cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using measured resting metabolic rate to derive calorie prescriptions in a behavioral weight loss program

Objective Within behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs, using measured resting metabolic rate (RMR) is a more accurate-yet costlier-alternative to the standard method of assigning calorie prescriptions using baseline weight. This investigation aimed to assess differences between calorie goals prescribed using each method including demographic predictors and associations with weight loss. Methods This is an ancillary study to a trial comparing approaches to motivational enhancement in a 6-months BWL program designed for emerging adults age 18-25 (N = 308). RMR was measured at baseline and used to derive calorie prescriptions; standard calorie goals were retrospectively assigned for the purpose of these analyses. Results Standard calorie prescriptions were significantly higher than those derived from RMR. Sex and race were significant predictors of calorie prescription discrepancies: using the standard method, women and Black participants were assigned higher calorie goals than their RMR would indicate. Calorie goal discrepancy did not predict 6-months weight change. Conclusions Differences in calorie prescriptions between approaches were significant; however, it remains to be determined whether measuring RMR is worth the cost, time, and participant burden. It may be the case that this consideration has greater impact for certain subgroups-namely, women and Black participants.
In situ detection of dying cells in normal and pathological tissues.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes basic methods for examining cell death in both normal and pathological tissue samples. The chapter provides general methods that may require significant modification to obtain optimal results for the specific tissues in hand. Among the different morphological patterns of cell death that are observed in normal and pathological tissues, apoptosis is the best characterized. Two methods, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) and in situ end labeling (ISEL), provide easy, reproducible, and specific labeling of apoptotic cells within a heterogeneous cell population, and are most frequently employed. The chapter discusses TUNEL, based on the observation that the early stages of apoptosis typically involve the cleavage of chromatin. The TUNEL method is used for in situ labeling of the DNA strand breaks that form in individual nuclei of apoptotic cells. Typically, frozen cells or fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections are employed. The principles and procedures for these techniques are described in the chapter. Because these methods can also occasionally label necrotic cells, they should be coupled with both additional detection methods and morphological analysis to confirm the apoptotic nature of a cell.
Robust Identification of Periodic Systems

This note concerns the adaptation of recent H ? linear time invariant (LTI) system identification methods [13] to fit linear periodic discrete time (LPDT) systems. Those algorithms are "robust" in the sense that they provide error bounds in the induced L 2 norm.
Role of Good Agricultural Practices in Fruit and Vegetable Safety

Fruits and vegetables are at risk for contamination throughout the production and distribution network, as well in retail stores, in restaurants, and in home. The source of pathogens can be virtually anything in the production environment that comes in contact with produce. Current research indicates that some pathogens can now survive in low pH environments, such as human stomach acid, where before these pathogens would have been killed. This chapter focuses on research findings and good agricultural practices (GAPs) implementation that is being achieved on the farm and provides additional information to make GAPs implementation more effective and efficient. The microbiological quality of water is always a concern because of the prevalence and importance of water in the production of fresh produce. The discussion of GAPs and food safety at the farm level is relatively new, and several challenges exist. GAPs principles can be incorporated into worker training programs that already exist, such as those that discuss pesticides and proper harvesting techniques. Irrigation water quality plays a significant role in produce food safety, but currently in the United States there are no irrigation water quality regulations. Irrigation methods that deliver water directly to the soil without wetting the plant or the ripe fruit or vegetable are lower risk than those that wet the entire plant. The biggest challenges are viewing fruits and vegetables as ready-to-eat food products and understanding which risks are most likely to occur for a specific commodity.
An Evidence-Based Approach to Electrical Injuries in Children

Electrical injuries, while uncommon, can be associated with significant morbidity and mortality. In children, the injuries tend to occur in the household; in adolescents, they are most often associated with misguided youthful exploration outside the home. Injuries in adults are primarily occupational and due to workplace accidents. Electrical injuries are categorized by their electrical source and can result from low-voltage, high-voltage, lightning strike, or electrical arc exposure. The injury can range from minor to life threatening, and they can cause multisystem complications. High-voltage electrical exposures usually cause severe burns, whereas victims of lightning strikes may have no obvious physical injury but may present in cardiopulmonary arrest. Strategies to prevent electrical injuries have been developed and should be discussed with families and healthcare providers to reduce the incidence of these injuries in children. This review highlights the current literature related to the evaluation and management of children with electrical injuries presenting to the emergency department.
DIETARY FIBER SOURCES FOR BAKED PRODUCTS

In testing feasibility of increasing fiber with cellulose, eight products were substituted for 30% of the flour in a standard white layer cake and compared to control cakes (100% flour). These included four types of cellulose (5–20μ, 30–35/μ, 50μ and 150–225μ particle size), two celluloses coated with 2% carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and celluloses coated with 15% or 30% pectin. Analyses of subjective and objective data indicated few significant differences among cakes containing any of the cellulose types or the cellulose coated with CMC. All cakes were of good quality; substituting pectin-coated cellulose products caused increasing batter viscosity, decreased cake volume, and lower sensory evaluations for all characteristics except grain and color.
Frequency domain beamforming techniques

It is well known that sensor signals must be sampled at a rate much higher than the Nyquist rate to minimize degradations of side lobe levels and maximum response axis gain in sampled time domain beamformers. Various frequency domain techniques can be employed to form beamswithout requiring this excessively high data rate that can cause data management problems in programmable signal processors. Techniques applicable to line, ring, cylindrical and spherical arrays are developed.
Defect imaging of structural objects using positron annihilation spectroscopy

Abstract Two techniques have recently been developed to quickly and easily apply positron annihilation spectroscopies to large structural components found in civil engineering, aviation, etc. In this paper, the authors discuss how to extend imaging capabilities to these new techniques, which will enable defect imaging similar to that obtained with positron micro-beams but at much larger sample sizes. Preliminary two-dimensional defect imaging results are presented from a highly damaged 30.5 × 30.5 cm copper plate.
Peat accretion histories during the past 6,000 years in marshes of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, CA, USA.

The purpose of this study was to determine how vertical accretion rates in marshes vary through the millennia. Peat cores were collected in remnant and drained marshes in the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta of California. Cubic smooth spline regression models were used to construct age–depth models and accretion histories for three remnant marshes. Estimated vertical accretion rates at these sites range from 0.03 to 0.49 cm year−1. The mean contribution of organic matter to soil volume at the remnant marsh sites is generally stable (4.73% to 6.94%), whereas the mean contribution of inorganic matter to soil volume has greater temporal variability (1.40% to 7.92%). The hydrogeomorphic position of each marsh largely determines the inorganic content of peat. Currently, the remnant marshes are keeping pace with sea level rise, but this balance may shift for at least one of the sites under future sea level rise scenarios.
Object oriented relational database with SQL interface

An object oriented relational database management system to support heterogeneous object classes of statistical (numeric and text), image, text and sound information is considered. By employing a user friendly interface and Structured Query Language (SQL) capability at the user level, this database with a three level architecture utilizes an extended SQL to operate on complex objects and to support database processing functions such as retrieve, join and overlay. These operations also support the conversion of statistical data into two or three dimensional images to assist in the decision making process. The C++ programming language is being utilized for implementation. By supporting heterogeneous object classes (files), this object oriented relational database design and implementation improves capabilities for multipurpose database systems to facilitate financial, medical and mathematical needs for diagnosis and comparative analysis by integrating and unifying information into one database system.
India: The Years of Indira Gandhi

Admired by her supporters and criticized by her opponents, Indira Gandhi presided over the most eventful years of politics in an independent India. During her regime, India made an impressive technological and industrial breakthrough, achieved self-sufficiency in food production and entered a period of social revolution. Despite the impressive achievements of her regime, these critical years also witnessed increased polarization within society and an unprecedented increase in social violence leading to an enhancement of the repressive capabilities of the state.
The diffusion coefficient and the adsorption and desorption rate constants of oxygen in YBa2Cu3O6.9

Abstract A method was developed and experiments were carried out to measure the diffusion coefficient as well as the desorption and adsorption rate constants of oxygen in the lattices of the 1-2-3 compound (YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6.9 ) and its constituent oxides (BaO, CuO and Y 2 O 3 ). The method involves the measurement of the pressure build up in time when a small amount of oxide is heated in a closed vessel whose initial pressure was less than 10 −4 Torr. The transport equation along with the non-linear boundary condition due to the adsorption and desorption were solved by the finite element method. The diffusion coefficient of oxygen is smaller in the 1-2-3 compound than in the constituent oxides. It was also observed that the diffusion coefficient in the 1-2-3 compound increases more rapidly with temperature above the phase transition temperature from orthorhombic to tetragonal. The adsorption rate constant becomes much smaller while the desorption rate constant becomes significantly larger for temperatures greater than 400°C.
What Voters Do: Information Search During Election Campaigns

Learning about political candidates before voting can be a cognitively taxing task, given that the information environment of a campaign may be chaotic and complicated. In response, voters may adopt decision strategies that guide their processing of campaign information. This paper reports results from a series of process-tracing experiments designed to learn how voters in a presidential primary election adopt and use such strategies. Different voters adopt different strategies, with the choice of strategy dependent on the campaign environment and individual voter characteristics. The adoption of particular strategies can have implications for how voters evaluate candidates.
Is the quantum of transmitter release composed of subunits? A critical analysis in the mouse and frog

1. Miniature end-plate potentials (m.e.p.p.s) were recorded from mouse diaphragm and frog cutaneous pectoris muscles and miniature end-plate currents (m.e.p.c.s) were recorded from frog cutaneous pectoris to investigate the proposal that the m.e.p.p. is built up of one to thirty subunits. Evidence for this hypothesis is drawn mainly from the observations that there is a class of m.e.p.p.s smaller than the classical m.e.p.p.s, and that histograms of m.e.p.p. amplitudes display multiple peaks which often appear to be regularly spaced and which extend throughout the histograms; in terms of the subunit hypothesis each successive peak results from an increasing integral number of subunits per m.e.p.p. (Kriebel, Llados & Matteson, 1976; Wernig & Stirner, 1977). 2. Histograms of m.e.p.p. amplitudes and m.e.p.c. areas confirmed the existence of two classes of m.e.p.p.s as reported by Kriebel & Gross (1974): a larger class (well described by a Gaussian curve) which consists of the classical m.e.p.p.s, and a smaller class with amplitudes considerable less than the classical m.e.p.p.s. 3. Histograms of m.e.p.p. amplitudes and m.e.p.c. areas showed multiple peaks that extended throughout the histograms. 4. Autocorrelations of the histograms, an unbiased method used to test for regularity in data, showed that the multiple peaks were not regularly spaced, as required by the subunit hypothesis. 5. A series of computer simulations demonstrated that, for expected levels of base-line noise in the recording system, multiple peaks that extend throughout histograms of m.e.p.p. amplitudes could arise from subunits only if the standard deviation of the subunit amplitude were less than 2-5% of the mean subunit amplitude and the standard deviation of the variability in post-synaptic sensitivity were less than 2% of the mean post-synaptic sensitivity. It seems unlikely that the variability in post-synaptic sensitivity and in proposed subunit amplitude would be as small as this. 6. Taking more realistic estimates for the standard deviation of the subunit amplitude of 12% of the mean subunit amplitude and standard deviation of the variation in post-synaptic sensitivity of 4% of the mean sensitivity, it was found that at most three to four regularly spaced peaks would be apparent in m.e.p.p. amplitude histograms due to subunits. 7. On the basis of these theoretical considerations it seems doubtful that the multiple peaks observed to extend throughout histograms of m.e.p.p. amplitudes could arise from subunits; therefore, the experimental data that have been used to support the subunit hypothesis are unlikely to have arisen from a subunit mechanism. 8. We suggest that there are few, if any, data that directly support the subunit hypothesis. The multiple peaks observed to extend throughout m.e.p.p. amplitude histograms most likely arise from random variation in the data, although additional factors cannot be ruled out.
Synthetic Methodology for the Construction of Structurally Diverse Cyclopropanes

Practical and efficient routes for the stereoselective conversion of homoallylic alchols to diastereomerically pure cis-, trans-1,2-disubstituted, and 1,2,3-trisubstituted cyclopropanes have been developed. The routes are highlighted by olefin metathesis strategies and the stabilization of an intermediate cyclopropylcarbinyl cation by the β-silicon effect. The stereospecificity of the key cyclization step has been rationalized by transition-state models in which the important determinants include (i) a minimization of the steric interactions about the forming cyclopropane bond and (ii) an inversion of stereochemistry at the activated homoallylic alcohol position. The cyclopropane product chirality is ultimately controlled by the choice of homoallylic alcohol starting material. Through this method nonracemic, diasteromerically pure homoallylic alcohols can be converted in two steps to nonracemic, diasteromerically pure cyclopropane structural units. The scope and limitations of this versatile methodology h...
Current indications for open stone surgery in an endourology center.

Objectives. To evaluate the current indications and outcome of open stone surgery in a tertiary endourology unit. Methods. A 3-year retrospective review (1990 to 1993) of all endoscopic and open stone surgery was undertaken. Results. Twenty-five open procedures were performed on 20 patients of a total of 799 stone treatment procedures (3.13%). The most common indications for open stone surgery included large stone burdens in association with abnormal anatomy limiting endoscopic access (31%), concurrent open surgical procedures (24%), or previous failed endourologic procedures (17%). Anatomic factors contributing to the need for open surgery included renal transplantation, morbid obesity, and severe limb contractures. Conclusions. Open stone surgery has become more complex. Patients undergoing open surgery, who failed endourologic techniques, or for anatomic or medical reasons, currently are the cohorts who may still benefit from treatment for calculus disease using open surgical techniques.
Are Weak Banks Leading Credit Booms? Evidence from Emerging Europe

In an environment of brisk credit growth, supervisors tend to watch carefully whether weak banks are starting to expand rapidly.1 Sounder banks may have a competitive advantage in meeting the demand for credit owing to their larger capital cushions and better risk management, but weaker banks may have strong incentives to expand aggressively, in an attempt to grow out of problems by boosting their market share and profits. If the pace of expansion overwhelms banks’ ability to manage risk, their asset quality would deteriorate over time. How sound are the banks that are driving credit expansion is a question that is particularly relevant for emerging Europe, where bank credit has been growing rapidly — at average annual rates of 25%–40% — during the last decade.
Heterologous Pleckstrin Homology Domains Do Not Couple IRS-1 to the Insulin Receptor

Pleckstrin homology (PH) domains occur in many signaling proteins, including substrates for the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase (IRS proteins). Based on the hypothesis that PH domains may have a common function such as membrane targeting we tested the ability of PH domains from other signaling molecules to link IRS-1 to the insulin receptor. Chimeric IRS-1 proteins containing a homologous PH domain derived from other IRS proteins (IRS-2 or Gab-1) were tyrosine phosphorylated normally in response to insulin. In contrast, heterologous PH domains from the beta-adrenergic receptor kinase, phospholipase Cgamma, or spectrin failed to mediate tyrosine phosphorylation of chimeric IRS-1 proteins, even in cells expressing high levels of insulin receptor. Moreover, IRS-1 proteins containing heterologous PH domains did not bind phosphorylated NPEY motifs derived from the insulin receptor, suggesting that the presence of these structures interfered with the function of the adjacent PTB binding domain. Thus, tyrosine phosphorylation of IRS-1 by the insulin receptor specifically requires a PH domain derived from IRS proteins.
β‐Benzotriazolylethyl phosphates and phosphonic esters

β-(1-Benzotriazolyl)ethyl dibutyl phosphate and the 2-benzotriazolyl analog were prepared from dibutyl phosphite and 1- and 2-(β-hydroxyethyl)benzotriazoles, respectively. Dialkyl β-(N-benzotriazolyl) ethylphosphonates were prepared from the corresponding dialkyl β-bromoethylphosphonates. In both types of compounds, elimination of benzotriazole occurs in base; interestingly, such elimination is significantly faster in each series for the 2-substituted benzotriazole than for the corresponding 1-isomer.
Calpromotin, a cytoplasmic protein, is associated with the formation of dense cells in sickle cell anemia

We have tested the hypothesis that dense cell formation in sickle cell disease is associated with increased binding of calpromotin to the membrane, an event that occurs during the activation of calcium-dependent potassium transport. By SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, we found that sickle cell membranes contained more calpromotin than did normal membranes when stained with Coomassie brilliant blue or when transferred to nitrocellulose paper and immunostained with horseradish peroxidase. Also, the membranes from dense sickle cells contained significantly (P = 0.00055) higher levels of calpromotin, 2.62+/-1.59 microg/mg membrane protein, compared to light sickle cells, 1.40+/-0.70 microg/mg membrane protein, when measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The ratio of calpromotin associated with dense cell membranes to light cell membranes was significantly greater than 1.0 (P < 0.00005). Transmission electron micrographs of immunogold-labelled membranes supported the increase in calpromotin binding in dense sickle cell membranes. In addition, the immunogold probe demonstrated clustering, which was not observed in light sickle cell membranes nor in normal membranes. Finally, we incubated HbSS cells in vitro using a repetitive deoxygenation/ reoxygenation procedure to produce dense cells and then measured the levels of calpromotin associated with their membranes. As expected, the levels of calpromotin bound to the membrane doubled during the procedure relative to the basal levels at the beginning of the incubation. The correlation coefficient, calculated between the increase in dense cell formation and the increase in calpromotin associated with the membrane, was statistically significant (P = 0.038). The results demonstrate that an increase in calpromotin binding to the membrane is associated with dense cell formation presumably through the activation of the calcium-dependent potassium channel.
Asymptotic normality of the morphological pattern-spectrum moments and orthogonal granulometric generators

Treating a binary image as a random process results in the granulometric pattern spectrum being a random function and its moments being random variables. Because these moments are used as image signatures and as local texture descriptors, their statistical distributions, and in particular their moments, are of importance. The present paper employs a theorem of Cramer to show for a certain class of image models that the pattern-spectrum-moment distributions are asymptotically normal and, using asymptotic representations of Cramer, derives asymptotic expressions for moments of the spectrum moments. Asymptotic normality permits the application of customary normal statistical methods in estimation, classification, and hypothesis testing. The analysis proceeds in two parts, first treating a random image generated by a single grain primitive of random size. The Euclidean granulometric theory of Matheron is then employed to generalize the analysis to a more complicated textural model in which each image is generated by a number of randomly sized primitives. To facilitate application of Cramer's theory the paper introduces the notion of an orthogonal granulometric generator. The resulting new class of generators is necessary because Matheron's original granulometric theory permits pattern spectra whose moments are not sufficiently well behaved to allow application of Cramer's asymptotic formulations.
Thermo-physical properties of DU–10 wt.% Mo alloys

Abstract Low-enriched uranium alloyed with 10 wt.% molybdenum is under consideration by the Global Threat Reduction Initiative reactor convert program as a very high density fuel to enable the conversion of high-performance research reactors away from highly-enriched uranium fuels. As with any fuel development program, the thermo-physical properties of the fuel as a function of temperature are extremely important and must be well characterized in order to effectively model and predict fuel behavior under normal and off-normal irradiation conditions. For the alloy system under investigation, the available thermo-physical property data is relatively inconsistent and often lacks appropriate explanation. Available literature on this alloy system comes mainly from studies done during the 1960s and 1970s, and often does not include sufficient information on fabrication history or conditions to draw conclusions for the current application. The current paper has investigated specific heat capacity, coefficient of linear thermal expansion, density, and thermal diffusivity that were then used to calculate alloy thermal conductivity as a function of temperature. The data obtained from this investigation was compared to available literature on similar U–Mo alloys, and in most cases are in good agreement.
Epigenetic regulation of the maize Spm transposable element: Novel activation of a methylated promoter by TnpA

Abstract Spm is epigenetically inactivated by C-methylation near its transcription start site. We have investigated the interaction between TnpA, an autoregulatory protein that can reactivate a silent Spm , and the promoter of the element. The promoter undergoes rapid de novo methylation and inactivation in stably transformed plants, but only if it includes a GC-rich sequence downstream of the promoter. TnpA activates the inactive, methylated promoter and leads to reduced methylation. By contrast, TnpA represses the active, unmethylated Spm promoter. Only the internal DNA-binding and dimerization domains of the protein are required for repression, while activation requires an additional C-terminal sequence. TnpA is therefore a unique regulatory protein with a conventional transcriptional repressor activity and a novel ability to activate a methylated, inactive promoter.
Coupled Ion Movement Underlies Rectification in an Inward-Rectifier K+ Channel

We studied block of the internal pore of the ROMK1 inward-rectifier K+ channel by Mg2+ and five quaternary ammoniums (tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetrapropylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, and tetrapentylammonium). The apparent affinity of these blockers varied as a function of membrane voltage. As a consequence, the channel conducted K+ current more efficiently in the inward than the outward direction; i.e., inward rectification. Although the size of some monovalent quaternary ammoniums is rather large, the zδ values (which measure voltage dependence of their binding to the pore) were near unity in symmetric 100 mM K+. Furthermore, we observed that not only the apparent affinities of the blockers themselves, but also their dependence on membrane voltage (or zδ), varied as a function of the concentration of extracellular K+. These results suggest that there is energetic coupling between the binding of blocking and permeating (K+) ions, and that the voltage dependence of channel blockade results, at least in part, from the movement of K+ ions in the electrical field. A further quantitative analysis of the results explains why the complex phenomenon of inward rectification depends on both membrane voltage and the equilibrium potential for K+.
Age and sex differences in estimated tibia strength: influence of measurement site.

Abstract Variability in peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) measurement sites and outcome variables limit direct comparisons of results between studies. Furthermore, it is unclear what estimates of bone strength are most indicative of changes due to aging, disease, or interventions. The purpose of this study was to examine age and sex differences in estimates of tibia strength. An additional purpose of this study was to determine which tibia site or sites are most sensitive for detecting age and sex differences in tibia strength. Self-identifying Caucasian men (n=55) and women (n=59) aged 20–59yr had their tibias measured with pQCT from 5% to 85% of limb length in 10% increments distal to proximal. Bone strength index, strength strain index (SSI), moments of inertia (I p , I max , and I min ), and strength-to-mass ratios (polar moment of inertia to total bone mineral content [BMC] ratio [I p :Tot.BMC] and strength strain index to total BMC ratio [SSI:Tot.BMC]) were quantified. There were significant ( p p p p , I max , I p :Tot.BMC, SSI, and SSI:Tot.BMC ratios were the smallest at the 15% site and peaked at various sites, depending on variable. Site×age interactions existed for I max , I p :Tot.BMC, and SSI:Tot.BMC. There were significant age effects, I max , I p :Tot.BMC, and SSI:Tot.BMC, as values were the lowest in the 20–29 age group. Age and sex differences varied by measurement site and variable, and larger sex differences existed for moments of inertia than SSI. Strength-to-mass ratios may reflect efficiency of the whole bone architecture.
Binding Characteristics of Surface Ligands on PbSe QDs and Impact on Electrical Conductivity

We report the binding and conductivity characteristics of PbSe nanocrystal quantum dots which have different ligands on the surface. The PbSe nanocrystal quantum dots were surface functionalized using chemical treatment. The results of post-treatment analysis show that the PbSe surface can be successfully functionalized with various ligands based on thiol- and amine-molecules (e.g., oleic acid, dodecanethiol and butylamine). Conductivity measurements performed using a metal-semiconductor-metal structure indicate that there is an increase of conductivity as the length of the ligand connecting the quantum dots is reduced.
Association of blaOXA-23 and bap with the persistence of Acinetobacter baumannii within a major healthcare system

Objectives: Acinetobacter baumannii is an emerging opportunistic nosocomial pathogen. Two factors that may enhance persistence in healthcare settings are antimicrobial resistance and biofilm-forming ability. The aim of this work was to determine whether A. baumannii isolates that persist in healthcare settings (endemic), can be differentiated from sporadic isolates based upon their ability to resist antibiotics and their biofilm-forming capability. Methods: Two hundred and ninety A. baumannii isolates were isolated over 17 months in the Detroit Medical Center. The isolates were genotyped using repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR (REP-PCR). REP-types appearing greater than 10–times during active surveillance were considered endemic. The in vitro biofilm-forming ability and antibiotic resistance profile of each isolate were evaluated. Isolates were tested for the presence of two genetic markers - one implicated in biofilm formation (bap) and the other in antibiotic resistance (blaOXA-23). Results: Of the 290 isolates evaluated, 84% carried bap and 36% carried blaOXA-23. Five unique REP-PCR banding-types were detected >10 times (endemic) and constituted 58% of the 290 isolates. These five endemic REP-PCR types were 5.1 times more likely than sporadic isolates to carry both bap and blaOXA-23. Furthermore, endemic isolates were resistant to 3 more antibiotic classes, on average, than sporadic isolates and four of the five endemic REP-PCR types formed denser biofilms in vitro than sporadic isolates. Conclusions: Endemic A. baumannii isolates are more likely than sporadic isolates to possess factors that increase its virulence and enhance survival within a large healthcare system.
Tarahumar fish stupefaction plants

Fish stupefaction is practised throughout the year among the Tarahumar of Western Chihuahua, Mexico, but is especially important between March and June, when food reserves are low. In the areas occupied by these people, plants from 13 different families of flowering plants provide either piscicidal or stupefaction properties. The method of use, stupefying principle, parts employed, and potency of the individual plants are quite variable.
Linearized impulsive rendezvous problem

The solution of the problem of impulsive minimization of a weighted sum of characteristic velocities of a spacecraft subject to linear equations of motion is presented without the use of calculus of variations or optimal control theory. The geometric structure of the set of boundary points associated with an optimal primer vector is found to be a simplex composed of convex conical sets. Eachk-dimensional open face of the simplex consists of boundary points having nondegeneratek-impulse solutions. This geometric structure leads to a simple proof that at mostn-impulses are required to solve a problem inn-dimensional space. This work is applied to the problem of planar rendezvous of a spacecraft with a satellite in Keplerian orbit using the Tschauner-Hempel equations of motion, with special emphasis on four-impulse solutions. Primer vectors representing four-impulse solutions are sought out and found for elliptical orbits, but none were found for orbits of higher eccentricity. For highly eccentric elliptical orbits, degenerate fiveimpulse solutions were found. In this situation, computer simulations reveal vastly different optimal trajectories having identical boundary conditions and cost.
Advances in Finite Element Techniques for Calculating Cable Resistances and Inductances

In theory, finite element procedures can be applied to arbitrary conductor configurations in order to determine their frequency dependent resistances and inductances to an arbitrarily high degree of accuracy. In practice, limitations are imposed by the shapes of the finite elements used and by the accuracy of the formulae invoked to estimate their inductances. This paper reviews the concepts underlying extant finite element procedures, proposes a more efficient set of element shapes than are used in extant procedures and develops the inductance formulae necessary to implement these shapes. This results in a considerably more capable algorithm.
Impacts of electronics on engineering education

The all-important contribution of electrical engineering education has been to build up a professional group whose technical ideology is that of analytical thoroughness and correctness in detail, all in one extremely significant, yet very restricted, area of applied science. This thoroughness of training has achieved depth with great success. The advent of electronics, however, demands a broader outlook. Having achieved depth in the past, the engineering schools will be compelled by the impacts of electronics to achieve breadth in the future, and they must find a way to do so without sacrificing the strength to be found in depth.
Effects of hunger on responses to demand characteristics in the measurement of persuasion

The two studies reported here attempted to account for prior discrepant findings regarding the effects of eating upon persuasion, based on the contention that hungry Ss show a lesser responsiveness to demand characteristics which is manifested in lower persuasion scores. The findings of the first study were that, for females only, hunger related negatively to responsiveness to demands (p <.01) and to persuasion (p <.15), and persuasion related positively to responsiveness to demands (p <.15). Similarly, the findings of the second study were that, for females only, hungry Ss showed less persuasion when the E indicated personal agreement with the persuasive message than when he indicated disagreement and these effects were reversed for nonhungry Ss. Confidence levels for this interaction were.06 and.15 for the two measures of hunger used.
Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes on Hot Dogs Using Antimicrobial Whey Protein‐based Edible Casings

ABSTRACT: Whey protein isolate (WPI) films (pH 5.2) containing p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) were heat-sealed toform casings. Hot dogs prepared with WPI, collagen, or natural casings were cooked, surface-inoculated to contain10 3 Listeria monocytogenes CFU/g, and examined for numbers of L. monocytogenes, mesophilic aerobic bacteria(MAB), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and yeast/mold during 42 d of storage at 4 °C. Listeria populations on hot dogsprepared with WPI-1.0%-PABA casings remained relatively unchanged; however, numbers of Listeria on hot dogsprepared with WPI-0.0%-PABA, collagen, and natural casings increased about 2.5 logs during 42 d of refrigeratedstorage. Populations of MAB, LAB, and mold on WPI-1.0%-PABA casings were 1 to 3 logs lower compared to otherscasings.Keywords: Listeria, edible casings, p-aminobenzoic acid, hot dogs Introduction O VER THE LAST DECADE , POST - PROCESS CONTAMINATION WITH Listeria monocytogenes has emerged as one of the largest prob-lems facing the processed meat industry. In 1998, one Michiganmanufacturer recalled more than 35 million pounds of hot dogsthat had been linked to 101 listeriosis cases in 22 states, including21 fatalities, with the product presumably contaminated at thetime of packaging (CDC 1998). Two years later, 29 listeriosis cases(7 fatalities) in 10 states prompted the recall of turkey and chickendelicatessen meat (14.5 million pounds) that likely contained
Using functional hemodynamic indicators to guide fluid therapy.

Hemodynamic monitoring has traditionally relied on such static pressure measurements as pulmonary artery occlusion pressure and central venous pressure to guide fluid therapy. Over the past 15 years, however, there's been a shift toward less invasive or noninvasive monitoring methods, which use �functional� hemodynamic indicators that reflect ventilator-induced changes in preload and thereby more accurately predict fluid responsiveness. The author reviews the physiologic principles underlying functional hemodynamic indicators, describes how the indicators are calculated, and discusses when and how to use them to guide fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients.
Concentration distributions in aerosol plumes three to twenty‐two miles from a point source

Analyses of particle distributions in 15 cross sections of experimental aerosol plumes, each from a point source at ground level, indicated that the horizontal distribution of particle concentration was expressed fairly well by C = Cm exp (-Byn). Here Cm, B, and n are parameters; and y is the distance from the center of the plume, measured horizontally in either direction in the plane of the cross section. The equation was applied in two ways: in one the concentration C is the average along a vertical line the height of the plume, and in the other C gives the concentrations met on the average along single horizontal passes through the plume. Meandering of the plume has an important effect in the first case; crosswise wind shear is important in both cases.
Effects of adenosine on paroxysmal atrial tachycardia.

Abstract In conclusion, adenosine is effective in terminating paroxysmal atrial tachycardia that is electrically inducible and terminable. Because both reentry and triggered automaticity could be operative in this arrhythmia, “adenosine-sensitive paroxysmal atrial tachycardia” would be a better descriptive term for this form of arrhythmia.
Traceability in metrology and uncertainty evaluation of a calibration system for GPS receivers

GPS is already a main method of positioning measurement in geodesy and is applied widely in many fields. For maintaining and ensuring the accuracy of positioning, an accurate and efficient system for calibration the GPS receivers must be established. A highly accurate GPS calibration network tied to the ITRF coordinates of IGS stations, can be effectively used to evaluate the performance of GPS receivers. This study addresses the feasibility of establishing a system for calibrating GPS receivers and the system's traceabilty in metrology. Uncertainties of the GPS calibration network established and maintained by NML (National Measurement Laboratory, Taiwan) are evaluated based on the method suggested by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization). The uncertainties of NML network coordinates are obtained and used as a basis for calibration. The results of the slope distances between pillars measured by the GPS processing units and the precise EDM units are discussed. Analytical results indicate that the 3D expanded uncertainty of the main station TNML of the network in the ITRF system is around 33.2 mm at the 95% confidence level. The 3D expanded uncertainties of the calibration points of ultra-short distance network and short distance network are evaluated to be about 22.2 mm and 3.4 mm in relation to the main station TNML, respectively, at the 95% confidence level. The precision of the NML network coordinates suffices to calibrate the geodetic and navigational GPS receivers of regional users and is available through the Internet.
Enhanced Electro-Optic Behavior for Shaped Polymer Cholesteric Liquid-Crystal Flakes Made Using Soft Lithography

Polymer cholesteric liquid-crystal (PCLC) flakes were investigated for their electro-optic behavior under an applied alternating-current field. Shaped flakes, fabricated using soft lithography and suspended in dielectric-fluid-filled cells, reoriented more uniformly than randomly shaped flakes made by fracturing of PCLC films. Extensive characterization found shaped flakes to be smooth and uniform in size, shape, and thickness.
Evidence that the methylesterase of bacterial chemotaxis may be a serine hydrolase

Abstract CheB, the methylesterase of chemotactic bacteria, catalyzes the hydrolysis of glutamyl-methyl esters in bacterial chemoreceptor proteins. The two cysteines predicted by the amino acid sequence of CheB were replaced by alanine residues. The resulting mutants, Cys 207 -Ala, Cys 309 -Ala and a double cysteine mutant Cys 207 -Ala/Cys 309 -Ala, retained methylesterase activity, indicating that sulfhydryls are not crucial for CheB mediated catalysis. A homology search revealed a conserved serine active-site region between residues 162 and 166 which is homologous to the active-site region of acetylcholine esterases, suggesting that Ser 164 of CheB is the active-site nucleophile. Oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis was used to change the serine to a cysteine. This Ser 164 -Cys mutant had less than 2% of the wild-type activity. Unlike the serine proteinases which utilize a ‘catalytic triad’ mechanism, CheB does not have the conserved histidine and aspartic acid residues located in positions N-terminal to the active-site serine. In addition, CheB is not labeled with di-isopropylfluorophosphate, a potent inhibitor of other serine hydrolases. A novel mechanism is proposed for CheB involving substrate-assisted catalysis to account for these apparent anomalies.
Planktivore effects on zooplankton epibiont communities: Epibiont pigmentation effects

We observed the development of epibiont communities on freshwater crustacean zooplankton from 12 July–31 August 1991 in three ponds: one with planktivorous fish, a second with planktivorous larval salamanders, and a third with planktivorous fish added midway through the sampling period. Prevalence, on zooplankton, of pigmented euglenoid epibionts (Colacium vesiculosum), alone and with unpigmented peritrich ciliates (Vorticella campanula and Epistylis sp.), was significantly reduced by the addition of planktivorous fish in the third pond, while the prevalence of peritrich ciliates alone was not. Neither of the ponds with unaltered planktivore regimes showed a similar pattern of change in prevalence of pigmented and unpigmented epibionts on zooplankton. The relative loss of pigmented euglenoid epibionts, after planktivore addition, suggests that epibiont color or contrast may increase the susceptibility of their substrate organisms to planktivores.
Nanoaggregates of Asphaltenes in a Reservoir Crude Oil and Reservoir Connectivity

Recently, asphaltenes have been shown to form nanoaggregates in toluene at very low concentrations (10−4 mass fraction). Subsequently, in situ analysis of a 3000 ft vertical column of crude oil by downhole fluid analysis (DFA) indicated that the asphaltenes in a black crude oil exhibit gravitational sedimentation according to the Boltzmann distribution and that the asphaltene colloidal size is ∼2 nm. Here, we perform a follow-up study of a reservoir black oil from a different field. The black oil in a 658 ft vertical column is analyzed by DFA and advanced laboratory analytical chemical methods. An asphaltene colloidal particle size is found to be ∼2 nm according to the Archimedes buoyancy term in the Boltzmann distribution. In addition, an equation of state (EoS) approach based on literature critical constants and molecular weights for asphaltenes gives an aggregation number of ∼8. Molecular compositional similarities between different oil samples were established with comprehensive two-dimensional gas ch...
Twirling the Needle: Pinning Down Anthropologists' Emergent Bodies in the Disclosive Field of American Acupuncture

Acupuncture, like many alternative health care modalities, allows for and encourages a bodily experience of transformation. Clients (as well as practitioners) often experience a new body in the making. Within the context of ethnographic work focusing on the emergent bodies of acupuncturists and their clients, this paper focuses on the third, and perpetually more hidden, member of this ethnographic triad: the anthropologist. How do anthropologists position themselves in relation to alternative health care? Where is the anthropologists' body in relation to an alternative health modality like acupuncture? Certainly fieldwork is never solely a discursive venture. Where are our bodies when we are doing fieldwork?
Molecular-evolutionary mechanisms for genomic disorders.

Abstract Molecular studies of unstable regions in the human genome have identified region-specific low-copy repeats (LCRs). Unlike highly repetitive sequences (e.g. Alus and LINEs), LCRs are usually of 10–400 kb in size and exhibit ≥ 95–97% similarity. According to computer analyses of available sequencing data, LCRs may constitute >5% of the human genome. Through the process of non-allelic homologous recombination using paralogous genomic segments as substrates, LCRs have been shown to facilitate meiotic DNA rearrangements associated with disease traits, referred to as genomic disorders. In addition, this LCR-based complex genome architecture appears to play a major role in both primate karyotype evolution and human tumorigenesis.
Thermal Stress in a Coated Short Fiber Composite

When a coated short fiber composite is subject to temperature change, thermal stresses in and around the coated fibers are induced due to the mismatch of thermal expansion coefficients of the constituents. The problem of the above thermal stresses in a coated short fiber composite is solved by using the Eshelby’s equivalent inclusion method under the assumption of thin coating. A parametric study is then conducted to examine the effect of thermo-mechanical properties of the coating on the stress field in an and around a coated short fiber. It is found in this study that critical parameters influencing the thermal stress field are the thermal expansion coefficients of the fiber and coating.
Poster: Crayons: An Azure Cloud Based Parallel System for GIS Overlay Operations

Processing of extremely large polygonal (vector-based) spatial datasets has been a long-standing research challenge for scientists in the Geographic Information Systems and Science (GIS) community. Surprisingly, it is not for the lack of individual parallel algorithm; we discovered that the irregular and data intensive nature of the underlying processing is the main reason for the meager amount of work by way of system design and implementation. Furthermore, of all the systems reported in the literature, very few deal with the complexities of vector-based datasets and none, including commercial systems, on the cloud platform. We have designed and implemented an open-architecture-based system named Crayons for Windows Azure cloud platform using state-of-the-art techniques. We have implemented three different architectures of Crayons with different load balancing schemes. Crayons scales well for sufficiently large data sets, achieving end-to-end absolute speedup of over 28-fold employing 100 Azure processors. For smaller and more irregular workload, it still yields over 10-fold speedup.
Editorial: The intricacy of choice: can bacteria decide what type of myeloid cells to stimulate?

Discussion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells expansion in patients with gram-positive sepsis.