cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk for occupational stress among U.S. kindergarten teachers

Abstract The 2011–12 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) was used to examine occupational stress, occupational commitment, and intention to remain in teaching in a nationally representative sample of U.S. kindergarten teachers (n = 744). Teachers who perceived classroom resources as sufficient to meet demands, tended to report they would become a teacher again (86.5%) and reported intentions to remain in the profession (87.6%). However, of teachers who perceived classroom resources as insufficient to meet classroom demands, only 50.2% reported they would become teachers again, and only 61.4% reported they intended to remain in the profession. Logistic regression was used to examine teacher responses to these items while controlling for school- and teacher-level covariates. Teachers perceiving sufficient resources were more likely to report they would become teachers again and intended to remain in teaching (odds ratios = 2.612, 1.863) while teachers perceiving insufficient resources were much less likely (odds ratios = 0.324, 0.327).
Supporting software evolution through feedback on executing/skipping energy tests for proposed source code changes

Abstract With the increasing use of battery‐powered devices comes the need to test mobile applications for energy consumption and energy issues. Unfortunately, energy testing is expensive because i...
A Simple Variable Focus Lens for Field-Emitter Cathodes

We present the design and initial test results for a simple, variable-focus solenoidal lens with integrated emittance filtering. The design was developed as a first-iteration injection optics solution for transport of a beam from a field-emitter cathode into a dielectric laser accelerator structure. The design is easy to fabricate and, while based on permanent magnets, can be readily modified to allow for remote control of the focal length. The emittance is controlled via a selection of collimating irises. The focal length can be changed by altering the spacing between the two permanent ring magnets. This allowed us to focus a 1.6 μA beam to a 10 μm spot size.
Addressing intimate partner violence with female patients with chronic physical disabilities: the role of physical therapists

Background: Women with disabilities are at heightened risk of intimate partner violence, experiencing higher rates of physical and sexual violence than women without disabilities. Women with disabi...
Renal double negative T cells: unconventional cells in search of a function.

In studying the role of adaptive immunity in disease, investigators have focused extensively on CD8 + T cells (effector T cells) and CD4+ T cells (helper T cells). For many years, double negative (DN) T cells (CD4− CD8−) have been neglected by immunologists due to their overall rarity and lack of clear expression markers, making them difficult to study.
Speech and Safety in Tracheostomy Patients Receiving Mechanical Ventilation: A Systematic Review

Objective To synthesize evidence of the safety and effectiveness of phonation in patients with fenestrated tracheostomy tubes. Methods PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched. The research question was, "Are fenestrated tracheostomy tubes a safe and effective option to facilitate early phonation in patients undergoing tracheostomy?" Studies of fenestrated tracheostomy tubes were assessed for risk of bias and quality of evidence. Data were abstracted, cross-checked for accuracy, and synthesized. Results Of the 160 studies identified, 13 met inclusion criteria, including 6 clinical studies (104 patients), 6 case reports (13 patients), and 1 nationwide clinician survey. The primary indications for a tracheostomy were chronic ventilator dependence (83%) and airway protection (17%). Indications for fenestrated tracheostomy included inaudible phonation and poor voice intelligibility. Patients with fenestrated tubes achieved robust voice outcomes. Complications included granulation tissue (6 patients [5%]), malpositioning (1 patient [0.9%]), decreased oxygen saturation (3 patients [2.6%]), increased blood pressure (1 patient [0.9%]), increased peak pressures (2 patients [1.7%]), and air leakage (1 patient [0.9%]); subcutaneous emphysema also occurred frequently. Patient-reported symptoms included shortness of breath (4 patients [3.4%]), anxiety (3 patients [2.6%]), and chest discomfort (1 patient [0.9%]). Conclusions Fenestrated devices afford benefits for speech and decannulation but carry risks of granulation, aberrant airflow, and acclimation challenges. Findings highlight the need for continued innovation, education, and quality improvement around the use of fenestrated devices.
Contemporary outcomes of infrapopliteal atherectomy with angioplasty versus balloon angioplasty alone for critical limb ischemia.

Abstract Objective Limited data exist comparing atherectomy (At) with balloon angioplasty for infrapopliteal peripheral arterial disease. The objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of infrapopliteal At with angioplasty vs angioplasty alone in patients with critical limb ischemia. Methods This is a retrospective, single-center, longitudinal study comparing patients undergoing either infrapopliteal At with angioplasty or angioplasty alone for critical limb ischemia, between January 2014 and October 2017. The primary outcome was primary patency rates. Secondary outcomes were reintervention rates, assisted primary patency, secondary patency, major adverse cardiac events, major adverse limb events, amputation-free survival, overall survival, and wound healing rates. Data were analyzed in multivariate generalized linear models with log rank tests to determine survival in Kaplan-Meier curves. Results There were 342 infrapopliteal interventions, 183 percutaneous balloon angioplasty (PTA; 54%), and 159 atherectomies (At) with PTA (46%) performed on 290 patients, with a mean age of 67 ± 12 years; 61% of the patients were male. The PTA and At/PTA groups had similar demographics, tissue loss (79% vs 84%; P = .26), ischemic rest pain (21% vs 16%; P = .51), mean follow-up (19 ± 9 vs 20 ± 9 months; P = .32), mean number of vessels treated (1.7 ± 0.8 vs 1.9 ± 0.8; P = .08) and the mean lesion length treated (6.55 ± 5.00 cm vs 6.02 ± 4.00 cm; P = .08), respectively. Similar 3-month (96 ± 1% vs 94 ± 1%), 6-month (85 ± 2% vs 86 ± 3%), 12-month (68 ± 3% vs 69 ± 4%), and 18-month (57 ± 4% vs 62 ± 4%) primary patency rates were seen in the two groups (P = .87). At/PTA patients had significantly higher reintervention rates as compared with the PTA patients (28% vs 16%; P = .02). Similar assisted primary patency rates (67 ± 4% vs 69 ± 4%; P = .78) and secondary patency rates (61 ± 4% vs 66 ± 4%; P = .98) were seen in the PTA and At/PTA groups at 18 months. The 30-days major adverse cardiac event rates (3% vs 2%; P = .13) and 30-day major adverse limb event rates (5% vs 4%; P = .2) were similar in both groups. Wound healing rates (72 ± 3% vs 75 ± 2%; P = .12), 1-year amputation-free survival (68 ± 4.1% vs 70 ± 2%; P = .5), and 1-year overall survival (76 ± 4% vs 78 ± 4%; P = .39) rates did not differ in the PTA and At/PTA groups. THE At/PTA group had higher local complication rates (7 [4%] vs 1 [0.5%]; P = .03) Conclusions At with angioplasty provides similar patency rates compared with angioplasty alone for infrapopliteal peripheral arterial disease, but associated with higher reintervention and local complication rates. Further appropriately designed studies are required to determine the exact role of At in this subset of patients.
Recruiting and Enrolling Rural Students: A Model for Increasing Diversity in STEM

The Rural and Diverse Student Scholars Program at George Mason University is a strategic initiative to recruit and retain rural and diverse Virginia students in STEM majors. A grant facilitated a partnership between an academic college and the Office of Admissions, enabling new recruiting methods to be tested. In this article we describe these recruitment efforts, summarize the outcomes, and share lessons learned. We observed themes of family involvement, finances, and perceived opportunity as relevant to this population’s decision to enroll. Our experience recruiting for this program may inform other institutions that desire to diversify their student body in STEM.
Microbiology and Risk Factors for Hospital-Associated Bloodstream Infections Among Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients.

Background Children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are at high risk for hospital-associated bloodstream infections (HA-BSIs). This study aimed to describe the incidence, microbiology, and risk factors for HA-BSI in pediatric HSCT recipients. Methods We performed a single-center retrospective cohort study of children and adolescents (<18 years of age) who underwent HSCT over a 20-year period (1997-2016). We determined the incidence and case fatality rate of HA-BSI by causative organism. We used multivariable Poisson regression to identify risk factors for HA-BSI. Results Of 1294 patients, the majority (86%) received an allogeneic HSCT, most commonly with umbilical cord blood (63%). During the initial HSCT hospitalization, 334 HA-BSIs occurred among 261 (20%) patients. These were classified as gram-positive bacterial (46%), gram-negative bacterial (24%), fungal (12%), mycobacterial (<1%), or polymicrobial (19%). During the study period, there was a decline in the cumulative incidence of HA-BSI (P = .021) and, specifically, fungal HA-BSIs (P = .002). In multivariable analyses, older age (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.06), umbilical cord blood donor source (vs bone marrow; IRR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.19-2.40), and nonmyeloablative conditioning (vs myeloablative; IRR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.21-2.82) were associated with a higher risk of HA-BSIs. The case fatality rate was higher for fungal HA-BSI than other HA-BSI categories (21% vs 6%; P = .002). Conclusions Over the past 2 decades, the incidence of HA-BSIs has declined among pediatric HSCT recipients at our institution. Older age, umbilical cord blood donor source, and nonmyeloablative conditioning regimens are independent risk factors for HA-BSI among children undergoing HSCT.
A survey of public datasets for computer vision tasks in precision agriculture

Abstract Computer vision technologies have attracted significant interest in precision agriculture in recent years. At the core of robotics and artificial intelligence, computer vision enables various tasks from planting to harvesting in the crop production cycle to be performed automatically and efficiently. However, the scarcity of public image datasets remains a crucial bottleneck for fast prototyping and evaluation of computer vision and machine learning algorithms for the targeted tasks. Since 2015, a number of image datasets have been established and made publicly available to alleviate this bottleneck. Despite this progress, a dedicated survey on these datasets is still lacking. To fill this gap, this paper makes the first comprehensive but not exhaustive review of the public image datasets collected under field conditions for facilitating precision agriculture, which include 15 datasets on weed control, 10 datasets on fruit detection, and 9 datasets on miscellaneous applications. We survey the main characteristics and applications of these datasets, and discuss the key considerations for creating high-quality public image datasets. This survey paper will be valuable for the research community on the selection of suitable image datasets for algorithm development and identification of where creation of new image datasets is needed to support precision agriculture.
Costimulation Blockade in Vascularized Composite Allotransplantation

Vascular composite allotransplantation (VCA) is a field under research and has emerged as an alternative option for the repair of severe disfiguring defects that result from infections or traumatic amputation in a selected group of patients. VCA is performed in centers with appropriate expertise, experience and adequate resources to effectively manage the complexity and complications of this treatment. Lifelong immunosuppressive therapy, immunosuppression associated complications, and the effects of the host immune response in the graft are major concerns in VCA. VCA is considered a quality of life transplant and the risk-benefit ratio is dissimilar to life saving transplants. Belatacept seems a promising drug that prolongs patient and graft survival in kidney transplantation and it could also be an alternative approach to VCA immunosuppression. In this review, we are summarizing current literature about the role of costimulation blockade, with a focus on belatacept in VCA.
The Limbic System

The term limbic system usually designates the following anatomically interconnected structures: the hypothalamus, the amygdala, the hippocampus, the septal area, and the cingulate gyrus. From a functional point of view, this classification can be justified by the fact “that many, if not all, of the effects produced by stimulation and lesions of the extrahypothalamic limbic structures can be replicated by stimulation or lesions of the hypothalamus” (Isaacson 1982, p. 2).
Dietary proteins that influence nonheme iron bioavailability, iron status, and plasma total antioxidant status

The objective of the first was to isolate and characterize beef muscle proteins that enhance nonheme iron bioavailability. Beef sirloin was cooked, lyophilized and reconstituted with water prior to in vitro digestion. Following centrifugation, the digest supernatant was sequentially ultrafiltered using lOK and 1K molecular weight cut-off membranes. Nonheme iron bioavailability was assessed by Caco-2 cell monolayer ^'^Fe uptake using an extrinsic labeling method. Cell iron uptake was 45.2% and 56.5% higher (p<0.05) with the I-kDa retentate (IKR) as compared to the 10-kDa retentate and 1-kDa filtrate, respectively, and 2to 5-fold greater than the blank (p<0.05) and iron-nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) (p<0.001), respectively. Thus, the IKR was chosen for further analysis. Immobilized metal affinity chromatography of the 1KR yielded a series of four peaks: three distinct peaks (PI, P3, P4) and one with a few closely associated peaks (P2). Peptides in P1-P4 increased (p<0.00l) iron solubility at pH 6 as compared to the blank; 2.1, 3.6, 4.7 and 4.4-fold, respectively. When compared to NTA, P1-P4 were found to enhance ^"^Fe uptake by 3to 5-fold (p<0.01). Iron uptake with P2 and P4 was also significantly greater than the blank (p<0.05). Gel electrophoresis illustrated that PI-P4 each contained many peptides ranging from 1to 5-kDa. Matri.\ Assisted Laser Desorption lonization-Time of Flight analysis confirmed these findings. Amino acid composition analysis revealed that histidine concentration increased progressively in P1-P4. Our results suggest that enhancement of nonheme iron absorption by beef may be due to peptides produced during gastrointestinal digestion and that histidine content may be important.
Point mutations in Escherichia coli DNA pol V that confer resistance to non-cognate DNA damage also alter protein–protein interactions

Y-family DNA polymerases are important for conferring cellular resistance to DNA damaging agents in part due to their specialized ability to copy damaged DNA. The Escherichia coli Y-family DNA polymerases are encoded by the umuDC and dinB genes. UmuC and the cleaved form of UmuD, UmuD', form UmuD'2C (pol V), which is able to bypass UV photoproducts such as cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 6-4 thymine-thymine dimers, whereas DinB is specialized to copy N(2)-dG adducts, such as N(2)-furfuryl-dG. To better understand this inherent specificity, we used hydroxylamine to generate a random library of UmuC variants from which we then selected those with the ability to confer survival to nitrofurazone (NFZ), which is believed to cause N(2)-furfuryl-dG lesions. We tested the ability of three of the selected UmuC variants, A9V, H282P, and T412I, to bypass N(2)-furfuryl-dG in vitro, and discovered that pol V containing UmuC A9V has overall modestly better primer extension activity than WT pol V, whereas the UmuC T412I and UmuC H282P mutations result in much lower primer extension efficiency. Upon further characterization, we found that the ability of the UmuC variant A9V to render cells UV-mutable is dependent on the proper length of the arm of UmuD'. Cells harboring UmuC variants T412I and H282P show enhanced cleavage of UmuD to form UmuD', which, together with our other observations, suggests that this may be due to a disruption of a direct interaction between UmuC and UmuD. Thus, we find that protein interactions as well as protein conformation appear to be crucial for resistance to specific types of DNA damage.
Management of the mature cataract.

The mature cataract may represent one or both of two clinical entities. The cortical mature cataract (Fig. 7.1) has opaque, milky white, (potentially) liquefied cortex that, at surgery, obscures the red reflex and the nature of the underlying lens nucleus. The nuclear mature cataract (Fig. 7.2a,b) contains an ultra-firm and visibly dark lens nucleus in which an epinucleus cannot be easily delineated and little to no cortex remains; it may consist virtually of “rockhard” nuclear lens material and lens capsule. Given that a very dark cataract can obscure the red reflex and that a white cataract may harbour an ultra-dense nucleus, there may be crossover between the two entities. Mature cataracts pose certain challenges to the surgeon and add surgical outcome risks to patients. Because phacoemulsification may be anything but routine in these cases, ophthalmologists have historically considered alternaManagement of the Mature Cataract
Biomimicry of social foraging bacteria for distributed optimization: Models, principles, and emergent behaviors

In this paper, we explain the social foraging behavior of E. coli and M. xanthus bacteria and develop simulation models based on the principles of foraging theory that view foraging as optimization. This provides us with novel models of their foraging behavior and with new methods for distributed nongradient optimization. Moreover, we show that the models of both species of bacteria exhibit the property identified by Grunbaum that postulates that their foraging is social in order to be able to climb noisy gradients in nutrients. This provides a connection between evolutionary forces in social foraging and distributed nongradient optimization algorithm design for global optimization over noisy surfaces.
Immunohistochemical characterization of axonal sprouting in mice

Purpose Transgenic manipulation of mouse physiology facilitates the preclinical study of genetic risk factors, neural plasticity, and reactive processes accompanying Alzheimer's disease. Alternatively, entorhinal cortex lesions (ECLs) model pathophysiological denervation and axonal sprouting in rat. Given reports of anatomical differences between the mouse and rat hippocampus, application of the ECL paradigm to transgenic mice first requires comprehensive characterization of axonal sprouting in the wild-type. Methods Adult male C57BL/6 mice sustained unilateral transections of the perforant pathway. Subjects were sacrificed at 1, 4, 10, 18, and 28 days postlesion, and hippocampal sections were stained for AChE, the postsynaptic terminal marker drebrin, and the presynaptic terminal proteins SNAP-25, GAP-43, synapsin, and synaptophysin. To examine synaptic turnover and reinnervation, ipsilateral-to-contralateral staining densities were determined within the dentate molecular layer, and shrinkage-corrected ratios were compared to 28 day-yoked sham cases. Results At 28 days postlesion, ipsilateral terminal marker densities exhibited significant depression. In contrast, qualitative analyses at earlier time points suggested altered AChE staining patterns and increased SNAP-25 and synapsin immunoreactivity in the inner molecular layer (IML) of the dentate gyrus. Conclusions C57BL/6 mice exhibit synaptic reorganization following perforant path transections. The IML may provide a key target for evaluation and intervention in ECL mouse models.
On Sliding Control for Multi-Input Multi-Output Nonlinear Systems

Sliding control has been well developed for single-input single-output (SISO) systems, or quasi-SISO systems, in which the sliding condition is a single inequality, or a set of decoupled inequalities. It is also well understood for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems when certain types of structural information on the dynamics, such as conservation of energy, are available. This paper analyzes, in the general MIMO case, conditions on the system's parametric uncertainties for the existence of control inputs which keep sliding conditions satisfied. The development is illustrated with a simple example.
Regulation of sialic acid metabolism in Escherichia coli: role of N-acylneuraminate pyruvate-lyase.

In Escherichia coli, synthesis of sialic acid is not regulated by allosteric inhibition mediated by cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuNAc). Evidence for the lack of metabolic control by feedback inhibition was demonstrated by measuring the intracellular level of sialic acid and CMP-NeuNAc in mutants defective in sialic acid polymerization and in CMP-NeuNAc synthesis. Polymerization-defective mutants could not synthesize the polysialic acid capsule and accumulated ca. 25-fold more CMP-NeuNAc than the wild type. Mutants unable to activate sialic acid because of a defect in CMP-NeuNAc synthetase accumulated ca. sevenfold more sialic acid than the wild type. An additional threefold increase in sialic acid levels occurred when a mutation resulting in loss of N-acylneuraminate pyruvate-lysase (sialic acid aldolase) was introduced into the CMP-NeuNAc synthetase-deficient mutant. The aldolase mutation could not be introduced into the polymerization-defective mutant, suggesting that any further increase in the intracellular CMP-NeuNAc concentration was toxic. These results show that sialic acid aldolase can regulate the intracellular concentration of sialic acid and therefore the concentration of CMP-NeuNAc. We conclude that regulation of aldolase, mediated by sialic acid induction, is necessary not only for dissimilating sialic acid (E.R. Vimr and F. A. Troy, J. Bacteriol. 164:845-853, 1985) but also for modulating the level of metabolic intermediates in the sialic acid pathway. In agreement with this conclusion, an increase in the intracellular sialic acid concentration was correlated with an increase in aldolase activity. Direct evidence for the central role of aldolase in regulating the metabolic flux of sialic adid in E. coli was provided by the finding that exogenous radiolabeled sialic acid was specifically incorporated into sialyl polymer in aldolase-negative strain but not in the wild type.
Nutritional effects ofArtemia from different locations on larval development of crabs

1. Four crabs,Rhithropanopeus harrisii, Hexapanopeus angustifrons, Libinia emarginata andCallinectes sapidus, were reared from the egg to the first crab stage on freshly hatchedArtemia salina nauplii from two sources: salt pools in California, and the Great Salt Lake in Utah. All larvae showed better survival on California nauplii than on Utah nauplii. The crab larvae fed on California nauplii showed normal development, whereas allR. harrisii megalopa and someH. angustifrons showed a particular set of abnormalities. 2. There is evidence that the difference in normality and survival of developmental stages of the four species of crabs may be due to a difference in the quantity of DDT inArtemia nauplii from California and from Utah. There was approximately three times as much DDT inArtemia nauplii from Utah as in the nauplii from California. The nature of the abnormalities which appeared in larvae fed on Utah nauplii resembled DDT poisoning which has been reported in juvenile and adult crabs.
Chapter 4 Military operations research

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses military operations research (OR). Military OR is concerned with the preparation for and the fighting of wars. Military OR problems frequently take the form of arranging some kind of defense to prevent a target from being attacked. The chapter describes certain problems arising in peacetime MOR, along with some of the techniques used to solve them. Emphasis is placed on the material that illustrates unique aspects. The principle for selecting material is biased. Military organizations have vast logistics, inventory, scheduling, and personnel problems. The operations research method depends strongly on the most fundamental aspects of the scientific outlook. Essential to the successes are skepticism, energy and ingenuity in digging for facts, deep thought and imagination in discerning the purpose of an operation and how to measure effectiveness, and persistence and caution in seeking operational improvements.
Impacted Fractures in the Proximal Portion of the Proximal Phalanx of the Finger

1. A ten-year-follow-up of sixty-eight patients with impacted fractures in the proximal third of the proximal phalanx in the hand (forty-one in children, twenty-seven in adults) revealed that two of six children over age ten had malunion with loss of significant flexion and extension of the proximal interphalangeal joint; of seventeen adults, nine had malunion and seven, first seen more than five weeks after injury, had angulation of 25 to 70 degrees with significant loss of both flexion and extension at the proximal interphalangeal joint. 2. The commonest causes of malunion were immobilization of the digit in insufficient flexion at the metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints, permitting loss of reduction and acceptance of oblique rather than true lateral roentgenograms for evaluation of angulation in fractures of the proximal phalanx, both before and after reduction. 3. Impacted fractures of the proximal portion of the proximal phalanx in the hand are more common in children than in adults. In younger children, residual angulation of 30 degrees or less should remodel without significant disability. 4. Uncorrected angulation of 25 degrees or more in the adult or older child usually results in loss of both flexion and extension of the proximal interphalangeal joint, aside from any adherence of tendon apparatus adjacent to the fracture site. 5. Fractures of the proximal phalanx in the hand should be immobilized with the wrist in functional extension, the metacarpophalangeal and proximal inter phalangeal joints flexed to a functional position and with the finger tip positioned three to four centimeters from the palm. 7. An open-wedge osteotomy with bone graft from the distal end of the radius or of the ulna is described for early malunion; and, transverse osteotomy with internal fixation may be necessary for older deformities and when osseous shortening is indicated.
MRSA—the tip of the iceberg

ABSTRACT Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains cause serious nosocomial infections all over the world. Overall, approximately 20% of S. aureus isolates in Europe are reported as methicillin-resistant, whereas in US hospitals the prevalence ranges from 33% to 55%. The past few years have also witnessed an increase in life-threatening community-acquired infections caused by Panton–Valentine leukocidin-producing MRSA in the USA. Increasing use of glycopeptides for treatment of community-acquired MRSA infections may result in higher rates of glycopeptide resistance. Since 1996, five vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA; vancomycin MIC=8–16 mg/L) strains have been identified in Europe, Asia and the USA, and vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA) strains (vancomycin MIC ≥ 32 mg/L) have also been reported in the USA between 2002 and 2005. Most infections with VISA and VRSA have occurred in a setting of heavy prior use of glycopeptides and other antimicrobial agents. Emergence of reduced vancomycin susceptibility in S. aureus increases the possibility that currently available antimicrobial agents may become ineffective for treating systemic infections, especially bacteraemia, endocarditis and osteomyelitis. Ceftobiprole is a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin with expanded activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including MRSA. Ceftobiprole is refractory to the development of endogenous resistance both in vitro and in vivo. The additional activity of ceftobiprole against MRSA strains makes it a potentially important addition to currently available agents.
Evaluation of two amine-functionalized cyclodextrins as chiral selectors in capillary electrophoresis : Comparisons to vancomycin

Abstract Two different amine-functionalized β-cyclodextrins were evaluated as chiral selectors in capillary electrophoresis. The first selector was a monosubstituted 6-ethylenediamine-derivatized β-cyclodextrin, and the other was quaternary ammonium hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin. The former compound was more widely useful as a chiral selector and had less effect on the electroosmotic flow than the latter compound. Both tended to resolve anionic compounds. The primary attractive interaction between these host chiral selectors and their enantiomeric guests were charge–charge (ionic) and hydrophobic inclusion. Additional interactions involved hydrogen bonding and/or steric repulsions. The cationic cyclodextrins were not as widely useful in resolving anionic compounds as was vancomycin. However, they tended to be more stable and were comparatively transparent to near-UV light.
Ribonucleases as Novel Chemotherapeutics: The Ranpirnase Example

Ranpirnase, a cytotoxic ribonuclease from the frog Rana pipiens, is the archetype of a novel class of cancer chemotherapeutic agents based on homologs and variants of bovine pancreatic ribonuclease (RNase A). Ranpirnase in combination with doxorubicin is in clinical trials for the treatment of unresectable malignant mesothelioma and other cancers. The putative mechanism for ranpirnase-mediated cytotoxicity involves binding to anionic components of the extracellular membrane, cytosolic internalization, and degradation of transfer RNA leading to apoptosis. The maintenance of ribonucleolytic activity in the presence of the cytosolic ribonuclease inhibitor protein is a key aspect of the cytotoxic activity of ranpirnase. The basis for its specific toxicity for cancer cells is not known. This review describes the development of ranpirnase as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent.
Ankle kinematics describing gait agility: Considerations in the design of an agile ankle-foot prosthesis

The designs of available lower extremity powered prostheses are focused on a single degree of freedom (DOF) in sagittal plane, allowing the control of their ankle joints in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. The human gait however, shows that the ankle movements in both sagittal and frontal planes are significant even during walking on a straight path. Additionally, there is a significant change in the ankle movements during straight walking compared to turning and cutting, especially in frontal plane. A better understanding of the ankle characteristics in both sagittal and frontal planes may result in the design of significantly more effective lower extremity prostheses that mimic the ankle function and improve the agility of gait. In this paper, the ankle rotations are estimated during step turn and cutting to provide evidence for necessity of a multi-axis design while providing the preliminary design parameters for a prototype multi-axis powered ankle-foot prosthesis. It is shown that the proposed cable-driven prototype is capable of closely mimicking the ankle movements in both sagittal and frontal planes during turning and walking on a straight path.
Monsterism in Dileptus (Ciliata) Fed on Planarians (Dugesia tigrina)

SYNOPSIS. The occurrence of monstrous individuals of Dileptus is reported. These monsters appeared in cultures which had been fed planarians for over 72 hr. The first abnormal forms to appear were giants, 700–1200 μ long, which were common in the cultures after 72 hr. Giants were occasionally observed to develop a large, non-contractile vacuole in the central region of the body after a week of feeding on planarians. A sequence of events is described in which this vacuole enlarged until the animal appeared to be a water-filled sphere which then collapsed into an amorphous blob. This blob then divided unevenly to produce as many as seven small Dileptus. The described morphological changes are presumed to be a result of Dileptus' feeding on planarians. The similarities between abnormal Dileptus and monstrous individuals of other species are discussed.
Rice water weevil control with granular insecticides.

Studies to evaluate granular insecticides for control of Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kushel were conducted at Texas A & M University Agricultural Research and Extension Center from 1965 thru 1975. Bux® (m-(l-ethylpropyl) phenyl methylcarbamate (1–4) with m-(l-methyl=butyl) phenyl methylcarbamate) and carbofuran were found to be effective in preliminary tests. Time and rates of application studies with Bux indicate maximum larval control was obtained with rates of either 0.5 or 1.0 lb AI/acre made into the flood water 1 week postflood. Simular studies with carbofuran inclicate effective control with rates of 0.5 or 1.0 lb AI/acre applied either 1 or 2 weeks postflood. Maximum yield increases were obtained when the applications of insecticides were made 1 week postflood.
An Oasis in Time

After flailing my way through a tough general wards service as a fresh and wide-eyed intern in July, I couldn't wait to do it again with half the workload. The only dream I wanted to fulfill was th...
Nostalgia and digital technology: The Gleaners and I (Varda, 2000) and The Triplets of Belleville (Chomet, 2003) as reflective genres

AbstractAn ironic tension between nostalgia and digital technology permeates Les Glaneurs et la glaneuse and Les Triplettes de Belleville. Both films are political and critical: Varda denounces excess, waste and frivolous behaviour in the contemporary world, while Chomet expresses dissatisfaction with modernity in France. They both recall the past, but acknowledge the impossibility of indulging in nostalgia. Digital technology is foregrounded in both films, and allows Varda and Chomet to offer reflective manifestos, respectively for documentaries and cartoons, in which they highlight a reflection on the world order, on the medium of film, and on specific genres of films.
Unusual Infections Associated with Colorectal Cancer

Unusual infections associated with colorectal tumors may, in some instances, be the sole clue to the presence of a malignancy. The infections are either related to invasion of tissues or organs in close proximity to the tumor or secondary to distant seeding by transient bacteremia arising from necrotic tumors. Seven patients seen at one hospital over a 5-year period illustrate the clinical presentations of such infections. The infections identified in these seven patients include endocarditis, meningitis, nontraumatic gas gangrene, empyema, hepatic abscesses, retroperitoneal abscess, clostridial sepsis, and colovesical fistulae with urosepsis. A computer-assisted search of the English-language literature and cross-checks from other review articles identified other infections associated with colon cancer, which include nontraumatic crepitant cellulitis, suppurative thyroiditis, pericarditis, appendicitis, pulmonary microabscesses, septic arthritis, and fever of unknown origin. The clinical importance of these infections and their correlation with colorectal malignancies are reviewed.
Assessment of mercury emissions inventories for the Great Lakes states

Abstract Anthropogenic mercury (Hg) air emissions for the eight Great Lakes states in 1999–2000 were evaluated by analyzing three inventories. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions Inventory (NEI) had the most complete coverage for all states, and total Hg emissions ranged from 4226 lb in Minnesota to 15,828 lb in Pennsylvania. Coal-fired electric utilities accounted for 52.7% of the region's Hg emissions, varying from 20.2% of the total in New York to 67.5% in Ohio. Other important contributors to regional emissions included municipal waste combustion (5.6%), mercury-cell chlor-alkali plants and hazardous-waste incinerators (4% each), stationary internal combustion engines (ICEs) (3.5%), industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) boilers (3.3%), and lime manufacturing (3.0%). Although medical waste incineration accounted for just over 1% of regional emissions using the original classifications, the inclusion of health care facilities that may have been inappropriately identified with other sectors would increase the sector to 4.5% of regional emissions (and decrease the stationary ICE sector to 1.4% of the regional total). There were substantial differences for some sectors between the NEI and the Great Lakes Regional Air Toxics Emissions Inventory (GLEI), as well as unexplained differences within inventories between states (particularly for the cement, lime, and asphalt industries, and for lamp breakage). Toxics Release Inventory data for 2000 mainly covered electric utilities, and differences from the NEI were significant for several states. An independent assessment indicates the possibility of underestimated Hg emissions by about twofold for ICI boilers, although data for the sector (in particular concerning fuel oil emissions) are highly uncertain. Limited data indicate the likelihood of significant underestimates of electric arc furnace mercury emissions in the NEI and GLEI inventories. Several measures are here identified for improving the reliability of the inventories, both for modeling of atmospheric transport and deposition modeling and for tracking progress in Hg reduction initiatives.
Successful medical management of a Nocardia farcinica multiloculated pontine abscess

A 60-year-old man on chronic corticosteroids developed diplopia, gait instability and facial weakness. Brain MRI revealed a multiloculated pontine lesion. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis demonstrated a neutrophil-predominant pleocytosis with elevated protein and low glucose. CSF cultures were negative, as was an extensive infectious diseases evaluation. Neurosurgical intervention was deferred in favour of empiric antimicrobial therapy due to the lesion9s inaccessible location. After discontinuation of therapy, the patient reported a severe headache. A subsequent MRI demonstrated intraventricular pus. CSF culture grew Nocardia farcinica. The patient received parenteral therapy followed by oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. At 9 months, he is symptom free. This case illustrates the importance of including Nocardia in the differential diagnosis of brainstem abscesses, especially in immunocompromised patients. The availability of antimicrobial agents with excellent Nocardia activity and CSF penetration may enable treatment of brainstem abscesses for which surgical intervention has traditionally been considered necessary with medical management alone.
Efficient Method for the Determination of the Activation Energy of the Iodide-Catalyzed Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide

An experiment is described that determines the activation energy (Ea) of the iodide-catalyzed decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide in a much more efficient manner than previously reported in...
Is the GPSM Scoring Algorithm for Patients With Prostate Cancer Valid in the Contemporary Era

Purpose: The GPSM (Gleason, prostate specific antigen, seminal vesicle and margin status) scoring algorithm is a user friendly model for predicting biochemical recurrence following radical retropubic prostatectomy. It was developed from patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy from 1990 to 1993. We investigated the predictive ability of GPSM in the contemporary era.Materials and Methods: We identified 2,728 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy for prostate cancer from 1997 to 2000 at our institution. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to develop multivariate scoring algorithms. Harrell’s measure of concordance was used to compare the competing models.Results: In the contemporary era each GPSM feature remained significantly associated with biochemical recurrence in a multivariate model (each p <0.001). Harrell’s measure of concordance for the algorithm was 0.706 vs 0.718 in the original study. After adjusting for GPSM on multivariate analysis Gleason prima...
Experimental stability of magnesium sulfate hydrates that may be present on Mars

Abstract Since the Viking missions in 1976, magnesium sulfates have been predicted to exist on the surface of Mars. Recent orbital measurements suggest that Mg-sulfates are rather ubiquitous on the martian surface. Chemical analyses by landers support the inference that Mg-sulfate hydrates may be one source of the significant quantities of equatorial near-surface hydrogen observed by the neutron and γ-ray spectrometers on the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. The present study was undertaken to examine stability relations among the various Mg-sulfate hydrates. Using saturated salt solutions to control water-vapor pressure at temperatures of 3, 23, 50, 63, and 75 °C, Mg-sulfate phases were allowed to equilibrate from 2 to 3 months to see which hydration states were formed or were stable. Starting materials consisted of hexahydrite (6H2O), starkeyite (4H2O), kieserite (1H2O), a second monohydrate-polymorph available as a chemical reagent, and an anhydrous MgSO4 reagent. Products created in this study included these minerals, along with epsomite (7H2O), sanderite (2H2O), amorphous MgSO4 (1–2H2O), several previously undescribed phases, one of which was quite persistent (2.4H2O), and trace amounts of pentahydrite (5H2O). As expected, Mg-sulfate stability is strongly dependent on water vapor pressure and temperature. Lower temperatures favor the more hydrated Mg-sulfates. However, the MgSO4 system was found to be surprisingly complicated and is strongly dominated by metastability, sluggish kinetics, and reaction pathways. Unexpected results were frequently encountered, in addition to the formation of previously undescribed phases. Several of the hydrates also show significant metastable extensions, such that phase boundaries can only be approximated. For example, kieserite, which has been reported on Mars from OMEGA data, in addition to having a distinct stability region, is resistant to transformation and persists throughout temperature-RH space until very high relative humidities are achieved. Results of this study show that MgSO4 hydrates in addition to epsomite, hexahydrite, and kieserite can persist and should not be overlooked when assessing possible Mg-sulfate minerals that can occur on Mars.
Anion-Sensitive 2,4-Dinitrophenylhydrazone-Containing Terpyridine Derivative and Its Platinum Chloride Complex

Terpyridine derivative 1, bearing 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone, and its platinum chloride complex 2 were synthesized and characterized. The UV/Vis, emission, and triplet transient difference absorption spectra of 1 and 2 were investigated. Both 1 and 2 exhibit broad and strong absorption in the visible spectral region (λmax = 404 nm for 1 and 433 nm for 2), which are dominated by the 1π–π* transition of the ligand. When excited at the respective absorption band maximum, 1 and 2 exhibit charge-transfer fluorescence atapproximately 550 nm. Compounds 1 and 2 also exhibit a broad and strong 3π–π* excited-state absorption band in the visible region (λmax = 520 nm with ϵT1–Tn = 4.74 × 104 L mol–1 cm–1for 1, and λmax = 590 nm with ϵT1–Tn = 3.45 × 104 L mol–1 cm–1 for 2). The triplet excited states of 1 and 2 are both long-lived, with lifetimes longer than 2 ms. Compounds 1 and 2 are sensitive to basic anions such as F–, AcO–, and H2PO4–. Upon addition of these anions, the UV/Vis absorption spectra of these two compounds are significantly redshifted, which is reflected by the color change from yellow to purple for 1 and from yellow to blue for 2. These anions also quench the charge-transfer emission band at 550 nm. Moreover, the triplet transient absorption of 1 and 2 in DMSO solution is quenched upon addition of these anions. These spectroscopic changes are attributed to the deprotonation of the hydrazone NH group, which causes intramolecular electron transfer. The deprotonation mechanism is supported by the upfield shifts of the 1H NMR signals of the 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone group, the imine group, and the phenyl group, following the addition of excess F–.
Symptomatic cerebral air embolism during neuro-angiographic procedures: incidence and problem avoidance

While clinically symptomatic cerebral air embolism secondary to neuro-angiographic procedures is rare, the incidence in a large series of procedures is unknown. Understanding this complication’s frequency and etiology is critical if systems are to be instituted to reduce its incidence. We prospectively reviewed 4,568 consecutive neuro-angiographic procedures performed between June 2000 and July 2005. The occurrence and etiology of a symptomatic air embolus was noted, and an incidence was calculated for all procedures and for diagnostic arteriograms and interventional procedures individually. Four symptomatic cerebral arterial air emboli occurred in 4,568 neuro-angiographic procedures over the five-year period (0.08%). No events occurred in 3,150 diagnostic angiograms while four occurred during 1,418 interventional procedures (0.2%). Two cases occurred during aneurysm coiling embolization (2/548; 0.4%); one case occurred during a carotid stent placement (1/138; 0.7%); one occurred during an internal carotid artery balloon occlusion test (1/73; 1.3%). Three of these complications resulted in permanent neurologic deficits while one resulted in a transient neurologic change that cleared within 60 min of onset. Sources for the emboli included the pressurized arterial flush lines connected to internal carotid artery catheters (three cases) and sudden hypotension with air subsequently entering the internal carotid artery catheter (one case). Two patients were treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Symptomatic cerebral air embolism is a rare event during neuro-angiographic procedures. Analysis of the etiologies of this infrequent event may permit us to further reduce its incidence.
Field and energy relations in continuum electrodynamics

The bare, or fundamental, electric and magnetic fields in a linear medium are identified. Through the energy relations for the bare fields, the electric permittivity is shown to combine the effects of the enhanced energy density and the polarization reaction field. The macroscopic Maxwell equations are modified to be consistent with the constitutive relations for the bare fields.
Design and inquiry: Bases for an accommodation between science and technology education in the curriculum?

This article examines the merits of the proposition that design and inquiry are conceptual parallels. It does so by first looking closely at the inquiry-related discourse within science education, then at aspects of the design discourse within engineering, and finally within technology education. Convergences and divergences of these two streams of curricular advocacy are then identified, and implications and conclusions with respect to curriculum and instruction in both subjects are suggested. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 255–281, 2006