cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Voice Onset Time of Velar Stop Productions in Aged Speakers

Voice onset time (VOT) was measured for voiced and voiceless velar stop consonants across three vowel contexts (/i, a, u/) in healthy young adult and older subjects. Analysis showed that mean VOT values for both /k/ and /g/ across the three vowel contexts did not differ between the two groups; however, differences in VOT variability (standard deviation) approached significance; the older subjects exhibited increased variability. This apparent increase in variability may be related to the subtle anatomical and physiological changes with age.
Effects of tibialis anterior muscle vibration on quiet stance

Understanding the context in which vibration of musculature about the ankle joints elicits postural sway is important if it is to be utilized as a means of manipulating postural control for therapeutic or training purposes. The purpose of this study was to observe if the postural response associated with the vibration of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscles would remain intact despite multiple exposures during a series of forward and backward translating perturbations. Twenty young healthy adults (18-35 years old) were asked to maintain an upright erect posture on a forceplate with their eyes closed during two separate trials of quiet stance both without (preNV) and with (preVib) TA muscle vibration being applied. Subjects were then exposed to 60 bouts of forward and backwards translating perturbations of various amplitudes with TA vibration being applied during 30 of the perturbations, after which another trial of quiet stance with TA vibration (postVib) was taken. Anterior-posterior center of pressure (COP) and shear force measurements were used to calculate root-mean-square (RMS) of the sway, mean power frequency (MPF), shift from zero, and strategy score percentages as dependent variables. Of interest here are the postural responses obtained during the quiet stance conditions. A one-way ANOVA with Tukey's HSD post-hoc tests were used to compare means of the three quiet stance conditions for each of the dependent variables. Non-significant MPF results revealed no change in sway frequency oscillations due to vibration throughout the study. RMS sway was significantly greater for preVib and postVib trials than preNV, and strategy scores were significantly lower for preVib and postVib than preNV, indicating greater shear forces with the vibration conditions. No significant differences between preVib and postVib means were observed in any of the COP measures. This indicates that adaptation to the TA muscle vibration response did not occur and suggests that the distorted input associated with vibration was not fully down weighted by the sensory motor system during quiet upright stance, despite repeated exposure to vibration throughout the testing protocol.
SSEA: A System for Studying the Effectiveness of Animations

This paper describes SSEA (System for Studying the Effectiveness of Animations), an environment designed to support the empirical study of program visualizations.
Sources of professional staff turnover in public accounting firms: Some further evidence

A recent article by Rhode et al. (1977) identified 39 variables associated with professional staff turnover in public accounting firms. The present study attempted to extend this prior work by examining the antecedents of the turnover act, namely those variables associated with the turnover decision. Using a valence-instrumentality-expectancy framework, measures of task outcome valence and instrumentality were evaluated with turnover expectations for a sample of 306 staff-level accountants. The findings indicated that the turnover decision was largely a function of negatively-valued task outcomes and the likelihood of obtaining these outcomes in one's current position, and the higher likelihood of obtaining certain positive outcomes in alternative positions.
A bispecific EpCAM/CD133-targeted toxin is effective against carcinoma

The discovery of chemoresistant cancer stem cells (CSCs) in carcinomas has created the need for therapies that specifically target these subpopulations of cells. Here, we characterized a bispecific targeted toxin that is composed of two antibody fragments and a catalytic protein toxin allowing it to bind two CSC markers on the same cell killing this resistant subpopulation. CD133 is a well-known CSC marker and has been successfully targeted and caused regression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) in vivo. To enable it to bind a broader range of CSCs, an anti-epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) scFv was added to create dEpCAMCD133KDEL, a deimmunized bispecific targeted toxin on a single amino acid chain. This bispecific potently inhibited protein translation and proliferation in vitro in three different types of carcinoma. Furthermore, in a CSC spheroid model dEpCAMCD133KDEL eliminated Mary-X spheroids, an inflammatory breast carcinoma. Finally, this bispecific also caused tumor regression in an in vivo model of HNSCC. This represents the first bispecific CSC-targeted toxin and warrants further development as a possible therapy for carcinoma.
Mild ductal atypia after large-core needle biopsy of the breast: is surgical excision always necessary?

Abstract Background. The aim of the current study was to identify a select group of patients with mild atypia who do not need surgical excision after large-core needle biopsy (LCNB) of the breast. Methods. Nineteen (70%) of 27 patients with ductal atypia found on LCNB had subsequent surgical excision. These 19 patients were retrospectively assigned to 3 groups according to the severity of the atypia found, which was compared with the final pathologic specimen after surgical biopsy. Results. Cancer was identified through surgical biopsy in 6 (32%) of 19 patients. The severity of atypia seen on the LCNB specimen strongly correlated with subsequent cancer identification (P
Trends of non-union and prescriptions for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the United States, 1993–2012

Background and purpose — Surgical care and pain management for patients with fractures have evolved over the years. We wanted to ascertain if there were any changes in the incidence of non-unions and, if so, whether the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), including COX-2 selective inhibitors, might have an effect.Patients and methods — We used the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to estimate the annual number of patients hospitalized for surgical treatment of a non-union between 1993 and 2012, and calculated age-adjusted rates of non-union. We estimated the prevalence of prescriptions for NSAIDs from 1996 through 2012 using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). The interrupted time-series analysis was used to relate quarterly rates of non-union to changes in prescriptions for NSAIDs between 1996 and 2009.Results — The annual estimate of non-unions in the USA declined 30% from 25,634 in 1993 to 17,815 in 2012 (p < 0.001). Specifically, the age-adjusted rate of non-unions decreased ...
Systemic immunostimulation after retinal laser treatment in retinitis pigmentosa

Systemic immunostimulation followed an experimental treatment trial of scatter argon laser photocoagulation directed to the retina of one eye of 10 patients with heredo-degenerative retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Significantly increased RP lymphocyte CD25, CD26, and CD4/CD26 activation epitope expressions over prelaser values and controls were found with a normalization of soluble interleukin-2 receptor secretion after laser treatment. Serum interferon-gamma was low both pre- and postlaser. Interestingly, when a panel of viral antibodies was tested, only those to rubella virus were elevated in the early postlaser period. The character of RP immunostimulation after laser-induced inflammation could be consistent with an antigenic stimulus from laser-released retinal proteins which might be of autoimmune or latent infectious origin. Enhanced immune responses may be a common but unrecognized sequellae of retinal laser.
Semiconductor-Metal-Semiconductor Core-Multishell Nanowires as Negative-Index Metamaterial in Visible Domain

Negative-index metamaterials (NIMs) exhibiting both negative refraction as well as phase reversal, particularly in the visible range, have drawn considerable attention in the past decade due to their potential applications in cloaking, sensing and sub-diffraction-limit imaging. NIM are often realized by arraying sub-wavelength nanostructures (meta-atoms) exhibiting spectrally overlapped magnetic and electric resonances. Most designs so far use scaling down of the resonant elements and employ materials with the right optical constants to obtain NIM in the visible range. However, large losses due to absorption in most metals and semiconductors as well as reduced coupling with light due to scaling pose a challenge to achieving low-loss NIM. Here, we employ plasmon hybridization in semiconductor-metal-semiconductor core-multishell (CMS) nanowires as a unique approach to design low loss, isotropic and polarization dependant NIM in the visible range. Based on numerical simulations, we demonstrate an effective refractive index of −1 and a figure of merit (FOM) of 17 at 650 nm for a representative Si-Ag-Si CMS nanowire NIM and a refractive index of −1, FOM of 25 at 590 nm for a GaP-Ag-GaP CMS nanowire NIM.
The access of relevant information for solving problems

Two issues were investigated concerning the retrieval of recently acquired relevant information for solving riddle problems. First, although earlier research indicated that problem solvers often fail to retrieve relevant information unless they are explicitly informed of its relevance, Bowden (1985) suggested that uninformed subjects would benefit greatly from additional problemsolving time. In two experiments, we found that uninformed subjects solved more problems than did subjects who did not receive the information, but a simple model attributed this difference to these uninformed subjects “catching on” to the information’s relevance after solving some problems. Second, the retrieval characteristics were examined by varying the proportion of problems for which clues were given. Informed subjects given clues for only half of the problems benefited (though perhaps not fully) from being informed, without incurring any cost from being misdirected on the unclued problems. The discussion focuses on some ways in which accessing relevant information may affect problem solving.
Chaotic behavior in the solar system

Abstract There are several physical situations in the solar system where chaotic behavior plays an important role. Saturn's satellite Hyperion is currently tumbling chaotically. Many of the other irregularly shaped satellites in the solar system had chaotic rotations in the past. There are also examples of chaotic orbital evolution. Meteorites are most probably transported to Earth from the asteroid belt by way of a chaotic zone. Chaotic behavior also seems to be an essential ingredient in the explanation of certain non-uniformities in the distribution of asteroids. The long-term motion of Pluto is suspiciously complicated, but objective criteria have not yet indicated that the motion is chaotic.
Controlling Emulsion Thickness Variations In Silver Halide (Sensitized) Gelatin

Silver halide (sensitized) gelatin has the sensitometric response of silver halide emulsions and the holographic characteristics found in dichromated gelatin. We have demonstrated high diffraction efficiencies with low emulsion scatter noise using commercially available emulsions and standard photographic processing. Like DCG this process suffers from emulsion thickness variations which are related to sensitizer concentration and processing conditions. We describe chemical methods which permanently modify the gelatin binder to minimize thickness variations in gelatin emulsions. The technique also can be used to stabilize the processed hologram to adverse environmental effects.© (1988) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Specific heat of the impure spin-1/2 XY chain.

We use a pseudofermion representation to investigate strong-field anomalies of the magnetic-field (h) dependence of the specific heat (c) of a spin-1/2 XY chain doped with magnetic impurities. If at certain magnetic field the impurity-induced split-off energy levels come sufficiently close to the chemical potential of pseudofermions (zero), then at low temperatures the specific heat of the chain is significantly altered by even a small number of impurities. The impurity-induced peaks of the c(h) dependence correspond to magnetic fields in a range where the specific heat of the ideal spin-1/2 XY chains is exponentially small. They have the same physical origin, but different structure, as compared to the high-field anomalies of longitudinal magnetic susceptibility investigated previously.
Effect of elastic compression stockings on venous hemodynamics in hemiplegic patients

Unilateral lower extremity edema and an increased risk of thromboembolism have been associated with hemiplegia following stroke. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of knee-high, graded elastic stockings on venous hemodynamics in hemiplegic patients. Thirty-six patients with recent cerebral infarcts were studied. The presence of underlying venous or arterial occlusive disease was excluded in all patients. Duplex scanning techniques were used to measure femoral and popliteal venous circumference, cross-sectional area, and peak flow velocity in the normal and paralyzed extremities both with and without stockings. All patients were examined and assessed for the degree of motor weakness and Brunnstrom stage of recovery. Associated medical illnesses were also reviewed. These patients were found to have a decreased flow in the femoral (p = 0.0002) and popliteal (p = 0.006) veins and an increase in the femoral vein size. The application of compression stockings resulted in a significant increase in venous size and flow velocity in both areas. The femoral and popliteal velocity correlated inversely with the degree of motor impairment and Brunnstrom stage, suggesting that factors other than the muscle pump may be responsible for the augmentation of femoral flow velocity in the paralyzed leg. There was no correlation demonstrated with other variables such as age, gender, cardiovascular disease, or diabetes. These results would indicate a potential benefit of graded knee-high elastic compression stockings in reducing venous flow stasis in hemi-paretic patients.
Studies on the fine structure of large subunits of ribosomes from mouse liver.

Resolution of ribosomes into large and small subunits in negatively contrasted preparations is not distinct. Approximately 20% of the ribosomes appear to have central or eccentric electron opacities which may represent the cleft between subunits. Central opacities were also seen in negatively contrasted isolated large subunits. These may represent a “channel” through the large subunit.
Schistosomiasis: an unexpected finding in an inguinal hernia sac.

Abstract We report an 11-year-old boy who was diagnosed with schistosomiasis based on histopathologic examination of an inguinal hernia sac specimen. The child was an immigrant from Liberia and presented to our institution with inguinal and scrotal swelling. His past medical history was remarkable for previous ipsilateral hernia sac repair in West Africa, and at the time of his recurrent hernia repair, he was noted to have a peculiar loculated fluid-filled hernia sac, which was sent for pathologic examination because of its unusual appearance. Histologic examination revealed an intense infiltrate of eosinophils and numerous granulomas with ova of Schistosoma mansoni, and this speciation was confirmed with a stool wet prep examination for ova and parasites. Review of the English-language literature uncovered no prior cases of schistosomiasis presenting as an inguinal hernia. This unusual finding in a “routine” specimen, otherwise destined for the incinerator without pathologic evaluation, reinforces the im...
A Murine Model of Arterial Restenosis: Technical Aspects of Femoral Wire Injury

Cardiovascular disease caused by atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in the developed world. Narrowing of the vessel lumen, due to atherosclerotic plaque development or the rupturing of established plaques, interrupts normal blood flow leading to various morbidities such as myocardial infarction and stroke. In the clinic endovascular procedures such as angioplasty are commonly performed to reopen the lumen. However, these treatments inevitably damage the vessel wall as well as the vascular endothelium, triggering an excessive healing response and the development of a neointimal plaque that extends into the lumen causing vessel restenosis (re-narrowing). Restenosis remains a major cause of failure of endovascular treatments for atherosclerosis. Thus, preclinical animal models of restenosis are vitally important for investigating the pathophysiological mechanisms as well as translational approaches to vascular interventions. Among several murine experimental models, femoral artery wire injury is widely accepted as the most suitable for studies of post-angioplasty restenosis because it closely resembles the angioplasty procedure that injures both endothelium and vessel wall. However, many researchers have difficulty utilizing this model due to its high degree of technical difficulty. This is primarily because a metal wire needs to be inserted into the femoral artery, which is approximately three times thinner than the wire, to generate sufficient injury to induce prominent neointima. Here, we describe the essential surgical details to effectively overcome the major technical difficulties of this model. By following the presented procedures, performing the mouse femoral artery wire injury becomes easier. Once familiarized, the whole procedure can be completed within 20 min.
Intra-tumoral heterogeneity in metastatic potential and survival signaling between iso-clonal HCT116 and HCT116b human colon carcinoma cell lines.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis is a leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. The molecular mechanisms underlying this complex, multi-step pathway are yet to be completely elucidated. Recent reports have stressed the importance of intra-tumoral heterogeneity in the development of a metastatic phenotype. The purpose of this study was to characterize the intra-tumoral phenotypic heterogeneity between two iso-clonal human colon cancer sublines HCT116 and HCT116b on their ability to undergo metastatic colonization and survive under growth factor deprivation stress (GFDS). Materials and Methods: HCT116 and HCT116b cells were transfected with green fluorescence protein and subcutaneously injected into BALB/c nude male mice. Once xenografts were established, they were excised and orthotopically implanted into other male BALB/c nude mice using microsurgical techniques. Animal tissues were studied for metastases using histochemical techniques. Microarray analysis was performed to generate gene signatures associated with each subline. In vitro assessment of growth factor signaling pathway was performed under GFDS for 3 and 5 days. Results: Both HCT116 and HCT116b iso-clonal variants demonstrated 100% primary tumor growth, invasion and peritoneal spread. However, HCT116 was highly metastatic with 68% metastasis observed in liver and/or lungs compared to 4% in HCT116b. Microarray analysis revealed an upregulation of survival and metastatic genes in HCT116 cells compared to HCT116b cells. In vitro analysis showed that HCT116 upregulated survival and migratory signaling proteins and downregulated apoptotic agents under GFDS. However, HCT116b cells effectively showed the opposite response under stress inducing cell death. Conclusions: We demonstrate the importance of clonal variation in determining metastatic potential of colorectal cancer cells using the HCT116/HCT116b iso-clonal variants in an orthotopic metastatic mouse model. Determination of clonal heterogeneity in patient tumors can serve as useful tools to identify clinically relevant biomarkers for diagnostic and therapeutic assessment of metastatic colorectal cancer.
Decreasing household television time: a pilot study of a combined behavioral and environmental intervention

Excessive TV viewing is associated with weight gain across the lifespan; thus developing strategies to decrease household viewing time may be an effective obesity prevention approach. This pilot study (n = 6 families) examined the feasibility and short-term impact of a 2-pronged environmental plus behavioral approach designed to reduce TV time in the entire family. The environmental manipulation involved placing TV Allowances (programmed to turn off power after family members had watched 75% of their baseline hours) on all TVs in the home. A kit with behavioral strategies for reducing TV time was also sent to the home each week and family members self-monitored viewing time. Viewing was objectively assessed with the TV Allowances at baseline and at 8 weeks. A significant decrease in objectively measured TV viewing hours was observed, t(5) = 3.1, p = 0.03, 29.8 ± 10.3 versus 14.9 ± 6.0 h (equivalent of decreasing from 7.5 to 3.7 h per day). Fifty percent of families reduced their viewing time by ≥50%. The acceptability of the intervention was high, with 100% of families reporting they would recommend the TV Allowances to others. Further research is needed to test the long-term efficacy of the program and its impact on weight. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
LIGAND BINDING SPECIFICITY OF A MACROPHAGE SURFACE RECEPTOR UTILIZED BY THE FLUORESCEIN HAPTEN FOR UPTAKE INTO THE ENDOCYTIC PATHWAY

A series of compounds were tested as inhibitors of receptor-binding and uptake of fluorescein-derivatized antigens in primary peritoneal and J774 murine macrophage. Results were analysed with regard to the inhibitory potency of the tested ligands and revealed that the putative cell surface receptor preferentially recognized and bound aromatic structures containing phenyl rings. l-phenylalanine was found to be the most potent inhibitor among the ligands tested. Significant inhibition of FITC10BSA binding to macrophage was observed even at 10−9 M concentration of specific monovalent ligands tested indicating that these ligands were bound by the putative macrophage receptor with high apparent affinity. Structural comparisons of the various inhibitors employed, demonstrated that accessible, unconjugated phenyl rings were bound by the putative receptor with high apparent affinity whereas non-phenyl derivatives were bound with either low apparent affinity or via non-specific interactions. Therefore, the fluorescein hapten appeared to utilize a receptor with specificity for an essential aromatic amino acid for gaining entry into the endocytic pathway of murine macrophage. Finally, the binding of the hapten was enhanced when polyvalent fluorescein-derivatized antigens were used as a result of receptor crosslinkage on the cell surface.
Individualized Education Programs: Legal Requirements and Research Findings

The individual education program (IEP) is of critical importance to educators, parents, and students. Through the IEP process school-based teams (a) assess the educational needs of a student, (b) develop meaningful and measurable goals that direct the student's program, (c) develop and implement a program of special education and related services, and (d) monitor the student's progress toward his or her goals. Our purpose in this article is to review the legal requirements in developing, implementing, and evaluating the IEP; examine the research that has been conducted on IEPs; and discuss the implications of the law and research for school-based teams in developing IEPs.
On interpretivism and formalism in sports officiating: From general to particular jurisprudence

By what standards can rules, norms, and practices of sport be meaningfully or appropriately evaluated? Naturally, such rules and practices can be evaluated by reference to general—i.e., “external”—moral or other normative standards. Similarly, the practices of a given sport can be evaluated by reference to that sport’s own rules. But do sports furnish standards, principles, or values, not contained within or reducible to their formal rules, against which the sport’s rules and practices are rationally evaluable? As regular readers of this journal know, philosophers of sport have increasingly converged on an affirmative answer to this question, a position that Robert Simon dubbed “internalism.” (Simon 2000) Furthermore, many sport philosophers follow J.S. Russell (Russell 1999) in believing that Ronald Dworkin’s work in the philosophy of law (e.g., Dworkin 1986) offers the most compelling account or defense of internalism. As applied to sport, Dworkin’s theory, “interpretivism,” provides (to a first approximation) that abstract principles are part of the law governing a sport and that those principles can be determined by reflection on the values and purposes that best cohere with the institutional history of the sport and show it in its best light.
Fine structure of Trichomitus batrachorum (Perty).

SYNOPSIS. Trichomitus batrachorum (Perty) shares with Trichomonadinae most of its fine-structural characteristics, especially those pertaining to the undulating membrane that consists of a high body fold, enclosing the loop-shaped, periodic marginal lamella, and of the recurrent flagellum applied to the fold. This flagellate has also certain structures, i.e. the costal base, comb-like organelle, and well developed marginal lamella, in common with Monocercomonas. It shares with Hypotrichomonas the costal base; large pelta; very fine fibers perpendicular to, and connecting the axostylar microtubules; structural details of the most proximal segment of the marginal lamella; and general relationships between dorsal body fold (poorly developed in Hypotrichomonas) and the recurrent flagellum. All these electronmicroscopic findings support the crucial position of Trichomitus in the evolutionary sequence MonocercomonasHypotrichomonasTrichomitus Trichomonadinae suggested previously by lightmicroscopic observations. Further, Trichomitus shares with all Tritrichomonadinae the comb-like structure, not found either in Hypotrichomonas or Trichomonadinae; and it has in common with Tritrichomonas also the costa with Type A periodicity, being the only member of Trichomonadinae with this type of supporting organelle. It appears, therefore, that Trichomitus-type organisms represent an important link in the evolution of all Trichomonadidae from Monocercomonadidae.
Optimally recovering rate variation information from genomes and sequences: pattern filtering.

Nucleotide substitution rates vary at different positions within genes and genomes, but rates are difficult to estimate, because they are masked by the stochastic nature of substitutions. In this paper, a linear method, pattern filtering, is described which can optimally separate the signals (related to substitution rates or to other measures of sequence change) from stochastic noise. Pattern filtering promises to be useful in both genomic and molecular evolution studies. In an example using mitochondrial genomes, it is shown that pattern filtering can reveal coding and non-coding regions without the need for prior identification of reading frames or other knowledge of the sequence and promises to be an important tool for genomic analysis. In a second example, it is shown that pattern filtering allows one to classify sites on the basis of an estimator of substitution rates. Using elongation factor EF-1 alpha sequences, it is shown that the fastest sites favor archaea as the sister taxon of eukaryotes, whereas the slower sites support the eocyte prokaryotes as the sister taxon of eukaryotes, suggesting that the former result is an artifact of "long branch attraction."
The Party Faithful: Partisan Images, Candidate Religion, and the Electoral Impact of Party Identification

We argue that the factors shaping the impact of partisanship on vote choice—“partisan voting”—depend on the nature of party identification. Because party identification is partly based on images of the social group characteristics of the parties, the social profiles of political candidates should affect levels of partisan voting. A candidate's religious affiliation enables a test of this hypothesis. Using survey experiments which vary a hypothetical candidate's religious affiliation, we find strong evidence that candidates’ religions can affect partisan voting. Identifying a candidate as an evangelical (a group viewed as Republican) increases Republican support for, and Democratic opposition to, the candidate, while identifying the candidate as a Catholic (a group lacking a clear partisan profile) has no bearing on partisan voting. Importantly, the conditional effect of candidate religion on partisan voting requires the group to have a salient partisan image and holds with controls for respondents’ own religious affiliations and ideologies.
3D Motion Estimation of Hand Based on Feature Points

A new method for estimating 3D motion and structure of finger from 2D image sequence is proposed in this paper. This problem is challenging not only due to the correspondence problem but also the lack of depth cues in 2D image sequence. In this paper, affine motion is chosen as a suitable model for finger's motion. However, the motion model can also be extended and not necessarily be affine. Analysis of intensity images is first used to find the correspondence for each feature point. Then affine motion model is utilized to find the structure and motion parameters. Extensive analysis has been done on how defining appropriate constraints which are necessary for achieving convergence. Finally, experimental results are presented. The results are very encouraging and have many potential applications especially in such fields as gesture recognition, virtual reality, animation and motion tracking.
Labetalol Overdose Successfully Treated With Amrinone and Alpha-Adrenergic Receptor Agonists

Circulatory collapse and obtundation occurred in a 37-year-old woman following an iatrogenic overdose of labetalol. Conventional therapy with glucagon and alpha-adrenergic receptor-stimulating agents was ineffective in raising the patient's cardiac output or improving her mental status despite increasing the arterial pressure. The administration of amrinone was temporally associated with significant increases in the cardiac output accompanied by improved mental status. This case suggests that amrinone may be effective adjunctive therapy for beta-adrenergic receptor blocker overdoses by reversing their negative inotropic effects.
Rare Nonneoplastic Cysts of Pancreas

Pancreatic cysts represent a small proportion of pancreatic diseases, but their incidence has been recently increasing. Most pancreatic cysts are identified incidentally, causing a dilemma for both clinicians and patients. In contrast to ductal adenocarcinoma, neoplastic pancreatic cysts may be cured by resection. In general, pancreatic cysts are classified as neoplastic or non-neoplastic cysts. The predominant types of neoplastic cysts include intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, mucinous cystic neoplasms, serous cystic neoplasms, and solid pseudopapillary neoplasms. With the exception of serous type, neoplastic cysts, have malignant potential, and in most cases requires resection. Non-neoplastic cysts include pseudocyst, retention cyst, benign epithelial cysts, lymphoepithelial cysts, squamous lined cysts (dermoid cyst and epidermal cyst in intrapancreatic accessory spleen), mucinous nonneoplastic cysts, and lymphangiomas. The incidence of nonneoplastic, noninflammatory cysts is about 6.3% of all pancreatic cysts. Despite the use of high-resolution imaging technologies and cytologic tissue acquisition with endosonography, distinguishing nonneoplastic from neoplastic cysts remains difficult with most differentiations made postoperatively. Nonetheless, the definitive distinction between non-neoplastic and neoplastic cysts is crucial as unnecessary surgery could be avoided with proper diagnosis. Therefore, consideration of these rare disease entities should be entertained before deciding on surgery.
Smart Energy Management of Multiple Full Cell Powered Applications

In this research project the University of South Alabama research team has been investigating smart energy management and control of multiple fuel cell power sources when subjected to varying demands of electrical and thermal loads together with demands of hydrogen production. This research has focused on finding the optimal schedule of the multiple fuel cell power plants in terms of electric, thermal and hydrogen energy. The optimal schedule is expected to yield the lowest operating cost. Our team is also investigating the possibility of generating hydrogen using photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cells through finding materials for efficient light harvesting photoanodes. The goal is to develop an efficient and cost effective PEC solar cell system for direct electrolysis of water. In addition, models for hydrogen production, purification, and storage will be developed. The results obtained and the data collected will be then used to develop a smart energy management algorithm whose function is to maximize energy conservation within a managed set of appliances, thereby lowering O/M costs of the Fuel Cell power plant (FCPP), and allowing more hydrogen generation opportunities. The Smart Energy Management and Control (SEMaC) software, developed earlier, controls electrical loads in an individual home to achieve load management objectivesmore » such that the total power consumption of a typical residential home remains below the available power generated from a fuel cell. In this project, the research team will leverage the SEMaC algorithm developed earlier to create a neighborhood level control system.« less
Analyzing Microcredit Interest Rates: A Review of the Methodology Proposed by Mohammed Yunus

In 2007, Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, one of the largest microfinance providers in Bangladesh), proposed a new methodology for the evaluation of microcredit interest rates based on an interest rate premium, defined as the difference between the interest rate charged by the MFI and the cost of funds at the market rate paid by the MFI. In particular, this methodology defines three zones:• Green Zone: (Interest Rate – Cost of Funds) ≤ 10 percentage points. According to Professor Yunus, these are the “poverty-focused” microcredit programs (p. 69).• Yellow Zone: (Interest Rate – Cost of Funds) ≤ 15 percentage points.• Red Zone: (Interest Rate – Cost of Funds) > 15 percentage points. Professor Yunus labels institutions operating in this zone as “profit-maximizing” MFIs, adding that these programs are “commercial enterprises whose main objective appears to be earning large profits for shareholders or other investors”. Prof., Yunus even referred to this as the zone of the “moneylenders” and “loan sharks”. This paper analyzes global microfinance institutions using this methodology, and determines characteristics of MFIs that do fall into the different zones. The main conclusions from this analysis are:• Three out of four microfinance institutions worldwide fall into the ‘red zone’.• The categorization can almost entirely be explained by operating expenses, rather than profits, since operating expenses represent 62 percent of all the expenses that need to be covered by the average yield and 80 percent of expenses covered by the premium, as defined in the methodology. • Looking across the broad universe of MFIs, there is no evidence that institutions in any ‘zone’ are taking supernormal profits. Removing all profits from all MFIs would not substantively change the distribution of MFIs into green, yellow and red zones. • Most MFIs that have low average loans sizes (suggesting they reach poorer clients) are being mislabeled as in the ‘red zone’. • Not-for-profit NGO MFIs are more likely to be in the red zone than for-profit MFIs (like banks) and credit unions.Combined, these factors suggest that the proposed methodology is an imperfect tool for understanding the operations of an institution and identifying solutions for bringing affordable credit to the poor. The main challenge for the industry remains to improve operating efficiency, within feasible levels.
Impact of non-detects in water quality data on estimation of constituent mass loading

Often, fractions of stormwater constituents are not detected above laboratory reporting limits and are reported as non-detect (ND), or censored data. Analysts and stormwater modelers represent these NDs in stormwater data sets using a variety of methods. Application of these different methods results in different estimates of constituent mean concentrations that will, in turn, affect mass loading computations. In this paper, different methods of data analysis were introduced to determine constituent mean concentrations from water quality datasets that include ND values. Depending on the number of NDs and the method of data analysis, differences ranging from 1 to 70 percent have been observed in mean values. Differences in mean values were, as shown by simulation, found to have significant impacts on estimations of constituent mass loading.
AN IMPROVED METHOD FOR EXTRACTION AND PURIFICATION OF TERMITE ENDO- β-1,4-GLUCANASE FROM FTA® CARDS

FTA® technology is an approach designed to expedite and simplify the collection, preserva tion, storage, shipment, and recovery of nucleic acid from the storage matrix (Whatman Inc. 2002a). FTA® cards have been used and evalu ated for DNA archiving of various biological sources (Moscoso et al. 2004; Harvey 2005). However, this method is expensive ($1.14/sam ple) and preparations can be elaborate, thus pushing researchers to devise alternative and cheaper methods for DNA preservation and storage (Owens & Szalanski 2005). Further more, in some cases, DNA retrieval from the FTA® cards is complex and requires highly se lective conditions (Hide et al. 2003; Adams et al. 2008). Hence, some researchers have had to modify the protocols to retrieve DNA from the FTA® cards in their studies (Silva et al. 2004; Smith & Burgoyne 2004). For termites, we have failed to obtain success ful amplifications from the nucleic acid processed using any of the manufacturer-recommended pro cedures. Thus, we have developed a new combina tion of methods for DNA recovery from FTA® cards.
Open-standard ATCA and MicroTCA Platforms for Ocean Observatories

Although custom and proprietary electronic packaging is common in undersea systems, future ocean observatories can be improved with open-standard platforms. Modern network-centric platforms such as Advanced Telecom Computing Architecture (ATCA) and MicroTCA (collectively referred to as xTCA) are readily available to provide cost- effective systems with state-of-the-art performance, scalability, modularity, expansion, management, and reliability. The xTCA specifications were developed to provide high operational availability (e.g., 99.999%) and advanced performance (e.g., Terabit/s) in networked systems. These platforms provide advanced fault-tolerant features such as redundant power, redundant networking, redundant timing, hot swap, ESD protection, fault isolation, power isolation and protection, EMI shielding, and platform management and monitoring. xTCA equipment has been deployed in many applications including sensing, data communications, instrumentation, control, data acquisition, computing, signal processing, servers, networking, wireless, and data storage. More than 100 organizations currently support xTCA including SAIC, Intel, Motorola, Nortel, Alcatel-Lucent, Fujitsu, Sun Microsystems, Lockheed-Martin, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Energy. Open platforms can be leveraged by engineers to build better systems, and by system operators to minimize total cost of ownership (TCO) and operational downtime. In this paper, we discuss the engineering features of xTCA platforms for ocean observatory equipment such as junction boxes, nodes, repeaters, buoys, vehicles, and science payloads. To date our team has built and delivered some 35 xTCA-based payloads for undersea use. Some of these payloads have been in operation for more than two years, providing reliable instrumentation networks in the ocean. We note that these platforms are also suitable for dry-end systems such as optical termination equipment, data management and archiving, system timing, network backbones, data servers, system control and monitoring, and data processing. Finally, we recommend that the ocean observatory community establish requirements for open-standard electronic platforms in future undersea equipment to better facilitate the successful operation and open architecture objectives of these important new scientific infrastructures.
The effectiveness of NGO self‐regulation: theory and evidence from Africa

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) play an increasingly important role in public service provision and policy making in sub-Saharan Africa, stimulating demand for new forms of regulatory oversight. In response, a number of initiatives in NGO self-regulation have emerged. Using cross-national data on 20 African countries, the article shows that self-regulation in Africa falls into three types: national-level guilds, NGO-led clubs and voluntary codes of conduct. Each displays significant weaknesses from a regulatory policy perspective. National guilds have a broad scope, but require high administrative oversight capacity on the part of NGOs. Voluntary clubs have stronger standards but typically have much weaker coverage. Voluntary codes are the most common form of self-regulation, but have the weakest regulatory strength. This article argues that the weakness of current attempts to improve the accountability and regulatory environment of NGOs stems in part from a mismatch between the goals of regulation and the institutional incentives embedded in the structure of most self-regulatory regimes. The article uses the logic of collective action to illustrate the nature of this mismatch and the tradeoffs between the potential breadth and strength of various forms of NGO self-regulation using three detailed case studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differentiation of source/drain breakdown mechanisms by a single ring transistor measurment

A measurement technique using a single device to differentiate the effects of junction curvature, surface fields, and isolation implants in MOS source/drain breakdown is described. This use of a single device may complement existing measurement techniques, or be useful for design of test structures in the streets (scribe channels), where the number of devices is pad limited. >
Apparent protective effect of increased left ventricular wall thickness in an ICD population

Abstract Background Expanding indications for the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) call for further enhancement of patient selection for optimization of use. Because a subgroup of patients who receive ICDs may not receive therapies, we sought to identify clinical predictors of therapy-free survival in ICD patients. Methods We performed an analysis of a single-center, 13-year ICD implantation experience (1990–2002). The association between therapy-free survival and several clinical variables was evaluated. Results From a total of 562 patients included in the database, 98 patients (17%) received no shock therapies or antitachycardia pacing (group A). When compared with a randomly selected sample of 131 patients who did receive ICD therapies (group B), there were no significant differences in age, gender, frequency of coronary artery disease, or extent of left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. However, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH; increased wall thickness by echocardiography) was significantly more common in group A versus group B (30% versus 18%; Pearson's chi-square=4.69, P =.03). The odds of patients in group A having LVH were 1.98 times higher versus group B (95% confidence interval for odds ratio: 1.06–3.71). Comparisons of calculated mean LV mass between the 2 groups were not significantly different (group A 283±112 gm versus group B 271±108, P =.58). The overall mortality rate was 17% in group A and 22% in group B ( P =.29). Conclusions Increased LV wall thickness was a significant, independent predictor of therapy-free survival in this ICD population. Because LV mass was unchanged, this finding may reflect the importance of LV dilation and wall thinning (ie, eccentric remodeling) as a risk factor for recurrent ventricular arrhythmia in ICD patients.
THE GLOBAL BIOGEOGRAPHY OF ROOTS

Studies in global plant biogeography have almost exclusively analyzed re- lationships of abiotic and biotic factors with the distribution and structure of vegetation aboveground. The goal of this study was to extend such analyses to the belowground structure of vegetation by determining the biotic and abiotic factors that influence vertical root distributions in the soil, including soil, climate, and plant properties. The analysis used a database of vertical root profiles from the literature with 475 profiles from 209 geographic locations. Since most profiles were not sampled to the maximum rooting depth, several techniques were used to estimate the amount of roots at greater depths, to a maximum of 3 m in some systems. The accuracy of extrapolations was tested using a subset of deeply ( .2 m) sampled or completely sampled profiles. Vertical root distributions for each profile were characterized by the interpolated 50% and 95% rooting depths (the depths above which 50% or 95% of all roots were located). General linear models incorporating plant life-form dominance, climate, and soil var- iables explained as much as 50% of the variance in rooting depths for various biomes and life-forms. Annual potential evapotranspiration (PET) and precipitation together accounted for the largest proportion of the variance (12-16% globally and 38% in some systems). Mean 95% rooting depths increased with decreasing latitude from 808 to 308 but showed no clear trend in the tropics. Annual PET, annual precipitation, and length of the warm season were all positively correlated with rooting depths. Rooting depths in tropical veg- etation were only weakly correlated with climatic variables but were strongly correlated with sampling depths, suggesting that even after extrapolation, sampling depths there were often insufficient to characterize root profiles. Globally,.90% of all profiles had at least 50% of all roots in the upper 0.3 m of the soil profile (including organic horizons) and 95% of all roots in the upper 2 m. Deeper rooting depths were mainly found in water- limited ecosystems. Deeper 95% rooting depths were also found for shrublands compared to grasslands, in sandy soils vs. clay or loam soils, and in systems with relatively shallow
Analysis of variation of amplitudes in cell cycle gene expression

Background Variation in gene expression among cells in a population is often considered as noise produced from gene transcription and post-transcription processes and experimental artifacts. Most studies on noise in gene expression have emphasized a few well-characterized genes and proteins. We investigated whether different cell-arresting methods have impacts on the maximum expression levels (amplitudes) of a cell cycle related gene.
Fundamental Concepts of Transmission Lines Derived from AC Theory

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Equivalent Circuit of a Simple Transmission Line Impedance of an Ideal Transmission Line Impedance of a Line with Series Losses Phase Shift and Propagation Constant of an Ideal Line Propagation Constant for a Line with Small Series Losses Total Propagation Constant for Many Identical Subsections General Network Equations for a Uniform Line This chapter contains sections titled: Problems References