cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Strategy for the Isolation and Structural Characterization of Certain Insect Myotropic Peptides that Modify the Spontaneous Contractions of the Isolated Cockroach Hindgut

A four-step purification system using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed and used in conjunction with a rapid and sensitive bioassay to isolate and purify a number of myotropic peptides present in methanolic head extracts of the cockroach, Leucophaea maderae, and the house cricket, Aceta domesticus. The extracts were sequentially fractionated on a series of four HPLC columns exhibiting different separation characteristics. The procedure yielded peptides of sufficient purity for primary sequence determination. A total of 17 unique peptides, including the first gastrin/cholecystokinin-like invertebrate peptides, were structurally characterized and synthesized.
A Comparison of Five Wetland Communities in a North Dakota Fen Complex

Fens are rare and not well-studied within the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North Dakota. PPR wetlands (including fens) are vulnerable to land use alterations, particularly conversion to agricultural production. In this study, we described a 48-ha natural fen complex with five distinct wetland plant communities (denoted cattail [Typha L. spp.], floating mat [areas at higher elevation with an upward groundwater gradient], herbaceous, tree, and wet meadow). Our goal was to describe the wetland plant communities and determine possible factors driving the formation of several distinct wetland plant communities in close proximity to one another. We identified 148 plant species, six of which are considered priorities for conservation by the North Dakota Natural Heritage Program. We compared the composition of wetland plant communities using multi-response permutation procedure (MRPP) and examined individual attributes (e.g., species richness, evenness, diversity, Floristic Quality Index, percent introduced species, percent soil organic matter, pH, and electrical conductivity) of the wetland plant communities using ANOVA and Tukey's (HSD) test. We found the highest species richness, evenness, and diversity in herbaceous and tree communities and the lowest percent introduced species in floating mat communities. There were no significant differences in the soil properties tested among the five plant communities.
MR Imaging of Patients with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs): Implementing a Program and Optimizing CMR

How to implement a program for MRI in patients with conditional and non-conditional (“legacy”) CIED. How to optimize safety and image quality in CMR? What the radiologists need to know: device programming, pre- and post-MRI CIED parameters. New Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines have opened MRI to many patients with nonconditional devices. Newer pulse sequences for cardiac MRI (CMR) in device patients, including modified cine, late gadolinium enhancement and T1 mapping sequences, have resulted in improved image quality in device patients. We present several cases of CMR in device patients, including imaging of leadless pacemakers subcutaneous ICDs. Imaging pitfalls/artifacts in CMR interpretation are also presented. An organized institutional workflow with an established protocol involving proper patient screening, device programming, scan monitoring, and pre- and post-ICD interrogation minimizes risk in patients with conditional and non-conditional CIEDs. Although rare, significant changes in lead performance, power-on/reset, inappropriate pacing or ICD discharges and battery voltage depletion should be documented. High-quality scans with accurate scar characterization in CIED patients require the use of wideband sequences. CMS has recently acknowledged MRI as a reasonable test necessary for the diagnosis and treatment of beneficiaries with implanted CIEDs, improving the financial prospects and encouraging future developments.
Immunotherapy of a guinea pig hepatoma with vaccines containing mycobacterial fractions

BCG cell walls (CW) were compared to trehalose-6,6′-dimycolate (TDM) in admixture with endotoxin (ET) for their potency to cause regression of a transplanted guinea pig hepatoma. On a weight basis, CW were at least as active as ET-TDM. Toxicity of ET and of ET-TDM were greater than that of CW as judged by weight loss after intravenous administration to normal guinea pigs.
Inpatient cardiac monitoring using a patch-based mobile cardiac telemetry system during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a worldwide pandemic, and cardiovascular complications and arrhythmias in these patients are common. Cardiac monitoring is recommended for at risk patients; however, the availability of telemetry capable hospital beds is limited. We sought to evaluate a patch-based mobile telemetry system for inpatient cardiac monitoring during the pandemic. Methods A prospective cohort study was performed of inpatients hospitalized during the pandemic who had mobile telemetry devices placed; patients were studied up until the time of discharge or death. The primary outcome was a composite of management changes based on data obtained from the system and detection of new arrhythmias. Other clinical outcomes and performance characteristics of the mobile telemetry system were studied. Results Eighty-two patients underwent mobile telemetry device placement, of which 31 (37.8%) met the primary outcome, which consisted of 24 (29.3%) with new arrhythmias detected and 18 (22.2%) with management changes. Twenty-one patients (25.6%) died during the study, but none from primary arrhythmias. In analyses, age and heart failure were associated with the primary outcome. Monitoring occurred for an average of 5.3 ± 3.4 days, with 432 total patient-days of monitoring performed; of these, QT-interval measurements were feasible in 400 (92.6%). Conclusion A mobile telemetry system was successfully implemented for inpatient use during the COVID-19 pandemic and was shown to be useful to inform patient management, detect occult arrhythmias, and monitor the QT-interval. Patients with advanced age and structural heart disease may be more likely to benefit from this system.
Controversies in VTOS: What Is the Best Approach for VTOS?

As endovascular treatment of the subclavian vein has replaced open surgical venoplasty, the transaxillary approach has become the best option for surgical decompression of the thoracic outlet in most cases of VTOS (Molina JE, Hunter DW, Dietz CA. Protocols for Paget-Schroetter syndrome and late treatment of chronic subclavian vein obstruction. Ann Thorac Surg. 2009;87(2):416–22). The approach offers exceptional exposure of the anterior first rib attachments to the clavicle and allows for complete resection of the posterior rib to prevent late neurogenic complications. The decision for treatment of VTOS by the transaxillary approach requires the surgeon to understand limitations of the approach and set reasonable outcome goals for the patient to return to their desired level of function and activity.
The Unreasonable Ineptitude of Deep Image Classification Networks

The success of deep image classification networks has been met with enthusiasm and investment from both the academic community and industry. We hypothesize users will expect these systems to behave...
Correlation Between Localized Choriocapillaris Perfusion and Macular Function in Eyes with Geographic Atrophy: Choriocapillaris Flow Relates to Macular Function in AMD with GA

PURPOSE To test the hypothesis that choriocapillaris perfusion correlates with visual function in geographic atrophy (GA). DESIGN Cross-sectional, single-center study. METHODS We imaged choriocapillaris flow using 6 × 6-mm swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography scans and measured retinal sensitivity using fundus-guided microperimetry in the central 20° in 18 eyes of 12 patients with GA and 7 eyes of 4 healthy persons. Optical coherence tomography angiography scans were divided into a grid and microperimetry results were superimposed using retinal vascular landmarks. The main outcome measure correlated choriocapillaris flow deficit with retinal sensitivity at each localized region. Robust linear mixed effects regression compared flow deficit or sensitivity with distance from the fovea. The Pearson r correlation described the relationship between flow deficit or retinal sensitivity and distance from the GA border. RESULTS Choriocapillaris flow deficit was significantly greater in patients with GA than in healthy persons (mean ± SD: 24.2% ± 7.9% vs 7.9% ± 2.3%; P = .0015) and retinal sensitivity was significantly lower in patients with GA than in healthy persons (mean difference ± SD: -17.0 ± 1.2 dB; P < .001). In GA, choriocapillaris flow deficit decreased (r = -0.40; 95% CI: -0.54 to -0.27) and retinal sensitivity increased (r = +0.63; 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.81) with distance from the GA margin. Choriocapillaris flow deficits inversely correlated with retinal sensitivity (r = -0.61; 95% CI: -0.75 to -0.42). CONCLUSIONS Choriocapillaris flow and retinal sensitivity improved with distance from the GA margin. Choriocapillaris flow deficit was inversely correlated with sensitivity, supporting the hypothesis that choriocapillaris perfusion correlated with macular function.
Advances in mass spectrometry-based glycomics-An update covering the period 2017-2021.

Protein glycosylation is one of the most common posttranslational modifications, and plays an essential role in a wide range of biological processes such as immune response, intercellular signaling, inflammation, host-pathogen interaction, and protein stability. Glycoproteomics is a proteomics subfield dedicated to identifying and characterizing the glycans and glycoproteins in a given cell or tissue. Aberrant glycosylation has been associated with various diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, viral infections, inflammation, immune deficiencies, congenital disorders, and cancers. However, glycoproteomic analysis remains challenging because of the low abundance, site-specific heterogeneity, and poor ionization efficiency of glycopeptides during LC-MS analyses. Therefore, the development of sensitive and accurate approaches to efficiently characterize protein glycosylation is crucial. Methods such as metabolic labeling, enrichment, and derivatization of glycopeptides, coupled with different mass spectrometry techniques and bioinformatics tools, have been developed to achieve sophisticated levels of quantitative and qualitative analyses of glycoproteins. This review attempts to update the recent developments in the field of glycoproteomics reported between 2017 and 2021.
In suspected COVID-19, RT-PCR with nasal plus throat swabs has 97% sensitivity vs. nasopharyngeal swabs.

SOURCE CITATION: Tsang NN, So HC, Ng KY, et al. Diagnostic performance of different sampling approaches for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR testing: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2021. [Epub ahead of print.] 33857405.
Superconducting gap excitations in MgB/sub 2/ revealed via time-domain thz spectroscopy

Summary form only given. The surprising discovery of superconductivity in MgB,' at remarkably high transition-temperatures challenges the limits of phonon-mediated superconductivity, a fundamental question in view of suggested phonon involvement in the high-T, cuprates. Possible anisotropic or unconventional pairing mechanisms have inspired experiments which probe the density of states and superconducting gap, but the large variation of gap values from surface-sensitive and bulk probes seems Optical experiments offer distinct advantages since they penetrate appreciably inside the bulk and simultaneously provide a contactless measure of the candensate within the sampled volume. Here, we present the first measurements of the far-infrared canductivity of MgB, that encompass a frequency range spanning excitations ~ETOSS the fundamental superconducting energy gap.
Cognitive Modeling of Individual Responses in Test Design

This chapter proposes a model for test design that breaks with classical psychometric traditions, although it is consistent with the general orientation of the general linear model paradigm of representation in social science. The model is based on cognitive theory principles and includes the assumption that any test must be designed formally to consider task structure and information processes. Another assumption is that cognitive theory is fundamentally always representative of each individual, and that there is always the potential for separate, unique individual responses to the test that should be modeled. The following sections of the chapter develop the theses and present both theory and example of such test development.
Initial quality of frying oil.

Publisher Summary Oil varies widely in eating quality, functionality, and rate of deterioration depending on source, processing, or formulation. An ingredient specification combined with a total quality management perspective for the oil component ensures production of high-quality frying oil and, subsequently, fried food. The initial quality of frying oil may have a significant impact on the quality of fried food prepared with it. The initial quality of oil as well as its durability during frying is influenced by all the steps involved in processing the oil. The common steps of oil processing include filtration and degumming; alkaline or physical refining; bleaching; hydrogenation; winterization or fractionation; deodorization; and packaging. The quality of oil is assessed against standards or specifications. The quality of frying oil depends on the purchase specification for oil and the reliability and credibility of the supplier or processor to produce oil that meets this specification. It is important for the purchaser to incorporate only essential requirements into a specification. Analytical variance must be taken into account when writing a specification. Various methods are available to evaluate the initial oil quality and durability during use. Specifications, however, must be meaningful and realistic to the oil processor and purchaser.
Distributed Name Service in Harness

The Harness metacomputing framework is a reliable and flexible environment for distributed computing. A shortcoming of the system is that services are dependent on a name service (a single point of failure) where all Harness Distributed Virtual Machines are registered. Thus, there is a need to design and implement a more reliable name service. This paper describes the Harness Distributed Name Service (HDNS) which aims to address this shortcoming. Section 2 outlines the role of the name service in Harness. Section 3 extends this discussion by describing the design of the HDNS. Finally, in sections 4 and 5, we present the services fault-tolerance mechanisms and give our conclusions.
Transport in photorefractive thin films

Summary form only given. Thin-film photorefractive gratings in the transverse field geometry have been studied extensively. Usually, one-dimensional transport equations were used to predict its device performance. However, the thin film edge effects were shown significant by Aguilar et al. (1995) recently, which indicates the important role of the 2D nature of the device. In this summary, we propose a new model which includes the thin thickness effect and shows the qualitative difference between the two-dimensional structure and its 3D counterpart.
Notes on Official Immunity in ATS Litigation

In Samantar v. Yousuf,' the U.S. Supreme Court held that foreign officials sued under the Alien Tort Statute 2 (ATS) are not the same as a foreign state and are not entitled to the protection of the Foreign Sovereign Immunity Act3 (FSIA). The Court, however, left open the possibility that the officials might nevertheless be entitled to some form of "immunity under the common law." 4 Now the lower courts, and eventually the Supreme Court, will have to grapple with this yet-to-be-defined defense. The present Article suggests some considerations that may be of value in creating a federal common law immunity for foreign officials in ATS litigation. The issue of foreign official immunity in ATS litigation arises in the context of an unusual hybrid tort action. The norm that regulates the defendant's conduct comes from international law, which is a peculiar
Rental Choice and Housing Policy Realignment in Transition : Post-privatization Challenges in the Europe and Central Asia Region

Massive privatizations of housing in Europe and Central Asia transition countries have significantly reduced rental tenure choice, threatening to impede residential mobility. Policy makers are intensifying their search for adequate policy responses aimed at broadening tenure choice for more household categories, through effective rental housing alternatives in the social and private sectors. While the social alternative requires substantial and well balanced subsidies, the private alternative will not grow unless rent, management, and tax reforms are boldly implemented and housing privatization truly completed. This study reviews the post-privatization rental housing challenges confronted by six transition countries in the Europe and Central Asia region: Armenia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia and Serbia. The common problem for policy makers across these countries is that housing privatizations decimated the stock of social housing, while the growing market-based housing production has been almost entirely focused on homeownership. As the number of households who did not benefit from the privatization continues to grow - especially the young, the mobile and the poor - the lack of accessible and affordable formal rental housing is pushing them into informal rentals with little tenure security, discouraging higher residential mobility and thus labor market flexibility. Governments are increasingly recognizing that sustainable homeownership for all is neither financially and fiscally possible, nor desirable for all household groups and life-cycle stages. Consequently, there is a need for post-privatization housing policies to recognize and address the need for social, non-profit and market-based rental housing choice. In order to respond to this growing policy gap, the Bank has undertaken an extensive literature review. That desk study has been supplemented by limited field work. The study offers preliminary recommendations regarding the directions of policy response aimed at creating better choice of rental tenure by households who cannot attain homeownership and by those who consciously opt for this tenure form.
Abstract P418: Trans Fats Consumption Linked to Higher BMI

Background: Increasing evidence suggests that factors beyond calorie balance may affect fat deposition (consider environmental obesogens like bisphenol A). Trans fats are prooxidant, proinflammatory, have shown adverse metabolic effects and increased fat deposition in animals. Goal: To assess the relation of dietary trans fatty acid (dTFA) consumption to BMI in humans. Method: Subjects were 1018 adult men and women clinical trial screenees (age 20-85, without known diabetes, CVD, with screening LDL 115-190mg/dL). Height and weight were measured at screening and BMI calculated. The Fred Hutchinson Food Frequency Questionnaire provided data on dTFA (gm/d) and calories. Surveys elicited activity, and chocolate consumption (times/week, previously linked favorably in this sample to BMI). Mood (adversely linked to dTFA in this sample and in literature) was assessed by the CES-D (depression scale). Regression assessed the relation of BMI (outcome) to dTFA, unadjusted and in models adjusted for age and sex, calor...
Radiation-induced alterations in murine lymphocyte homing patterns. I. Radiolabeling studies.

Abstract In vitro X-irradiation of 51 Cr-labeled spleen, lymph node, bone marrow, or thymus cells was found to alter their subsequent in vivo distribution significantly in syngeneic BDF 1 mice. Irradiated cells demonstrated an increased distribution to the liver and a significantly lower retention in the lungs. Cells going to the lymph nodes or Peyer's patches showed a significant exposure-dependent decrease in homing following irradiation. Irradiated lymph node cells homed in greater numbers to the spleen and bone marrow, while irradiated cells from other sources showed no preferential distribution to the same tissues. Sampling host tissues at various times after irradiation and injection did not demonstrate any return to normal patterns of distribution. The alterations in lymphocyte homing observed after in vitro irradiation appear to be due to the elimination of a selective population of lymphocytes or membrane alterations of viable cells, and the detection of these homing changes is in turn dependent upon the relative numbers of various lymphoid subpopulations which are obtained from different cell sources. Radiation-induced alterations in the normal homing patterns of lymphoid cells may thus be of considerable importance in the evaluation of subsequent functional assays in recipient animals.
Social Institutions as a Form of Intangible Capital

textabstractIn recent years there has been growing interest in including estimates of "intangible" capital, such as knowledge, skills, and institutions, in national asset accounting. In accordance with these efforts, this paper attempts to provide the first worldwide evaluations of "social" institutions, understood as the norms and networks that reduce transaction costs and enable collective action, as a proportion of national wealth. Using a new dataset that combines over 200 items from 25 sources, a composite of indices -- measuring intergroup cohesion, gender equity, the strength of local community, the extent of crime and interpersonal trust, and levels of civic engagement -- is formed and used to explain variance in the intangible capital residual, the proportion of national income that is left over after physical and natural capital have been accounted for. We show that social institutions are one of the main components of national wealth and a major productive asset for societies and their constituent communities around the world.
Two Holocene paleofire records from Peten, Guatemala: Implications for natural fire regime and prehispanic Maya land use

Abstract Although fire was arguably the primary tool used by the Maya to alter the landscape and extract resources, little attention has been paid to biomass burning in paleoenvironmental reconstructions from the Maya lowlands. Here we report two new well-dated, high-resolution records of biomass burning based on analysis of macroscopic fossil charcoal recovered from lacustrine sediment cores. The records extend from the early Holocene, through the full arc of Maya prehistory, the Colonial, and post-Colonial periods (~ 9000 cal yr BP to the present). (Hereafter BP) The study sites, Lago Paixban and Lago Puerto Arturo, are located in northern Peten, Guatemala. Results provide the first quantitative analysis from the region demonstrating that frequent fires have occurred in the closed canopy forests since at least the early Holocene (~ 9000 BP), prior to occupation by sedentary agriculturalists. Following the arrival of agriculture around 4600 BP, the system transitioned from climate controlled to anthropogenic control. During the Maya period, changes in fire regime are muted and do not appear to be driven by changes in climate conditions. Low charcoal influx and fire frequency in the Earliest Preclassic period suggest that land use strategies may have included intensive agriculture much earlier than previously thought. Preliminary results showing concentrations of soot/black-carbon during the middle and late Preclassic periods are lower than modern background values, providing intriguing implications regarding the efficiency of Maya fuel consumption.
Apolipoprotein E isoforms and lipoprotein metabolism.

Apolipoprotein (apo) E is a 299-residue protein which functions as a key regulator of plasma lipid levels. Human apoE exists as three common isoforms and the parent form, apoE3, operates optimally in promoting clearance of triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoproteins and is associated with normal plasma lipid levels. This result occurs because apoE3 possesses both the requisite lipid-binding ability and affinity for the low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) to mediate appropriate lipolytic processing and endocytosis of TG-rich lipoprotein remnant particles. ApoE2 which differs from apoE3 by the single amino acid substitution Arg158Cys located near the LDLR recognition site exhibits impaired binding to the receptor and an inability to promote clearance of TG-rich lipoprotein remnant particles; this isoform is associated with Type-III hyperlipoproteinemia. ApoE4 which differs from apoE3 by the single amino acid substitution Cys112Arg is also associated with dyslipidemia although binding of this isoform to the LDLR is unaffected. The amino acid substitution affects the organization and stability of both the N-terminal helix bundle domain and separately folded C-terminal domain so that apoE4 has enhanced lipid binding ability. As a consequence, apoE4 binds better than apoE3 to the surface of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) particles and impairs their lipolytic processing in the circulation so that apoE4 is associated with a more pro-atherogenic lipoprotein-cholesterol distribution (higher VLDL-cholesterol/high density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio). This review summarizes current understanding of the structural differences between apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4, and the molecular mechanisms responsible for the alterations in lipoprotein metabolism resulting from this polymorphism of apoE. Detailed knowledge of how expression of structurally distinct apoE variants modifies lipoprotein metabolism provides a basis for developing ways to manipulate the functionality of apoE in vivo. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(9):616–623, 2014
Development and psychometric evaluation of the core nurse resource scale

simpson mr. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18, 1048–1059 Development and psychometric evaluation of the core nurse resource scale Background The Core Nurse Resource Scale was developed to further what we know about the relationship between the nursing work environment and quality outcomes. Aims To examine the factor structure, internal consistency reliability and concurrent-related validity of the Core Nurse Resource Scale. Methods A cross-sectional survey study design was used to obtain a sample of 149 nurses and nursing staff [Registered Nurse (RNs), Licensed Practical Nurse (LPNs) and Certified Nursing Assistant (CNAs)] working in long-term care facilities. Exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach’s alpha and bivariate correlations were used to evaluate validity and reliability. Results Exploratory factor analysis yielded a scale with 18 items on three factors, accounting for 52% of the variance in scores. Internal consistency reliability for the composite and Core Nurse Resource Scale factors ranged from 0.79 to 0.91. The Core Nurse Resource Scale composite scale and subscales correlated positively with a measure of work engagement (r = 0.247–0.572). Conclusions The initial psychometric evaluation of the Core Nurse Resource Scale demonstrates it is a sound measure. Further validity and reliability assessment will need to be explored and assessed among nurses and other nursing staff working in other practice settings. Implications for nursing management The intent of the Core Nurse Resource Scale is to evaluate the presence of physical, psychological and social resources of the nursing work environment, to identify workplaces at risk for disengaged (low work engagement) nursing staff and to provide useful diagnostic information to healthcare administrators interested in interventions to improve the nursing work environment.
Mapping alveolar binding sites in vivo using phage peptide libraries

Targeting lung tissue is nonselective due in part to the lack of specific cell-surface receptors identified on target lung cells. We used in vivo phage display to identify a panel of peptides that can bind selectively to lung epithelial cells with less binding to nonepithelial cells. By direct intratracheal instillation of phage libraries into the lung, we isolated and identified 143 individual phage clones. Three phage clones revealed enhanced binding to the lung in vitro and in vivo. These three identified peptides were synthesized and demonstrated selective binding to epithelial cells in lung tissue versus the control peptide. Further, the peptides specifically bound to freshly isolated type II alveolar epithelial cells compared with Hep2 cells. The results suggest that the airway phage display approach could be exploited for analyzing the molecular diversity in the lower respiratory tract.
Loss of nitric acid within inlet devices intended to exclude coarse particles during atmospheric sampling

Abstract Seven inlet devices for removal of coarse particles, primarily cyclones, were evaluated for nitric acid (HNO 3 ) transmission efficiency under simulated day- and night-time conditions, at concentrations encountered in polluted urban atmospheres. The units employed were fabricated from solid polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), perfluoroalkoxy (PFA)-coated aluminum, flurorinated ethylene-propylene-coated glass, and stainless steel. Measured transmission efficiencies for precleaned units ranged from 18 to > 100%, and were generally lower under simulated night-time conditions. Residence time, surface composition and conditioning by HNO 3 were the principal parameters influencing HNO 3 transmission. Devices with calculated HNO 3 residence times ⩽ 0.2s exhibited minimal HNO 3 loss. Solid PTFE or FEP-coated glass inlet devices are preferable to the coated aluminum cyclone for atmospheric HNO 3 sampling. Atmospheric sampling provided more effective conditioning of the PFA-coated aluminum cyclone than did laboratory sampling of HNO 3 in purified air.
Advanced instrumentation for extreme environments: Nuclear reactor environments

Extreme environments such as helium circulators (Next Generation Nuclear Plant) and sodium and liquid salt pumps (Advanced Reactor Concepts and Small Modular Reactor programs) include high temperatures (700+ degrees Celsius), material compatibility challenges, requirements to reduce maintenance associated with lubricated and moving parts, pump seals, and material degradation. These environments require high reliability, control, diagnostics, and prognostic capabilities. The environmental conditions and system requirements create the need for new instrumentation and sensing methods for control and system diagnostics. The Sensors and Controls Team in the Measurement Science and Systems Engineering Division at ORNL is pursuing measurement methods for a canned rotor cooling pump design for fluoride-salt-cooled high temperature reactor applications. These measurement methods require consideration of the various pump materials, environmental conditions, application requirements, mechanical design, electrical design, and motoring and bearing electromagnetics to facilitate successful measurements.
Catching the drift: learning broad matches from clickthrough data

Identifying similar keywords, known as broad matches, is an important task in online advertising that has become a standard feature on all major keyword advertising platforms. Effective broad matching leads to improvements in both relevance and monetization, while increasing advertisers' reach and making campaign management easier. In this paper, we present a learning-based approach to broad matching that is based on exploiting implicit feedback in the form of advertisement clickthrough logs. Our method can utilize arbitrary similarity functions by incorporating them as features. We present an online learning algorithm, Amnesiac Averaged Perceptron, that is highly efficient yet able to quickly adjust to the rapidly-changing distributions of bidded keywords, advertisements and user behavior. Experimental results obtained from (1) historical logs and (2) live trials on a large-scale advertising platform demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and the overall success of our approach in identifying high-quality broad match mappings.
Role of Oncogenic Transcription Factor c-Myc in Cell Cycle Regulation, Apoptosis and Metabolism.

Themyc gene was initially discovered as a prototypical retrovirally transduced oncogene. Over the decades, abundant evidence has emerged to support a causal role for the activated cellular gene, c-myc, in animal and human tumors. The gene encodes an oncogenic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor that acts as a heterodimer with its partner protein, Max, to activate genes regulating the cell cycle machinery as well as critical metabolic enzymes. The additional ability of c-Myc to repress transcription of differentiation-related genes suggest that c-Myc is a central and key molecular integrator of cell proliferation, differentiation and metabolism.
Carbohydrate and nitrogen distribution during the activation of purified prothrombin in sodium citrate solution.

Summary The transition of prothrombin to thrombin in concentrated sodium citrate solution consists of two main chemical events. First, the prothrombin disappears with the release of carbohydrate and “tyrosine”-containing fragments that are soluble in trichloroacetic acid. Simultaneously an intermediate derivative is supposed to form. In the second step, thrombin is produced by autocatalysis, and is most likely derived from the hypothetical intermediate of prothrombin. The first main chemical event has been called the dissociation step and the other the activation phase. In terms of quantities of material involved, the changes that prothrombin undergoes are very extensive because 40% of the original nitrogen and “tyrosine” content of prothrombin becomes soluble in trichloroacetic acid after sodium citrate activation. Similarly, 60–80% of the total carbohydrate content of prothrombin is released. It is assumed that the material which becomes soluble in trichloroacetic acid is not associated with thrombin activity. This would imply that only 60% of the protein material of prothrombin changes into thrombin when activated by sodium citrate, and that this thrombin has a very small carbohydrate content as compared with prothrombin.
RNA-DNA Differences Are Generated in Human Cells within Seconds after RNA Exits Polymerase II

RNA sequences are expected to be identical to their corresponding DNA sequences. Here, we found all 12 types of RNA-DNA sequence differences (RDDs) in nascent RNA. Our results show that RDDs begin to occur in RNA chains ~55 nt from the RNA polymerase II (Pol II) active site. These RDDs occur so soon after transcription that they are incompatible with known deaminase-mediated RNA-editing mechanisms. Moreover, the 55 nt delay in appearance indicates that they do not arise during RNA synthesis by Pol II or as a direct consequence of modified base incorporation. Preliminary data suggest that RDD and R-loop formations may be coupled. These findings identify sequence substitution as an early step in cotranscriptional RNA processing.
Commentary on the Special Issue

The past decade has seen a resurgence of academic interest in international orga nizations (IOs) following th ir increas d prominence in international pol tics. This new wave of research on IOs has been largely theoretical?drawn from such diverse areas of institutional analysis as transaction cost analysis, bureaucratic theory, and game theory. Although it has improved our understanding of why institu tions matter, the editors of this volume argue that theoretical work has advanced more quickly than empirical work. Their framework chapter thus introduces the goal of the International Organizations Count project as providing "a broad research approach that seeks to mold and sharpen theories about IOs by conducting systematic tests and refining analytic techniques" (emphasis added; Hafner-Burton, von Stein, and Gartzke 2008 [this issue]). They have brought together an impressive set of researchers whose high-quality contributions will have a salutary impact in promot ing this type of research. Systematic research is a tall order that is hard to fill. As the editors and authors recognize, being quantitative does not make research systematic. In addition to care ful measurement and statistical work of the sort emphasized here, we need rigorous theory and an exploration of causal mechanisms and contextual effects that some times is best done qualitatively. While research often aspires to maximize all three dimensions?witness the proliferation of three-part projects that proceed from a theo retical set-up through large-rc estimation to case study analysis?fully systematic research is difficult to accomplish even in book-length contributions. Broad and systematic work is more a property of research traditions and communities. Indivi dual articles can usually contribute only a systematic piece to the overall puzzle, and how they best do that depends heavily on the development of the other pieces of the puzzle. To understand the contribution of this new wave of systematic quantitative work on IOs, we must understand how it fits with existing theoretical and qualita tive work. Contrary to the presumption of the volume, we do not have fully articulated theoretical models of IOs to test; as a result, quantitative work needs to be more exploratory and inductive in character. This has implications for how systematic empirical work should be conducted, for what we should expect from the individual articles, and for the relationship between different types of research on IOs. April 2008 326-333 ? 2008 Sage Publications 10.1177/0022002707313694 http://jcr.sagepub.com hosted at http://online.sagepub.com
Use of occlusive dressings on central venous catheter sites in hospitalized children

Although the use of occlusive dressings in adults has been criticized in the literature, there has been little written on their use in the pediatric population. Management of dressing sites requires nursing judgement unique to this population. This study focused on the progression of microbial colonization and signs of inflammation occurring beneath repeated occlusive dressings applied to central venous catheter (CVC) insertion sites among 104 hospitalized children (neonate to 18 years). A noninvasive skin culture was obtained within 24 hours of CVC placement, 3 to 7 days later before the next routine dressing change, and at the time the CVC was discontinued or the child was discharged, whichever occurred first. Results showed a significant increase in microbial growth ( p ≤.001) at the second dressing change, when serosanguinous drainage was heaviest, and continued significant growth ( p ≤.001) when the dressing was discontinued. This microbial growth pattern was curious in the face of a 0.3% systemic sepsis rate. When neonates under, 1,800 g were excluded from calculation, the pattern was not notable ( p =.2119). Findings suggest the use of occlusive dressings during prolonged hospitalization for tunnelled CVCs does not lead to increased site infections in children over 1,800 g.
Reproducibility of the DIAGNOdent instrument to assess enamel smooth surface integrity in pre- and post-bonded orthodontic patients

central incisor, the maxillary left canine, the maxillary left first premolar, the left mandibular incisors, the mandibular right canine, and the mandibular right first premolar. Three different buccolingual angulations were used for each tooth (original; root rotated toward the buccal aspect 10°; root rotated toward the lingual aspect 10°). Nine buccolingual angulation settings were necessary to analyze all buccolingual-orientation combinations between adjacent teeth. The true mesiodistal and buccolingual tooth angulations relative to an orthodontic archwire were calculated with a tridimensional coordinate measuring machine. The panoramic films were scanned and digitized with custom-designed software to determine the image mesiodistal angulations. Results: Almost all the image angles for each tooth had at least one angle measurement that was statistically different from the other mesiodistal angles with different buccolingual orientations. Nevertheless, if applying clinical tolerance limits, only 50% of the image mesiodistal angles for each tooth were clinically different from each other. Variations of as much as 2.5° between a tooth and a reference line on the film might be considered clinically insignificant according to previous researchers. If this criterion is applied, only the image mesiodistal angulations of the canine and premolar regions in both arches can be considered clinically and statistically significantly different. The panoramic image in general overestimated the mesiodistal angulations of teeth that had a buccal root angulation, while underestimating the ones that had a lingual root orientation. The roots with buccal root orientations were projected more distally than they were in reality, and roots lingually positioned were projected more mesially. This phenomenon was more pronounced in the maxilla than the mandible. The largest root parallelism differences for adjacent teeth occurred between the maxillary canine and first premolar, and the second largest differences was in the mandibular canine/premolar area. Conclusions: Buccolingual orientation changes do not seem to affect the root parallelism expression in the incisor area. The clinical usefulness of panoramic radiography to asses the mesiodistal tooth angulation should be approached with caution. An understanding of the buccolingual orientation effects on the image mesiodistal angulation expressions for panoramic images is extremely necessary, especially in the premolar extraction site. Alex Jacobson Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2005;128:262-3 0889-5406/$30.00 Copyright © 2005 by the American Association of Orthodontists. doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2005.05.005
The transport of lipoprotein cholesterol into bile: a reassessment of kinetic studies in the experimental animal

Abstract Studies were undertaken to assess the contribution of lipoprotein cholesterol to bile and to determine whether already-existent hepatic free cholesterol and the free cholesterol which is newly generated from the hydrolysis of hepatic cholesteryl esters are equally available for secretion into bile or constitute metabolically separate pools. Rats with a bile fistula were injected with an intravenous bolus of high-density lipoprotein recombinants containing free [14C]cholesterol and [3H]cholesteryl esters. Results showed (1) that bile free [14C]cholesterol secretion was a constant and linear proportion of the whole liver free [14C]cholesterol pool, (2) that secretion into bile of free [3H]cholesterol was in direct proportion to the rate of hydrolysis of hepatic [3H]cholesteryl esters, and (3) that rates of biliary cholesterol secretion were very similar when secretion was calculated using the specific activity of free [14C]cholesterol and free [3H]cholesterol in the entire liver to ‘label’ the precursor free cholesterol pool. Furthermore, rates of secretion that were calculated using either isotope closely approximated the mass of free cholesterol that was directly measured in bile. Results thus indicate that because of equilibration and extensive dilution by the large pool of already-existent free cholesterol, the transport of isotopic cholesterol from lipoproteins cannot be used to directly assess the contribution of lipoprotein cholesterol to the cholesterol that is secreted in bile. These studies further suggest that the totality of preformed free cholesterol in the liver is in metabolic equilibrium in one single kinetic pool and that all hepatic free cholesterol is potentially available for secretion into bile.
Effects of winds and Caribbean eddies on the frequency of Loop Current eddy shedding: A numerical model study

[1] The Loop Current (LC) is known to shed eddies at irregular intervals from 3 to 17 months. The causes of this irregularity have not, however, been adequately identified previously. We examine the effects of various types of external forcing on shedding with a model of the western North Atlantic Ocean (96°–55°W, 6°–50°N). We force the model with steady transport at 55°W, with winds, and include eddies in the Caribbean Sea. We examine their separate effects. With steady transport only, the model sheds rings at a dominant period of 9–10 months. Wind-induced transport fluctuations through the Greater Antilles Passages cause shedding at shorter intervals (≈3–7 months). Caribbean eddies (anticyclones) cause shedding at longer periods (≈14–16 months). Potential vorticity conservation indicates that Caribbean eddies tend to deter northward extension of the LC into the Gulf, which can lead to longer periods between eddy shedding. Fluctuating inflow at the Yucatan Channel that is associated with winds and/or Caribbean eddies can cause an LC eddy to temporarily (∼1 month) detach from and then reattach back to the LC, a phenomenon often observed. Model results also suggest that southwest of Hispaniola, warm eddies are spun up by the local wind stress curl. This type of eddy drifts southwestward, then westward after merging with the Caribbean Current, and then northward as it progresses toward the Yucatan Channel; these eddies significantly affect the shedding behavior of warm-core rings. The timescale for spin up and drift from Hispaniola is about 100 days. Satellite data indicate the existence of these eddies in the real ocean.
Extended workdays: Effects on performance and ratings of fatigue and alertness

The present investigation provided a laboratory test of long workdays and served as an initial step in developing a field-test battery that is sensitive to fatigue. Six subjects worked both a 12-h/4-day workweek and an 8-h/6-day week at a data-entry job simulation. Before and after the first and last days of each week, they completed a battery of brief tests measuring cognitive, perceptual-motor, task-sharing, motor, and sensory capacities, as well as subjective feelings. Results suggest that the 12-h/4-day week was more fatiguing than the 8 h/6-day week. In the data-entry job, it was easier to improve performance across the 8 h/6-day week. This result suggested that the fatigue of the 12-h days slowed the rate of improvement across the week. With respect to the test battery, two cognitive tasks (grammatical reasoning and digit addition) and several self-report scales also reflected greater fatigue in the 12-h/4day week. Performance efficiency decreased and reports of drowsiness and lack of concentration increased from the beginning to the end of the final 12-h workday. On the basis of these results, it was concluded that the test battery has utility for the assessment of the potential fatigue effects of long workdays in actual work settings.
Optical dispersion relations for amorphous semiconductors and amorphous dielectrics.

An expression for the imaginary part, k, of the complex index of refraction, N=n-ik, for amorphous materials is derived as a function of photon energy E: k(E)=A(E-${E}_{g}$${)}^{2}$/(${E}^{2}$-BE+C) where A, B, and C are positive nonzero constants characteristic of the medium such that 4C-${B}^{2}$g0. ${E}_{g}$ represents the optical energy band gap. The real part, n, of the complex index of refraction is then determined to be n(E)=n(\ensuremath{\infty})+(${B}_{0}$E+${C}_{0}$)/ (${E}^{2}$-BE+C) using Kramers-Kronig analysis, where ${B}_{0}$ and ${C}_{0}$ are constants that depend on A, B, C, and ${E}_{g}$, and n(\ensuremath{\infty}) is a constant greater than unity. Excellent agreement was found between these formulas and experimentally measured and published values of n and k of amorphous silicon, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, amorphous silicon nitride, and titanium dioxide.
Measurement of the hyperfine structure Zeeman splitting of the Hg+ ion☆

Abstract Magnetic dipole transitions, ΔF = 0, ΔmF = ± 1, between the hyperfine structure Zeeman levels of the ground state of the 199Hg+ ion have been observed with a multi-step exchange collision technique.