cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teaching emergency ultrasound to emergency medicine residents: a scoping review of structured training methods.

Background Over the past 2 decades, emergency ultrasound has become essential to patient care, and is a mandated competency for emergency medicine residency graduation. However, the best evidence regarding emergency ultrasound education in residency training is not known. We performed a scoping review to determine the (1) characteristics and (2) outcomes of published structured training methods, (3) the quality of publications, and (4) the implications for research and training. Methods We searched broadly on multiple electronic databases and screened studies from the United States and Canada describing structured emergency ultrasound training methods for emergency medicine residents. We evaluated methodological quality with the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI), and qualitatively summarized study and intervention characteristics. Results A total of 109 studies were selected from 6712 identified publications. Publications mainly reported 1 group pretest-posttest interventions (38%) conducted at a single institution (83%), training in image acquisition (82%) and interpretation (94%) domains with assessment of knowledge (44%) and skill (77%) outcomes, and training in cardiac (18%) or vascular access (15%) applications. Innovative strategies, such as gamification, cadaver models, and hand motion assessment are described. The MERSQI scores of 48 articles ranged from 0 to 15.5 (median, 11.5; interquartile range, 9.6-13.0) out of 18. Low scores reflected the absence of reported valid assessment tools (73%) and higher level outcomes (90%). Conclusions Although innovative strategies are illustrated, the overall quality of research could be improved. The use of standardized planning and assessment tools, intentionally mapped to targeted domains and outcomes, might provide valuable formative and summative information to optimize emergency ultrasound research and training.
Whose Outcomes Come Out? Patterns of Caregiver- and Youth-reported Outcomes Based on Caregiver-youth Baseline Discrepancies

Objective Discrepancies between caregiver and youth reports of emotional and behavioral symptoms are well-documented, with cross-informant correlations often falling in the low to moderate range. Studies have shown that caregiver-youth (dis)agreement in reporting of youth symptoms is related to treatment outcomes. However, commonly used methods for exploring reporter discrepancies (e.g., difference scores) are limited by their inability to assess discrepancies across multiple symptom domains simultaneously, and thus these previous findings do not explore multiple patterns of (dis)agreement. Method We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify subgroups of clinically referred youths based on patterns of caregiver- and youth-reported internalizing and externalizing symptoms for 174 caregiver-youth dyads. Longitudinal multilevel models were used to examine changes in weekly caregiver- and youth-reported internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and top problems for identified subgroups. Results The LPA identified four latent subgroups: (a) Caregiver Internalizing (9%), (b) Caregiver Internalizing-Externalizing (45%), (c) Youth Internalizing (7%), and (d) Caregiver-Youth Internalizing-Externalizing (39%). Clinical outcomes varied across informants and subgroups. Significant improvements in caregiver- and youth-reported outcome measures were documented within the Caregiver Internalizing, Caregiver Internalizing-Externalizing, and Caregiver-Youth Internalizing-Externalizing subgroups. However, only youth-reported improvements were detected in the Youth Internalizing subgroup. The results show differences in treatment outcomes across caregiver-youth informant subgroups. Conclusions These findings suggest how youth and caregiver baseline data could provide guidance for clinicians in interpreting discrepant reporting and its relevance to change during treatment.
Nucleate and Film Boiling Heat Transfer to Nitrogen and Methane at Elevated Pressures and Large Temperature Differences

Boiling heat transfer to cryogenic liquids has an obvious immediate application in the cooling of nuclear reactors, regenerative cooling of rocket engines, and industrial processes. In many instances these systems involve simultaneous, localized nucleate and film boiling as well as convective heat transfer at elevated pressures. Gross design data can be obtained for specific applications with all of these heat transfer modes occurring, but the key to eventual understanding lies in obtaining information on each process separately.
The role of membranes in the mechanism of action of the antineoplastic agent adriamycin. Spin-labeling studies with chronically hypoxic and drug-resistant tumor cells

Electron spin resonance spectroscopy has been employed to analyze the changes in membrane order parameter in Sarcoma 180 cells under conditions in which an alteration in cellular susceptibility to the chemotherapeutic agent adriamycin is demonstrable. Changes in relative membrane fluidity using the paramagnetic probe 5-doxyl stearic acid were found to be associated with two phenomena which result in an altered cellular response to adriamycin: (a) the presence of an oxygen-deficient environment and (b) the expression of drug resistance. Under hypoxic conditions, in which the susceptibility to the cytotoxic action of adriamycin is increased, a decrease in bulk membrane order parameter was observed. Upon reoxygenation, the membrane fluidity and enhanced susceptibility to adriamycin reverted to control conditions with the same time course. In the case of drug-resistant cells, a progressive decrease in membrane fluidity was also observed which correlated with the degree of resistance to adriamycin. These data suggest that the physical alterations in the membrane reported by the spin label may be functionally linked to biological alterations in sensitivity to adriamycin.
KUAI-EXACT: a new approach for multi-valued logic minimization in VLSI synthesis

A new logic minimizer designed to generate the exact minimum solutions for multivalued input logic expressions is presented. The advantage of this minimizer is that it generates as few prime implicants as possible. A new algorithm is presented for directly generating essential prime implicants in a time close to that for generating a prime implicant by the ESPRESSO-MV expansion process. The authors discuss how to generate the secondary essential prime implicants in order to avoid setting up a covering table, and they present the corresponding algorithms for noncyclic functions. They also discuss the case in which a covering table should be created for obtaining an exact minimum solution and consider how to use the parallel processing techniques for the best speedup. >
Over-the-horizon radar multipath track fusion incorporating track history

This paper describes an algorithm for associating and fusing multipath tracks in over-the-horizon radar (OTHR). The algorithm extends earlier work by using a model based approach to incorporate track history in its computation of association probabilities and fused estimate calculations, thus exploiting temporal as well as spatial relationships. The algorithm can be easily extended to achieve asynchronous fusion of non-OTHR tracks (e.g. microwave radar or GPS) with the multipath OTHR tracks.
The Investigation of Lunar Limb Structure by Means Of Stellar Occultations

It has long been recognized that the analysis of occultation traces from point source stars might provide a means of investigating the structure of the lunar limb on a remarkably small scale, certainly of tens of meters, possibly on a scale of meters.
Observability and controllability of scooters

The observability and controllability of a scooter with a human pilot is examined with respect to directional changes. This model can be used to reduce the effects of outside disturbances on direction, and to examine the abilities of the user required to effectively drive a scooter. Scooters are common mobility devices used by people with physical impairments, or elderly people. Scooters use manual steering via a lever or handle-bar. A linearized model based on ground track kinematics, user characteristics, and environmental conditions was examined. This model was completely observable and controllable. >
Survivable routing in WDM networks - logical ring in arbitrary physical topology

We consider the problem of routing the lightpaths of a logical topology of a WDM network on an arbitrary physical topology, such that the logical topology remains,connected even after the failure of a physical link. We focus our attention on the ring interconnection as the logical topology because it is widely used in many protection schemes. We first establish the necessary and sufficient condition for a ring logical topology to withstand failure of a single physical link. Next we show that the testing of this necessary and sufficient condition is an NP-complete problem. Finally, we give an algorithm for testing the necessary and sufficient condition and demonstrate the execution of the algorithm with the help of an example.
Kinematic transformations for remotely-actuated planar continuum robots

We consider a class of robotic manipulators generally termed "hyper-redundant". Specifically, we seek to examine some of the kinematic properties of "continuum" hyper-redundant robots. Unlike the case with rigid-link robots, there is no commonly accepted formula for describing continuum robot kinematics. Although these manipulators are continuously flexible, they are actuated with a finite number of actuators. We discuss two possible options for mapping desired infinite-dimensional robot shapes to the finite-dimensional actuator space, using "natural" and "wavelet" decompositions. We compare and contrast these kinematic descriptions, illustrating how the wavelet decomposition can simplify the inverse kinematics for redundant planar continuum robots.
Metal ions drift in ultra-low K dielectrics

Metal ions embedded in dielectric films may play an important role in the reliability of advanced interconnect systems. In this talk, we will discuss the generation and drift of different metal ions such as Cu, Ta, and Ti into the dielectric materials from gate electrodes under an external electric field at elevated temperatures. Some strategies to eliminate the generation of metal ions will also be presented.
A minimal system for Tn7 transposition: the transposon-encoded proteins TnsA and TnsB can execute DNA breakage and joining reactions that generate circularized Tn7 species.

In the presence of ATP and Mg(2+), the bacterial transposon Tn7 translocates via a cut and paste mechanism executed by the transposon-encoded proteins TnsA+TnsB+TnsC+TnsD. We report here that in the presence of Mn(2+), TnsA+TnsB alone can execute the DNA breakage and joining reactions of Tn7 recombination. ATP is not essential in this minimal system, revealing that this cofactor is not directly involved in the chemical steps of recombination. In both the TnsAB and TnsABC+D systems, recombination initiates with double-strand breaks at each transposon end that cut Tn7 away from flanking donor DNA. In the minimal system, breakage occurs predominantly at a single transposon end and the subsequent end-joining reactions are intramolecular, with the exposed 3' termini of a broken transposon end joining near the other end of the Tn7 element in the same donor molecule to form circular transposon species. In contrast, in TnsABC+D recombination, breaks occur at both ends of Tn7 and the two ends join to a target site on a different DNA molecule to form an intermolecular simple insertion. This demonstration of the capacity of TnsAB to execute breakage and joining reactions supports the view that these proteins form the Tn7 transposase.
Fourth Decade After Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot Taking Aim at Moving Targets

This year marks the 60th year since the first successful intracardiac repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF).1 The repair, largely unchanged over decades, consists of ventricular septal defect closure and the relief of variable forms of right ventricular (RV) obstruction, usually with a transannular patch (TAP), and usually resulting in free pulmonary insufficiency (PI). Early in the experience with TOF repair, attention was on quantity of life—lifting the early dip in the survival curve. Palliative shunts were widely used to permit repair at a safer, older age. The dividends from a full relief of obstruction included excellent function for decades for patients formerly suffering from morbid or lethal disease. In this issue of Circulation , Cuypers and colleagues2 report findings of the third decennial follow-up of a cohort of early TOF repairs, the longest prospective study of this population to date. As such longitudinal evidence accrues, we are continually called on to reexamine both ends of the treatment timeline, although it is a wobbly yardstick that attempts to inform today’s best practices by measuring the sequelae of yesterday’s. Article see p 1944 Early mortality after TOF repair is now very low, and the 10- to 20-year follow-up was encouraging. However, in the third postrepair decade, the Kaplan–Meier curve droops with progressive exercise intolerance, arrhythmia, right heart failure, and sudden death. Evidence points to ventricular scarring, chronic PI, RV hypertrophy, and declining left ventricular and RV performance as interrelated contributing factors. Some late risk may be modified at the front end, during …
171 Perinatal Factors Influencing Later Growth Outcome In Elbw Infants

Background: Poor growth during the early years is well documented in children born prematurely but the relation between perinatal morbidity and subsequent growth retardation is poorly understood. Our aim was to determine, in children born appropriate for gestational age and with BW ≤1000 g, the main perinatal factors predictive of growth patterns at corrected age of 24 months
Effects of feeding cattle forage treated with Mobam.

Effects of feeding cattle Coastal bermudagrass or its silage treated with Mobam (benzo[ b ]thien-4-yl methylcarbamate) were determined. Grass treated with 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 lb of the insecticide per acre had at the time it was ensiled (1 day after treatment) insecticidal residues of 0, 10.5, 19.0, and 37.5 ppm, respectively, on a green-weight basis. After a 35- to 36-day fermentation period, residues were 0.0, 8.5, 16.5, and 27.0 ppm, respectively; during the next 30 days little additional change took place. Thus, Mobam in ensilage appears to be quite stable. The silage from the 4 treatments was fed to separate groups of 4 cows each for 28 days. Milk from cows fed silage containing as much as 90 ppm (dry-weight basis) contained no detectable residues of the insecticides or of its phenolic hydrolysis product. Intake of Mobam in the 4 silages was 0, 0.25, 0.34, and 0.90 mg per kg of body weight, respectively. No significant differences were found in silage intake, milk production, or change in body weight of cows fed control or treated diets. Also, no differences in the levels of cholinesterase, carotene, and vitamin A in blood could be attributed to the treated silages, and none of the cows showed ill effects. In tests of palatability, 10 yearling steers failed to show a preference in grazing plots of grass treated with 0, 0.5, and 1.0 lb Mobam per acre.
Charge exchange cross sections for He+ incident on Cs

Abstract The total charge-exchange cross section, σ +0 , for He + incident on Cs vapor has been measured in the energy range 0.5 to 41 keV. The cross section falls from (1664 ± 100) × 10 −17 cm 2 at 1.4 keV to (224 ± 20) × 10 -17 cm 2 at 41 keV. These measurements are compared with previous measurements and with theoretical calculations of this cross section.
Cognition and the visual arts

An experienced and prolific writer, Robert Solso has a gift for simplifying sometimes difficult concepts in science. Here he brings a refreshing new approach to the psychology of art, synthesizing research from a vast collection of data on how humans perceive, process, and store information and applying it to the viewing and interpretation of art. In this first systematic study of the connection between the new cognitive psychology and its importance to art, Solso reflects on the long relationship between humankind and art, observing that "mind and art are one." A major theme of this book, in fact, is that the clearest view of the mind comes when we create or experience art, a reverse of the usual view of art and cognition. The illustrations cover a wide range of examples, including African, Asian, and prehistoric art, but focusing primarily on Western art. The treatment of cognition applies a blend of the standard information-processing model, brain function, and neural networks.Cognitive Psychology series
Developing an Invisible Message about Relative Acidities of Alcohols in the Natural Products Henna, Turmeric, Rose Petals, and Vitamin A

An engaging and colorful demonstration was developed that illustrates the utility of resonance theory in predicting the relative acidities of alcohols. The demonstration can be used as an introduction to exercises that provide students with practice in writing resonance structures and in predicting relative acidities. The demonstration exploits the pH-dependent structural and color changes that result in three naturally occurring dyes. Dilute basic solutions are used to write invisible messages and ethanolic extracts from henna, turmeric, and roses are used as developing solutions. The demonstration can be quickly, easily, and safely prepared for use and was found to be effective in attracting students’ attention and leading to lively discussions of resonance stabilization, keto−enol tautomerization, and relative acidities.
Simple and accurate quantification of quantum dots via single-particle counting.

Quantification of quantum dots (QDs) is essential to the quality control of QD synthesis, development of QD-based LEDs and lasers, functionalizing of QDs with biomolecules, and engineering of QDs for biological applications. However, simple and accurate quantification of QD concentration in a variety of buffer solutions and in complex mixtures still remains a critical technological challenge. Here, we introduce a new methodology for quantification of QDs via single-particle counting, which is conceptually different from established UV−vis absorption and fluorescence spectrum techniques where large amounts of purified QDs are needed and specific absorption coefficient or quantum yield values are necessary for measurements. We demonstrate that single-particle counting allows us to nondiscriminately quantify different kinds of QDs by their distinct fluorescence burst counts in a variety of buffer solutions regardless of their composition, structure, and surface modifications, and without the necessity of abs...
Improved postprandial glycemic control during treatment with Humalog Mix25, a novel protamine-based insulin lispro formulation. Humalog Mix25 Study Group.

OBJECTIVE: Humalog Mix25 is a manufactured premixed insulin formulation containing insulin lispro and a novel insulin lispro-protamine formulation (NPL) in a ratio of 25:75%. The objective of this study was to compare Humalog Mix25 to human insulin 30/70 (30% regular insulin/70% NPH) with respect to glycemic control. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Humalog Mix25 was compared with human insulin 30/70 in 89 individuals with type 2 diabetes during a 6-month randomized open-label two-period crossover study. Each insulin was administered twice daily, before the morning and evening meals. Information regarding self-monitored blood glucose (BG), hypoglycemic episodes (hypoglycemic signs or symptoms or BG
Ultrasonographic parameters of fetal well-being and development in alpacas.

In this study, a database of fetal and maternal parameters was developed in pregnant alpacas from 120 days of gestation to term for evaluation of fetal well-being and development. Ten pregnancies were examined every 2 weeks from 120 to 300 days of gestation, then weekly until parturition. Five more pregnancies were evaluated weekly during the last 4 weeks prepartum. Maternal weight and heart rate were recorded. Indicators of fetal well-being (mean, minimum, and maximum fetal heart rate, fetal movement, and tone), development (size of the aorta, thorax, abdomen, stomach, kidney, head, eye orbit, radius, and umbilical vessels), and uterine environment (combined thickness of the uterus and placenta, depth and character of allantoic and amnionic fluids) were assessed using transabdominal ultrasound. Reference values and fetal growth curves were created. Weights of the cria, fetal membranes, and dam at parturition were associated with parameters of fetal growth. Mean (R2 = 0.65), minimum (R2 = 0.57), and maximum (R2 = 0.64) fetal heart rate decreased from midgestation to term (P < 0.0001). Fetal activity also decreased as pregnancy advanced (P < 0.0001). Fetal presentation was anterior in all fetuses by 10 months. Increases in depth of allantoic (R2 = 0.11) and amniotic (R2 = 0.02) fluid, combined thickness of the uterus and placenta (R2 = 0.31), and maternal weight (R2 = 0.09) were significantly but poorly associated with gestation length. All parameters of fetal development were positively associated with gestational age (P < 0.0001). Size of the aorta (R2 = 0.88), abdomen (R2 = 0.87), kidney (R2 = 0.83), and thorax (R2 = 0.82) provided the best estimates of gestational age. Birth weight was associated with the size of the aorta (R2 = 0.71), kidney (R2 = 0.61), and radius (R2 = 0.73) (P < 0.05). This information might be of value in the assessment of fetal well-being and development in alpacas.
40Ar/39Ar geochronology of mafic rocks from the granite—rhyolite terrane of southeastern Missouri

Abstract The predominant 1480 Ma granites and rhyolites of the St. Francois Mountains, southeastern Missouri, are intruded by mafic rocks. A 40 Ar— 39 Ar study of some of these, the Skrainka Mafic Group, indicates an age of ∼ 1240 Ma, significantly younger than the host rocks, significantly older than Grenville/Keweenawan age, and close to the age of similar rocks in Labrador.
Comparison of Locomotive Emissions Measured During Dynamometer Versus Rail Yard Engine Load Tests

For environmental emissions certification, locomotive prime mover engines undergo rigorous measurements with the use of federal reference methods (FRMs). However, there are nonregulatory reasons for engine emissions measurement, such as to compare relative differences in fuel use and emissions as a result of engine rebuild or between engines in a fleet. Portable emissions measurement systems (PEMSs) are widely used for highway vehicle and nonroad construction equipment but have had limited locomotive applications. The objectives are to (a) demonstrate an approach for quantifying locomotive emission rates with a PEMS during dynamometer and rail yard engine load tests, (b) compare the emissions measured in dynamometer versus rail yard load tests, and (c) assess the relative change in fuel use and emissions from engine rebuild. Measurements were conducted on 3,000-hp prime movers, including an EMD 16-645 for a GP40 and two EMD 12-710s for F59PHs. Fuel use and PEMS-based emission rates for nitric oxide, carbo...
Effect of streptovitacin A on replication of an RNA virus (poliovirus).

SummaryStreptovitacin A, a highly efficient inhibitor of protein synthesis, at 10 μg/ml of medium completely prevented synthesis of infectious poliovirus (type 1) and of CF antigen, as well as of CPE, in BS-C-1 cells when it was added up to about an hour before the end of the eclipse phase and was then left in the medium for the duration of the experiment. When the drug was added at the very end of the eclipse period, before new infectious virus had appeared, and was then left in the medium, a small amount of new virus appeared in the cells. When the drug was added during the exponential phase of viral multiplication, there was always some further increase in infectious virus but never at the level achieved in the untreated cultures. When the drug was added one or two hours after infection and washed away one or two hours later, the subsequent delay in viral synthesis was always considerably longer than the time the drug was present in the culture medium. These results fit the assumption that protein synt...
DEPTH LIMITATION OF A TROPICAL INTERTIDAL XANTHID CRAB, CATALEPTODIUS FLORIDANUS, AND A SHALLOW-WATER MAJID, PITHO ACULEATA: RESULTS OF A CAGING EXPERIMENT

ABSTRACT Cataleptodius floridanus is an abundant (>100 individuals/m2), small, xanthid crab inhabiting intertidal coral rubble on Glover's Reef, Belize, Central America, but it is uncommon in slightly deeper suitable habitats. To test the role of bonefish in limiting the depth distribution of the crab, a wire mesh cage extending from the shore line into deeper water was constructed to exclude bonefish from their normal foraging in the study area. The cage of 12 x 12 mm mesh allowed passage of C. floridanus and other small decapods. After 17 days C. floridanus in "deep" and "medium" depth quadrats inside the cage were more abundant and significantly larger than those in "deep" and "medium" depth quadrats outside the cage. Abundance and size distributions did not differ significantly between crabs collected from shallow quadrats inside and outside the cage. Heavy diurnal predation by bonefish in Belize restricts this species to very shallow water. Pitho aculeata abundance also increased inside the cage.
Treatment of functionalized graphitic nanofibers (GNFs) and the adhesion of GNFs-reinforced-epoxy with ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fiber

Abstract Though ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber made of carbon and hydrogen has superior mechanical properties and effective cosmic shielding properties, it shows weak composite properties due to poor interfacial adhesion between UHMWPE fibers and polymer matrix. In this study, functionalized graphitic nanofibers (GNFs) were treated further using the sonication method. High-level sonication with a series of conditions was employed for the treatment of functionalized GNFs. submicron particle size analyzer and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to study effects on the length and morphology of treated nanofibers by sonication conditions. The sonication conditions were optimized for preparation of a nano-epoxy matrix containing well-dispersed, reactive, functionalized graphitic nanofibers. The adhesion ability of the nano-epoxy to UHMWPE fiber was investigated. Bundle fiber pullout specimens with single and double-ends were designed and prepared for study of the adhesion property of the nano-matrix with UHMWPE fiber. Test results showed that the nano-epoxy matrix could effectively improve interfacial adhesion property with UHMWPE fiber.
Asynchronous Bypass Channels: Improving Performance for Multi-synchronous NoCs

Networks-on-Chip (NoC) have emerged as a replacement for traditional shared-bus designs for on-chip communications. As with all current VLSI design, however, reducing power consumption in NoCs is a critical challenge. One approach to reduce power is to dynamically scale the voltage and frequency of each network node or groups of nodes (DVFS). Another approach to reduce power consumption is to replace the balanced clock tree with a globally-asynchronous, locally-synchronous (GALS) clocking scheme. NoCs implemented with either of these schemes, however, tend to have high latencies as packets must be synchronized at intermediate nodes between source and destination. In this paper, we propose a novel router microarchitecture which offers superior performance versus typical synchronizing router designs. Our approach features Asynchronous Bypass Channels (ABCs) at intermediate nodes thus avoiding synchronization delay. We also propose several new network topology and routing algorithm that leverage the advantages of the bypass channel offered by our router design. Our experiments show that our design improves the performance of a conventional synchronizing design with similar resources by up to 26% at low loads and increases saturation throughput by up to 50%.
Cytomegalovirus infection presenting as acute periodontal infection in a patient infected with the human immunodeficiency virus

During childhood, many people acquire primary infection with cytomegalovirus (CMV), one of the herpes viruses. If they later become immunosuppressed, such as occurs with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, CMV is likely to become reactivated. Severe disease caused by CMV is life-threatening in the HIV-infected population. CMV retinitis, gastritis, colitis, pneumonia, encephalitis and hepatitis have all been reported, but oral lesions due to infection with CMV are rarely reported. We report a case of oral CMV infection which at first was clinically indistinguishable from HIV-associated periodontal disease.
Catalytic Carbon−Carbon Bond Activation and Functionalization by Nickel Complexes

The nickel alkyne complexes (dippe)Ni(PhC⋮CPh), 1, (dippe)Ni(MeC⋮CMe), 2, (dippe)Ni(MeO2CC⋮CCO2Me), 3, (dippe)Ni(CH3OCH2C⋮CCH2OCH3), 4, and (dippe)Ni(CF3C⋮CCF3), 5, were synthesized (dippe = bis(diisopropylphosphino)ethane) and characterized by 1H, 31P, and 13C{1H} NMR spectroscopy. Complexes 1, 2, and 3 were characterized by X-ray crystallography. The thermolysis of complex 1 or 2 (120 °C) in the presence of excess biphenylene and excess alkyne results in very slow catalytic formation of the corresponding 9,10-disubstituted phenanthrene. However, addition of ∼6 mol % O2 (based on the metal complex) to the reaction mixture results in an acceleration in catalysis at lower temperatures (∼70−80 °C). The thermolysis of complexes 3 or 4 with excess biphenylene and excess alkyne leads to the alkyne cyclotrimerization product as the major organic species formed in the reaction. Fluorenone was catalytically produced by heating (dippe)Ni(CO)2, biphenylene, and CO. Catalytic insertion of 2,6-xylylisocyanide into th...
Octopine-type Ti plasmids code for a mannopine-inducible dominant-negative allele of traR, the quorum-sensing activator that regulates Ti plasmid conjugal transfer

Conjugal transfer of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Ti plasmids is regulated by two hierarchical signalling systems. Transfer is dependent on a subset of opines produced by the plant tumours induced by the bacterium. Induction also requires an acyl-homoserine lactone signal, called AAI, that is produced by the bacteria themselves. AAI is the co-inducer for TraR, the transcriptional activator required for expression of the tra regulon. Octopine induces conjugation of the octopine-mannityl opine-type Ti plasmids by regulating the expression of traR via OccR, the octopine-dependent activator of the opine regulon. We have discovered a second traR-like gene, trlR, on the octopine-mannityl opine-type Ti plasmids pTi15955 and pTiR10. This gene is located in an operon coding for a mannopine transport system and is expressed as part of the mannityl opine regulon. Sequence analysis indicated that trlR is a frameshift allele of traR, and the resulting protein lacks the carboxy-terminal domain thought to constitute the DNA-binding region of TraR. Expression of trlR inhibited octopine-induced conjugation of pTi15955 and pTiR10 by suppressing the TraR-mediated transcription of the tra and trb operons. Although TrlR had no effect on the expression of traR, TraR activated the expression of trlR. Southern hybridizations indicated that several other Ti and opine-catabolic plasmids contain more than one copy of genes homologous to traR. We propose that trlR is a dominant negative allele of traR and that TrlR inhibits conjugation by forming inactive heteromultimers with TraR.
Neurobiology of tetrahydro-β-carbolines

Abstract Tetrahydro-β-carbolines (THβC's) are tricyclic compounds structurally related to the indoleamines. Recent studies have reported the in vitro and in vivo formation of these compounds in brain and other tissues. This information and other data indicating that THβC's interact relatively specifically with various aspects of the serotonergic neurotransmitter system has suggested that THβC's may serve as endogenous neuromodulators of neurotransmitters. Evidence for the formation of these compounds as well as their neurochemical, neuroendocrinological, and behavioral effects is described in this review.
The secreted protease factor CPAF is responsible for degrading pro-apoptotic BH3-only proteins in Chlamydia trachomatis-infected cells

Chlamydia trachomatis has evolved a profound anti-apoptotic activity that may aid in chlamydial evasion of host defense. The C. trachomatis anti-apoptotic activity has been correlated with blockade of mitochondrial cytochrome c release, inhibition of Bax and Bak activation, and degradation of BH3-only proteins. This study presents evidence that a chlamydia-secreted protease factor designated CPAF is both necessary and sufficient for degrading the BH3-only proteins. When the C. trachomatis-infected cell cytosolic extracts were fractionated by column chromatography, both the CPAF protein and activity elution peaks overlapped with the BH3-only protein degradation activity peak. Depletion of CPAF with a CPAF-specific antibody removed the BH3-only protein degradation activity from the infected cell cytosolic extracts, whereas depletion with control antibodies failed to do so. Notably, recombinant CPAF expressed in bacteria was able to degrade the BH3-only proteins, whereas CPAF mutants similarly prepared from bacteria failed to do so. Finally, bacterium-expressed CPAF also degraded the human BH3-only protein Pumaα purified from bacteria. These results demonstrate that CPAF contributes to the chlamydial anti-apoptotic activity by degrading the pro-apoptotic BH3-only Bcl-2 subfamily members.
Impact of socio-technical network on process performance

There is a growing interest in socio-technical networks that encompass people, process and technology. They capture connections among technical artifacts and human resources. Existing studies have shown that social networks among resources that collaborate to work on a business process instance have an impact on the performance of the instance. Hence, the social network among the resources should be aligned with the technical work structure. Thus, we propose to identify empirically the specific features of social networks (e.g. size, closeness, density, etc.) that have the most significant impact on the performance of a process. Then, we can leverage these significant social network features to optimize dynamic assignment of tasks to resources for better performance. In general, organizations can use this two-part approach to evaluate their resource social networks and shape their resource networks to achieve socio-technical network alignment. We use real data from business processes in the IT incident management domain for this study to demonstrate our proposed methodology.
Resistance to Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone Agonist Therapy for Metastatic Prostate Cancer

A 49-year-old man with biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate presented with a serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) concentration of 79 ng./ml. (normal 0 to 4) and metastatic disease on bone scan. Therapy was initiated with a 7.5 mg. depot injection of leuprolide, which was preceded by 3 days of 50 mg. bicalutamide orally per day. One month after initiation of leuprolide therapy, the patient reported impotence and a decrease in obstructive urinary frequency. Serum PSA at that time was 6.3 ng./ml. Therapy was continued with a 30 mg. injection of leuprolide once every 4 months. After approximately 6 months of hormonal therapy, the patient reported that penile erections and obstructive urinary symptoms had started to recur, similar to the symptoms at initial presentation. Laboratory values at that time showed a serum testosterone of 68 ng./dl. (normal 300 to 1,100) and a PSA of 14.3 ng./ml. The patient was started on a regimen of 1, 10.8 mg. goserelin implant every 12 weeks. It is noteworthy that at that time he reported persistent redness and skin breakdown at the depot leuprolide injection site. Upon physical examination the buttock lesion was notable for redness and induration measuring 5.75 by 3 cm. Plastic surgery with a wide excision was used to debride a necrotic sterile abscess. Seven months after starting treatment PSA was 33.9 ng./ ml. and physical examination was notable for a large firm mass replacing the prostate. The area around the goserelin injection site was erythematous, and the patient complained of hot flashes and reported occasional early morning erections. Due to the clinical symptoms of ineffective testosterone ablation, serum total testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone concentrations were obtained, which were 433 ng./dl., 6.6 mIU/ml. (normal 1 to 12), and 4.1 mIU/ml. (normal 2 to 12), respectively. Due to ineffective chemical castration with both forms of LH-RH agonist therapy, bilateral orchiectomy was performed on September 24, 2001. Postoperatively the patient was asymptomatic and PSA decreased to 6.7 ng./ml. DISCUSSION
A comparative study of lipid compositions of Cryptosporidium parvum (Apicomplexa) and Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells

Membrane lipid compositions of Cryptosporidium parvum and Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells, an epithelial-like cell line commonly used to study coccidia in vitro, were analyzed using both thin-layer chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography. Phosphatidylcholine was the predominant lipid in both C. parvum and Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells, comprising 65% and 41% of the total phospholipids, respectively. Phospholipids of C. parvum contained twice the level of 16:0 and twenty-fold more 18:2 than the Madin-Darby bovine kidney cell line. We suggest that the parasite may be capable of sequestering specific complex membrane lipids at concentrations greater than those in the host cells. This study constitutes the first report of the lipid composition of C. parvum.
Regulation of NAD(P)H:quininone oxidoreductase by glucocorticoids.

Previous studies in neonatal and adolescent rats as well as adrenalectomized rats have demonstrated that glucocorticoids regulate the expression of the rat NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase gene (QOR). We used primary cultures of rat adult hepatocytes to document that added glucorticoids repress both the basal and 1,2-benzanthracene-induced expression of QOR mRNA by 65–70%. QOR enzyme activity and protein were concomitantly suppressed as well. The monotonic concentration response for repression of QOR gene products up to 100 μM DEX concentration demonstrated that the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was most likely involved in this process. The lack of effect at higher concentration rules out a role for the Pregnane X receptor in this regulation by DEX. In addition, the anti-glucorticoid RU38486 blocked this negative regulation and the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide had no effect on this repression process. Similar results of GR dependence were observed using a luciferase reporter construct containing the 5′-flanking region of the human QOR gene using HepG2 cells. Collectively, these results demonstrate that GR must directly participate in the negative regulation of QOR gene expression by dexamethasone and other glucocorticoids in vivo.
Bamchop: A bioinformatics utility to summarize and visualize exome and other types of targeted resequencing data

Targeted resequencing projects can generate massive amount of data in the form of short nucleic acid sequences. These sequences are aligned to a reference genome and stored in BAM (Binary Alignment/Map) files in most cases. A growing challenge for biomedical researchers is to rapidly summarize large BAM files (typically 5 to 25 GB) to evaluate data quality and guide follow-up steps. Here, we present an R package and report template, "bamchop", that retrieves targeted resequencing information from a BAM file and illustrates it in a standardized format. This program is applicable to all resequencing data that investigates selected genomie regions, ranging from a small number of mutation hotspots to a complete human exome. Bamchop reports the sequencing quality and coverage, mapping confidence, strand and nucleic acid bias, and other information about the targeted regions and genomie background. A bamchop report is the product of Sweave framework that requires the LaTeX document preparation system and the R statistical environment. In applying it to a variety of resequencing projects, we determined that bamchop is a powerful tool for both bioinformaticians and bench scientists to conveniently assess their resequencing data. The source code of bamchop is available from https://github.com/CBMi-BiC/bamchop.
The Multiple-Vortex Structure of a Tornado

Abstract The structure and behavior of multiple subtornadic-scale vortices in a tornado were examined and were compared with laboratory, conceptual, and numerical models. Unique radar observations of an exceptionally large and violent tornado obtained with a Doppler on Wheels mobile radar on 3 May 1999 in northern Oklahoma provided the opportunity, for the first time ever with quantitative radar measurements, to characterize the size, strength, motion, horizontal and vertical structure, and persistence of multiple vortices in a tornado. Doppler velocity, received power, and spectral-width data were used to study the vortices. The structures of the multiple subtornadic-scale vortices were similar to that of tornadic vortices in certain respects. They exhibited doughnut-shaped received power maxima and/or hooks surrounding comparatively clear central eyes. Doppler velocity differences across the vortices decreased with height. However, the vortices exhibited intense small-scale shears at their centers that ...
Synchrotron frequency spread independence of bunched-beam stochastic cooling at the Fermilab Recycler

It is generally accepted that longitudinal stochastic cooling of bunched beams is not possible without a synchrotron frequency spread. Experiments in the Recycler storage ring (Fermilab) demonstrate the opposite: with an antiproton bunch in a parabolic potential well (no synchrotron frequency spread), the cooling was almost as efficient as in a trapezoidal potential well (with a relative synchrotron frequency spread of {approx} 100%). A possible explanation is that, at Recycler parameters, diffusion processes are sufficient to provide particle mixing.
Boron determination in plant tissue by the azomethine H method

Abstract A colorimetric method using the azomethine H reagent is described for determining boron in an acid extract of plant tissue ash. The method consistently gave the certified value of 33±3 ppm B for NBS orchard leaf reference material No. 1571 with 3.2% coefficient of variation. Samples were dry ashed and the ash extracted in 10 ml 0.36 N H2SO4 for 1 hr. at room temperature. Several acidic extractants and extracting conditions were compared which gave the certified value, but involved heating and readjusting the final volume.
Hindered sedimentation, diffusion, and dispersion coefficients for brownian spheres in circular cylindrical pores

Generalized Taylor dispersion theory is used to calculate the mean sedimentation velocity U∗ and Taylor-Aris axial dispersivity D∗ of a nonneutrally buoyant spherical Brownian particles (radius = a) settling and diffusing in a vertical, quiescent fluid-filled circular capillary tube (radius = r0) for circumtances in which wall effects retarding the sphere motion are sensible. Owing to the dependence of the quasistatic Bromian sphere settling, velocity U[r] upon the instantaneous distance r(t) of its center from the tube axis at time t, a Taylor dipsersion phenomenon ensues, summarized by the formula D∗ = D∗ + DC, where DC = Cr02(U∗)2DM, in which the nondimensional coefficient C depends upon the dimensionless Langevin-Peclet number parameter Pe = r0F/kT and wall parameter λ = a/r0 (F = net gravity forces, kT = Boltzmann factor). The dispersion contribution DC, arising indirectly from wall effects, is in addition to the direct hindred-diffusion effect of the tube walls upon the mean axial molecular diffusivity DM of the Brownian sphere. Calculations of DC (and U∗) are presented for all values of 0 < Pe < ∞ for both the small (λ ⪡ 1) and closely fitting (1 − λ ⪡ 1) sphere cases, as well as for cases where the sedimenting force F, rather than being constant in time, is time-periodic with zero mean. The latter results are used to calculate the enhanced, frequency-dependent, axial “diffusion” coefficient of a charged Brownian spehre in an AC field, corresponding to the circumstance that its time-average velocity through the tube is identically zero.
Predicting heterocyclic ring coupling constants through a conformational search of tetra-o-methyl-(+)-catechin

Abstract A GMMXc conformational search routine gives a family of conformations that reflects the Boltzmann-averaged heterocyclic ring conformation as evidenced by accurate prediction of all three coupling constants observed for tetra-O-methyl-(+)-catechin.
Syntheses and Structures of the First Heavy Alkaline Earth Metal Germanides M(THF)n(Ge(SiMe3)3)2 (M = Ca, n = 3; M = Sr, n = 3; and M = Ba, n = 4)

Calcium, strontium, and barium compounds involving heavy group 14 ligands have been recognized as useful initiators in the polymerization of acrylonitrile. Since little is known on the exact nature of the target compounds, including information on synthetic access and spectroscopic and structural details, we have prepared and characterized the first calcium, strontium, and barium germanides of the general formula M(THF)n(Ge(SiMe3)3)2 (M = Ca, n = 3, 1; Sr, n = 3, 2; and Ba, n = 4, 3). The title compounds are available by a convenient one-pot metathesis reaction.
The Transnational Organization of Production and Uneven Environmental Degradation and Change in the World Economy

The intent of the present article is to expand upon the discussion concerning the transnational organization of production, the treadmill logic which drives this organization, and highlight theoretical and empirical research regarding ecological unequal exchange, which we envision as a central dynamic enhancing capital accumulation within the world economy. Ecological unequal exchange refers to the environmentally damaging withdrawal of energy and other natural resources and the addition or externalization of environmentally damaging production and disposal activities within the periphery of the world-system as a consequence of exchange relations with more industrialized countries. It is based upon both the obtainment of natural capital and the usurpation of sink-capacity or waste assimilation properties of ecological systems in a manner that enlarges the domestic carrying capacity of the industrialized countries to the detriment of peripheral societies. Future research oriented towards further articulati...
Septo-Optic Dysplasia in Two Siblings

We treated two siblings, a sister and brother, who had features of septo-optic dysplasia, including bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia, absent septum pellucidum, and partial pituitary insufficiency. Additionally, midline central nervous system abnormalities of the corpus callosum and cerebellum were shown. The familial occurrence of this disorder raises the possibility of autosomal-recessive inheritance.