cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SymAB: symbol-based address book for the semi-literate mobile user

Developing countries like India are observing an increasing trend in the penetration of mobile phones towards the base of the pyramid (lower strata of the society). This segment comprises of users who are novice and semiliterate and are interested in the basic usage of the mobile phone. This paper explores one of the basic features, the address book for its usability and presents an enhanced symbol-based design to cater for the semi-literate user. The enhancement uses symbols to replace current text based storage and retrieval and also includes a call distribution based address book access to align with the skewed nature of the user's requirements. The results of a preliminary evaluation of the prototype are encouraging regarding the value perceived through the design.
Utilization of Octopine and Nopaline by Agrobacterium

Tests for utilization of d-octopine and nopaline in defined media containing a carbon and nitrogen source were made on 60 strains of Agrobacterium representing four species and on a representative of each of five species of Rhizobium. Among 46 virulent strains of Agrobacterium, only two strains were found which utilized neither compound, while three strains were found which could utilize both. Of the remaining virulent strains, 27 utilized octopine and 14 utilized nopaline. Each of six strains of A. rhizogenes tested utilized only octopine but at a slower rate relative to growth than most A. tumefaciens. All eight of the A. radiobacter strains failed to utilize either compound, as did four of six nonvirulent strains of A. tumefaciens. The rhizobia did not utilize octopine or, with the possible exception of R. japonicum, nopaline. Virulence in the genus Agrobacterium is concluded to be highly correlated with the ability to utilize one or both of these compounds.
Influence of endurance exercise training on distribution of vascular adaptations in rat skeletal muscle

We hypothesized that an exercise training program consisting of treadmill running at 32 m/min up a 15% incline, 90 min/day, 5 days/wk for 12–14 wk, would elicit vascular adaptation in skeletal musc...
‘CHOCOLATE’ AND OTHER KIND TERMS: IMPLICATIONS FOR SEMANTIC EXTERNALISM

How do people manage to refer to chocolate, despite knowing so little about it? Traditional semantic externalism gives a two-part answer, a negative claim that meanings are not determined inside speakers' heads, and a positive claim that meanings are fixed by external factors. This gets the semantics of ‘chocolate’ half right: the negative claim is correct, but the positive claim is not. There is nothing special about ‘chocolate’, and scientifically respectable natural-kind terms also fail to live up to the positive expectations of traditional externalism. However, kind-term indeterminacy is compatible with important advances associated with externalism's de re understanding of kind terms.
The effects of CO2, Nd:YAG and Er:YAG lasers with and without surface coolant on tooth root surfaces. An in vitro study.

Abstract The objective of this study was to compare and contrast the morphologic changes in tooth root surfaces treated in vitro by scaling and root planing followed by irradiation with the Er: YAG laser using air/water surface cooling and the C02 and Nd:YAG lasers, both with and without surface coolant. The experimental unit consisted of 42 freshly extracted teeth which were divided equally and randomly assigned to the following 7 treatment groups: untreated control, S/RP only. CO2 laser with and without air/water surface cooling, Nd:YAG laser with and without/air water surface cooling, and Er:YAG laser with air/water surface coolant. Specimens treated with CO2 laser irradiation were subjected to energy densities ranging from 100 to 400 J/cm2: those treated with the Nd:YAG from 286 to 1857 J/cm2: and the Er:YAG was used within a range of 20 to 120 J/cm2. The degree of morphologic change following CO2 and Nd:YAG irradiation appeared directly related to energy density but unrelated to the use of surface coolant. Laser induced surface changes included cavitation, globules of melted and resolidified mineral, surface crazing, and production of a superficial char layer. In contrast, the Er:YAG laser produced root surface changes that might be expected from acid etching, i.e., removal of the smear layer and exposure of the collagen matrix. In addition, sharply denned microfractures of the mineralized structure were noted and unlike the CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers, there was no evidence of melting or surface char. Given the parameters of this study, it appears that both the CO2 and Nd:YAG lasers alter the root surface in an undesirable manner. The Er:YAG laser, however, when used at low energy densities shows sufficient potential for root surface modification to warrant further investigation.
Remarkable thermodynamic stability toward hydrolysis of tripodal titanium alkoxides

The monomeric titanium(IV) hydroxide complex, LTi(OH) (LH3 = tris(2-hydroxy-3,5-di-tert-butylbenzyl)amine), which is sterically inhibited from condensation to a μ-oxo dimer, cannot be prepared by hydrolysis of the alkoxide, with Keq = 0.012 for hydrolysis of the titanium methoxide in THF.
California Beach Health: Evaluation of Grunion as an Indicator Species

On sandy beaches throughout California, we evaluated three stages of the life cycle of the grunion Leuresthes tenuis for their potential as possible indicators of local ecological health and condition. We examined spawning runs of the adults, embryonic development of the terrestrially incubating eggs, and the viability of hatchlings from multiple spawning runs and beaches over three years. We looked for characteristics that lead to strong runs and high embryo survival on grunion beaches and at changes over time through the season. Using this unique long-term dataset we may be able to assess the strength of the population of this species for the first time over its entire range. We predicted that assessment of differential success of grunion reproduction can provide new indicators for ecological health of sandy beaches. In addition we intend to provide increased scientific justification for establishing best management practices for sandy beaches, to restore and protect the sandy beach habitat for the benefit of wildlife and human visitors.
The economic and environmental impacts of precision agriculture and interactions with agro-environmental policy

A whole-farm model was used to investigate the interacting effects of precision agriculture technology and agro-environmental policy on the production choices of a representative grain farm. Although some precision agriculture technologies did increase efficiency of resource use, they also decreased the effectiveness of policy, especially policies that rely on economic incentives (e.g., emission taxes). Precision agriculture can lead to higher marginal abatement costs in the form of forgone profits, decreasing producers’ responsiveness to those policies. Policy-makers targeting pollution reductions from agriculture should take into account the increasing use of precision agriculture techniques and their varying effects on agro-environmental policy.
Potential Accident Modification Factors for Driveway Density on Rural Highways: From Texas Data

Accident modification factors (AMFs) for driveway density can be described as the incremental effects of driveway density on safety. The objective of this study was to develop AMFs for driveways on rural highways in Texas. Available for evaluation were 2,354 mi of rural two-lane highways and 402 centerline miles of rural four-lane highways. From a review of the data, it is recommended that the assumed base condition for driveway density be three driveways per mile. Negative binomial regression was used to determine the effects of independent variables on crashes. Driveway and segment crashes for 3 years (1999 to 2001) were used in the evaluations. AMF equations that consider driveway density for the segment were developed for both rural two-lane and rural four-lane highways.
Reconstructive procedures for the gynecologic surgeon

In this article are discussed several minor reconstructive pelvic procedures that should be a part of the gynecologic surgeon's armamentarium, specifically the following: Z-plasty, full-thickness skin grafting, skin flaps, W-plasty, and transposition skin flaps. These procedures are essential in both primary reparative and reoperative surgery. These procedures are widely used in other surgical specialties and can be adapted for use in gynecologic surgery.
Impact of an express admit unit on emergency department length of stay.

Background: Express admit units (EAUs) have been proposed as a way to expedite patient flow through the Emergency Department (ED). Objectives: We sought to determine the effect of opening a five-bed EAU unit for temporary placement of admitted patients on our ED length of stay (LOS) and waiting room times (WT). Method: This was a before-and-after interventional study of the 3-month period immediately before (pre-EAU) and after opening (post-EAU) of the EAU. We compared ED LOS and WT for patients admitted and discharged from the ED for both time periods, controlling for daily census and patient acuity. Results: During the post-EAU period, 386 patients (26.2% of total admits) were admitted through the EAU. Overall LOS decreased from 8:21 (interquartile range [IQR] 6:02–11:20) to 7:41 (IQR 5:22–10:16) for all admitted patients (p < 0.001), and from 3:41 (IQR 2:05–5:58) to 3:35 (IQR 2:00–5:55) for the discharged patients (p = 0.025). After controlling for census and acuity, the LOS decreased an average of 10% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6%–14%; p < 0.001) for admitted patients and 4% (95% CI 2%–7%; p = 0.001) for discharged patients. These changes represented a decreased LOS of about 50 and 9 min, respectively. There were no significant differences in WT (0:44; IQR 0:09–2:07 vs. 0:50; IQR 0:11–2:20 for admitted patients and 0:41; IQR 0:09–1:50 vs. 0:41; IQR 0:10–1:47 for discharged patients). However, after controlling for census and acuity, WT decreased 9% (95% CI 1%–16%; p = 0.022) for discharged patients, which represented a decrease of about 4 min. Conclusions: With an EAU, there was a modest improvement in ED LOS despite an overall increase in daily ED volume.
Why use memo for all?: restructuring mobile applications to support informal note taking

Informal note taking is an essential activity in Personal Information Management (PIM). Most mobile devices support this via a suite of applications, employing both highly structured (e.g., calendar, task list, contacts) and loosely structured (e.g., memos) data formats. Contextual interviews and artifact inspections with expert PIM-on-PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) users explored task-to-application mapping. Structured tools were routinely avoided for informal note taking in favor of unstructured ones, even though this made managing the information more difficult. Improved support lies somewhere in between, suggesting the design of an integrated architecture, which links data across all PIM tools and provides a persistent, universal organizational system.
Parental Stress in Families of Children With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities

The level of parental stress in families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities and its association with child comorbid symptoms was studied in an ethnically diverse population, in a cross-sectional study with structured interview. The sample included 50 families of children with autism and 50 families of children with other developmental disabilities, matched by age/gender. Interview included Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, Gastrointestinal Questionnaire, Child Sleep Habits Questionnaire, and Aberrant Behavior Checklist. In this ethnically diverse sample, parental stress was significantly higher for the autism group and for non-Hispanic and US-born mothers. In both study groups, parental stress was related to child irritability. Parental stress was also related to gastrointestinal problems in the autism group and to sleep difficulties in the developmental disabilities group. Targeting child irritability may be particularly important in reducing parental stress for families of children with autism and other developmental disabilities.
Soap film flow visualization investigations of oscillating wing energy harvesters

With increasing population and proliferation of wireless electronics, significant research attention has turned to harvesting energy from ambient sources such as wind and water flows at scales ranging from micro-watt to mega-watt levels. One technique that has recently attracted attention is the application of bio-inspired flapping wings for energy harvesting. This type of system uses a heaving and pitching airfoil to extract flow energy and generate electricity. Such a device can be realized using passive devices excited by aeroelastic flutter phenomena, kinematic mechanisms driven by mechanical linkages, or semi-active devices that are actively controlled in one degree of freedom and passively driven in another. For these types of systems, numerical simulations have showed strong dependence on efficiency and vortex interaction. In this paper we propose a new apparatus for reproducing arbitrary pitch-heave waveforms to perform flow visualization experiments in a soap film tunnel. The vertically falling, gravity driven soap film tunnel is used to replicate flows with a chord Reynolds number on the order of 4x104. The soap film tunnel is used to investigate leading edge vortex (LEV) and trailing edge vortex (TEV) interactions for sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal waveforms. From a qualitative analysis of the fluid structure interaction, we have been able to demonstrate that the LEVs for non-sinusoidal motion convect faster over the airfoil compared with sinusoidal motion. Signifying that optimal flapping frequency is dependent on the motion profile.
Significance of Mitotic Spindle Fibre Orientation in the Neural Tube

CELLS in the neural tube are usually said to divide with their spindle fibres oriented parallel to the luminal surface1. The plane of cleavage is always at right angles to the direction of the spindle fibres2, and so the cleavage between daughter cells would always be perpendicular to the luminal surface of the neural tube.
Autophagosome formation: core machinery and adaptations

Eukaryotic cells employ autophagy to degrade damaged or obsolete organelles and proteins. Central to this process is the formation of autophagosomes, double-membrane vesicles responsible for delivering cytoplasmic material to lysosomes. In the past decade many autophagy-related genes, ATG, have been identified that are required for selective and/or nonselective autophagic functions. In all types of autophagy, a core molecular machinery has a critical role in forming sequestering vesicles, the autophagosome, which is the hallmark morphological feature of this dynamic process. Additional components allow autophagy to adapt to the changing needs of the cell.
The design and use of steerable filters

The authors present an efficient architecture to synthesize filters of arbitrary orientations from linear combinations of basis filters, allowing one to adaptively steer a filter to any orientation, and to determine analytically the filter output as a function of orientation. Steerable filters may be designed in quadrature pairs to allow adaptive control over phase as well as orientation. The authors show how to design and steer the filters and present examples of their use in the analysis of orientation and phase, angularly adaptive filtering, edge detection, and shape from shading. One can also build a self-similar steerable pyramid representation. The same concepts can be generalized to the design of 3-D steerable filters. >
Plasticity of Corticospinal Neural Control after Locomotor Training in Human Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal lesions substantially impair ambulation, occur generally in young and otherwise healthy individuals, and result in devastating effects on quality of life. Restoration of locomotion after damage to the spinal cord is challenging because axons of the damaged neurons do not regenerate spontaneously. Body-weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is a therapeutic approach in which a person with a spinal cord injury (SCI) steps on a motorized treadmill while some body weight is removed through an upper body harness. BWSTT improves temporal gait parameters, muscle activation patterns, and clinical outcome measures in persons with SCI. These changes are likely the result of reorganization that occurs simultaneously in supraspinal and spinal cord neural circuits. This paper will focus on the cortical control of human locomotion and motor output, spinal reflex circuits, and spinal interneuronal circuits and how corticospinal control is reorganized after locomotor training in people with SCI. Based on neurophysiological studies, it is apparent that corticospinal plasticity is involved in restoration of locomotion after training. However, the neural mechanisms underlying restoration of lost voluntary motor function are not well understood and translational neuroscience research is needed so patient-orientated rehabilitation protocols to be developed.
Embryoid and plantlet formation from leaf segments of Dactylis glomerata L.

The purpose of this investigation was to demonstrate callus induction and plantlet formation from cultured leaf segments of 12–15 week-old Dactylis glomerata L. (orchardgrass) plants. Flat half-leaf sections, approximately 2–3 mm square, from the three innermost (youngest) leaves were isolated and individually plated serially beginning at the leaf base on a solid SH medium containing 30 μM of 3,6-dichloro-oanisic acid (dicamba). Callus formed on leaf sections from all 50 plants used in the study. After transfer to SH medium with 1 μM dicamba, plantlets formed from leaf sections of 9 of the 50 plants. In most cases plantlets formed from embryogenic callus but in a few cases embryoids formed directly on the leaf surface without an intervening callus state. These developed into plantlets when transferred to low auxin medium. The response for both callus and plantlet formation decreased with increasing distance both spatially and temporally from the shoot apex. Histological examination of embryogenic callus revealed the presence of non-zygotic embryos in various stages of development. The results provide further support for compentency (if not totipotency) of Gramineae leaf cells.
Voluntary export restraints and strategic technology transfers

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of voluntary export restraints (VERs) in the presence of potential entrants and technology transfers. It builds a model of a licensing game in a Cournot oligopoly market, and examines conditions under which VERs induce restrained foreign firms to transfer technologies to potential suppliers. I show that a VER can decrease the profit and output of the domestic incumbent by perturbing the no-licensing equilibrium reached under free trade and inducing the market to move to a licensing equilibrium.
Thermoreceptors: Recent heat in thermosensation

Every organism with a nervous system can detect changes in temperature. Recent studies on sensory neurons from rats and genetic evidence from nematodes have provided intriguing hints about the molecular basis of thermosensation.
Notch Signaling in Cancer

Notch signaling plays a key role in the normal development of many tissues and cell types, through diverse effects on differentiation, survival, and/or proliferation that are highly dependent on signal strength and cellular context. Because perturbations in the regulation of differentiation, survival, and/or proliferation underlie malignant transformation, pathophysiologic Notch signals potentially contribute to cancer development in several different ways. Notch signaling was first linked to tumorigenesis through identification of a recurrent t(7;9)(q34;q34.3) chromosomal translocation involving the human Notch1 gene that is found in a small subset of human pre-T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL).1 Since this discovery, aberrant Notch signaling has been suggested to be involved in a wide variety of human neoplasms. In this review, we will focus on recent studies linking aberrant Notch signaling with cancer. First, we discuss various mechanisms through which Notch signaling may influence cellular...
Kinetics of organic reactions in micelles

Those features of micellar organization and structure most pertinent to the understanding of micellar catalysis of organic reactions are briefly reviewed. Of crucial importance are the properties of the micelle-water interface: marked hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity as manifested in binding of both organic molecules and ions to the micellar surface; a surface dielectric constant near 35; the high concentration of charged groups at the micellar surface; a water activity near unity; and the presence of functional groups. Those factors contributing to micellar catalysis are reviewed. For nonfunctional micelles, effects are either the consequence of the nature of the reaction medium (activity coefficient effects), the concentration of reactants (entropy effects) or both. Pertinent examples are cited including decarboxylations, phosphate ester hydrolyses, fading of dyes, and addition of cyanide ion to pyridinium ions. Finally, theoretical treatments of micellar catalysis are briefly reviewed, pointing out that equations derived by Berezin and by Romsted account satisfactorily for many features of micelle catalysis.
Renoprotective effects of hepatocyte growth factor in the stenotic kidney.

Renal microvascular (MV) damage and loss contribute to the progression of renal injury in renal artery stenosis (RAS). Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a powerful angiogenic and antifibrotic cytok...
Cooperative deformation of carboxyl groups in functionalized carbon nanotubes

Abstract Functionalized carbon nanotubes have tremendous potential for nanotechnology applications such as in the fabrication of polymeric carbon fibers. However, approaches to design carbon nanotube structures by using functional groups as glue and carbon nanotubes as stiff building blocks to reach superior mechanical strength and toughness at the fiber level with limited amount of materials remains poorly understood. Inspired by the outstanding mechanical properties of spider silk, here we present a bio-inspired structural model of carbon nanotube based fibers connected by weak hydrogen bonds (H-bonds) formed between functional carboxyl groups as the molecular interface. By applying shear loading, we study how the deformation of H-bonds in functional groups is affected by the structural organization of the carboxyl groups, as well as by the geometry of constituting carbon nanotubes. The analysis of H-bond deformation fields is used to compute the extent of significant deformation of inter-CNT bonds, defining a region of cooperativity. We utilize an exponential function (exp (− x / ξ )) to fit the deformation of H-bonds, with the cooperative region defined by the parameter ξ , and where a higher value of ξ represents a weaker exponential decay of displacements of carboxyl groups from the point where the load is applied. Hence, the parameter ξ characterizes the number of carboxyl groups that participate in the deformation of CNTs under shear loading. The cooperativity of deformation is used as a measure for the utilization of the chemical bonds facilitated by the functional groups. We find that for ultra-small diameter CNTs below 1 nm the external force deforms H-bonds significantly only within a relatively small region on the order of a few nanometers. We find that the mechanical properties of carbon nanotube fibers are affected by the organization of H-bonds in functional carboxyl groups. Both, the grouping of functional groups into clusters, and a specific variation of the clustering of functional groups along the CNT axis are shown to be potential strategies to improve the cooperativity of deformation. This allows for a more effective utilization of functional groups and hence, larger overlap lengths between CNTs in fibers. The effect of structural organization of functional groups is not only significant in very small diameter CNTs, but also in larger diameter CNTs as they are most commonly used for engineering applications. Notably larger-diameter CNTs naturally show a larger cooperative deformation range. Our model can be applied to other functional groups attached to CNTs, and could in principle also include strong bonds such as covalent or ionic bonds, or other weak bonds such van der Waals forces or dipole–dipole interactions.
The Kingdoms of Nanzhong China's Southwest Border Region Prior to the Eighth Century

This article utilizes recent ethno-historical scholarship and archaeological discoveries in southwest China to examine the accuracy of the earliest Chinese historical sources dealing with the peoples and cultures in Nanzhong, the most common name for the southwest region (Yunnan, Guizhou, and southern Sichuan) prior to the Tang dynasty. Archaeology makes clear that Nanzhong was a settled border region with several highly sophisticated and divergent cultures. Early Chinese incursions into Nanzhong left an indelible mark on the peoples living there, but these brief and generally unsuccessful forays also influenced the views of China's elites regarding China's relations with this region. Since at least the Qin and Han, China's scholar-officials considered Nanzhong not only as an inhospitable frontier populated with uncivilized barbarians (manyi), but also as a peripheral part of China where intrepid commanders such as Tang Meng in the second century BCE and Zhuge Liang at the beginning of the third century CE had staked China's claim. This article casts doubt on the historical fiction of a staked claim. Cet article s'appuie sur les recherches ethno-historiques et des decouvertes archeologiques recentes pour verifier l'exactitude des sources chinoises les plus anciennes concernant les peuples et les cultures du Nanzhong, comme etait communement appele le Sud-Ouest (le Yunnan, le Guizhou et le sud du Sichuan) avant la dynastie des Tang. L'archeologie montre a l'evidence que le Nanzhong etait une region frontiere habitee, siege de plusieurs cultures hautement sophistiquees et differenciees. Si les premieres incursions chinoises dans le Nanzhong ont laisse une empreinte indelebile sur les populations locales, ces campagnes breves et en general infructueuses ont egalement influence l'opinion des elites chinoises concernant les relations de la Chine avec le Sud-Ouest. Depuis au moins les Qin et les Han les lettres-fonctionnaires chinois consideraient le Nanzhong non seulement comme une frontiere inhospitaliere peuplee de barbares denues de civilisation (manyi), mais aussi comme un territoire peripherique de la Chine ou des generaux intrepides comme Tang Meng au iie siecle avant notre ere et Zhuge Liang au debut du iiie siecle de notre ere avaient etabli des droits pour la Chine. L'article met en doute cette fiction historique d'un droit etabli.
Deletions of a tyrosine tRNA gene in S. cerevisiae

Genetic fine structure analysis of a tyrosine tRNA in yeast revealed that complete deletions of the gene occurred at an unusually high frequency. Among 56 spontaneous mutations at the SUP4 locus, 16 were classified as deletions as judged by their failure to recombine with any other mutations known to map within the gene. Physical analysis of each deletion confirmed the genetic result. The deletions fall into two size classes: ten are 2100 bp deletions and six are 2800 bp deletions. These results imply that the physical structure of the region surrounding the SUP4 locus, which is known to contain short repeated segments, has a direct role in promoting deletions.
Association of hospital trauma designation with admission patterns of injured children.

Background: Little is known about the influence of regionalization of trauma care on pediatric trauma care delivery. The purpose of this study was to estimate whether formal adoption of a statewide trauma system was associated with hospital admission patterns of injured children. Methods: A longitudinal study of children who were residents of Washington State during 1989 to 1999 was conducted. The main outcome measure was hospital admission for trauma. Results: During the 11-year period, there were 24,955 admissions. Admission rates of injured children to pediatric-designated trauma hospitals decreased by 20%, rates at adult-designated hospitals decreased by 60%, and rates at nondesignated hospitals decreased by 66%. Introduction of the trauma system in 1994 was associated with a 12% increase in admission rates to pediatric-designated hospitals, little change (+1%) in admission rates to adult-designated centers, and an 11% decrease in admissions at nondesignated hospitals. Conclusion: Trauma designation in Washington was associated with a shift in admissions from nondesignated hospitals to pediatric trauma hospitals.
Collectivism-individualism and rates of personal violence (suicide and homicide).

Measures of collectivism-individualism from samples of college students in eight nations were not associated with national rates of suicide or homicide.
A unified model for covariate measurement error adjustment in an occupational health study while accounting for non‐detectable exposures

Summary. The paper focuses on an occupational health study where the goal is to associate a worker's true log-normal-scale mean dust exposure over the year with forced expiratory volume. A previous analysis used repeated shift-long dust exposure measurements, taken over a year, as a surrogate to address the issue of the mean exposure being unobservable. However, in this study the associated measurement error is further complicated by the fact that some exposure measurements fall below a detectable limit. We extend the previous analysis via full maximum likelihood, to account appropriately for non-detectable exposures.
Sequential effects in dimensional contrast.

Two experiments examined pigeons' response rates during short trials signaled by stimuli closely spaced along a wavelength continuum. In Experiment 1 separate halves of the continuum were correlated with different reinforcement schedules. In Experiment 2, the middle stimulus was accompanied by a lower probability of reinforcement than were the remaining wavelengths. Both procedures resulted in dimensional contrast “shoulders,” seen as relatively enhanced or depressed response rates in the presence of stimuli between the extreme of the continuum and the border separating the positive and negative stimuli. Sequential analyses addressed possible contributions of the following interactions: (a) local contrast, seen when rate during a given schedule depends on the schedule in the just-preceding trial; (b) modification of local contrast by the similarity of the signaling stimuli (P. Blough, 1983); and (c) schedule-independent rate contrast, seen when rate in a given trial depends on the rate controlled by the stimulus that accompanied the just-preceding trial (Malone & Rowe, 1981). Dimensional contrast functions were similar when isolated according to the schedule, to the similarity of the signaling stimulus, and to the response rate of the just-preceding trial. The interactions noted above do not appear to make important contributions to this effect.
External cephalic version of twin A

Background : When a first twin presents as a breech, cesarean delivery is generally recommended. Vaginal delivery of the first twin as a breech has also been described. However, the option of external cephalic version of the first twin, followed by vaginal delivery, is rarely considered. Cases : We report two cases in which twin A presented as a breech, one at 36 and one at 38 weeks' gestation. In each case, external cephalic version of the first twin was successful, with subsequent vaginal delivery of both twins. Conclusion : External cephalic version of a malpresenting first twin is a management option that can result in successful vaginal delivery.
Educational programs for commercial dairymen

Abstract The number of large dairy herds is increasing. Large herds include more audience groups than do traditional family-owned and operated herds. Every audience group or skill level requires a different educational package; developing these packages may require a different kind of research support that is customarily available. Working on specific problems of large herds is a prerequisite for developing educational programs. It also can add to academic ability to deal with emerging problems, provide training for students and current examples for teaching, increase access to firm-level data, and may afford an opportunity for additional funds. In this paper some innovate educational efforts by different professionals are reviewed; the changing character of Extension work is discussed; and some vehicles for doing user-funded work are compared, with special reference to problems associated with direct consulting.
Charcoal-based hemodiabsorption liver support for episodic type C hepatic encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVES: Episodic (acute) type C hepatic encephalopathy (AHE) fails to respond to 5 days of medical therapy in 10-30% of patients and carries a 10-30% mortality rate. We prospectively studied extracorporeal liver support for AHE failing to respond to medical therapy to assess its safety and efficacy and the role of anticoagulation. METHODS: A series of patients with cirrhosis and AHE failing to respond to at least 24 h of medical therapy underwent a maximum of three 6-h charcoal-based hemodiabsorption (Liver Dialysis Unit) treatments. A standard anticoagulation protocol, with heparin dosing based on activated clotting time (ACT) determinations, heparin dose-response curve, and target ACT of 275-300 s, was developed. Therapy was terminated if patients met a predetermined clinical response, deteriorated, or underwent transplantation. RESULTS: Eighteen patients with grade 2-4 AHE despite 5.9 +/- 3.9 days of medical therapy underwent a mean of 1.6 treatments. In 2.6 +/- 1.9 days, 16 patients (88.9%) improved to less than grade 2 HE or achieved at least a 50% hepatic encephalopathy index (HEI) reduction. Median mental status (grade 2 vs 1, p < 0.05) and HEI (0.634 +/- 0.194 vs 0.363 +/- 0.263, p < 0.005) improved significantly. Survival was 94.4% and 72.2% at 5 and 30 days, respectively. Use of our developed anticoagulation protocol resulted in less platelet (14.2% +/- 2.8% vs 32.5% +/- 5.8%, p < 0.005) and fibrinogen consumption (12.1% +/- 3.5% vs 43.3% +/- 8.6%, p < 0.0005) and blood product use (6.2 +/- 1.8 vs 19.0 +/- 5.6 units, p < 0.05) compared with treatments according to manufacturer's guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Charcoal-based hemodiabsorption treatments in which a standardized anticoagulation protocol is used is safe and effective treatment for AHE not responding to standard medical therapy.
Effect of Air Contaminants on Performance and Quality of Broilers

Abstract INTRODUCTION Influence of contaminants, dust, bacteria, and atmospheric ammonia (NH3) on broiler performance and quality has been pursued by many researchers (see reviews by Lillie, 1970; and Zavaleta and Wilson, 1976). Poultry house dust contains dried feces, feed particles, and feather and epidermal fragments (Koon et al., 1963). Dobie (1964) collected dust from poultry houses and calculated this dust per 1000 cfm for 24 hr was 5.4 g in slatted wall cage houses and 4 times greater in litter houses. The factors of dust, temperature, humidity, and ammonia affect the survival and pathogenicity of certain diseases. Harry and Hemsley (1965) studied coliform populations in deep litter houses and determined wet-mist spraying of litter with formalin reduced populations of coliforms by 99% within 1 day of treatment. Similar results were obtained in 7 days with water and 6 weeks by depopulation of the house. Burmester and Witter (1972) showed that Marek's . . .
Fatigue life estimation of spot welded joints using an interpolation/extrapolation technique

A numerical interpolation/extrapolation technique is presented that can utilize the fatigue life and strength databases of spot welded joints that have been developed by previous researchers. These databases typically included multiple independent variables, such as specimen dimension and type, material property, R-ratio, and welding condition, such as are often encountered in a typical design of experiments approach to testing. In this study, Rule's interpolation technique is modified and a new extrapolation scheme is adopted. The test data for multiaxial ultimate strength of spot welded joints under combinations of tensile and shear force are used to demonstrate the suitability of the interpolation technique in multivariable databases, and the technique is also applied to the calculation of total fatigue life of spot welded joints based on Swellam's experimental data. The results show that the calculations and test values are reasonably matched. This approach is also compared the methods of Swellam and Sheppard.
Evolving role of business process reengineering: a perspective of employers

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze and illustrate the needs and expectations of the industry from a newly hired engineering candidate for an entry‐level position involving business process reengineering (BPR). The paper aims to highlight the changing role and the new emerging face of business process design, analysis, and management, its relevant contents and methodologies, its new role, and emergence of a value of BPR, which has been redefined.Design/methodology/approach – The growing interest and the importance of the role of business processes in organizations have promoted the development and implementation of an undergraduate level course on BPR at Stevens Institute in 2006. This research involved a survey of some potential employers during a recent redesigning of this course. The survey collected information from the employers on how important and relevant are the topics on BPR that are covered in the course for an entry‐level BPR related position.Findings – The findings indicate a st...
Abstract 1902: Aspirin, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) acetaminophen and risk of pancreatic cancer

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Aspirin and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) show indisputable promise as cancer chemoprevention agents. While aspirin and NSAID use have been suggested to lower risk of developing pancreatic cancer, the results of several epidemiological studies are not in consensus. Methods: Using a case-control design, we examined the association between aspirin, NSAID and acetaminophen use and the risk of pancreatic cancer. We enrolled 904 histological or clinically documented pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases, and 1,223 age and gender matched healthy clinic-based controls evaluated at Mayo Clinic from April 2004 and September 2010. All subjects were ≥ 55 years old and self-reported by questionnaire their use of aspirin, NSAIDs, and acetaminophen at ages 41-60, along with extensive epidemiologic and demographic information. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate risk of pancreatic cancer after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: The use of aspirin was associated with a decreased risk of pancreatic cancer. The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) associated with aspirin use ≥ 1 day/month, compared with never or < 1 day/month, was 0.79 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65. 0.96, p = 0.015]. This effect remained significant [OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.58,0.87, p = 0.0008], after adjusting for the potential confounders of body mass index and smoking status (never, former, current). The inverse relationship was stronger among former smokers (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.46, 0.82, p =0.0008) than never and current smokers, although there was not a statistically significant interaction (Pintereaction = 0.333). NSAID and acetaminophen use was not associated with the risk of pancreatic cancer. Conclusions: Results from this large case-control study suggest that aspirin use, but not non-aspirin NSAID use, was associated with lower risk of developing pancreatic cancer and was more pronounced among former smokers than never and current smokers. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1902. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1902
Hexokinase Isoenzymes in Human Erythrocytes

The electrophoretic mobility of hexokinase from human erythrocytes and other tissues was studied with a new method that depends on the fluorescence of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate for detecting enzyme activity on starch gel. The hexokinase of cord-blood erythrocytes has slightly different electrophoretic properties from that of adult red cells. Type I enzyme is split into type I(A) and type I(F); the latter is more intense in cord blood; in hemolyzates of adult blood, the activity of the two bands is usually about equal. No type II enzyme was found in cord blood. The double type I band was present in red cells from adult rabbits.
Ribosyl-diphthamide: confirmation of structure by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

Abstract Diphtheria toxin inactivates protein synthesis elongation factor 2 by attaching ADP-ribose to an unusual post-translational amino acid derivative, diphthamide, in the factor. Previously, we prepared ribosyl-diphthamide from the ADP-ribosyl-factor and proposed on the basis of NMR spectral analysis that it is 1-α- d -ribofuranosyl-2-[3-carboxyamido-3-(trimethylammonio)propyl]histidine [N. J. Oppenheimer, and J. W. Bodley, (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256 , 8579–8581 and op. cit. ]. Now, using fast atom bomardment mass spectrometry, the intact cation of ribosyl-diphthamide has been observed in the gas phase. The theoretical mass of the structure proposed for ribosyl-diphthamide uniquely agrees with the observed mass of the inact cation of the compound to within 2 ppm. Collisional activation decomposition mass spectral analysis provided additional structural confirmation. Thus, although the compound has not been synthesized, all available evidence appears uniquely consistent with the structure of ribosyl-diphthamide previously proposed.
United States Public Response to Terrorism: Fault Lines or Bedrock?1

We test traditional assumptions about the volatility of mass opinion in times of national crises using data about views of terrorism from national surveys of the United States general public in 1995 and 1997, findings from a national survey immediately following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11), and panel data from a follow-up survey in 2002. We compare public assessments of the threat of terrorism, willingness to restrict speech to prevent terrorism, support for employing conventional military force against countries that support terrorism, and levels of certainty about culpability required prior to using military force. Results show stable and measured public views prior to 9/11, immediately following the events of that date, and in the subsequent year. Our findings support democratic and modernist theories of public capacities while challenging long-standing traditional precepts about widespread volatility of mass public opinion.
Changes in glass formation and glass forming ability of Nd2Fe14B by the addition of TiC

Abstract The glass forming ability (GFA) of a stoichiometric Nd2Fe14B alloy modified with TiC additions was studied. Structural, magnetic, and thermal measurements of as-quenched melt-spun ribbons indicate increasing enhancement of GFA with increasing amounts of TiC addition. The limit of the glass formation range and the amount of glass formed at a particular cooling rate also increased with TiC addition. Enhanced GFA was concurrent with changes in the intrinsic properties of the glass. The crystallization temperature, as well as the transformation rate of crystallization, was raised by TiC addition. The intrinsic magnetic properties of the glass were changed with reductions in saturation magnetization and Curie temperature Tc with increasing amounts of TiC addition. The intrinsic glass changes were related to changes in the local short range order of the glass and are consistent with a reduction in free volume and an increased packing efficiency. These changes in local structure of the glass increase the glass stability, which means that less undercooling is needed to prevent crystallization. Thus, at a particular cooling rate, a higher percentage of glass will be formed and the GFA is increased.
Actin Filament Nucleation by Smooth Muscle Leiomodin-1

The formation of new filaments is an essential, but kinetically unfavorable, step in actin cytoskeleton remodeling. In cells nucleation has to be catalyzed by proteins called nucleators that bring together at least two actin monomers and stabilize a polymerization nucleus. Among known filament nucleators Leiomodin (Lmod) is the only one specifically expressed in muscle cells. Lmod is related to the F-actin pointed-end capping protein tropomodulin (Tmod), with which it shares two actin-binding sites: a flexible N-terminal region and a leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain. In addition, Lmod contains a unique C-terminal extension that features a WH2 domain, another actin-binding site.There are three muscle-type specific isoforms of Lmod: smooth muscle Lmod1, cardiac and striated muscle Lmod2, and the fetal isoform Lmod3. To date, only Lmod2 has been shown to nucleate actin filaments. Lmod1 is quite different in sequence from Lmod2 (37% identity, most of which is concentrated in the LRR). Here we demonstrate that despite these differences smooth muscle Lmod1 is also an actin filament nucleator. However its activity and mechanism of nucleation vary significantly from that of Lmod2.
Pre-excitation with Normal PR Intervals: A Case Secondary to Slow Kent Bundle Conduction

His bundle electrograms were recorded in a patient with pre-excitation and normal PR intervals to determine whether conduction was via anomalous A-V connection (Kent bundle) or infranodal bypass (Mahaim tract). During sinus rhythm (62/min) both P-delta and P-H measured 155 msec. With atrial pacing at 70 and 75/min, P-H prolonged while P-delta remained constant. At 80/min, the anomalous pathway failed and the QRS normalized. The effective refractory period (ERP) of the anomalous pathway was 700 msec. In summary, the normal PR interval represented slow Kent bundle conduction. Additional findings of depressed Kent bundle conduction included a prolonged ERP and block at a slow paced rate, implying that tachycardia would be unlikely. In WPW, the functional properties of both normal and anomalous pathways can be determined by His bundle recording and atrial pacing.
Correlation dynamics between electrons and ions in the fragmentation of D 2 molecules by short laser pulses

We studied the recollision dynamics between the electrons and ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+}$ ions following the tunneling ionization of ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ molecules in an intense short pulse laser field. The returning electron collisionally excites the ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+}$ ion to excited electronic states; from there ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}^{+}$ can dissociate or be further ionized by the laser field, resulting in ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}+\mathrm{D}$ or ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}+{\mathrm{D}}^{+},$ respectively. We modeled the fragmentation dynamics and calculated the resulting kinetic-energy spectrum of ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ to compare with recent experiments. Since the recollision time is locked to the tunneling ionization time which occurs only within a fraction of an optical cycle, the peaks in the ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ kinetic-energy spectra provide a measure of the time when the recollision occurs. This collision dynamics forms the basis of the molecular clock where the clock can be read with attosecond precision, as first proposed by Corkum and co-workers. By analyzing each of the elementary processes leading to the fragmentation quantitatively, we identified how the molecular clock is to be read from the measured kinetic-energy spectra of ${\mathrm{D}}^{+}$ and what laser parameters are to be used to measure the clock more accurately.