cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Birds of a feather flock together: Comparing controlled pre-post designs.

OBJECTIVE To formalize comparative interrupted time series (CITS) using the potential outcomes framework; compare two version of CITS-a standard linear version and one that adds postperiod group-by-time parameters-to two versions of difference-in-differences (DID)-a standard version with time fixed effects and one that adds group-specific pretrends; and reanalyze three previously published papers using these models. DATA SOURCES Outcome data for reanalyses come from two counties' jail booking and release data, Medicaid prescription drug rebate data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and acute hepatitis C incidence from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. STUDY DESIGN DID and CITS were compared using potential outcomes, and reanalyses were conducted using the four described pre-post study designs. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Data from county jails were provided by sheriffs. Data from CMS are publicly available. Data for the third reanalysis were provided by the authors of the original study. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Though written differently and preferred by different research communities, the general version of CITS and DID with group-specific pretrends are the same: they yield the same counterfactuals and identify the same treatment effects. In a reanalysis with evidence of divergent preperiod trends, failing to account for this in standard DID led to an 84% smaller effect estimate than the more flexible models. In a second reanalysis with evidence of nonlinear outcome trends, failing to account for this in linear CITS led to a 28% smaller effect estimate than the more flexible models. CONCLUSION We recommend detailing a causal model for treatment selection and outcome generation and the required counterfactuals before choosing an analytical approach. The more flexible versions of DID and CITS can accommodate features often found in real data, namely, nonlinearities and divergent preperiod outcome trends.
A $D$-competitive algorithm for the Multilevel Aggregation Problem with Deadlines

In this paper, we consider the multi-level aggregation problem with deadlines (MLAPD) previously studied by Bienkowski et al. (2015), Buchbinder et al. (2017), and Azar and Touitou (2019). This is an online problem where the algorithm services requests arriving over time and can save costs by aggregating similar requests. Costs are structured in the form of a rooted tree. This problem has applications to many important areas such as multicasting, sensor networks, and supply-chain management. In particular, the TCP-acknowledgment problem, joint-replenishment problem, and assembly problem are all special cases of the delay version of the problem. We present a $D$-competitive algorithm for MLAPD. This beats the $6(D+1)$-competitive algorithm given in Buchbinder et al. (2017). Our approach illuminates key structural aspects of the problem and provides an algorithm that is simpler to implement than previous approaches. We also give improved competitive ratios for special cases of the problem.
Mixed effect modelling and variable selection for quantile regression

It is known that the estimating equations for quantile regression (QR) can be solved using an EM algorithm in which the M-step is computed via weighted least squares, with weights computed at the E...
Increased Systemic C-Reactive Protein Is Associated With Choroidal Thinning in Intermediate Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Purpose C-reactive protein (CRP) and decreased choroidal thickness (CT) are risk factors for progression to advanced age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We examined the association between systemic levels of CRP and CT in patients with intermediate AMD (iAMD). Methods Patients with iAMD in the Colorado AMD Registry were included. Baseline serum samples and multimodal imaging including spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), fundus photography, and autofluorescence were obtained. Medical and social histories were surveyed. CT was obtained by manual segmentation of OCT images. High-sensitivity CRP levels were quantified in serum samples. Univariate and multivariable linear regression models accounting for the intrasubject correlation of two eyes were fit using log-transformed CT as the outcome. Results The study included 213 eyes from 107 patients with a mean age of 76.8 years (SD, 6.8). Median CT was 200.5 µm (range, 86.5-447.0). Median CRP was 1.43 mg/L (range, 0.13-17.10). Higher CRP was associated with decreased CT in the univariate model (P = 0.01). Older age and presence of reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) were associated with decreased CT (P < 0.01), whereas gender, body mass index, and smoking were not associated with CT. Higher CRP remained significantly associated with decreased CT after adjustment for age and RPD (P = 0.01). Conclusions Increased CRP may damage the choroid, leading to choroidal thinning and increased risk of progression to advanced AMD. Alternatively, CRP may be a marker for inflammatory events that mediate ocular disease. The results of this study further strengthen the association between inflammation and AMD. Translational Relevance Increased CRP is associated with choroidal thinning, a clinical risk factor for AMD.
Electronic Cigarette Use and the Diagnosis of Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Among United States Adults.

Introduction Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has many potential effects, including damage to the skin. Limited research has assessed e-cigarette use with the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer. The current study was conducted to determine if a relationship exists between nonmelanoma skin cancer diagnosis and e-cigarette use among US adults. Methods Data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) were used to assess if a relationship exists between e-cigarette use and the diagnosis of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Data within the sample adult files for years 2014 through 2018, along with the adult cancer file for the year 2015, were analyzed. Participants who reported having a diagnosis of nonmelanoma skin cancer were included. Participants who reported never being diagnosed with any type of cancer were included as a comparison group. Results Males and those of older age were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with nonmelanoma skin cancer compared to females and younger adults. Cigarette use was significantly associated with an increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer. There was no relationship between e-cigarette use and diagnosis of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Conclusions Although the current study did not find an association between e-cigarette use and nonmelanoma skin cancer diagnosis, a longer study period and larger sample size may more clearly determine if an association exists.
Demanding the Cherokee Nation: Indian Autonomy and American Culture, 1830-1900

Demanding the Cherokee Nation examines nineteenth-century Cherokee political rhetoric to address an enigma in American Indian history: the contradiction between the sovereignty of Indian nations and the political weakness of Indian communities. Making use of a rich collection of petitions, appeals, newspaper editorials, and other public records, Andrew Denson describes the ways in which Cherokees represented their people and their nation to non-Indians after their forced removal to Indian Territory in the 1830s. He argues that Cherokee writings on nationhood document a decades-long effort by tribal leaders to find a new model for American Indian relations in which Indian nations could coexist with a modernizing United States. Most non-Natives in the nineteenth century assumed that American development and progress necessitated the end of tribal autonomy, that at best the Indian nation was a transitional state for Native people on the way to assimilation. As Denson shows, however, Cherokee leaders found a variety of ways in which the Indian nation, as they defined it, belonged in the modern world. Tribal leaders responded to developments in the United States and adapted their defense of Indian autonomy to the great changes transforming American life in the middle and late nineteenth century. In particular, Cherokees in several ways found new justification for Indian nationhood in American industrialization.
Commentary: Decolonizing Methodologies 15 years later:

The following commentary is based on discussant remarks in response to a lecture given by Linda Tuhiwai Smith in New York in April this year. The lecture anticipated/commemorated the 15th anniversary of Smith’s Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples, published in 1999 by Zed Books. It also marked the release of the second edition of Decolonizing Methodologies in 2012. The lecture took place on the traditional homelands of Lenee Lenape peoples—land called Manahatta, now called Manhattan—at The Graduate Center of The City University of New York.
Validation of a sensitive LC/MS/MS method for the determination of telaprevir and its R-isomer in human plasma.

The purpose of this study was to validate a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) assay for the determination of telaprevir and its R-diastereomer (VRT-127394) in acidified and nonacidified human plasma. The chromatographic baseline separation of telaprevir and telaprevir-R was performed on a Waters XBridgeTM BEH Shield C18, 2.1 × 75 mm column with a 2.5 µm particle size, under isocratic conditions consisting of a mobile phase of 50:45:5 water–acetonitrile–isopropanol with 1% ammonia at 0.2 mL/min. This method utilized a stable isotope internal standard with 11 deuterium atoms on the structure of the telaprevir molecule (telaprevir-d11). An internal standard for the telaprevir-R (telaprevir-R-d11) was also prepared by incubating telaprevir-d11 in basic solution, which facilitated isomer inter-conversion. The detection and quantitation of telaprevir, telaprevir-R, telaprevir-IS and telaprevir-R-IS was achieved by positive ion electrospray (ESI+) MS/MS detection. The assay quantifiable limit was 5.0 ng/mL when 0.100 mL of acidified human plasma was extracted. Accuracy and precision were validated over the calibration range of 5.0–5000 ng/mL. It was demonstrated using patient samples that, contrary to previous recommendations, quantitation of telaprevir does not require acidified plasma. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adaptive Preferences and Women's Options

The doctor was rightly upset about [the unsanitary conditions in the women's quarters]; but he was wrong in one respect. He thought that it was a source of constant pain for us. Quite the contrary … To those with low self-regard, neglect does not seem unjust, and so it does not cause them pain. That is why women feel ashamed to be upset about the injustice they encounter. If a woman must accept so much injustice in the life ordered for her, then it is perhaps less painful for her to be kept in total neglect; otherwise, she is bound to suffer, and suffer pointlessly, the pain of injustice, if she cannot change the rules governing her life. Whatever the condition that you kept us in, it rarely occurred to me that there was pain and deprivation in it. Rabindranath Tagore, “Letter from a Wife” When we make videos, and women like us watch them, we get confidence to try and make changes. When we see women like us who have done something brave and new, then we get the confidence that we can learn something new too. When poor women see other poor women as health workers on the video, they say, “I can also learn about health and help solve these problems in my neighborhood.” When other selfemployed women see me, a vegetable vendor, making these films, they also have the confidence that they can do things which at first seem impossible. Lila Datania, SEWA, Ahmedabad, 1992
A distributed cross-layer routing protocol with channel assignment in multi-channel MANET

An innovative cross-layer routing approach, MCORCA (Multi-Channel On-demand Routing with Coordinate Awareness), is presented that utilizes multiple channels to improve the performance of wireless ad-hoc networks. The proposed cross-layer scheme adapts the strategy of channel assignment and the mechanism of dealing with conflicts. Channels are divided into a control channel and data channels; the control channel is used for scheduling, and data channels are used for data transmissions. MCORCA is an extension of an on-demand routing protocol for single channel wireless networks, called ORCA (On-demand Routing with Coordinates Awareness). Simulation results indicate that MCORCA yields a significant capacity improvement as well as lower end-to-end delays by using multiple channels.
Probate and Trusts

This article consists of two sections: (1) a case law update written by Gerry W. Beyer, and (2) a statutory update authored by Jerry Frank Jones. The case law update addresses the pertinent judicial developments that took place in Texas regarding the law of intestacy, wills, estate administration, trusts, and other estate planning matters during the Survey period of October 1, 1998 through September 30, 1999.The statutory update looks at the substantial changes made to the statutes governing probate, wills, guardianships, and trusts by the 1999 Legislature. The section also discusses two bills vetoed by the Governor concerning guardianship and probate.
The Decisionmaking Conference of the California Court of Appeal

Dean Roscoe Pound pointed out, over a quarter of a century ago, that the most efficient appellate court is one of three judges.' At about the same time the Honorable Raymond E. Peters,2 then Presiding Justice of Division One bf the three-judge District Court of Appeal of the State of California in the First Appellate District,' determined that it would add not only to the efficiency of his court but also to the quality of its work if the three judges would participate in some sort of an intimate conference prior to oral argument which, through a full and free discussion of the cases, would focus upon each case the combined intelligence of the three judges. When Justice Peters was appointed to the district court of appeal in 1939, the California appellate courts followed a general practice under which the justices obtained their first knowledge of a case at oral argument. The rationale behind this procedure was that the justices could approach each case with a completely open mind and without any preconceived notions about the merits of the case before they heard the argument. But Justice Peters was convinced that the brevity of time necessarily allotted for oral argument made it difficult for the justices operating under this procedure to obtain a proper understanding of the case. He felt strongly that because the judges were not thoroughly familiar with the case at the time of argument-a fact known to the lawyers-both the judges and attorneys had a tendency to become indifferent to oral argument. As a result, oral argument usually consisted of a recital of the facts and the parties' general contentions instead of a detailed discussion of the decisive issues. Justice Peters was also concerned that the prevailing practice according to which one judge prepared the opinion of the court after oral argument, without full discussion with his associaties, had a tendency to produce a "one-man decision."' To cope with these
When in London...: Differences in Disability Language Preferences among English-Speaking Countries.

With increases in world-wide travel and communication, cultural sensitivity becomes increasingly important. Professionals in English-speaking countries vary considerably in their preference of disability language. For example, the phrase person with mental retardation, although widely accepted in the United States, is offensive to many Britons. On the other hand, learning disability, the current British equivalent of mental retardation, is confusing to Americans. Differences in language preferences such as these can interfere with international communication. In this paper, language standards of disability organizations in four English-speaking countries were surveyed for similarities and differences. Recommendations were made to facilitate communication across cultures.
Haloaldehyde polymers, 12. Preparation and polymerization of bromodifluoroacetaldehyde

Bromodifluoroacetaldehyde (5) was prepared from methyl bromodifluoroacetate (4) by reduction with lithium aluminium hydride. 4 was in turn prepared by bromination of chlorotrifluoroethylene (1) and treatment of the resulting 1,2-dibromo-1-chlorotrifluoroethane (2) with fuming H2SO4 and HgO. 5, properly purified, could be polymerized with anionic and cationic initiators to poly[oxy-2-(bromodifluoro)ethylidene] (12). Certain initiators produce partially or entirely amorphous soluble 12 of relatively low molecular weight. Most polymers, however, are insoluble, crystalline, and presumably isotactic. Thermal vacuum degradation of the polymers 12 gave monomer 5 in essentially quantitative yield. The thermal stability of polymers can significantly be improved by endcapping or treating with agents which replace unstable end groups. The ceiling temperature of the polymerization of 5 was determined to be +48°C. 5 was copolymerized with trichloroacetaldehyde with cationic or anionic initiators to copolymers containing predominantly units of 5. 5 could also be copolymerized with phenyl isocyanate to a polymer containing oxycarbamido linkages.
Do Drinking Episodes Contribute to Sexual Aggression Perpetration in College Men

Objective:Survey and experimental analog studies suggest that alcohol consumption contributes to perpetration of sexual aggression. However, few studies have considered the temporal association between naturally occurring episodes of drinking and subsequent sexual aggression. This daily report study was designed to examine whether alcohol consumption increases the odds of aggressive sexual activity within the next 4 hours.Method:First-year male college students (N = 427) completed daily online reports of drinking and sexual activity for up to 56 days. Multilevel modeling was used to determine whether drinking episodes increased the odds of the following outcomes occurring within 4 hours: (a) aggressive sex with a new partner, (b) non-aggressive sex with a new partner, (c) aggressive sex with a previous partner, and (d) non-aggressive sex with a previous partner.Results:Drinking episodes increased the odds of both aggressive and non-aggressive sex with a new partner. In contrast, drinking episodes did not ...
Covering embryo cultures with mineral oil alters embryo growth by acting as a sink for an embryotoxic substance.

Purpose Assisted reproductive technologies require the use of culture media for gametes and embryos. Culture media and conditions intended for use in human in vitro fertilization are tested prior to use by evaluating their ability to support normal development of mouse embryos.
The goals of community-based corrections: An analysis of state legal codes

The increased reliance on community-based correctional programs has been influenced by rising offender populations and the need for states to lessen prison crowding. The ability of community-based corrections to provide rehabilitation, punishment, reintegration, and counseling services has been an issue among both researchers and administrators. Some researchers have asserted that community-based correctional programs have multiple or competing functions. This study examines 1992 legal codes for all fifty states to determine the legally prescribed goals as mandated by state legislatures. The findings suggest that rehabilitation is the primary legislatively mandated goal, and that most states have multiple purposes for handling offenders in the community. Suggestions for future research in the area of community-based corrections goals are made.
Self-repair Of Bacterial Cell Wall Against Multiple Puncturings By An AFM Tip

We report, for the first time, that bacteria survive multiple stabbings by an atomic force microscopy (AFM) tip under physiological conditions. Experiments were conducted using Salmonella Typhimurium as a model. The fimbriae (pili) of S. Typhimurium and the corresponding antibody were used to immobilize live bacteria in well-defined patterns on a flat substrate. A carefully calibrated AFM was used to conduct the experiments in a growth medium: An AFM tip with known radius was used to apply pressure to a bacterium with a known force until the tip penetrated the bacterium cell wall and reached the other side of the bacterium. This experiment, which generated a characteristic puncture curve, was repeated more than 50 times at different locations on the same bacterium. A MatLab® code was written to analyze the puncture curves, which carry an abundance of information on such characteristics of the bacterium as the surface elasticity, the critical pressure needed to puncture the bacterial cell wall, the interaction of the AFM tip with the interior of the bacterium and the precise width of the bacterium in the physiological environment. The results were compared with similar results obtained from dead bacteria. High-resolution optical microscopy was employed to monitor the viability of the bacteria under study before and after the stabbings. The evidence suggests that bacteria are still alive after multiple puncturings! The results are tentatively explained in terms of self-repair of the lipid bilayers and of the peptidoglycan layer of S. Typhimurium against multiple puncturing events exerted by an AFM tip.
Kinematic design and analysis of the rack-and-gear mechanism for function generation

Abstract The complex number method is applied to the kinematic design and analysis of the rack-and-gear function generating mechanism for three finely separated positions. The rack-and-gear mechanism is a useful planar mechanism that can be used to generate many functions that the four-bar mechanism can generate plus a great deal more. Due to the extra complexity of the rack-and-gear both monotonic and non-monotonic functions, as well as non-linear amplified motions, can be generated. A major advantage of the rack-and-gear mechanism is that the transmission angle always remains at its optimal value since the rack is always tangenial to the gear. Both the design and analysis have been programmed for use on the PDP 11/70 and are available to interested readers.
Coupled heat and mass transfer in laminar flow, tubular polymerizers

Abstract Thermal polymerization in a continuous flow, tubular reactor is largely determined by coupled heat and mass transfer processes. A detailed analysis is very important for the understanding of the transport phenomena involved and for the design and stable operation of such reactors. Computer experiments with this highly coupled, nonlinear system showed that for moderate flow rates in tubes larger than 4 cm in diameter, steep radial gradients in all principal variables and ultimately thermal runaway or flow channeling may occur. In this paper, the local interactions between strong temperature gradients, rapid polymerization, temperature/conversion-dependent transport properties and elongated velocity profiles have been analyzed for different thermal conditions.
Persistence of aroma compounds in human breath after consuming an aqueous model aroma mixture

Persistence of aroma compounds in the breath was studied from a model mixture containing five chemicals in an aqueous medium at two concentration levels. The breath of five subjects was monitored by atmospheric pressure ionization-mass spectrometry (API-MS) and the persistence of each compound computed as the ratio of instrumental responses between first and second breaths. Persistence was modelled, based on relevant physicochemical parameters of the compounds in the mixture. Vapour pressure was found to be the most significant parameter. Persistence was not influenced by panellists, volatile concentration levels or replications within subjects, although there were large differences in persistence among chemicals.
Inactivation kinetics of inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica on lettuce by chlorine dioxide gas.

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to study inactivation kinetics of inoculated Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica on lettuce leaves by ClO2 gas at different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0 mg l−1) for 10 min and to determine the effect of ClO2 gas on the quality and shelf life of lettuce during storage at 4 °C for 7 days. One hundred microliters of each targeted organism was separately spot-inoculated onto the surface (5 cm2) of lettuce (approximately 8–9 log CFU ml−1), air-dried, and treated with ClO2 gas at 22 °C and 90–95% relative humidity for 10 min. Surviving bacterial populations on lettuce were determined using a membrane transferring method, which included a non-selective medium followed by a selective medium. The inactivation kinetics of E. coli O157:H7 and S. enterica was determined using first-order kinetics to establish D-values and z-values. The D-values of E. coli and S. enterica were 2.9±0.1 and 3.8±0.5 min, respectively, at 5.0 mg l−1 ClO2 gas. The z-values of E. coli and S. enterica were 16.2±2.4 and 21.4±0.5 mg l−1, respectively. A 5 log CFU reduction (recommended by the United States Food and Drug Administration) for E. coli and S. enterica could be achieved with 5.0 mg l−1 ClO2 gas for 14.5 and 19.0 min, respectively. Treatment with ClO2 gas significantly reduced inherent microflora on lettuce and microbial counts remained significantly (p
Aquaporin-1 facilitates angiogenic invasion in the pathological neovasculature that accompanies cirrhosis.

Increasing evidence suggests that hepatic fibrosis and pathological angiogenesis are interdependent processes that occur in parallel. Endothelial cell invasion is requisite for angiogenesis, and thus studies of the mechanisms governing liver endothelial cell (LEC) invasion during cirrhosis are of great importance. Emerging research implicates amoeboid-type motility and membrane blebbing as features that may facilitate invasion through matrix-rich microenvironments. Aquaporins (AQPs) are integral membrane water channels, recognized for their importance in epithelial secretion and absorption. However, recent studies also suggest links between water transport and cell motility or invasion. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that AQP-1 is involved in amoeboid motility and angiogenic invasion during cirrhosis. AQP-1 expression and localization was examined in normal and cirrhotic liver tissues derived from human and mouse. AQP-1 levels were modulated in LEC using retroviral overexpression or small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown and functional effects on invasion, membrane blebbing dynamics, and osmotic water permeability were assayed. Results demonstrate that AQP-1 is up-regulated in the small, angiogenic, neovasculature within the fibrotic septa of cirrhotic liver. AQP-1 overexpression promotes fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-induced dynamic membrane blebbing in LEC, which is sufficient to augment invasion through extracellular matrix. Additionally, AQP-1 localizes to plasma membrane blebs, where it increases osmotic water permeability and locally facilitates the rapid, trans-membrane flux of water. Conclusion: AQP-1 enhances osmotic water permeability and FGF-induced dynamic membrane blebbing in LEC and thereby drives invasion and pathological angiogenesis during cirrhosis. HEPATOLOGY 2010
Disposition and toxicokinetics of diquat in channel catfish

Abstract The disposition of the aquatic herbicide diquat was studied in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) after water exposure to 14C-diquat dibromide concentrations of 5 and 20 μg/ml for up to 6 days. An apparent steady-state plasma concentration of 0.6% of the exposure water concentration was achieved after 24 h, and steady-state tissue levels were reached by 72 h. The highest steady-state concentration of diquat occurred in the trunk kidney, which was about 100 times that observed in plasma. Diquat concentrations in white muscle were low and similar to plasma levels of diquat. Autoradiographs of sagittal sections of a catfish exposed to 14C-diquat dibromide also indicated that the highest concentration of residue present in the animal was located in the trunk kidney and that lower concentrations were associated with the liver and gills. The majority of liver residue, and especially that in the bile, was unidentified metabolites. After intravascular administration of 1 mg/kg, toxicokinetic analysis of the plasma concentration-time profile of diquat using a two-compartment model provided the following values: steady-state volume of distribution (Vss) = 2920 ± 740 ml kg−1; total body clearance (Clb) = 87.8 ± 27 ml h−1 kg−1 and elimination halflife (t 1 2 ,β ) = 35.8 ± 8.9 h .
THE DISTRIBUTION AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF FATS IN LIVING CELLS-INTRODUCTORY SURVEY

CHEMICAL ANALYSES indicate that fatty substances are present to some extent in all living cells both plant and animal (Bonner, 1950). In higher plants the occurrence and chemical composition of the wall materials suberin, cutin and wax; and of the fatty reserve materials in the seed have been intensively investigated. In contrast, comparatively little is known of the details of the distribution and nature of the limited amounts of fats present in living vegetative cells in leaf stem and root. Presumably the fats in these cells function in part in supplying the building blocks of the fatty wall materials including the suberin pellicle recently described (Scott, 1950b) which lines the ubiquitous intercellular spaces (Haberlandt, 1928). It is generally accepted that fat droplets are dispersed throughout the protoplast as a whole, in radiating cytoplasmic strands and in the peripheral cytoplasm. It will be shown that the distribution of fat droplets is not entirely random, but that a degree of localization is evident. Fat droplets surround all plastids and accumulate in parietal cytoplasm. They are present in plasmodesmata and occur occasionally in mitochondria. In meristematic cells they mark the beginnings of the vacuome. The widespread occurrence of the "cuboidal bodies" (Bald, 1948) was noted in the course of this work. MATERIAL AND METHODS.-Fat distribution was surveyed primarily in the Spermatophyta. Thirtyfive species representing a wide range of families were examined: Abutilon hybridum, Bergenia cordifolia, Brassica sp., Coleus blumei, Cucurbita sp-, Dahlia pinnata, Dianthus caryophyllus, Elodea sp., Franseria dumosa., Fuchsia hybrida, Gaillardia aristata, Geranium sanguineum, Hedera helix, Hemerocallis flava, Iris sp., Lagenaria patersonii, Larrea tridentata, Lonicera caprifolium, Mirabilis jalapa, Musa paradisiaca, Nicatiana glauca, Petunia hybrida, Phaseolus sp., Platanus racemoides, Poa annua, Pontederia sp., Rhoeo discolor, Ricinus communis, Rosa sp., Sequoia sempervirens, Taxus cuspidata, Thamnosma montana, Tradescantia virginica, Tropaeolum majus, Ulmus sp. Species studied intensively, of Bergenia, Elodea, Iris, Coleus, Hedera and Rhoeo, illustrate the general pattern of fat distribution in the group as a whole. The detailed study of apical meristems was limited to Vicia faba and Ricinus communis. For comparison with the Spermatophyta, individual species of Thallophyta, Bryophyta and Pteridophyta were examined-of the green algae Spirogyra
Phenomenological Problems for the Kairological Reading of Augenblick in Being and Time

Abstract In this paper we examine the key phenomena associated with the notion of kairos in Heidegger’s pre‐Being and Time writings and show that they all fall short of the methodological constraints and conceptual requirements placed on authentic presence in 1927. Though Heidegger’s early studies of Aristotle and the New‐Testament are broadly suggestive of the notion of temporality that is presented in his systematic treatise, none of those earlier texts carry the differentiations within which the Augenblick of Being and Time is situated. We thus claim that the ekstasis of authentic presence is neither reducible to an eschatological nor to a phronological kairos and furthermore, that the successor to kairos in Being and Time is more likely to be Jemeinigkeit than Augenblick. Establishing these distinctions gives us greater insights into the fundamental orientation of Heidegger’s inquiry in Being and Time.
Implementing interior point linear programming methods in the Optimization Subroutine Library

This paper discusses the implementation of interior point (barrier) methods for linear programming within the framework of the IBM Optimization Subroutine Library. This class of methods uses quite different computational kernels than the traditional simplex method. In particular, the matrices we must deal with are symmetric and, although still sparse, are considerably denser than those assumed in simplex implementations. Severe rank deficiency must also be accommodated, making it difficult to use off-the-shelf library routines. These features have particular implications for the exploitation of the newer IBM machine architectural features. In particular, interior methods can benefit greatly from use of vector architectures on the IBM 3090™ series computers and “super-scalar“ processing on the RISC System/6000™ series.
Seasonality and mean annual sea surface temperatures from isotopic and sclerochronological records

Seasonality is one of the most dramatic climatic variables affecting the physical and biological properties of the surface of oceans. Attempts to deduce the seasonal temperature contrast of past oceans using the fossil record have led investigators to explore the carbonate growth patterns in certain marine invertebrate organisms. In many cases these growth patterns represent annual growth increments analogous to annual rings in trees1. Just as tree rings contain a record of terrestrial climates2, systematic variations in the physical or chemical properties of annual growth increments in the skeletons of marine organisms record the environmental or climatic properties of the marine realm. Several investigations have called attention to the use of stable isotope profiles in growth increments of mollusc shells to determine the seasonal water temperature changes3–7 and seasonal timing of coastal upwelling8. Mollusc shells therefore have the potential of revealing much information about past environmental changes9, particularly along temperate continental shelves where our knowledge of the palaeoceanographic history is very limited. We have now used coordinated isotopic and sclerochronological (growth increment) studies to compare the geochemical history of shell growth in Spisula solidissima with the physical oceanographic history of the Middle Atlantic Bight and determine whether the isotopic records of S. solidissima from different water depths on the continental shelf reflected the seasonally different thermal regimes at those depths. We chose S. solidissima because it is widely distributed along temperate continental shelves, its shell growth and life history are well understood9,10, and the genus has a fairly wide distribution in Plio–Pleistocene fossil deposits. Jones11,12 has already established through a detailed sclerochronological analysis of S. solidissima that a 10–20 yr time series of mean sea surface temperature trends can be resolved from the record of annual shell growth. A strong negative correlation exists between growth increment size and yearly mean water temperature11.
High-Resolution Doppler Imager on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite

The high resolution Doppler imager (HRDI) on the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite has been providing measurements of the wind field in the stratosphere, mesosphere, and lower thermosphere since November 1991. Examination of various calibration data indicates the instrument has remained remarkably stable since launch. The instrument has a thermal drift of about 30 m/s/ degree(s)C (slightly dependent on wavelength) and a long-term temporal drift that has amounted to about 80 m/s since launch. These effects are removed in the data processing leaving an uncertainty in the instrument stability of approximately 2 m/s. The temperature control of the instrument has improved significantly since launch as a new method was implemented. The initial temperature control held the instrument temperature at about +/- 1 degree(s)C. The improved method, which holds constant the temperature of the optical bench instead of the radiator, keeps the instrument temperature at about 0.2 degree(s)C. The calibrations indicate very little change in the sensitivity of the instrument. The detector response has shown no degradation and the optics have not changed their transmittance.
Land use designation and vegetation community structure in the Adirondack uplands (New York, USA)

ABSTRACT Question: Does forest vegetation community structure reflect legislative land use designations? Location: Adirondack Park, New York, USA. Methods: The Adirondack Park, located in northern New York State, is a mixture of public and private lands, with state-owned Forest Preserve lands comprising ca. 42% of the 2.4 million ha, on which timber harvesting and many other forms of anthropogenic disturbance are prohibited. A survey of vegetation communities was conducted in eighteen upland catchments with differing land use history (managed and Forest Preserve), including overstory, understory, and dead wood (snags and downed woody debris) using randomly placed plots. Results: Mean overstory density and basal area were not significantly different between land uses, although mean overstory tree size was greater in Preserve catchments. Sapling densities were greater in managed catchments, while mean herb/shrub coverage was not affected by land use. Densities of 25% of common species were affected by land ...
A novel dynamic power cutoff technique (DPCT) for active leakage reduction in deep submicron CMOS circuits

Due to the exponential increase in subthreshold leakage and gate leakage with technology scaling, leakage power is becoming a major fraction of total VLSI chip power in active mode. We present a novel active leakage power reduction technique, called the dynamic power cutoff technique (DPCT). First, the switching window for each gate, during which a gate makes its transitions, is identified by static timing analysis. Then, the circuit is optimally partitioned into different groups based on the minimal switching window (MSW) of each gate. Finally, power cutoff transistors are inserted into each group to control the power connections of that group. Each group is turned on only long enough for a wavefront of changing signals to propagate through that group. Since each gate is only turned on during a small timing window within each clock cycle, this significantly reduces active leakage power. This technique can also save standby leakage and dynamic power. Results on ISCAS'85 benchmark circuits modeled using 70 nm Berkeley predictive models (Cao et al., 2000) show up to 90% active leakage, 99% standby leakage, 54% dynamic power, and 72% total power savings
Cell cycle regulators interact with pathways that modulate microtubule stability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The integrity of mitosis is dependent upon strict regulation of microtubule stability and dynamics. Although much information has been accumulated on regulators of the microtubule cytoskeleton, our knowledge of the specific pathways involved is still limited. Here we designed genetic screens to identify regulators of microtubule stability that are dispensable in the wild type yet become essential under microtubule-disrupting conditions. We found that the transcriptional cofactor Swi6p and activator Swi4p, as well as the G2/M-specific cyclin Clb2p, are required in a microtubule-destabilizing environment. Swi6p and Swi4p can combine as a transcriptional complex, called the SBF complex (SBF for Swi4/6 cell cycle box [SCB]-binding factor) that is functionally homologous to the metazoan DP1/2-E2F complex and that controls the G1/S transition through the genes it regulates. We show that Swi6p's contribution to microtubule stability can be either dependent or independent of the SBF complex. The SBF-dependent pathway requires downregulation of SBF complex levels and may thereby reroute the transcriptional program in favor of greater microtubule stability. This pathway can be triggered by overexpression of Fcp1p, a phosphatase in the general transcription machinery, or by expression of an allele of SWI6 that is associated with reduced transcription from SBF-controlled promoters. The SBF-independent pathway is activated by a constitutively nuclear allele of Swi6p. Our results introduce novel roles in microtubule stability for genes whose participation in the process may be masked under normal conditions yet nonetheless acquire a dominant role when microtubule stability is compromised.
Electrocardiogram interpreting technician: training and role in a contemporary electrocardiogram practice.

In 1974, the annual electrocardiogram (ECG) volume at Mayo Clinic had exceeded 100000 ECGs; and Dr Ralph E Smith, ECG Laboratory Director, introduced the concept of the ECG Interpreting Technician (EIT) to assist the cardiologist. The first 2 technicians started in 1975, and one continues working as the Lead EIT. In 2007, there were 10 EITs interpreting 180670 ECGs, 10397 Holter recordings, and 4220 event recordings. This review presents the training of and experience with EITs to assist with ECG interpretation in the Mayo Clinic ECG Laboratory. The EITs are typically selected from the ECG technician group, although on occasion individuals have had other cardiovascular backgrounds including technicians experienced with hospital bedside monitoring. The ECG technicians participate in regularly scheduled ECG interpreting classes presented by the ECG Laboratory Supervisor or Education Coordinator before becoming EITs and are chosen to be EITs based on their skills and interest displayed in the classes and as ECG technicians. Once selected, the EITs undergo an intensive training program that allows development of skills for ECG interpretation (Table 1). The EITs begin their training by spending 2 weeks working one-on-one with the Lead EIT learning ECG basic findings including rhythm, conduction, hypertrophy, and myocardial infarction. After this 2-week orientation, the new EITs will review with the Lead EIT 12-lead ECGs that have been finalized by the cardiologist. This aspect of EIT training takes on average 1 month but can range between 2 weeks and 3 months depending on how quickly the new EITs learn ECG interpretation. During this portion of the training, the new EITs will evaluate 150 to 200 ECGs daily. After this one-on-one training with the Lead EIT, the new EITs then read ECGs by themselves, overreading the initial
Demographic variables affecting patient referrals from general practice dentists to periodontists

Background: Within dentistry, a limited body of literature exists regarding the referral relationships between general practitioners (GPs) and specialists. The purpose of this study was to investigate the referral relationship between GPs and periodontists within the state of Virginia.Methods: A survey was developed that focused on the demographic variables in the referral relationship between GPs and periodontists. The survey was mailed to 800 dentists throughout the state of Virginia. Descriptive statistics were completed along with multivariate logistic regression analysis comparing the responses with the number of patients referred per month to periodontists.Results: Female respondents were more likely to refer three or more patients per month to a periodontist than a male respondent (P <0.02). Those dentists who practiced with one other dentist were twice as likely to refer more frequently when compared to solo practitioners or larger group practices (P <0.03). Dentists employing two hygienists were ...
Emissions of odorous aldehydes from alkyd paint

Abstract Aldehyde emissions are widely held responsible for the acrid after-odor of drying alkyd-based paint films. The aldehyde emissions from three different alkyd paints were measured in small environ-mental chambers. It was found that, for each gram of alkyd paint applied, more than 2 mg of aldehydes (mainly hexanal) were emitted during the curing (drying) period. Since no measurable hexanal was found in the original paint, it is suspected that the aldehydes emitted were produced by autoxidation of the unsaturated fatty acid esters in the alkyd resins. The hexanal emission rate was simulated by a model assuming that the autoxidation process was controlled by a consecutive first-order reaction mechanism. Using the emission rate model, indoor air quality simulation indicated that the hexanal emissions can result in prolonged (several days) exposure risk to occupants. The occupant exposure to aldehydes emitted from alkyd paint also could cause sensory irritation and other health concerns.
Decomposition and complexity of finite semigroups

The Prime Decomposition Theorem for finite transformation semigroups of Krohn and Rhodes and the resultant theory of complexity of finite semigroups are the subjects of this survey. All concepts used are defined in the text, and proofs are given if they are accessible without a large amount of preparation. This article is an attempt to lead the reader to the essential ideas of the theory in the shortest possible time and effort.
Medullary serotonin neurons and central CO2 chemoreception

Serotonergic (5-HT) neurons are putative central respiratory chemoreceptors, aiding in the brain's ability to detect arterial changes in PCO2 and implement appropriate ventilatory responses to maintain blood homeostasis. These neurons are in close proximity to large medullary arteries and are intrinsically chemosensitive in vitro, characteristics expected for chemoreceptors. 5-HT neurons of the medullary raphe are stimulated by hypercapnia in vivo, and their disruption results in a blunted hypercapnic ventilatory response. More recently, data collected from transgenic and knockout mice have provided further insight into the role of 5-HT in chemosensitivity. This review summarizes current evidence in support of the hypothesis that 5-HT neurons are central chemoreceptors, and addresses arguments made against this role. We also briefly explore the relationship between the medullary raphe and another chemoreceptive site, the retrotrapezoid nucleus, and discuss how they may interact during hypercapnia to produce a robust ventilatory response.