cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soil fertility management as a factor in weed control: the effect of crimson clover residue, synthetic nitrogen fertilizer, and their interaction on emergence and early growth of lambsquarters and sweet corn

Previous experiments have shown that crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) used as a green manure may supply weed control benefits as well as nitrogen (N) to a subsequent crop of corn (Zea mays L.). In contrast to use of synthetic N fertilizer, use of fresh, incorporated crimson clover residue as an N source has been found to suppress lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.) aboveground drymatter accumulation but to only temporarily reduce that of sweet corn. One possible cause of the clover's suppressive effect is the initial low availability of N that may occur after residue incorporation in the soil. A factorial treatment combination of +/− crimson clover residue and four rates of N fertilizer was used in two field experiments to further document the clover's influence on early plant growth and development and to test the hypothesis that low initial N availability is responsible for the clover's previously observed suppressive effects. The presence of crimson clover residue was found to reduce total emergence of lambsquarters by 27%, while application of N fertilizer increased lambsquarters emergence by almost 75%. Lambsquarters emergence was also delayed by the residue treatment. Addition of N did not alleviate the clover's suppressive effect on total emergence or emergence rate of lambsquarters. Sweet corn emergence and emergence rate differed by less than 5% in 0 N/+residue and 0 N/−residue treatments. Applications of N to residue plots suppressed rather than enanced sweet corn emergence. Lambsquarters aboveground biomass accumulation was 46% tower in the residue than nonresidue treatments at 23 days after planting (DAP) and remained 26% lower at 53 DAP. Addition of N did not alleviate the suppressive effect of the clover residue on lambsquarters aboveground drymatter accumulation. Sweet corn aboveground biomass accumulation was not affected by the presence of the clover residue. The results of the experiments indicate that the suppressive effect of crimson clover residue on lambsquarters emergence and growth is not attributable to initial low availability of N. However, given the stimulatory effect of N fertilizer on lambsquarters development, use of crimson clover as an N source would appear to provide weed control benefits both as a direct suppressant of weed emergence and growth and as a substitute for fertilizer N.
A note on improving quadratic inference functions using a linear shrinkage approach

In some commonly used longitudinal clinical trials designs, the quadratic inference functions (QIF) method fails to work due to non-invertible estimation of the optimal weighting matrix. We propose a modified QIF method, in which the optimal weighting matrix is estimated by a linear shrinkage estimator, replacing the sample covariance matrix. We prove that the linear shrinkage estimator is consistent and asymptotically optimal under the expected quadratic loss, and will have more stable numerical performance than the sample covariance matrix. Simulations show that numerical improvements are acquired in light of a higher percentage of convergence, and smaller standard errors and mean square errors of parameter estimates.
Radial diffusion and losses of energetic protons in the 5 to 12 RS region of Saturn's magnetosphere

Phase space density profiles for nearly equatorial mirroring energetic protons, derived from Pioneer 11 measurements during the 1979 Saturn encounter, were analyzed using solutions of the time-averaged radial diffusion equation in a dipolar planetary magnetic field. Then, several loss models were considered, ranging from a model that takes into account satellite absorption only to the one that accounts for satellite plus ring-E absorption plus added distributed losses, and the corresponding form of the time-averaged radial diffusion coefficient was determined for each case by a minimum-variance fit to the data-derived phase space densiy profiles. The model comparisons clearly indicated the need for distributed losses, in addition to satellite absorption, in order to explain the smooth decline of the experimental energetic proton phase space density profiles in the 5-12-Saturn radius region of Saturn's magnetosphere.
Prospective evaluation of prognostic significance of the tumor-free distance from uterine serosa in surgically staged endometrial adenocarcinoma

Abstract Objective To determine if tumor-free distance (TFD) from the uterine serosa predicts surgicopathologic factors and outcome in surgically staged endometrial cancer, and to compare TFD with the traditional estimate of depth of myometrial invasion (DOI). Methods Patients who underwent complete surgical staging for primary endometrial cancer at a single institution were identified from 2002–2005. During this time, TFD was prospectively measured at the time of pathologic evaluation of the uterine specimen. Tumor-free distance (TFD) was defined as distance from deepest myometrial invasion to the serosal surface, whereas DOI was defined as the distance between the endomyometrial junction and deepest myometrial invasion. DOI and TFD were shown as continuous variables and compared to traditional surgicopathologic factors and evaluated for their ability to predict recurrence and death from disease. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to examine the data. Receiver–operator characteristic curve was created to evaluate optimal TFD. Results We identified 99 patients that met the study criteria. Mean DOI was 0.6 cm and mean TFD was 1.3 cm. 77 patients were stage I, 11 were stage II, and 11 were stage III. Tumor grade was distributed as 68, 21 and 10 for grades 1, 2, and 3 respectively. Median follow up time was 2.7 years (1002 days) with 9 episodes of recurrence and 7 deaths. Univariate analysis demonstrated DOI to be a significant predictor of death, grade, lymph node metastasis, lymphovascular space involvement (LVSI), stage, lower uterine segment (LUS) involvement and adnexal involvement. TFD significantly predicted lymph node metastasis, LVSI, and grade. Using Cox proportional hazards model, DOI more significantly predicted recurrence (hazard ratio 3.11, p =0.0007). Both DOI and TFD predicted death from disease (hazard ratio 3.58, p =0.0006 and 0.22, p =0.0365, respectively). Although the performance characteristics of TFD were modest, the balance of sensitivity and specificity for TFD in predicting recurrence was 1 cm. Conclusions TFD, like DOI, is predictive of many surgicopathological variables and patient outcome in surgically staged endometrial cancer. Although the performance characteristics may not be as powerful as DOI, the ease and reproducibility of this measurement may justify its inclusion in synoptic reporting of endometrial cancer.
a Method of Representing the Horizontal Pressure Force Without Reduction of Station Pressures to Sea Level.

Abstract A coordinate system is presented in which the lowest coordinate surface represents the topography of the earth. Higher coordinate surfaces reflect this topography in diminishing degrees and become isobaric at and above the 500-mb level. A method of representing the field of the horizontal pressure force in the nonisobaric coordinate surfaces, using geostrophic stream and potential functions, is described. Geostrophic winds computed from these functions are compared with those obtained from the customary sea-level charts and with observed winds.
LINKING ERRORS IN TREND ESTIMATION IN LARGE‐SCALE SURVEYS: A CASE STUDY

One of the major objectives of large-scale educational surveys is reporting trends in academic achievement. For this purpose, a substantial number of items are carried from one assessment cycle to the next. The linking process that places academic abilities measured in different assessments on a common scale is usually based on a concurrent calibration of adjacent assessments using item response theory (IRT) models. It can be conjectured that the selection of common items has a direct effect on the estimation error of academic abilities due to item misfit, small changes in the common items, position effect, and other sources of constructirrelevant changes between measurement occasions. Hence, the error due to the common-item sampling could be a major source of error for the ability estimates. In operational analyses, generally two sources of error are accounted for in variance estimation: student sampling error and measurement error. A double jackknifing procedure is proposed to include a third source of the estimation error, the error due to common-item sampling. Three different versions of the double jackknifing were implemented and compared. The data used in this study were item responses from Grade 4 students who took the NAEP 2004 and 2008 math long-term trend (LTT) assessments. These student samples used in this study are representative samples of Grade 4 student population in 2004 and in 2008 across the US. The results showed that these three double jackknifing approaches resulted in similar standard error estimates that were slightly higher than the estimates from the traditional approach, regardless of whether an item sampling scheme was used or items were dropped at random.
Performance studies of PEM fuel cells with interdigitated flow fields

Efforts in developing various models for PEM fuel cells have been increasing in recent years, and thus creating an urgent need for systematic experimental data on fuel cells with commercially available components. Such systematic experimental data is also needed by new fuel cell developers to accelerate their system development and optimization. To meet these needs, we present in this paper systematic experimental data on the performance of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with interdigitated flow fields. The experiments concentrate on the effects of cell temperature, gas humidification, cell operating pressure and reactant gas flow rate. The experimental results are presented in the form of polarization curves. In addition, a three-dimensional fuel cell mathematical model is used to simulate the cell performance with the interdigitated flow fields. The comparison of the modeling results and experimental data shows a good agreement.
Rotenoids from Amorpha canescens roots

Abstract A new rotenoid termed amorpholone has been isolated from a hexane extract of Amorpha canescens roots and identified as 6-hydroxydehydrorotenone by spectroscopic methods. Its structure was conformed by its conversion to rotenonone and by synthesis from rotenone. Also isolated were rotenonone and acetylursolic acid.
Latitudinal variation of the solar limb-darkening function

In an effort to monitor solar limb-darkening variability, the continuum radiation intensity at 550 nm over the outermost 32 arcseconds of the limb is measured at various solar latitudes. Using the Finite Fourier Transform Definition, the edge location of the Sun is determined for a series of scan amplitudes at each of the observed positions. The differential radius is the difference between edge locations for a fixed pair of scan amplitudes, and is a quantity which characterizes the slope of the solar limb-darkening function. Utilizing the differential radius, such observations offer the possibility of revealing a latitudinal variation of the photospheric temperature gradient and could provide clues to the mechanisms and variability of energy transport out of the Sun. These observations began in 1988 with measurements at 24 separate limb positions and include observations since 1990 when 36 positions were observed. The daily differential radius measurements for each position that is free of contamination from solar active regions are weighted according to the corresponding daily variance and averaged to obtain an overall value at each position for the observing season. The results indicate that during the 1991 observing season, there were regions near 20°N latitude and 30°S latitude on the Sun where the differential radius values were significantly greater than surrounding regions. This suggests that perturbations to the temperature gradient occur in latitudinally localized regions and persist for at least several months. It is shown that this phenomenon could have the same origin as the observed latitudinal variations of surface temperature and could also speak to the question of a lag time between the cycles of irradiance and magnetic variation.
Two scenarios for avalanche dynamics in inclined granular layers

We report experimental measurements of avalanche behavior of thin granular layers on an inclined plane for low volume flow rate. The dynamical properties of avalanches were quantitatively and qualitatively different for smooth glass beads compared to irregular granular materials such as sand. Two scenarios for granular avalanches on an incline are identified, and a theoretical explanation for these different scenarios is developed based on a depth-averaged approach that takes into account the differing rheologies of the granular materials.
Crossover Studies of Methyl Migration from Oxygen to Iron in the Iron−Manganese Methoxycarbyne Complex Cp(CO)Fe(μ-COCH3)(μ-CO)Mn(CO)MeCp

Thermal decomposition of the iron−manganese methoxycarbyne Cp(CO)Fe(μ-CO)(μ-COCH3)Mn(CO)MeCp (1a) occurs to give MeCpMn(CO)3 and in low yield CpFe(CO)2CH3; in the presence of PPh3, CpFe(CO)(PPh3)CH...
CHAOS OR TURBULENCE

We present a new three-dimensional autonomous chaotic dynamical system that appears to have a closer relationship to turbulence than the Lorenz system. We have developed this system using the new technique of dynamical synthesis.
Paley-Wiener type theorems by transmutations

The classical Paley-Wiener theorem for functions in L dx 2 relates the growth of the Fourier transform over the complex plane to the support of the function. In this work we obtain Paley-Wiener type theorems where the Fourier transform is replaced by transforms associated with self-adjoint operators on L dμ 2 , with simple spectrum, where dμ is a Lebesgue-Stieltjes measure. This is achieved via the use of support preserving transmutations.
An evaluation case: The implementation and evaluation of a problem-solving training program for adolescents

Abstract This study recounts the implementation and evaluation of a problem-solving skills training program for adolescents. Sixty-six students from the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades of a local junior high school were identified by guidance counselors as needing problem-solving training—48 male and 18 female students between the ages of 11 and 16. The hypothesis that students included in the training sessions would demonstrate better problem-solving skills, a more internal locus of control, and a higher level of self-esteem than control group students was tested via a pretest-posttest Control Group Design. The results of a stepwise discriminant analysis of the data supported the hypothesis. An analysis of grade level differences indicated that the program had less effect on the seventh-grade training group. Implications for program modification and the limitations of the evaluation findings are discussed.
Effects of cocaine, alone and in combination with task performance on heart rate and blood pressure

Eleven adult male subjects with histories of cocaine use participated in daily experimental sessions consisting of resting cardiovascular (heart rate, blood pressure) baseline measures followed by intranasal cocaine (4, 48 or 96 mg) administration and further cardiovascular monitoring. Subjects in Group I performed a learning task before and after cocaine administration, while subjects in Group II rested. Cocaine administration alone significantly increased heart rate up to 10 beats per minute (bpm) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) up to 15 mm/Hg. Task performance alone increased heart rate up to 8 bpm and MAP up to 10 mm/Hg. In combination, increases in heart rate up to 19 bpm and MAP up to 18 mm/Hg were observed. Thus, combinations of cocaine administration and task performance increased heart rate and blood pressure above levels observed following the occurrence of either activity alone. These results indicate the importance of understanding the effects of drugs within the environmental context in which they are taken.
Anode Heat Transfer in a DC Electric ARC with Superimposed Axial Flow

A DC electric arc is operated in argon at pressures between 100 and 760 mm Hg, axial flow velocities from 0 to 100 m/sec, and currents from 50 to 200 amps to assess the influence of these parameters on anode heat transfer using a double-anode configuration consisting of two plane, parallel anodes. Since the anode arc attachment size is appreciably smaller than the anode surface area in these experiments, a method is developed using an optical and/or floating potential probes for measuring the size of the near-anode arc column. The relative variation of two perpendicular dimensions of the near-anode arc column for variation in the arc operating parameters (pressure, flow velocity, current, anode separation) are measured. The results reveal that the cross section of the nearanode column is not circular and the average local heat fluxes show a strong dependence on the gas pressure.
Apicomplexan cell cycle flexibility: centrosome controls the clutch

The centrosome serves as a central hub coordinating multiple cellular events in eukaryotes. A recent study in Toxoplasma gondii revealed a unique bipartite structure of the centrosome, which coordinates the nuclear cycle (S-phase and mitosis) and budding cycle (cytokinesis) of the parasite, and deciphers the principle behind flexible apicomplexan cell division modes.
The Gorenstein colength of an Artinian local ring

Abstract In this paper, we make the notion of approximating an Artinian local ring by a Gorenstein Artin local ring precise using the concept of Gorenstein colength. We also answer the question of when the Gorenstein colength is at most two.
Tri-nucleotide receptors play a critical role in epithelial cell wound repair.

The cornea plays a major role in the refraction of light to the retina. Therefore, the integrity and transparency of the corneal epithelium are critical to vision. Following injury, a combination of rapid signal transduction events and long-term cell migration are essential for wound closure. We have demonstrated previously that injury resulted in the release of nucleotides that induce the propagation of a Ca2+ wave to neighboring cells. This suggests that nucleotides and their receptors are critical components of wound healing. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and integrins also have been shown to play a role in injury. In this study, we demonstrate that pretreatment of cells with ATP and UTP inhibited the immediate wound response, while BzATP, ADP, and UDP did not affect this response. Tri-nucleotide pretreatment also reduced the EGF induced Ca2+ response. Additionally, lower EC50 concentrations of ATP and UTP triggered migration of cells that was enhanced further with EGF and was inhibited by the tripeptide, RGD. Results indicate that the desensitization induced by ATP and UTP was specific. While ADP and UDP cause a homologous desensitization of their own signal, they did not cause an inhibition of the wound response nor does BzATP. Neither Ca2+ wave propagation nor cell migration occurred in response to β,γ-MeATP. Together these results lead us to hypothesize that corneal epithelial wound repair is mediated by both P2Y2 and P2Y4 receptors.
Synergistic effect of gonadotropin releasing hormone on LH-stimulated progesterone production in granulosa cells of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus)

Abstract A direct gonadal action of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) has been demonstrated in several mammalian species. The effect of mammalian GnRH on steroidogenesis in avian granulosa cells (GC) was investigated. When such cells from mature follicles were preincubated with GnRH, the subsequent production of progesterone in response to oLH was significantly enhanced. In GC from medium or small follicles (F 3 and F 5 ), no effect of GnRH was observed. Similarly, when steroidogenesis was stimulated with dibutyryl cyclic AMP preincubation with GnRH failed to alter progesterone responses. On the other hand, oFSH-stimulated steroidogenesis in GC from small follicles (F 4 and F 5 ) was moderately but consistently and significantly attenuated by GnRH. Further studies with homologous GnRH may be necessary for the elucidation of the possible ovarian action of this hormone.
Serving a diverse and ever-changing agricultural sciences department: Family, Youth and Community Sciences in perspective.

Family, Youth and Community Sciences (FYCS) is an agricultural science department traditionally served by a science librarian. The unique set of information requirements that have grown with the scope of the department makes it a challenge to meet the diverse needs. No longer primarily covering the rural household, the department now encompasses theoretical, methodological, empirical, and practical issues associated with urban life, social trends, and complicated life-long financial planning. The information needs of this department far exceed the standard knowledge base of the traditional science librarian and require a strong foundation in social science, business, education, and health sciences information sources. This creates a restriction in information access for the many and varied members of FYCS departments. In order to relieve the restriction, science librarians must familiarize themselves with a variety of resources from statistical databases, government and international sources, and social s...
Spontaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Tongue and Multiple Bronchioloalveolar Carcinomas in a Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana)

Two primary tumours, squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue and multiple bronchioloalveolar carcinomas, were diagnosed in a Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). Two oral masses were located in the right ventrolateral surface of the tongue, near the frenulum, and the lungs contained multiple, widely distributed, nodular masses. Microscopically, the oral masses were composed of invasive cords of pleomorphic, polyhedral cells, typical of squamous cells. The multiple pulmonary masses consisted of non-ciliated, cuboidal, columnar, or occasionally polyhedral cells arranged in an alveolar pattern with multifocal areas of necrosis. This is the first report of spontaneous oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the Virginia opossum. However, multiple pulmonary adenomas have been reported previously in this species, the lesions being similar to those in sheep pulmonary adenomatosis (jaagsiekte). In the present study, immunohistochemical examination of the pulmonary tumours with a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to jaagsiekte retroviral capsid protein proved negative.
A Psychoeducational Program for Families of Affectively III Children and Adolescents

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of a family psychoeducational program for the parents of affectively ill adolescents. Methods Sixty-two parents of 34 affectively ill adolescents received one 2-hour psychoeducational session that covered information about the diagnosis, course, and treatment of affective illness. Methods of coping with an affectively ill family member also were discussed. The view of depression as a chronic and recurrent illness was strongly emphasized. Results Participants showed improvement in knowledge about depression and in modification of dysfunctional beliefs about depression and its treatment. Almost all participants found the program both useful and interesting. Conclusions These findings support the feasibility, acceptability, and to a modest degree, the efficacy of a family psychoeducational program for parents of affectively ill adolescents. Additional studies should address the impact of such programs on compliance with treatment, clinical outcome, and family life.
Expression of mouse ovarian insulin growth factor system components during follicular development and atresia.

Insulin growth factor I (IGF-I) appears necessary for the completion of follicular development in mice. However, little is known about changes in the IGF system components during follicular development and luteinization. This study determined the relation between gene expression of specific IGF system components and follicular growth, survival, or atresia in mice. Immature mice from three different strains (129, C57, and MF1), with or without gonadotropin treatment[ 2.5 IU PMSG/2.5 IU human CG (hCG)], were used. The strains were similar in all parameters measured. Apoptosis, as detected by in situ labeling of nicked DNA, preceded the appearance of morphological signs of atresia. In healthy follicles, IGF-I transcripts were low during the primary follicular stage but increased to a maximum in the late preantral and early antral stages (P < 0.001) irrespective of hormone treatment. Occasionally, IGF-I transcripts were also detected in apoptotic follicles but decreased (P < 0.05) as a function of atresia as ...
Zero-point vibrational effects on proton shieldings: functional-group contributions from ab initio calculations.

We investigate the effects of zero-point vibrational motion on the nuclear magnetic shielding constants of a large number of organic molecules. The vibrational corrections include anharmonic contributions from the potential energy surface and harmonic contributions from the curvature of the property surface. Particular attention is paid to vibrational corrections to hydrogen shielding constants where we show that vibrational corrections may be substantial, ranging from about +0.50 to −0.70 ppm, and thus demonstrating that ignoring these effects may give errors in the chemical shifts by more than 1 ppm in certain extreme cases. These effects can therefore not be neglected when comparing calculated results with experiment, not even for the chemical shifts. However, we also demonstrate that the vibrational corrections to the hydrogen shieldings are to a large extent transferable from one molecule to another. We have tabulated functional vibrational corrections to the hydrogen shieldings, based on results for...
Apparent formal potential shifts in ion exchange voltammetry

Le deplacement du potentiel apparent formel lors de la voltammetrie cyclique du CO (III) (bpy) 3+ (avec bpy = bipyridyle-2,2') incorpores sur une electrode de platine modifiee par une argile (montmorillonite)
Mining Hidden Gems beneath the Surface: A Look at the Invisible Web

The future of the information landscape is being shaped by new technologies that store and retrieve information. For many computer users, the Web is their first and last stop in information searching. Searches produce an overwhelming amount of returns, but may have few that are “on target.” Finding general information may be easy, but depth of information is frequently lacking. This article focuses on describing resources for researchers, called the Invisible Web, that are hidden from usual search tools and contrasting them with those resources available in the surface Web. It then identifies search tools and strategies that can be used to dig beneath the surface of the Web to locate credible, in-depth information. These resources must be accessed using specialized search tools and databases.
INTERFERENCE EXPERIMENTS RELATING TO WHETHER TOBACCO MOSAIC VIRUS AND CUCUMBER VIRUSES 3 AND 4 ARE STRAINS OF THE SAME VIRUS.

Interference Experiments relating to whether Tobacco Mosaic Virus and Cucumber Viruses 3 and 4 are Strains of the same Virus
Ferric leghemoglobin reductase from soybean root nodules

An NADH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase from the cytosol of soybean root nodules was purified by ammonium sulfate fractionation, hydroxylapatite adsorption, and Sephacryl S-200 Superfine chromatography. The native molecular weight of the reductase was found to be 100,000 by analytical gel filtration and 83,000 by equilibrium ultracentrifugation. The subunit molecular weight was 54,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis. The pI of the enzyme was 5.5. With ferric leghemoglobin (Lb) as the substrate, nearly identical initial velocities were obtained using either CO or O2 to ligate the enzymatically produced ferrous leghemoglobin. With CO as the ligand in the reaction, the product of the enzyme-catalyzed, NADH-dependent reduction of ferric Lb was spectrally identified as LbCO. Initial velocity was a linear function of increasing enzyme concentration. NADPH was only 31% as effective an electron donor as NADH as determined by initial velocity. The Michaelis constants (Km) for ferric Lba and NADH were 9.5 and 18.8 μm, respectively. Myoglobin, Lba, Lbc1, Lbc2, Lbc3, and Lbd were reduced at similar rates by the reductase. At pH 5.2, acetate-bound ferric Lb and nicotinate-bound ferric Lb were reduced by the enzyme at 83 and 5%, respectively, of rates observed in the absence of these ligands. The rate of enzymatic reduction of ferric Lb was constant between pH 6.5 and 7.6 but increased approximately threefold at pH 5.2. The results indicate that the NADH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase could be identified as a ferric Lb reductase.
Fatty Acid Compositions in Newly Differentiated Tissues of Soybean Seedlings

Six soybean genotypes with various fatty acid compositions were allowed to germinate in sand under a greenhouse. Seedlings were picked up after 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12 days and dried under sun. During germination, the fatty acid composition of cotyledons changed slightly, but those of all newly differentiated tissues, including root, hypocotyl, epicotyl, unifoliate, and trifoliate, changed dramatically, especially within the first 5 days. Although lipids from these tissues contained the five major fatty acids found in original seeds, their fatty acid compositions were totally different from that of the seed: higher in palmitic, linolenic, and stearic acid and lower in oleic and linoleic acid. There existed a distinct difference in fatty acid compositions between the young tissues below and those above cotyledons in the seedling. Furthermore, all new tissues conserved their fatty acid compositions regardless of genotypes, which may be explained by conservation of membrane lipids predominating in these tiss...
Risk factors for frequent readmissions and barriers to transplantation in patients with cirrhosis.

Background: Hospital readmission rate is receiving increasing regulatory scrutiny. Patients with cirrhosis have high hospital readmissions rates but the relationship between frequent readmissions and barriers to transplantation remains unexplored. The goal of this study was to determine risk factors for frequent readmissions among patients with cirrhosis and identify barriers to transplantation in this population. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 587 patients with a confirmed diagnosis of cirrhosis admitted to a large tertiary care center between May 1, 2008 and May 1, 2009. Demographics, clinical factors, and outcomes were recorded. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for high readmission rates. Transplant-related factors were assessed for patients in the high readmission group. Results: The 587 patients included in the study had 1557 admissions during the study period. A subset of 87 (15%) patients with 5 or more admissions accounted for 672 (43%) admissions. The factors associated with frequent admissions were non-white race (OR = 2.45, p = 0.01), diabetes (OR = 2.04, p = 0.01), higher Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score (OR = 35.10, p 30) and younger age (OR = 0.98, p = 0.02). Among the 87 patients with ≥5 admissions, only 14 (16%) underwent liver transplantation during the study period. Substance abuse, medical co-morbidities, and low (<15) MELD scores were barriers to transplantation in this group. Conclusions: A small group of patients with cirrhosis account for a disproportionately high number of hospital admissions. Interventions targeting this high-risk group may decrease frequent hospital readmissions and increase access to transplantation. © 2013 Ganesh et al.
Left Ventricular Function in Acute Myocardial Infarction Evaluated by Gated Scintiphotography

Ten normal volunteers and 38 patients with acute myocardial infarction were evaluated by biplane gated blood pool scanning. The mean left ventricular end-diastolic volume in those with infarction was 125 ± 41 ml/m 2 compared to 82 ± 10 ml/m 2 in the normals. The left ventricular end-systolic volume was 82 ± 35 ml/m 2 compared to 35 ± 4 ml/m 2 , and the left ventricular ejection fraction 36 ± 8% compared to 56 ± 3% in the normals. Thirty-six of the 38 patients with infarction had an area of akinesis which ranged from 15 to 59% of the left ventricular wall. Patients with acute myocardial infarction were found to have a significant increase in left ventricular end-systolic volume and decrease in ejection fraction compared to normals. The end-diastolic volume was, however, increased only in those with an elevated left ventricular filling pressure or decreased cardiac index. Follow-up studies obtained in 20 patients between one week and three months following infarction showed that in the 14 who improved clinically, left ventricular ejection fraction significantly increased from 38 to 45% ( P Left ventricular ejection fraction was significantly greater and the extent of akinesis significantly less in the patients who survived compared to those who died.
Designing nursing research: the qualitative‐quantitative debate

Nursing research has not evolved with immunity from the qualitative-quantitative debate which has surrounded the behavioural and social sciences. The outcome of this debate should be better nursing science since researchers are forced to face and address the controversial issues. Attaining this goal requires researchers to debate the issues with a knowledge of epistemology and methodology and not blind devotion to the tradition of the hard sciences. This paper addresses the issues of epistemology, methodology, and ethics for two prototypes of the qualitative-quantitative continuum. Grounded theory explains the issues of qualitative research: the search for meaning, the inclusion of environmental factors, the depth of data, and the treatment of participants as subjects. The true experiment, the epitomy of the quantitative approach, seeks to identify existing truths by isolating the significant variables and controlling for contaminating factors. Based on these arguments, recommendations are made for nursing research which rely on both approaches.
An electromyographic study of the mylohyoid muscle.

An electromyographic investigation of the mylohyoid muscle was undertaken to determine its activity relative to isolated movements of the tongue and mandible and during various functions involving multiple parts of the oral apparatus. Data was obtained from 20 subjects. Using bipolar fine-wire electrodes, the anterior fibers were found to be more active than the posterolateral fibers in a majority of activities performed. Tongue movements produced slightly more activity in the postero-lateral fibers; the anterior fibers were more active during mandible movements. During mastication, deglutition, sucking and blowing, both the anterior and postero-lateral fibers were markedly active.
A prospective comparison of laparoscopic ultrasound vs intraoperative cholangiogram during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Background: The laparoscopic ultrasound (US) probe provides a new modality for evaluating biliary anatomy during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC).
On the formation of tubules by polypyrrole doped with perfluorobutyrate

Abstract It has been reported that, under certain conditions, electropolymerization of pyrrole in aqueous solution produces bud and flute-like structures. Although these features have been interpreted in terms of an orienting effect of the electrode surface on the resulting films, others have ascribed them to the production of oxygen during the oxidative process. The results of our experiments involving electropolymerization on a met-glass surface, rotatingring-disk measurements and scanning electron microscopy strongly support the second interpretation.
"Each word shows how you love me": The social literacy practice of children's letter writing (1780-1860)

This article draws on hundreds of letters that formed German children’s correspondence with their parents, other relatives, teachers and friends, written mostly between the 1780s and 1850s. Through this study, we see the part literacy played in transformations of bourgeois childhood in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Europe. The article further investigates how children used letters as a means of learning sociability and building relationships within kinship networks. Historians of education have sometimes treated children’s writing as secondary to more authoritative records. Yet we miss something important about the history of literacy education if we disregard children’s writing or use it only superficially. This article considers the genre of children’s letter writing, exploring the conventions and typical subjects which contributed to the social purpose of correspondence. Letter writing is examined as a paedagogic exercise, including the preoccupation with the medium which filled children’s letters...
Control scheme for sensor fusion for navigation of autonomous mobile robots

Sensor fusion in robotics, particularly for navigation of autonomous mobile robots, has typically been addressed as a “bottom-up” or data driven process. This has led to a variety of systems that, although somewhat successful, have been difficult to expand to include additional sensors or extend to other domains. The approach taken here is to specify and develop a control scheme which considers the sensor fusion process in the context of the intended actions of the robot, knowledge of the environment, and the available sensor suite. The resulting control scheme exploits environmental knowledge in three ways in order to reduce processing. First, the control structure supports adaptation of the sensor fusion process to the environment and intended action. An appropriate set of candidate features is selected from the feature extraction library during the investigatory phase. Fusion occurs during the performatory phase in one of three global states: complete sensor fusion; fusion with the possibility of discordance and resultant recalibration of dependent perceptual sources; and fusion with the possibility of discordance and resultant suppression of discordant perceptual sources. Second, the states themselves use environmental knowledge to improve the fusion results as well as the sensing quality. Knowledge about how a sensor behaves under certain environmental conditions can lead to the exclusion of suspect readings from the fusion process. Third, the control scheme allows the system to respond to unexpected or catastrophic changes in the environment or sensors by permitting transitions between states. When an unacceptable discordance is detected between features, the investigatory phase is re-invoked, the system reconfigured, and instantiated in a new state.
Bacteriophage inactivation by UV-A illuminated fullerenes: role of nanoparticle-virus association and biological targets.

Inactivation rates of the MS2 bacteriophage and 1O2 generation rates by four different photosensitized aqueous fullerene suspensions were in the same order: aqu-nC60 < C60(OH)6 ≈ C60(OH)24 < C60(NH2)6. Alterations to capsid protein secondary structures and protein oxidation were inferred by detecting changes in infrared vibrational frequencies and carbonyl groups respectively. MS2 inactivation appears to be the result of loss of capsid structural integrity (localized deformation) and the reduced ability to eject genomic RNA into its bacterial host. Evidence is also presented for possible capsid rupture in MS2 exposed to UV-A illuminated C60(NH2)6 through TEM imagery and detection of RNA infrared fingerprints in ATR-FTIR spectra. Fullerene-virus mixtures were also directly visualized in the aqueous phase using a novel enhanced darkfield transmission optical microscope fitted with a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) spectrometer. Perturbations in intermolecular extended chains, HSI, and electrostatic interactions...
The missing link of NIH funding in pediatric research training program restructuring.

* Abbreviations: NICHD — : Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development NIH — : National Institutes of Health The restructuring of pediatric and other academic programs is intrinsic to academia and has long been a reflection of leadership turnover. In pediatrics, department chairs turn over on average once every 5 years.1 With such leadership changes comes enthusiasm and introduction of fresh ideas that herald novel departmental directions. Yet, in the era of extremely competitive National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, the current standards for awarding training program support make new program development challenging. As a faculty member at Yale University and Associate Chair for Research in Pediatrics, I stewarded a portfolio of departmental T32 and K12 awards that supported biomedical research training of residents, fellows, and junior faculty members in a broad array of pediatric subspecialties. When I drafted the successful Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) K12 Child Health Research Center Program proposal and the T32 proposal to support basic science training, the Yale program had more than 20 years of continuous K12 support. At that time, the Yale Department of Pediatrics existed for more than 100 years and had decades of success in the training of physician-scientists. Each of the T32 and K12 proposals were … Address correspondence to Scott A. Rivkees, MD, Pediatrics – Chairman’s Office, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Room R1-118, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610-0296. E-mail:srivkees{at}ufl.edu
Silicon carbide nano-optomechanics

In this talk, we provide an overview of our recent progress in developing high-quality silicon carbide micro/nanophotonic devices and exploring nano-optomechanics on this platform.
Dental office emergencies: do you know your legal obligations?

Some general guidelines provide information to make judgments about emergencies that occur in the dental office.
Transcriptional profiling identifies upregulated genes following induction of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in squamous carcinoma cells.

Abstract During the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), the induction of an epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) program may play a critical role in the dissemination of cells from the primary tumor to distant metastatic foci. The process of EMT involves the activation of several important genes and pathways to help maintain survival and growth and evolve into highly invasive and metastatic variants. In this study, expression microarray analysis identified a set of 145 upregulated genes in EMT-like HNSCC cells. Some of the strongly upregulated transcripts include genes that are reportedly involved in invasion and metastasis, such as DOCK10, LOX, ROBO1 and SRGN. Importantly, the Tbx3 gene, a member of the T-box transcription factor, was strongly upregulated in SCC cells displaying an EMT-like phenotype compared to cells with an epitheloid, non-EMT behavior. Tbx3 was also found to be strongly upregulated at the protein and gene expression level in an experimental model of snail-induced EMT cells. In addition, siRNA-induced Tbx3 depletion modestly suppressed cell invasion while enhancing Tbx3-mediated resistance to anoikis. Our findings provide evidence that Tbx3 overexpression promotes SCC cell survival displaying an EMT phenotype. This set of newly identified genes that are modulated during EMT-like conversion may be important diagnostic biomarkers during the process of HNSCC progression.
Inhibition of biological activity of mouse beta-nerve growth factor by monoclonal antibody

A continuous hybrid cell line was derived that secretes monoclonal antibody capable of inhibiting the biological activity of mouse beta-nerve growth factor (beta-NGF). Results obtained with monovalent fragments indicate that the monoclonal antibody inhibits activity by interfering with the direct interaction between beta-NGF and the cell membrane receptor rather than by precipitating the dimeric form of beta-NGF. This monoclonal antibody binds to an antigenic determinant common to mouse beta-NGF, snake venom (Naja naja) beta-NGF, and human beta-NGF. These antibodies should provide specific molecular probes for a variety of studies of nerve growth factor including its tissue distribution and mechanism of action.
Foreign assistance and development in a small‐island economy: The case of Fiji

In many works on comparative public administration and development management the arguments put forward are often presented within the framework of comparing developed and less-developed countries. However, within the latter category there are fairly substantial differences, usually categorized within the context of system of government, or degrees of per capita income. Rarely is the question of scale addressed head on. One dimension of this, for instance, is the nature and operation of public administration where the proliferation of traditional ministries, and the impartiality of the administration, become very problematic in terms of the extremely limited resources and the very personal nature of public life— especially in the microstates. In this paper the question of scale is addressed in the context of the relationship between one island state, Fiji, and its bilateral and multilateral partners. This is considered not just in terms of aid and loans, but in terms of such issues as the ‘critical mass’ of skilled professional people, and the problems of functioning in a system where the rules for such things as overheads seem to have been evolved in the context of the Third-World giants. It is shown that the scale variable is a very powerful one in both the effectiveness and efficiency of governments working in tandem with major external sources of capital assistance.
Combined effects of streptozotocin-induced diabetes plus 4-methylpyrazole treatment on rat liver cytochrome P4502E1.

Abstract The content and activity of cytochrome P4502E1 is increased in the diabetic state, primarily due to stabilization of the P4502E1 mRNA. Chemical inducers such as 4-methylpyrazole (4MP) increase P4502E1 content by stabilization of the protein. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the combined effects of 4MP and streptozotocin-induced diabetes on P4502E1 protein, catalytic activity and mRNA levels. Immunoblots showed an elevated content of P4502E1 after treatment with 4MP or streptozotocin, which was further increased when the two treatments were combined. Similarly, catalytic activity with effective substrates for P4502E1 was increased by the two separate treatments, and further increased by combined treatment. In all treatment groups, catalytic activity was strongly inhibited by antibody against P4502E1. The content of P4502E1 and catalytic activity in the 4MP plus streptozotocin group appeared to be additive of the values for the separate treatments. P4502E1 mRNA levels were elevated by the streptozotocin treatment but not by 4MP treatment; combined treatment with both inducers did not elevate P4502E1 mRNA levels beyond the increase produced in the diabetic state. CCl4 decreased cellular viability in hepatocvtes from streptozotocin- or 4MP-treated rats, and increased toxicity was found after treatment with both inducers. These results contrast the mechanisms of induction of P4502E1 by streptozotocin and 4MP, and suggest that each individual mechanism is maintained when the two inducers are administered such that effects on P4502E1 protein and catalytic activity, but not mRNA, are additive of values found for each inducer alone. The diabetic state may be associated with increased sensitivity to toxins which are activated by P4502E1, especially if chemical inducers similar to 4MP, e.g., ethanol, isoniazid are also present.