cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Construction Safety and Informal Training: A Two Part Study

Informal training consistently occurs on construction worksites without planned or organized instruction or supervision. This study analyzes the benefits, circumstances, and means by which informal training occurs and construction workers' perceptions of job safety and potential hazards. Results indicated that construction owners had an overall positive view of informal training, with a few minor issues. The study also revealed that, although aware of dangers on the job, workers still often neglect safety measures and can benefit from informal training in day-to-day activities. The results should warrant more research on the topic of informal training in relation to construction safety and health and provides a context-based description of informal training. Language: en
Depositional history of recent sediments from San Pedro Shelf, California: Reconstruction using elemental abundance, isotopic composition and molecular markers

Sediments deposited near and impacted by a major wastewater outfall system in southern California were examined for their organic content and composition. A combination of elemental (% organic carbon (OC), % organic nitrogen (ON)), stable isotopic (σ13C, σ15N) and molecular analyses were used to reconstruct the depositional history of these Recent sediments. In the immediate vicinity of the outfalls, the variations in the bulk properties (% OC; % ON; σ 13C; σ15N) of the sedimentary organic matter were closely correlated and appeared to reflect changing inputs of sewage particulates. This allowed the successful application of a two-source mixing model, whereby the fraction of waste-derived organic matter in the sediments was estimated. With increasing distance from the point of waste discharge, however, the validity of the model became tenuous owing to inputs from other sources, changing depositional environments and other factors. Source-specific molecular markers were used to corroborate predictions based on the mixing model and to establish sediment chronology. Key marker compounds used in this study include: (i) the high molecular weight normal alkanes derived from terrigenous plant debris; (ii) 17α (H), 18α (H), 21β (H) -28,30-bisnorhopane, a pentacyclic triterpane characteristic of California oil seeps and shales; (iii) DDT + metabolites; (iv) the long-chain alkylbenzenes present in munipical wastes as a result of detergent use.
A Preliminary Examination of a General Social Outcome Measure

Individuals with Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) have social competence impairments that can result in negative adult outcomes. Despite considerable research on social skills training, litt...
TH-A-19A-07: The Effect of Particle Tracking Step Size Limit On Monte Carlo- Computed LET Spectrum of Therapeutic Proton Beams

Purpose: To investigate the effect of charged particle tracking step size limit in the determination of the LET spectrum of therapeutic proton beams using Monte Carlo simulations. Methods: The LET spectra at different depths in a water phantom from a 79.7 MeV spot-scanning proton beam were calculated using Geant4. Five different tracking step limits 0.5 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.01 mm and 1 μm were adopted. The field size was set to 10×10 cm2 on the isocenter plane. A 40×40×6 cm3 water phantom was modelled as the irradiation target. The voxel size was set to 1×1×0.5 mm3 to obtain high resolution results. The LET spectra were scored ranging from 0.01 keV/μm to 104keV/μm in the logarithm scale. In addition, the proton energy spectra at different depths were also scored. Results: The LET spectra calculated using different step size limits were compared at four depths along the Bragg curve. At any depths, the spread of the LET spectra increases with the decrease of step size limit. In the dose buildup region (z = 1.9 cm) and in the region proximal to the Bragg peak (z = 3.95 cm), the frequency mean LET does not vary with decreasing step size limit. At Bragg peak (z = 4.75 cm) and in the distal edge (z = 4.85 cm), frequency mean LET decreases with decreasing step size limit. The energy spectrum at any specified depths does not vary with the step size limit. Conclusion: The calculated LET has a spectral distribution rather than a single value at any depths along the Bragg curve and the spread of the computed spectrum depends on the tracking step limit. Incorporating the LET spectrum distribution into the robust IMPT optimization plan may provide more accurate biological dose distribution than using the dose- or fluence-averaged LET. NIH Program Project Grant P01CA021239.
A modified arch bar for use in patients with anterior crowns or bridgework.

Abstract A modification to the wrought arch bar is described for use in patients with anterior crowns or bridgework.
Cell polarity and spindle orientation in the distal epithelium of embryonic lung

A proper balance between self-renewal and differentiation of lung specific progenitors at the distal epithelial tips is absolutely required for normal lung morphogenesis. Cell polarity and mitotic spindle orientation play a critical role in the self-renewal/differentiation of epithelial cells and can impact normal physiological processes, including epithelial tissue branching and differentiation. Therefore, understanding the behavior of lung distal epithelial progenitors could identify innovative solutions to restoring normal lung morphogenesis. Yet little is known about cell polarity, spindle orientation and segregation of cell fate determinant in the embryonic lung epithelium, which contains progenitor cells. Herein, we provide the first evidence that embryonic lung distal epithelium is polarized and highly mitotic with characteristic perpendicular cell divisions. Consistent with these findings, mInsc, LGN and NuMA polarity proteins, which control spindle orientation, are asymmetrically localized in mitotic distal epithelial progenitors of embryonic lungs. Furthermore, the cell fate determinant Numb is asymmetrically distributed at the apical side of distal epithelial progenitors and segregated to one daughter cell in most mitotic cells. These findings provide evidence for polarity in distal epithelial progenitors of embryonic lungs and provide a framework for future translationally oriented studies in this area.
Results of duct area ratio changes in the NASA Lewis H2-O2 combustion MHD experiment

MHD power generation experiments utilizing a cesium-seeded H2-O2 working fluid were carried out using a diverging area Hall duct having an entrance Mach number of 2. The experiments were conducted in a high field strength cryomagnet facility at field strengths up to 5 tesla. The effects of power takeoff location, generator loading B field strength, and electrode breakdown voltage were investigated. The effect of area ratio, multiple loading of the duct, and duct location within the magnetic field are considered.
BAG3 Expression in Glioblastoma Cells Promotes Accumulation of Ubiquitinated Clients in an Hsp70-dependent Manner

Disposal of damaged proteins and protein aggregates is a prerequisite for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and impairment of this disposal can lead to a broad range of pathological conditions, most notably in brain-associated disorders including Parkinson and Alzheimer diseases, and cancer. In this respect, the Protein Quality Control (PQC) pathway plays a central role in the clearance of damaged proteins. The Hsc/Hsp70-co-chaperone BAG3 has been described as a new and critical component of the PQC in several cellular contexts. For example, the expression of BAG3 in the rodent brain correlates with the engagement of protein degradation machineries in response to proteotoxic stress. Nevertheless, little is known about the molecular events assisted by BAG3. Here we show that ectopic expression of BAG3 in glioblastoma cells leads to the activation of an HSF1-driven stress response, as attested by transcriptional activation of BAG3 and Hsp70. BAG3 overexpression determines an accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and this event requires the N-terminal region, WW domain of BAG3 and the association of BAG3 with Hsp70. The ubiquitination mainly occurs on BAG3-client proteins and the inhibition of proteasomal activity results in a further accumulation of ubiquitinated clients. At the cellular level, overexpression of BAG3 in glioblastoma cell lines, but not in non-glial cells, results in a remarkable decrease in colony formation capacity and this effect is reverted when the binding of BAG3 to Hsp70 is impaired. These observations provide the first evidence for an involvement of BAG3 in the ubiquitination and turnover of its partners.
A nurse looks at childbirth anxiety.

Since anxiety is a common denominator in childbirth, it is an excellent target for nursing intervention during labor and delivery. The nurse can apply basic nursing techniques in the physical and emotional support of the patient to reduce and improve the character of the patient's labor.
Computing Bounds on Free Energy Changes with One and Two Dimensional Paths

The rapid computation of free energy changes is important for molecular design. Here we examine the use of Hamiltonian switching simulations, which provide rigorous upper and lower bounds to free e...
Somatosensory perception of running shoe mass

Running shoes are often marketed based on mass. A total of 50 young adult males participated across two separate experiments to determine how well they could perceive the relative masses of five different running shoes using hands versus feet. For the foot portion, subjects were blindly fitted with the shoes and asked to rank their masses individually using visual analogue scales (VAS) and verbal rankings. For the hand portion, two different methods were used, one presenting all shoes simultaneously and the other presenting the shoes individually. Verbal accuracy and VAS scores correlated across subjects for the hand and foot, but accuracy in mass perception by the feet was 30% compared to 92% or 63% by the hand (depending on the method). These results indicate the foot perceives mass poorly compared to the hand, and that consumers' perception of shoe mass may come more from handling shoes versus wearing them.
Global Warming Can Negate the Expected CO2 Stimulation in Photosynthesis and Productivity for Soybean Grown in the Midwestern United States

Extensive evidence shows that increasing carbon dioxide concentration ([CO2]) stimulates, and increasing temperature decreases, both net photosynthetic carbon assimilation (A) and biomass production for C3 plants. However the [CO2]-induced stimulation in A is projected to increase further with warmer temperature. While the influence of increasing temperature and [CO2], independent of each other, on A and biomass production have been widely investigated, the interaction between these two major global changes has not been tested on field-grown crops. Here, the interactive effect of both elevated [CO2] (approximately 585 μmol mol−1) and temperature (+3.5°C) on soybean (Glycine max) A, biomass, and yield were tested over two growing seasons in the Temperature by Free-Air CO2 Enrichment experiment at the Soybean Free Air CO2 Enrichment facility. Measurements of A, stomatal conductance, and intercellular [CO2] were collected along with meteorological, water potential, and growth data. Elevated temperatures caused lower A, which was largely attributed to declines in stomatal conductance and intercellular [CO2] and led in turn to lower yields. Increasing both [CO2] and temperature stimulated A relative to elevated [CO2] alone on only two sampling days during 2009 and on no days in 2011. In 2011, the warmer of the two years, there were no observed increases in yield in the elevated temperature plots regardless of whether [CO2] was elevated. All treatments lowered the harvest index for soybean, although the effect of elevated [CO2] in 2011 was not statistically significant. These results provide a better understanding of the physiological responses of soybean to future climate change conditions and suggest that the potential is limited for elevated [CO2] to mitigate the influence of rising temperatures on photosynthesis, growth, and yields of C3 crops.
Variations in the equatorial countercurrent in the central Pacific

Cruise 15 of the M.V. Hugh M. Smith consisted of four consecutive lines of oceanographic stations along 140°W longitude between 8°N and 7°S latitude. Geostrophic calculations show that during a five-week period the maximum eastward velocity component in the Countercurrent progressively increased from 63 to 120 cm/sec and the volume of flow increased from 18.3 to 22.6 X 106 m3/sec.In spite of these short-term variations, the Equatorial Countercurrent in the central Pacific is remarkably predictable in latitude and general physical characteristics.
Elasticity-conductivity connections for contacting rough surfaces : An overview

We consider a rough interface between two rough plates pressed against one another, and discuss the cross-property connections between its incremental stiffness and its conductance. We give an overview of two different approaches to these connections: the one based on similarity between the two boundary value problems and another based on the observation that the microstructural parameters controlling the two physical properties are identical. We show how the two approaches complement one another; in particular, by allowing one to transfer a wealth of knowledge accumulated in the context of the conductance problem to the problem of stiffness.
Genotypic Diversity of Escherichia coli in the Water and Soil of Tropical Watersheds in Hawaii

High levels of Escherichia coli were frequently detected in tropical soils in Hawaii, which present important environmental sources of E. coli to water bodies. This study systematically examined E. coli isolates from water and soil of several watersheds in Hawaii and observed high overall genotypic diversity (35.5% unique genotypes). In the Manoa watershed, fewer than 9.3% of the observed E. coli genotypes in water and 6.6% in soil were shared between different sampling sites, suggesting the lack of dominant fecal sources in the watershed. High temporal variability of E. coli genotypes in soil was also observed, which suggests a dynamic E. coli population corresponding with the frequently observed high concentrations in tropical soils. When E. coli genotypes detected from the same sampling events were compared, limited sharing between the soil and water samples was observed in the majority of comparisons (73.5%). However, several comparisons reported up to 33.3% overlap of E. coli genotypes between soil and water, illustrating the potential for soil-water interactions under favorable environmental conditions. In addition, genotype accumulation curves for E. coli from water and soil indicated that the sampling efforts in the Manoa watershed could not exhaust the overall genotypic diversity. Comparisons of E. coli genotypes from other watersheds on Oahu, Hawaii, identified no apparent grouping according to sampling locations. The results of the present study demonstrate the complexity of using E. coli as a fecal indicator bacterium in tropical watersheds and highlight the need to differentiate environmental sources of E. coli from fecal sources in water quality monitoring.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa sodA and sodB mutants defective in manganese- and iron-cofactored superoxide dismutase activity demonstrate the importance of the iron-cofactored form in aerobic metabolism.

The consumption of molecular oxygen by Pseudomonas aeruginosa can lead to the production of reduced oxygen species, including superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, and the hydroxyl radical. As a first line of defense against potentially toxic levels of endogenous superoxide, P. aeruginosa possesses an iron- and manganese-cofactored superoxide dismutase (SOD) to limit the damage evoked by this radical. In this study, we have generated mutants which possess an interrupted sodA (encoding manganese SOD) or sodB (encoding iron SOD) gene and a sodA sodB double mutant. Mutagenesis of sodA did not significantly alter the aerobic growth rate in rich medium (Luria broth) or in glucose minimal medium in comparison with that of wild-type bacteria. In addition, total SOD activity in the sodA mutant was decreased only 15% relative to that of wild-type bacteria. In contrast, sodB mutants grew much more slowly than the sodA mutant or wild-type bacteria in both media, and sodB mutants possessed only 13% of the SOD activity of wild-type bacteria. There was also a progressive decrease in catalase activity in each of the mutants, with the sodA sodB double mutant possessing only 40% of the activity of wild-type bacteria. The sodA sodB double mutant grew very slowly in rich medium and required approximately 48 h to attain saturated growth in minimal medium. There was no difference in growth of either strain under anaerobic conditions. Accordingly, the sodB but not the sodA mutant demonstrated marked sensitivity to paraquat, a superoxide-generating agent. P. aeuroginosa synthesizes a blue, superoxide-generating antibiotic similar to paraquat in redox properties which is called pyocyanin, the synthesis of which is accompanied by increased iron SOD and catalase activities (D.J. Hassett, L. Charniga, K. A. Bean, D. E. Ohman, and M. S. Cohen, Infect. Immun. 60:328-336, 1992). Pyocyanin production was completely abolished in the sodB and sodA sodB mutants and was decreased approximately 57% in sodA mutants relative to that of the wild-type organism. Furthermore, the addition of sublethal concentrations of paraquat to wild-type bacteria caused a concentration-dependent decrease in pyocyanin production, suggesting that part of the pyocyanin biosynthetic cascade is inhibited by superoxide. These results suggest that iron SOD is more important than manganese SOD for aerobic growth, resistance to paraquat, and optimal pyocyanin biosynthesis in P. aeruginosa.
The Impact of Party and Ideology on Roll Call Voting in State Legislatures

To assess the relative impact of party and ideology on legislative behavior, I utilize survey-based measures of legislator ideology to examine voting in five state legislatures. The results suggest that, although party and ideology both influence voting, the impact of party is greater. The magnitude of this impact varies, however, from chamber to chamber. The activity of parties in the electoral arena explains part of this variance, with more active parties having more influence. Thus, research on legislative behavior should focus on the context surrounding the decision-making process in order for us to understand the influences on voting.
Effects of Calcium Salts on Growth, Polygalacturonase Activity, and Infection of Peach Fruit by Monilinia fructicola.

Biggs, A. R., El-Kholi, M. M., El-Neshawy, S., and Nickerson, R. 1997. Effects of calcium salts on growth, polygalacturonase activity, and infection of peach fruit by Monilinia fructicola. Plant Dis. 81:399-403. The effects of several calcium salts on growth, polygalacturonase (PG) activity, and infection of peach fruit by Monilinia fructicola were determined. All salts except calcium formate, calcium pantothenate, and dibasic calcium phosphate reduced growth of M. fructicola on amended potato-dextrose agar (PDA) after 7 days. Minimal growth occurred on PDA amended with calcium propionate. Calcium hydroxide, calcium oxide, calcium s ilicate, and calcium pyrophosphate reduced growth by approximately 65% compared with the control. Substances that were inhibitory on amended PDA were also inhibitory in potato-dextrose broth (PDB) but varied in effectiveness depending on whether PDB or PDA was used. The correlation between the amount of growth on PDA versus that in PDB was not significant. Fungal PG activity was inhibited by all salts used in this study except dibasic calcium phosphate and calcium tartrate. Greatest inhibition of PG was associated with calcium propionate followed by calcium sulfate, tribasic calcium phosphate, calcium gluconate, and calcium succinate. The activity of calcium salts was not affected by pH. PG activity was correlated with growth on PDA ( rs = 0.48, P ≤ 0.04) but was not correlated with growth in PDB. When inoculum was sprayed on detached fruit, the incidence and severity of brown rot were least on fruit that had been dipped in solutions of calcium propionate or calcium silicate. When inoculum was applied as a localized drop to wounded fruit that had been dipped in a solution containing 1,200 mg of calcium per liter, brown rot severity was least for fruit treated with calcium oxide and calcium hydroxide. For nonwounded fruit and drop inoculations, calcium hydroxide was the most effective in reducing brown rot incidence, and all salts reduced rot severity similarly. There were significant correlations between growth in PDB and disease incidence and severity 4 days after inoculation at both calcium levels (600 and 1,000 mg per liter). Furthermore, disease incidence and severity at both levels of calcium were also correlated significantly with PG activity. Future investigations on brown rot and calcium salts should u tilize PDB for in vitro investigations and spray mist inoculations for fruit studies.
Dual Blockade of PD-1 and CTLA-4 Combined with Tumor Vaccine Effectively Restores T-Cell Rejection Function in Tumors—Letter

There is much effort to develop new therapeutic approaches to rescue dysfunctional T cells in patients with cancer. In the June issue of Cancer Research , Duraiswamy and colleagues demonstrate that a triple therapy consisting of anti-PD-1, anti-CTLA-4, and therapeutic vaccination provides consistent
The domino transplant: Transplant recipients as organ donors

The success of solid organ transplantation is limited by ongoing problems with organ availability. The use of extended cadaveric donors as well as the use of living donors are both strategies used to overcome this shortage. One group of potential donors that has not been previously reported are those who have previously received an organ transplant. This type of transplant was first described as a domino transplantation of heart-lung and heart (1). A combined heart-lung transplant was performed in a patient with end-stage lung disease, but who still had adequate heart performance. The normal heart of this heart-lung recipient was then transplanted into a second patient with end-stage heart disease. In similar types of procedures, the successful retransplantation of a liver allograft from a liver recipient who suffered brain death has been described, as well as retransplantation of a renal allograft (2, 3). The transplantation of kidneys from a heart transplant recipient who suffered brain death has also been reported (4). To obtain a better understanding of the scope and results as such procedures, we performed a comprehensive review of the United States experience (5).
MARS: A Statistical Semantic Parsing and Generation-Based Multilingual Automatic tRanslation System

We present MARS (Multilingual Automatic tRanslation System), a research prototype speech-to-speech translation system. MARS is aimed at two-way conversational spoken language translation between English and Mandarin Chinese for limited domains, such as air travel reservations. In MARS, machine translation is embedded within a complex speech processing task, and the translation performance is highly effected by the performance of other components, such as the recognizer and semantic parser, etc. All components in the proposed system are statistically trained using an appropriate training corpus. The speech signal is first recognized by an automatic speech recognizer (ASR). Next, the ASR-transcribed text is analyzed by a semantic parser, which uses a statistical decision-tree model that does not require hand-crafted grammars or rules. Furthermore, the parser provides semantic information that helps further re-scoring of the speech recognition hypotheses. The semantic content extracted by the parser is formatted into a language-independent tree structure, which is used for an interlingua based translation. A Maximum Entropy based sentence-level natural language generation (NLG) approach is used to generate sentences in the target language from the semantic tree representations. Finally, the generated target sentence is synthesized into speech by a speech synthesizer. Many new features and innovations have been incorporated into MARS: the translation is based on understanding the meaning of the sentence; the semantic parser uses a statistical model and is trained from a semantically annotated corpus; the output of the semantic parser is used to select a more specific language model to refine the speech recognition performance; the NLG component uses a statistical model and is also trained from the same annotated corpus. These features give MARS the advantages of robustness to speech disfluencies and recognition errors, tighter integration of semantic information into speech recognition, and portability to new languages and domains. These advantages are verified by our experimental results.
Normal or non-diagnostic neuroimaging studies prior to the detection of malignant primary brain tumors

We aimed to describe a single institution experience of neuroimaging failure to demonstrate malignant primary brain tumors. We retrospectively reviewed case histories for all newly diagnosed adult patients with malignant primary brain tumors treated at a single institution between 1 July 2006 and 30 June 2008. We specifically looked at patients in whom neuroimaging was normal or non-diagnostic at initial presentation. Among 193 patients with malignant primary brain tumors, there were 102 with World Health Organization (WHO) grade IV gliomas (glioblastoma multiforme, GBM), 54 with anaplastic gliomas, 18 with low grade gliomas, and 19 with primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL). Initial imaging was normal in nine patients and abnormal but non-diagnostic in an additional eight patients with primary brain cancer. Normal or non-diagnostic neuroimaging was not uncommon among patients with GBM. Dramatic, rapid tumor growth is possible. Close interval clinical and radiographic follow-up can be important especially in the management of elderly patients presenting with seizures and non-diagnostic neuroimaging studies.
Factors Affecting Light Emission from Solid State Incandescent Light Emitting Devices with Sputter Deposited Zr-Doped HfO2 Thin Films

The light emission characteristics of a new type of solid state light emitting device, which is based on the thermal excitation of conductive paths formed in the Zr-doped HfO2 high-k dielectric stack, have been investigated with respect to the fabrication process, film properties, the device driving method, and the lifetime. The emission spectrum covers the visible to the near IR wavelength range with a high color rendering index of 98.1. The light intensity increases with the increase of the post deposition annealing temperature due to changes of the film thickness and defect density. It also increases with the increase of the magnitude of the driving voltage because of the enhancement of the thermal excitation of the conductive path. The light emission intensity decreases with the reduction of the duty cycle in the pulsed driving condition but the emission spectrum remains in the same wavelength range. This device has a very long lifetime of >2,800 hours in the atmosphere. This new device is made of the IC compatible material and fabrication process, which favors the application in a wide range of products.
Development of Shape Primitives from Images of Composite Objects Represented by Complex Cells

Visual primitives have long been proposed, under the name of geons or generalized cylinders, as components for object models in the brain and in the computer. Geons constitute a structural level intermediate between features and whole objects, and can form a basis for powerful generalization between different view points. We here present a system for the extraction of geon models from images of composite objects. We use synthetic gray-level images, each composed of several shape primitives. Our system finds geons as partial matches between several images. Images and models are represented as arrays of complex cells of Gabor type.
Triangular-domain basis functions for full-wave analysis of microstrip discontinuities

A numerical technique for computing the S-parameters of arbitrarily shaped microstrip discontinuities and interconnects is presented. The microstrip conducting surface is rendered in a triangular discretization. Unknown currents are expanded with triangular-domain basis functions in a method of moments solution to the mixed-potential integral equation (MPIE). Triangular basis functions offer several advantages over rectangular subdomain functions, including their ability to conform readily to arbitrary geometries without a staircase effect. Examples comparing triangular-domain modeling with rectangular-domain modeling and experiment are given. >
Effects of habitat, wave exposure, and marine protected area status on coral reef fish assemblages in the Hawaiian archipelago

The relationships between fish assemblages, their associated habitat, and degree of protection from fishing were evaluated over a broad spatial scale throughout the main Hawaiian islands. Most fish assemblage characteristics showed positive responses to protection whether it was physical (e.g. habitat complexity), biological (e.g. coral cover growth forms), or human-induced (e.g. marine reserves). Fish biomass was lowest in areas of direct wave exposure and highest in areas partially sheltered from swells. Higher values for fish species richness, number of individuals, biomass, and diversity were observed in locations with higher substrate complexity. Areas completely protected from fishing had distinct fish assemblages with higher standing stock and diversity than areas where fishing was permitted or areas that were partially protected from fishing. Locations influenced by customary stewardship harbored fish biomass that was equal to or greater than that of no-take protected areas. Marine protected areas in the main Hawaiian islands with high habitat complexity, moderate wave disturbance, a high percentage of branching and/or lobate coral coupled with legal protection from fishing pressure had higher values for most fish assemblage characteristics.
Fan-Delta and Lacustrine Margin Sedimentation, Chinle Formation (Upper Triassic), Canyonlands National Park, Utah: ABSTRACT

Cyclic fluvial, fan-delta, and lacustrine margin depositional systems dominate the lower part of the Chinle Formation, Canyonlands area, southeastern Utah. Detailed facies analysis of the Moss Back Member and related strata document two alternating fluvial-lacustrine sequences. (1) During high fluvial output, coarse-grained meander belts built fan-deltas into shallow lakes. (2) During low fluvial output, braided streams waned before reaching the lakes, and algal and evaporatic mud flats formed on broad lacustrine perimeters. The high fluvial output phase comprises three depositional systems. (1) The coarse-grained meander belt system consists of point-bar and channel deposits. Abundant carbonate grains were cannibalized from upland caliche soils and lowland oncolite-bearing carbonate mud flats. (2) The fan-delta system contains sandstone and mudstone delta foresets that coarsen upward into delta-distributary deposits. (3) Blue-green, bentonitic, limy mudstone was deposited in the shallow lacustrine system. The low fluvial output phase comprises three depositional systems. (1) Braided stream deposits contain trough and planar cross-stratified calcarenite, calcirudite, and quartzarenite. (2) Micritic limestone, algal mats, and oncolites formed on swampy lake margins. (3) Shallow, warm, clear-water, lacustrine deposits are represented by continuous micritic limestone beds and bioturbated limy mudstone and sandstone. Three external controls produced the cycles. Tectonics associated with the adjacent salt anticline region affected source terrane (intrabasinal carbonate output) and fluvial discharge. Regional humid-arid cycles affected fluvial discharge and lake levels. Volcanic eruptions to the southwest produced periodic influx of volcanic debris that caused increased turbidity and sedimentation rates and decreased carbonate production. End_of_Article - Last_Page 550------------
Sol-Gel Synthesis of a New Oxide-Ion Conductor Sr- and Mg-Doped LaGaO3 Perovskite

Sr- and Mg-doped LaGaO{sub 3} powders were prepared from a salt acetate solution. The stable solution was peptized by reacting ammonium hydroxide with the precursor solution. Thermal analysis (DTA/TGA) was used to characterize first the dehydration and then the thermal decomposition of the organic ligands of the dried gel. The transformation from amorphous powders into a crystallized, homogeneous oxide phase corresponds to two endothermic peaks in the DTA curve; the first one at 150 C is related to the removal of water and is followed by a shoulder at 250 C. The second peak at 300 C corresponds to a superposition of two decomposition reactions: acetate salt into its oxycarbonate and this oxycarbonate into its oxide. Two subsequent exothermic peaks correspond to oxidation of evolved gases such as methane, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide. TEM observations show an average 10 nm particle size of the LaGaO{sub 3} powder after annealing at 600 C. X-ray diffraction patterns indicate a pure primitive-cubic phase is formed by 1,300 C without formation of any SrLaGaO{sub 3} impurity. The impedance spectroscopy on a 93%-dense sample exhibits no grain-boundary contribution and an ac conductivity {sigma} = 0.11 {Omega}{sup {minus}1} {center_dot} cm{sup {minus}1} at 800 C.
Age- and region-dependent alterations in Aβ-degrading enzymes: implications for Aβ-induced disorders

Accumulation of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) is a fundamental feature of certain human brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome and also of the skeletal muscle disorder inclusion body myositis (IBM). Emerging evidence suggests that the steady-state levels of Aβ are determined by the balance between production and degradation. Although the proteolytic processes leading to Aβ formation have been extensively studied, less is known about the proteases that degrade Aβ, which include insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) and neprilysin (NEP). Here we measured the steady-state levels of these proteases as a function of age and brain/muscle region in mice and humans. In the hippocampus, which is vulnerable to AD pathology, IDE and NEP steady-state levels diminish as function of age. By contrast, in the cerebellum, a brain region not marked by significant Aβ accumulation, NEP and IDE levels either increase or remain unaltered during aging. Moreover, the steady-state levels of IDE and NEP are significantly higher in the cerebellum compared to the cortex and hippocampus. We further show that IDE is more oxidized in the hippocampus compared to the cerebellum of AD patients. In muscle, we find differential levels of IDE and NEP in fast versus slow twitch muscle fibers that varies with aging. These findings suggest that age- and region-specific changes in the proteolytic clearance of Aβ represent a critical pathogenic mechanism that may account for the susceptibility of particular brain or muscle regions in AD and IBM.
A Highly Soluble Redox Shuttle with Superior Rate Performance in Overcharge Protection

The demand for a stable and compatible redox shuttles for use in lithium-ion batteries has prompted us to explore strategies to tune and improve the properties of redox shuttles. We have studied over 50 new diarylamine derivatives synthesized in our laboratory including one compound in which we introduced trifluoromethyl groups (–CF3) at the positions para to the nitrogen atom in N-ethylphenothiazine (EPT). The high electronegativity of the CF3 group raises the oxidation potential, and its incorporation also significantly increases solubility in battery electrolyte. Here we report 3,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-N-ethylphenothiazine (BCF3EPT) as a new redox shuttle, which we have observed to have the highest reported solubility in battery electrolyte of all redox shuttles that maintain extended overcharge performance. We have compared its performance with 1,3-di-tert-butyl-2,5-dimethoxybenzene (DBB), EPT, and other robust redox shuttles. In our hands, overcharge cycling of BCF3EPT far surpasses any reported redox shuttle, and–because it can be dissolved at higher concentrations–it tolerates faster charging rates than both DBB and EPT.
Molecular tools for understanding population structure in Antarctic species

During the last decade, methods for detecting DNA polymorphisms have proliferated at a bewildering pace. Today the investigator must choose among various types of genetic markers as well as between a variety of methods for discovering and screening polymorphisms. Polymorphisms useful for the analysis of population structure are found in both mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Marker development may proceed along two routes: 1) discovery of species–specific markers, and 2) application of universal methods. Species-specific markers are based on sequence data from the target species or close relatives, whereas universal markers are based on the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers targeted to regions highly conserved across diverse taxa. Markers commonly employed include mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms, microsatellites, anonymous nuclear loci and known genes (both coding and noncoding regions). Methods for detecting polymorphisms range from technically simple (RFLP analysis) to more sophisticated mutation scanning methods. We review the application of these approaches to several key Antarctic species (the Patagonian toothfish Dissostichus eleginoides, the mackerel icefish Champsocephalus gunnari, and the squid Martialia hyadesi Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889) and present preliminary data on genetic polymorphisms in toothfish and icefish.
Utilization of a Rapid DNA-Based Assay for Molecular Verification of Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, F1 Hybrids, and Backcross Offspring at Several Life Stages

Abstract The F1 hybrid offspring of female channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus × male blue catfish I. furcatus contain many desirable traits for commercial production, such as enhanced growth and increased survivability. Hybrids can be produced through pond spawning (although at a low efficiency), but hybrid catfish cannot always be readily distinguished from channel catfish, especially at early life stages. The present research was designed to produce a rapid DNA-based test for the identification of hybrid catfish. Channel catfish and blue catfish genomic regions were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)using common primers for the follistatin (Fst) and hepcidin antimicrobial protein (Hamp) genes, and fragment length polymorphisms between the two species caused by ancestral insertions and deletions were resolved by agarose electrophoresis. The Fst amplicons were 348 and 399 base pairs (bp), while the Hamp amplicons were 222 and 262 bp from channel catfish and blue catfish, respectively. The mitoc...
Changes in Activity Participation After Peripheral Nerve Repair

s / Journal of Hand Therapy 27 (2014) e1ee9 e6 Background: Peripheral neuropathic pain (PNP) has been used to describe patients with nerve entrapment symptoms like neurogenic thoracic outlet, carpal tunnel syndrome, or cubital tunnel syndrome. Traditional rehabilitation treatment approaches include interventions directed specifically at the primary pathology. However, recent evidence suggests that a comprehensive treatment approach may be indicated for patients with non-radicular PNP. Methods: Consecutive patients (n 1⁄4 36) referred to 4 outpatient clinics were considered for participation. To be included, patients presented with an upper limb neural tension sign that reproduced their symptoms, and changes in symptoms were noted with proximal neural tension. Patients were excluded for clinical signs of cervical radiculopathy. Intervention was a multi-modal phased progression developed by the researchers. The primary outcome measures were the quick version of the disabilities of the arm, shoulder, andhandquestionnaire (QDASH) andNumeric PainRating Scale (NPRS) while a secondary outcome variablewas grip strength. All measures were collected at baseline, every four visits, and at discharge. Follow up data on the QDASH and NPRS was collected by phone or mail. For all outcome variables, linear mixed models were run across time with 3 factors (baseline, visit 4, and discharge). For patients with follow up data, separate linear mixed models were run. Alpha adjustments were made using Bonferroni corrections. Results: There was a significant main effect for both the QDASH and average pain (p <. 001). Post hoc analyses revealed significant difference between all time points for the QDASH (p < .041) while average pain scores were significantly different from baseline to visit 4 and baseline to discharge (p < .001). There was also a significant main effect for the group of subjects that had follow up data (QDASH and average pain p < .001). However, post hoc testing revealed no significant differences from discharge to follow up for either QDASH or average pain. There were no main effects for grip strength in patients with unilateral symptoms (p1⁄4 .128) or bilateral symptoms (p 1⁄4 .441). Conclusion: Our multi-modal program can be used as a guide for the conservative management of patients with non-radicular PNP. Future studies are needed to determine if this treatment is more effective than no treatment or if a comprehensive treatment is more effective than a localized treatment program. Changes in Activity Participation After Peripheral Nerve Repair VICKI KASKUTAS, EMILY SKOZA, JENNIE SAMUEL, ANNALEISE BOOT, DANIELLE WOJTKIEWICZ, KATHERINE WYCOFF Occupational Therapy, washington university school of medicine,
Delayed visual maturation: the apparently blind infant

When a baby is referred because the parents are worried about its apparently poor vision, the cause of the visual disability is usually evident on the first examination. At the very least, there is usually a strong suspicion about the site of the problem in the visual or neurologic system. If the infant presents with apparently poor vision and nystagmus, a careful evaluation of the eye and the optic nerve and chiasm will usually lead to the correct diagnosis. If the infant presents with apparently poor vision and no nystagmus, one must first establish that the infant can generate saccadic eye movements since the usual clinical observation of visual function, “fixation and following” are an assessment of saccadic function. This can be accomplished by holding the infant upright and spinning him to induce a normal vestibular-ocular response, which consists of both slow movements of the eyes away from primary gaze and then a rapid refixation movement
Strict equilibria interchangeability in multi-player zero-sum games

The interchangeability property of Nash equilibria in two-player zerosum games is well-known. This paper studies possible generalizations of this property to multi-party zero-sum games. A form of interchangeability property for strict Nash equilibria in such games is established. It is also shown, by proving a completeness theorem, that strict Nash equilibria do not satisfy any other non-trivial properties.
Preoperative planning for renal cell carcinoma--benefits of 64-slice CT imaging.

Surgery is the primary form of treatment in localized renal cell carcinoma. Adrenal-sparing nephrectomy, laparoscopic nephrectomy and nephron-sparing partial nephrectomy are growing trends for more limited surgical resection. Accurate preoperative imaging is essential for planning the surgical approach. Multislice CT and MR are regarded as the most efficient modalities for imaging renal neoplasms. Development of faster CT systems like 64-slice CT with improved resolution and capability to achieve isotropic reformats have significantly enhanced the role of CT in imaging of renal neoplasms.This review article describes the present state, technique and benefits of 64-slice CT scanning in preoperative planning for RCC.
Pharmacist-Managed Diabetes Education Service

A pharmacist-managed education service for diabetes patients is described. Clinical pharmacists in three ambulatory-care centers provide diabetes-patient education based on guidelines developed and approved by the pharmacy, therapeutics, and standing orders committee. Patients are referred by their primary health-care provider; they receive individualized information concerning the pathophysiology and therapy of diabetes mellitus and instruction in self-care methods. A questionnaire completed by the patient before the initial visit aids the pharmacist in assessing the patient's educational needs, developing an individualized teaching program, and establishing long- and short-range treatment goals. The pharmacist spends one hour with the patient for the initial visit and 15 minutes for subsequent visits; patient charges are $15 for the initial visit and $7.50 for further teaching sessions. Records maintained by the pharmacist enable primary-care providers to follow the patient's progress and anticipate problems. Patients return for periodic assessment of their progress. Patient teaching by pharmacists has been provided and reimbursed in this ambulatory-care setting for 10 years. The pharmacist-educators' responsibilities include assessment, planning, instruction, and follow-up.
Pubertal onset as a critical transition for neural development and cognition

Adolescence, broadly defined as the period between childhood and adulthood, is characterized by a variety of neuroanatomical and behavioral changes. In human adolescents, the cerebral cortex, especially the prefrontal cortex, decreases in size while the cortical white matter increases. Puberty appears to be an important factor in both of these changes. However, the white matter continues to grow beyond what is thought to be adolescence, while the gray matter of the cortex stabilizes by young adulthood. The size changes that are the manifestation of cortical reorganization during human adolescence are also seen in cellular reorganization in the rat cortex. The prefrontal cortex loses neurons, dendrites and synapses while myelination in the white matter continues to increase. All of this reorganization is more marked in female rats, and there is evidence both from pubertal timing and from removal of the ovaries that puberty plays an important role in initiating these changes in females. The maturation of behavioral functions of the prefrontal cortex, such as inhibitory control, occurs in both humans and rats across adolescence. There is also evidence for puberty as a major factor in decreasing perseveration in rats, but few studies have been done using pubertal status as an experimental variable, and the role of the gonadal steroids in modulating behavior throughout life makes clear effects more difficult to document. In all, puberty appears to be so essential to the changes occurring during adolescence that it should be recorded when possible, especially given the sex difference in pubertal timing. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled SI: Adolescent plasticity.
Microscopy Studies of Sol-Gel Derived Lithium Niobate

Lithium niobate prepared by sol-gel techniques can crystallize at temperatures as low as 200°C, and achieve a high homogeneity. In this sutdy, nucleation, crystallization, and morphological development are examined by TEM for alkoxide derived LiNbO3. Preliminary studies show that the as-dried gel is completely amorphous and homogeneous. Between 150-200°C, crystallization begins with crystallites on the order of 10-20 nm appearing in the amorphous matrix. By 450°C, single crystal spheroidal particles (0.05–0.2 μm) form. By 600°C, facetted large crystallites on the order of 1 gtm develop. Grain size and porosity are strongly dependent on the amount of water of hydrolysis in thin films.