cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SOME EFFECTS OF SUPPLEMENTARY ILLUMINATION WITH MAZDA LAMPS ON THE CARBOHYDRATE AND THE NITROGEN METABOLISM OF THE ASTER (CALLISTEPHUS CHINENSIS VAR. HEART OF FRANCE).

Greenhouse crops show marked responses to supplementary artificial lighting with Mazda lamps (4). The present study was undertaken to determine whether there are differences in composition between groups of asters subjected to various supplementary light intensities and those which did not receive supplementary light ; and to further ascertain if these differences in chemical composition, especially carbohydrates and nitrogenous compounds, can be correlated with the responses of the aster. This plant was chosen because it blooms in a long day and is suitable for study in short day. Garner and Allard (3) found that many of the plants with which they worked might be classified according to the length of day which favors their reproductive processes, namely: (a) short day type, (b) long day type, and (c) indeterminate type. Murneek (7), and Parker and Borthwick (10) have shown that flower primordia can be initiated in Biloxi soybeans by subjecting the seedlings to a short day of 7 to 8 hours. After this induction period, the plants grown in a short photoperiod fruited while those grown in a long photoperiod remained vegetative. Murneek (7) points out that whether plants are vegetative or reproductive is apparently brought about directly by the length of day. Parker and Borthwick state that changes in chemical composition that can stand in causal relationship to the initiation of flower primordia must occur before initiation can take place. The work of Kraus and Kraybill (6) has shown that the type of response in the tomato plant is associated with the carbohydrate content in relation to the available nitrogen supply. Nightingale (8) found that tomatoes grown under short day conditions and with available nitrogen supply produced vegetative growth. Long days with available nitrogen produced vigorously fruiting plants. In a later study (9) it was shown that Salvia, a short day plant, can be thrown into the vegetative state by lengthening the day. Carbohydrates and nitrates accumulate under short day conditions. When the plants are transferred to long day conditions, there is a loss of carbohydrates, and associated with this loss there is a more
Synthesis, crystal structure, and physical properties of (BEDT-TTF)[Ni(tdas)2] (BEDT-TTF = bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene; tdas = 1,2,5-thiadiazole-3,4-dithiolate): first monomeric [Ni(tdas)2]- monoanion.

We report the synthesis, structure, and physical properties of (BEDT-TTF)[Ni(tdas){sub 2}] [BEDT-TTF, or ET, is bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene; tdas is 1,2,5-thiadiazole-3,4-dithiolate], which is the first example of a salt containing monomeric [Ni(tdas){sub 2}]{sup -} monoanions. This salt, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}/c with a = 17.2324(6) {angstrom}, b = 13.2740(5) {angstrom}, c = 10.9467(4) {angstrom}, {beta} = 96.974(2){sup o}, and V = 2485.5(2) {angstrom}{sup 3}, forms a layered structure. One layer contains dimerized BEDT-TTF electron donor molecules and isolated [Ni(tdas){sub 2}]{sup -} monoanions, while the second layer contains chains of [Ni(tdas){sub 2}]{sup -} monoanions. Conductivity measurements show that (BEDT-TTF)[Ni(tdas){sub 2}] has a semiconductor-to-semiconductor transition near 200 K, while magnetic measurements indicate that it is an S = 1/2 paramagnet with weak antiferromagnetic coupling. Reflectance spectra reveal bands in the near-infrared region (6.6 x 10{sup 3} and 10.6 x 10{sup 3} cm{sup -1}) which are typical of (BEDT-TTF){sub 2}{sup 2+} dimers. From these data, we can conclude that the unpaired electron lies on the [Ni(tdas){sub 2}]{sup -} anions. Tight-binding band structure calculations were used to analyze the electronic structure of this salt.
Spatial Distribution, Energetic Status, and Food Habits of Eastern Bering Sea Age-0 Walleye Pollock

Abstract Age-0 walleye pollock Theragra chalcogramma were collected from the eastern Bering Sea during years when ocean temperatures were anomalously warm (2004-2005) and cool (2006-2007). Variability in spatial distribution, food habits, energetic condition, and recruitment to the age-1 life stage was investigated in relation to thermal regime. Age-0 walleye pollock were large in size and widely distributed during warm years, whereas they were small and largely confined to the middle domain of the eastern Bering Sea during cool years. Energy density was positively correlated with body weight and was greater during years when conditions were anomalously cool. The proportion of smaller age-0 walleye pollock in the diet of larger individuals was high when conditions were warm (21.9% of diet by weight), and euphausiids were the most important prey (36.5% of diet by weight) when conditions were cool. Eastern Bering Sea age-0 walleye pollock were abundant and broadly distributed from Bristol Bay to offshore an...
Responses to the Foraging/Predation Risk Trade-Off and Individual Variability in Population-Level Fitness Correlates

Foraging under the influence of interspecific interactions such as competition and predation risk can have effects on the energetic reserves of the forager. Measurements of condition in species such as fish are usually correlated with individual fecundity and, hence, fitness. From work in two study systems in which predation risk regulates habitat selection and foraging behavior of benthic fishes I examined whether risk dependence led to reduced variability in fish condition. In field populations of cottid fishes, observed in an estuarine system and in the near-shore habitat of an oligotrophic lake, I found that individuals that experienced higher predation risk showed reduced variability in CI. Estuarine cottids with high food availability and substantial predation risk varied less in CI among individuals than in the associated tidal creek. In the lake, where there is considerable heterogeneity in benthic food resources, a related cottid species showed reduced variation in CI with increasing predation risk from adults. Finally, I examine my previous experiments showing that the estuarine species is limited in its use of high resource availability in estuaries by competition and predation risk. Here I found that variability in individual condition index (CI) was higher when intraspecific and interspecific competition increased and did not increase in the face of predation risk.
Mastery motivation: Appropriate tasks for toddlers

Mastery motivation is the inherent drive which leads young children to explore and master their environment. This research explores the relationship between age and the ability to complete a task, and the appropriateness of using new shapes and mazes to assess mastery motivation in toddlers.
Perceived Stress, Eating Regulation Behaviors, and Body Mass Index, Body Weight and Percent Body Fat Relationships over the First Two Years of College

Methods: Students were recruited at the beginning of college, and were assessed six times over the freshman and sophomore years. Assessments included: weight and height (using standard techniques), body composition (using bioelectrical impedance), perceived stress (using the Perceived Stress Scale) and eating behavior (using the Regulation of Eating Behavior Scale). From the initial 535 participants, 319 (110 males, 209 females) attended all assessments and were included in the final statistical analyses. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were used to examine the main effects and interactions of perceived stress and the moderator variables on each outcome measure.
A Dexterous Surgical Manipulation Tool Using Self-Sensing Magnetoelectric Actuators

In this paper, a dexterous surgical manipulation tool is developed, and characterized using a magnetoelectric self-sensing actuator. The magnetoelectric actuator is made up of three magnetoelectric cantilevers, which are mounted in a specific configuration. Each of the magnetoelectric cantilevers is composed of Galfenol and PZT-5H. The device consists of a single larger magnetoelectric cantilever that is capable of producing an up-down movement upon remote application of a magnetic field to the magnetostrictive layer. Towards one of the ends of this actuator two smaller magnetoelectric cantilevers are attached that are capable of producing a deflection in a side-ways direction making them well suited for gripping action. The shape-anisotropy of the magnetostrictive layers is designed to ensure a controlled sequence of gripping action and up-down movement when these cantilevers are actuated via a remote magnetic field which induces bending in them. The electrical signal generated by the piezoelectric layer is used to provide a sensing signal for both tactile sensing (and gripping) and deflection. This can be used in a closed loop control system.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
A quantitative morphological analysis of interatrial muscle cells in the ferret heart

Cells located in the interatrial septum of the ferret heart were examined and mean cell volume, surface area, length, width, as well as cell length/width and surface area/volume ratios were obtained. The muscle cells were from two different regions. One region was the area of the middle internodal tract while the other was from the area where the anterior and middle internodal tracts intermingled. Based on the data obtained, at least two different subpopulations of interatrial muscle cells could be defined. The larger cells had a mean cell length of 109.7 μm, a mean cell width of 13.1 μm, a length/width ratio of 8.61, a mean cell surface area of 5,057.6 μm2, a mean cell volume of 5960.8 μm3, and a surface area/volume ratio of 0.87. The smaller cells had a mean cell length of 58.0 μm, a mean cell width of 12.2 μm, a length/width ratio of 4.85, a mean cell surface area of 2494.1 μm2, a mean cell volume of 2553.6 μm3, and a surface area/volume ratio of 1.00. The large cell population had cells that were myofibril rich and also others that were myofibril poor. These quantitative data indicate that the regions of internodal pathways are not composed of a single specialized cell type, but rather are composed of at least two, if not more, cell types that intermingle with each other.
Transgenic Tomato Plants that Overexpress a Gene for NADH-dependent Glutamate Dehydrogenase (legdh1)

Tomato plants were transformed with a plasmid that included a legdh1 gene for NADH-dependent glutamate dehydrogenase (NADH-GDH) from Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. coupled, in the sense orientation, with the constitutively active 35S promoter from cauliflower mosaic virus. Three independent transformants were obtained. In these transgenic lines, high-level expression of legdh1 mRNA was detected in the leaves, and the NADH-GDH activity in the leaves of the transgenic plants was approximately twice that in the leaves of the non-transgenic plant. In the transgenic tomato fruits examined for six successive weeks after flowering, the levels of total free amino acids were higher (2.1- to 2.3-fold) than those in the controls. In particular, the level of glutamate was about twice that in the control fruits.
Physician Perceptions about Administration of Immunizations Outside of Physician Offices

Abstract Background. Expanding nonphysician participation in the administration of immunizations has been suggested as a means of increasing immunization rates. However, there is little information about physician interest in collaborating with nonphysicians to provide out-of-office immunizations. Methods. All active members of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians were surveyed by mail. Physicians reported on their collaboration histories, their willingness to collaborate in the future, their concerns with collaboration, and whether they approved of their patients' using nonphysicians for immunizations. Results. Of 898 eligible physicians, 476 (53%) returned questionnaires that were analyzed. Seventy-five percent (n = 357) of the physicians reported that they had voluntarily collaborated with a person outside their office to provide immunizations. Ninety-five percent (n = 452) of physicians indicated a willingness to collaborate in some form in the future. However, physicians had concerns about (a) being able to be kept informed about immunizations their patients receive outside of their offices, (b) adequate training of the nonphysician to administer immunizations and respond to complications of immunization, and (c) loss of preventive health opportunities if patients ceased coming to physicians for routine immunizations. Conclusion. The majority of family physicians have collaborated to deliver immunizations and indicate support for nonphysician participation. Almost all physicians would consider future collaborative arrangements although they have concerns about record keeping and the safety of out-of-office immunization programs.
Cellular sodium transport in arterial wall - summary of studies by digital computer simulation

Abstract The distribution of electrolytes between extracellular and intracellular compartments is of greater functional significance in biological tissues than the total amount. A method commonly employed for the study of a substance distribution among different spaces is the continuous outflow and radioisotope counting of a fragment of tissue previously incubated with a radioactive tracet (here 22 Na + ). The experimental data can be analyzed within the frame of a compartmental analysis system which is defined by transport rate constants (k ij ) and solved when all k ij are numerically determined. In practical applications the direct solution requires measurements in different compartments or knowledge of the initial condition for each compartment, but this is not possible in most biological tissues where the experimentally observable data represent the summation of tracer in all compartments at each point in time. The availability of the SAAM (Simulation, Analysis And Modelling) computer program allows for a powerful simulation procedure to arrive at values for k ij . Experimental data and specifications for a chosen model are entered in the SAAM format. A simulated ‘inflow' experiment is mde by the computer by assigning to k ij some estimate values. All initial conditions are now zero, since at the beginning there is no radioactive tracer in any compartment. After a time equivalent in the experimental realm to achieving constant specific activity, a ‘time change' programmed into the computer takes place so that the outflow part of the experiment is developed with the same k ij as for the inflow part, the final conditions for the inflow before the time change being the initial conditions for the outflow. An iterative procedure modifies the initial estimates of k ij to seek the best fit. By coupling a powerful simulation procedure to an advanced radionuclide tracer biological methodology, we have been able to find effects of the hormone aldosterone and of experimental hypertension on Na + distribution in arterial wall years before such effects were demonstrated by purely conventional experimental techniques. This computer simulation procedure may be suited to other experimental situations in which outflow data are the only available.
An Efficient Implementation of SHA-1 Hash Function

The latest cryptographical application demands in a typical embedded system demand both high speed and small area. Hash function has been widely used in the digital signature, message authentication. In this paper, a new area efficient SHA-1 implementation is proposed. The proposed design was captured using VHDL hardware language and also implemented on Xilinx FPGA. The correctness of the functionality has been verified using simulation tools and the test vectors. A comparison between the proposed SHA-1 hash function implementation with other related works show that it occupies very small area while also achieving a high throughput, thus it could be adopted in an embedded system where area constraint is a concern.
Suppression and collection of respirable coal dust using water and steam

From laboratory experiments, an empirical relationship relating water spray droplet concentration, size, and velocity to the suppression of respirable coal dust was determined. Also, the effect of steam in suppressing respirable coal dust was determined.
Small-scale materials behavior from X-ray microdiffraction and imaging

This commentary introduces a JOM topic that highlights novel applications of x-ray microdiffraction and imaging to study structural properties of materials at a small scale. The development of ultra-brilliant synchrotron x-ray sources provides important new opportunities for the analysis of local and near-surface material structures. This topic includes manuscripts that describe how different versions of polychromatic and monochromatic microdiffraction can be used to study small scale plasticity in a range of materials. A variety of ingenious methods are described as developed in laboratories around the world.
A study of extrathyroidal conversion of thyroxine (T4) to 3,3',5-triiodothyronine (T3) in vitro.

An in vitro model has been employed to study the nature of the process of peripheral monodeiodination of thyroxine to triiodothyronine (T3) and the factors capable of modulating it. Thyroxine (T4, 5μg/ml, 6 × 10-6M) was incubated in 0.15M phosphate buffer (pH 7.35) with various rat tissue homogenates (approximately 0.13 g-equivalent) for 2 h at 37 C, and the T3 generated during incubation was measured by a specific immunoassay of an ethanol extract of the homogenate. The liver and kidney homogenates produced more T3 than various other tissues; the kidney was more active than the liver. The T4 to T3 converting activity in the liver homogenates was influenced by the concentration of the homogenate, duration of incubation, substrate (T4) concentration, pH of incubation and temperature of incubation. It was unaffected by large concentrations of several agents including methimazole, hydrocortisone, sodium iodide, mono- or diiodotyrosine, 3,5-diiodothyronine, thyronine and methylated and halogenated analogues o...
The Study of the Use of FDI to Enhance the Product Competitiveness of Integrated Circuits and Micro-electronic Components

Integrated Circuit (IC) industry as the cornerstone of economic development of information society with great penetration on traditional industries, as well as playing the leading role in traditional industries, has become the focus of the current international competitiveness. What is more, IC has also become an important indicator which measures the modernization and overall national strength of a country or a region. Therefore, the competitiveness of the products of integrated circuits and the products of micro-electronic components has become more social and economic significance. This paper which is on the basis of a model country (U.S.) for the future development goals and a example country (South Korea) for the comparison of current development explore the competitiveness of the status quo of China's integrated circuits and the products of micro-electronic components, and through the development of the advantages of FDI in South Korea, indicate that how to use FDI in order to enhance the competitiveness of space for development of integrated circuits and micro-electronic components in china.
Lung Volume Reduction Surgery: An Analysis of Hospital Costs

Objective Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) represents a potential breakthrough in the management of advanced emphysema, although questions remain about clinical and economic implications of widespread application of LVRS. In this report, we describe hospital costs, excluding physicians' fees, for LVRS. Design Hospital charges were obtained from billing records and converted to costs by applying multiple cost-to-charge ratios. Setting A large, urban academic medical center. Patients Fifty-two consecutive patients who received bilateral LVRS through a median sternotomy between April 1995 and August 1996. Results Median hospital stay was 10 days (mean=14.8±12.8 days; range=3 to 48 days), including 2 days (mean=6±9.2 days; range=1 to 35 days) in the ICU. One hospital death occurred. Hospital costs per case ranged from $11,712 to $121,829, with mean costs of $30,976 and median costs of $19,771. Costs were related significantly to duration of ICU stay and length of hospitalization. Patients who accrued the highest costs were significantly older than the remainder of the sample (69.3 years vs 62.4 years). Conclusions Hospital costs of LVRS vary significantly but are related directly to hospital stay. Identification of factors associated with prolonged stays can be used in assessing benefits and risks of LVRS against utilization of health-care dollars.
Type A Aortic Dissection in a Patient on Dabigatran: Hemostasis Post Circulatory Arrest

We present a successful case of prevention of postoperative hemorrhage in a 70-year-old male on dabigatran, who developed an acute type A aortic dissection and subsequently underwent an emergent ascending aortic replacement.
UNIFORMLY MOST POWERFUL TESTS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY DETECTING A TREATMENT EFFECT IN THE OVERALL POPULATION AND AT LEAST ONE SUBPOPULATION

We take the perspective of a researcher planning a randomized trial of a new treatment, where it is suspected that certain subpopulations may benefit more than others. These subpopulations could be defined by a risk factor or biomarker measured at baseline. We focus on situations where the overall population is partitioned into two, predefined subpopulations. When the true average treatment effect for the overall population is positive, it logically follows that it must be positive for at least one subpopulation. Our goal is to construct multiple testing procedures that maximize power for simultaneously rejecting the overall population null hypothesis and at least one subpopulation null hypothesis. We show that uniformly most powerful tests exist for this problem, in the case where outcomes are normally distributed. We construct new multiple testing procedures that, to the best of our knowledge, are the first to have this property. These procedures have the advantage of not requiring any sacrifice for detecting a treatment effect in the overall population, compared to the uniformly most powerful test of the overall population null hypothesis.
Multiple model estimation for improving conflict detection algorithms

We present a framework for improving conflict detection algorithms using a hybrid control paradigm. This allows us to separate the problem into two parts: state/mode estimation and threat prediction. Since the dynamic equations for a conflict can change discretely depending on the situation, we propose the use of multiple model (MM) estimators to predict the situation and ultimately improve threat assessment. We provide an example using two different MM estimators for a rear-end collision warning system. The estimators can be used to determine the scenario mode as well as improve the state estimates
Study on Sleep Location Flawed, Inconclusive

The article by Colvin et al, “Sleep Environment Risks for Younger and Older Infants,” incorrectly concludes that bed-sharing is the top risk factor for sleep-related deaths. The authors fail to include any of the other major known risk factors for these deaths in their analysis besides sleep location and position. By far the other leading risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) are maternal smoking,1 infants sleeping unattended,1 and formula feeding.2 The risk of infant death from bed-sharing is strongly potentiated by maternal prenatal and/or postnatal smoking.3 The use of alcohol and sedating substances by parents/caregivers poses …
Long-term tidal cycle influences on a Late-Holocene clay mineralogy record from the Cariaco Basin

Abstract Recent analyses of coastal mudbank dynamics along northeastern South America indicate significant sediment remobilization associated with the 18.6 y lunar nodal tide over the last 20 y. We present a near annually-resolved record of quartz and illite/illite–smectite abundances spanning the last 800 y from the Cariaco Basin (Venezuela) that suggests effects of the lunar nodal tide have played an important role in coastal processes over the last 8 centuries. Spectral analysis results of the clay and fine silt data include a statistically significant peak at 18.3 y in both the quartz and illite/illite–smectite records that is identified with the 18.6 y lunar nodal tide. Remobilization of shelf sediments by mean high water line variations driven by the lunar nodal tide is presented as the probable explanation of this signal in the Cariaco Basin mineral content. Since the period of this astronomically determined signal is constant with time it can be used to calibrate high-resolution age models. We modify our existing age model by tuning the 18.3 y component of the illite data to the 18.6 y period, and explore its impact on the age/depth relationship. We suggest that the 18.6 y signal can be used to refine existing chronologies where detected.
Alternatives in complex object representation: a performance perspective

With database systems finding wider use in CAD, office information systems, and logic programming applications, the importance of efficiently representing and manipulating complex objects is growing. In this study a classification of the alternatives for representing complex objects is examined. Consideration is given to the performance aspects of one representation technique based on object identifiers. It is shown that clustering of subobjects with their referencing objects is rarely a good idea. In contrast, it is shown that caching the intermediate results of query processing can yield large benefits. >
Mechanism of Long-Channel Drain-Induced Barrier Lowering in Halo MOSFETs

It is well known that, in a halo-implanted metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor, the application of the drain voltage lowers the threshold voltage even in a long-channel device. This phenomenon is known as the long-channel drain-induced barrier lowering (LDIBL) or the drain-induced threshold-voltage shift (DITS). In this paper, we will investigate the physical origin of this effect and will show that the root cause has not been previously identified properly. We will identify the physical phenomenon behind the LDIBL/DITS and present an analytic model. The proposed approach is validated against both the device simulation and measurement.
Wireless innovation through software radios

Advances in networking have been accelerated by the use of abstractions, such as "layering", and the ability to apply those abstractions across multiple communication media. Wireless communication provides the greatest challenge to these clean abstractions because of the lossy communication media. For many networking researchers, wireless communications hardware starts and ends with WiFi, or 802.11 compliant hardware.However, there has been a recent growth in software defined radio, which allows the basic radio medium to be manipulated by programs. This mutable radio layer has allowed researchers to exploit the physical properties of radio communication to overcome some of the challenges of the radio media; in certain cases, researchers have been able to develop mechanisms that are difficult to implement in electrical or optical media. In this paper, we describe the different design variants for software radios, their programming methods and survey some of the more cutting edge uses of those radios.
Genome-wide association study for renal traits in the Framingham Heart and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Studies.

Background: The Framingham Heart Study (FHS) recently obtained initial results from the first genome-wide association scan for renal traits. The study of 70,987 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 1,010 FHS participants provides a list of SNPs showing the strongest associations with renal traits which need to be verified in independent study samples. Methods: Sixteen SNPs were selected for replication based on the most promising associations with chronic kidney disease (CKD), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and serum cystatin C in FHS. These SNPs were genotyped in 15,747 participants of the Atherosclerosis in Communities (ARIC) Study and evaluated for association using multivariable adjusted regression analyses. Primary outcomes in ARIC were CKD and eGFR. Secondary prospective analyses were conducted for association with kidney disease progression using multivariable adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression. The definition of the outcomes, all covariates, and the use of an additive genetic model was consistent with the original analyses in FHS. Results: The intronic SNP rs6495446 in the gene MTHFS was significantly associated with CKD among white ARIC participants at visit 4: the odds ratio per each C allele was 1.24 (95% CI 1.09–1.41, p = 0.001). Borderline significant associations of rs6495446 were observed with CKD at study visit 1 (p = 0.024), eGFR at study visits 1 (p = 0.073) and 4 (lower mean eGFR per C allele by 0.6 ml/min/1.73 m2, p = 0.043) and kidney disease progression (hazard ratio 1.13 per each C allele, 95% CI 1.00–1.26, p = 0.041). Another SNP, rs3779748 in EYA1, was significantly associated with CKD at ARIC visit 1 (odds ratio per each T allele 1.22, p = 0.01), but only with eGFR and cystatin C in FHS. Conclusion: This genome-wide association study provides unbiased information implicating MTHFS as a candidate gene for kidney disease. Our findings highlight the importance of replication to identify common SNPs associated with renal traits.
Development of Low Level Beam Diagnostics for Polarized Proton Operation in the Zero Gradient Synchrotron

Two systems are described which operate in high noise environments and detect weak (nanfampere to microampere) signals. Polarized beam1 is injected in the Zero Gradient Synchrotron (ZGS) and stopped just downstream of long straight section three (L-3). The L-3 section contains a vertically segmented Faraday screen2 from which a radial profile of injected beam is obtained. The microampere currents are sensed by a bank of 44 operational amplifiers, multiplexed and displayed by a computer. The resonantly eftracted polarized proton beam requires good control3 for a successful physics program. An ion chamber and associated electronics are described which provide three control parameters. Extracted beam intensity, instantaneous spill rate, and horizontal position information are generated and provided for feedback control of the extracted beam.
THE MODE OF ACTION OF SULFANILAMIDE ON STREPTOCOCCUS. II

The precise mode of therapeutic action of sulfanilamide on streptococcus can be arrived at only by considering the sum total of factors that inhibit or favor the natural growth of the microorganism under the experimental conditions that obtain, whether in vivo or in vitro. Too sweeping conclusions have hitherto been drawn from the study of a single variable factor, such as an unfavorable temperature or the absence or presence of peptone. We have attempted here to analyze the factors that have hitherto been recognized and some new ones, but particularly the relationship of these factors to one another. The result obtained on adding sulfanilamide to the streptococcus in the test tube is usually bacteriostasis and not complete destruction of even small numbers of bacteria. This is on the condition that the suspending medium is a favorable one for the growth of the microorganism; the more growth-promoting the medium is the less the bacteriostasis. If, on the other hand, the medium is too poor, or one that in itself inhibits growth, the addition of sulfanilamide may lead to sterilization of the culture. The conditions for growth of the streptococcus in the body of the rabbit or mouse, depend on the strain of bacteria used, but are on the whole favorable. Defence, however, in the form of phagocytosis by both polymorphonuclear and by mononuclear cells is attempted even in the susceptible animal. When sulfanilamide is used to treat such an animal, or when sulfanilamide-grown (inhibited) streptococci are employed, phagocytosis is pronounced, whether studied in the test tube or in the animal body. In the rabbit the delay by sulfanilamide and resultant increased phagocytosis by polymorphonuclears allows mononuclear cells to accumulate and recovery may result. Sulfanilamide not only does not completely destroy the streptococcus but does not even impair its innate virulence. It acts upon the streptococcus not only by inhibiting growth but by a temporary inhibition of hemotoxin formation, but only under certain conditions. The drug does not neutralize hemotoxin already formed. No significant effect of sulfanilamide on the formation of leucocidin or fibrinolysin by streptococcus has been evident in our experiments. Sulfanilamide differs in one important respect from other drugs that are destructive either in the test tube or actually in the body, for protozoa and bacteria. Protozoa fix or adsorb arsenicals and acriflavine that kill them variably in vitro and in vivo. Streptococci fix both gentian violet and acriflavine, which dyes have marked destructive action in the test tube but are less effective in vivo. Sulfanilamide is not diminished at all by contact in vitro with large masses of streptococci, nor does the action of this drug render the microorganism more capable than untreated cocci to adsorb gentian violet or acriflavine, or to be destroyed by these highly bactericidal substances.
In pursuit of ‘good’ sex: Self-determination and the sexual experience

Self-determination Theory posits that psychological wellbeing stems from feeling autonomous, competent, and related. Prior research has found that people report that, on days in which they perceive these needs are met, they have good days, as evidenced by both positive mood and fewer physical symptoms. The current research examined the relationship between satisfaction of these needs and sexuality, hypothesizing that having sexual interactions in which these needs are met, will result in more satisfying and positive experiences. For 3 weeks, participants described and rated each of their sexual interactions. Results suggest that greater need satisfaction is related to more positive sexual experience. Differences in general-level needs were also examined as they moderated the above relationship.
Exploring all-electrical soft-tissue stiffness measurement using piezoelectric unimorph cantilevers

Piezoelectric cantilevers will be used to investigate the force-deformation response of soft tissues. Potential clinical applications for such a method will be studied, mainly, the possibility of a stand-alone instrument for in vivo detection or diagnosis of diseased tissue. Preliminary testing of a fabricated cantilever indicates proper function, and continuing work will focus on identifying parameters sufficient to characterize the mechanical behavior of biological tissues.
Editorial: Errors in the Variables, Unobserved Heterogeneity, and Other Ways of Hiding Statistical Error

One research function is proposing new scientific theories; another is testing the falsifiable predictions of those theories. Eventually, sufficient observations reveal valid predictions. For the impatient, behold statistical methods, which attribute inconsistent predictions to either faulty data (e.g., measurement error) or faulty theories. Testing theories, however, differs from estimating unknown parameters in known relationships. When testing theories, it is sufficiently dangerous to cure inconsistencies by adding observed explanatory variables (i.e., beyond the theory), let alone unobserved explanatory variables. Adding ad hoc explanatory variables mimics experimental controls when experiments are impractical. Assuming unobservable variables is different, partly because realizations of unobserved variables are unavailable for validating estimates. When different statistical assumptions about error produce dramatically different conclusions, we should doubt the theory, the data, or both. Theory tests should be insensitive to assumptions about error, particularly adjustments for error from unobserved variables. These adjustments can fallaciously inflate support for wrong theories, partly by implicitly under-weighting observations inconsistent with the theory. Inconsistent estimates often convey an important message---the data are inconsistent with the theory! Although adjustments for unobserved variables and ex post information are extraordinarily useful when estimating known relationships, when testing theories, requiring researchers to make these adjustments is inappropriate.
Informing design and assessment: A usability case study of the harvard catalyst website for researchers

In this poster, we report the results of a two-part collaborative usability case study of a website supporting the needs of clinical and translational (C/T) researchers. Usability testing and focus group sessions provided qualitative and quantitative data on researcher needs and their perception of the usefulness and ease of use of tools. Specific challenges were identified in navigation and nomenclature that were impeding users’ ability to complete their tasks as well as their awareness of the depth of services provided. The results revealed consistent patterns in site usage and navigation structure, which served as the basis for implementing some quick fixes as well as a longer-term major refresh of the website design. Scholars, practitioners, and developers may benefit from the findings on user needs when designing and implementing websites supporting biomedical researchers.
NMR and FTIR investigation of the solution imidization kinetics of model compounds of PMDA/ODA polyamic ethyl ester

Meta- and para-diethyl-p,p-oxydiphenylene pyromellitamide (DOP), the model compounds of the meta and para PMDA/ODA polyamic ethyl ester, were synthesized and characterized by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Investigation of the imidization in d6-DMSO solution using NMR and FTIR techniques has shown that both the half imide and imide were formed. Quantitative analysis of the curing rates and degrees of conversion of the isomers in dilute d6-DMSO solution as a function of time under isothermal conditions or as function of temperature at fixed time (1 h) indicated that the kinetics of the ring closure reaction of the meta and para isomers were the same within 10%. This suggests that intrinsic reactivity differences between the isomers do not have much effect on the imidization process and do not account for the differences in rate that have been observed for the meta and para polymers in the solid state. No interconversion between the two isomeric forms occurred below 180°C, as has been observed for polyamic acids and their model compounds. The degree of conversion strongly depended on the reaction temperature and increased quickly after 170°C. The rate constant of the second ring closure reaction was found to be approximately three to four times the rate constant of the first ring closure reaction. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Electrochemical detection of TNT with in-line pre-concentration using imprinted diethylbenzene-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilicas

Abstract We examined the adsorption and release of TNT using diethylbenzene-bridged (DEB) periodic mesoporous organosilica sorbents under varying conditions. The sorbents were applied for in-line target pre-concentration in conjunction with an electrochemical flow cell containing a glassy carbon electrode. Square wave voltammetry was employed for TNT detection. TNT sample volumes between 2 and 480 mL at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 500 ppb were passed through the DEB sorbents (imprinted or not imprinted for TNT) at pH 6 (sodium acetate) or at pH 7.4 (PBS). Release of target was accomplished using solvent mixtures of methanol/water with sodium acetate as electrolyte or acetonitrile/water with PBS components as electrolyte. Under these conditions, the TNT was released in 3000 can be achieved when using large volumes of trace TNT samples. When sample volumes of 2 mL were utilized, the sensing system gave a linear response between 20 and 500 ppb with an estimated limit of detection of 13 ppb. When pre-concentrating 480 mL of sample in either buffered solution or seawater, detection of 0.5 ppb TNT was achieved with a signal to noise ratio of 20.
CD4+ Lymphocytes and Gamma Interferon Predominate in Local Immune Responses in Early Experimental Syphilis

The clearance of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum from early syphilis lesions involves infiltration of a large number of mononuclear cells and is characteristic of a cell-mediated immune response. In the present study, we sought to determine the relative abundance of different T-lymphocyte populations and Th1/Th2-associated cytokines present in testicular lesions following experimental infection with the Chicago strain of T. pallidum. Using flow cytometry, we examined the proportion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells present throughout the progression and resolution of primary syphilis in the rabbit model. We related these findings to the results of real-time reverse transcription-PCR quantification of treponemal and cytokine mRNA levels. Treponemal mRNA levels reached peak values on day 18 postinfection, coincident with an initial peak in the level of T cells, which were primarily CD4(+) T cells. T-cell levels increased again during resolution of orchitis, and there was an increased proportion of CD8(+) T cells. The maximum gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA levels were observed on days 11 and 18, respectively, while only negligible amounts of IL-4 and IL-2 were detected throughout the infection. In addition to showing the temporal relationship between treponemal burden and T-cell responses during lesion progression, our results also demonstrate that the composition of the T-cell population changes during lesion resolution. The presence of the mRNA for IFN-gamma, but not IL-4, is consistent with cytokine expression in human syphilis and provides further support for the hypothesis that there is a Th1 predominance during the early immune response to T. pallidum.
Introduction, Definitions, and Clinical Importance of Postoperative Ileus

i i d s p p o ntestinal surgery is associated with a mandatory period during which bowel function ceases, deemed postoperaive ileus (POI). This condition lasts for a variable period, anging from one or two days in some cases to several weeks n others. POI may also be associated with nongastrointestial abdominal surgery, or even with surgery that is not perormed on the abdomen, such as major orthopedic or cardiac urgery. While POI has been recognized by surgeons for many ears, it has generally been accepted as a “normal ” part of ecovery after surgery. This has been contributed to by the bsence of specific treatments for the condition. Over the last ecade, there have been significant efforts to minimize the eriod of POI, as there appears to be no associated physioogical benefit, and because POI delays a patient’s recovery fter surgery and is a major factor in delaying time to disharge from the hospital.
Investigating the effects of ties on measures of concordance.

The concordance between predicted and observed outcomes, referred to as the C index or C statistic, is frequently used to quantify the discriminatory ability of a prognostic model. It also commonly serves as a basis for distinguishing predictive strength between different models. Two alternative formulations of the C index are widely used, one completely excluding ties from the computation (C tied,out ) and the other including ties (C tied,in ). However, there has been little research concerning the effects of ties on these two measures. In this paper we characterize changes in the performance of C tied,in and C tied,out for progressively less coarse (or more coarse) partitions of the data. Our theoretical and simulation results show that both measures can be heavily dependent on the number of tied pairs and their results can be substantially divergent. We examine potential ambiguities that can occur when the two measures diverge. In the presence of a substantial proportion of tied pairs, we recommend that both C indices be computed as lower and upper bounds, and that, when feasible, the C indices should be computed with respect to partitions corresponding to the same percentiles for the models being compared. When it is desired to estimate the overall concordance, the average value of the two C indices might also be considered. We use the data from the Hemodialysis Clinical Trial to illustrate our evaluation and methods.
Bundling products to success: The influence of complementarity and advertising

Abstract This study investigates the strategic influence of product complementarity and advertising on the success of bundling products. We use a profit maximization model to show that when a firm sells bundled products, both the product complementarity and advertising significantly impact the performance of bundled products. The bundling strategy with advertising can help firm achieve higher performance than the bundling strategy without advertising. However, the price discount to the identical products must be attractive to customers and the degree of product complementarity to the complementary products must be large enough, and then the bundling strategy with advertising can obtain a success in the market. Furthermore, our results also show that when the degree of the complementarity between two products increases, firm should invest less on advertising to promote the bundled products. Based on our results, we propose optimal marketing strategies for firms to adopt. Firm managers can utilize our findings to plan their bundling strategies wisely.
Improved Human-Robot Teaming through Facilitated Initiative

This paper evaluates collaborative tasking tools that facilitate dynamic sharing of responsibilities between robot and operator throughout a search and detection task. The goal is to arbitrate human and robot initiative such that the user can provide input at different levels without interfering with the robot?s ability to navigate, avoid obstacles, plan global paths, and achieve task goals. A real-world search and detection experiment is used to compare Standard Shared Mode (SSM), where robot behavior unfolds from the robot?s perception of its local environment and the attainment of task goals are the result of continuous operator supervision, to a Collaborative Tasking Mode (CTM), where operators input mission level tasks and the system dynamically constrains user and robot initiative based on the task element. Participants who utilize CTM do not experience a significant performance penalty, yet benefit from reduced workload and fewer instances of confusion. In addition, CTM participants report a higher overall feeling of control as compared to those using SSM.
Molecular physiology, pathology, and regulation of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-I system

Since the somatomedin hypothesis of growth hormone (GH) action was first formulated nearly 50 years ago, the key roles of both GH and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in human growth have been confirmed and extended to include local effects on tissue maintenance and repair. More recent insights have revealed a dark side to the GH/IGF-I signaling system. Both proteins have been implicated as potential contributing factors in selected human cancers, and normal activity through this signaling pathway has been linked to diminished lifespan in experimental animals. This review highlights both the positive and negative aspects of the GH/IGF-I-growth pathway. The overall goal is to reinforce the need for more complete understanding of the mechanisms of signaling and action of GH and IGF-I, in order to separate, if possible, the potentially beneficial outcomes on growth and on tissue maintenance and repair from deleterious effects on cancer risk and lifespan.
Selecting a probability sample of school children in the coterminous United States.

(1968). Selecting a Probability Sample of School Children in the Coterminous United States. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 39, No. 2, pp. 409-414.