer which facilitates rapid, precise and accu rate analysis made it possible to deter mine the influence of dietary magnesium and fluoride levels on the distribution of magnesium in various tissues. Two experiments were conducted to determine: 1), the normal magnesium content of chick plasma, bone, liver, kid ney, muscle and heart; 2), the effects of excess dietary magnesium and fluoride on the magnesium content of the above tis sues; and 3), the effects of excess dietary magnesium and fluoride on the distribu tion of total and diffusible magnesium in the blood plasma. EXPERIMENTAL
Systems and decision support issues in network pricing

The primary objective of a business is to provide quality products and services to customers, and through this to make a profit as a strongly related objectives measure. Many organizations fail to make an appropriate profit because they do not know how to price their products or services. Pricing is the critical element in achieving a profit and is a factor that all firms should seek to control. In order to set prices appropriately, a firm must understand their products, the market for these, production and distribution costs, and the competition. Especially with the growth of the Internet and electronic commerce networks, the marketplace responds very rapidly to technological advances and international competition. Thus, the need to be continually sensitive to the many factors that affect pricing, and to be ready to adjust organizational behavior appropriately, is greater than ever. Here, we present a literature review and overview of this important subject and related pricing decision support issues.
ManyInsights: A visual analytics approach to supporting effective insight management

Although significant progress has been made towards effective insight discovery in visual analytics systems, there are few effective approaches for managing the large number of insights generated in visual analytics processes. This paper presents ManyInsights, a multidimensional visual analytics prototype that integrates several novel insight management approaches proposed by the authors in their previous work. These approaches include insight annotation, browsing, retrieval, organization, and association. This paper also reports a long-term case study that evaluated ManyInsights with a domain expert, realistic analytic tasks, and real datasets.
Production of a Subtracted cDNA Library

For some experiments, a complete cDNA library is unnecessary and instead, a subtracted cDNA library is useful. A subtracted cDNA library contains cDNA clones corresponding to mRNAs present in one cell or tissue type and not present in a second type. This cDNA library is used to isolate a set of cDNA clones corresponding to a class of mRNAs, or to aid in the isolation of a cDNA clone corresponding to a particular mRNA where the screening procedure for the cDNA clone is laborious because a specific DNA or antibody probe is unavailable. Since relatively few recombinants are obtained after subtraction, this protocol is for a cDNA library constructed in the lambda>10 vector or its equivalent, which allows a high cloning efficiency and permits elimination of nonrecombinants; however, the protocol can be used to produce subtracted cDNA libraries in any vector system.
Adenoacanthoma of the uterus

Abstract Adenoacanthoma is an uncommon tumor of the uterus. This tumor apparently arises as a metaplastic change in the cylindrical cells of an adenocarcinoma of the body of the uterus. The prognosis in these cases is poor and appears to lie midway between that of a carcinoma of the body of the uterus and a carcinoma of the cervix.
Requirement of RecBC enzyme and an elevated level of activated RecA for induced stable DNA replication in Escherichia coli.

During SOS induction, Escherichia coli cells acquire the ability to replicate DNA in the absence of protein synthesis, i.e., induced stable DNA replication (iSDR). Initiation of iSDR can occur in the absence of transcription and DnaA protein activity, which are both required for initiation of normal DNA replication at the origin of replication, oriC. In this study we examined the requirement of recB, recC, and recA for the induction and maintenance of iSDR. We found that recB and recC mutations blocked the induction of iSDR by UV irradiation and nalidixic acid treatment. In recB(Ts) strains, iSDR activity induced at 30 degrees C was inhibited by subsequent incubation at 42 degrees C. In addition, iSDR that was induced after heat activation of the RecA441 protein was abolished by the recB21 mutation. These results indicated that the RecBC enzyme was essential not only for SOS signal generation but also for the reinitiation of DNA synthesis following DNA damage. recAo(Con) lexA3(Ind-) strains were found to be capable of iSDR after nalidixic acid treatment, indicating that the derepression of the recA gene and the activation of the elevated level of RecA protein were the necessary and sufficient conditions for the induction of iSDR.
Application and US History of Fair Use: Implications for Writing Teachers

Writing teachers have always been the experts on plagiarism. However, the technology of the internet, along with increased awareness of copyright issues by stakeholders has added a separate trajectory to how we teach legal and ethical use of others' materials. The writing practices that our students engage in along with our pedagogy and curriculum choices, are shaped by a legal-infrastructure that includes the Fair Use Doctrine. Our understanding and knowledge of the Fair Use Doctrine should become as second nature to us as is our understanding of the rules and practices of anti-plagiarism. Fair Use must become part of the everyday writing classroom curriculum. In the digital writing classroom, Fair Use determinations must by made as students compose on computers that disseminate texts through networks. As teachers, researchers, and experts of writing, the discourse of Fair Use should be as much ours as is the discourse of plagiarism. We can equip students with the literacies they need as digital writers, and we can make the discourse of Fair Use ours by situating the doctrine within the composing process and legal infrastructure, by explicitly teaching Fair Use, and by modeling Fair Use behavior. Sample web policy and syllabi language is provided.
Signal transduction mechanisms in mesenchymal cells.

Mesenchymal cells are continually stimulated by a wide spectrum of biological mediators. These mediators bind to receptors on the cell surface and initiate a cascade of signaling events. The initial signal transduction pathways known to be stimulated in mesenchymal cells include phospholipase C, phospholipase D, phospholipase A2, adenylate cyclase, receptor tyrosine kinases, and receptor serine/threonine kinases. These pathways are reviewed and specific applications for therapeutic intervention in wound healing and regenerative therapy in the periodontium are discussed.
A conversation with Dr Christina Puchalski

Dr Christina Puchalski is Founder and Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health and Associate Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Health Care Sciences at the George Washington University, Washington DC, USA. She has pioneered the development of numerous educational programmes for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate medical education in spirituality and medicine. Her spirituality curriculum at the George Washington University was one of the first in the country and received the John Templeton Award for Spirituality and Medicine. Since 1996, she has been directing an award programme for medical school curricula in spirituality and health nationally. Her research interests and expertise include the role of spirituality in health and end-of-life care, the role of clergy in health and end-of-life care, and evaluation of education programmes in spirituality and medicine. Dr Puchalski is Co-Chair of a national education conference co-sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) and Course Co-Director of Harvard Medical School and the Mind/Body Medical Institute's annual Spirituality & Healing in Medicine conference. Dr Puchalski has been published widely in peer-reviewed journals as well as other national journals and media outlets. She is the recipient of the AAMC and Pfizer's Award for the Medical Humanities Initiative 1999 and the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey's faculty Humanism in Medicine Award 2001. Dr Puchalski's work in the field of spirituality and medicine encompasses the clinical, the academic and the pastoral application of her research and insights. She and her work have been featured widely in the press and other media both nationally and internationally. Copyright © 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd.
Predicting school dropout and adolescent sexual behavior in offspring of depressed and nondepressed mothers.

ABSTRACT Objective To examine predictors of school dropout and adolescent sexual behavior in offspring of depressed and nondepressed mothers. Possible moderators of the relation between maternal depression and these outcomes also were explored. Method Participants were 240 mothers and adolescents assessed annually from 6th through 12th grade. Interviews and questionnaires measured the chronicity and severity of the mother's depressive episodes, the mother's educational attainment, socioeconomic status, the presence of a father, the adolescent's IQ, externalizing behaviors, and substance use disorders. Results Substance use disorders before ninth grade significantly predicted higher rates of both school dropout and adolescent sexual behavior. Lower levels of mother's educational attainment and higher rates of adolescent's externalizing behaviors in grades 6 through 8 predicted higher school dropout. Higher IQ was associated with a lower likelihood of dropping out among offspring of never or moderately depressed mothers, but not for offspring of chronic/severely depressed mothers. Among offspring of never or moderately depressed mothers, the presence of a male head of household was associated with lower rates of adolescent sexual behavior, but not among offspring of chronically/severely depressed mothers. Conclusions These findings have implications for the development of programs aimed at preventing behavior problems in high-risk adolescents.
Urologic Assessment of Decreasing Renal Function

The discussion of renal failure as it relates to urology is largely a discussion of obstructive uropathy. Obstructive uropathy has been identified in multiple series to account for approximately 10% of all cases of renal failure. On a total population scale, autopsy series have shown the prevalence of hydronephrosis in 3% of men and women who are younger than 65 years and 6% of men older than 65 years. When benign prostatic hypertrophy and renal stone disease are considered, obstructive uropathy is also one of the most common indications for surgery. In this review, the different causes of obstructive renal insufficiency and management options available are discussed.
Panacea or Placebo: The Historical Quest for Medications to Treat Depression

Background: Over the years, there have been many advances in contemporary medicine and the ability to treat depression with medications. However, some innovative practices in medical treatments appear less than ideal when viewed from a historical perspective. Aims: It is important for health care professionals to appreciate the risks and limitations of a biological approach to an emotional disorder. Conclusions: If professionals can learn from past mistakes, they can better evaluate the merits of contemporary treatments.
Actin filament bundles are associated with fiber gap junctions in the primate lens.

Abstract A unique association between actin filament bundles and gap junctions in cortical fiber cells of human and monkey lenses was studied with thin-section electron microscopy and immunocytochemistry. Thin-section electron microscopy showed that distinct layers of filament bundles (∼ 55 nm thick) were consistently associated with fiber gap junctions (∼ 16 nm thick) from intermediate to deep cortical regions in both species studied. The filament bundle was composed of 6-8 nm microfilaments which lay along both cytoplasmic surfaces of the junction. Fluorescence microscopy revealed a patchy pattern of F-actin labeling along the fiber cell membranes in the intermediate and deep cortical regions of the lens. The size and distribution pattern of F-actin labeling appear to correlate well with those of filament bundles/gap junctions seen in thin-section electron microscopy. By immunoelectron microscopy, the anti-actin antibody was shown to be localized to filament bundles/gap junctions in the intermediate cortical fibers of human lens, indicating that filament bundles are F-actin in nature. The identical filament bundle/gap junction association was not found in other species examined, including rodent, bird and fish, by the same procedure, suggesting that an association between actin bundles and gap junctions has a special functional role in the primate lens. It is proposed that gap junction-associated actin bundles may provide added structural stability for the primate lens.
Phase equilibria from the one-fluid model

Abstract The prediction of possible phase behaviour in binary fluid mixtures is discussed in the context of the Scott and van Konynenberg scheme. We show that the corresponding states one-fluid model for Lennard-Jones mixtures gives qualitative agreement with experiment.
Rhizobium-synthesized phytotoxin: An inhibitor of β-cystathionase in Salmonella typhimurium

Abstract Rhizobitoxine, a phytotoxin synthesized by Rhizobium japonicum, inhibited the growth of Salmonella typhimurium wild-type and methionine-requiring mutant me-B on a medium supplemented with cystathionine. Neither strain was inhibited by the toxin when the medium was supplemented with homocysteine or methionine. Salmonella β-cystathionase was inhibited by very low concentrations of rhizobitoxine. Cystathionine γ-synthase and Neurospora γ-cystathionase were also inhibited, but at toxin concentrations 1000 times higher. These results indicate that growth inhibition is caused by a methionine deficiency induced by rhizobitoxine inhibition of β-cystathionase.
Erratum: Eigenfunction solution of the scattering of beam radiation fields by spherical objects

The theoretical analysis of the scattering of a beam by a spherical object centered on the propagation axis is treated exactly. For both conducting and dielectric bodies, those cases of sphere radii smaller than, equal to, and larger than that of the beam are analyzed numerically and the power radiated in the far zone is obtained. The difference between the scattering of a beam wave and that of a plane wave is discussed.
Human Rights in Central Eurasia: The Unexpected Sides of Economic Growth and Authoritarian Rule

Economic booms and busts alike may reinforce authoritarian tendencies. But between those extremes, tensions and pressures for reform of the economies of the Central Eurasian states could contribute to human rights improvements.
Cell attachment assay as a measure of thawed cell viability

Abstract A quantitative assay of the viability of cells recovered from the frozen state, based upon the ability of these cells to attach to the surface of the culture containers, is described. This assay method is not regarded as a replacement for other methods in common use, since the ability of cells to attach to a surface provides a measure of viability different from either dye exclusion or rate of growth. Cell attachment is measured by inoculating a known number of thawed cells into a culture container and counting the number of unattached or floating cells 1 day later and again 4 days later. A formula is derived for determining the total number of attached cells (at). The techniques described provide for recovery of a maximal percentage of thawed cells.
Bridged and linear dilithioacetylenes - Two minima on the potential energy surface?

Abstract Vibrational frequency calculations at the 6–31G * , 6–31G and STO-3G levels in addition to an STO-3G basis set with only a 1s orbital on lithium reveal that both bridged and linear dilithioacetylenes are minima on the potential energy surface.
The Economic Impacts of Restricting Agricultural Uses of Manure on Hog Farms in Southern Seaboard

ABSTRACT EPA in December, 2000 proposed rules that would bring more livestock operations under regulation and restrict manure application more closely to crop nutrient needs. This paper, using individual whole-farm modeling applied to survey data, assessed the impacts of the proposed regulation on hog farms in the Southern Seaboard region. Results showed impacts would be particularly severe on large-size farms (over 2,500 pigs) applying manure to Bermuda hay. Feeding hogs a phytase diet that reduces phosphorous in manure reduced the income loss for farms with limited acres for applying manure.
Halide acid pretreatments of photocatalysts for oxidation of aromatic air contaminants: rate enhancement, rate inhibition, and a thermodynamic rationale

Abstract The effects of chlorine radical generation during the photocatalytic oxidation of aromatic contaminants in air can be significant. Previous studies have shown that cofeeding chlorinated olefins (TCE, PCE) may increase the removal of branched aromatics (toluene, xylenes), presumably by initiating chlorine radical chain reactions. Hydrochloric acid catalyst pretreatments produce a similar enhancement of aromatic conversions. However, both approaches were ineffective for rate enhancement toward benzene, while hydrobromic and hydriodic acid pretreatments diminished the photocatalytic oxidation of both benzene and toluene. The present study broadens this halide acid inquiry to include hydrofluoric acid catalyst pretreatments and to examine halide acid influences on the removal of m-xylene as well. Only HCl pretreatments enhanced activity, and only for the branched aromatics (toluene and m-xylene). These results appear consistent with a thermodynamic analysis proposed here, which indicates that (1) fluorine radical generation is not energetically feasible under the conditions considered, (2) bromine and iodine radical generation is energetically feasible, but the radicals are insufficiently reactive to initiate the degradation of aromatics, and (3) chlorine radicals are predicted to be sufficiently energetic to abstract hydrogen from the methyl groups of branched aromatics, but not from the more strongly bound hydrogen atoms on the aromatic ring. These calculations are all in accord with our experimental results for the photocatalytic oxidation aromatics. The consistency of these thermodynamic arguments is also further support for the presumed halide radical pathway for rate enhancement.
Do‐not‐call as the US Government's improvement to telemarketing efficiency

Under what might be one of the most well‐known new consumer protection activities in the USA, people can register their phone numbers with the “Do‐not‐call” registry that assures to block most commercial telemarketing calls. While it is hard to find a member of the general public who is opposed to the program, the telemarketing companies claim that it would cause a massive loss of jobs and some legal scholars assert that it violates provisions of the US Constitution. However, the regulation could actually improve telemarketing practice and the general efficiency of the business, making it more profitable.
Experiences of Young Bisexual Women in Lesbian/Bisexual Groups on MySpace

This exploratory study examined Topic threads in Lesbian/Bisexual Groups on MySpace to examine how young biwomen self-identify in online exchanges with other bisexuals and lesbians, as well as what attitudes and beliefs about bisexuality emerge from those exchanges. Four Topic threads from three Groups suggested that young biwomen use social networking sites to connect with others and create inclusive communities for biyouth. Although acceptance of bisexuality was strongly endorsed by many, they were sometimes met with antagonism from their lesbian peers. Together with lesbian allies, they were able to challenge such prejudice but remain keenly aware of its existence.
Strategies for Effective Use of Technology in Face-to-Face and Hybrid University Level Courses to Improve Student Learning

The purpose of this paper is to 1 briefly discuss the definitions of face-to-face learning, hybrid learning, and related terms concerning the continuum of technology-based learning methods as proposed by Bates 2001 and Bates and Poole 2003; 2 introduce effective uses of technology in face-to-face and hybrid university level courses; and 3 discuss justifications based in research literature for the use of technology to enhance student learning. Technological recommendations include use of multimedia technologies; interactive white boards; and course management systems. This review of literature discusses both theoretical and research based articles and includes empirical studies showing the relationship between effective use of technology and student. The main focus of this paper is to introduce strategies for effective use of technology in both face-to-face and hybrid-style university level courses. This paper is intended for higher-education instructors in both face-to-face and hybrid-style instructional contexts.
Severe hypoxemia in the absence of blood loss depresses hepatocellular function and up-regulates IL-6 and PGE2

Abstract Although hepatocellular function is depressed early after trauma and hemorrhage (which are associated with low flow conditions and tissue hypoxemia), it remains unknown whether hypoxemia without blood loss, produces hepatocellular dysfunction and, if so, whether IL-6 and PGE 2 are associated with this dysfunction. To study this, rats were placed in a plastic box which was flushed with a gas mixture containing 6.3% O 2 :93.7% N 2 or room air for 60 min, followed by their return to room air. At 0 and 4 h after hypoxemia, hepatocellular function (i.e., maximum velocity of indocyanine green clearance ( V max ) and the efficiency of the transport ( K m )) was measured using an in vivo hemoreflectometer. Cardiac output was assessed by dye dilution technique. Tissue microvascular blood flow was determined by laser Doppler flowmetry. Plasma IL-6 and PGE 2 were measured by bioassay and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The results indicate that hypoxemia produced a depression in hepatocellular function (i.e., decreased V max by 44–50% and K m by 55–68%) despite stable cardiac output and hepatic microcirculation at 0 and 4 h after hypoxemia. Moreover, hypoxemia resulted in a significant increase in plasma IL-6 (by 372%–389%) as well as PGE 2 (by 38% at 0 h post-hypoxemia). Thus, hypoxemia observed after trauma and hemorrhagic shock appears to be responsible for producing hepatocellular dysfunction possibly through the up-regulation of IL-6 and PGE 2 . In view of this, long-lasting hypoxemia in trauma victims should be avoided, perhaps by early intubation and ventilation so that the potential additional proinflammatory cytokine and PGE 2 release can be prevented.
Expression and function of a novel isoform of Sox5 in malignant B cells

a b s t r a c t Using a mouse model with the tumor suppressor TRAF3 deleted from B cells, we identified Sox5 as a gene strikingly up-regulated in B lymphomas. Sox5 proteins were not detected in normal or premalignant TRAF3 −/− B cells even after treatment with B cell stimuli. The Sox5 expressed in TRAF3 −/− B lymphomas
A genetic analysis of CRM negative mutants at the td locus of Neurospora crassa

The possibility that primary CRM − isolates at the td locus of Neurospora crassa are multisite lesions has been examined. By comparing the behavior of primary CRM − mutants to known multisite CRM − mutants in the genetic tests of recombination and reversion, it can be concluded that primary CRM − mutants are not multisite. The genetic implications of a CRM − and CRM + mutant have been discussed.
Financing Education and Training in Central and Eastern Europe: A New Social Contract.

This paper analyzes the changing roles of the state, enterprises and individuals with regard to the financing of education and training services during the economic transition in Central and Eastern Europe. It argues that the state is not in a position to mobilize adequate resources to preserve the quality of existing education systems and to adapt them to the new realities of a market economy. The paper calls for a new alliance between the state, enterprises and individuals aiming at sharing the financial burden of education and training. Basic economic principles such as efficiency and equity are used to justify the proposed recommendations.
Testing of Flexible Ballutes in Hypersonic Wind Tunnels for Planetary Aerocapture

Studies were conducted for the In-Space Propulsion (ISP) Ultralightweight Ballute Technology Development Program to increase the technical readiness level of inflatable decelerator systems for planetary aerocapture. The present experimental study was conducted to develop the capability for testing lightweight, flexible materials in hypersonic facilities. The primary objectives were to evaluate advanced polymer film materials in a high-temperature, high-speed flow environment and provide experimental data for comparisons with fluid-structure interaction modeling tools. Experimental testing was conducted in the Langley Aerothermodynamics Laboratory 20-Inch Hypersonic CF4 and 31-Inch Mach 10 Air blowdown wind tunnels. Quantitative flexure measurements were made for 60 degree half angle afterbody-attached ballutes, in which polyimide films (1-mil and 3- mil thick) were clamped between a 1/2-inch diameter disk and a base ring (4-inch and 6-inch diameters). Deflection measurements were made using a parallel light silhouette of the film surface through an existing schlieren optical system. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these results as well as free-flying testing techniques being developed for both an afterbody-attached and trailing toroidal ballute configuration to determine dynamic fluid-structural stability. Methods for measuring polymer film temperature were also explored using both temperature sensitive paints (for up to 370 C) and laser-etched thin-film gages.
High‐temperature elastomers: A systematic series of linear poly(carborane–siloxane)s containing icosahedral ( ? CB10H10C ? ) cages. II. Thermo‐oxidative behavior

A study of oxidative instability versus molecular structure for a systematic series of well-defined linear poly(carborane-siloxane)s is reported. These polymers form the backbone components of the most recently developed high-temperature elastomers. The basic structure is where (1) x = 1, 3, 4, 5, ∞ (2) A = endgroups (reactive and inert); (3) Z = meta-carborane, para-carborane (for x = 3); (4)R = CH3, R = C2H4CF3 (for x = 3), one in five R's = C6H5 with the remainder CH3 (for x = 4); (5) molecular weight = ∼10,000, ∼50,000 (for x = 3). Thermomechanical spectra in air (∼1 cps) from 130°C 625°C 130°C at 3.6°C/min, thermogravimetric data from 25°C 700°C in air (3.6°C/min), and differential thermal analysis data from 25°C ∼450°C in air (15°C/min) are presented. Thermo-oxidative stability is discussed in terms of structure, and broad categories of behavior are defined.
Association of menopausal vasomotor symptoms with increased bone turnover during the menopausal transition.

The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal association between menopausal vasomotor symptoms (VMS) and urinary N-telopeptide level (NTX) according to menopausal stage. We analyzed data from 2283 participants of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a longitudinal community-based cohort study of women aged 42 to 52 years at baseline. At baseline and annually through follow-up visit 8, participants provided questionnaire data, urine samples, serum samples, and anthropometric measurements. Using multivariable repeated-measures mixed models, we examined associations between annually assessed VMS frequency and annual NTX measurements. Our results show that mean adjusted NTX was 1.94 nM of bone collagen equivalents (BCE)/mM of creatinine higher among early perimenopausal women with any VMS than among early perimenopausal women with no VMS (p < .0001). Mean adjusted NTX was 2.44 nM BCE/mM of creatinine higher among late perimenopausal women with any VMS than among late perimenopausal women with no VMS (p = .03). Among premenopausal women, VMS frequency was not significantly associated with NTX level. When NTX values among women with frequent VMS (≥6 days in past 2 weeks) were expressed as percentages of NTX values among women without frequent VMS, the differences were 3% for premenopausal women, 9% for early perimenopausal women, 7% for late perimenopausal women, and 4% for postmenopausal women. Adjustment for serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level greatly reduced the magnitudes of associations between VMS and NTX level. We conclude that among early perimenopausal and late perimenopausal women, those with VMS had higher bone turnover than those without VMS. Prior to the final menstrual period, VMS may be a marker for risk of adverse bone health. © 2011 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Differentiation of viable and nonviable myocardium after acute reperfusion using serial thallium-201 imaging.

Abstract This study was performed to determine if differences in regional myocardial thallium clearance rates could differentiate salvaged from nonsalvaged myocardium after reperfusion. Twenty-one dogs underwent 2 hours of left anterior descending coronary artery ligation followed by reperfusion. Thallium was administered 5 minutes later and serial images were acquired over 3 hours. Of the 21 dogs, 15 had infarctions of which nine had initially reduced anterior wall thallium activity (group 1) and six had normal or increased activity (group 2). Six dogs did not have an infarction (group 3). All group 1 dogs demonstrated reduced clearance rates in the anterior wall ( T 1 2 = 15.0 ± 4.7 hours , SD) compared to the posterior wall ( T 1 2 = 9.0 ± 4.4 hours ; p ). Group 2 dogs demonstrated increased clearance rates in the anterior wall ( T 1 2 = 5.7 ± 2.0 hours ) compared to the posterior wall ( T 1 2 = 10.5 ± 4.6 hours ; p ). Group 3 dogs demonstrated no difference in clearance rates. In conclusion, although thallium uptake is frequently reduced in nonsalvaged myocardium, tracer uptake can be normal or increased if perfusion has been completely restored. However, an increased clearance rate from the reperfused zone compared to the normal zone is a reliable indicator of nonsalvaged myocardium, despite normal initial thallium uptake.
Direct High Affinity Modulation of Connexin Channel Activity by Cyclic Nucleotides

Connexin channels mediate molecular communication between cells. However, positive identification of biological ligands that directly and noncovalently modulate their activity has been elusive. This study demonstrates a high affinity inhibition of connexin channels by the purine cyclic monophosphates cAMP and cGMP. Purified homomeric connexin-32 and heteromeric connexin-32/connexin-26 channels were inhibited by exposure to nanomolar levels of the nucleotides prior to incorporation into membranes. Access to the site of action, or affinity for the nucleotides, was greatly reduced following incorporation of the connexin channels into membranes, where inhibition required millimolar concentrations of the nucleotides. The high affinity inhibition did not occur with similar concentrations of AMP, ADP, ATP, cTMP, or cCMP. This is the first report of a direct ligand effect on connexin channel function. The high affinity and specificity of the inhibition suggest a biological role in control of connexin channels and also may lead to the application of affinity reagents to study of connexin channel structure-function.
Setting sample size to ensure narrow confidence intervals for precise estimation of population values.

Background:Sample sizes set on the basis of desired power and expected effect size are often too small to yield a confidence interval narrow enough to provide a precise estimate of a population value.Approach:Formulae are presented to achieve a confidence interval of desired width for four common st
Extraction of Phospholipids from Structured Dry Egg Yolk

Chicken egg yolk is a concentrated source of phospholipids (PL). Extracting egg PL with high efficiency is vital to the availability and economics of this high-valued lipid product. In this study, two types of structured dry egg yolk materials, yolk flakes and pellets, were prepared. Two commonly used solvents, hexane and ethanol, were tested on the extraction of total yolk lipids including the PL. The PL fraction was obtained by the conventional cold acetone precipitation. The drum-dried yolk flakes were shown to be an ideal starting material for total lipid and PL extraction. Anhydrous ethanol can extract almost all the neutral lipids and PL with little change to the individual components of the native PL. A PL product with a purity of more than 90 % and a yield of 99 % can be prepared using this method.
Implementation of Membership Function using Spatial Wave-Function Switched FETs

Spatial wave-function switched field effect transistor (SWSFET) switches the current flow between different channels inside the FET based on the applied voltage in its gate terminal. SWSFET can be used to implement multi-valued logic circuit with less number of circuit elements. Recently we presented unipolar inverter circuit using SWSFET. In this paper we develop a circuit model of SWSFET based on BSIM 3.2.0 and BSIM 3.2.4 and implement membership function using that circuit model of SWSFET. The spatial wave-function switched field effect transistor (SWSFET) has two or three low band-gap quantum well channels inside the substrate of the semiconductor. Applied voltage at the gate region of the SWSFET, switches the charge carrier concentration in different channels from source to drain region. A circuit model of SWSFET is developed in BSIM 3.2.0. Membership function is implemented using the circuit model of the SWSFET. Membership function implementation using less number of SWSFET will reduce the device co...
Energy Use and Quality of Foods Cooked by Different Appliances.

This study was designed to compare the energy consumption, cooking time, and quality of five foods cooked by procedures adapted for several electric appli ances. Appliances studied included electric range surface units and oven, induc tion cooktop, electric frypan, microwave oven, and toaster oven. “Stovetop- type” methods (range surface units, induction cooktop, and electric frypan) used for foods typically cooked in the oven saved considerable energy and sometimes required significantly less time than oven cooking, thereby illustrating the practi cality of adapting traditional cooking procedures to somewhat nontraditional procedures that are less “energy intensive.” The induction cooktop, an appliance predicted to be a major method of surface cooking in the future, was among the most energy-conserving cooking appliances. For most of the products studied, cooking treatment had little impact on overall quality.