cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A theorem on inverse of tridiagonal matrices

Abstract Tridiagonal or Jacobi matrices arise in many diverse branches of mathematics and have been studied extensively. However, there is little written about the inverses of such matrices. In this paper we characterize those matrices with nonzero diagonal elements whose inverses are tridiagonal. The arguments given are elementaryand show that matrices with tridiagonal inverses have an interesting structure.
Therapeutic laparoscopy of the pancreas

Laparoscopy was first used clinically to diagnose solid organ, abdominal disease. In independent accounts dating back to the turn of the 20th century, both Kelling and Jacobaeus described the earliest laparoscopies performed in patients with liver disease 1,2 in the presence of gross ascites. The practice of diagnostic laparoscopy for liver disease has evolved over the decades to a procedure often done under local anesthesia, where pneumoperitoneum has replaced hydroperitoneum. The role of laparoscopy in staging and diagnosis of pancreatic disease did not emerge for another 60 years. 3–5 The advance to therapeutic solid-organ laparoscopy has only recently occurred. Soon after the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, pioneering surgeons described successful laparoscopic resections of spleen, adrenal glands, and kidneys. As experience has accrued and favorable outcomes have been reported with these procedures, they have become widely adopted. Such has not been the case with laparoscopic pancreatic surgery. Reports of therapeutic laparoscopy of the pancreas have been few and of limited numbers. 4,6,7 Laparoscopic surgery of the pancreas remains in its infancy, and its role in pancreatic disease is still unclear. Although several laparoscopic pancreatic procedures have been described, debate continues over which procedures can be safely and adequately performed and which clearly benefit the patient when performed laparoscopically. In this study, to our knowledge the largest series of therapeutic laparoscopic procedures yet reported, we review our experience with these techniques for 1) the treatment of pancreatic pseudocyst [PP] and 2) resection of benign lesions of the pancreas. Perioperative data, surgical outcomes, techniques, and insights will be presented.
Supersonic heavy-ion collisions

Abstract An illustrative one-dimensional example of a supersonic heavy-ion reveals important features such as shock wave velocity, density increase, energy increase, heat energy produced and the Mach number at which dissociation of nucleons occurs.
Ultrastructure of the endosymbionts of the whitefly, Bemisia tabaci and Trialeurodes vaporariorum

The ultrastructure of the mycetocytes and mycetome micro-organisms of the sweetpotato whitefly,Bemisia tabaci Genn. andTrialeurodes vaporariorum West are described. InB. tabaci, two morphologically distinct types of micro-organisms were observed in mycetocytes. The predominant type lacked a distinct cell wall, was pleomorphic in shape with a surrounding vacuole. The second type was a coccoid organism, with inner and outer cell membranes. The coccoid organism was often found in groups of varying number within vacuoles, and in many cases appeared to be undergoing degradation. InT. vaporariorum mycetocytes, pleomorphic and coccoid organisms were found, although the coccoid micro-organism inT. vaporariorum, had a thicker cell wall than the coccoid micro-organism inB. tabaci.
Reflex Threshold Shift in Chinchillas Following a Prolonged Exposure to Noise

The acoustic reflex is considered to reduce transmission across the middle ear and thereby protect the inner ear from intense sounds. The dynamic properties of this reflex seem to be a function of ...
Bridging the Gap between Academics and Practice: A Capstone Design Experience

As part of graduation requirements, the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison requires a minimum of one three credits course in a capstone design experience. The main objective of this course is to allow students the opportunity of undertaking and completing an open-ended design project. Supervision of the projects is performed by practicing engineers and department faculty. The course is a practice oriented design class that integrates several civil engineering areas. Special emphasis is placed on integrating constructability concepts with structural engineering, mechanical systems, electrical systems, and other project details. Student groups not only complete project designs, but also perform feasibility studies, value engineering, and prepare a construction schedule and cost estimate based on the designs they have generated. The objective of this paper is to describe the senior level capstone design experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Enzymatic dissociation of hamster tracheal epithelial cells

Enzymatic dispersal of tissue is a popular means of providing monoceUular preparations that are used for histological and metabolic studies. Collagenase, pronase, trypsin and hyaluronidase all have been successfully used for cell dissociation of various tissues, such as the heart, liver, pancreas, trachea, intestine and the adrenal glands (1-5). A recent study by Frazier et al. (6) compared the effects of various enzymes on lung tissue dispersion. The perfusion technique employed by Frazier, however, was tedious and yielded a variety of contaminated cells, including leukocytes, vascular endothelial cells, tracheal epithelial cells, eosinophils and lymphocytes. Our study illustrates a simple technique for dissociating tracheobronchial epithelia, primarily ciliated columnar epithelia, without apparent damage to the cells or the cilia. With increasing emphasis on toxicological research, improvement of existing enzymatic dispersal techniques is necessary in order to provide specialized cell cultures for biochemical and cytological studies. The precise obj ective of our dissociation technique is to isolate ciliated epithelia for use in studying toxicological effects on respiratory epithelia, utilizing either in vivo or in vitro exposure systems. Two PRECAUTIONS are important when conducting these experiments: (a) Sterile conditions must be maintained during surgery and cell culture. (b) Cell viability determinations must be conducted in a serum-free medium to avoid false positive results. If even 5% serum is added to the culture medium, errors in viability determination may occur due to the high affinity of the serum for trypan blue dye.
Coping with problems in grammars automatically extracted from Treebanks

We report in this paper on an experiment on automatic extraction of a Tree Adjoining Grammar from the WSJ corpus of the Penn Treebank. We use an automatic tool developed by (Xia, 2001) properly adapted to our particular need. Rather than addressing general aspects of the automatic extraction we focus on the problems we have found to extract a linguistically (and computationally) sound grammar and approaches to handle them.
MLCT excited states and charge delocalization in some ruthenium–ammine–polypyridyl complexes

Abstract The ab initio calculations of polypyridine π*-orbital energies are the basis for assignment of the lowest energy, highest intensity metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions in simple ammine–polypyridine–ruthenium(II) complexes. A gaussian analysis of the absorption and emission spectra of these complexes enables the evaluation of reorganizational energies for the vertical MLCT transitions from component bandwidths and from apparent vibronic progressions. The observed bandwidths are about half of the widths expected in the limit of no metal–ligand mixing. The excited state-ground state mixing coefficient, α DA , is inferred to be about 0.3 in [Ru(NH 3 ) 4 bpy] 2+ based on this observation and a perturbation theory argument. These estimated reorganizational energies are combined with the observed ambient Stokes shifts to determine that the excited state electron exchange energy, K e , is small (600–1200 cm −1 for 2,2′ bipyridine complexes; ∼1500 cm −1 for 2,3-bis-(2-pyridyl)pyrazine complexes), but significant. This and the observation that the NH stretching frequency increases as the vertical MLCT energy (or α DA 2 ) decreases suggests that there is significant charge delocalization in these complexes.
Biased terminology effects and biased information processing in research on adult‐nonadult sexual interactions: An empirical investigation

Adult‐child and adult‐adolescent sexual interactions have generally been described in the professional literature with value‐laden negative terms. Recently, a number of researchers have criticized this state of affairs, claiming that such usage is likely to have biasing effects. The current investigation examined empirically the biasing impact of negative terminology. Eighty undergraduate students read a shortened journal article that used either neutral or negative terms to describe a number of cases of sexual relationships between male adolescents and male adults—the shortened article was adapted from Tindall (1978). Additionally, students were exposed either to descriptive information or descriptive plus long‐term nonnegative outcome information. The purpose of this manipulation was to examine whether students would process the neutral and positive data in a biased fashion, because these data contradict strongly held assumptions of harm as a consequence of these contacts. Students’ judgments were negat...
Disruption of human erythrocytes with 7-oxa-13-prostynoic acid.

Abstract 7-oxa-13-prostynoic acid promotes erythrocyte lysis and dissolution of erythrocyte membranes. These effects are concentration dependent, linear between 0.87 mM and 0.5 mM antagonist and occur at 37° but not at 26°. The time of half-lysis with the antagonist at 0.63 mM varied from 3.5 to 7 min in two donors. PGE 1 and PGE 2 , which at concentrations equivalent to the antagonist, have no effects of their own either on lysis or on membrane dissolution, potentiate the effects of the antagonist.
Social Anxiety and Gaze Avoidance: Averting Gaze but not Anxiety

Despite preliminary evidence that individuals with higher social anxiety tend to avoid eye contact during at least some social encounters, the function of this behavior remains unknown. Cognitive theories of social anxiety suggest that gaze avoidance may function as an attempt to avoid signs of social threat. However, it is unclear whether this behavior is effective for reducing anxiety and, if it is effective, whether this benefit is only present in the short-term. The goal of the current study was to test whether gaze avoidance is effective in reducing anxiety for individuals with higher social anxiety during short social conversations among peers. Participants completed a short social interaction with another undergraduate participant in which eye contact was manipulated halfway through the interaction. Recordings of the interactions were later coded for amount of eye contact; this allowed us to obtain an objective measure of adherence to the manipulation instructions. Participants were instructed to make either more or less eye contact, or continue as before. Being asked to make less eye contact was the most anxiety-provoking condition for participants with higher social anxiety. We propose, in line with previous research on safety behaviors, that avoiding eye contact in an effort to regulate state anxiety is an ineffective strategy over time for individuals with higher social anxiety. Therefore gaze avoidance may be a particularly important safety behavior to target in treatment for social anxiety disorder.
Shark cytotoxic macrophages interact with target membrane amino groups.

Abstract The types of target structures recognized by cytotoxic macrophages have been described for various microorganisms, but have not been defined for tumor cells. Tumoricidal macrophages are selective in their destructive mechanisms, sparing normal cells while directing their lytic machinery toward neoplastic targets. The cytotoxic activity of macrophages from a primitive vertebrate, the nurse shark, closely resembles the activity of mammalian tumoricidal macrophages. Host defense mechanisms of these animals appear to rely on antigen nonspecific cellular effector systems, and it has been postulated that macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity plays a dominant role in protection during periods of decreased environmental temperatures when lymphocyte responses of poikilothermic vertebrates are compromised. Similar to mammalian tumoricidal macrophages shark macrophages display selective recognition of target cells. Previous studies showed that TNP modification of targets was protective, preventing recognition by the shark spontaneously cytotoxic macrophage. Additionally, it was shown that cytotoxic activity was inhibited in a dose dependent fashion by the addition of excess unlabeled targets. In the present study, similar inhibition experiments with hapten-modified targets have been used to determine the nature of the target structures recognized by the shark cytotoxic macrophage. Cold targets modified with haptens which react covalently with free amino groups on cell membranes, trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) and flourescein isothiocyanate (FITC), are not recognized by the cytotoxic macrophage. The relative amount of membrane bound TNP was correlated with inhibition of cytotoxicity. Conversely, target cells modified with sulfhydryl reacting reagents, N -iodoacetyl- N/t' -(5-sulfonic-1-naphthyl) ethylene diamine and dithionicotinic acid, are recognized similarly to untreated targets. Moreover, TNP-containing lipids, permitted to diffuse into target membranes without covalent binding, do not alter target recognition, indicating that TNP itself has no effect on macrophage:target interaction. From these data, it is concluded that the shark cytotoxic macrophage interacts with membrane bound amino, but not sulfhydryl groups. The ability to distinguish between membrane structures may have appeared early in evolution as a means of preserving self cells while retaining protective nonspecific cytotoxic mechanisms.
Development aspects of renal beta-amino acid transport II. Ontogeny of uptake and efflux processes and effect of anoxia.

Developmental Aspects of Renal β-Amino Acid Transport II. Ontogeny of Uptake and Efflux Processes and Effect of Anoxia
Differential bedload transport rates in a gravel-bed stream: A grain-size distribution approach

The grain-size distributions of bedload gravels in Oak Creek, Oregon, follow the ideal Rosin distribution at flow stages which exceed that necessary to initiate breakup of the pavement in the bed material. The distributions systematically vary with flow discharge and bed stress, such that at higher flow stages the grain sizes are coarser while the spread of the distribution decreases. A differential bedload transport function for individual grain-size fractions is formulated utilizing the dependence of the two parameters in the Rosin distribution on the flow stress. The total transport rate, which is also a function of the flow stress, is apportioned within the Rosin grain-size distribution to yield the fractional transport rates. The derived bedload function has the advantage of yielding smooth, continuous frequency distributions of transport rates for the grain-size fractions, in contrast to the discrete transport functions which predict rates for specified sieve fractions. Successful reproduction of the measured fractional transport rates and bedload grain-size distributions in Oak Creek by this approach demonstrates its potential for evaluations of transport rates of size fractions in gravel-bed streams. The approach will be useful in investigations of downstream changes in bed material grain-size distributions.
PRIMARY ALDOSTERONISM: Review of the Anaesthetic Experience in Sixty Patients

SUMMARY This study reviewed the anaesthetic experiences of the first sixty patients undergoing adrenal exploration for primary aldosteronism at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Anaesthesia for these patients was managed by a variety of techniques with a variety of agents. There were no complications associated with any anaesthetic agent or muscle relaxant. It would appear that there are no contraindications to any anaesthetic procedure in patients with this syndrome.
Cancer, Viruses, and Mass Migration: Paul Berg’s Venture into Eukaryotic Biology and the Advent of Recombinant DNA Research and Technology, 1967–1980

The existing literature on the development of recombinant DNA technology and genetic engineering tends to focus on Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer's recombinant DNA cloning technology and its commercialization starting in the mid-1970s. Historians of science, however, have pointedly noted that experimental procedures for making recombinant DNA molecules were initially developed by Stanford biochemist Paul Berg and his colleagues, Peter Lobban and A. Dale Kaiser in the early 1970s. This paper, recognizing the uneasy disjuncture between scientific authorship and legal invention in the history of recombinant DNA technology, investigates the development of recombinant DNA technology in its full scientific context. I do so by focusing on Stanford biochemist Berg's research on the genetic regulation of higher organisms. As I hope to demonstrate, Berg's new venture reflected a mass migration of biomedical researchers as they shifted from studying prokaryotic organisms like bacteria to studying eukaryotic organisms like mammalian and human cells. It was out of this boundary crossing from prokaryotic to eukaryotic systems through virus model systems that recombinant DNA technology and other significant new research techniques and agendas emerged. Indeed, in their attempt to reconstitute 'life' as a research technology, Stanford biochemists' recombinant DNA research recast genes as a sequence that could be rewritten thorough biochemical operations. The last part of this paper shifts focus from recombinant DNA technology's academic origins to its transformation into a genetic engineering technology by examining the wide range of experimental hybridizations which occurred as techniques and knowledge circulated between Stanford biochemists and the Bay Area's experimentalists. Situating their interchange in a dense research network based at Stanford's biochemistry department, this paper helps to revise the canonized history of genetic engineering's origins that emerged during the patenting of Cohen-Boyer's recombinant DNA cloning procedures.
A logic for information flow analysis with an application to forward slicing of simple imperative programs

We specify an information flow analysis for a simple imperative language, using a Hoare-like logic. The logic facilitates static checking of a larger class of programs than can be checked by extant type-based approaches in which a program is deemed insecure when it contains an insecure subprogram. The logic is based on an abstract interpretation of a ''prelude'' semantics which makes independence between program variables explicit. Unlike other, more precise, approaches based on Hoare logics, our approach does not require a theorem prover to generate invariants. We demonstrate the modularity of our approach by showing that a frame rule holds in our logic. Finally, we show how our logic can be applied to a program transformation, namely, forward slicing: given a derivation of a program in the logic, with the information that variable l is independent of variable h, the slicing transformation systematically creates the forward l-slice of the program: the slice contains all the commands independent of h. We show that the slicing transformation is semantics preserving.
Incidence of tricyclic antidepressant-like complications after cyclobenzaprine overdose

Background: The cyclobenzaprine structure is similar to amitriptyline; however, tricyclic antidepressant (TCA)-like wide complex dysrhythmia has not been reported. Our objective was to determine the incidence of TCA-like effects in cyclobenzaprine overdoses as reported to 6 poison centers for 2 years. We compared the incidence of these effects to amitriptyline overdoses collected during the same period. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of 2 years of cases as reported to the Texas Poison Center Network. We identified sole ingestions of cyclobenzaprine and of amitriptyline. Cases had a recorded clinical outcome and clinical effect. A trained reviewer used a standard data collection sheet within a secured electronic database. One investigator audited a random sample of charts. Results: We identified 3974 cases of cyclobenzaprine calls. Of these, we collected 209 cases of acute overdoses without coingestions. There were no deaths. No cases of cyclobenzaprine ingestions were reported to have died or have a wide QRS or ventricular dysrhythmia. Seizures were reported in 2 cases; however, both were unrelated to cyclobenzaprine. Hypotension was reported in 1.4% (3/209) of cases, and a vasopressor was used in one case (0.5%). Patients with an amitriptyline overdose were more likely to have seizure, coma, tachycardia, a wide QRS or ventricular dysrhythmia, and have received sodium bicarbonate or be intubated. Conclusions: Cyclobenzaprine overdoses were not reported to cause widened QRS, ventricular dysrhythmias, or seizures, and hypotension was rarely reported. Tricyclic antidepressant-related effects occurred more often in our comparison group of amitriptyline overdoses. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Inc.
The Human Specific CCR1 Antagonist CP-481,715 Inhibits Cell Infiltration and Inflammatory Responses in Human CCR1 Transgenic Mice

We previously described the in vitro characteristics of the potent and selective CCR1 antagonist, CP-481,715. In addition to being selective for CCR1 vs other chemokine receptors, CP-481,715 is also specific for human CCR1 (hCCR1), preventing its evaluation in classical animal models. To address this, we generated mice whereby murine CCR1 was replaced by hCCR1 (knockin) and used these animals to assess the anti-inflammatory properties of CP-481,715. Cells isolated from hCCR1 knockin mice were shown to express hCCR1 and migrate in response to both murine CCR1 and hCCR1 ligands. Furthermore, this migration is inhibited by CP-481,715 at dose levels comparable to those obtained with human cells. In animal models of cell infiltration, CP-481,715 inhibited CCL3-induced neutrophil infiltration into skin or into an air pouch with an ED50 of 0.2 mg/kg. CP-481,715 did not inhibit cell infiltration in wild-type animals expressing murine CCR1. In a more generalized model of inflammation, delayed-type hypersensitivity, CP-481,715 significantly inhibited footpad swelling and decreased the amount of IFN-gamma and IL-2 produced by isolated spleen cells from sensitized animals. It did not, however, induce tolerance to a subsequent challenge. These studies illustrate the utility of hCCR1 knockin animals to assess the activity of human specific CCR1 antagonists; demonstrate the ability of the CCR1 antagonist CP-481,715 to inhibit cell infiltration, inflammation, and Th1 cytokine responses in these animals; and suggest that CP-481,715 may be useful to modulate inflammatory responses in human disease.
Detection of a Broad Range of Class I and II Newcastle Disease Viruses Using a Multiplex Real-Time Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay

Prompt detection of virulent strains of Newcastle disease virus (vNDV) using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is challenging because of the broad genetic variability across 2 clades comprising 18 recognized genotypes. A large proportion of class I low virulence ND viruses recently identified in samples recovered from wild birds and from poultry in live bird markets are not detected by the validated real-time RT-PCR assay that targets the matrix gene (M-gene assay). This study describes the identification and sequencing of a conserved region from the polymerase gene of class I NDV and the design and evaluation of a real-time RT-PCR assay (L-TET assay) that identifies a broad range of NDV, demonstrates a 10-fold increase in sensitivity over a previously reported L-gene assay, and works in conjunction with the existing M-gene assay using the same protocol. The L-TET assay detects # 1f g of homologous transcribed RNA from genotypes 5, 7, and 8 of class I, and from class II genotype II in either single- or multiplex format. Differential detection of mixed class I and II viruses down to 100 fg is possible because L-TET uses an alternate fluorophore from the M-gene assay. The multiplexed assay is capable of detecting a broad range of class I and II ND viruses with ,1 threshold cycle decrease in sensitivity compared to the single probe. A total of 140 class I (n 5 108, genotypes 1-2 and 4-9) and class II (n 5 32, genotypes I- VII) were correctly identified by both the single- and multiplex formats.
Professional communication in the anti-terror age

Discourse analysis of a US Senate committee hearing shows the construction of a psychology of fear in governmental public deliberation. Professionals who participate in public policy making as expert witnesses or organization spokespersons need to use discourse analytic techniques to recognize the functions of perspective in public discourse. Teachers and trainers can help prepare practitioners to relate specialized knowledge to a prevailing perspective on terror.
The Long and the Short of It

pital day 2), her blood pressure had decreased to 164/113 mm Hg and her heart rate had increased to 92 bpm. She then received 1 dose each of oral nifedipine XL (60 mg), clonidine (0.1 mg), hydralazine (10 mg), metoprolol (200 mg), and diltiazem 180 mg. Following these medications, the patient became confused and semi-comatose, and her blood pressure dropped to 90/62 mm Hg. An ECG taken at that time showed P waves occurring after the QRS complex (Figure 2, upper panel). Intravenous glucagon (7.5 mg) was administered to counteract the effects of both the betablockers and calcium channel blockers, 1 and the patient’s blood pressure improved to 120/72 mm Hg. A rhythm strip recorded 6 min after the administration of glucagon (Figure 2, middle panel) showed a small increase in the time interval between the QRS and the subsequent P waves. Normal sinus rhythm was obtained 4 min later (Figure 2, lower panel). Later that day, the patient’s blood pressure decreased again to 96/64 mm Hg. ECG rhythm strips showed a narrow QRS complex rhythm at 70 bpm with P waves of sinus morphology preceding the QRS complex, short and variable PR intervals, and periodically disappearing P waves (Figure 3). The administration of a second dose of intravenous glucagon (7.5 mg) resulted in the return of normal sinus rhythm and improved blood pressure (112/70 mm Hg).
A model of graded calcium release and L-type Ca2+ channel inactivation in cardiac muscle.

We have developed a model of Ca2+ handling in ferret ventricular myocytes. This model includes a novel L-type Ca2+ channel, detailed intracellular Ca2+ movements, and graded Ca2+-induced Ca2+ relea...
Drug injection injuries of the hands: Evaluation and treatment

Twenty-six patients with hand infections caused by drug injection were seen at Detroit General Hospital between 1974 and 1976 and were followed up. The duration of drug abuse was 2 to 25 years. The time before the patient sought medical help ranged from three days to 20 weeks. Among the 26 patients were three webspace infections, three finger abscesses, four gangrene of distal phalanx, nine cellulitis and abscess, one ulceration of the thenar eminence, and two ulcerations of the volar aspect. Follow-up was difficult due to unreliability of drug addicts.
Task-related "cortical" bursting depends critically on basal ganglia input and is linked to vocal plasticity.

Basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits are critical for motor control and motor learning. Classically, basal ganglia nuclei are thought to regulate motor behavior by increasing or decreasing cortical firing rates, and basal ganglia diseases are assumed to reflect abnormal overall activity levels. More recent studies suggest instead that motor disorders derive from abnormal firing patterns, and have led to the hypothesis that surgical treatments, such as pallidotomy, act primarily by eliminating pathological firing patterns. Surprisingly little is known, however, about how the basal ganglia normally influence task-related cortical activity to regulate motor behavior, and how lesions of the basal ganglia influence cortical firing properties. Here, we investigated these questions in a songbird circuit that has striking homologies to mammalian basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits but is specialized for singing. The “cortical” outflow nucleus of this circuit is required for song plasticity and normally exhibits increased firing during singing and song-locked burst firing. We found that lesions of the striato-pallidal nucleus in this circuit prevented hearing-dependent song changes. These basal ganglia lesions also stripped the cortical outflow neurons of their patterned burst firing during singing, without changing their spontaneous or singing-related firing rates. Taken together, these results suggest that the basal ganglia are essential not for normal cortical firing rates but for driving task-specific cortical firing patterns, including bursts. Moreover, such patterned bursting appears critical for motor plasticity. Our findings thus provide support for therapies that aim to treat basal ganglia movement disorders by normalizing firing patterns.
Diseases at the livestock-wildlife interface: status, challenges, and opportunities in the United States.

a b s t r a c t In the last half century, significant attention has been given to animal diseases; however, our understanding of disease processes and how to manage them at the livestock–wildlife interface remains limited. In this study, we conduct a systematic review of the scientific literature to evaluate the status of diseases at the livestock–wildlife interface in the United States. Specifically, the goals of the literature review were three fold: first to evaluate domestic animal diseases currently found in the United States where wildlife may play a role; second to identify critical issues faced in managing these diseases at the livestock–wildlife interface; and third to identify potential technical and policy strategies for addressing these issues. We found that of the 86 avian, ruminant, swine, poultry, and lagomorph diseases that are reportable to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), 53 are present in the United States; 42 (79%) of these have a putative wildlife component associated with the transmission, maintenance, or life cycle of the pathogen; and 21 (40%) are known to be zoonotic. At least six of these reportable diseases—bovine tuberculosis, paratuberculosis, brucellosis, avian influenza, rabies, and cattle fever tick (vector control)—have a wildlife reservoir that is a recognized impediment to eradication in domestic populations. The complex nature of these systems highlights the need to understand the role of wildlife in the epidemiology, transmission, and maintenance of infectious diseases of livestock. Successful management or eradication of these diseases will require the development of cross-discipline and institutional collaborations. Despite social and policy challenges, there remain opportunities to develop new collaborations and new technologies to mitigate the risks posed at the livestock–wildlife interface. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Effects of the Exchangeable Ion on the Dehydration Properties of Vermiculite

Ion-exchange studies were made on a selected vermiculite from South Carolina, the vermiculite having a base-exchange capacity of about 100 me. per 100 gm. The material was saturated with magnesium, calcium, barium, sodium, and potassium ions, and differences in dehydration characteristics were noted. In general, it was found that the charge-radius ratio of the exchangeable ion present exerts considerable influence on the amount and stability of the inter-layer water present. No correlation between the nature of the exchangeable ion and the expandability of the vermiculite could be found.
Relativistic all-order calculations of Th, Th + , and Th 2+ atomic properties

Excitation energies, term designations, and $g$ factors of Th, ${\mathrm{Th}}^{+}$, and ${\mathrm{Th}}^{2+}$ are determined using a relativistic hybrid configuration-interaction (CI) plus all-order approach that combines configuration-interaction and linearized coupled-cluster methods. The results are compared with other theoretical and experimental values where available. We find some vanishing $g$ factors, similar to those known in lanthanide spectra. Reduced matrix elements, oscillator strengths, transition rates, and lifetimes are determined for ${\mathrm{Th}}^{2+}$. To estimate the uncertainties of our results, we compare our values with the available experimental lifetimes for higher $5f7p{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}{G}_{4}$, $7s7p{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}{P}_{0}$, $7s7p{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}{P}_{1}$, and $6d7p{\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}}^{3}{F}_{4}$ levels of ${\mathrm{Th}}^{2+}$. These calculations provide a benchmark test of the CI plus all-order method for heavy systems with several valence electrons and yield recommended values for transition rates and lifetimes of ${\mathrm{Th}}^{2+}$.
Socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood as a predictor of excessive gestational weight gain and obesity in midlife adulthood

Background Lower childhood socioeconomic position is associated with greater risk of adult obesity among women, but not men. Pregnancy-related weight changes may contribute to this gender difference. The objectives of this study were to determine the associations between: 1. childhood socioeconomic disadvantage and midlife obesity; 2. excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) and midlife obesity; and 3. childhood socioeconomic disadvantage and excessive GWG, among a representative sample of childbearing women.
HSV vector-mediated transduction and GDNF secretion from adipose cells.

The accessibility of adipose tissue and its ability to secrete various bioactive molecules suggest that adipose cells may be attractive targets for gene therapy applications. Here, we report the use of highly defective herpes simplex virus (HSV) vectors as suitable gene transfer agents for adipose cells in culture and fat tissue in animals. Using an in vitro model of human adipose differentiation, we first demonstrated that mature adipocytes and their precursor cells express the two principal HSV viral entry receptors HveA and HveC (nectin-1) and are efficiently transduced at a low multiplicity of infection by HSV-lacZ reporter gene and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) gene vectors. Extended expression of β-galactosidase and secretion of GDNF occurred in transduced fat tissue explants from rabbits. In vivo gene transfer to rabbit subcutaneous adipose tissue resulted in local GDNF expression for at least 2 months. These experiments establish the efficient transduction of adipose cells by HSV vectors and suggest that fat tissue may represent a useful site for HSV-mediated gene delivery with potential for therapeutic applications.
Expected future performance of salmon abundance forecast models with varying complexity

We evaluated the scope for improving abundance forecasts for fishery management using Sacramento River fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) as a case study. A range of forecast models that related the Sacramento Index (SI; an index of adult ocean abundance) to jack (estimated age 2) spawning escapement the previous year were considered. Alternative models incorporated effects of density dependence, local environmental conditions, the abundance of the previous cohort, and trends or autocorrelation in the jack-to-SI relationship. Forecast performance was assessed in terms of bias, accuracy, ability to track trends in the SI, and management objectives. Several models achieved higher accuracy than the model used for management, but no single model performed best across all criteria, and substantial forecast error remained across all approaches considered. Environmental models generally performed better than the management model, but there were differences in the relative importance of individual env...
Blizzard's effects on Appalachian stream chemistry assessed

From March 12–14, 1993, up to 1 m of snow fell on the northeast United States, with central Pennsylvania receiving some of the largest accumulations. The rain-on-snow events that followed provided a unique opportunity to monitor episodic acidification and fluctuations in dissolved aluminum concentrations during extreme flows in three forested Appalachian Plateau basins in north-central Pennsylvania. These events produced peak flows 2–5 times greater than previously monitored flows in the basins we studied, and in the Susquehanna River Basin, March discharge was the highest sustained flow on record. High flows during the event were accompanied by greater streamflow dilution by rain and meltwater and shifts to surface and near-surface hydrologic flow paths, which reduced contact of water with the soil matrix. In the three basins we monitored, these extreme flows caused little water quality degradation relative to earlier events of lesser magnitude. High flows resulted in stream acidification due to base cation dilution rather than increased acid anion concentrations as found in previously monitored events. Total dissolved aluminum concentrations peaked and then remained nearly constant as flow increased during the event; however, aluminum concentrations were elevated above levels toxic to native trout populations in these streams for an extended period of time.
Phase II clinical trial of moderate hypothermia after severe traumatic brain injury in children

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether moderate hypothermia (HYPO) (32-33°C) begun in the early period after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and maintained for 48 hours is safe compared with normothermia (NORM) (36.5-37.5°C). METHODS: After severe (Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8) nonpenetrating TBI, 48 children less than 13 years of age admitted within 6 hours of injury were randomized after stratification by age to moderate HYPO (32-33°C) treatment in conjunction with standardized head injury management versus NORM in a multicenter trial. An additional 27 patients were entered into a parallel single-institution trial of excluded patients because of late transfer or consent (delayed in transfer >6 h but within 24 h of admission), unknown time of injury (e.g., child abuse), and adolescence (e.g., aged 13-18 yr). Assessments of safety included mortality, infection, coagulopathy, arrhythmias, and hemorrhage as well as ability to maintain target temperature, mean intracranial pressure (ICP), and percent time of ICP less than 20 mm Hg during the cooling and subsequent rewarming phases. Additionally, assessments of neurocognitive outcomes were obtained at 3 and 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS: Moderate HYPO after severe TBI in children was found to be safe relative to standard management and NORM in children of all ages and in children with delay of initiation of treatment up to 24 hours. Although there was decreased mortality in HYPO in both studies, there was an increased potential for arrhythmias with HYPO, although they were manageable with fluid administration or rewarming. Additionally, there was a reduction in mean ICP during the first 72 hours after injury in both studies, although rebound ICP elevations in HYPO compared with those in NORM were noted for up to 10 to 12 hours after rewarming. Although functional outcome at 3 or 6 months did not differ between treatment groups, functional outcome tended to improve from the 3- to 6-month cognitive assessment in HYPO compared with NORM, although the sample size was too small for any definitive conclusions. CONCLUSION: HYPO is likely a safe therapeutic intervention for children after severe TBI up to 24 hours after injury. Further studies are necessary and warranted to determine its effect on functional outcome and intracranial hypertension.
Optimizing a pulsed Doppler lidar

NOAA's fieldable injection-seeded, pulsed, coherent CO(2) lidar was developed over a 5-yr period. Its performance and reliability are characterized. Techniques for calibration, alignment, collimation, and for improving detector performance and frequency stability are presented.
Conducting a Distance Education Course When You Are the Distant One

There has been a great deal of discussion in PS: Political Science & Politics concerning the development, use, and evaluation of distance education courses delivered via the Internet (Young 1998 ; Botsch and Botsch 2001 ; Pollock and Wilson 2002 ). While the literature in this new area of teaching instruction varies in terms of its focus and recommendations, one common assumption is that the delivery of the distance education course is accomplished while the faculty member is on campus. For example, Young ( 1998 ) does an excellent job of describing how university resources can be utilized in the gradual process of incorporating technology to develop a “cyberclass.” The analysis of Botsch and Botsch ( 2001 ) concerning outcomes in online and traditional courses was based on online courses offered during the regular semester as part of the normal teaching load.
Coronary artery stasis after induced myocardial infarction in the dog.

After induced myocardial infarction in the dog, there was marked reduction of flow in the anatomically patent coronary artery supplying the area of infarct. This coronary artery stasis offers a possible mechanism for the secondary development of coronary artery thrombosis after myocardial infarction. Evidence that this flow abnormality was due to vasospasm involving small intramyocardial arteries is presented.
Controls on low-pressure anatexis

Low-pressure anatexis, whereby rocks melt in place after passing through the andalusite stability field, develops under more restricted conditions than does low-pressure metamorphism. Our thermal modelling and review of published work indicate that the following mechanisms, operating alone, may induce anatexis in typical pelitic rocks without inducing wholesale melting in the lower crust: (i) magmatic advection by pervasive flow; (ii) crustal-scale detachment faulting; and (iii) the presence of a high heat-producing layer. Of these, only magmatic advection by pervasive flow and crustal-scale detachment faulting have been shown quantitatively to provide sufficient heat to cause widespread melting. Combinations of the above mechanisms with pluton-scale magmatic advection, shear heating, removal of the lithospheric mantle, or with each other provide additional means of developing suitable high temperatures at shallow crustal levels to generate low-pressure anatexis.
Interocular difference in Rayleigh matches of color normals

The Rayleigh match typically is used to assess whether an individual has normal or red/green-defective color vision. There is substantial variation, however, in the Rayleigh matches of color-normal observers, and even differences in the matches from the left eye and right eye of a single observer. We confirmed this interocular difference in two independent samples of normals, and measured additional color matches to seek the cause of the difference. Color matches that varied the wavelength in the mixture field or the field size (i) fail to provide any evidence of an interocular difference in the wavelength of peak sensitivity of photopigment (Xmax) and (ii) suggest the difference often is due to effective optical density of photopigment. We conclude that an interocular difference in Rayleigh-match midpoint (but not range) is common, and due to effective optical density and/or pre-receptoral spectrally selective filtering.
Bandgap Opening in Metallic Carbon Nanotubes Due toSilicon Adatoms

Controlling the bandgap of carbon nanostructures is a key factor in the development of mainstream applications of carbon-based nanoelectronic devices. This is particularly important in the cases where it is desired that the carbon nanos- tructures are the active elements, as opposed to being conductive leads between other elements of the device. Here, we report density functional theory calculations of the effect of silicon impurities on the electronic properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). We have found that Si adatoms can open up a bandgap in intrinsically metallic CNTs, even when the linear density of Si atoms is low enough that they do not create an adatom chain along the tube. The bandgap opened in metallic CNTs can range up to approximately 0.47 eV, depending on adsorption site, on the linear density of Si adatoms, and on the chirality of the nanotube. We have found that a lower spatial symmetry of the charge transfer between adatom and CNT leads to a higher value of the bandgap opened, which indicates that the physical origin of the bandgap lies in the reduced spatial symmetry of the charge transferred.
Cobalt( ii )-catalysed transfer hydrogenation of olefins

Catalytic transfer hydrogenation of olefins by isopropanol is achieved using an earth-abundant metal cobalt(II) complex based on a pincer-type PNP ligand. A range of olefins including aromatic and aliphatic alkenes as well as internal and cyclic alkenes have been transfer hydrogenated in good to excellent yields. The catalyst also showed good functional group and water tolerance to olefin transfer hydrogenation reactions.
Older literature review of increased risk of adjacent segment degeneration with instrumented lumbar fusions.

Background: Adjacent segment degeneration (ASD) following lumbar spine surgery occurs in up to 30% of cases, and descriptions of such changes are not new. Here, we review some of the older literature concerning the rate of ASD, typically more severe cephalad than caudad, and highly correlated with instrumented fusions. Therefore, for degenerative lumbar disease without frank instability, ASD would be markedly reduced by avoiding instrumented fusions.
Canonical wnt signaling regulates extracellular matrix expression in the trabecular meshwork.

Purpose Canonical Wnt signaling has emerged as a critical regulator of aqueous outflow facility and intraocular pressure (IOP). In this study, we examine the role of canonical Wnt signaling on extracellular matrix (ECM) expression in the trabecular meshwork (TM) and explore the molecular mechanisms involved. Methods β-catenin localization in human TM tissue was examined using immunofluorescent staining. Primary human TM cells were incubated with lithium chloride (LiCl) and the effect on active β-catenin expression was assessed by immunoblot. Adenovirus expressing a dominant-negative TCF4 mutant that lacks a β-catenin binding domain was used. Changes in the levels of the microRNA-29 (miR-29) family and ECM proteins were determined by real-time quantitative PCR and immunoblot analysis, respectively. Results β-catenin was expressed throughout the TM, with localization primarily to the plasma membrane. Incubation of TM cells with lithium chloride increased the expression of active β-catenin. Lithium chloride treatment upregulated miR-29b expression, and suppressed the levels of various ECM proteins under both basal and TGF-β2 stimulatory conditions. Infection of TM cells with a dominant-negative TCF4 mutant induced ECM levels without a significant change in the expression of the miR-29 family. Conclusions Collectively, our data identify the canonical Wnt signaling pathway as an important modulator of ECM expression in the TM and provide a mechanistic framework for its regulation of outflow facility and IOP.