cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of irrigation and nitrogen rates on foliar mineral composition of bell pepper

Abstract Irrigation and nitrogen fertilization are two important aspects of bell pepper production. Yet, limited information is available on the effect of irrigation on foliar nutrient content. Bell pepper were grown on bare ground under two nitrogen fertilization rates (11 and 19 kg N week‐1) and irrigated according to an irrigation scheduling model based on weather data and crop age. Eight irrigation rates ranged between 36 and 148% of the model rate. Leaf samples were taken at first bloom (62 days after transplanting, DAT) and after final harvest (84 DAT). Yield response and the foliar content of all essential elements determined [nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), boron (B), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn)] responded linearly or quadratically to irrigation rates and most foliar nutrient contents remained within or above the sufficiency range. Foliar mineral content tended to be lower at 84 DAT as compared to 62 DAT. Only Ca bec...
Availability of nuclear standards information

Abstract A brief summary of the nuclear standards organizations in the United States and a discussion as to how such standards may be located are presented. Some 25 non-governmental organizations which may prepare nuclear standards are identified. The most important organization is the American National Standards Institute which not only prepares such standards but co-ordinates the standards work of others. The increasing activity of several government agencies, specifically the Atomic Energy Commission, Environmental Protection Agency and the National Bureau of Standards is also noted. The annual Compilation of Nuclear Standards (Vols. 1 and 2) prepared by the Nuclear Safety Information Center is the best single source of such information, although many other sources — including relevant information centers, as well as published documents — are identified.
Temperature regulation in the little pocket mouse, Perognathus longimembris.

Abstract 1. 1. Mice acclimated to ambient temperature (TA) 22–24°C are good thermoregulators, when not torpid, at TA 2–34°C. 2. 2. The core-to-subcutaneous temperature gradient varied with TA in a 3. 3. Perognathus longimembris simulated conformation to Newton's Law of Cooling when metabolizing at a minimum maintenance level, but active mice had a variable conductance which decreased with TA. 4. 4. Mice entering and arousing from torpor went through several phases of temperature change. During cooling, conductance is greater than normal, and during warming it is less.
Serotonin and Its Role in Colonic Function and in Gastrointestinal Disorders

Serotonin (5-HT) is most commonly thought of as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. However, the predominant site of serotonin synthesis, storage, and release is the enterochromaffin cells of the intestinal mucosa. Within the intestinal mucosa, serotonin released from EC cells activates neural reflexes associated with intestinal secretion, motility, and sensation. Two important receptors for serotonin that are located in the neural circuitry of the intestines are the 5-HT3 and 5-HT4 receptors; these are the targets of drugs designed to treat gastrointestinal disorders. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists are used to treat nausea and emesis associated with chemotherapy and for functional disorders associated with diarrhea. 5-HT4 receptor agonists are used as promotility agents to promote gastric emptying and to alleviate constipation. Because of the importance of serotonin in normal gut function and sensation, a number of studies have investigated potential changes in mucosal serotonin signaling in pathologic conditions. Despite the inconsistencies in the current literature, changes in serotonin signaling have now been demonstrated in inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome, and idiopathic constipation. Emerging evidence has led to many contradictory theories regarding serotonin signaling and its roles in the pathology of gut disorders. This review summarizes the current medications affecting serotonin signaling and provides an overview of our current knowledge of the changes in serotonin that occur in pathologic conditions.
Osteogenesis imperfecta type VIII: A case report

Abstract Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic bone disorder that requires a multi-disciplinary healthcare team to achieve optimal patient outcomes. It is most recognized by excessive brittleness of the bones, and has several classification types, with varying levels of severity. In 2007, type VIII was added to the classification system as a severely deforming and lethal autosomal recessive gene associated with mutations of CRTAP and LEPRE1 genes. The purpose of this case report is to describe a rare case of osteogenesis imperfecta type VIII in the neonate and the multi-disciplinary approach required to manage the patient's care; that includes a variety of nursing specialties.
Collaborative Public Leadership in Complex Governance Systems

In this article, we aim to develop an integrative model of collaborative public leadership. First we note that existing dominant leadership theories (i.e. leader-centric approaches) have paid less ...
ASPECTS OF CILIARY FINE STRUCTURE IN EUPLOTES PATELLA

1. The functional unity of cirri and membranelles can result structurally only from extensions of the ciliary membrane. 2. The pellicle is composed of an outer pellicular membrane and an inner cytoplasmic membrane. 3. The ciliary rootlets are composed of numerous filaments 120 A in diameter with central areas of low density. They have no periodic structure. 4. The ciliary membrane is a double-layered structure continuous with the pellicular membrane. The cilia show the typical arrangement of nine double, peripheral and two single, central fibrils. All fibrils pass into the basal region, the peripheral ones joining with the rootlet filaments, while the central fibrils from the extreme proximal position of the basal region turn back toward the pellicle and appear to unite just beneath the cytoplasmic membrane. 5. The cilia (300 mmicro diameter) taper at their tips to a diameter at least as small as 50 mmicro. At a diameter of about 150 mmicro, the fibrils begin to show a reduction in number. 6. The central ciliary fibrils may determine the possible directions of ciliary beat. These fibrils show an intrafibrillar structure in their basal portion, which involves regularly spaced 40 A granules. 7. These observations on Euplotes, together with the other evidence cited, are consistent with the hypothesis that ciliary motion is produced by the contraction of the peripheral fibrils, while the central fibrils perhaps determine the plane in which the cilia can bend.
Implementation of new diffusion/filtering operators in the CAM-FV dynamical core

Two new filtering/diffusion operators have been implemented in the Community Atmosphere Model finite-volume dynamical core (CAM-FV). First, a fourth-order divergence damping operator has been added to optionally replace the second-order version that has traditionally been used. This provides more scale selective dissipation of divergent modes that can generate grid-scale noise in CAM-FV if not damped properly. For example, data assimilation runs using CAM-FV DART (Data Assimilation Research Testbed) have revealed potential noise problems at the grid scale that can be alleviated significantly using higher-order divergence damping. Second, a 'Laplacian'-type damping operator has been implemented to increase the explicit momentum dissipation in the top-of-atmosphere sponge layers. This helps control the excessive polar night jets that have been observed in ultra-high-resolution CAM-FV simulations. Results from stand-alone CAM-FV and CAM-FV DART are presented in this paper along with details on the implementation of the new operators.
Freeze-drying of Spiders and Immature Insects

Freeze-drying of spiders and immature insects can be done with ordinarily available laboratory equipment. Though the method is not new, for the first time it was demonstrated that nearly perfect specimens of spiders and immature insects could be routinely obtained. The specimens showed no distortion, very little color loss, no indication of reabsorption of water or decomposition, and finally, they were not particularly fragile.
Equatorial deep jets in the Atlantic Ocean

Abstract We report here a vertical profile of velocity measured in the equatorial Atlantic (0°00′N, 30°22′W) which reveals short vertical scale zonal jets with amplitudes of 10–20 cm s−1 over the upper 2500 m, alternating in the east-west direction with depth. Particularly prominent was an eastward jet centered at a depth of 1000 m with an amplitude of 28 cm s−1.
Bronchial Mucormycosis With Progressive Air Trapping

A previously healthy 70-year-old woman developed fever, cough, and exertional dyspnea. Her symptoms progressed over a 2-month period despite treatment by her primary care physician with 2 courses of oral antibiotics and the addition of prednisone. Hypoxemia and the finding of hyperglycemia with mild ketoacidosis led to hospital admission. Serial chest radiographs demonstrated diffuse heterogeneous pulmonary opacities and progressive air trapping in the right lower lobe. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy revealed a deep penetrating ulcer with exposed bronchial cartilage of the bronchus intermedius and dynamic airway obstruction with complete closure during expiration. Biopsy of the ulcer revealed Rhizopus arrhizus. Respiratory failure stabilized with the patient on conventional mechanical ventilation and receiving amphotericin B. Before surgery could be performed, Pseudomonas aeruginosa pneumonia and septic shock developed, and the patient died.
Cellulose column chromatography for the fractionation and isolation of acid mucopolysaccharides.

An acid mucopolysaccharide (AMPS) mixture may be separated into its individual constituents by eluting the cetyl pyridinium complexes from a cellulose column with 0.35 M and 0.6 M NaCl, disrupting the complexes with 90% ethyl alcohol and eluting further with 55, 45, 30 and 10% concentrations of ethanol. Depending upon the specific AMPS in the mixture, the procedure can be simplified further. Human arterial AMPS, for example, can be adequately partitioned with only two concentrations of alcohol, 30 and 10%. Acetate paper electrophoresis, infrared spectra, chemical analysis, hydrolysis with hyaluronidase and paper chromatography of products of acid hydrolysis of AMPS are used to identify the separated components and to ascertain the adequacy of separation. Different situations encountered during separation of various mixtures of AMPS are discussed.
Theoretical and experimental analysis of the phage lambda genetic switch implies missing levels of co-operativity.

The behavior of the cro-repressor switch in phage lambda, a temperature phage of Escherichia coli, is described at the organismal level within a dynamical system framework. The molecular biology of the switch has been well characterized up to the level of the regulation of transcription initiation. In this paper we construct a description of a lysogen whose prophage is mutated in certain genes, so that the switch is functionally isolated from the rest of the phage genome. Such a lysogen has two stable epigenetic states, and comparison of the theory with measurements of intracellular cro concentration corresponding to one of these states suggest that additional levels of regulation, not included in the current description of the switch, should exist for this system. In addition, we suggest a new method for the measurement of intracellular concentrations.
Derivation for relating calcification and size in small pulmonary nodules

Pulmonary nodules less than 10 mm in length are often detected on computed tomography (CT) scans after the examination is completed. No further imaging may be possible and it would be useful to determine whether the nodule is sufficiently calcified to be considered benign. We wanted to use the relationship between the true and apparent nodule density on 10-mm CT sections to determine the true density of the nodule. An understanding of the partial volume effect on 10-mm CT images of small pulmonary nodules allowed us to identify accurately those which were diffusely calcified without having to resort to obtaining additional 1-mm CT sections.
the political use of Sande ideology and symbolism

Recent studies of the women's Sande society of West Africa have argued that the Sande seeks to produce symbolically pure adult women as well as bonds of female solidarity. This paper shows that Sande elite often side with elite men and exploit subordinate women. Crucial Sande symbolism merges differentiating features between the sexes. Conclusions are drawn about strategic uses of the Sande ideology by the elite in the context of its regional political economy.
Examination of compact bone microdamage using back-scattered electron microscopy

A new staining technique using heavy metals (lead-uranyl acetate) has been developed to allow visualization of bone microdamage using both light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy operated in its back-scattered mode (BSE). At the light microscopic level, the number of microcracks counted in sequential sections of human ribs is the same for both the traditional basic fuchsin method of differentially staining microcracks and the new lead-uranyl acetate procedure. With BSE study, however, the number of microcracks observed is significantly reduced in all samples, because of the reduction of projection effect error associated with surface based imaging techniques. Application of the lead-uranyl acetate staining technique to ex vivo-loaded crack propagation specimens showed an extensive ultrastructurally disrupted region associated with the crack path through bone, consistent with the damage process zone around cracks in toughened composite materials.
Fluoroscopic visualization of the prostatc urethra to guide transperineal prostate implantation

Abstract Purpose : To decribe a novel way to assure proper needle positioning within the prostate during transperineal implantation, using the urethra as the primary radiographic landmark. Methods and Materials : Preoperative computerized tomography (CT) images through the prostate are used to plan optimal transperineal needle-seed placement. When performing the procedure, a Foley catheter, with radio-opaque wire is used to visualize the prostatic urethra fluoroscopically in anterior-posterior and lateral projections. Proper needle placement is determined by their position relative to the urethra. Results : Sixty patients have been implanted with this method at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center from 1990–1992. Conclusion : The method described here is an improvement over previously described CT-based techniques. It could be used to supplement or replace ultrasound imaging.
Mechanistic implications from the structure of a catalytic fragment of Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase

Abstract Background: Reverse transcriptase (RT) converts the single-stranded RNA genome of a retrovirus into a double-stranded DNA copy for integration into the host genome. This process requires ribonuclease H as well as RNA- and DNA-directed DNA polymerase activities. Although the overall organization of HIV-1 RT is known from previously reported crystal structures, no structure of a complex including a metal ion, which is essential for its catalytic activity, has been reported. Results Here we describe the structures at 1.8 a resolution of a catalytically active fragment of RT from Moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) and at 2.6 a of a complex of this fragment with Mn 2+ coordinated in the polymerase active site. On the basis of similarities with HIV-1 RT and rat DNA polymerase β , we have modeled template/primer and deoxyribonucleoside 5′-triphosphate substrates into the MMLV RT structure. Conclusion Our model, in the context of the disposition of evolutionarily conserved residues seen here at high resolution, provides new insights into the mechanisms of catalysis, fidelity, processivity and discrimination between deoxyribose and ribose nucleotides.
Technical management of a microcomputer-assisted learning project

Abstract The need for instructional designers, writers and computer programmers is well known in CAL projects. Perhaps less familiar is the need to balance technological capabilities with requirements of the learning project and, above all, to be certain that candidate delivery technologies are selected because they can best accomplish the instructional tasks at hand, and not simply for their flash and gimmickry. Experience at producing a large (50 mini-diskettes of material to be delivered at each of 100 dispersed locations) training project indicates the requirement for, and de facto existence of, a Technical Management function. The person charged with this responsibility is guided by a Chief Principle: TECHNICAL DECISIONS MUST SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS. Among other tasks, the Technical Manager must: (1) choose software because of its ability to carry out the instructional design; (2) provide counterforce to non-technical decision-makers who are inclined to select the latest technology merely because it is available; (3) ensure that technical and non-technical members of the staff communicate freely and accurately; and (4) support the creative staff with appropriate software tools for project scheduling, word processing, budgeting and other indispensable tasks.
Can High School Achievement Tests Serve to Select College Students

Postsecondary schools have traditionally relied on admissions tests such as the SATand ACT to select students. With high school achievement assessments in place in many states, it is important to ascertain whether scores from those exams can either supplement or supplant conventional admissions tests. In this study we examined whether the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) high school tests could serve as a useful predictor of college performance. Stepwise regression analyses with a predetermined order of variable entry revealed that AIMS generally did not account for additional performance variation when added to high school grade-point average (HSGPA) and SAT. However, in a cohort of students that took the test for graduation purposes, AIMS did account for about the same proportion of variance as SAT when added to a model that included HSGPA. The predictive value of both SAT and AIMS was generally the same for Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian American students. The ramifications of universities using high school achievement exams as predictors of college success, in addition to or in lieu of traditional measures, are discussed.
Resources, facilitation, and partnerships: three design considerations for youth makerspaces

As the maker movement proliferates, interaction design scholars and educators more commonly refer to makerspaces as learning environments and adopt making for more formal education. So far, researchers have primarily adopted an activity lens toward making, that is, they focus on making as an activity of learning, and in this paper I also consider community and identity lenses by examining makerspaces and maker identities. Specifically, I investigate the affordances and constraints of activity, identity, and community design features across youth makerspaces. I present a comparative case study across three youth makerspaces and offer three design considerations (managing resources, equipping facilitators, and establishing partnerships) that cut across these spaces. Drawing on these features as typical of youth makerspaces, I discuss implications for the design and support of makerspaces.
Undergraduates regard deviation from occupational gender stereotypes as costly for women.

Studies from the 1970s have shown deviation from norms defining the gender-appropriateness of occupations to be costly for both women and men. Two hundred thirty undergraduates wrote open-ended stories and rated a stimulus person, Anne or John, who was described at the top of his/her class in medicine or one of four persistently gender-skewed fields: nursing, day care, electrical engineering, and electrician. Across all five occupations, negative imagery in stories about Anne and John in gender-incongruent occupations disappeared. However, when Anne succeeded in the two currently female-incongruent fields, raters treated her as a personal and social deviate by distancing themselves and by denigrating her role behaviors and personal traits, including her femininity. Parallel costs were not found for John nor were Anne's work-related qualities undermined. Undergraduates expect deviation from occupational gender-types in the 1990s to be personally costly for women, but not for men.
When to shut students up: Civility, silencing, and free speech:

Teachers sometimes shut students up for the sake of civility. My question is whether silencing for the sake of civility can be morally justified when a student derogates fellow students as members of some widely stigmatized group, and the offending speech is not for any further reason to be deplored, for example, as a personally targeted insult. Exploring possible answers to that question sheds light on a bigger issue: the proper character of ‘civility regimes’ in educational institutions whenever group stigmatization persists in the social background and impinges seriously on some students’ lives. A plausible argument for silencing under the conditions specified is derived from respect for students’ equal dignity and the protection of fair educational opportunity. That argument is nonetheless defeated by considerations about the rightful place of intellectual candor in a culture of free speech and the centrality of educational institutions in supporting candor’s development.
Distributed Sensor Fusion in Water Quality Event Detection

To protect drinking water systems, a contamination warning system can use in-line sensors to indicate possible accidental and deliberate contamination. Currently, reporting of an incident occurs when data from a single station detects an anomaly. This paper proposes an approach for combining data from multiple stations to reduce false background alarms. By considering the location and time of individual detections as points resulting from a random space-time point process, Kulldorff’s scan test can find statistically significant clusters of detections. Using EPANET to simulate contaminant plumes of varying sizes moving through a water network with varying amounts of sensing nodes, it is shown that the scan test can detect significant clusters of events. Also, these significant clusters can reduce the false alarms resulting from background noise and the clusters can help indicate the time and source location of the contaminant. Fusion of monitoring station results within a moderately sized network show fal...
Single crystal fibers of rare earth ortho-niobate: Growth, ferroelastic property, and domain studies

One dimensional single crystals of LaNbO/sub 4/, NdNbO/sub 4/ and CeNbO/sub 4/ have been grown successfully by a laser heated pedestal growth technique. Some physical properties and the ferroic phase transitions as a function of temperature are studied over the range room temperature to 800/spl deg/C by various thermal, electric and optical analytical techniques. Twin walls are observed, and their relations with the ferroelastic phase transition are discussed.
Common apolipoprotein A-IV variants are associated with differences in body mass index levels and percentage body fat.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the relationship between two common apoA-IV variants (Thr347→Ser; Gln360→His), and body mass index (BMI) and percentage body fat. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Eight-hundred and forty-eight subjects screened for participation in ongoing clinical studies. MEASUREMENTS: ApoA-IV genotype, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio and percentage body fat by bioelectric impedance. RESULTS: Participants had an average age of 41±12 y and an average BMI of 28.2±5.5 kg/m2. Individuals homozygous for the Ser347 allele had higher BMI (32.3±6.6 vs 28.6±5.3 kg/m2; P<0.01) and percentage body fat (36.9±7.8 vs 31.0±9.6%; P<0.05) compared with individuals homozygous for Thr347. In contrast, the presence of at least one copy of the His360 allele was associated with lower BMI (27.2±5.0 vs 28.4±5.6 kg/m2; P<0.05) and percentage body fat (28.6±8.2 vs 30.7±9.1%; P<0.05). The genotype effects persisted after normalization of the data for the potential confounding effects of gender, age and race. When grouped by BMI percentile, the frequency of the Ser347/Ser347 genotype increased while the frequency of the His360 allele decreased with increasing BMI. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest a role for apoA-IV in fat storage or mobilization and that genetic variations in the apoA-IV gene may play a role in the development of obesity.
Prolonged ST segment depression after stress testing: does it really identify more severe disease?

Abstract Background: It is generally perceived that the persistence of ST segment depression for more than 5 min after treadmill exercise testing (ETT) signifies a strongly positive test and predicts more severe ischemia and coronary artery disease. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine if prolonged ST segment changes (>5 min) after ETT identifies patients with more severe ischemia and thus severe coronary artery disease. Methods: Twenty five patients (19 males, mean age 58±10 years) with >1 mm ST segment depression and recovery time ≤5 min (group 1) and 25 patients (20 males, mean age 62±10 years) with >1 mm ST segment depression and recovery time >5 min (group 2) undergoing ETT and single photon emission computed tomography were prospectively enrolled. Summed stress and difference scores, stress and reversible extent % of perfusion abnormalities, and lung heart ratio was calculated. Results: There was no significant difference in the mean summed stress score (9±9 versus 13±10, P =0.13), summed difference score (4±3 versus 6±5, P =0.13), stress extent % (14±16 versus 19±13, P =0.13), extent of reversibility % (7±9 versus 7±7, P =0.93), or lung heart ratio (0.48±0.07 versus 0.46±0.07, P =0.50) between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of severe ischemia (summed difference score >13) in the 2 groups (24% versus 40%, P =0.36). Conclusion: We conclude that utilizing the commonly used cutoff for prolonged ST segment depression: >5 min in recovery, does not identify patients with more severe ischemia or coronary artery disease and, therefore, at increased risk. Thus, it appears unnecessary to give special consideration to these patients by way of prolonged monitoring in recovery, or a more aggressive non-invasive ischemia imaging approach after the ETT.
Modeling and simulation of system-of-systems timing constraints with UML-RT and OMNeT++

There is a growing interest in using object-oriented analysis and design techniques in conjunction with UML to develop large complex systems. This paper presents an iterative approach for studying the timing constraints of a system-of-systems using models expressed in UML for Realtime extension (UML-RT), which are then translated into coarse-grained simulation models that are exercised using the OMNeT++ simulation engine. The integration of the UML-RT models with simulation models provides a seamless process for rapidly constructing executable prototypes for the purpose of analyzing timing constraints and deriving system requirements from those constraints. The effectiveness of the approach is demonstrated with a case study of the sensor-netting capability of a missile defense system.
EVOLUTIONARY GENETICS OF LIFE CYCLES

▪ Abstract The life cycles of cellular species are reviewed from the genetic perspective. Almost all life cycles include stages during which only one genome is transmitted from a parent to its offspring. This, together with interorganismal gene exchange, which occurs regularly in at least some prokaryotes and in the majority of eukaryotes, allows selection to evaluate different alleles more or less independently. Regular genetic changes due to intraorganismal ploidy cycles or recombination may also be important in life cycles of many unicellular forms. Eukaryotic amphimixis is generally similar in all taxa, but the current data on the phylogeny and reproduction of unicellular eukaryotes are insufficient to determine whether it evolved several times or just once. Theoretically, gradual origin of amphimixis from apomixis, with each step favored by natural selection, is feasible. However, we still do not know how this process occurred nor what selection caused it. For reasons not entirely clear, some propert...
Indirect iterative learning control: Application on artificial pancreatic β-cell

Most existing iterative learning control (ILC) algorithms work in direct pattern; while indirect ILC is an open problem. In this paper, model predictive control (MPC) is chosen as the local controller for processes and ILC is used to update the setpoint for MPC; this novel combination belongs to indirect ILC and is named ILC-based MPC in this paper. Indirect ILC has revealed some advantages compared to direct ILC. The proposed algorithm is validated in artificial pancreatic β-cell and the simulation results verify the effectiveness and excellence of this method.
Penalized regression approaches to testing for quantitative trait-rare variant association

In statistical data analysis, penalized regression is considered an attractive approachfor its ability of simultaneous variable selection and parameter estimation. Althoughpenalized regression methods have shown many advantages in variable selection andoutcome prediction over other approaches for high-dimensional data, there is a relativepaucity of the literature on their applications to hypothesis testing, e.g. in geneticassociation analysis. In this study, we apply several new penalized regression methodswith a novel penalty, called Truncated L1-penalty (TLP) (Shen et al. 2012), foreither variable selection, or both variable selection and parameter grouping, in a dataadaptiveway to test for association between a quantitative trait and a group of rarevariants. The performance of the new methods are compared with some existing tests,including some recently proposed global tests and penalized regression-based methods,via simulations and an application to the real sequence data of the Genetic AnalysisWorkshop 17 (GAW17). Although our proposed penalized methods can improve oversome existing penalized methods, often they do not outperform some existing globalassociation tests. Some possible problems with utilizing penalized regression methodsin genetic hypothesis testing are discussed. Given the capability of penalized regressionin selecting causal variants and its sometimes promising performance, further studiesare warranted.
Evolution of Carotid Stenting: Payment Issues

Carotid stent placement received assignment of two Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes in 2005, based on the collaborative efforts of 10 medical, surgical, and radiological specialty societies. One code is used to report stent placement with embolic protection, the other without embolic protection. The codes are unusual for interventional procedures because they include all associated catheterizations, diagnostic imaging, angioplasty, and radiologic supervision and interpretation. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a coverage policy for carotid stenting in March 2005, imposing major limitations on eligibility. First, the Agency will only pay for carotid stents performed with embolic protection. In addition, each patient must meet three separate criteria to achieve Medicare coverage: (1) lateralizing transient ischemic attack, transient monocular blindness, or minor stroke with Rankin score
Respiratory Infection of Turkeys with Listeria monocytogenes Scott A

SUMMARY. The pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes strain Scott A was studied by challenging day-old male turkey poults by air sac inoculation with tryptose phosphate broth containing 10 0 cfu (control), 10 4 ,1 0 5 , and 10 6 cfu (low challenge), or 10 7 and 10 8 cfu (high challenge) of the Scott A (serotype 4b) strain of L. monocytogenes. Mortality at 2 wk postinfection (PI) ranged from 25% for low challenge to 100% for high challenge (P ¼0.0001). Gross and histopathological lesions were observed in heart, liver, spleen, lung, and bursa of Fabricius of mortalities at 4 days PI. Listeria monocytogenes challenge resulted in significantly decreased relative weight of the bursa of Fabricius and increased relative weight of the spleen, and L. monocytogenes was isolated by direct plating of liver, pericardium, brain, and both left and right stifle joint synovium (knee) cultures, as well as gall bladder, yolk sac, and cecal tonsil from transfer swabs onto Listeria-selective agar. Isolates were confirmed as positive using Gram stain, biochemical tests, and the Biolog system. High challenge resulted in confirmed L. monocytogenes isolation from 48% of left knee and 59% of right knee cultures. Low challenge resulted in isolation of L. monocytogenes from 11% of both left and right knee cultures. These results suggest that L. monocytogenes Scott A colonization of turkey knee synovial tissue can initiate in day-of-age poults and that L. monocytogenes Scott A can be invasive through air sac infection.
An implementation of 'blocks' in SPITBOL

A relatively new datatype, called a block, was designed and implemented by James F. Gimpel in the SNOBOL4 programming language[1,2]. SNOBOL4[3] being an interpreter, requires significantly more execution time and memory than a compiler. To overcome this deficiency, Robert B. K. Dewar and Kenneth E. Belcher, at the Illinois Institute of Technology, designed a speedy implementation of SNOBOL4 known as SPITBOL[4]. SPITBOL is a compiler, it requires less time and memory than SNOBOL4. At the time SPITBOL was written, the block datatype was not included. This paper describes an external routine which was developed to add the block datatype to SPITBOL. The availability of blocks in SPITBOL opens many new paths for data structures in the field of non-numeric applications. Three dimensional data structures can be used in many areas of computer science. For example, l) Computer Graphics, displaying three dimensional geographic locations on a two dimensional surface; 2) Artificial Intelligence, scene analysis and mechanical theorem proving; and 3) Business Applications, displaying reports and statements (overprinting to highlight important items).
Activation by Cyclic GMP Binding Causes an Apparent Conformational Change in cGMP-dependent Protein Kinase

Abstract Cyclic nucleotide binding activates cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinases, but the molecular mechanism is unknown. In the present studies, cGMP binding to type Iα or type Iβ cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) caused (i) a large electronegative charge shift of each enzyme on ion exchange chromatography, (ii) an increase in the Stokes radius (>3 A) of each enzyme, and (iii) a decreased mobility of type Iβ PKG on native gel electrophoresis. These physical changes were not detected in the monomeric form of type Iβ PKG upon activation by cGMP. However, the results of partial proteolysis of type Iα PKG revealed some degree of cGMP-induced conformational change within the PKG-monomer, since cGMP binding protects the PKG-monomer against chymotryptic cleavage. The altered sensitivity to proteolysis occurs at Met-200, which is located between the B and C α-helices in the high affinity site (site A), and implies that the cGMP-induced structural perturbations in this region may participate in activation of dimeric PKG. The cGMP-induced conformational effects observed using the physical separation methods are likely to reflect altered interactions within the dimeric PKG that are caused by structural alterations within the subunits.
Non-linear transformer modeling and simulation

Transformers models for simulation with Pspice and Analogy's Saber are being developed using experimental B-H Loop and network analyzer measurements. The models are evaluated for accuracy and convergence using several test circuits. Results are presented which demonstrate the effects on circuit performance from magnetic core losses, eddy currents, and mechanical stress on the magnetic cores.
The Financial Crisis of 2008: What needs to happen after TARP

The Trouble Asset Relief Program (TARP), signed into law on October 3, 2008, is an insufficient policy initiative to end the current credit crisis. In addition to modifications in implementing the program, other policy initiatives are necessary. My proposals include: establish a Bank Capitalization Fund that would immediately jump start our credit system, protect savings and checking deposits of all Americans, abandon the hold to maturity target purchase price and obtain the trouble assets at a price closer to fair value, do not bail out the financial institutions that are already insolvent by purchasing their assets at a premium price, recapitalize the FDIC and undertake measures to reduce bank runs, and initiate a program to incentivize mortgage cram-downs. So far, policy makers have reacted to one crisis after another. My proposals are proactive and are guided by lessons learned in previous financial crises, in particular, the Swedish banking crisis.
Translation elongation-3-like factors: are they rational antifungal targets?

The occurrence of fungal infection has escalated significantly in recent years and is expected to continue to increase for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, only a limited number of antifungal drugs are currently available partially due to a lack of suitable targets. The most commonly used antifungals target the same molecule in the cell membrane and, while efficacious, are either extremely toxic or susceptible to resistance. This article examines elongation factor-3, which is unique to fungi and essential for fungal cell survival and, thus, an attractive antifungal target. A search for inhibitors of this ‘perfect target’ led to identification of compounds (sordarins) which inhibited elongation factor-2, a protein with a mammalian homologue. Molecular analysis demonstrated why sordarins can specifically act against fungal elongation factor-2. This data questions the validity of pursuing genes as targets only if they are unique to fungi. Proteins that are homologous to elongation factor-3 are also dis...
Polymer surfaces derivatized with poly(vinyl-N-hexylpyridinium) kill airborne and waterborne bacteria.

A facile methodology has been developed for covalently derivatizing the surfaces of common materials with a designed antibacterial polycation, poly(vinyl-N-pyridinium bromide), wherein the first, key step involves surface coating with a nanolayer of silica. Various commercial synthetic polymers derivatized in this manner become bactericidal-they kill up to 99% of deposited, from either an aerosol or an aqueous suspension, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria on contact.
A Multicultural Perspective on Principle and Virtue Ethics

The author proposes an alternative perspective on deriving ethical guidelines for psychologists. This proposal presents the position that in a pluralistic society, we cannot continue to derive moral imperatives from a Western civilization perspective. We need to develop strategies to arrive at a set of virtues or principles to guide our profession that address the diversity in the United States. Further; we need to take a similar approach in proposing ethical guidelines for an international, cross-cultural context. The article presents a paradigm shift in thinking among psychologists on how to function effectively in a pluralistic society and in a global economy.
Pathologic Characteristics of Resected Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Trachea: Prognostic Factors Based on an Analysis of 59 Cases

While squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common tracheal malignancy, few reports describe the pathologic considerations that may guide intraoperative decisions and prognostic assessment. We reviewed 59 tracheal SCC treated between 1985 and 2008 by segmental resection of the trachea, including resection of the carina in 24% and inferior larynx in 14%. We classified these tumors by grading histologic differentiation and microscopic features used in SCC of other sites. Of 59 tumors, 24% (14 of 59) were well differentiated, 49% (29 of 59) were moderately differentiated, and 27% (16 of 59) were poorly differentiated. Unfavorable prognostic factors were tumor extension into the thyroid gland (all of five so-afflicted patients died of tumor progression within 3 years) and lymphatic invasion (mean survival 4.6 versus 7.6 years). Keratinization, dyskeratosis, acantholysis, necrosis, and tumor thickness did not predict prognosis. As surgical resection is the only curative treatment; the surgeon should establish clean lines of resection using, as appropriate, intraoperative frozen section. The pathologist can provide additional important prognostic information, including tumor differentiation and extent, invasion of surgical margins, and extension into the thyroid.
Enemies of the state? Testing three models of anti-immigrant sentiment

Abstract In recent years, instances of nativist, anti-immigrant sentiment have spread beyond traditional border states into “new destination” cities and towns throughout the North and Southeast. Virginia, the site for many of the most reactionary forms of anti-immigrant ordinances, is one case in point. In this paper we use data from the 2007 Virginia Survey of Anti-Immigrant Sentiment ( N = 1072) conducted on the eve of the US Senate deliberations over immigration reform. Our analysis uses fixed effects models to evaluate the explanatory power of three of the dominant explanations of anti-immigrant sentiment: group threat, contact, and cultural perspectives. Our findings reveal two key points. First, although we do find scattered evidence in support of the contact and group threat approaches, evidence affirming the cultural approach seems particularly strong. Second, variables emphasized by these separate models interact in significant and interesting ways, suggesting the need to integrate these competing perspectives into fuller and more powerful models that specify how local cultural characteristics moderate the effects of macro-structural conditions.
Using a neural network to backtranslate amino acid sequences

A neural network (NN) was trained on amino and nucleic acid sequences to test the NN’s ability to predict a nucleic acid sequence given only an amino acid sequence. A multi-layer backpropagation network of one hidden layer with 5 to 9 neurons was used. Different network configurations were used with varying numbers of input neurons to represent amino acids, while a constant representation was used for the output layer representing nucleic acids. In the besttrained network, 93% of the overall bases, 85% of the degenerate bases, and 100% of the fixed bases were correctly predicted from randomly selected test sequences. The training set was composed of 60 human sequences in a window of 10 to 25 codons at the coding sequence start site. Different NN configurations involving the encoding of amino acids under increasing window sizes were evaluated to predict the behavior of the NN with a significantly larger training set. This genetic data analysis effort will assist in understanding human gene structure. Benefits include computational tools that could predict more reliably the backtranslation of amino acid sequences useful for Degenerate PCR cloning, and may assist the identification of human gene coding sequences (CDS) from open reading frames in DNA databases.
Preparation and polymerization of some vinyl ester amides of pinic acid

The preparation of vinyl 2,2-dimethyl-3-morpholinocarbonylcyclobutaneacetate, vinyl 2,2-dimethyl-3-piperidinocarbonylcyclobutaneacetate, and vinyl 2,2-dimethyl-3-di-n-butylaminocarbonylcyclobutaneacetate has been achieved by selective amination followed by vinyl interchange. Homopolymers and vinyl chloride copolymers containing 25 and 30 wt.-% of the vinyl esteramides were prepared and evaluated as nonrigid plastics. The vinyl esteramides incorporated in vinyl chloride copolymers did impart some plasticization, but their effect was far below the effect of added plasticizer to a vinyl chloride polymer.
Ion temperatures in inductively coupled plasmas

Summary form only given, as follows. Atomic chlorine and argon ion temperatures have been measured in inductively coupled plasmas using laser induced fluorescence. Argon ion temperatures were determined by exciting the 3d/sup 4/F/sub 7/2/-4p/sup 4/P/sub 5/2//sup 0/ metastable ion transition at 811.2 nm and monitoring the fluorescence of the 4p/sup 4/P/sub 5/2//sup 0/-3d/sup 1/D/sub 7/2/ transition at 440.1 nm. Chlorine ion temperatures were determined by exciting the /sup 4/S/sup 0/4p/sup 5/P/sub 3/-3d/sup 5/D/sub 4//sup 0/ metastable ion transition at 542.3 nm and monitoring the fluorescence of the /sup 4/S/sup 0/4p/sup 5/P/sub 3/-4s/sup 5/S/sub 2//sup 0/ transition at 479.5 nm. Cl/sup +/ temperatures were measured in both pure chlorine and argon/chlorine mixtures while the Ar/sup +/ temperatures were measured in pure argon discharges. In the center of the plasma, the Ar/sup +/ temperature was between 550 and 1000 K for plasma powers between 30 and 240 W and pressures between 4 and 50 mTorr. Over this same operational parameter space, the Cl/sup +/ temperature was between 2100 and 4500 K. At the edge of the plasma, the Ar/sup +/ temperature increased to between 3000 and 9000 K. Ar/sup +/ drift velocity in the radial direction was between 1/spl times/10/sup 5/ and 2/spl times/10/sup 5/ cm/s at the edge of the plasma. Ion temperatures as a function of plasma power, pressure, argon/chlorine ratio and spatial location will be presented.
Non-pulmonary Infectious Complications

Critically ill patients are especially vulnerable to healthcare-associated infections and these infections substantially increase the expense, morbidity, and possibly mortality associated with critical care. This chapter focuses on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, catheter-related bloodstream infections, Clostridium difficile colitis, nosocomial sinusitis, and acalculous cholecystitis. Medical literature has convincingly demonstrated the ability to markedly reduce the risk of nosocomial infections, and accordingly, rates of infection now play a central role in measuring the quality of care. This chapter also highlights interventions that have, and have not, proven effective in reducing nosocomial infections.
Gender and Justice in the Gene Age: The Challenges Presented by Reproductive and Genetic Biotechnologies

This chapter examines some of the challenges created by the rapid emergence, and in some prosperous nations, unregulated development of new reproductive and genetic biotechnologies and biomedical protocols that use and impact women’s reproductive capacity. It also reports on the ova trade in the United States, and attempts at enforceable regulatory oversight of reproductive biotechnologies and egg donation in the US. Lastly, this article considers the social justice challenges posed by some emerging biomedical technologies in the context of distributive justice issues like women’s bodily integrity and ‘red biotechnologies’, intergenerational justice, existing health equity resource sharing, and the long-standing challenge to the women’s movement to support reproductive justice for marginalized women.