cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ethical standards for computer professionals: A comparative analysis of four major codes

Professions have adopted ethical codes and codes of conduct. Physicians, lawyers, engineers, and other professionals have moral responsibilities. They know to whom they are responsible. Professionals in the data processing field, too, need to know that they have moral responsibilities and to whom they are responsible. This paper compares and evaluates the ethical codes of four major organizations of computer professionals in America. The analysis is done along the following obligations that every professional has: to society, to the employer, to clients, to colleagues, to the professional organization, and to the profession. Professionals in the information technology field have no single, agreed upon code of conduct. In the US alone there are four organizations promoting four different codes. While some of the behavioral precepts are similar, others are not. People who are members of more than one organization may wonder how they should act in certain circumstances. Furthermore, computer professionals are not provided with any guidance for cases of ethical conflicts. Flaws of the four codes and differences among them are discussed, examples of moral dilemmas are given, and points for improvement are suggested.
Assessing transboundary environmental impacts on the U.S.‐Mexican and U.S.‐Canadian Borders

Abstract The implementation of environmental impact studies (EIS) in border areas has received scant scholarly attention despite potential transboundary implications and initiatives to promote greater international cooperation in conducting environmental impact assessments. This study reviews and compares two recent U.S. environmental impact studies with transboundary implications, the All‐American Canal lining case on the U.S.‐Mexican border and the Columbia River Basin Systems Operating Review case on the U.S.Canadian border. This comparison finds significant variation in EIS implementation between the two cases that may be accounted for on the basis of extant institutional‐structural, procedural, and ecological factors in play in each border region. Drawing on the case study evidence, the study offers several recommendations for strengthening the transboundary environmental impact assessment process.
Cheating does not explain selective differences at high and low relatedness in a social amoeba

Altruism can be favored by high relatedness among interactants. We tested the effect of relatedness in experimental populations of the social amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum, where altruism occurs in a starvation-induced social stage when some amoebae die to form a stalk that lifts the fertile spores above the soil facilitating dispersal. The single cells that aggregate during the social stage can be genetically diverse, which can lead to conflict over spore and stalk allocation. We mixed eight genetically distinct wild isolates and maintained twelve replicated populations at a high and a low relatedness treatment. After one and ten social generations we assessed the strain composition of the populations. We expected that some strains would be out-competed in both treatments. In addition, we expected that low relatedness might allow the persistence of social cheaters as it provides opportunity to exploit other strains. We found that at high relatedness a single clone prevailed in all twelve populations. At low relatedness three clones predominated in all twelve populations. Interestingly, exploitation of some clones by others in the social stage did not explain the results. When we mixed each winner against the pool of five losers, the winner did not prevail in the spores because all contributed fairly to the stalk and spores. Furthermore, the dominant clone at high-relatedness was not cheated by the other two that persisted at low relatedness. A combination of high spore production and short unicellular stage most successfully explained the three successful clones at low relatedness, but not why one of them fared better at high relatedness. Differences in density did not account for the results, as the clones did not differ in vegetative growth rates nor did they change the growth rates over relevant densities. These results suggest that social competition and something beyond solitary growth differences occurs during the vegetative stage when amoebae eat bacteria and divide by binary fission. The high degree of repeatability of our results indicates that these effects are strong and points to the importance of new approaches to studying interactions in D. discoideum.
The role of letters in word identification: A test of the pattern-unit model

Three experiments are reported in which subjects were asked to read short stories and search for either a word with a particular meaning or a word that began with a particular letter. The results of the experiments were consistent with prior data in demonstrating that subjects were able to make word-level decisions faster than they could make component-level decisions. In addition, the final experiment indicated that subjects were no faster at finding a specific predesignated target word than they were at finding a word that belonged to a predesignated target category. The results were interpreted as supporting a model of pattern perception that assumes that the cognitive encoding of a small pattern does not entail any analogous, but prior, encoding of its components. In addition, the final experiment might suggest that the word-level encoding contains a semantic component.
Evaluating Traveler Information Effects on Commercial and Noncommercial Users

Incidents often account for nearly half of traffic congestion in urban areas and add uncertainty to transportation networks. The costs of incident-induced congestion, often in the form of delays, are borne by motorists and commercial carriers or associated businesses. In fact, a higher burden is borne by commercial carriers, given their higher costs and value of time. Dynamic traveler information about incidents disseminated through electronic media can benefit users. The extent of benefits associated with dynamic traveler information and whether network delays increase or decline were explored when (a) travelers can observe incidents, (b) commercial truck percentages increase in traffic, (c) truck drivers divert to alternate routes in the same way motorists do, as opposed to having lower diversion rates, and (d) commercial trucks have a higher value of time compared with passenger vehicles. With a behavioral route diversion model, the movement of commercial trucks and passenger vehicles in a simple transportation network was simulated. The results show how dynamic traveler information may or may not benefit commercial and noncommercial users under different scenarios.
The Pasture Aedes of Central and Northern California. The Egg Stage: Gross Embryology and Resistance to Desiccation

The embryology of insects has attracted the attention of many biologists. In spite of the need for such research with the culicids, relatively few publications deal with mosquito embryology. With the exception of Gander's (1951) these papers have presented rather indefinite and sometimes questionable information. Gander, however, working with Aedes aegypti (Linn.), did not record development subsequent to the first segmentation of the embryo. He stated only that it was comparable to that of the mourning gnat, Sciara.
Histological changes after transection of the spinal cord of fetal and neonatal mice.

Abstract The spinal cords of fetal (days 12 to 17 gestation) and neonatal (0 to 3 days postnatal) mice were transected and examined histologically to as long as 4 months postoperatively. Serial reconstructions were made of spinal cord sections which were prepared within the vertebral column. Based upon the application of several histological stains, we found: (i) Several months after transection the cut ends of the spinal cord were separated by a space of as many as one to two vertebral segments in transection animals and two to four vertebral segments in resection animals. (ii) After complete transection, the lesion site contained longitudinally oriented glial processes which occasionally connected the rostral and caudal segments of the spinal cord. (iii) Very few nerve fibers traversed the lesion site continuously from one stump to the other. (iv) Connective tissue scarring at the site of transection was absent and neuroglial scar formation minimal to both fetal and neonatal mice. (v) In the undamaged regions of the spinal cord, microcysts occurred more frequently in neonatal than in fetal animals. (vi) Dorsal root fibers regenerated across the gap between the ends of the cord and reentered the rostral stump of the cord. We conclude that despite the absence of connective tissue and glial scars, there was insignificant outgrowth of spinal nerve fibers. Thus, there is no greater regenerative capacity in the fetal and neonatal spinal cords than in the adult spinal cord.
Cerebral blood flow with the indicator fractionation of [14C]iodoantipyrine: effect of PaCO2 on cerebral venous appearance time.

The indicator fractionation technique using a diffusible indicator as a tracer for the determination of CBF has been used for numerous investigations of the cerebral circulation and its pathophysiology. The diffusible tracer is trapped in the brain based on the proper delay between tracer injection and cessation of the cerebral circulation by decapitation before the appearance of the tracer in the cerebral venous circulation. If this delay is too long, the quantitative assumption of the indicator fractionation technique will not be met, and CBF values will be underestimated. In 13 Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with pentobarbital, the appearance of ({sup 14}C)iodoantipyrine at the torcular was assessed as a function of PaCO2. An inverse linear relationship between PaCO{sub 2} (in millimeters of mercury) and cerebral venous appearance, Ta (in seconds), was established with the regression equation Ta = -0.0842.PaCO{sub 2} + 12.3 (R2 = 0.70, slope significantly different from zero, p less than 0.001). Ta varied between 5 and 12 s and PaCO{sub 2} varied between 84 and 18 mm Hg, respectively. Thus, in low-flow states, the decapitation time may be lengthened to 12 s, whereas in high-flow states, the time must be 5 s to eliminate the possibility of backflux ofmore » tracer out of the brain.« less
Ethical and evidence-based practice in brain injury rehabilitation

The ultimate goal of evidence-based medicine (EBM) is to develop a scientific basis for choosing interventions that will benefit individuals with defined characteristics under specified conditions. By referencing practice recommendations to the strength of the scientific evidence gleaned from systematic reviews, EBM avoids the influence of professional biases. The randomised controlled trial (RCT) has come to be considered the gold standard for EBM methodology. Strengths as well as risks and weaknesses of RCT-focused EBM are reviewed. EBM is also linked to the medical model in which the target of the intervention is a disorder within the individual patient. Some interventions in brain injury rehabilitation may be more appropriately studied within a social model of disability in which the target of intervention is the individual's environment or social system. While the pursuit of a scientific basis for practice is clearly an ethical mandate, defining ethical practice in the absence of strong evidence and in the presence of competing methodologies is elusive. Balancing these considerations, the ethical practice of brain injury rehabilitation requires an awareness not only of the scientific evidence for an intervention but also of current best practices recommended by professional traditions and consensus, the practice situation, and the individual's current and evolving situation, needs and preferences.
Minority Governments and Exchange Rate Regimes Examining Evidence from 21 OECD Countries, 1975-1999

We examine the impact of minority governments on the choice of exchange rate regime in advanced OECD democracies after the collapse of the Bretton Woods system. We demonstrate that leaders of minority governments had a lower political discount factor in office than majority governments across advanced OECD democracies and use that finding to motivate a model. The model predicts that leaders of minority governments had strong incentives to switch from a fixed to a floating exchange rate because of a lower discount factor in office. Results from Markov transition models estimated on de facto exchange rates adopted by OECD and West European OECD countries between 1975 and 1999 provide robust statistical support for the modelâ€™s prediction. We also briefly discuss how the findings presented in this paper have important implications for understanding the likelihood of expansion of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) to new democracies in Central and Eastern Europe in the near future.
The role of NMDA and non-NMDA excitatory amino acid receptors in the excitation of primate spinothalamic tract neurons by mechanical, chemical, thermal, and electrical stimuli

The role of excitatory amino acids (EAAs) in the excitation of monkey spinothalamic tract (STT) neurons following activation of cutaneous primary afferent fibers by noxious and non-noxious stimuli was investigated. The responses of STT neurons to either NMDA or non-NMDA EAA ligands were blocked by infusion of specific antagonists through a microdialysis fiber into the region surrounding the cells. Our results show that blockade of non-NMDA receptors results in a nearly complete elimination of the responses of STT neurons to all stimuli. Blockade of NMDA receptors results in an attenuation of the responses to noxious stimuli but, in addition, prevents the development of the sensitization of STT neurons that is often observed after intradermal injection of capsaicin. These observations further support a role of EAAs in the transmission of sensory information from primary afferent fibers to dorsal horn neurons and a role for NMDA receptors in the generation of hyperalgesia.
Biopsy and Drainage Techniques in Children

Drainage and biopsy are mainstay procedures in pediatric interventional radiology. As in the adult population, percutaneous biopsy and fluid collection drainage can be performed almost anywhere in the body, in almost all organ systems, and for myriad indications. However, there are some technique differences in children. Radiation protection is paramount, requiring alterations in imaging and guidance. Children have unique sedation and anesthetic requirements, and smaller patients provide both advantages and disadvantages that require/allow for alteration of the procedural techniques. This article will focus on these differences and describe specific techniques applicable to pediatric patients.
Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in α-TEA Mediated TRAIL/DR5 Death Receptor Dependent Apoptosis

Background: a-TEA (RRR-a-tocopherol ether-linked acetic acid analog), a derivative of RRR-a-tocopherol (vitamin E) exhibits anticancer actions in vitro and in vivo in variety of cancer types. The objective of this study was to obtain additional insights into the mechanisms involved in a-TEA induced apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: a-TEA induces endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as indicated by increased expression of CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) as well as by enhanced expression or activation of specific markers of ER stress such as glucose regulated protein (GRP78), phosphorylated alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (peIF-2a), and spliced XBP-1 mRNA. Knockdown studies using siRNAs to TRAIL, DR5, JNK and CHOP as well as chemical inhibitors of ER stress and caspase-8 showed that: i) a-TEA activation of DR5/caspase-8 induces an ER stress mediated JNK/ CHOP/DR5 positive amplification loop; ii) a-TEA downregulation of c-FLIP (L) protein levels is mediated by JNK/CHOP/DR5 loop via a JNK dependent Itch E3 ligase ubiquitination that further serves to enhance the JNK/CHOP/DR5 amplification loop by preventing c-FLIP’s inhibition of caspase-8; and (iii) a-TEA downregulation of Bcl-2 is mediated by the ER stress dependent JNK/CHOP/DR5 signaling. Conclusion: Taken together, ER stress plays an important role in a-TEA induced apoptosis by enhancing DR5/caspase-8 proapoptotic signaling and suppressing anti-apoptotic factors c-FLIP and Bcl-2 via ER stress mediated JNK/CHOP/DR5/caspase8 signaling.
S -allele Diversity in Lycium andersonii: Implications for the Evolution of S -Allele Age in the Solanaceae

We evaluate competing explanations for striking differences in the average age of self-incompatibility (S -) alleles in population samples. The age of alleles is inferred from evidence for trans-generic evolution (TGE), in which an allele sampled from one species is more closely related to an allele found in another genus than any con-generic allele, as determined by phylogenetic analysis. Whereas some species exhibit extensive TGE, indicating very long persistence of allelic lineages, in others limited TGE suggests extensive extinction and origination of alleles. We consider two explanations for inter-specific differences in TGE and allelic turnover: (1) bottleneck event(s) which have accelerated the loss of allelic diversity in some species; and (2) differences among species in the origination rate of new allelic specificities. We used data on S -allele diversity in Lycium andersonii(Solanaceae), a self-incompatible perennial shrub of deserts of southwestern North America, to estimate the presumed change in origination rate. We find that predicted allelic turnover assuming a change in the origination rate of new S -allele specificities is insufficient to account for inter-specific differences in allele turnover.
Pseudo-transient continuation-based variable relaxation solver in nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic simulations

Efficient and robust Variable Relaxation Solver, based on pseudo-transient continuation, is developed to solve nonlinear anisotropic thermal conduction arising from fusion plasma simulations. By adding first- and/or second-order artificial time derivatives to the system, this type of method advances the resulting time-dependent nonlinear PDEs to steady state, which is the solution to be sought. In this process, only the stiffness matrix itself is involved so that the numerical complexity and errors can be greatly reduced. In fact, this work is an extension of integrating efficient linear elliptic solvers for fusion simulation on Cray X1E. Two schemes are derived in this work, first- and second-order variable relaxations. Four factors are observed to be critical for efficiency and preservation of solution's symmetric structure arising from periodic boundary condition: refining meshes in different coordinate directions, initializing nonlinear process, varying time steps in both temporal and spatial directio...
Interactive data visualization for risk assessment: can there be too much user agency?

Audiences using interactive data visualizations can experience varying levels of agency as they employ these tools to select scenarios and explore data. While a high level of user agency is often framed in positive terms, this poster presentation argues that too much user agency may be detrimental in certain situations. It focuses on interactive visualizations that display risks associated with sea-level rise (SLR). In these tools, designer constraints on the range of SLR and strong authorial messaging can reduce user agency, but may better inform understanding and decision-making by users.
Improving the energy efficiency of high-performance server systems

Total system energy is often dominated by microprocessor power consumption. However, the need for increased memory capacity in high-performance server systems requires integrated support for additional memory devices. Moore's Law implies these devices will achieve higher densities at the expense of power and energy.
Physics-Based Cooperative Sensor Fusion for Moving Object Detection

A robust moving object detection system for an outdoor scene must be able to handle adverse illumination conditions such as sudden illumination changes or lack of illumination in a scene. This is of particular importance for scenarios where active illumination cannot be relied upon. Utilizing infrared and video sensors, we propose a novel sensor fusion algorithm that automatically adapts to the environmental changes that effect sensor measurements. The adaptation is done through a new cooperative coevolutionary algorithm that fuses the scene contextual and statistical information through a physics-based method. Our sensor fusion algorithm maintains high detection rates under a variety of conditions and sensor failure. The results are shown for a full 24 hour diurnal cycle.
The Cambridge Group and the Developing Countries

The policy prescriptions of the Cambridge Economic Policy Group (CEPG) for the United Kingdom are well known. They involve all-round protection of British industry that would allegedly permit reaching simultaneously higher output levels, lower unemployment rates, and lower inflation rates. Since first presented in February 1975, the views of the Cambridge Group have been several times and have been repeatedly subjected to criticism.1
Efficient computation of multiple group by queries

Data analysts need to understand the quality of data in the warehouse. This is often done by issuing many Group By queries on the sets of columns of interest. Since the volume of data in these warehouses can be large, and tables in a data warehouse often contain many columns, this analysis typically requires executing a large number of Group By queries, which can be expensive. We show that the performance of today's database systems for such data analysis is inadequate. We also show that the problem is computationally hard, and develop efficient techniques for solving it. We demonstrate significant speedup over existing approaches on today's commercial database systems.
Converting homogeneous to heterogeneous in electrophilic catalysis using monodisperse metal nanoparticles

A continuing goal in catalysis is to unite the advantages of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic processes. To this end, nanoparticles represent a new frontier in heterogeneous catalysis, where this unification can also be supplemented by the ability to obtain new or divergent reactivity and selectivity. We report a novel method for applying heterogeneous catalysts to known homogeneous catalytic reactions through the design and synthesis of electrophilic platinum nanoparticles. These nanoparticles are selectively oxidized by the hypervalent iodine species PhICl(2), and catalyse a range of π-bond activation reactions previously only catalysed through homogeneous processes. Multiple experimental methods are used to unambiguously verify the heterogeneity of the catalytic process. The discovery of treatments for nanoparticles that induce the desired homogeneous catalytic activity should lead to the further development of reactions previously inaccessible in heterogeneous catalysis. Furthermore, a size and capping agent study revealed that Pt PAMAM dendrimer-capped nanoparticles demonstrate superior activity and recyclability compared with larger, polymer-capped analogues.
Fast heuristic and exact algorithms for two-level hazard-free logic minimization

None of the available minimizers for two-level hazard-free logic minimization can synthesize very large circuits. This limitation has forced researchers to resort to manual and automated circuit partitioning techniques. This paper introduces two new two-level hazard-free logic minimizers: ESPRESSO-HF, a heuristic method loosely based on ESPRESSO-II, and IMPYMIN, an exact method based on implicit data structures. Both minimizers can solve all currently available examples, which range up to 32 inputs and 33 outputs. These include examples that have never been solved before. For the more difficult examples that can be solved by other minimizers, our methods are several orders of magnitude faster. As by-products of these algorithms, we also present two additional results. First, we propose a fast new method to check if a hazard-free covering problem can feasibly be solved. Second, we introduce a novel reformulation of the two-level hazard-free logic minimization problem by capturing hazard-freedom constraints within a synchronous function through the addition of new variables.
Archaeal and bacterial communities in geochemically diverse hot springs of Yellowstone National Park, USA

Microbiological and geochemical surveys were conducted at three hot springs (Obsidian Pool, Sylvan Spring, and ‘Bison Pool’) in Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, USA). Microbial community structure was investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 16S rRNA gene sequences from DNA extracted from sediments of each hot spring, followed by molecular cloning. Both bacterial and archaeal DNA was retrieved from all samples. No Euryarchaea were found, but diverse Crenarchaea exist in all three pools, particularly affiliating with deep-branching, but uncultivated organisms. In addition, cloned DNA affiliating with the Desulphurococcales and Thermoproteales was identified, but the distribution of taxa differs in each hot spring. The bacterial community at all three locations is dominated by members of the Aquificales and Thermodesulfobacteriales, indicating that the ‘knallgas’ reaction (aerobic hydrogen oxidation) may be a central metabolism in these ecosystems. To provide geochemical context for the microbial community structures, energy-yields for a number of chemolithoautotrophic reactions are provided for >80 sampling sites in Yellowstone, including Obsidian Pool, Sylvan Spring, and ‘Bison Pool’. This energy profile shows that the knallgas reaction is just one of many exergonic reactions in the Yellowstone hot springs, that energy-yields for certain reactions can vary substantially from one site to the next, and that few of the demonstrated exergonic reactions are known to support microbial metabolism.
Acute hypoxia does not increase bacterial translocation in newborn rabbits

Abstract Purpose: We have previously demonstrated that spontaneous bacterial translocation (BT) occurs, in newborn rabbits and correlates strongly with small bowel colonization (BC). Birth stress, specifically hypoxia, is believed to increase this pathologic process and thus lead to sepsis. This study investigated the relationship between BT and acute hypoxia in newborn rabbits. Methods: Four hundred seventeen rabbit pups (aged 0, 2 to 4, 6, and 28 days) were divided into four groups according to the type of hypoxic stress: 9% O 2 for 1 hour, 9% O 2 + 12% CO 2 for 1 or 4 hours, and 21% O 2 (control animals). The animals were killed 1.5 or 20 hours after the stress. Sterile specimens of mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), spleen, liver, small bowel, and large bowel were incubated aerobically at 37°C for 24 hours in thioglycolate broth, and subsequently plated on both MacConkey and Colistin Naladixic Acid media. After 24 hours, the growth on both plates was recorded. χ 2 analysis was used, and P values of less than .05 were considered significant. Results: BC of the small bowel and BT to the MLN were low in the first 4 days of life in the hypoxic groups (range, 0% to 21% BC, 0% to 6% BT) and the control group (range, 4% to 30% BC, 3% to 12% BT). After an increase in BC at 6 days of age, the rate of BT increased to 25% to 29% in control animals. The rate of BT in the hypoxic groups (25%) did not differ significantly from that of the controls ( P > .05). Additionally, killing at 20 hours ( v 1.5 hours) was not associated with an increase in the incidence of BT. None of the stress groups had a significant increase in BT compared with the controls. Importantly, although 4 hours of 9% O 2 + 12% CO 2 resulted in a 30% mortality rate, the incidence of BT was no higher than that of the control animals (13% v 29%; P > .05). Conclusion: Severe hypoxic stress in newborn rabbits does not increase the incidence of BT. Because the incidence of BT correlates with that of BC, and because BC is the same in the control and hypoxic animals, the sepsis observed in hypoxic newborns probably is not related to an increased incidence of BT.
Comparison of dynamic subgrid-scale models for simulations of neutrally buoyant shear-driven atmospheric boundary layer flows

Several non-dynamic, scale-invariant, and scale-dependent dynamic subgrid-scale (SGS) models are utilized in large-eddy simulations of shear-driven neutral atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) flows. The popular Smagorinsky closure and an alternative closure based on Kolmogorov’s scaling hypothesis are used as SGS base models. Our results show that, in the context of neutral ABL regime, the dynamic modeling approach is extremely useful, and reproduces several establised results (e.g., the surface layer similarity theory) with fidelity. The scale-dependence framework, in general, improves the near-surface statistics from the Smagorinsky model-based simulations. We also note that the local averaging-based dynamic SGS models perform significantly better than their planar averaging-based counterparts. Lastly, we find more or less consistent superiority of the Smagorinsky-based SGS models (over the corresponding Kolmogorov’s scaling hypothesis-based SGS models) for predicting the inertial range scaling of spectra.
Frequency and severity of hypoglycemia in children with beta-blocker–treated long QT syndrome

Background Hypoglycemia is a potential side effect of beta-blockers; however, no cases have been reported in children with long QT syndrome (LQTS). Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency and severity of hypoglycemia among children with beta-blocker–treated LQTS. Methods A retrospective study was performed to identify children with LQTS evaluated from 2000 to 2014 who developed symptomatic hypoglycemia while being treated with a beta-blocker. Results Nine children (3%; 7 boys; average corrected QT interval 486 ± 35 ms) developed 13 episodes (0.005 events per 100 treatment years) of beta-blocker–associated hypoglycemia (mean initial glucose 21 ± 7 mg/dL), including 3 of 157 patients with LQTS type 1 (LQT1; 1.9%) and 6 of 105 with LQTS type 2 (LQT2; 5.7%). The mean age at hypoglycemic event was 3.5 ± 2 years (range 7 months to 9 years), involving nadolol in 6 cases (mean dose 1.4 ± 0.2 mg/kg/d) and propranolol in 3 (mean dose 2.7±1 mg/kg/d). Hypoglycemic events were more frequent in patients with LQT2 than in those with LQT1 (10 vs 3 events; P = .02). Hypoglycemia-triggered seizures were observed in 6 patients, fasting ketoacidosis in 5, and 7 patients required hospitalization (mean of 3 ± 2 days). Decreased caloric intake before the event was identified in all patients and a concomitant viral infection in 3. Conclusion This is the largest single-center case series of beta-blocker–induced hypoglycemia. Clinicians should be cognizant of hypoglycemia symptoms in younger children during periods of poor appetite and during viral illness, and parents of these children should be educated about the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia. A potential LQT2-hypoglycemia genotype-phenotype relationship warrants further investigation.
Clonal Composition and Community Clustering of Drug-Susceptible and -Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates from Bloodstream Infections

Multidrug-resistant Escherichia coli strains belonging to a single lineage frequently account for a large proportion of extraintestinal E. coli infections in many parts of the world. However, limited information exists on the community prevalence and clonal composition of drug-susceptible E. coli strains. Between July 2007 and September 2010, we analyzed all consecutively collected Gram-negative bacterial isolates from patients with bloodstream infection (BSI) admitted to a public hospital in San Francisco for drug susceptibility and associated drug resistance genes. The E. coli isolates were genotyped for fimH single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and multilocus sequence types (MLSTs). Among 539 isolates, E. coli accounted for 249 (46%); 74 (30%) of them were susceptible to all tested drugs, and 129 (52%) were multidrug resistant (MDR). Only five MLST genotypes accounted for two-thirds of the E. coli isolates; the most common were ST131 (23%) and ST95 (18%). Forty-seven (92%) of 51 ST131 isolates, as opposed to only 8 (20%) of 40 ST95 isolates, were MDR (P 70%) of both MDR and susceptible E. coli BSI isolates represented community-onset infections. These observations show that factors other than the selective pressures of antimicrobial agents used in hospitals contribute to community-onset extraintestinal infections caused by clonal groups of E. coli regardless of their drug resistance.
The role of beta-lactamase-producing-bacteria in mixed infections

Beta-lactamase-producing bacteria (BLPB) can play an important role in polymicrobial infections. They can have a direct pathogenic impact in causing the infection as well as an indirect effect through their ability to produce the enzyme beta-lactamase. BLPB may not only survive penicillin therapy but can also, as was demonstrated in in vitro and in vivo studies, protect other penicillin-susceptible bacteria from penicillin by releasing the free enzyme into their environment. This phenomenon occurs in upper respiratory tract, skin, soft tissue, surgical and other infections. The clinical, in vitro, and in vivo evidence supporting the role of these organisms in the increased failure rate of penicillin in eradication of these infections and the implication of that increased rate on the management of infections is discussed.
Geoid undulation accuracy

For use in oceanographic applications the geoid is ideally needed to a high accuracy and to a high resolution. In 1979 the cumulative geoid undulation error to spherical harmonic degree 20 was +or-1.4 m for the GEM10 potential coefficient model. Today the corresponding value has been reduced to +or-25 cm for GEM-T3 or +or-11 cm for the OSU91A model. Similar improvements are noted in harmonic degree (wavelength) and in resolution. The accuracy of the determination of the geoid is discussed from several points of views. Some comparisons are made with information available 12 years ago and that now available in the time framework of the TOPEX launch. It is noted that the accuracies described are subject to constant improvement. This is especially true as new satellite tracking data (e.g. DORIS data) are used in the potential coefficient models and more satellite altimeter data become available from the ERS-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon missions. >
Trends in the use and abuse of branded and generic extended release oxycodone and fentanyl products in the United States.

Abstract Background A great deal of previous work on the pharmacoeconomics of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug abuse indicates that as cost decreases, abuse increases and vice versa. The application of these cost principles to the abuse of prescribed medications is largely unknown. In this paper we assessed whether the introduction of generic products in the U.S. increased the therapeutic use and illicit abuse of extended release oxycodone products and the fentanyl patch. Methods As an index of therapeutic use, we purchased prescription data for each of the ZIP codes in which we had corresponding abuse data. To gather information about prescription drug abuse, we elicited cases with quarterly questionnaires completed by a key informant network. Results The introduction of generic extended release (ER) oxycodone and fentanyl patch did not significantly change the total prescriptions written for these products, but markedly altered the composition of sales: branded sales dropped precipitously over a very short time and this was compensated for by a corresponding increase in sales of generics. Surprisingly, the introduction of generic products did not increase the abuse of ER oxycodone or fentanyl products; the branded version was the drug of choice for at least 2 years. Conclusions Our data suggest that drug costs alone do not increase the overall likelihood that a prescription opioid analgesic will be used therapeutically or abused. However, while generics are rapidly endorsed by insurance companies as a prescribed entity, abuse of the branded versions of ER oxycodone and fentanyl remains predominant for some time.
Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in United States Navy submarine crews

Helicobacter pylori prevalence is elevated in German submarine crews and in United States Navy (USN) surface fleet personnel, but H. pylori prevalence in USN submariners was unknown. The goal of the study was to determine the prevalence of H. pylori in the crews of USN nuclear submarines compared to other military personnel and to the general US population. The presence of H. pylori IgG antibodies was determined in serum samples using a commercial ELISA. Only 47 out of 451 submariners (9·4%) were H. pylori positive, which is similar to that of the US general population with a similar level of education. In contrast, H. pylori prevalence is significantly higher in US Army recruits (26%), USN surface fleet personnel (25%), and German diesel submariners (38%). These data demonstrate that submarine service (and by inference activity requiring isolation and close contact, per se) is not a risk factor for H. pylori infection.
Sesquicaesium hemisodium tetra-cyanidoplatinate(II) sesquihydrate.

The title compound, Cs1.5Na0.5[Pt(CN)4]·1.5H2O, was isolated from solution as a salt. The tetra­cyanidoplatinate (TCP) anions are stacked in a linear quasi-one-dimensional arrangement along the b axis, with Pt⋯Pt inter­actions of 3.6321 (5) A. The mixed alkali metal TCP contains three distinct alkali metal positions in the structure that do not show any mixed occupancy: Cs1 (site symmetry 2), Cs2 (general position) and Na1 (site symmetry \overline{1}). The Na+ ion contains an octa­hedral coordination environment composed of two water mol­ecules and four N-terminal cyanides, which serve to bridge TCP anions. The Cs+ cations contain mono- and bicapped square-prismatic environments, where the square prisms are formed from cyanide N atoms with water mol­ecules capping the faces. The 1.5 water mol­ecules per formula unit are a result of two fully occupied sites, one on a general position and one on a twofold rotation axis. Weak hydrogen-bonding inter­actions are observed between one water mol­ecule and terminal N-atom acceptors from TCP, while the second water mol­ecule is not involved in hydrogen bonding.
Mycorrhizal availability in the basin of Lake Mills and influence on colonization and growth of Salix scouleriana under drought stress

iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS v 1.0 BACKGROUND 2 1.1 Lake Mills History 2 1.1.1 Dam Removal History 2 1.1.2 History of Lake Mills Basin 2 1.2 Restoration of Lake Mills 2 1.2.1 Objectives 2 1.2.2 Impediments to Revegetation 2 1.3 Soil Biota 4 1.3.1 Importance for Plant Establishment 4 1.3.2 Mycorrhizae 4 1.4 Mycorrhizae and Drought Tolerance 5 1.5 Dual AM/EM Host Plants 6 1.5.1 AM and EM interactions in dual-host plants 7 1.6 Mycorrhizae in Ecological Restoration 8 1.6.1 Applications 8 1.6.2 Mycorrhizal Inoculum Sources 8 1.7 Mycorrhizal Fungi in Lake Mills 9 1.7.1 Availability 9 1.8 Research Objectives 10 1.8.1 Objective 1: Assessment of Mycorrhizal Availability in Lake Mills Basin 10 1.8.2 Objective 2: Effect of Elwha Silt, Drought and Mycorrhizal Inoculation on Willow Growth and Formation of Mycorrhizae 10 2.0 RESEARCH DESIGN 10 2.1 Mycorrhizal Availability in Lake Mills 10 2.1.1 Quantification of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Spores 10 2.1.2 Survey of Ectomycorrhizae 10
Role of antibody to native type III polysaccharide of group B Streptococcus in infant infection.

The role of maternally acquired antibody to native type III polysaccharide of group B Streptococcus as a determinant of susceptibility for infant systemic infection was investigated. Sera from 111 acutely ill infants with type III group B streptococcal bacteremia and/or meningitis and their mothers, and cord sera from 45 healthy neonates and their mothers who had type III group B streptococcal vaginal colonization at delivery were studied. Sera from each of 111 acutely ill infants contained very low levels of antibody (less than 1.7 microgram/ml, median 0.4 microgram/ml), and a significant correlation with maternal levels was tested for early onset infection (median 0.6 microgram/ml; 4 = .76; P less than .01). Women whose infants remained well had antibody levels greater than 2 microgram/ml in their sera (73%) more often than those whose infants developed symptomatic infection (17%) (P less than .001), and the median level in their sera (12.6 microgram/ml) was considerably higher. Study of sera obtained during convalescence from 86 surviving infants indicated a poor antibody response to infection. In contrast, high levels of antibody were detected in sera from each of five convalescent women with postpartum bacteremia. These data extend earlier observations suggesting the correlation between low levels of type-specific antibody in serum and risk for systemic infection with type III strains of group B streptococci.
Can We Teach Old Laws a New Risk? Federal Environmental Law, Risk Management Theory, and the Problem of Pharmaceutical and Personal Care Product Contamination of U.S. Water Supplies

This Article is prompted by the discovery of endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) from pharmaceutical and personal care product (PPCP) chemicals generated by myriad unregulated sources in drinking water supplies and aquatic ecosystems throughout the United States. Exposure to EDCs and other chemicals from PPCPs can cause observable adverse impacts to aquatic flora and fauna, and while not yet conclusively established at current levels, a potentially wide range of adverse human health impacts, from birth defects to obesity. While proverbial canaries in the coal mine show worrying symptoms, PPCP contaminants remain largely unregulated as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) carries out risk assessment processes. This Article summarizes the nature of this newly prioritized water contamination problem, current actions of the U.S. EPA, and the applicability of certain federal laws — the National Environmental Policy Act; Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act; Safe Drinking Water Act; Clean Water Act; Resources Conservation and Recovery Act; Toxic Substance Control Act, and Pollution Prevention Act. The Article then surveys risk management theory for guidance on whether, and if so how much, the PPCP problem should be addressed. These theories include market regulation, no-risk, precautionary principle, technology-based standards, risk-risk tradeoff, risk-benefit assessment, cost-effectiveness, regulatory budget, cost-benefit analysis, and sustainability. Surveying these laws and risk management theories (1) provides practical foresight for how the PPCP problem would be addressed under federal law, and (2) uses a factually vexing public health and environmental problem as a case study for the appraisal of the laws and risk management theories themselves. The Article concludes that cost-benefit analysis, the precautionary principle, and sustainability should be applied to guide policy-makers in an appropriately comprehensive fashion, yet the U.S. EPA and U.S. FDA currently apply risk assessment and risk-benefit approaches to the PPCP problem. The main operational requirements of these federal laws would probably not successfully protect against low-level, chronic, synergistic, and cumulative exposure to PPCPs without changes in regulatory initiative, breakthroughs in risk assessment, and new risk management approaches.
Romberg integration by Taylor series

Expression de l'erreur de la regle des trapezes sous la forme d'une serie de puissances paires du pas h dans le cas ou la serie de Taylor de la fonction a integrer converge pour tout x 0 dans [a,b]
Application of Multiple Models Filter Algorithm in Mobile Track Fusion

This paper analyses the technical characteristics of source data on multiple targets track fusion.Based on the target tracking algorithm,the multiple models filter algorithm is proposed,and more effective math mode is established to deal with the mobile targets tracking under highly mobile condition.Finally,simulation confirms that multiple models filter algorithm is effective.
Abstract A55: Exosome-associated microRNAs as plasma biomarkers for breast cancer

Abstracts: AACR Special Conference: Advances in Breast Cancer; October 17-20, 2015; Bellevue, WA Introduction: microRNAs are promising candidate biomarkers due to their cancer-specific expression profiles. However, efforts to develop circulating breast cancer biomarkers are challenged by the heterogeneity of microRNAs in the blood. To overcome this challenge, we aimed to develop a molecular profile of microRNAs specifically secreted from breast cancer cells. The key to identifying breast cancer-derived microRNAs relies on capturing and analyzing the contents of exosomes, which are small secretory vesicles that selectively encapsulate microRNAs indicative of their cell of origin. Methods: Exosomes were collected from the conditioned media of breast cancer cell lines, breast ductal fluids, mouse plasma from patient-derived breast tumor orthotopic xenograft models (PDX), and from human plasma samples. Exosomes were verified by electron microscopy and western blot analysis. Cellular and exosome microRNAs from breast cancer cell lines were profiled by next-generation small RNA sequencing. Plasma exosome populations were selected by immunoaffinity isolation utilizing antibodies against CD63 and MUC1. Exosome microRNA expression was measured by qRT-PCR. Results: Small RNA sequencing and qRT-PCR analysis showed that several microRNAs are selectively expressed in breast cancer exosomes. Importantly, human breast cancer specific microRNAs were detectable in PDX mouse plasma. The microRNA expression patterns in the MUC1-precipitated plasma exosomes differed between breast cancer patients and control subjects. These results provide a potential new strategy to selectively analyze plasma breast cancer microRNAs that may be indicative of the presence of breast cancer. Conclusions: Several microRNAs are selectively enriched in breast cancer exosomes, which can be detected in the plasma of PDX mice and breast cancer patients. MUC1 is a viable membrane protein candidate for selective capture of circulating breast cancer specific exosomes from the plasma. These results suggest that selective capture and molecular analysis of breast cancer specific circulating exosomes is a promising strategy for breast cancer biomarker development. Citation Format: Bethany N. Hannafon, Yvonne D. Trigoso, David H. Lum, Alana L. Welm, William C. Dooley, Wei-Qun Ding. Exosome-associated microRNAs as plasma biomarkers for breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research; Oct 17-20, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(2_Suppl):Abstract nr A55.
Exploratory Findings on the Attitudinal Effects of Super- and Poor-Levels of Direct Consumer Premium Desirability

Direct consumer premiums are one of the fastest growing and most important elements in the consumer sales promotion mix of U.S. packaged goods manufacturers (Blattberg and Neslin 1990; Shimp 1997). Direct consumer premiums are the most frequently used form of "nonmonetary" consumer sales promotion (Belch and Belch 1995). By definition, direct consumer premiums are package-related, free bonus items offered by manufacturers to consumers when they pay full price for a promoted product. Consumers receive direct consumer premiums as with- or near-pack incentives at the time of purchase. Strategically, direct consumer premiums are used to help introduce new products, to dislodge entrenched market leaders, and to generate higher consumer inventories of promoted products.