cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A multiplex PCR assay for the simultaneous detection of Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Trichomonas vaginalis.

Introduction: For developing countries, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and their complications are ranked in the top 5 disease categories for which adults seek medical treatment. Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV) are the three most common STIs worldwide, with TV accounting for over half of the cases. In developing countries, traditional methods for diagnosing STIs are laborious, often not very sensitive, and have a long turnaround time with most recent commercially available diagnostic tests targeting one or, at most, two of these STIs at a time. Here, we describe the development of a highly sensitive, rapid and affordable sample-to-answer multiplex PCR-based assay for the simultaneous detection of Trichomonas vaginalis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Chlamydia trachomatis. Materials and Methods: We designed a multiplex PCR assay for the detection of 4 targets (CT, TV, NG, and process/PCR control) using melt curve analysis. To establish the limit of detection (LOD) for each pathogen, we used previously extracted and quantified TV, NG, and CT genomic DNA (Vircell, Spain). For each target, the LOD was determined by lowering its copy number while increasing the other two STI loads in a stepwise fashion. The process/PCR control remained constant in the optimized assay and was spiked into each sample before extraction. For a concordance study, we tested urine, vaginal and rectal swab specimens from 26 patients positive for one or more of the tested STIs. In addition, 56 liquid cytology specimens (Thinprep) were used to assess specificity. Results: This assay has a turnaround time of less than 2 h and has a limit of detection as low as 7–31 copies for each STI in the presence of the other 2 targets. Our assay also demonstrated 100% concordance with 26 known clinical samples from urine, vaginal and rectal swab specimens. TV, NG, CT, and our process/PCR control were consistently identified at 78 °C, 82.3 °C, 85.7 °C, and ~ 92 °C, respectively. When applied to DNA extracted from residual Thinprep specimens, the assay was negative in 54/56 samples. Two samples were found to be co-infected with CT. Conclusions: Our multiplex assay combines a rapid and cost-effective approach to molecular diagnostics with the versatility required for use within a variety of laboratory settings. These performance characteristics make this multiplex STI assay highly suitable for use in a clinical laboratory.
Modelling the effect of cormorant predation on stocked walleye

A simple model was developed for evaluation of the effects of double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) predation on stocked walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in the Great Lakes. The model was applied to obtain general relations for stocking and for cormorant predation. If there is no stocking, maintenance of a sizable walleye population is necessary for reproduction, but when the walleye population is maintained by stocking, yield can be increased by fishing the population below the level which produces the maximum sustainable yield without stocking, and the loss in reproduction is made up by stocking. If there is no predation on the stocked walleye, stocking can greatly increase yield. If there is cormorant predation, in the long run the number of cormorants increases with stocking but the number of walleye does not, and stocked walleye are feeding the cormorants.
The changing posture of the mental health consortium.

The structural relationships within the consortium of mental health professions may be viewed as a temporary means of meeting the political and social demands for prevention and treatment programs. The strategy of adopting an equalitarian set of role relationships within the consortium may be a passing one, given the likelihood of vertical structuring in order to maintain organizational arrangements.
Alpha and 8Be cluster amplitudes and core excitations in s-d shell nuclei

Abstract SU(3) and SU(4) recoupling are used to develop techniques for the calculation of norm and overlap matrix elements for properly antisymmetrized cluster wave functions. These techniques are illustrated in detail by the calculation of α and 8 Be cluster amplitudes for states of a few ħω excitation in s-d shell nuclei. These extend earlier SU(3) strong coupling results for states of highest intrinsic deformation to all values of (λμ), making it possible to calculate α-amplitudes for SU(3) weak and intermediate coupling wave functions. The extreme SU(3) weak and strong coupling limits for a-amplitudes are compared for states of 1 ħω excitation in light s-d shell nuclei. A general formulation is given for the calculation of spectroscopic amplitudes for the transfer of 8 Be clusters in ( 12 C, α) or ( 14 N, 6 Li) reactions on nuclei for which SU(3) and SU(4) are meaningful symmetries. The method is illustrated by predictions of 8 Be amplitudes to the prominent rotational bands in 20 Ne.
Stress Assisted Controlled Fabrication of Nano Channels and Their Flow Characteristics

A method to fabricate nano channels narrower than 50nm without the need for any nano lithography is presented. The nano channels are formed by cracking a thin film of silicon dioxide on a silicon substrate by residual stress alone. However, for controlled initiation of cracks on oxide, stress raisers are planted on a silicon substrate by deep RIE. These channels are used to study capillary driven fluid flow through nanochannels. Experimental analysis suggests that the flow rate is inversely proportional to the square root of time, which is in agreement with the theoretical model. From the theoretical plot that fits the experimental data the value of the proportionality constant is determined. From this value it is possible to back calculate the meniscus contact angle if we know the surface energy of the fluid or vice versa.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Quantitative thallium imaging findings in patients with normal coronary angiographic findings and in clinically normal subjects.

Abstract Computer-quantified exercise thallium images in 45 clinically normal subjects (group I) and in 44 patients with chest pain and no significant coronary artery disease by angiography (group II) were compared. Group II patients were older and more frequently female, had ST-segment depression by electrocardiography, and included 8 with subcritical (0 to 49%) stenoses. When normality was defined by the range of thallium imaging values in the clinically normal subjects, and after correcting clearance for peak exercise heart rate, 20 of 44 patients (45%) in group II had “abnormal” findings. The only difference between the 20 patients with abnormal findings and the 24 with normal findings in group II was a greater frequency of subcritical (less than 50%) coronary stenoses in the abnormal group, 7 (35%) vs 1 (4%) (p
Von Braun and the Lunar-Orbit Rendezvous Decision: Finding a Way to Go to the Moon

Abstract Wernher von Braun's historic talk at Huntsville on June 7, 1962, when he endorsed “lunar-orbit rendezvous” (LOR) as the mode for landing on the Moon, has long been seen as one of the most critical dates in the Apollo program. It effectively ended a months-long, divisive debate inside NASA over LOR versus “earth-orbit rendezvous” (EOR) versus “direct ascent” (a single huge rocket to launch a lander directly at the Moon, with no rendezvous). Von Braun and his Marshall Space Flight Center had a long-standing commitment to EOR. While historians have long emphasized the significance of this surprise endorsement of LOR, there has been little analysis of how and when he arrived at that decision. This paper will discuss the process by which von Braun finally picked LOR in the spring of 1962 and attempts to pinpoint the date of that decision. However, it also examines his long prehistory of Moon proposals, beginning in public with his October 1952 Collier's articles. In 1961, after President Kennedy's endorsement of the Apollo landing goal, he leaned toward EOR primarily because he did not want to build the huge launch vehicle required for direct ascent. He only gradually and somewhat reluctantly changed his mind. How that came about is the fundamental substance of this paper.
Determination of the solubilities of crystalline solids in solvent media that induce phase changes: Solubilities of 1,2-dialkyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridones and their formic acid solvates in formic acid and water

Abstract Problems associated with the determination of the solubilities of solvates and of nonsolvates which undergo phase transformation in the presence of an interacting solvent are discussed. When determining the solubility of a nonsolvate in an interacting solvent, a solvate may be formed resulting in a reduced equilibrium solubility corresponding to that of the solvate. Similarly, when determining the solubility of a solvate in a different solvent, a new solvate or the nonsolvate may be formed resulting in a reduced equilibrium solubility corresponding to that of the new phase. A useful extrapolation technique is developed to overcome the problems resulting from the solvation of nonsolvates in the solvent of crystallization and from the desolvation of solvates in water, often observed during the measurement of equilibrium solubilities by the equilibration method. A thermodynamic cycle analogous to Hess's law but based on free energies is used to predict the theoretical solubility of the solvates in water, especially those which are inaccessible by both the equilibration and the extrapolation methods. The model systems employed are 1,2-dialkyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridones which form 1:1 formic acid solvates in the presence of formic acid and the 1:1 formic acid solvates which produce the corresponding unsolvated compound in the presence of water. There is good agreement between the solubility values measured by equilibration and derived from the extrapolation method and between those derived from the extrapolation method and calculated by means of the thermodynamic cycle.
Quantification of 3-methylglutaconic acid in urine, plasma, and amniotic fluid by isotope-dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

A method is described for quantification of the trace metabolite, 3-methylglutaconic acid, by isotope-dilution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using synthetic 3-[2,4,6-13C3]methylglutaconic acid. Results are shown for quantification of 3-methylglutaconic acid in plasma, urine, cerebrospinal fluid and amniotic fluid for both normal controls and patients with different forms of 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. A simple method for the synthesis and purification of 3-[2,4,6-13C3]methylglutaconic acid is also described.
From fixed to individual dosing in growth hormone-deficient adults.

Initial research studies of growth hormone (GH) replacement in adults employed what is now considered to be high doses of GH, from 12 to 25 µg/kg per day. While the beneficial effects of GH were demonstrated, there was a considerable incidence of side effects, most commonly edema and arthralgia. These side effects abated with a dose reduction. More recently, the Growth Hormone Research Society recommended initiating GH replacement at a dose of 0.3 mg/day irrespective of total or ideal body weight. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved pharmaceutical company package inserts that recommended beginning with a dose of 6 µg/kg per day with a maximum dose of 25 µg/kg per day and limiting the maximal dose to 12.5 µg/kg per day in adults over the age of 35 years. These should be considered as guidelines.
The Uncommon Man: Esquire and the Problem of the North American Male Consumer, 1957–63

This article examines Esquire magazine's editorial refashioning after the Second World War to analyse the production of the gendered consuming subject. At issue is the question of how the American male consumer is discursively legitimised and incorporated into the marketplace. While myriad studies exist that demonstrate the centrality of women to consumer culture, little has been written on how men come to identify themselves as consuming subjects. This article approaches the question by examining Esquire's cultivation of the ‘Uncommon Man’ as an idealised masculine consumer subject. Through this formula, Esquire opened a discursive space which legitimised the male consumer as a thoroughly modern and masculine figure.
Application of gas chromatographic head-space analysis for the characterization of non-ideal solution by scanning the total concentration range

Abstract Head-space analysis by gas chromatography has not only been shown to be useful for analytical purposes, but also to provide a valuable means of obtaining thermodynamically relevant data for solvent-solute characterization. This application was demonstrated for two solute-solvent systems that show positive and negative deviations from Raoult's law, from which activity coefficients at various concentrations and related functions, such as partial and total molar energies of mixing and related excess functions, can be derived.
Eyes absent 1 (Eya1) is a critical coordinator of epithelial, mesenchymal and vascular morphogenesis in the mammalian lung

The proper level of proliferation and differentiation along the proximodistal axis is crucial for lung organogenesis. Elucidation of the factors that control these processes will therefore provide important insights into embryonic lung development and regeneration. Eya1 is a transcription factor/protein phosphatase that regulates cell lineage specification and proliferation. Yet its functions during lung development are unknown. In this paper we show that Eya1(-/-) lungs are severely hypoplastic with reduced epithelial branching and increased mesenchymal cellularity. Eya1 is expressed at the distal epithelial tips of branching tubules as well as in the surrounding distal mesenchyme. Eya1(-/-) lung epithelial cells show loss of progenitor cell markers with increased expression of differentiation markers and cell cycle exit. In addition, Eya1(-/-) embryos and newborn mice exhibit severe defects in the smooth muscle component of the bronchi and major pulmonary vessels with decreased Fgf10 expression. These defects lead to rupture of the major vessels and hemorrhage into the lungs after birth. Treatment of Eya1(-/-) epithelial explants in culture with recombinant Fgf10 stimulates epithelial branching. Since Shh expression and activity are abnormally increased in Eya1(-/-) lungs, we tested whether genetically lowering Shh activity could rescue the Eya1(-/-) lung phenotype. Indeed, genetic reduction of Shh partially rescues Eya1(-/-) lung defects while restoring Fgf10 expression. This study provides the first evidence that Eya1 regulates Shh signaling in embryonic lung, thus ensuring the proper level of proliferation and differentiation along the proximodistal axis of epithelial, mesenchymal and endothelial cells. These findings uncover novel functions for Eya1 as a critical upstream coordinator of Shh-Fgf10 signaling during embryonic lung development. We conclude, therefore, that Eya1 function is critical for proper coordination of lung epithelial, mesenchymal and vascular development.
Imaging characteristics of indinavir calculi.

AbstractPurpose: Indinavir sulfate is an effective protease inhibitor of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1. Use is associated with a significant incidence of crystallization and stone formation in the urinary tract, and these calculi are not visible on plain radiographs. Previously all urinary stones, including uric acid and matrix, were believed to be radiodense on computerized tomography (CT). We conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the radiographic appearance of indinavir calculi.Materials and Methods: Retrospective chart review of 36 patients taking indinavir sulfate and presenting with renal colic was performed with attention to presentation, urinalysis, radiographic evaluation and management. Specifically, imaging characteristics on CT were addressed.Results: All patients complained of ipsilateral flank pain and 35 had nausea and/or vomiting. Of 30 patients with dysuria or urgency the majority had hematuria, and most had pyuria and/or proteinuria. No stones were visualized on abdominal ...
Characterization of Beef and Pork using Fourier-Transform Infrared Photoacoustic Spectroscopy

Abstract The potential of Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS) to examine successive layers of meat (beef and pork) was studied. Sample preparation for FTIR-PAS measurement was simple and nondestructive. Spectra of meat samples using the more conventional Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) accessory were also obtained for validation of the photoacoustic spectroscopy. Comparison of the photoacoustic and attenuated total reflectance spectra indicated that the PAS spectra were better resolved and more sensitive to moisture variation with respect to sample depth.
Mouse gamete interactions: the zona pellucida is the site of the acrosome reaction leading to fertilization in vitro.

Abstract The question of whether the acrosome reaction, which leads to fertilization, occurs in intact sperm bound to the zona pellucida of the egg or in intact sperm before contact with the egg, was addressed by assessing the effect of 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate (QNB) on the two types of acrosome reaction. QNB is a specific inhibitor of the fertilization of zona-intact mouse eggs by mouse sperm. Mouse spermatozoa in suspension underwent acrosome reactions at a low rate, which could be accelerated by addition of 5 μM divalent cation ionophore A23187; the occurrence of such acrosome reactions was not inhibited by QNB. The rate at which acrosome reactions occurred in sperm bound to the zona pellucida of cumulus-free eggs, bound to isolated zonae, or exposed to acid-solubilized zona components, was greatly accelerated relative to that observed in the absence of zonae. These acrosome reactions were strongly inhibited by QNB at concentrations which inhibit the fertilization of zona-intact mouse eggs in vitro. These data suggest that the zona pellucida can induce acrosome reactions in mouse spermatozoa and that these acrosome reactions are the ones which lead to the fertilization of zona-intact eggs. In contrast, the acrosome rection in sperm which are not in contact with the zona is not associated with fertilization of zona-intact eggs.
Recent trends in the treatment of cerebral aneurysms: analysis of a nationwide inpatient database

Object The most appropriate treatment for cerebral aneurysms, both ruptured and unruptured, is currently under debate, and updated guidelines have yet to be defined. The authors attempted to identify trends in therapy for cerebral aneurysms in the US as well as outcomes. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample hospital discharge database (Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) for the period 1993–2003. Multiple variables were categorized and subjected to statistical analysis for International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification codes related to subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), unruptured aneurysm, and clipping and endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysm. Results During the study period, the numbers of discharges remained stable for SAH but doubled for unruptured aneurysms. Concomitantly, the number of aneurysms treated with clip placement remained stable, and the number treated by mea...
Differential incorporation of acetate and glucose in maturing douglas fir seeds

In order to discern the synthetic pathways of lipids in coniferous seeds, decoated maturing Douglas fir seeds were incubated with 2-14C-acetate and ul-14C-glucose for 3 hr in phosphate buffer at pH 6.0. About 52% of incorporated acetate was found in lipids, but only 9% of the absorbed glucose was converted to lipids. Distribution of incorporated radioactivity in lipid classes was similar for both substrates, 45% in polar lipids, 22% in diglycerides, 15% in triglcerides, 7% in sterol esters, 4% in each of fatty acids and monoglycerides, and 3% in sterols. High specific activity was found in free fatty acids, diglycerides, monoglycerides and polar lipids indicating a rapid turnover of the intermediates for reserve triglycerides and structural polar lipids. Degradation analyses showed that 50% of incorporated acetate and glucose in lipids were in fatty acid moiety. Acetate contributed more in sterols and other unsaponifiables than in glycerol, and the reverse was true for glucose. All the data indicated that acetate is the direct precursor of fatty acids and sterols. General synthetic pathways prevail in fir seeds. Methods for complete analysis of chemical and radio-chemical composition were presented and results discussed.
The crystal structure of CuVo3(II), a high-pressure ilmenite phase

The crystal structure of a second high-pressure copper vanadate phase, CuVO3(II), has been determined and refined by full-matrix least-squares procedures using automatic diffractometer data to a residual R = 0.042 (Rw = 0.051). The space group is rhombohedral, R3, with hexagonal unit cell a = 4.966(2) and c = 14.084(5) A [aR = 5.501(2) A and α = 53.66(3)°]. The structure is the fully ordered ilmenite-type and, on the basis of published magnetic data and the interatomic distances, the valence distribution Cu+V5+O3 is proposed. This represents a unique example of Cu+ in an octahedral environment.
Scheduling algorithms for PIPE (Pipelined Image-Processing Engine)

Abstract In this paper we present heuristic scheduling algorithms for the National Bureau of Standards/Aspen Inc. Pipelined Image-Processing Engine (PIPE). PIPE is a special-purpose machine for low-level image processing consisting of a linearly connected array of processing stages. A program is specified as a directed acyclic graph (DAG). Our first algorithm schedules planar DAGs. It works top-down through the graph and uses the greedy approach to schedule operations on a stage. It uses several heuristics to control the movement of images between stages. The worst case time for the schedule generated by the algorithm is O ( N ) times the optimal schedule, where N is the maximum width of the graph. We generalize this algorithm to work on nonplanar graphs, using heuristics for repositioning images on the stages of PIPE. The worst case time for the more general algorithm is also O ( N ) times the optimal schedule. Finally, we analyze the problem of optimizing throughput and latency for a sequence of DAGs on PIPE.
Masculinities in Hardcore Bodybuilding

In his definitive ethnography of hardcore bodybuilding in Southern California, Klein (1993) examined gender construction in a narcissistic subculture characterized by deceit and excess on many levels. In the present article, I compare my own experiences as a strength athlete and bodybuilding author with some of the observations Klein made at Olympic Gym. Like Klein, I address ironies associated with hardcore bodybuilding and discuss the nature of deviance in the bodybuilding subculture.
Seismic waves in stratified anisotropic media. II: Elastodynamic eigensolutions for some anisotropic systems

Summary. The differential system for elastic waves in stratified anisotropic media is, as in the isotropic case, most simply solved by constructing a propagator from the eigenvalues and eigenvectors. In general, the eigensolutions must be found numerically, which may lead to an enormous amount of computation if the ultimate goal is to construct synthetic seismograms. However, if the stiffness tensor for each layer displays a horizontal plane of symmetry, simple analytical solutions exist and the expense of numerical solution can be avoided. We consider monoclinic, orthorhombic, hexagonal (including transversely isotropic), and istropic symmetries and give analytical expressions for the eigensolutions for each of these forms when the alignment is such that a horizontal symmetry plane exists. LThe analytical solutions are concise enough to make the construction of complete synthetic seismograms (a task which involves the construction and manipulation of 3-D functions) a realistic endeavour. While not applicable to arbitrary anisotropy, these results have widespread application as most of the anisotropies hypothesized in seismology require a horizontal plane of elastic symmetry.
Integrating interactive computer-based learning experiences into established curricula: a case study

Educators who wish to integrate interactive computer-based learning experiences into established courses must contend not only with the difficulty of creating quality digital content but with the often equally difficult challenge of reconfiguring their courses to use such materials. We describe our experiences with the Exploratories Project at Brown University [8] and the use of exploratories in an introductory computer graphics programming course [4]. We offer examples of both success and failure, with the goal of helping other educators avoid both painful mistakes and lost time spent coping with unforeseen logistical and pedagogical concerns. Among the lessons we learned: planning can't begin too early for the integration of such materials into an established curriculum, and all possible methods of integration should be considered before committing to any specific approach.
A Model-Based Architecture for a Small Flexible Fault Protection System

In this paper we will give a brief overview of how different missions implemented the fault protection application and the improvements along the way. We will then propose an architecture that supports the direct implementation of state-chart models into flight code. These state-chart models can be used to formally and naturally specify the behavior of all the major fault protection components - monitors, fault protection engine, and fault responses. The goal is a flexible, light-weight implementation of a traditional fault protection software system that is inexpensive to implement, reliable and understandable for both system and software developers.
Ecologies of Education Quality

Accountability in education has prompted policy makers and practitioners to focus on data use for instructional and organizational decision-making. The popular media have seized on Value Added (VA) measures as a key type of data use for reforming U.S. schools. Among education researchers, however, there are both critics and proponents. We examined data use by the district leaders and staff members of 12 schools in a large urban district, with attention to the role VA metrics play in their decisions and their conceptions of themselves. VA is only one of many types of data that can be used to portray quality. While there was a soft relationship between VA and classroom quality measured by CLASS, we found that understanding the schools' contexts, particularly the use of resources and the coherence of actions to improve student achievement, greatly enhanced the power of our descriptions. As a result, we suggest that policies promoting multidimensional approaches to quality will better capture the complexity of education.
Benefits of an Interdisciplinary Approach: A Case of Collaboration

Interdisciplinary collaboration between physical and occupational therapists is an important aspect of geriatric treatment, in part due to time and reimbursement constraints. A geriatric client is used to discuss methods of effective collaboration. The client, who was five years post cerebral aneurysm, presented with problems, including deconditioning, decreased self-care skills, and maladaptive psychosocial behaviors that limited her participation in activities. The case was also complicated by complex family dynamics. The therapists addressed the issues through co-treatment, family and client education, and the use of a cognitive treatment technique. Benefits of collaboration included time efficiency, decreased duplication of services, and increased functional outcomes.
Ethinyl estradiol administration and plasma steroid concentrations in ovariectomized women

The effect of ethinyl estradiol treatment on the plasma levels of cortisol, corticosterone, deoxycorticosterone, progesterone, testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, delta4-androstenedione, and estrone was studied in eight women. All the subjects had undergone ovariectomy and hysterectomy at least one year prior to this study. The systemic concentration of cortisol and the binding of cortisol were significantly increased, paralleling the increased transcortin concentration due to ethinyl estradiol treatment. Corticosterone concentration was also significantly increased after three days of estrogen administration and this level continued to be higher than normal as long as patients were treated with estrogens, but there was no change in the plasma concentration of deoxycorticosterone. The plasma levels of progesterone testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, delat4-androstenedione and estrone or the ratio of estrone to delta4-androstenedione did not change with ethinyl estradiol treatment. These observations suggest that the administered estrogen increased the transcortin concentration and had only a limited effect on adrenocortical steroidogenesis.
A comparison of two techniques for tungsten carbide ring removal.

Abstract Introduction Emergency physicians may have difficulty removing modern rings made of hard metals such as titanium and tungsten carbide. These metals are exceptionally difficult or impossible to remove using standard ring cutters. Numerous alternative techniques for removal have been described, including the "umbilical tape" or "string technique" and, in the case of tungsten carbide, breaking the ring using locking pliers. Objective We sought to compare the speed and effectiveness of tungsten carbide ring removal using these two techniques. Methods Ten tungsten carbide rings were placed upon the finger of a standard medical simulation mannequin. The rings chosen were one-half size smaller than the mannequin's finger. Edema distal to the ring was simulated using foam tape. A single novice operator performed 10 trials using each of the techniques after a 10-minute orientation session. The success or failure of the technique and the time for removal were recorded for each trial. The mean removal times for the trials were compared using a paired t test. Results All trials were successful. The rings were removed substantially faster using the locking pliers method (mean 23.1 seconds [95% CI 15.4-30.8] vs. mean 135.4 seconds [95% CI 130.2-150.6]). However, the locking pliers technique destroyed all rings and caused sharp ring fragments to be thrown up to 37 in. Conclusions Both the umbilical tape or string technique and the locking pliers technique successfully removed tungsten carbide rings in our model. The locking pliers technique is significantly faster but destroys the ring and creates potentially harmful shrapnel.
Modelling of nonlinear bridge aerodynamics and aeroelasticity: a convolution based approach

Innovative bridge decks exhibit nonlinear behaviour in wind tunnel studies which has placed increasing importance on the nonlinear bridge aerodynamics/aeroelasticity considerations for long-span bridges. The convolution scheme concerning the first-order kernels for linear analysis is reviewed, which is followed by an introduction to higher-order kernels for nonlinear analysis. A numerical example of a long- span suspension bridge is presented that demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed scheme.
REPRODUCTIVE PLASTICITY IN THE KELP ALARIA NANA (PHAEOPHYCEAE)1

Unlike terrestrial plants, reproductive control in algae has not been attributed to biotic factors or internal chemical signals. However, experimental removal of reproductive structures (sporophylls) from the kelp Alaria nana Shrader resulted in the development of functional reproducing structures on the vegetative frond in 45% (10/22) of the experimental plants but not on the control plants where sporophylls were left intact (n = 35). In naturally occurring Alaria nana, this compensatory reproductive response occurred at a low incidence and was restricted primarily to larger individuals in the population. Thus, compensation and developmental plasticity, mediated In plant size, may play an important role in how algae respond to reproductive tissue loss.
Critical role of amygdala in flavor but not taste preference learning in rats

The role of the amygdala (AMY) in learning to associate complex flavor (taste + odor cues) with the oral and post-oral properties of nutrients was examined. Rats with excitotoxic lesions of the basolateral AMY learned to prefer flavors paired with intragastric (IG) infusions of maltodextrin or corn oil (Experiment 1), although the preference was slightly attenuated. However, rats with large AMY lesions failed to develop a preference for flavors paired with IG infusions of the same nutrients (Experiments 2 and 4) but were able to learn a preference for a taste mixture paired with IG maltodextrin infusions (Experiment 3). The rats with large AMY lesions also did not acquire a preference for a flavor cue paired with the sweet taste of fructose (Experiment 5). Collectively, these data provide evidence that AMY is essential for flavor- but not taste-nutrient preference learning.
Optical low coherence reflectometry with range extension >150 m

An extended range optical low coherence reflectometer using a resonant fibre cavity and a novel technique for alias identification has achieved a measurement range >150 m combined with a two-point spatial resolution of <200 µm.
Neurosurgical Advances in the Treatment of Moyamoya Disease

Background and Purpose—Moyamoya disease is characterized by chronic stenoocclusive vasculopathy involving the distal supraclinoid internal carotid arteries and presents with ischemic or hemorrhagic symptoms. We review advances in the understanding and management of moyamoya disease. Summary of Review—Cerebral revascularization, either direct or indirect, is the cornerstone of treatment for moyamoya disease. Recent advances have been made in understanding the molecular biology and pathophysiology of moyamoya disease, and new genetic mutations and deletions have been identified. Imaging for moyamoya disease is also rapidly improving with new sequences of MRI and better methods of assessing ischemia and cerebrovascular reserve. Positron emission tomography has emerged as an important tool to measure cerebrovascular reserve. Novel surgical techniques assess patency and ischemia during superficial temporal to middle cerebral artery bypass, including indocyanine green videoangiography to evaluate anastomosis pa...
Protein phosphatase methyltransferase 1 (Ppm1p) is the sole activity responsible for modification of the major forms of protein phosphatase 2A in yeast.

Abstract Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a major threonine/serine phosphatase that is involved in regulating a variety of cellular processes. It has been shown in both yeast and mammals that the PP2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac) is methyl-esterified at the conserved C–terminal Leu residue. The recent characterization of a mammalian PP2A carboxyl methyltransferase has led to the identification of two ORFs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as potential orthologues of the mammalian PP2A methyltransferase: protein phosphatase methyltransferase 1 (PPM1) and protein phosphatase methyltransferase 2 (PPM2). To experimentally identify the PP2A methyltransferase in yeast, we obtained deletion mutants of PPM1 and PPM2 and then constructed double mutants. Using in vivo-labeling techniques, we demonstrate that only the PPM1 gene is required for PP2Ac methylation at the C-terminus. Because yeast has at least three homologues of PP2Ac (PPH21, PPH22, and PPH3), we then asked whether all of these catalytic subunits are methylated by the PPM1 and/or PPM2 putative methyltransferases. We modified the segment corresponding to the N-terminal coding region of all three PP2Ac genomic genes with a hemagglutinin (HA) tag in the parent, ppm1, ppm2, and ppm1ppm2 mutant genetic backgrounds. Using immuoprecipitation with anti-HA antibodies followed by methyl ester analysis, we showed that only in the ppm1 mutant were both Pph21p and Pph22p not methylated. We did not detect any methylesterification of Pph3p under our conditions. Our results indicate that PPM1 is the sole methyltransferase responsible for methylating the two major homologues of PP2Ac in yeast. The function of the PPM2 gene product remains unclear.
Redistricting: Reading Between the Lines

The redistricting process evokes major questions about representative democracy, fairness, and political accountability. This article covers the state of the field along three dimensions. First, it explains how redistricting bears on questions about racial and minority representation. Second, it examines how redistricting influences electoral competition, focusing on the alleged power of partisans and incumbents to draw maps that eliminate all but token opposition. Third and last, it discusses the issues surrounding the redistricting process itself and how various procedural reforms may influence political outcomes. Although significant progress has been made in understanding how different redistricting schemes create various biases in the electoral system, a review of the literature shows that major questions have not been resolved regarding the effects of redistricting on electoral competition, partisan polarization, and representation of communities of interest, especially minorities. Moreover, there is insufficient evidence from empirical research to justify any particular reform of the redistricting process. In addition to filling these gaps, future work might also broaden the scope of research to assess how redistricting affects other aspects of democracy, including political participation, efficacy, and trust.
Optimal Placement for River Routing

River routing is the problem of connecting a set of terminals a 1,…,a n on a line to another set b 1,…,b n in order across a rectangular channel. When the terminals are located on modules, the modules must be placed relative to one another before routing. This placement problem arises frequently in design systems like bristle-blocks where stretch lines through a module can effectively break it into several chunks, each of which must be placed separately. This paper gives concise necessary and sufficient conditions for wirability which are applied to reduce the optimal placement problem to the graph-theoretic single-source-longest-paths problem. By exploiting the special structure of graphs that arise from the placement problem for rectilinear wiring, an optimal solution may be determined in linear time.
Spontaneous Inferences, Implicit Impressions, and Implicit Theories

People make social inferences without intentions, awareness, or effort, i.e., spontaneously. We review recent findings on spontaneous social inferences (especially traits, goals, and causes) and closely related phenomena. We then describe current thinking on some of the most relevant processes, implicit knowledge, and theories. These include automatic and controlled processes and their interplay; embodied cognition, including mimicry; and associative versus rule-based processes. Implicit knowledge includes adult folk theories, conditions of personhood, self-knowledge to simulate others, and cultural and social class differences. Implicit theories concern Bayesian networks, recent attribution research, and questions about the utility of the disposition-situation dichotomy. Developmental research provides new insights. Spontaneous social inferences include a growing array of phenomena, but they have been insufficiently linked to other phenomena and theories. We hope the links suggested in this review begin to remedy this.
Hobbes’s Contribution to Abstract Political Science

The following notes are designed to do no more than show the essential nature of Hobbes’s achievement as a political scientist: his qualities as a political philosopher we make no attempt to discuss. The Hobbesian political science rests on only two hypotheses. As a result of a lengthy discussion of human nature and of what is implied in men living together, Hobbes arrives at the proposition that change from one civil government to another can only be made through war; that is by passing through the “Stage of Nature” in which life is “nasty, brutish and short.”
A 30-item schedule for assessing assertive behavior

A 30-item schedule for measuring assertiveness is presented. The scheduleis shown to have moderate to high test-restest reliability (r=.78; p
Graded Achievement, Tested Achievement, and Validity

Twenty-eight studies of grades, over a century, were reviewed using the argument-based approach to validity suggested by Kane as a theoretical framework. The review draws conclusions about the meaning of graded achievement, its relation to tested achievement, and changes in the construct of graded achievement over time. Graded achievement reflects students' broad accomplishment of classroom and school learning goals, including goals about how to learn. Both high school and elementary grades contain information about school achievement that includes being socialized into the way learning happens in classrooms. Graded achievement reflects specific course learning goals and therefore varies according to subject; academic course grades align more closely with tested achievement than noncore course grades. Graded achievement also reflects individual teachers' grading practices and emphases about what is important to learn. Report card grades can be reliable and valid measures of graded achievement, but may not...
Antibodies to Influenza A Viruses in Gulls at Delaware Bay, USA

SUMMARY. Gulls are the known reservoir for H13 and H16 influenza A viruses (IAV) but also host a diversity of other IAV subtypes. Gulls also share habitats with both ducks and shorebirds, increasing the potential for cross-species IAV transmission. We serologically tested laughing gulls (Leucophaeus atricilla) collected at Delaware Bay during May when they were in direct contact with IAV-infected shorebirds; both species feed on horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) eggs on beaches during this month. From 2010 to 2014, antibody prevalence as determined by competitive blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ranged from 25%–72%. Antibodies to H13 and H16 were detected by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) tests in 12% and 24% of tested gulls, respectively. Results from virus microneutralization (MN) tests for antibodies to H1–H12, H14, and H15 varied among years but the highest prevalence of neutralizing antibodies was detected against H1 (24%), H5 (25%), H6 (35%), H9 (33%), and H11 (42%) IAV. The subtype di...
Comparison of creatinine and inulin clearance in the dog during hypoxia.

SummaryThe creatinine/inulin clearance ratio remains close to unity during hypoxia in anesthetized dogs with blood oxygen content as low as 5.5 vol. % resulting from inhalation of an 8% oxygen mixture. Supported by the fact that absolute clearance values do not decrease, it is concluded that the creatinine clearance remains an adequate measure of glomerular filtration rate under these conditions.
The Relationship between Price and Blind-Rated Quality for Margarines and Butters:

proposition that "you get what you pay for." Both immediate quality evaluations and longer-term memory of good and bad product experiences are apt to be biased in favor of more expensive products [5, 6, 10, 11]. Therefore, an adequate test of that proposition is possible only if price cues are eliminated. Previous research which has tested products under the blind condition has concentrated more on brand
An American-Japanese Transcultural Psychoanalysis and the Issue of Teacher Transference

In this paper I have presented the narrative of my own didactic analysis, involving the interchange between an analysand from a Japanese background and an analyst from an American background. As I reflected on my own experience, I discovered what I have called the "teacher transference" as a significant dynamic process within this transcultural analysis. I would like to propose that this teacher transference may be an issue deserving attention in other psychoanalytic relationships and to advance the idea that, in a transcultural analysis, the analyst is not necessarily a stranger. Overall, I hope this paper will contribute to transcultural psychoanalytic theory and to a nonmonolithic understanding of the Japanese and Japanese culture.
Current approach to pheochromocytoma

Pheochromocytomas are tumors of the neural crest-derived chromaffin cells. The hallmark of this rare and fascinating neoplasm is the synthesis and secretion of catecholamines in an unregulated and potentially life-threatening manner. Most pheochromocytomas produce an abundance of norepinephrine. Epinephrine- or dopamine-secreting pheochromocytomas are less common.[1] Pheochromocytomas can also be nonfunctional.[1] Approximately 10% of pheochromocytomas can be categorized as either bilateral, multifocal, extra-adrenal, familial, or malignant; thus, pheochromocytomas are often remembered by medical students as the "10% tumor." Newer reports, however, suggest that pheochromocytomas may be extra-adrenal in up to 30% of cases.[2,3] This brief review will address the diagnosis and management of benign and malignant pheochromocytoma.
Divergent Perspectives on Landscape Connectivity Reveal Consistent Effects from Genes to Communities

Landscape connectivity is increasingly emphasized due to its relevance for interpreting effects of environmental change. Yet substantial uncertainty remains regarding the quantification of connectivity and the extent to which connectivity influences biodiversity. We review and synthesize 370 articles published since 2005 on the quantification and effects of landscape connectivity on biodiversity. We find a notable change in the quantification of connectivity from structural to functional approaches, a rise in network approaches, and a decline in approaches based on metapopulation theory. Most studies (54 %) did not test for the effects of connectivity, but of those that did, 91 % found effects on biodiversity, with over five times as many positive as negative effects reported. These effects were largely consistent across levels of biological organization, despite diverse perspectives on movement and connectivity across these domains. Nevertheless, we argue that several outstanding issues need to be addressed to advance our understanding of the effects of connectivity and its importance for conservation. These issues include the need for greater emphasis on estimating connectivity effects, explicitly incorporating the problem of scale, capturing impacts of movement processes relevant to different levels of organization, proper accounting of uncertainty, and isolating connectivity effects relative to other issues influencing biodiversity.
Advanced inverter functions and communication protocols for distribution management

This paper aims at identifying the advanced features required by distribution management systems (DMS) service providers to bring inverter-connected distributed energy resources into use as an intelligent grid resource. This work explores the standard functions needed in the future DMS for enterprise integration of distributed energy resources (DER). The important DMS functionalities such as DER management in aggregate groups, including the discovery of capabilities, status monitoring, and dispatch of real and reactive power are addressed in this paper. It is intended to provide the industry with a point of reference for DER integration with other utility applications and to provide guidance to research and standards development organizations.