cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative results of a national intervention to prevent clostridioides difficile infection: A pre-post observational study

Background Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is on the rise. Objective To evaluate the effect of a tiered, evidence-based intervention to prevent CDI. Design Pre-post observational evaluation of a prospective, 12-month, national, nonrandomized, clustered quality improvement project to reduce hospital health care-associated infection. Setting Acute care, long-term acute care, and critical access hospitals working with state partner organizations (state hospital associations and state health departments) to improve health care-associated infection prevention practices. Participants Targeted hospitals had a high burden of CDI and another health care-associated infection. Other hospitals that did not meet these criteria volunteered to participate. Intervention Multimodal intervention that consisted of 1) on-demand educational modules and webinars, 2) in-person meetings facilitated by state-level partners, 3) feedback and recommendations for implementation of evidence-based recommendations (including a CDI-specific guide on which interventions to implement), and 4) guided facilitation through infection prevention resources and site visits. Measurements Pre- and postintervention CDI rates. Results Between November 2016 and May 2018, 387 hospitals (366 of which reported CDI data) in 23 states and the District of Columbia participated in the intervention. There was a statistically significant decrease in CDI incidence over the study period, from 7.0 cases per 10 000 patient-days in the preintervention period to 5.7 cases per 10 000 patient-days in the postintervention period. However, this decrease appeared to be part of a temporal trend rather than due to the study intervention. Limitations Commitment to and adherence with recommended infection prevention practices before and after the intervention were not assessed. The intervention period was relatively brief, and patient-level data were not available. Conclusion Although a statistically significant decline in hospital-onset CDI was observed, this trend appears to be unrelated to the study intervention. Primary funding source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Methods of Geo-Spatial Sampling

Technological advances in geospatial data have the potential to change how survey data are collected. Long hampered by high costs, limited capacity, and difficulties in supervision, sample selection is often done using second-best or nonprobability approaches, particularly in difficult contexts. This chapter presents experiences with GIS-based sampling from three different settings: (i) where no sampling frame is present because the census is outdated; (ii) sampling pastoralist communities; and (iii) rapid listing of enumeration areas to reduce exposure of field teams. Though the case studies focus on extreme situations, the applications reviewed here are applicable to many less extreme situations.
Predictors of self-reported oral health in the Black Women's Health Study.

Objectives To describe the self-reported oral health of participants in the Black Women's Health Study (BWHS), a national cohort of 59,000 Black women, and to assess factors associated with this self-report. Methods Annual follow-up of the BWHS cohort occurs via surveys. The 2011 questionnaire included oral health self-report items, on which 38,573 respondents had complete data. Sample characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics. We assessed correlations with several covariates by estimating odds ratios using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models. Results Those who reported fair or poor oral health were more likely to report current smoking, recent tooth loss, diabetes or hypertension diagnoses, lower education levels, obesity, and higher parity. Few factors were related to self-reported gum disease with bone loss. Conclusions The oral health of US Black women is poorly understood. Correlates of oral health in the BWHS are largely consistent with what has been observed in other populations.
Polycarbonate Coextrusions for Barrier Flexible Packaging

This paper evaluates the benefits of polycarbonate resin as a structural layer in high-barrier coextrusions for flexible packaging. High-temperature performance requirements are examined for hot-fill, retort, autoclave, and ovenable packaging. Coextrudable barrier resins and tie layer resins are evaluated for processability, and the benefits of low- and high-moisture barriers are compared in composites using moisture-sensitive oxygen barrier resins. Optimum barrier composite structures are defined and evaluated.
Prevention of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Close Contacts. Back to the Future?

The author focuses on data from patients who were exposed with tuberculosis (TB) treated with isoniazid (INH) according to Peruvian national guidelines in Peru Topics discussed include vaccine candidates in phase trials after cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), clinical trials examining treatment for latent TB and infectious disease challenge in hospitals
Development, implementation and outcomes of a quality assurance system for the provision of continuous renal replacement therapy in the intensive care unit

Critically ill patients with requirement of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) represent a growing intensive care unit (ICU) population. Optimal CRRT delivery demands continuous communication between stakeholders, iterative adjustment of therapy, and quality assurance systems. This Quality Improvement (QI) study reports the development, implementation and outcomes of a quality assurance system to support the provision of CRRT in the ICU. This study was carried out at the University of Kentucky Medical Center between September 2016 and June 2019. We implemented a quality assurance system using a step-wise approach based on the (a) assembly of a multidisciplinary team, (b) standardization of the CRRT protocol, (c) creation of electronic CRRT flowsheets, (d) selection, monitoring and reporting of quality metrics of CRRT deliverables, and (e) enhancement of education. We examined 34-month data comprising 1185 adult patients on CRRT (~ 7420 patient-days of CRRT) and tracked selected QI outcomes/metrics of CRRT delivery. As a result of the QI interventions, we increased the number of multidisciplinary experts in the CRRT team and ensured a continuum of education to health care professionals. We maximized to 100% the use of continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration and doubled the percentage of patients using regional citrate anticoagulation. The delivered CRRT effluent dose (~ 30 ml/kg/h) and the delivered/prescribed effluent dose ratio (~ 0.89) remained stable within the study period. The average filter life increased from 26 to 31 h (p = 0.020), reducing the mean utilization of filters per patient from 3.56 to 2.67 (p = 0.054) despite similar CRRT duration and mortality rates. The number of CRRT access alarms per treatment day was reduced by 43%. The improvement in filter utilization translated into ~ 20,000 USD gross savings in filter cost per 100-patient receiving CRRT. We satisfactorily developed and implemented a quality assurance system for the provision of CRRT in the ICU that enabled sustainable tracking of CRRT deliverables and reduced filter resource utilization at our institution.
Rethinking Qing Manchuria's Prohibition Policies

Historians hold that to preserve the Manchu homeland the Qing court instituted a “policy of prohibition” (Ch: fengjin zhengce), forbidding Han immigrants from settling in the region until the final decades of its rule. Using Manchu-language archives from the garrison of Huncun (Ch: Hunchun), this article questions whether such a prohibition guided local governance. In some jurisdictions in Manchuria, including in Huncun, the Qing state did not always have an overarching policy towards Han migrants. Migration, in fact, was often less of a concern to the state than poaching. We can reassess the history of Manchuria accordingly. Modern historians have been preoccupied with the coming of Han migrants to Qing Manchuria; the Qing government in Huncun was not.
Exploring nonprofit dilemmas through a new lens: Introduction to the symposium on experimental and behavioral approaches in nonprofit and voluntary sector research

Experimental studies have just begun to diffuse slowly in nonprofit research, reflecting the general recognition that experimental studies can help nonprofit researchers overcome some limitations of the methods that have traditionally been used. This special issue includes four papers that consider the diversity of experimental research in nonprofit studies. First, a systematic literature review of experimental studies in fundraising provides a nice overview of how experimental studies have been adopted for nonprofit research. The other three articles in this symposium cover important topics that have garnered growing attention in the field of nonprofit management --promoting diversity, donor resistance to the overhead myth, and the role of nudging in crowdfunding donations. Taken together, the four articles in this symposium strengthen our understanding of how experimental approaches can address some of the most pressing questions for the nonprofit and voluntary sector. The studies covered here suggest nearly limitless potential applications of properly designed experimental studies to address unique nonprofit challenges. The symposium issue articles also help nonprofit researchers to shift the research inquiry to individuals to address nonprofit dilemmas through the behavioral lens.
Effects of Three Volatile Oxylipins on Colony Development in Two Species of Fungi and on Drosophila Larval Metamorphosis

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of three volatile oxylipins on colony development in two fungi and on Drosophila larval metamorphosis. Using an airborne exposure technique, three common and volatile oxylipins (1-octen-3-ol, (E)-2-hexenal, and 1-hexanol) were compared for their effects on spore germination and colony growth in Aspergillus niger and Penicillium chrysogenum, as well as for their effects on the morphogenesis of larvae of Drosophila melanogaster. Conidia of both A. niger and P. chrysogenum plated in the presence of low concentrations (50 ppm) of these three volatile organic compounds (VOCs) formed fewer colony-forming units (CFUs) and exhibited reduced radial growth of colonies as compared to controls. When A. niger and P. chrysogenum spores were germinated in the presence of the enantiomers of 1-octen-3-ol, (R)-(−)-1-octen-3-ol had the greatest impact on colony morphology (decreased sporulation and colony diameter), while (S)-(+)-1-octen-3-ol and the racemic form yielded similar morphological changes but to a lesser extent. In addition, Drosophila larvae exposed to vapors of these oxylipins exhibited serious delays in metamorphosis and toxic effects on pupae and adult stages. Low concentration of these three VOCs can significantly inhibit the formation of CFUs and the growth of fungi. (R)-(−)-1-octen-3-ol imposed the greatest impact on fungal morphology compared to (S)-(+)-1-octen-3-ol and the racemic form. The three volatile oxylipins could also delay the metamorphosis of Drosophila and impose toxic effects on its pupae and adult stages.
Steam and Cinders: The Advent of Railroads in Wisconsin, 1831–1861

Review of: "Steam and Cinders: The Advent of Railroads in Wisconsin, 1831–1861," by Axel S. Lorenzsonn.
SU‐E‐I‐48: Noise Reduction with Over‐Sampling for High Resolution Detectors Using a Spread Function Convolution Method

Purpose: A method to reduce noise resulting from the use of higher resolution x-ray detectors being developed to meet the demands of image guided vascular interventions is demonstrated. Methods: New direct detectors based on amorphous Se can have MTFs that remain high even at their Nyquist frequency. Since such detectors can be made with smaller pixels than may be required for even the high resolution requirements of many neurovascular applications, the resulting over-sampled images can be convolved with various functions to lower the noise. The effect on resolution can then be compared with a simple pixel binning. The general method proposed by Cunningham et al as the apodized-aperture pixel (AAP) design was compared with the Result for various simple 1D convolution spread functions with the effects on total noise and MTF compared to that of the binning case for a 25 μm aSe CMOS detector’s MTF published by the University of Waterloo group lead by KS Karim. Results: Assuming a white noise image, various convolution kernels resulted in similar reductions of total standard deviation. Detailed comparisons were made with the simple the 2x binning case. While reducing noise, the over-sampling convolution method using simple convolution low pass filters did not show advantage over 2x binning with regard to modifying the MTF; however, significant improvement was evidenced for the more complex sinc function used in the AAP design. Conclusion: As higher resolution detectors are being developed to meet the increasing demands for improved images to guide finer vascular interventions, use of super-sampled aSe detectors where resolution is maintained with reduced noise may well fill this requirement. Partial support from NIH Grant R01EB002873 and Toshiba Medical Systems Equipment Grant
Phonons in a strong static magnetic field

The Hamiltonian of an ionic crystal lattice in the harmonic approximation and in the presence of a static magnetic field is diagonalized in terms of creation and annihilation operators. Phonon energies and polarizations are determined in this theory by means of the solutions of an eigenvalue problem of the first kind with twice the dimension of the corresponding problem without magnetic field. The energy eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian are linear combinations of the phonon energies ħωj(k) with integers as coefficients, just as in the case without a magnetic field. For crystals in which every ion is at a center of inversion symmetry the phonon spectrum will conserve its inversion symmetry ink-space. For crystals without inversion symmetry this will no longer be true. In every case the polarizations of the phonons will be elliptical.
Pulse oximetry during labour--does it give rise to hope? Value of saturation monitoring in comparison to fetal blood gas status.

Objective: Purpose of this presentation is to show the diagnostic power of fetal pulse oximetry in comparison to the other blood gas parameters from fetal blood samplings (FBS). The distribution of saturation readings in acidotic fetuses and normally oxygenated fetuses should be established. Study design: A fetal pulse oximetry system (N400, FS14) was evaluated in a strictly observational study design based on blinded saturation display and on continuous data storing. The investigation was performed on 170 fetuses with non-reassuring fetal heart rate (FHR)-tracings. Since pulse oximetry readings were not available for decision finding, the clinical management was based on electronic fetal monitoring and fetal blood samplings. The oxygen saturation from FBS or umbilical cord blood was measured by blood gas analysers with an integrated hemoximeter (Bayer 865; ABL 625, Radiometer) and biosensors measuring lactate as metabolic component. Out of the 170 cases 17 cases were defined as group of acidemia (pH umb.art. < 7.16 + BD < -9.4). The distribution of saturation readings and the duration of desaturation periods (in minutes and percentage of total monitoring time SPO 2 below 30%) were determined. ROC curve analysis from FBS preceding delivery compared the diagnostic power of other blood gas parameters with oxygen saturation. The Wilcoxon test for uneven pairs was used. Results: The distribution of oxygen saturation in the normal group of fetuses differs significantly from the acidemic group. The correlation coefficient between both methods to determine oxygen saturation was r = 0.66. A specific evaluation of the distribution of SPO 2 shows an overestimation of pulse oximetry in the low range and an underestimation in the high range of saturation. ROC-curve analysis showed a good diagnostic power of lactate in comparison to the oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry or by hemoximetry. Conclusions: The advantage of continuous fetal pulse oximetry surveilling the fetus under suspicion of hypoxia appears limited by the poor diagnostic power of the respiratory parameter saturation itself and by the impairment of the precision of the technology.
NAC 2.0 — Unifying Network Security

As information technology becomes more strategic and essential, access to networks and applications must be pervasive yet secure and controlled. The purpose of Network Access Control (NAC) has evolved beyond simply managing network access and ensuring endpoint policy compliance. NAC systems today must integrate with other network security components and increase their built-in capabilities to include support for intrusion detection, role-based application access control, network and application visibility and monitoring, leakage detection, VPNs, and other network security technologies. In fact, we need a new unified vision and understanding of network security: one that involves multiple network security functions working together dynamically using open standards. This vision of unified network security has been called “NAC 2.0.”
Nucleic Acid Synthesis in Cytoplasm of Yaba Monkey Tumor Virus-Infected Cells

Abstract Yaba tumor virus progeny appeared in cynomolgus monkey kidney cells at 24 h postinfection and reached a plateau at 72 h in the first cycle of replication. Viral DNA synthesis was first detected at about 3 h and reached a peak in 18 h. Maximum coating of viral DNA in infected cells occurred at 4 days postinfection. Rapidly labeled RNA was synthesized in the cytoplasm of virus-infected cells. At 6 h postinfection 7 to 10S RNA was present; this species was present in greater amount at 12 h; at 24 h a truncated peak indicated the presence of 14 to 15S as well as 7 to 10S RNA. Hybridization data indicated that the largest peak of messenger RNA synthesis occurred at 11 to 13 h postinfection and a second, slightly smaller, peak occurred at 21 to 23 h.
Regulation of Cytoskeletal Dynamics and Cell Morphogenesis by Abl Family Kinases

Abelson (Abl) family nonreceptor tyrosine kinases are essential regulators of cell morphogenesis in developing metazoan organisms. Mutant animals that lack Abl kinases exhibit defects in epithelial and neuronal morphogenesis. In cultured cells, the vertebrate Abl and Abl-related gene (Arg) proteins promote formation of actin-based protrusive structures, such as filopodia and lamellipodia. Abl family kinases act as relays that coordinate changes in cytoskeletal structure in response growth factors and adhesion receptor activation. These cytoskeletal rearrangements are achieved through the ability of these kinases to control the Rho and Rac GTPases and to stimulate assembly of protein complexes that activate nucleation of actin filaments by the Arp2/3 complex. Abl and Arg also contain extended C-termini that bind directly to F-actin and microtubules and may mediate interactions between these cytoskeletal networks in cells. Arg, for instance, can promote the cooperative assembly of an F-actin-rich scaffold in cells, which may serve as a base for the elaboration of actin-rich protrusive structures in cells.
Can Health Care Services Attract Retirees And Contribute to the Economic Sustainability of Rural Places

The search for engines to power rural economic growth has gone beyond the traditional boundaries of the food and fiber sector to industries such as tourism and to schemes such as attracting metropolitan workers to commuter communities with rural amenities. A group that has been somewhat overlooked is retirees, who may wish to trade in urban or suburban lifestyles for a more peaceful rural retirement. An industry that has been neglected is the health care industry, which is the most rapidly growing industry nationally and of particular interest to retirees and aging populations. This paper examines the importance of rural health care services in attracting migrants age 65+ to rural counties in Michigan. Results indicate that the number of health care workers has a positive effect on net in-migration, and that this effect is large and statistically significant for the 70+ age group. Implications for rural development strategies are discussed.
What's a Cross-Cultural Mediator to do? A Low-Context Solution for a High-Context Problem

This article explores issues facing mediators in cross-cultural conflicts, offers suggestions for conducting cross-cultural mediations, and proposes a template of factors that mediators should consider when assisting parties in cross-cultural mediation. The factors will come largely from the research by social scientists anthropologists, particularly Edward T. Hall and Geert Hofstede, Some of the factors are comparable to negotiation interests, which have a basis in cultural differences, and are referred to as Cultural Dimension Interests (CDI’s). The recommended approach to cross-cultural mediation is: 1) Learn the cultural stereotypes about the culturally different parties who will come to the mediation, 2) Investigate the actual people involved, as well as the problem, 3) Be flexible and understand that the parties may well act differently than the stereotypes, and that the stereotypes still are useful in planning for the mediation, and 4) Use the approach to apply a variety of approaches in mediation based upon the Cultural Dimension Interests (CDI's) to resolve the dispute.
Joint Influence of Fat and Lean Body Composition Compartments on Femoral Bone Mineral Density in Premenopausal Women

Body composition (fat and lean compartments) and bone mineral density were measured in 246 healthy premenopausal women, aged 20-40 years, residing in Tecumseh, Michigan. Body composition was measured using four-point bioelectrical impedance and values for fat and lean compartments categorized into tertiles. Additionally, each woman was classified into one of nine different cells based on her location within a 3 x 3 table which reflects the joint distribution of both fat and lean compartments. Bone mineral density of the proximal femur, including the femoral neck and trochanter, was measured using dual photon densitometry. The mean femoral neck bone mineral density values increased significantly and linearly for each tertile of muscle mass (0.90, 0.95, and 1.02 g/cm2, p less than 0.0002). Femoral bone mineral density increased significantly but not linearly as the fat compartment progressed from the lowest to the highest tertile (0.95, 0.93, and 0.99 g/cm2). Bone mineral density of the proximal femur was similar and significantly greater in the high muscle/low fat and high muscle/high fat body composition subgroups compared with bone mineral density in the seven other groups. However, women in the high muscle/low fat subgroup had substantially lower mean weight (67 vs. 91 kg, p less than 0.0001) and mean Quetelet index (22.1 vs. 33.7 kg/m2, p less than 0.0001) than women in the high muscle/high fat subgroup. Bone mineral density values were similar and significantly lower in the following body composition cells: low muscle/low fat, low muscle/medium fat, and low muscle/high fat. Similar findings were observed at the trochanteric site. Low muscle is a risk factor for low bone mineral density in young adult women while higher fat is protective only when associated with substantial muscle.
Evidence for hysteretic substrate channeling in the proline dehydrogenase and Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase coupled reaction of proline utilization A (PutA).

PutA (proline utilization A) is a large bifunctional flavoenzyme with proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) and Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase (P5CDH) domains that catalyze the oxidation of l-proline to l-glutamate in two successive reactions. In the PRODH active site, proline undergoes a two-electron oxidation to Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxlylate, and the FAD cofactor is reduced. In the P5CDH active site, l-glutamate-γ-semialdehyde (the hydrolyzed form of Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate) undergoes a two-electron oxidation in which a hydride is transferred to NAD+-producing NADH and glutamate. Here we report the first kinetic model for the overall PRODH-P5CDH reaction of a PutA enzyme. Global analysis of steady-state and transient kinetic data for the PRODH, P5CDH, and coupled PRODH-P5CDH reactions was used to test various models describing the conversion of proline to glutamate by Escherichia coli PutA. The coupled PRODH-P5CDH activity of PutA is best described by a mechanism in which the intermediate is not released into the bulk medium, i.e., substrate channeling. Unexpectedly, single-turnover kinetic experiments of the coupled PRODH-P5CDH reaction revealed that the rate of NADH formation is 20-fold slower than the steady-state turnover number for the overall reaction, implying that catalytic cycling speeds up throughput. We show that the limiting rate constant observed for NADH formation in the first turnover increases by almost 40-fold after multiple turnovers, achieving half of the steady-state value after 15 turnovers. These results suggest that EcPutA achieves an activated channeling state during the approach to steady state and is thus a new example of a hysteretic enzyme. Potential underlying causes of activation of channeling are discussed.
Planning science: Otto Neurath and the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science

In the spring of 1937, the University of Chicago Press mailed hundreds of subscription forms for its latest enterprise – a projected series of twenty short monographs by various philosophers and scientists. Together the monographs were to form the first section of the International Encyclopedia of Unified Science. Included in each mailing was an introductory prospectus which began:Recent years have witnessed a striking growth of interest in the scientific enterprise as a whole and especially in the unity of science. The concern throughout the world for the logic of science, the history of science, and the sociology of science reveals a comprehensive international movement interested in considering science as a whole in terms of the scientific temper itself. A science of science is appearing. The extreme specialization within science demands as its corrective an interest in the scientific edifice in its entirety. This is especially necessary if science is to satisfy its inherent urge for the systematization of its results and methods and if science is to perform adequately its educational role in the modern world. Science is gradually rousing itself for the performance of its total task.
Chinese Families' Level of Participation and Experiences in IEP Meetings.

The author investigated the level of participation and experiences of 5 Chinese parents of children with disabilities in individualized education program (IEP) meetings through observations and interviews. Results of the study suggested that the Chinese parents were dissatisfied with 12 of 15 observed IEP meetings. The level of parental participation in IEP meetings was minimal. Participants indicated numerous challenges preventing them from taking a more active role in meetings, such as the language barrier, poor interpretation services, and disrespect by professionals. The author discusses the implications for research to practice.
Regulation of VEGF signaling by membrane traffic

Recent findings have drawn attention to the role of membrane traffic in the signaling of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The significance of this development stems from the pivotal function of VEGF in vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. The outline of the regulation of VEGF receptor (VEGFR) signaling by membrane traffic is similar to that of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a prototype of the intertwining between membrane traffic and signaling. There are, however, unique features in VEGFR signaling that are conferred in part by the involvement of the co-receptor neuropilin (Nrp). Nrp1 and VEGFR2 are integrated into membrane traffic through the adaptor protein synectin, which recruits myosin VI, a molecular motor that drives inward trafficking [17,21,64]. The recent detection of only mild vascular defects in a knockin mouse model that expresses Nrp1 lacking a cytoplasmic domain [104], questions the co-receptor's role in VEGF signaling and membrane traffic. The regulation of endocytosis by ephrin-B2 is another feature unique to VEGR2/3 [18,19], but it awaits a mechanistic explanation. Current models do not fully explain how membrane traffic bridges between VEGFR and the downstream effectors that produce its functional outcome, such as cell migration. VEGF-A appears to accomplish this task in part by recruiting endocytic vesicles carrying RhoA to internalized active VEGFR2 [58].
The Equilibrium Constant for Bromothymol Blue: A General Chemistry Laboratory Experiment Using Spectroscopy

A simple, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly undergraduate laboratory experiment is described in which students use visible spectroscopy to determine a numerical value for an equilibrium constant, Kc. The experiment correlates well with the lecture topic of equilibrium even though the subject of the study is an acid−base indicator, bromothymol blue. The experiment gives excellent results and offers an inexpensive, zero-waste alternative to traditional equilibrium experiments, such as the Fe(SCN)2+ equilibrium.
The NMDA-to-AMPA ratio at synapses onto layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons is conserved across prefrontal and visual cortices.

To better understand regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptor complements across the cortex, and to investigate NMDA recept...
Extremely Bendable, High-Performance Integrated Circuits Using Semiconducting Carbon Nanotube Networks for Digital, Analog, and Radio-Frequency Applications

Solution-processed thin-films of semiconducting carbon nanotubes as the channel material for flexible electronics simultaneously offers high performance, low cost, and ambient stability, which significantly outruns the organic semiconductor materials. In this work, we report the use of semiconductor-enriched carbon nanotubes for high-performance integrated circuits on mechanically flexible substrates for digital, analog and radio frequency applications. The as-obtained thin-film transistors (TFTs) exhibit highly uniform device performance with on-current and transconductance up to 15 μA/μm and 4 μS/μm. By performing capacitance-voltage measurements, the gate capacitance of the nanotube TFT is precisely extracted and the corresponding peak effective device mobility is evaluated to be around 50 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1). Using such devices, digital logic gates including inverters, NAND, and NOR gates with superior bending stability have been demonstrated. Moreover, radio frequency measurements show that cutoff frequency of 170 MHz can be achieved in devices with a relatively long channel length of 4 μm, which is sufficient for certain wireless communication applications. This proof-of-concept demonstration indicates that our platform can serve as a foundation for scalable, low-cost, high-performance flexible electronics.
Learning by customers as co-producers in financial services: An empirical study of the effects of learning channels and customer characteristics

As customers become more involved in executing service tasks, service performance is increasingly reliant on the efficiency and effectiveness of this customer co-production. While organizational and employee learning have been extensively studied, learning by customers in their role as co-producers is largely unexplored. To explore how customers learn to be better co-producers, we examine whether learning channels and customer characteristics impact the customer learning rate. Using longitudinal panel data consisting of 954 customers who adopted and used a bank’s online banking product over a 12-month period, we find that service delivery channels can have dual effects on customer learning, acting as learning channels to accelerate customer learning and/or impeding learning through channel substitution. In addition, customers’ experiences working on related technology-mediated tasks and absorptive capacity increase their learning rate. Overall, our results suggest that customer learning can be designed into the service delivery system by encouraging the use of channels with complementary learning effects and discouraging channel substitution.
Entomopathogenic nematode infectivity enhancement using physical and chemical stressors

Abstract Entomopathogenic nematode in vivo production depends on a high level of successful infection during the inoculation process. Some host–nematode combinations do not provide sufficient or consistent infection levels and are, therefore, not suitable for in vivo production. Our objective was to determine whether infection levels could be improved through host or nematode exposure to physical and chemical stressors. Elevated stress may compromise host insect defenses, thus increasing its vulnerability to nematode infection. Specifically, we investigated the effects of stressors on Heterorhabditis bacteriophora infection of Tenebrio molitor larva. The stressors included temperature extremes, insecticidal oils and metal cations. Most chemical stressor–nematode combinations caused high host mortality and low infectivity rates. However, infective juvenile stimulation by the cation Mn2+ did enhance infectivity compared to the control. Dry heat (40 °C for 30 min) and hot water (60–70 °C for 1 s) treatments increased the host’s susceptibility to H. bacteriophora infection with respect to unstressed controls, and the yields and virulence of infective juveniles produced in hosts stressed by these treatments were not affected. Thus, host stress methods can be used to successfully enhance infection levels for in vivo production of H. bacteriophora.
Machine verification of traced signatures

The handwritten signature is the most widely employed source of secure identification in the United States, especially for cashing checks, and verifying credit card transactions. Currently, all signature verification is based on visual inspection by a teller or a store clerk. Previous successful techniques for forgery detection have primarily been on-line techniques. This research is an extension of the first author's work on forgery detection and describes an algorithm to detect forgeries perpetrated by using a tracing paper or a glass plate. This algorithm is very successful when used in conjunction with the algorithm developed earlier by the first author.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Revamped Outer Segment Structure and Photoresponse in Retinal Rods Over-expressing Rhodopsin

Visual phototransduction begins with photon capture by rhodopsin. Dense packing of rhodopsins in the outer segment membranes improves photon capture but can hinder the photoresponse by impeding the lateral diffusion of transduction proteins on the membrane. We attempted to investigate this effect by over-expressing rhodopsin in rods of transgenic mice. Increased rhodopsin expression was confirmed by Western analyses and by single cell microspectrophotometry. However, electron microscopy revealed that the excessive rhodopsins did not increase the packing density. Rods simply expanded the size of their membranous disks to accommodate the extra rhodopsins without increasing membrane congestion. Rod sensitivity increased due to improved photon capture. The dispersal of transducin and phosphodiesterase within the more spacious outer segment and the greater interdiskal volume delayed the photoresponse onset and reduced the cascade amplification. Flash responses from mutant and wild-type rods were fit with a mathematical model that adjusted for the alteration in outer segment structure.
The first integral method to the two-dimensional Burgers–Korteweg–de Vries equation

Abstract In this Letter, a more general exact solution to the two-dimensional Burgers–Korteweg–de Vries equation has been obtained by using the first integral method.
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor enhances association of protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1D with the NMDA receptor subunit NR2B in the cortical postsynaptic density

Our recent studies revealed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rapidly enhances tyrosine phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the NMDA receptor subunit, NR2B, in the postsynaptic density (PSD), potentially regulating synaptic plasticity. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic NR2B signaling, we examined the protein tyrosine phosphatase, PTP1D; BDNF reportedly increases association of PTP1D with tyrosine phosphorylated proteins in cortical neurons and PC 12 cells. We now report that PTP1D is an intrinsic component of the rat cerebrocortical PSD, based on Western blot analysis using specific anti-PTP1D antibodies. In addition, NR2B was co-immunoprecipitated with PTP1D using anti-NR2B antibodies or anti-PTP1D antibodies, indicating physical association of the subunit with PTP1D. Moreover, treatment of the purified PSD with BDNF for 5 min elicited a two-fold increase in the association of NR2B with PTP1D. The BDNF action appeared to be specific, since nerve growth factor, another member of the neurotrophin gene family, did not alter the association. Finally, an overlay assay revealed that BDNF caused a two-fold increase in binding of blotted PSD NR2B proteins to PTP1D-SH2 domains, revealing molecular mechanisms mediating the PTP1D-NR2B binding. Taken together, our results raise the possibility that PTP1D participates in BDNF-mediated NR2B signaling cascades at the postsynaptic site, thereby regulating synaptic plasticity.
Developments in technology and nutritive value of dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and their products

Remarkable developments in technology of dehydrated fruits, vegetables, and their products have been made during the past several decades. Many dehydration techniques that have shown to be applicable for drying fruits and vegetables are widely adapted by the industry for commercial'scale production while constantly undergoing improvement. At the same time, various new techniques are also being developed and introduced to the public. A compilation of information along with assessing the merit on current technology of dehydration of fruits, vegetables, and their products would benefit not only those who are engaged in this rapidly growing industry but also those who are interested in developing a better way to preserve the highly nutritious fruits and vegetables. For each of the currently known dehydration techniques, a condensed description of the principle, operation, advantages, and limitations will be presented with the kind of fruits and vegetables being dehydrated. Next, the storage stability of dehyd...
Stabilization of nitrogen-mustard alkylations and inter-strand crosslinks in DNA by alkali

Abstract Inter-strand crosslinks in nitrogen mustard ( N -methyl-bis(2-chloroethyl)amine) reacted DNA have an increased stability at high pH. This increased stability correlates which a reduced rate of elimination of bound 14 C-labeled nitrogen mustard residues from the DNA. Mild alkali treatment of nitrogen mustard reacted DNA causes an increased stability of bound nitrogen mustard and of inter-strand crosslinks with respect to subsequent heating at neutral pH. This is due to the alkali-induced hydrolysis of the imidazole ring of alkyl-guanine residues. A method is described for estimating the extent of alkylation at the N-7 position of guanine, based on the convertibility of [8- 14 C] guanine to 14 CO 2 after alkaline cleavage of the imidazole ring. The findings constitute independent evidence that the major site of DNA alkylation by nitrogen mustard is the N-7 position of guanine and that at least one such position is involved in inter-strand crosslinking.
Susceptibility of Four New Salmonid Cell Lines to Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus

Abstract Four salmonid cell lines, CoE 45, CoE 115, CoE 345, and RBTE 45, were established from embryonic tissues of coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch and rainbow trout O. mykiss. In vitro challenges of the new lines were conducted with four isolates of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). Two of the IHNV isolates used for the challenges were derived from infected tissues of rainbow trout, one was derived from chinook salmon O. tshawytscha, and the other isolate was derived from coho salmon. To standardize the virus challenges of the new cell lines, several established piscine cell lines (EPC, CHSE 214, CSE-119, RTH-149, RTG, and RTS) were challenged in the same way as the new lines. Each of the lines was challenged with virus at a single low multiplicity of infection (0.01 plaque-forming unit per cell). Virus yields were quantitated by plaque assay on epithelioma papulosum cyprini (EPC) cells on day 3. Results of the challenge experiments revealed different levels of production of virus for eac...
Miniature wax sculpturing: a thirty-year experiment

In 1929 the University of Southern 'Cali­ fornia School of Dentistry began an ex­ perimental project of wax figure carving for freshmen students. The project is still being carried on. A comparison of grade records over the past 30 years with the original evaluations of the carvings shows that accurate prediction of out­ standing students, misfits and under aver­ age students has averaged about 90 per cent correct. The chalk carving aptitude testing program adopted in the early 1950’s by the American Dental Associa­ tion has largely eliminated the misfits who might otherwise have spent needless time and money in attempting the study of dentistry.
Dectin-1 and NOD2 mediate cathepsin activation in zymosan-induced arthritis in mice.

Objective Activation of pattern recognition receptors (PRR) may contribute to arthritis. Here, we elucidated the role of NOD2, a genetic cause of inflammatory arthritis, and several other PRR in a murine model of inflammatory arthritis.
Scaling of adsorption reactions: U(VI) experiments and modeling

Iron-coated sands were prepared via two common protocols, a precipitation method, where Fe was precipitated directly onto the sand in a single step, and an adsorption method, where pure goethite was prepared in the first step and then adsorbed onto the sand in a second step. The coated sands from both the systems were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and selective Fe extraction. Although neither of the methods produced a completely crystalline Fe coating, the precipitation method produced sands with larger portions of amorphous Fe than the adsorption method, with the fraction of amorphous Fe decreasing with increasing Fe content. Uranium(VI) adsorption isotherms and pH adsorption edges were measured on three coated sands with Fe contents ranging from 0.04% to 0.3%. Experimentally, the adsorption of U(VI) onto the three sands was more comparable when normalized to surface area than when normalized to Fe content. A surface complexation model, although originally developed for U(VI) adsorption onto amorphous Fe oxide, captured the differences in adsorption when adjusted for the surface area of the coated sand. The findings indicate that surface area is a better scaling parameter than Fe content in predicting U(VI) adsorption to Fe-dominated media. These findings are significant because many common surface complexation models are parameterized on the basis of Fe content rather than specific surface area. Although the interactions of U(VI) and Fe-coated sands were used as representative adsorbate and adsorbent, the general principles may be applicable to other adsorbate–adsorbent systems as well.
Toxicity of cephalosporins to fatty acid metabolism in rabbit renal cortical mitochondria

Abstract Cephaloglycin (Cgl) and cephaloridine (Cld) are acutely toxic to the proximal renal tubule, in part because of their cellular uptake by a contraluminal anionic secretory carrier and in part through their intracellular attack on the mitochondrial transport and oxidation of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle anionic substrates. Preliminary studies with Cgl have provided evidence of a role of fatty acid (FA) metabolism in its nephrotoxicity, and work with Cld has shown it to be a potent inhibitor of renal tubular cell and mitochondrial carnitine (Carn) transport. Studies were therefore done to examine the effects of Cgl and Cld on the mitochondrial metabolism of butyrate, the anion of a short-chain FA that does not require the Carn shuttle to enter the inner matrix, and the effects of Cgl on the metabolism of palmitoylcarnitine (PCarn), the Carn conjugate of a long-chain FA that does enter the mitochondrion by the Carn shuttle. The following was found: (1) Cgl reduced the oxidation and uptake of butyrate after in vitro (2000 μg/mL, immediate effect) and after in vivo (300 mg/kg body weight, 1 hr before killing) exposure; (2) Cld caused milder in vitro toxicity, and no significant in vivo toxicity, to mitochondrial butyrate metabolism; (3) like Cld, Cgl reduced PCarn-mediated respiration after in vivo exposure, but, unlike Cld, it did not inhibit respiration with PCarn in vitro; (4) the Carn carrier was stimulated slightly by in vitro Cgl but was unaffected by in vivo Cgl; (5) in vivo Cgl had no effect on mitochondrial free Carn or long-chain acylCarn concentrations in the in situ kidney; (6) Cgl increased the excretion of Carn minimally compared with the effect of Cld; and (7) cephalexin, a nontoxic cephalosporiri, caused mild reductions of respiration with butyrate and PCarn during in vitro exposure, but stimulated respiration with both substrates after in vivo exposure. Conclusions: Cgl has essentially the same patterns of in vitro and in vivo toxicity against mitochondrial butyrate uptake and oxidation that both Cgl and Cld have against TCA-cycle substrates. Cld has little or no in vivo toxicity to mitochondrial butyrate metabolism, whereas in vivo Cgl is as toxic as Cld to respiration with PCarn. The greater overall in vivo toxicity of Cgl to mitochondrial FA metabolism, with lower cortical concentrations and AUCs than those of Cld, supports earlier evidence that Cld is less toxic than Cgl at the molecular level.
A Non-Parametric Test of Independence

A test is proposed for the independence of two random variables with continuous distribution function (d.f.). The test is consistent with respect to the class Ω′of d.f.’s with continuous joint and marginal probability densities (p.d.). The test statistic D depends only on the rank order of the observations. The mean and variance of D are given and is shown to have a normal limiting distribution for any parent distribution. In the case of independence this limiting distribution is degenerate, and nD has a non-normal limiting distribution whose characteristic function and cumulants are given. The exact distribution of D in the case of independence for samples of size n = 5, 6, 7 is tabulated. In the Appendix it is shown that there do not exist tests of independence based on ranks which are unbiased on any significance level with respect to the class Ω′. It is also shown that if the parent distribution belongs to Ω′ and for some n ≥ 5 the probabilities of the n; rank permutations are equal, the random variables are independent.