cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The efficacy of surgery for upper airway resistance syndrome: A systematic review, meta-analysis and case series.

Abstract Purpose Upper airway resistance syndrome (UARS) is a sleep related breathing disorder that was first described in 1993. This goal of this study is to determine the efficacy of surgical intervention for UARS. Materials and methods Systematic review of the literature and a case series of UARS patients at a large integrated healthcare system. Meta-analysis was performed. Results For the systematic review, 971 abstracts were reviewed and 3 articles were included, yielding 49 subjects. All of the included studies were of level 3 or 4 evidence. Significant improvement in Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score was noted after surgery in two level 4 studies. No significant change in ESS was noted in one level 3 study. Our retrospective chart review of eleven UARS patients compared preoperative and postoperative ESS scores, as well as sleep study data. Patients underwent a variety of surgical procedures. Our findings show a significant improvement in mean ESS scores after surgery, from 11.0 (±3.5) to 7.0 (±4.8) with p = 0.01, though no difference in apnea hypopnea index (AHI) and respiratory disturbance index (RDI) were identified. Meta-analysis was performed on 2 studies from the systematic review and our cases series data. UARS surgery showed a mean change in ESS of −5.89 (95% CI, −8.29 to −3.50). Conclusions This systematic review, meta-analysis and retrospective case series indicate that surgery may improve ESS scores in patients with UARS. AHI and RDI are unlikely to be impacted by surgery.
Wolves make roadways safer, generating large economic returns to predator conservation

Recent studies uncover cascading ecological effects resulting from removing and reintroducing predators into a landscape, but little is known about effects on human lives and property. We quantify the effects of restoring wolf populations by evaluating their influence on deer-vehicle collisions (DVCs) in Wisconsin. We show that, for the average county, wolf entry reduced DVCs by 24%, yielding an economic benefit that is 63 times greater than the costs of verified wolf predation on livestock. Most of the reduction is due to a behavioral response of deer to wolves rather than through a deer population decline from wolf predation. This finding supports ecological research emphasizing the role of predators in creating a "landscape of fear." It suggests wolves control economic damages from overabundant deer in ways that human deer hunters cannot.
Does it Payoff to be Blond in a Non-Blond Neighborhood? Eye Color, Hair Color, Ethnic Composition and Starting Wages

In this paper, I examine the impact of eye and hair color on wages at one’s first-job after completing schooling. Evidence suggests that having blond/red hair has a positive impact on wages, particularly for white people and females. Using detailed ethnic origin information collected by the Census and using tipping point analysis, I find that individuals with blond/red hair who reside in a county where ethnicities with brown/black hair/eyes constitute the majority, earn around nine percent more compared to individuals with brown/black hair residing in the same county.
On the capacity region of broadcast over wireless erasure networks

In this paper, we consider a special class of wireless networks, called wireless erasure networks. In these networks, each node is connected to a set of nodes by independent erasure channels. The network model incorporates the broadcast nature of the wireless environment in that each node sends out the same signal on its outgoing channels. However, we assume there is no interference in reception. In this paper we first look at the single source single destination unicast problem. We obtain the capacity under the assumption that erasure locations on all the links of the network are provided to the destination. It turns out that the capacity has a nice max-flow min-cut interpretation. The definition of cut-capacity in these network is such that it incorporates the broadcast property of the wireless medium. In the second part of the paper, a time-sharing scheme for broadcast problems over these networks is proposed and its achievable region is analyzed. We show that for some special cases, this time-sharing scheme is optimal.
Dried Plums Promote Increased Antioxidant Capacity in Smokers and Nonsmokers

Smokers suffer from decreased antioxidant capacity, a risk factor for numerous chronic diseases. Consumption of antioxidant-rich foods such as dried plums may increase antioxidant capacity and redu...
A Physically‐Based Model for the Effect of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties on Ballistic Performance

Recovery of ceramics from ballistic experiments in which impacting ductile long-rod projectiles failed to penetrate has led to the observation and understanding of the localized damage mechanisms beneath the region of impact. The shape of the damaged region indicates that these mechanisms are shear-assisted. Based upon these observations, a model for the transition between no penetration and penetration was formulated by combining a micromechanics-based compressive failure model with Hertz's theory for frictionless contact between axisymmetric linear-elastic bodies. The resulting model indicates the relative significance of a ceramic's grain size, short-crack fracture toughness, yield strength, Poisson's ratio, coefficient of friction, and critical crack-length on the dwell/penetration transition. A brief review of the derivation and predictions of the model are presented.
Isolation of sperm whale myoglobin by low temperature fractionation with ethanol and metallic ions.

Abstract 1. A method is described for the isolation and purification of myoglobin from sperm whale skeletal muscle. The aqueous extract is brought to 25% ethanol by volume at -10 to - 12° and pH 6.5. A fraction precipitated with lead subacetate is discarded. Myoglobin is precipitated from the supernatant solution at pH 7.20 by adding zinc acetate to a concentration of approximately 10 mm. The precipitate is dissolved in the cold by addition of EDTA, dialyzed against EDTA and water, and rendered salt-free by ion exchange resins. Under favorable conditions the myoglobin is almost entirely in the oxygenated form. 2. Removal of impurities and conversion to ferrimyoglobin and deoxygenated ferromyoglobin are described according to several procedures. Purity is assayed by chromatography, electrophoresis, spectrophotometric analysis, and immunochemical analysis. 3. Crystallization of oxymyoglobin is described. Conversion to the ferri form in the crystalline state does not appear to cause disruption of the crystals. 4. Stability of oxymyoglobin prepared by the zinc-ethanol procedure is comparable to that of chromatographically separated preparations. It is much better than that of oxymyoglobin prepared by reduction of ferrimyoglobin by dithionite. The present procedure avoids the rapid autoxidation that occurs during the preparative procedure of Kendrew and Parrish. 5. Absorption and optical rotatory spectra of the highly purified preparations are presented. 6. The microheterogeneity of sperm whale myoglobin described by Edmundson and Hirs is confirmed. Evidence is presented that the different components differ from each other in composition by steps of about the same degree, quite possibly in amide content as suggested by Edmundson and Hirs.
Evaluating Classifiers Without Expert Labels

Abstract This paper considers the challenge of evaluating a set of classi ers, asdone in shared task evaluations like the KDD Cup or NIST TREC, without ex-pert labels. While expert labels provide the traditional cornerstone for evaluatingstatistical learners, limited or expensive access to experts represents a practicalbottleneck. Instead, we seek methodology for estimating performance of the clas-si ers (relative and absolute) which is more scalable than expert labeling yet pre-serves high correlation with evaluation based on expert labels. We consider both:1) using only labels automatically generated by the classi ers themselves (blindevaluation); and 2) using labels obtained via crowdsourcing. While crowdsourcingmethods are lauded for scalability, using such data for evaluation raises seriousconcerns given the prevalence of label noise. In regard to blind evaluation, twobroad strategies are investigated: combine & score and score & combine. Combine& Score methods infer a single \pseudo-gold" label set by aggregating classi erlabels; classi ers are then evaluated based on this single pseudo-gold label set. Onthe other hand, score & combine methods: i) sample multiple label sets from clas-si er outputs, ii) evaluate classi ers on each label set, and iii) average classi erperformance across label sets. When additional crowd labels are also collected,we investigate two alternative avenues for exploiting them: 1) direct evaluation ofclassi ers; or 2) supervision of combine-and-score methods. To assess generality ofour techniques, classi er performance is measured using four common classi cationmetrics, with statistical signi cance tests establishing relative performance of theclassi ers for each metric. Finally, we measure both score and rank correlations be-tween estimated classi er performance vs. actual performance according to expertjudgments. Rigorous evaluation of classi ers from the TREC 2011 CrowdsourcingTrack shows reliable evaluation can be achieved without reliance on expert labels.
Factors Influencing Consumer Insulation Activities

Using a sample of 37 687 single family homeowners from the 1980 Annual Housing Survey, this study applied discriminant analysis to determine which variables influence presence, addition, and cost of insulation. Housing units with insulation were more likely to have storm doors or windows, be newer, more expensive, be located in the Northcentral region rather than the South, and have an attached fan and electric or oil heat rather than natural gas. An increase in the age of the head and presence of a child under 6 years old as well as length of occupancy were more highly associated with housing without insulation. The addition of insulation was more likely in older homes, homes located in regions other than the South, homes heated with oil, liquid petroleum gas, or wood rather than natural gas, and homes with storm doors or windows and an attached fan. While presence of a child under 6 years old increased the probability, length of occupancy had a negative impact. Using these variables as discrimators, 74.2% of the households with insulation were correctly classified, while 60.5% of the households who added insulation were correctly classified. Expenditures on insulation varied with region, length of occupancy, age and value of the house, and presence of an attached fan. Thus this study provides a base for identifying households which will undertake insulation activities.
The relationship between rainfall and nematode density in drinking water

Abstract A direct relationship exists between rainfall, streamflow and turbidity and the density of nematodes in drinking water. During rainy periods the density of nematodes increased from 1 to 15 gal −1 of finished water. This supports the hypothesis that the nematodes are not breeding within the water treatment facility but are entering the municipal water system with the raw water.
Microsatellite variation and microevolution in the critically endangered San Clemente Island loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus mearnsi)

Polymorphic nuclear microsatellite loci were used to characterize genetic variation in contemporary and historic populations of the San Clemente Island loggerhead shrike ( Lanius ludovicianus mearnsi ), an endangered bird with a current population of 30 individuals that is endemic to to one of the California Channel Islands. We also compared the population of the shrike with two contemporary populations of the still abundant subspecies, L. l. gambeli , which live 120 km away on the adjacent mainland. The current population of L. l. mearnsi has 60 per cent of the genetic variation of the mainland shrike populations and is strongly differentiated from them. Comparison of living birds with 19 birds collected in 1915 shows that most of the variation within the island population was lost before the recent 90 per cent decline in population size, and the 20 per cent decrease in variation this century is probably attributable to genetic drift. Mitochondrial DNA control region sequence data from 80 year old specimens show that there may have been limited introgression to L. l. mearnsi , this century, from another island subspecies, L. l. anthonyi , found in the northern Channel Islands. Today, gene flow between L. l. mearnsi and mainland L. l. gambel is very low, even though a few mainland birds visit the island annually. The island subspecies population has evolved sufficient genetic independence to justify ongoing conservation efforts to counter demographic collapse and genetic erosion; the course of genetic erosion can now be monitored non–invasively, as demonstrated by this study, based on DNA amplified from feathers.
Effect of ovarian hormones upon milk yield in the rat.

SummaryEB, P, and R significantly reduced milk yield in the day 14 lactating rat. Relaxin acts synergistically with the steroid hormones to reduce milk yield below that observed with EB and P alone. It is suggested the ovarian hormones act by inhibiting the normal action of oxytocin on the mammary gland during milk-ejection reflex.
Window And Mirror Materials For Use At 10.6 Micron

The most common laser window and mirror materials for use at 10.6 µm will be discussed and compared. Metal mirros have been shown to yield high reflectance and high damage thresholds. Dielectrically coated mirrors yield ultra-high reflectances but lower damage thresholds due to coating defects. The window operational characteristics depend both on the coating and on the window substrate material. The range of available 10.6 μm transmitting substrates will be discussed, their parameters analysed and their operational faults highlighted.© (1983) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Comparison of the filamentation and the hollow-core fiber characteristics for pulse compression into the few-cycle regime

The gas-filled hollow-core fiber compression and the optical filamentation technique are compared experimentally in a parameter regime suitable for intense few-cycle pulse generation. In particular, pointing stability, spectral properties, and spatial chirp are investigated. It is found that in the case of filamentation, the critical parameter for pointing stability is gas pressure inside the generation cell whereas for the hollow-core fiber it is alignment that plays this role. The hollow-core fiber technique yields spectra that are better suited for chirped-mirror pulse compression whereas filamentation offers higher throughput and prospects for easy-to-implement self-compression. We present spectral phase interferometry for direct electric-field reconstruction (SPIDER) measurements that directly show the transition in the spectral phase of the output continua into the self-compression regime as the gas pressure is increased.
Effect of ultrafiltration retentates and whey protein concentrates on ice cream quality during storage

Abstract Ultrafiltration retentates (concentrated to three times) and whey protein concentrates were used to replace different levels of SNF in vanilla ice cream at 25, 50, or 75% and 25, 50, 75, or 100%, respectively. All mixes were formulated to make an ice cream containing 12% fat, 9.7% SNF, 12% sucrose, 4% corn syrup solids, and .3% stabilizer-emulsifier. Ice cream mixes were evaluated for pH and viscosity after 24h of aging. These mixes were processed through an HTST pilot plant system and a 4.73-L (5-qt) batch freezer at 80% overrun. The drawing temperature was measured at this time. The ice creams were evaluated for chemical composition, microbiological quality, and sensory properties at 1, 30, and 90 d of storage. Heat shock stability and meltdown properties were tested after 30 d of storage. The results showed that the pH was affected significantly ( P P P
Cell shape change and invagination of the cephalic furrow involves reorganization of F-actin

Invagination of epithelial sheets to form furrows is a fundamental morphogenetic movement and is found in a variety of developmental events including gastrulation and vertebrate neural tube formation. The cephalic furrow is a deep epithelial invagination that forms during Drosophila gastrulation. In the first phase of cephalic furrow formation, the initiator cells that will lead invagination undergo apicobasal shortening and apical constriction in the absence of epithelial invagination. In the second phase of cephalic furrow formation, the epithelium starts to invaginate, accompanied by both basal expansion and continued apicobasal shortening of the initiator cells. The cells adjacent to the initiator cells also adopt wedge shapes, but only after invagination is well underway. Myosin II does not appear to drive apical constriction in cephalic furrow formation. However, cortical F-actin is increased in the apices of the initiator cells and in invaginating cells during both phases of cephalic furrow formation. These findings suggest that a novel mechanism for epithelial invagination is involved in cephalic furrow formation.
Maximum asymptotic efficiency equalizer with decision feedback

This work extends the maximum asymptotic efficiency (MAE) equalizer to include decision feedback (MAE-DFE). A geometrically-inspired approach is used to design the MAE-DFE and analyze its equalization performance. It is shown that with decision feedback, the MAE-DFE not only provides better performance than the original MAE equalizer, but also significantly reduces the computational complexity. We investigate the effect of feedforward filter length, feedback filter length, and decision delay on the performance of the MAE-DFE. In the design of the MAE-DFE, practical rules to determine the three parameters are derived to optimize its performance, and numerical results are shown to demonstrate their effect. The effect of error propagation on the MAE-DFE is also shown in simulations.
A comparison of clinical and automated interpretation of the halstead-reitan battery

Abstract The diagnostic accuracy of two clinicians was compared with that of the Russell, Neuringer, and Goldstein (1970) quasi-actuarial system for interpreting the Halstead-Reitan Battery (HRB). The clinicians' independent ratings of HRB data were highly reliable, and were more accurate than the automated system in predicting the presence and laterality of structural cerebral lesions. Comparisons of the subgroups correctly and incorrectly classified by the clinicians suggest some intrinsic limitations of the test data in predicting lesion presence, and especially laterality. Classification accuracy was related to etiology of lesions, and also to extent and location of focal lesions. Neither the clinicians nor the automated system exceeded base-rate predictions regarding chronicity, but this may have been due to sampling bias in the acute group. Although the clinicians' superiority in two of the three prediction tasks may be due to their greater flexibility in weighting complex and unique patterns of tes...
Combined haploinsufficiency and genetic control of the G2/M checkpoint in irradiated cells.

When cells are exposed to a dose of radiation large enough to cause chromosome aberrations, they become arrested at the G2/M checkpoint, facilitating DNA repair. Defects in checkpoint control genes can impart radiosensitivity. Arrest kinetics were monitored in mouse embryo fibroblasts at doses ranging from 10 mGy to 5.0 Gy of γ radiation over a time course of 0 to 12 h. We observe no significant checkpoint engagement at doses below 100 mGy. The checkpoint is only fully activated at doses where most of the cells are either bound for mitotic catastrophe or are reproductively dead. Atm null cells with ablated checkpoint function exhibited no robust arrest. Surprisingly, haploinsufficiency for ATM alone or in combination with other radioresistance genes did not alter checkpoint activation. We have shown previously that haploinsufficiency for several radioresistance genes imparts intermediate phenotypes for several end points including apoptosis, transformation and survival. These findings suggest that checkpo...
A Drosophila male accessory gland protein that is a member of the serpin superfamily of proteinase inhibitors is transferred to females during mating.

Abstract Accessory gland peptide 76A, (Acp76A), belongs to the serpin superfamily of proteins (serine protease inhibitors). Acp76A is a secreted protein synthesized only in the Drosophila melanogaster adult male accessory gland. Accumulation of the protein in males is first detected with polyclonal antibodies at 1 day after eclosion. The level of the protein in virgin males reaches a peak 5–8 days post-eclosion, and remains constant for at least 20 days. Upon mating the amount of Acp76A in males drops dramatically, but recovers by 24 h after mating. Immediately after mating the Acp76A is found in the female uterus. By 6 h after mating the amount of Acp76A detected in females is drastically reduced.
A Numerical Study on Enhancement of Heat Exchanger Performance by Inserting Static Mixer Elements

In chemical processing industries, heating, cooling and other thermal processing of viscous fluids are an integral part of the unit operations. Static mixers are often used in continuous mixing, heat transfer, and chemical reactions applications. Generally, a static mixer consists of a number of equal stationary units, placed on the inside of a pipe or channel in order to promote mixing of flowing fluid streams. These mixers have low maintenance and operating costs, low space requirements, and no moving parts. A range of designs exists for a wide range of specific applications. The shape of the elements determines the character of the fluid motion and thus determines the effectiveness of the mixer. There are several key parameters in the design procedure of a static mixer. An ideal static mixer for heat transfer applications provides a higher rate of heat transfer and thermally homogenous fluid with low pressure drop and similar traveling history for all fluid elements. To choose a static mixer for a given application or in order to design a new static mixer, besides experimentation, it is possible to use powerful computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools to study the performance of static mixers. This paper illustrates how static mixer can improve the performance of heat exchangers. Using different measuring tools, the global performance and costs of two popular commercial static mixers are studied in order to choose the most effective design for thermal applications.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Relatively simple methodology for the determination of configuration of unsaturation of bacterial monounsaturated fatty acids: application to the unsaturates of Legionella spp.

Abstract Unsaturated fatty acids of known degree, position, and configuration of unsturation were esterified, and stereospecifically dihydroxylated at the double bond(s). cis -Hydroxylation was effected using Woodward's reagent (silver acetate/iodine/acetic acid), while trans -hydroxylation was effected using Fenton's reagent (hydrogen peroxide/ferrous sulfate/acetic acid). Diols derived from monounsaturated esters were recovered quantitatively, while tetraols derived from diunsaturates were lost, presumably during extensive washing. The stereospecifically dihydroxylated esters were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography on borate-impregnated silica gel plates, and by gas-liquid chromatography, on a nonpolar capillary column, as the trimethylsilyl, acetyl, n -butylboronyl, isopropylidene, and trifluoroacetyl derivatives. For each derivative, the erythro and threo diols were readily separable, and some resolution of positional isomers was observed. Thus, the cis/trans configuration, and in some instances, the position of unsaturation of the original monounsaturated fatty acid may be deduced. However, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of appropriately derivatized diol esters is required for unambiguous determination of position of unsaturation in most cases. These reactions are simple, use readily available reagents, and require relatively little operator attention. Further, they do not require specialized apparatus, as do hydrogenation and ozonolysis, or potentially toxic chemicals, such as osmium tetroxide. This series of analyses was applied to the unsaturated non-hydroxylated fatty acids of Legionella species, which were shown to be monounsaturated and of the cis Δ9 family. Position of unsaturation was confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.
Some rigorous results for random and quasi-periodic potentials

Abstract We review some mathematical results and conjectures for random and quasi-periodic Schrodinger operators. The role of localization in certain nonlinear systems is also discussed. In addition we present some general arguments which show that the correlation length exponent v ⩾ 2/ d for a wide class of d dimensional random systems including the dilute Ising ferro-magnet.
The effect of cold stress on chemical carcinogenesis of rat salivary glands

Abstract The effect of prolonged 3°C. temperature stress upon the growth of tumors in the submandibular glands of albino rats was studied. Pellets of 9, 10-dimethyl 1, 2-benzanthracene were implanted in the right submandibular glands of forty-eight experimental animals, and twenty-four of these animals were placed in a cold room for the duration of the experiment; the remaining animals were maintained at room temperature. Epidermoid carcinomas developed in all submandibular glands containing the carcinogen. Microscopic study revealed that the tumors developed in both groups of animals at about the same time. However, once the tumors developed, the growth rate was accelerated in the cold animals and larger lesions developed. The increased metabolism resulting from the prolonged cold stress could be responsible for increasing the growth rate of tumors. Also, cold stress may act to stimulate tumor growth by depressing antibody formation.
Synergistic Effects on Ganglionic Herpes Simplex Virus Infections by Mutations or Drugs That Inhibit the Viral Polymerase and Thymidine Kinase

Herpes simplex virus encodes proteins, such as DNA polymerase, that are essential for its replication and proteins, such as thymidine kinase, that are not essential for replication in cell culture, but are important for pathogenesis in animal models. However, certain mutations affecting these proteins exert little or no effect on replication or pathogenesis. We tested the effects of combining two such mutations--one that alters DNA polymerase and one that decreases but does not abolish thymidine kinase activity--on replication in cultured cells and on acute and latent infections in mice. The double mutant replicated similarly to the single mutants and wild-type virus both in cell culture and acutely in the mouse eye. However, it was severely impaired for acute replication in trigeminal ganglia and for reactivatable latent infections. This impairment depended upon the polymerase mutation. Similarly, although Ro 31-5140, a thymidine kinase inhibitor, did not potentiate the antiviral effects of phosphonoacetic acid, a polymerase inhibitor, in cell culture, the two drugs in combination substantially inhibited viral reactivation from latency at concentrations that had little or no effect when used singly. These synergistic effects may have implications for viral functions during pathogenesis and for antiviral chemotherapy.
A modified simplex approach for solving bilevel linear programming problems

Abstract A method for solving bilevel linear programming problems is proposed. The inner problem is represented by its Kuhn-Tucker conditions and the complementary slackness equations are moved to the outer objective as a penalty function. The global optimum of the resulting quadratic programme is reached by iterative application of a modified simplex algorithm.
In the Science Zone The Yanomami and the fight for representation (Part 3)

Troisieme partie d'un article consacre aux rapports entre biotechnologie, anthropologie et sphere publique et aux controverses a propos des recherches genetiques et epidemiologiques chez les Yanomami du Bresil. L'A. precise d'abord que les acteurs principaux des anciens debats sur N. Chagnon et la sociobiologie et l'affaire Tierney plus recente doivent etre interpretes dans le contexte des changements historiques analyses dans les deux premieres parties de l'article. Il precise egalement qu'une ethique de la defense des Yanomami, de la science ou de l'anthropologie necessite de considerer l'ensemble des acteurs de ces trois domaines de facon critique et en meme temps mesuree. Enfin, il soutient particulierement que ces acteurs doivent etre consideres en reference aux differences entre la science des annees soixante et celle des annees quatre-vint-dix, notamment en ce qui concerne la demande croissante pour la participation des acteurs publics dans les prises de decision sur la recherche scientifique qui les concerne directement. En conclusion, il insiste sur l'importance de preter attention aux inquetudes contemporaines a propos des droits culturels et humains en relation avec les recherches biotechnologiques
Regulatory divergence of aspartate transcarbamoylases within the enterobacteriaceae

Abstract The regulatory characteristics of aspartate transcarbamoylases (ATCases, EC 2.1.3.2) isolated from various representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae have been compared. All of the enzymes had similar molecular weights (300,000 ± 15,000) and appeared to be “class B” bacterial ATCases like the native enzyme of Escherichia coli. Despite the apparent similarities in structures of these enzymes dramatic differences in the regulatory nature of the enzymes were observed. Cytidine 5′-triphosphate was a negative effector of ATCase in E. coli and closely related genera, but was a positive effector of ATCase activity from other enteric bacteria and had little or no effect on the enzymes from Yersinia and Erwinia species. Furthermore, adenosine 5′-triphosphate activation was observed for most of the ATCases isolated from the enterics but had no effect on some enzymes. Finally, these enzymes displayed dramatic variability in apparent [S]0.5 values ranging from 3 to 35 m m aspartate. These variations were used to define five classes of regulatory divergent ATCases in the Enterobacteriaceae. It was satisfying to observe that these class groupings compared favorably with the tribal classification of the Enterobacteriaceae in general. Thus, the regulatory character of ATCase appeared to be conserved in a specific manner within tribes of physiologically related bacteria. Based on these correlations we propose a model for the molecular evolution of ATCases in bacteria.
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) Potential to Contribute Solubilized Soil Phosphorus to Subsequent Crops

Reports supporting folklore beliefs that buckwheat (BW) can significantly contribute solubilized phosphorus (P) from sparingly soluble soil P to subsequent crops remain anecdotal. To quantify P solubilized by BW from five inorganic and three organic pools in a Fargo silty clay, spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (WHT) was grown as a reference crop to compare P mineralized and P uptake in a complete randomized design. Following fractionation and analysis, P changes between pools indicated solubilization from recalcitrant to less recalcitrant P pools. Calcium-bound P contributed the most P (72% of inorganic pool) to the available fraction, and P uptake by BW (40 kg ha−1) was significantly greater than wheat (16 kg ha−1) from the inorganic pools, whereas WHT uptake was significantly greater (P < 0.05) from the organic pool. Following harvest, more P was found in available P pools after BW compared to WHT, suggesting potential solubilization of P to subsequent crops compared with WHT.
Latent inhibition measured by heart rate suppression in rats

In a latent inhibition paradigm, rats were given preexposure to a to-be-conditioned stimulus, a tone, and then were subsequently fear conditioned by a single pairing of the tone with footshock. Heart rate was recorded during the preexposure tones and at equivalent times for animals not given the preexposure tones. In addition, heart rate was recorded in both groups in response to the tone following conditioning. Results indicated that rats given preexposure to the tone showed a decrease in heart rate in the initial preexposure trial that returned to baseline across subsequent daily sessions. In the test, latent inhibition was demonstrated, as these rats showed less suppression of heart rate than did rats not given the preexposure tones. These results suggest that heart rate parallels the common skeletal measures of latent inhibition in the test and provide evidence that the impact of the to-be-conditioned stimulus is attenuated during the preexposure phase of the latent inhibition procedure.
Treatment of Chronic Plaque Psoriasis by Selective Targeting of Memory Effector T Lymphocytes

Background Psoriatic plaques are characterized by infiltration with CD45RO+ memory effector T lymphocytes. The recombinant protein alefacept binds to CD2 on memory effector T lymphocytes, inhibiting their activation. Methods In a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, we evaluated alefacept as a treatment for psoriasis. Two hundred twenty-nine patients with chronic psoriasis received intravenous alefacept (0.025, 0.075, or 0.150 mg per kilogram of body weight) or placebo weekly for 12 weeks, with follow-up for 12 additional weeks. Before treatment, the median scores on the psoriasis area-and-severity index were between 14 and 20 in all groups (0 denotes no psoriasis and 72 the most severe disease possible). Results Alefacept was well tolerated and nonimmunogenic. The mean reduction in the score on the psoriasis area-and-severity index two weeks after treatment was greater in the alefacept groups (38, 53, and 53 percent in the groups receiving 0.025, 0.075, and 0.150 mg per kilogr...
Research Process and Achievement: Roles of Administrators and Researchers In the Success of Home Economics Research

The success of home economics research in our colleges and universities is de pendent upon a team effort by the dean or other unit administrator; the depart ment head, chairperson, or subject-matter leader; and the faculty doing the re search. All three must be convinced of the importance of research to the profes sion, the unit, and the individual. The expression of priority will be different for each participant but must be evident in administrative priorities. The interaction in fostering interdisciplinary research will also differ, and in some institutions, roles may be combined. The researcher urges that lack of funds not be used as the excuse for not doing research since home economists have proven that much can be accomplished on a small base. Given scarce resources, administrators and faculty can work together for maximum productivity. The ultimate reason for the researcher to do research is that “it brings me joy.” For all engaged in this team effort, there can be the satisfaction of reaching goals for home economics re search.
Ideological Influences on Decision Making in the Federal Judicial Hierarchy: An Empirical Assessment

Scholars of judicial politics have long speculated that the factors influencing judicial decision making operate to varying degrees at different levels of the judicial hierarchy. We investigate what we term the “hierarchy postulate”: that the effect of judges’ policy preferences on their decisions increases as one moves up the judicial hierarchy. Using original data on cases decided at each level of U.S. federal courts, which allow us to evaluate the impact of policy preferences on judicial decision making while holding constant the influence of case-specific factors, we find robust support for the contention that ideological and policy-related influences on federal judges’ decisions are larger at higher levels of the judicial hierarchy.
Location Not Quantity of Blood Pressure Measurements Predicts Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients

Background: Blood pressure (BP) measurements obtained outside the dialysis unit are prognostically superior. Whether it is the greater number of measurements made outside the dialys
Risk factors for renal replacement therapy in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS), Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Report No. 26.

Risk factors for renal replacement therapy in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS), Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Report No. 26. Background Diabetes is a leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The purpose of this study is to assess the risk factors for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS). Methods We examined demographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the 2226 subjects with complete laboratory data enrolled in the ETDRS. The primary renal variable evaluated was the time to development of renal replacement therapy, defined as the need for dialysis or transplantation. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess risk factors for type 1 and type 2 diabetes separately. Results The 5-year estimated incidence of RRT in the entire ETDRS population was 10.2% and 9.8% for patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, respectively. Of those patients with complete data, 127 of 934 (14%) of patients with type 1 diabetes, and 150 of 1292 (12%) patients with type 2 diabetes required RRT during the study. Baseline risk factors common to type 1 and type 2 diabetes included elevated total cholesterol, and serum creatinine; and low serum albumin and anemia. Other risk factors significant in type 1 diabetes included body mass index (BMI), shorter duration of diabetes, elevated hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ), elevated systolic blood pressure, and the development of proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Risk factors significant in type 2 diabetes, but not type 1 diabetes, included younger age, proteinuria, and elevated triglycerides. Conclusion In this study, major modifiable risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia were found to be predictive of RRT. Other predictors were markers of vascular pathology and inflammation, proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and increased serum creatinine. Controlled clinical trials with treatment strategies that improve serum lipid levels, systemic blood pressure, glycemic control, and markers of inflammation may be important in furthering our knowledge on the pathogenesis of diabetic complications such as nephropathy and ESRD.
Network evolution and multimedia communication

The survey analyzes the communication requirements of distributed multimedia applications. To understand the ongoing evolution of networking, we must consider how current and new networking technologies support these requirements. In addition to the functional aspects, the survey investigates how the new technologies blend with existing infrastructures. It concludes with a brief discussion of the higher layer multimedia communication issues.
Effect of adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy on cognitive function from the older patient's perspective.

Purpose This longitudinal prospective study describes the older breast cancer patient’s perception of the cognitive impact of adjuvant chemotherapy.
Radiographic stage fails to predict symptom outcomes after endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objective: To determine whether preoperative computed tomography (CT) stage predicts degree of symptom improvement after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Methods: A series of adult patients undergoing ESS was prospectively evaluated with CT and the rhinosinusitis symptom inventory (RSI) preoperatively and at a minimum of 12 months postoperatively. Symptom domains (nasal, facial, oropharyngeal, systemic, and total) were computed and both absolute change and percentage change in symptom domain scores before and after ESS were correlated with the preoperative CT scan stage according to three staging systems: Lund-MacKay, Kennedy, and Harvard. Results: One-hundred sixty-one patients (mean age, 40.2 years) completed the study with a mean follow-up of 19.4 months. Overall, statistically significant decreases in RSI symptom domains were noted for the nasal (net change –30.1 [range –100 to +100]), facial (–26.1), oropharyngeal (–13.4), systemic (–17.0), and total (–20.8) symptom scores (all P < .001). For the absolute change in total symptom score, no statistically significant correlation with CT stage was demonstrated for any of the staging systems (Lund: Spearman ρ = −0.004, P = .962; Kennedy: ρ = −0.008, P = .918; Harvard: ρ = −0.011, P= .891). Similarly, no significant correlation with CT stage was demonstrated with the other symptom domains. Additionally, no significant correlation was identified between preoperative CT stage and percentage change in symptom domain scores. Conclusions: Although CT scan is widely accepted as an accurate diagnostic tool for chronic rhinosinusitis, CT scan stage alone does not significantly predict symptom outcomes after chronic rhinosinusitis, regardless of staging system utilized.
Liver biopsy in liver transplant recipients.

Liver biopsy has been used in the assessment of the nature and course of liver diseases and to monitor treatments. In nontransplanted patients, liver biopsies have been well described. Less has been written on the biopsies of transplanted livers. In the liver transplant population, liver biopsy remains the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of rejection. The transplanted liver has additional considerations that can make biopsy less routine and more challenging.
Leviathan, local government expenditures, and capitalization

Abstract A number of recent studies have found a positive relationship between local government expenditures and the concentration of local governments, offering support for the contention of Brennan and Buchanan [Brennan, G., Buchanan, J., 1980. The Power to Tax: Analytical Foundations of a Fiscal Constitution. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge] that Leviathan governments are limited by competition among localities. I develop an alternative explanation. Expenditures are greater in large cities because the costs of inefficiency to residents are lower there. While tax increases in small cities are fully capitalized into property values, they are not for large cities. Because residents of large cities do not bear the full burden of inefficiently high taxes they have less incentive to limit government inefficiency.
Probability survival distributions for cancerous tumors

Abstract In this paper, we derive the survival time for patients with cancerous tumors, and show that it follows a Weibull distribution. The result we obtain is much “cleaner” than the distributions previously used.
A source of He++ ions for a Van de Graaff accelerator

Abstract An ion source for the production of well-collimated beams of doubly charged helium ions has been constructed and tested. It consists of an Einzel lens to maintain a well focussed beam and a crossed field analyzer so that only one component of the beam will leave the source assembly. Beam currents of 2 μA of analyzed (He 4 ) ++ ions are obtainable from the source assembly and up to 0.25 μA of (He 4 ) ++ beam has been obtained at the entrance to the beam tubes after acceleration in a Van de Graaff generator and after momentum analysis. The source can also be used with H + , D + , and He + ions.
Excitation of multiple surface-plasmon-polariton waves guided by the periodically corrugated interface of a metal and a periodic multilayered isotropic dielectric material

The excitation of multiple surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) waves guided by the periodically corrugated interface of a homogeneous metal and a periodic multilayered isotropic dielectric (PMLID) material was studied theoretically. The solution of the underlying canonical boundary-value problem (with a planar interface) indicates that multiple SPP waves of different polarization states, phase speeds, and attenuation rates can be guided by the periodically corrugated interface. Accordingly, the boundary-value problem was formulated using rigorous coupled-wave analysis and solved using a numerically stable algorithm. A linearly polarized plane wave was considered obliquely incident on a PMLID material of finite thickness and backed by a metallic surface-relief grating. The total reflectance, total transmittance, and the absorptance were calculated as functions of the incidence angle for different numbers of unit cells in the PMLID material of fixed period. The excitation of SPP waves was indicated by those peaks in the absorptance curves that were independent of the number of unit cells, and these peaks were also correlated with the solutions of a dispersion equation obtained from the canonical boundary-value problem.
On nontrivial solutions of an asymptotically linear Dirichlet problem

Let Ω be a bounded domain in RN (N ⩾ 2) with smooth boundary ∂Ω. Let ƒ(·):R → R be a continuous function such that ƒ(0) = 0 and limζ → ± ∞ƒ(ζ)ζ exist. We discuss the existence of nontrivial solutions of the Dirichlet problem −Δu = ƒ(u) in Ω, u = 0 on ∂Ω. Our hypotheses seem to allow significantly greater freedom for the numbers ƒ± = limζ → ± ∞ƒ(ζ)ζ than is usually found in the literature in that the interval with end points ƒ± is here permitted to contain an eigenvalue of −Δ subject to zero Dirichlet data. Furthermore we do not require any differentiability of ƒ and we weaken other technical conditions on ƒ that are generally assumed in other papers dealing with this problem.
Economic modeling: An aid to the pricing of information services

The pressures of limited budgets and of increased competition for use of funds are forcing information centers and libraries to initiate user fees. There have been, however, few precedents or guidelines to which the information service administrator might turn for assistance in formulating pricing policy. In this paper, components of the pricing decision are identified: the pricing objectives pursued, the pricing policies these aims are translated into, and the actual pricing methods employed in calculating what price to charge. A variety of pricing methods can be used to meet a given pricing objective, and several of these pricing practices are described using a basic classification scheme developed for the field of marketing: cost-oriented, competition-oriented, and demand-oriented approaches to pricing. Costs represent a starting point for developing pricing structure, and cost-oriented pricing techniques are taken up in detail. Cost functions are identified and their impact on price setting is suggested. Examples and data are provided from recent research into the pricing of computer-assisted selective dissemination of information (SDI) services. The techniques of price discrimination, marginal cost pricing, and break-even analysis are discussed. In making policy decisions, the need for accurate and complete cost data and demand information is emphasized, and several common approaches to estimating demand elasticity are suggested. The paper ends with a brief enumeration of sources of models to be explored for their applicability to the pricing of information services.
Where Is Our Herstory

(2011). Where Is Our Herstory? Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 82, No. 3, pp. 9-10.