cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cervigram image segmentation based on reconstructive sparse representations

We proposed an approach based on reconstructive sparse representations to segment tissues in optical images of the uterine cervix. Because of large variations in image appearance caused by the changing of the illumination and specular reflection, the color and texture features in optical images often overlap with each other and are not linearly separable. By leveraging sparse representations the data can be transformed to higher dimensions with sparse constraints and become more separated. K-SVD algorithm is employed to find sparse representations and corresponding dictionaries. The data can be reconstructed from its sparse representations and positive and/or negative dictionaries. Classification can be achieved based on comparing the reconstructive errors. In the experiments we applied our method to automatically segment the biomarker AcetoWhite (AW) regions in an archive of 60,000 images of the uterine cervix. Compared with other general methods, our approach showed lower space and time complexity and higher sensitivity.
High-pressure combustion of submillimeter-sized nonane droplets in a low convection environment

Abstract An experimental study of droplet combustion of nonane (C9H20) at elevated pressures burning in air is reported using low gravity and small droplets to promote spherical gas-phase symmetry at pressures up to 30 atm (absolute). The initial droplet diameters range from 0.57 to 0.63 mm and they were ignited by two electrically heated hot wires positioned horizontally on opposite sides of the droplet. The droplet and flame characteristics were recorded by a 16-mm high-speed movie and a high-resolution video camera, respectively. A photodiode is used to measure broadband gray-body emission from the droplet flames and to track its dependence on pressure. Increasing the pressure significantly influences the ability to make quantitative measurements of droplet, soot cloud, and luminous zone diameters. At pressures as low as 2 atm, soot aggregates surrounding the droplet show significant coagulation and agglomeration and at higher pressures the soot cloud completely obscures the droplet, with the result being that the droplet could not be measured. Above 10 atm radiant emissions from hot soot particles are extensive and the resulting flame luminosity further obscures the droplet. Photographs of the luminous zone in subcritical pressures show qualitatively that increasing pressure produces more soot, and the mean photodiode voltage output increases monotonically with pressure. The maximum flame and soot shell diameters shift to later times as pressure increases and the soot shell is located closer to the flame at higher pressure. The soot shell and flame diameter data are correlated by a functional relationship of reduced pressure derived from scaling the drag and thermophoretic forces on aggregates that consolidates all of the data onto a single curve.
Picking up the Pieces: The Effects of Parental Divorce on Adolescents with Some Suggestions for School-Based Intervention Programs:

Four aspects of the effects of divorce on adolescents are examined in this review. First, some of the recent changes that have taken place in the American family are examined, specifically changes in the number of divorces. Second, the effects of divorce on adolescent development are reviewed, especially possible consequences on intellectual performance and academic achievement. Also examined are the effects of divorce on personality development and social relations. Third, differences in adolescents' reactions to parental divorce are discussed and some factors which either facilitate or retard adjustment to the divorce of parents are identified. Fourth, some suggestions are made for school-based interventions that might help ameliorate some of the negative consequences of parental divorce on adolescent functioning.
PULMONARY MECHANICS DURING GENERAL ANAESTHESIA The influence of mechanical irritation on the airway

The changes in pulmonary resistance (RL) and compliance (CL), following airway irritation and surgical stimulation, were investigated in 19 anaesthetized, paralysed patients. Thirteen were normal, while six had objective evidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Broncho—carinal irritation with a suction catheter produced a 27% increase in RL (0.58±0.32 kPa litre−1 s to 0.74±0.40, P
The effect of delay rules in controlling unscheduled visits to hospitals.

The increased demand of unscheduled visits to hospital outpatient facilities, and particularly to walk-in clinics, necessitates the consideration of means to control this flow and to reduce in-hospital waiting times. A model is developed in which a percentage of the unscheduled visits are assumed to be delayable, e.g., patients with non-urgent complaints who call may be asked to delay their arrivals for specified lengths of time. A simple rule for determining, dynamically, the length of this delay was examined by computer simulation. The results demonstrate significant reduction of in-facility waiting times while only marginally increasing the time patients wait from their initial contact with the clinic until seen by a practitioner.
Perceived academic effects of instant messaging use

College students use information and communication technologies at much higher levels and in different ways than prior generations. They are also more likely to multitask while using information and communication technologies. However, few studies have examined the impacts of multitasking on educational outcomes among students. This study fills a gap in this area by utilizing a large-sample web-based survey of college student technology usage to examine how instant messaging and multitasking affect perceived educational outcomes. Since multitasking can impede the learning process through a form of information overload, we explore possible predictors of academic impairment due to multitasking. Results of this study suggest that college students use instant messaging at high levels, they multitask while using instant messaging, and over half report that instant messaging has had a detrimental effect on their schoolwork. Higher levels of instant messaging and specific types of multitasking activities are associated with students reporting not getting schoolwork done due to instant messaging. We discuss implications of these findings for researchers studying the social impacts of technology and those in higher education administration.
A mobile computed tomographic scanner with intraoperative and intensive care unit applications

Introduction A mobile computed tomographic scanner has been developed in which the scan plane is selected by means of gantry translation, rather than by translation of the patient table. This permits computed tomographic scanning in situ of any patient who is positioned on a radiolucent surface that fits within the inner diameter of the gantry. We report the design of and initial experience with this scanner as used with adapters for intraoperative and bedside computed tomography (CT). Methods The scanner is equipped with wheels, draws power from wall outlets (120 V, 20 A) in combination with batteries, and has a translating gantry. Preclinical studies of image quality were performed with phantoms. An operating table adapter was built for use with a radiolucent cranial fixation device. A bedside adapter was built that holds the head and shoulders of a patient in the intensive care unit. Results The preclinical phantom studies showed satisfactory image spatial resolution (0.8 mm) and low-contrast resolution signal-to-noise relative standard deviation (0.37%). Experience to date with 12 patients has confirmed the feasibility of intraoperative CT on demand. Experience to date with 26 patients has confirmed the feasibility of routine bedside CT in the intensive care unit. Conclusion With these adaptations, mobile CT may increase the efficiency of intraoperative scanning by making it available to multiple operating rooms without committing it to any room for an entire operation and may increase the efficiency and safety of CT of critically ill patients who currently need to leave the intensive care unit to travel to a fixed CT installation and back.
Skin collagen advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) and the long-term progression of sub-clinical cardiovascular disease in type 1 diabetes

We recently reported strong associations between eight skin collagen AGEs and two solubility markers from skin biopsies obtained at DCCT study closeout and the long-term progression of microvascular disease in EDIC, despite adjustment for mean glycemia. Herein we investigated the hypothesis that some of these AGEs (fluorescence to be reported elsewhere) correlate with long-term subclinical cardiovascular disease (CVD) measurements, i.e. coronary artery calcium score (CAC) at EDIC year 7–9 (n = 187), change of carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) from EDIC year 1 to year 6 and 12 (n = 127), and cardiac MRI outcomes at EDIC year 15–16 (n = 142). Skin collagen AGE measurements obtained from stored specimens were related to clinical data from the DCCT/EDIC using Spearman correlations and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Spearman correlations showed furosine (early glycation) was associated with future mean CAC (p 0 (p = 0.039), but not with CAC score 100. Glucosepane and pentosidine crosslinks, methylglyoxal hydroimidazolones (MG-H1) and pepsin solubility (inversely) correlated with IMT change from year 1 to 6(all P < 0.05). Left ventricular (LV) mass (cMRI) correlated with MG-H1, and inversely with pepsin solubility (both p < 0.05), while the ratio LV mass/end diastolic volume correlated with furosine and MG-H1 (both p < 0.05), and highly with CML (p < 0.01). In multivariate analysis only furosine (p = 0.01) was associated with CAC. In contrast IMT was inversely associated with lower collagen pepsin solubility and positively with glucosepane, In type 1 diabetes, multiple AGEs are associated with IMT progression in spite of adjustment for A1c implying a likely participatory role of glycation and AGE mediated crosslinking on matrix accumulation in coronary arteries. This may also apply to functional cardiac MRI outcomes, especially left ventricular mass. In contrast, early glycation measured by furosine, but not AGEs, was associated with CAC score, implying hyperglycemia as a risk factor in calcium deposition perhaps via processes independent of glycation. Trial registration: Registered at Clinical trial reg. nos. NCT00360815 and NCT00360893, http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
Effect of ascorbic acid on apparent iron absorption by women with low iron stores

The effect of ascorbic acid supplementation on apparent iron absorption was tested in women with low iron stores. For 10 wk, 25 healthy nonpregnant women, aged 20-45 y with low serum ferritin (3.5-17.7 micrograms/L), consumed either a diet with predicted poorly bioavailable iron or a typical Western diet, classified according to dietary meat and ascorbic acid contents. Meals were supplemented with ascorbic acid (500 mg, three times a day) for 5 of the 10 wk, in a double-blind, crossover design. Ascorbic acid did not affect most biochemical indexes of iron status, the biological half-life of 59Fe, or apparent iron absorption (diet-feces) from either diet, but slightly increased serum ferritin (11.9 vs 10.7 micrograms/L, P < 0.06) when data from both diets were combined. These results support other evidence that ascorbic acid has less effect on iron bioavailability than has been predicted from tests with single meals.
Does exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy affect the clinical features of ADHD? Results from a controlled study.

Objectives. Exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy may be a significant risk factor for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) independently of family history of ADHD. The main aim of this study was to examine whether the clinical profile of ADHD differs between children with and without exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Methods. This was a case–control study of boys and girls with and without ADHD ascertained from psychiatric and paediatric sources. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was defined by interviews with subjects’ mothers. Main outcome measures were ADHD symptoms and associated clinical features in children with and without exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy. Results. No significant differences were found between ADHD children with and without exposure to maternal smoking during pregnancy on clinical characteristics. When these analyses were repeated in the subgroup of subjects without parental history of ADHD, there were also no statistically significant ...
MAAN: a multi-attribute addressable network for grid information services

Recent structured peer-to-peer (P2P) systems such as distributed hash tables (DHTs) offer scalable key-based lookup for distributed resources. However, they cannot be simply applied to grid information services because grid resources need to be registered and searched using multiple attributes. We propose a multiattribute addressable network (MAAN) which extends chord to support multiattribute and range queries. MAAN addresses range queries by mapping attribute values to the chord identifier space via uniform locality preserving hashing. It uses an iterative or single attribute dominated query routing algorithm to resolve multiattribute based queries. Each node in MAAN only has O(logN) neighbors for N nodes. The number of routing hops to resolve a multiattribute range query is O(logN+N/spl times/s/sub min/), where s/sub min/ is the minimum range selectivity on all attributes. When s/sub min/=/spl epsiv/, it is logarithmic to the number of nodes, which is scalable to a large number of nodes and attributes. We also measured the performance of our MAAN implementation and the experimental results are consistent with our theoretical analysis.
Patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy have poor insight into their driving skills.

Background & Aims Minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) is associated with impaired driving skills. It is not clear whether patients have insight into this. The Driving Behavior Survey (DBS) is a validated self- or observer-administered questionnaire. DBS consists of a total score (maximum, 104) and an attention-related driving skills section (maximum, 40). DBS was used to compare self-assessment with observer-assessment of driving skills in cirrhotic patients tested for MHE. Methods Forty-seven nonalcoholic cirrhotic patients and 40 controls underwent psychometric tests, DBS, and driving simulation with navigation/driving tasks. An adult familiar with the subject's driving completed the DBS independently. Simulator performances, total DBS scores, and driving skill scores were compared between/within groups (MHE+, MHE−, and controls) with respect to self-assessment and observer assessment. Results Thirty-six patients were MHE+ and 11 were MHE−. MHE+ had a significantly higher simulator crash (MHE+, 3; MHE−, 1.2; controls, 1.7; P = .001) and illegal turn rate (MHE+, 1.2; MHE−, 0.3; controls, 0.1; P = .0001). Despite this worse performance, MHE+ patients rated themselves similar to MHE− patients and control groups on total ( P = .28) and driving skills scores ( P = .19). Observer assessment in MHE+ was significantly lower for total ( P = .0001) and driving skills ( P = .0001) compared with observer assessment for MHE− patients and control groups. MHE+ patients were rated significantly lower on driving skills (34 vs 37; P = .02) and trended lower in the total score ( P = .08) by observers compared with self-ratings. In contrast, MHE− and control groups rated themselves similar to their observers on driving skills and total DBS scores. Conclusions MHE patients have poor insight into their driving skills. A part of the MHE patient's clinical interview should be to increase awareness of this driving impairment.
Inhibition of the Activity of Pseudomonas Toxin by Methylamine

Methylamine at a concentration of 20 mM protected mouse LM cell fibroblasts from the action of pseudomonas toxin. Nearly total protection was observed when cells were pretreated with amine before the addition to toxin and amine, when amine and toxin were added simultaneously, or when amine was added up to 30 min after toxin binding. Later addition of methylamine afforded partial protection of the monolayers. Using electron microscopy, we observed that toxin initially bound diffusely to the cell surface but rapidly moved to coated pits and was internalized after cells were warmed to 37 C. Methylamine blocked the clustering of toxin into coated-pit areas of the membrane but did not alter the overall level of toxin internalization. It is suggested that pseudomonas toxin enters mammalian cells by receptor-mediated endocytosis and that methylamine alters the entry process. In those instances in which partial protection was seen when methylamine was added after toxin internalization, the primary amine may be functioning by inactivation of lysosomal processing of the toxin.
A Laboratory Management Primer

A well-prepared manager is an agent of change. By using an engaged and thoughtful approach, a manager is very often the key catalyst in moving a medical laboratory from mediocrity to excellence. Laboratory managers are highly specialized employees. They serve numerous roles within the health care system. Their primary role is to provide highly technical expertise within the laboratory. They are “extenders” of the physician directors. In that role, they must remain abreast of wide-ranging federal regulations, credentialing and compliance issues, new technologies, and standards of care in laboratory testing. In addition to important technical duties, laboratory managers must also make decisions on the business side. The best managers know how to balance their varied responsibilities. They are always looking to the future. They see changes in the operational environment as opportunities to make needed improvements in staffing, technology, and processes. This progressive approach requires insight, commitment, and the ability to work with the staff to identify and solve problems. All high-performance managers share certain traits. A good manager is a strategist, one who looks to the future, makes educated guesses about the major forces and trends that can be seen, and interprets them in terms of opportunities for growth and progress. A good manager is a problem solver, one who clearly perceives the differences between the anticipated future and the unfolding present, and who decides what must be done with those factors under his or her control to influence the environment or to adapt to it most effectively. A good manager is a teacher, one who guides others and helps them to identify and solve problems, so that they can perform their tasks effectively and can develop themselves as individuals as well as workers. 1 Management is commonly broken into 4 primary areas: planning, organizing, directing, and controlling. This article provides an overview of those management functions.
Quantifying the benefits of joint content and network routing

Online service providers aim to provide good performance for an increasingly diverse set of applications and services. One of the most effective ways to improve service performance is to replicate the service closer to the end users. Replication alone, however, has its limits: while operators can replicate static content, wide-scale replication of dynamic content is not always feasible or cost effective. To improve the latency of such services many operators turn to Internet traffic engineering. In this paper, we study the benefits of performing replica-to-end-user mappings in conjunction with active Internet traffic engineering. We present the design of PECAN, a system that controls both the selection of replicas ("content routing") and the routes between the clients and their associated replicas ("network routing"). We emulate a replicated service that can perform both content and network routing by deploying PECAN on a distributed testbed. In our testbed, we see that jointly performing content and network routing can reduce round-trip latency by 4.3% on average over performing content routing alone (potentially reducing service response times by tens of milliseconds or more) and that most of these gains can be realized with no more than five alternate routes at each replica.
The Global Resurgence of Infectious Diseases

In an increasingly interdependent world, we face an array of new global challenges that transcend the traditional definition of national security. One important example is the resurgence of infectious diseases. In the 1960s and 1970s, powerful antibiotic drugs and vaccines appeared to have banished the major plagues from the industrialized world, leading to a mood of complacency and the neglect of programs for disease surveillance and prevention. Over the past few decades, however, infectious diseases have returned with a vengeance. Many factors, or combinations of factors, can contribute to disease emergence. New infectious diseases may emerge from genetic changes in existing organisms; known diseases may spread to new geographic areas and populations; and previously unknown infections may appear in humans due to changing ecological conditions that increase their exposure to insect vectors, animal reservoirs, or environmental sources of novel pathogens. Reemergence may also occur because of the development of anti-microbial resistance in existing infections (e.g., malaria) or breakdowns in public health measures for previously controlled infections due to civil conflict (e.g., cholera, tuberculosis). Not only does the re-emergence of infectious diseases threaten health directly, but devastating epidemics such as AIDS are spawning widespread political instability and civil conflict. This instability, in turn, will contribute to humanitarian emergencies and economic crises.
What’s a Genome Worth?

A recent study (Roberts et al.) explores considerations in estimating the current and potential clinical utility of whole-genome sequencing for individual patients.
Predicting Mortality in Patients with Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: The APACHE II Score versus the New IBMP-10 Score

BACKGROUND: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the leading cause of mortality associated with nosocomial infection. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score at the time of diagnosis of VAP is considered the best scoring system to predict mortality in patients with VAP. The objective of this study was to develop a simple score to predict mortality in patients with VAP and to compare its results with those for the APACHE II scoring system. METHODS: The new score was developed by performing a univariate analysis of data collected from 178 patients with VAP. The mortality prediction ability of the new score was compared with the APACHE II score on the basis of receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: The IBMP-10 score assigned 1 point to each of the following variables: (1) the presence of immunodeficiency; (2) blood pressure 10 days. The area under the curve was 0.743 for the APACHE II score and 0.824 for the IBMP-10 score (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary work indicates that a 5-point score, the IBMP-10, is comparable to the APACHE II score in its ability to predict mortality in patients with VAP. If future studies validate the IBMP-10 score, physicians may be have a simple tool to evaluate the disease severity and to predict outcomes in patients with VAP.
On Global Stability of a Predator-Prey System

A two-dimensional model for predator-prey interaction is proposed. Two criteria for global stability of the locally stable equilibrium are presented. These make the graphical method of Rosenzweig and MacArthur more significant.
A Critical Analysis of Intra-arterial Thrombolytic Doses in Acute Ischemic Stroke Treatment

Background Intra-arterial thrombolytics (IAT) such as Alteplase, Tenecteplase, and Reteplase are currently used in patients with acute ischemic stroke in varying doses. We evaluated the relationship of IA thrombolytic dose with angiographic recanalization, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) rates, and clinical outcomes at three comprehensive stroke centers.
Textile Manufacturers' Market Valuation of Cotton Fiber Attributes

This study provides an analysis of the price-quality relationships of U.S. cotton using primary data collected from textile manufacturers, the end users of fiber. Hedonic prices of fiber attributes are estimated for three production regions—West, South Central, and South—over the 1992–95 study period. Results indicate that cotton price is determined by quality attributes and nonquality factors in the end-use market. There are similarities and differences in valuation of fiber attributes based on region of origin of the cotton.
CB1 cannabinoid receptor activation inhibits a neural correlate of song recognition in an auditory/perceptual region of the zebra finch telencephalon.

A notable consequence of CB1 cannabinoid receptor activation in vertebrates is an impairment of cognitive function related to learning and short-term memory. The mechanisms of this impairment remain unclear, but one possibility is that cannabinoids influence encoding of stimuli at sensory and/or perceptual levels. Here, by treating zebra finches with the cannabinoid agonist WIN55212-2 and then measuring expression of the transcription factor zenk following presentation of novel zebra finch song, we show that cannabinoid receptor activation differentially influences zenk expression in sensory versus perceptual regions of the songbird auditory telencephalon. That is, WIN55212-2 dose-dependently inhibited zenk expression in a region for auditory perception (NCM, the caudomedial neostriatum), but had no effect on zenk expression in the primary auditory area, the Field L complex. The inhibitory effects of WIN55212-2 on zenk expression in NCM were reversed by coadministration of the CB1-selective antagonist SR141716A. Moreover, we found that the habituation of the NCM zenk response to repeated presentation of the same song, a well-established neural correlate of song recognition, was blocked when birds were treated with WIN55212-2 during habituation trials. Our data suggest that activation of CB1 cannabinoid receptors can selectively influence perceptual and mnemonic aspects of auditory experience.
The impact of technology on the quality-value-loyalty chain: A research agenda

In this article, the authors first propose a simple model summarizing the key drivers of customer loyalty. Then, on the basis of this model and drawing on key insights from the preceding articles in this issue, they outline a set of issues for further research related to the quality-value-loyalty chain. Next, the authors develop a conceptual framework that integrates the quality-value-loyalty chain with the “pyramid model,” which emphasizes the increasing importance of technology-customer, technology-employee, and technology-company linkages in serving customers. Using this integrated framework as a spring-board, they identify a number of avenues for additional inquiry pertaining to the three types of linkages.
On the Design of Low Dimensional Devices Using Atomistic Computational Approaches

Summary form only given. Nanoscale electronic devices are considered as a new frontier beyond conventional microelectronics. In this article, the author shows how it is possible to couple large-scale quantum electronic structure calculations with non-equilibrium Green function formulation to design new paradigms for nano devices. In particular, the author presents recent findings on a nano-switch based on the encapsulation of a donor/acceptor molecule within a carbon nanotube. The switching behavior is analyzed in detail and a novel model for nanoscale non-volatile memory element is presented.
Collection of epithelial cells from rodent mammary gland via laser capture microdissection yielding high-quality RNA suitable for microarray analysis

Laser capture microdissection (LCM) enables collection of cell populations highly enriched for specific cell types that have the potential of yielding critical information about physiological and pathophysiological processes. One use of cells collected by LCM is for gene expression profiling. Samples intended for transcript analyses should be of the highest quality possible. RNA degradation is an ever-present concern in molecular biological assays, and LCM is no exception. This paper identifies issues related to preparation, collection, and processing in a lipid-rich tissue, rodent mammary gland, in which the epithelial to stromal cell ratio is low and the stromal component is primarily adipocytes, a situation that presents numerous technical challenges for high-quality RNA isolation. Our goal was to improve the procedure so that a greater probe set present call rate would be obtained when isolated RNA was evaluated using Affymetrix microarrays. The results showed that the quality of RNA isolated from epithelial cells of both mammary gland and mammary adenocarcinomas was high with a probe set present call rate of 65% and a high signal-to-noise ratio.
Generating image filters for target recognition by genetic learning

Describes results obtained from applying genetic algorithms to the problem of detecting targets in image data. The method described is a two-layered approach, with the first layer providing a focus-of-attention function for the second layer. The first layer is called a Screener and selects subimages from the original image data to be processed by the second layer, called the Classifier. The Screener reduces the computational load of the system. Each layer consists of a set of linear operators (filters) applied directly to the image data. A genetic algorithm is applied to populations of filters based on fitness criteria. The authors note that the statistical classifier chosen for the Classifier stage drives the evolution of filters that are useful for that classifier to make good discriminations. >
Autocrine/Paracrine IFN-αβ Mediates the Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Activation of Transcription Factor Stat1α in Mouse Macrophages: Pivotal Role of Stat1α in Induction of the Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene

We have examined the role of Stat1α in the induction by LPS of the mouse inducible nitric oxide synthase (EC 1.14.13.39) gene. LPS induced both the tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat1α and the production of nitric oxide in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The phosphorylation of Stat1α elicited by LPS differed from that observed using IFN-γ or IFN-β, in that LPS induced less phosphorylated protein and the time course of induction was much delayed (2–4 h compared with 30 min). Cycloheximide inhibited LPS-mediated Stat1α phosphorylation. In addition, cell culture supernatants derived from macrophages treated with LPS for 4 h could be transferred to naive macrophage cultures resulting in rapid (30 min), rather than delayed (4 h), phosphorylation of Stat1α. Together, these results implicated an autocrine/paracrine effector protein(s) in the phosphorylation process. LPS stimulated phosphorylation of Stat1α in peritoneal macrophages derived from IFN-γ-knockout mice, negating any possibility that IFN-γ was the mediator. By contrast, neutralizing Ig raised against mouse IFN-αβ inhibited both the delayed LPS-mediated phosphorylation of Stat1α and the rapid induction of phosphorylation induced by supernatants from LPS-stimulated cultures. Collectively, these results show that LPS-induced IFN-αβ production, Stat1α activation, and nitrite accumulation closely parallel one another, suggesting that indirect activation of transcription factor Stat1α by IFN-αβ is a critical determinant of LPS-mediated inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression.
Practical Implications of Psychological Research on Juror and Jury Decision Making

The results of basic social science research have been applied to legal practice at a number of levels within the criminal and civil justice systems, although its application is controversial at all levels of practice. A selective review of behavioral science research on juror and jury decision making reveals that there has been cumulative and substantial progress in our understanding of these processes over the past three decades. Many of these findings are relevant to the efforts to improve the institution of the petit jury trial.
Effects of different level processing on retention

The purpose of the present experiment may best be related to the theoretical formulations of Craik and Lockhart (1972). Specifically, this study examined memorial effects of continued stimulus processing at either a deep or shallow level. Recall performance improved with extra processing at both levels, although the extent of this improvement was greater following the deeper analysis. Difficulties in experimentation which are unique to this formulation were also noted.
Effects of Fiber and Ratio of Starch to Sugar on Performance of Ruminating Calves

Abstract A 5 × 2 factorial experiment determined the effects of five levels of fiber (5 to 60% straw, equal parts of barley, rye, and wheat) and two ratios of starch to sugar (1:1 and 3:1) on the performance of young ruminating calves. Forty male Holstein calves were assigned to ten rations at eight weeks of age and continued on the respective ration for 12 weeks. Feeding was ad libitum. Ratio of starch to sugar had no effect on animal performance. Live weight gains were satisfactory for calves eight to 20 weeks of age on rations containing up to at least 23% acid-detergent fiber. Fill (contents of reticulo-rumen, omasum, and abomasum) increased linearly with the dietary fiber level, resulting in a smaller proportion of live weight gain being attributable to true tissue gain on higher fiber rations. Feed intake was maximum for the 23% acid-detergent fiber ration and dry matter digestibility was 70% for this ration. Dry matter and crude protein digestibility decreased linearly with fiber content. Fiber digestibility increased with dietary fiber and was maximum for a ration containing 29% acid-detergent fiber. Efficiency of conversion of digestible dry matter to body weight gain corrected for fill was similar for all fiber levels.
Predator Exclusion Methods for Managing Endangered Shorebirds: Are Two Barriers Better than One?

Abstract Reproductive success of shorebirds can be improved by placement of predator exclosure fences along beaches or wire-mesh exclosure “cages” over nests. We predicted that these two types of exclosures used simultaneously might further improve reproductive success over that when cages alone are used. Field experiments were carried out on Piping Plovers (Charadrius melodus) on prairie alkali lakes in North Dakota and Montana. During 1996 and 1997, we compared success of nesting plover pairs provided with: (1) no protection, (2) cages that protected eggs in individual nests from both mammalian and avian predators, and (3) a combination of cages plus a temporary electric fence that excluded mammalian predators from the entire nesting beach where chicks were being reared. In 20 replicated trials, fledgling production rates were: no protection, 0.72 chicks/pair (95% CI: 0.29-1.15, N = 43 pairs); cage only, 1.73 (1.30-2.16, N = 46); fence plus cage, 2.06 (1.63-2.49, N = 50). Production by protected pairs w...
Driven to Extinction: On the Probability of Evolutionary Rescue from Sex-Ratio Meiotic Drive

Many evolutionary processes result in sufficiently low mean fitness that they pose a risk of species extinction. Sex-ratio meiotic drive was recognized by W.D. Hamilton (1967) to pose such a risk, because as the driving sex chromosome becomes common, the opposite sex becomes rare. We expand on Hamilton’s classic model by allowing for the escape from extinction due to evolution of suppressors of X and Y drivers. We explore differences in the two systems in their probability of escape from extinction. Several novel conclusions are evident, including a) that extinction time scales approximately with the log of population size so that even large populations may go extinct quickly, b) extinction risk is driven by the relationship between female fecundity and drive strength, c) anisogamy and the fact that X and Y drive result in sex ratios skewed in opposite directions, mean systems with Y drive are much more likely to go extinct than those with X drive, and d) suppressors are most likely to become established when the strength of drive is intermediate, since weak drive leads to weak selection for suppression and strong drive leads to rapid extinction.
Large-Scale Bacteriophage Production

Publisher Summary Describing the process of large-scale bacteriophage production, the chapter discusses generally considerable aspects, such as Growth methods, counting of bacteriophage particles, calculation of bacteriophage yield, special precautions to prevent the unwanted bacteriophage infection of cultures, and limitation of foaming. DNA and RNA Bacteriophages are also discussed in detail in the chapter. Bacteriophage T7 has a particle mass of 38 X l0 6 daltons. It is virulent for Escherichia coli B. The discovery of an RNA-containing bacteriophage was first reported by Loeb and Zinder (1961). This announcement started a search for similar viruses and now a range of related bacteriophages is known. Apart from discussing the importance of aeration, the chapter also describes the the production and purification of μ 2. The chapter finally gives an account of the Bacteriophage-Infected CelIs. There is an increasing interest in the production of bacteria that have been infected with bacteriophage and allowed to continue growing to a stage prior to lysis. Such cells are used as a source of bacteriophage-induced enzymes and other products involved in the bacteriophage replication process.
The Advisory Function of Law

The immense volume of law in the United States has produced a legal system that is complex, pervasive, and, for many individuals and firms, difficult to navigate. Despite a chorus of critics calling for the simplification of law and reduction of regulation, political inertia has proven this aspect of our legal system highly resistant to reform. It is therefore common for individuals to lack sufficient legal knowledge to accomplish the countless ordinary tasks now governed by a complex legal and regulatory framework. In response, this Essay proposes a new theory of law reform — the advisory function of law — as a minimally invasive approach for mitigating the problems of legal error and legal ignorance. Under the advisory function, the law would seek to (1) identify transactions and activities in which legal errors and information deficits frequently cause harm to the actor himself or third parties and (2) supply advice in the form of guidance through innovative channels of legal information, bridge rules, and technology-enhanced processes to facilitate the accomplishment of legally complex tasks. This approach is minimally invasive because it would not require the actor to acquire intricate legal knowledge or complete mastery of the law, and it would not generally displace the underlying substantive law. As a blueprint for applying the advisory function, this Essay presents a detailed exposition of this theory through three illustrations in the wealth transfer law context: (1) processes facilitating proper will execution; (2) processes facilitating proper completion and timely updating of non-probate death beneficiary designation forms administered by financial intermediaries (including retirement account custodians and life insurance providers); and (3) bridge rules encouraging the drafting of trusts that properly and affirmatively articulate the settlor’s material purposes. Applying the advisory function theory, the essay also identifies features of wealth transfer law that not only fail to prevent legal error but invite it.
Prevalence of BRCA1 Mutation Carriers among U.S. Non-Hispanic Whites

Data from several countries indicate that 1% to 2% of Ashkenazi Jews carry a pathogenic ancestral mutation of the tumor suppressor gene BRCA1. However, the prevalence of BRCA1 mutations among non-Ashkenazi Whites is uncertain. We estimated mutation carrier prevalence in U.S. non-Hispanic Whites, specific for Ashkenazi status, using data from two population-based series of San Francisco Bay Area patients with invasive cancers of the breast or ovary, and data on breast and ovarian cancer risks in Ashkenazi and non-Ashkenazi carriers. Assuming that 90% of the BRCA1 mutations were detected, we estimate a carrier prevalence of 0.24% (95% confidence interval, 0.15-0.39%) in non-Ashkenazi Whites, and 1.2% (95% confidence interval, 0.5-2.6%) in Ashkenazim. When combined with U.S. White census counts, these prevalence estimates suggest that approximately 550,513 U.S. Whites (506,206 non-Ashkenazim and 44,307 Ashkenazim) carry germ line BRCA1 mutations. These estimates may be useful in guiding resource allocation for genetic testing and genetic counseling and in planning preventive interventions.
A Simple Selection Method for Effective Screening Concentration of NaCl for Generating Marker-Free Salt-Tolerant Transgenic Rice

The relevance between inhibition rates of rice seed germination and mature embryo callus growth by NaCl at different concentrations was studied by using four japonica rice cultivars(Nipponbare,Xiushui 11,Wuyunjing 7 and Zhonghua 11) as materials.Results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between the inhibition rates of rice seed germination and mature embryo callus growth under salt stress(on NB medium containting NaCl).The NaCl concentration at which the inhibition rate of rice seed germination reached about 50% was concordant with the concentration at which the inhibition rate of mature embryo callus growth reached about 80%.These could be used as important references to determine the effective concentrations of NaCl for screening of transformed cells in rice transformation with salt-tolerant gene.The effective NaCl concentrations were 200 mmol/L for Nipponbare,Wuyunjing 7 and Zhonghua 11 and 250 mmol/L for Xiushui 11.Transgenic rice plants were successfully obtained with the NaCl concentration as screening standard in the transformation of Nipponbare and Xiushui 11 with salt-tolerant gene BADH.The transformation frequency of Nipponbare and Xiushui 11 were 38.9% and 32.0%,respectively.The method that the suitable concentration of NaCl for screening in rice transformation was determined by testing the inhibition rate of rice seed germination,it is free of resistance marker genes and easy to operate with short experimental duration.
DETERMINATION OF La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm IN ALUMINI UM AL LOY BY ICP-AES

In this article, the determination of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm at minor level in aluminium alloy is investigated. Detection limits and spectral interferences by major concomitant elements are discussed for fifteen lines, and analytical line recommendations are made for the samples. The optimum operating conditions for a single element analysis are obtained with orthonomal experiment design, and the compromise conditions for sequential multielement analysis are obtained with the objective function. The relative standard deviation for the sample is less than 2.1% (except Sm) and the resultes are compared to the standard resultes.
Abstract P44: Assessing the Risk of Hospital Readmission in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure: A Comparison of 4 Risk Scores

Background: Readmission within 30 days of a prior hospitalization for congestive heart failure (CHF) has emerged as a major marker of quality improvement and payment reform. Whereas a number of interventions are available to improve outcomes and reduce readmission rates, there remains an urgent need for accurate risk stratification tools that could be used to build cost-effective and personalized CHF management programs. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on patients discharged from a major urban hospital between June 2009 and October 2009 with a primary diagnosis of CHF. Patients were followed until their first all-cause hospital readmission. We made minor modifications to 4 different readmission risk scores in order to assess and compare their ability to estimate the risk of hospital readmission at 30 days from discharge. Three of the scores (Chin and Goldman 11 point scoring, Philbin and DiSalvo 15 point scoring and Krumholz et al 4 point scoring) were retrieved from reviewing the literature. The fourth tool (Henry Ford score) is an internal non-validated computed calculator based on 8 predictive factors, previously derived within our institution. The scores were compared by logistic regression and area under the ROC curve. Results: 285 patients were included in the study. The readmission rate at 30 days was 23.5% (67 of 285). A logistic regression revealed that both Chin and Goldman and Philbin scores were poor and statistically non-significant predictors of 30-day all-cause readmission (p-values = 0.784 and 0.165 respectively). When compared by logistic regression and area under the ROC curve, Henry Ford tool (p-value = 0.003; AUC = 0.64) performed the best followed by the Krumholz score (p-value = 0.017; AUC = 0.60). Conclusions: In an era where there is an urgent need to improve and personalize heart failure management programs, simple scores can be used to stratify patients according to their risk of re-hospitalization. Krumholz and Henry Ford scores are both accurate tools for the prediction of 30-day all-cause readmission. Krumholz score relies on 4 easily retrievable risk factors while the Henry Ford tool is a computed model that integrates 8 different factors.
Eight sages over five centuries share oxygen's discovery.

During the last century, historians have discovered that between the 13th and 18th centuries, at least six sages discovered that the air we breathe contains something that we need and use. Ibn al-N...
A new weak Galerkin finite element method for elliptic interface problems

A new weak Galerkin (WG) finite element method is introduced and analyzed in this paper for solving second order elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients and interfaces. Comparing with the existing WG algorithm for solving the same type problems, the present WG method has a simpler variational formulation and fewer unknowns. Moreover, the new WG algorithm allows the use of finite element partitions consisting of general polytopal meshes and can be easily generalized to high orders. Optimal order error estimates in both H 1 and L 2 norms are established for the present WG finite element solutions. Extensive numerical experiments have been conducted to examine the accuracy, flexibility, and robustness of the proposed WG interface approach. In solving regular elliptic interface problems, high order convergences are numerically confirmed by using piecewise polynomial basis functions of high degrees. Moreover, the WG method is shown to be able to accommodate very complicated interfaces, due to its flexibility in choosing finite element partitions. Finally, in dealing with challenging problems with low regularities, the piecewise linear WG method is capable of delivering a second order of accuracy in L ∞ norm for both C 1 and H 2 continuous solutions.
Forced versus Spontaneous Spreading of Liquids

Two sets of experiments are performed, one for the free spreading of a liquid drop on a glass substrate and the other for the forced motion of a glass plate through a gas–liquid interface. The measured macroscopic advancing contact angle, θA, versus the contact line speed, U, differ markedly between the two configurations. The hydrodynamic theory (HDT) and the molecular kinetic theory (MKT) are shown to apply separately to the two systems. This distinction has not been previously noted. Rules of thumb are given that for an experimentalist involve a priori knowledge of the expected behavior.