cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biodegradation of nickel-citrate and modulation of nickel toxicity by iron

Biodegradation of 1:1 nickel:citric acid by Pseudomonas fluorescens proceeded after a lag (∼17 h) at the rate of 11 ± 1 μmol h-1, with only partial mineralization of the complex. The incomplete degradation of the complex was not attributed to changes in its structure, but was due to the toxicity of the Ni released. Addition of 1:1 Ni:citric acid inhibited glucose metabolism by the bacterium. The toxicity of the released Ni was evident only when it attained a threshold concentration of >0.3 mM in the culture medium. Speciation calculations showed that Ni released after metabolism of the complex was present as Ni2+ ion and nickel carbonate. Addition of iron as a ferric hydroxide or 1:1 Fe:citric acid to 1:1 Ni:citric acid resulted in the complete metabolism of the Ni−citrate complex, with concurrent removal of the released Ni from solution by coprecipitation with iron.
An Analysis of the Water Vapor Flux Divergence Field over the Southern Hemisphere

Gridded data from a numerical prognosis-analysis procedure developed by the Australian Numerical Meteorological Research Center are used to calculate five-year mean and seasonal fields of the vertically integrated water vapor flux divergence over the Southern Hemisphere for September 1973 through August 1978. Required data (mixing ratios and orthogonal wind components) are available at the 1000, 850, 700, and 500 mb pressure levels in the form of 47×47 matrices superimposed over a polar stereographic projection. Principal objectives include examining the spatial patterns of the flux divergence field, assessing the seasonal variability, and identifying moisture sources and sinks. The hemisphere as a whole exhibits weak divergence (evaporation exceeds precipitation) with the subtropical oceans acting as the principal moisture source. Zonally averaged estimates of the difference between evaporation and precipitation are comparable in sign but smaller in magnitude than previous estimates. Significant seasonal variations in the water balance are implied in the latitude band between 32° and 48°S. Maps of the water vapor flux divergence fields are in fair agreement with previous works, but there are some discrepancies. The known distribution of evaporation and precipitation over the hemisphere is generally supportive of results presented here. Water vapor flux convergence is more extensive over the hemisphere during winter, but the largest absolute magnitudes at specific locations occur during summer. In the subtropics the zonally averaged flux divergence is greatest during winter and spring, reflecting the increased demand for water in both the equatorial and higher latitudes at these times. These results provide useful information about the atmospheric component of the hydrologic cycle in the Southern Hemisphere.
Sunnyside Petroleum-Impregnated Sandstone Deposit, Uinta Basin, Utah: ABSTRACT

The Sunnyside oil-impregnated sandstone deposit is a giant, exhumed oil field which occurs in the Green River Formation (Eocene), southwestern Uinta basin, Utah. The updip limit of the deposit has been eroded; thus, the precise mechanism of entrapment cannot be determined. The deposit occurs within a transgressive continental and lacustrine sequence. The alluvial Colton Formation (early Eocene) underlies the deposit and grades into marginal lacustrine strata of the overlying Green River Formation. The lower part of the marginal lacustrine sequence is predominantly deltaic, but the upper third is interbedded with open lacustrine facies. The uppermost part of the Green River Formation in the area is eroded. Petroleum-impregnated sandstone beds occur throughout the approximately 1,370 ft (418 m) of exposed marginal lacustrine facies. However, the main part of the deposit has a gross oil column of at least 860 ft (270 m) of which 640 ft (195 m) are petroleum-saturated siliciclastic rocks. The deposit is exposed only on the southwest side and at the northwest corner. Only 12 significant wells were drilled in an area of 20 sq mi (52 sq km) prior to 1979. Thus, the limits of the deposit and the contained petroleum resource are difficult to assess. The delineated part of the deposit contains about 2.2 billion bbl of petroleum in place. The downdip limit of the deposit has not been defined. End_of_Article - Last_Page 556------------
Reusable subsystems: domain-based approach

The goal of achieving a generic architecture for reusable software subsystems remains elusive. This work proposes a model, based on domain engineering, to support improved technique for designing reusable subsystems. The model is based on the concepts of "atomic domain" and the "wrapper" of an atomic domain. An atomic domain signifies a reusable subsystem, and it exhibits specific properties that serve as a basis for building reusable subsystems. The wrapper supports software reuse and management through a number of interface mechanisms, including Taxonomy, Application Programmer Interface, Manager, Communication, and Control. Implementations of illustrative atomic domains are provided.
Strain rate sensitivity in nanoindentation creep of hard materials

This paper examines the strain rate sensitivity of the hardness νH in relation to the strain rate sensitivity of the flow stress (νσ) in hard solids when there is friction between the indenter and specimen. Finite element analysis is used to simulate indentation creep of von Mises solids with a range of hardness/modulus ratios (H/E*) and coefficients of friction, μ, for indenter–specimen contact. We find that, although the level of H is affected by friction, the ratio νH/νσ as a function of H/E* remains nearly unchanged. Measurements indicate that νH = 0.015 ± 0.02 for fused silica, from which, based on the present analysis, νσ ≈ 0.022 and from which an activation volume of 0.13 nm3 can be estimated for plastic deformation.
Ion channels: Manipulating the munchies in mice.

Crystal structure and drug pharmacophore structure-activity data guided a combined mutagenesis and chemical screen to develop ligand-gated ion channels activated by unique chemical agonists. Through genetic engineering, these channels can be used to manipulate neuronal excitability and dissect the neuronal circuitry responsible for complex behaviors.
High-affinity binding sites for prostaglandin E on human lymphocytes.

Abstract Binding sites on human lymphocytes for prostaglandins were examined by incubating cells with [ 3 H]prostaglandin (PG) A 1 , E 1 , E 2 , F 1α , and F 2α . Specific reversible binding for [ 3 H]PGE 1 and E 2 was found with a K d of ~2 × 10 −9 M and a B max of ~200 binding sites per cell, assuming uniform distribution. We detected no specific binding of [ 3 H]PGA 1 , F 1α , or F 2α to lymphocytes. Also, the addition of 10- to 1000-fold greater amounts of unlabeled PGA, F 1α , or F 2α did not inhibit the binding of [ 3 H]PGE. The time course of [ 3 H]PGE binding appeared to be bimodal with one component complete within 5 min at 37 °C and another component of binding increasing over a 40-min incubation. We feel that the rapid component of binding may represent cell surface receptors for PGE while the slower component may represent a specific uptake mechanism for PGE into the cell. Glass adherent cells had fewer binding sites than nonadherent cells. Preincubation of the cells overnight resulted in a loss of binding sites.
Global analysis of gene expression in yeast

In the past decade, there has been an intense effort to comprehensively catalogue the expressed genes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to determine the absolute and relative abundance of transcript and protein levels under different cellular conditions. Several methods have been developed to monitor gene expression: DNA microarray analysis, Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE), kinetic RT-PCR and monitoring expression of β-galactosidase fusion proteins. These techniques have been used to measure transcript and protein abundance in different developmental states and under different environmental stimuli. A wealth of expression data for yeast is now publicly available through several web sites. The expression information that exists has the obvious benefits of providing a better understanding of the gene expression patterns that accompany changes in a yeast cell's environmental and developmental states. This data has also, however, provided clues to unraveling the complicated questions surrounding gene regulation: why and how is gene expression controlled?
Computer-assisted instruction as a learning resource for applied anatomy and kinesiology in the occupational therapy curriculum.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of these studies was to examine the learning outcomes of a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) tutorial in applied anatomy and kinesiology for occupational therapy students and to determine its applicability for use in two university settings. METHOD Two separate pilot studies were conducted at two universities. In each study, the learning outcomes of an experimental group of occupational therapy students using a CAI program and a control group using books to study the same material were compared. Learning outcomes were assessed with post-test achievement test scores on an applied anatomy and kinesiology test and responses to an attitude questionnaire with Likert-scale items and open-ended questions. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the means on achievement test scores for the experimental and control groups in the first pilot study. In the second study, the CAI group scored significantly higher on the achievement test than the control group. In both pilot studies, subjects displayed significantly more positive attitudes toward the CAI program as a learning tool than they did toward traditional self-study with books. CONCLUSION A CAI program in applied anatomy and kinesiology can be an effective supplemental resource for occupational therapy students and can offer a learning experience that students value and perceive as helpful. Establishment of clear learning objectives, use of a theoretical base to design instruction, and development and testing in different educational settings can help improve the quality of CAI programs and ensure their relevance to other curricula.
A Survey of Career Development in Corporations

The article describes a survey that examined career development programs in 118 Fortune 500 Corporations. It reports first the characteristics of the career development service providers. The services themselves can be divided into directly job-related career planning services, and those not so directly related, such as life planning and counseling services. The services offered by the corporations are compared for frequency among corporations and length of time offered. Based on the survey, Griffith draws conclusions concerning the extent of career development practiced within major corporations.
Pediatric brachytherapy. The St. Jude Children's Research Hospital experience.

Background: The use of interstitial, intracavitary, and permanent placement of radioactive isotopes has become a common practice in adult oncology patients based on numerous reports indicating improved local control and survival when used.1–4 These same irradiation techniques and treatments have been infrequently used for children with malignant disease despite known dose localization properties that allow for highly focal irradiation delivery with rapid reduction of the dose in nearby normal tissues. The noted benefit of decreased late complications noted in the adult series is also attractive, especially when considering the treatment of children. Methods: Between May, 198,1 and December 15, 1992, 46 children with non-CNS primary malignancy received 50 brachytherapy applications for primary therapy (n = 11 sites), as a boost in conjunction with external beam irradiation (n = 16 sites), or as treatment of recurrent disease or a second malignant neoplasm in a previously irradiated region that precluded further external irradiation or for metastatic disease (n = 23 sites). The most common tumor histologies were rhabdomyosarcoma (n = 14), soft tissue sarcoma (n = 10) and retinoblastoma (n = 10). Patient age at implantation ranged from 8 weeks to 24 years; follow-up was maintained in all patients and has ranged from 2–115 months (median, 39 months). Results: Forty-three of 50 sites receiving brachytherapy have maintained continuous disease free intervals, ranging from 2 to 115 months postimplantation (median, 41 months). The seven local failures occurred 2–20 months postimplant (median, 6 months). Severe complications occurred in 12 patients, two which were life threatening but resolved without further incident. Conclusions: Based on this ongoing clinical investigation, the authors recommend brachytherapy for selected pediatric malignancies and continue to evaluate the various factors associated with local control, local failures, and complications. Cancer 1994; 74: 733-9.
Current Integrated Cardiothoracic Surgery Residents: A Thoracic Surgery Residents Association Survey

Background After approval by the Thoracic Surgery Residency Review Committee in 2007, 6-year integrated cardiothoracic surgery (I-6) residency programs have gained in popularity. We sought to assess and objectively quantify the level of satisfaction I-6 residents have with their training and to identify areas of improvement for future curriculum development. Methods A completely anonymous, electronic survey was created by the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association that asked the responders to provide demographic information, specialty interest, and lifestyle priorities, and to rate their experience and satisfaction with I-6 residency. The survey was distributed nationwide to all residents in I-6 programs approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Results Of a total of 88 eligible I-6 residents, 49 completed the survey (55.7%). Career choice satisfaction was high (75.5%), as was overall satisfaction with integrated training (83.7%). The majority (77.6%) were interested in cardiac surgery. Overall, the responders reported sufficient time for life outside of the hospital (57.1%), but experienced conflicts between work obligations and personal life at least sometimes (75.5%). Early exposure to cardiothoracic surgery was reported as the dominant advantage of the I-6 model, whereas variable curriculum structure and unclear expectations along with poor integration with general surgery training ranked highest among perceived disadvantages. Conclusions Current I-6 residents are largely satisfied with the integrated training model and report a reasonable work/life balance. The focused nature of training is the primary perceived advantage of the integrated pathway. Curriculum variability and poor integration with general surgery training are identified by residents as primary areas of concern.
Gibberellin-Auxin Interaction in Pea Stem Elongation

Joint application of gibberellic acid and indole-3-acetic acid to excised stem sections, terminal cuttings, and decapitated plants of a green dwarf pea results in a markedly synergistic growth response to these hormones. Synergism in green tall pea stem sections is comparatively small, although growth is kinetically indistinguishable from similarly treated dwarf sections.Gibberellin-induced growth does not appear to be mediated through its effect on auxin synthesis, since gibberellin pretreatment of dwarf cuttings fails to elicit an enhanced tryptophan-induced growth response of sections, whereas auxin-induced growth is strongly enhanced. Also, tryptophan-gibberellin synergism is not significant in sections and cuttings of green dwarf peas, while auxin-gibberellin synergism is.Administration of gibberellic acid prior to indole-3-acetic acid results in greatly increased growth. In reversed order, the application fails to produce any synergistic interaction. This indicates that gibberellin action must precede auxin action in growth regulation.
Fluid Dynamic Assessment of Three Polymeric Heart Valves Using Particle Image Velocimetry

Polymeric heart valves have the potential to reduce thrombogenic complications associated with current mechanical valves and overcome fatigue-related problems experienced by bioprosthetic valves. In this paper we characterize the in vitro velocity and Reynolds Shear Stress (RSS) fields inside and downstream of three different prototype trileaflet polymeric heart valves. The fluid dynamic differences are then correlated with variations in valve design parameters. The three valves differ in leaflet thickness, ranging from 80 to 120 mum, and commisural design, either closed, opened, or semi-opened. The valves were subjected to aortic flow conditions and the velocity measured using three-dimensional stereo Particle Image Velocimetry. The peak forward flow phase in the three valves was characterized by a strong central orifice jet of approximately 2 m/s with a flat profile along the trailing edge of the leaflets. Leakage jets, with principle RSS magnitudes exceeding 4,500 dyn/cm(2), were observed in all valves with larger leaflet thicknesses and also corresponded to larger leakage volumes. Additional leakage jets were observed at the commissural region of valves with the open and the semi-open commissural designs. The results of the present study indicate that commissural design and leaflet thickness influence valve fluid dynamics and thus the thrombogenic potential of trileaflet polymeric valves.
Integration of chemotherapy into a combined modality treatment plan for head and neck cancer: a review.

Abstract This review highlights the most important recent advances in the chemotherapeutic management of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Prior chemotherapy trials must be interpreted with caution in the absence of information concerning important prognostic variables, such as prior treatment, nutritional and performance status, and the heterogeneity of primary sites. In patients who have recurrent or metastatic disease, metbotrexate, platinum, and bleomycin are three active drugs when used as single agents. There is no evidence that high-dose metbotrexate therapy is superior to more conventional weekly intravenous methotrexate in the treatment of recurrent disease. Platinum is a new agent that has demonstrated activity against hemstogenous as well as regional disease. In the absence of evidence of a dose-response curve for platinum, the lower dosage schedules should be used that can be given with acceptable toxicity on an outpatient basis. Combination chemotherapy has resulted in a high proportion of objective responders and approximately 20% complete remissions to any of several platinum-contaialog regimens. However, the median duration of response remains short and none of the combination drug programs has been established as yet as superior to single agent chemotherapy in a randomized trial. Both single agent and combination chemotherapy programs have been used prior to initial surgery or radiation in patients with advanced inoperable but non-metastatic disease. Despite dramatically higher response rates over these obtained with the same drugs used in recurrent disease, there is as yet no evidence that chemotherapy given in this manner has resulted in improved disease-free or overall survival compared with local treatment alone. Similarly, the use of adjuvant chemotherapy following tumor clearance to eradicate potential micrometastic disease is currently under investigation and cannot be recommended in the absence of a controlled trial. This paper reviews the clinical trials currently in a progress both for patients with recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, as well as those with advanced local or regional disease.
Two Letters of U. S. Grant

The two letters were written by U. S. Grant to his father. They were presented to Rutgers University by Mrs. Eliot R. Payson from the estate of her brother, the late Charles L. Corbin, nephew of Abel Corbin, who married Grant's sister Virginia. The letters are published here for the first time.
The development of the code of conduct for liner conferences

origins of the Code, focusing on the development of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development and the Rochdale Committee of Inquiry into Shipping. He then analyses the Code as adopted in terms of its structure, its objectives and principles, and its flexibility. The article concludes with a consideration of the future of the Code, and with an emphasis on the need for a powerful and effective instrument of regulation.
An Analysis of Prolific Scholarship in Speech Communication, 1915-1985: Toward a Yardstick for Measuring Research Productivity.

Using the journals listed in the most recent index to journals in communication studies, publication patterns of prolific authors in speech communication between 1915 and 1985 were analyzed. Publication of as few as six articles in the journals studied places an individual in the top ten percent of scholars on the all‐time list. Publication of eleven articles places an individual in the top five percent. The data indicate publication early in a scholar's career is very important, as is flexibility in selection of journals in which to publish.
Analysis of volatiles from host and nonhost plants of the pink bollworm.

Volatiles from 6 species of plants in 2 families (Malvaceae and Leguminacaea) that are hosts or nonhosts of Pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders) were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. No generalizations could be made as to which compounds act as attractants of pink bollworms to cotton. Caryophyllene, pinene, and limonine were found in American-Egyptian cotton, Gossypium barbadense L., and upland cotton, G. hirsutum L., but not in alternate hosts such as okra, Abelmoschus esculentus L., and hollyhock, Alcea rosea L. Ocimene, a compound characteristic of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., also was found in hollyhock. Perillien and methyl salicylate and 4'-ethyl or 3',4'-dimethylacetophenone were common to 5 of the 6 species.
Shortcuts to genetic characterization of polyposis patients in a high-risk registry

Background Mutations in the APC gene lead to Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and an attenuated form of this condition (AFAP). Mutation detection fails using DNAbased technology in 20% of FAP and 50% of AFAP patients due to testing limitations, inability to determine significance of change, or other responsible genes. A testing protocol in our Hereditary Gastrointestinal Cancer Registry has been developed as a research tool in uncharacterized cases to rule out the obvious APC mutations, using a multi-step approach. This approach offers a significant cost savings which could be applied to clinical genetic testing approaches. Methods
Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor agonists: a patent review (2010 – 2012)

Introduction: The sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P)-driven signaling regulates fundamental biological functions, including cell proliferation, angiogenesis, endothelial cell chemotaxis, immune cell trafficking and mitogenesis. A large body of research has been focusing on the development of immunosuppressive S1P1 receptor (S1P1-R) agonist molecules. The S1P1,3 – 5-R pan-agonist fingolimod (FTY720) has been approved by the FDA for the treatment of relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis. However, FTY720 is now contraindicated in patients with compromised cardiac function. Although the main adverse effect bradycardia has been linked to the S1P3-R activation, cardiovascular liabilities persist with more selective S1P1-R agonists that have entered clinical trials. In contrast to the S1P1-R, the therapeutic application of the S1P2 – 5-Rs remains poorly explored. Areas covered: This review provides the patent literature from 2010 to date on S1P-R agonist molecules and their relevant biological properties. Expert opi...
An Architectural Style for Solving Computationally Intensive Problems on Large Networks

Large networks, such as the Internet, pose an ideal medium for solving computationally intensive problems, such as NP-complete problems, yet no well-scaling architecture for computational Internet-sized systems exists. We propose a software architectural style for large networks, based on a formal mathematical study of crystal growth that will exhibit properties of (1) discreetness (nodes on the network cannot learn the algorithm or input of the computation), (2) fault-tolerance (malicious, faulty, and unstable nodes may not break the computation), and (3) scalability (communication among the nodes does not increase with network or problem size).
Iterative properties of birational rowmotion II: Rectangles and triangles

Birational rowmotion — a birational map associated to any finite poset $P$ — has been introduced by Einstein and Propp as a far-reaching generalization of the (well-studied) classical rowmotion map on the set of order ideals of $P$. Continuing our exploration of this birational rowmotion, we prove that it has order $p+q$ on the $\left( p, q\right) $-rectangle poset (i.e., on the product of a $p$-element chain with a $q$-element chain); we also compute its orders on some triangle-shaped posets. In all cases mentioned, it turns out to have finite (and explicitly computable) order, a property it does not exhibit for general finite posets (unlike classical rowmotion, which is a permutation of a finite set). Our proof in the case of the rectangle poset uses an idea introduced by Volkov (arXiv:hep-th/0606094) to prove the $AA$ case of the Zamolodchikov periodicity conjecture; in fact, the finite order of birational rowmotion on many posets can be considered an analogue to Zamolodchikov periodicity. We comment on suspected, but so far enigmatic, connections to the theory of root posets.
Postoperative magnetic resonance imaging of the foot and ankle

Foot and ankle procedures are commonly performed most often in the setting of trauma or for realignment such as hallux valgus or acquired adult flatfoot deformity correction. Complications of these procedures occur not infrequently and therefore diagnostic imaging of the postoperative foot and ankle is often needed. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is ideal for imaging the postoperative foot and ankle, as it can evaluate both osseous and soft-tissue pathology. Using tailored MR pulse sequences to reduce metal artifact helps to increase diagnostic yield and evaluation of the regional anatomic structures. This review discusses suggested MRI protocols for evaluating the postoperative foot and ankle as well as the MRI appearance of commonly performed procedures in the foot and ankle such as internal fixation for fractures, forefoot and flatfoot realignment surgeries, and cartilage restorative procedures, as well as some of the more commonly encountered postoperative complications.
A 0.8- mu m BiCMOS sea-of-gates implementation of the tandem banyan fast packet switch

A simple, high-performance architecture for fast packet switching, called the tandem banyan switching fabric, has been proposed. The authors report on the implementation of the routing functionality of this architecture, augmented with self-testing and fault-recovery capabilities, using a high-performance BiCMOS sea-of-gates on a 0.8- mu m technology. >
Proximal and Distal Predictors of Reading Comprehension: Evidence from Young Korean Readers

The present study investigated proximal and distal predictors of reading comprehension by including latent factors such as alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, semantic knowledge, word reading, oral reading fluency, and reading comprehension. The sample consisted of 79 five-year-old Korean-monolingual children who were assessed at the end of the school year. The results showed that alphabet knowledge, phonological awareness, and semantic knowledge latent variables were all positively and highly related to word-reading skills, but phonological awareness made a unique contribution above and beyond alphabet knowledge and semantic knowledge. Word reading was highly related to oral reading fluency and directly related to reading comprehension. Oral reading fluency, although a separate construct from word reading accuracy, was not uniquely related to reading comprehension after accounting for the effects of word reading and semantic knowledge. Semantic knowledge was fairly strongly and uniquely related t...
Stereological analysis of synaptogenesis in the molecular layer of piriform cortex in the prenatal rat

The development of synapses in the molecular layer of the rat piriform cortex was studied at embryonic days 15, 17, 19, and 21. The present study has sought to extend past studies of synaptogenesis by identifying not only changes in numbers of synapses, but also changes in numbers of potential precursors of synapses. A stereological method (Cruz-Orive, ′80) was used to make volumetric estimations of the numbers of synapses, axonal puncta, vesicle-associated puncta, and unapposed postsynaptic specializations. This stereological method was preferred to other morphometric methods because it is not influenced by changes in the size, shape, or orientation of the structures of interest. This was considered important since such changes might be expected during development. Large numbers of unapposed axonal specializations (axonal puncta and vesicle-associated puncta) were found in all three sublaminae (lateral olfactory tract, Ia, and Ib) at all ages. The numerical density (number per unit volume of neuropil) and relative frequency of these structures changed significantly with time. In all three sublaminae, these changes were associated with changes in the number of synapses, although the numerical density and relative proportions varied between the sublaminae. These results suggested that axonal puncta could accumulate vesicles, thus becoming vesicle-associated puncta, and that vesicle-associated puncta could contact dendrites, thus forming synapses. In contrast, the numerical density of lone postsynaptic specializations remained low and no significant changes in their relative proportion in the population were found. This suggested that although lone postsynaptic sites were observed, they did not appear to play a major role in synaptogenesis in this region of the cortex. In addition to documenting developmental differences between the three sublaminae in the molecular layer, the results support a synaptogenic hypothesis in which the axon can form surface specializations that appear to be involved in synaptogenesis, independent of direct dendritic contact.
Observation of surface charging at the edge of a Schottky contact

Scanning Kelvin probe microscopy was used to detect reverse-bias-induced surface potential changes near the Schottky contact of a GaN Schottky diode. After application of a reverse bias, the surface potential near the Schottky contact gradually decreased with time, indicating an increase of band bending. Surface potential traces recorded after turning off the reverse bias indeed revealed increased band bending near the Schottky contact. A higher reverse bias caused a larger increase of band bending. The authors suggest that a reverse bias facilitates electron tunneling at the edge of the Schottky contact by decreasing the potential barrier width. Capture of these tunneled electrons by surface states causes the observed increase of band bending.
Labor Ideologies in the International Factories of Rural Guatemala

In a recent review of labor organizing in Latin America, Henry Frundt (2002) has noted that large unions have been losing membership whereas smaller or independent ones have been growing. A World Bank study on the impact of unions in Latin America reports that participation in unions in Guatemala is very limited, with union members representing about 5 percent of all workers (Acefia, 2002).' The International Labor Organization (ILO) in Guatemala has noted considerable labor-code noncompliance, including human rights violations, repression and persecution of labor leaders, violations of the rights to organize and to strike, and failure to provide end-of-year bonuses and severance payments. In 1992, at the request of labor organizers, unions, and human rights groups, the United States placed Guatemala on probation within the U.S. General System of Preferences (GSP). (It was taken off probation in 1997.) In 2001 the ILO requested changes in the labor code and enforcement of existing regulations. Nine of 40 changes proposed by labor, focusing on labor rights, the right to strike, and the organization and accounting of unions, were approved by the Guatemalan congress. An agreement was reached out of fear that Guatemala would be completely excluded from the GSP. In the same year the ILO lifted sanctions against Guatemala after the Ministry of Labor agreed to enforce labor codes and replace lax inspections with more reliable controls. Organizing has been difficult in Guatemala, to say the least, with some successes and some devastating setbacks. The successful installation of a union in the Philip Van Heusen factory in 1997 after eight years of struggle was followed by the closing of the same factory in 1998, allegedly because of the loss of an important client (see Armbruster, 1997; 1999). According to Frundt (2002), in spite of weakened militancy, privatization, subcontracting, and diminished international financial support, organizing has reemerged with fresh vitality in Guatemala, with the new constituencies being women
Cytokine responses of human lung cells (BEAS-2B) treated with micron-sized and nanoparticles of metal oxides compared to soil dusts

The induction of cytokines by airway cells in vitro has been widely used to assess the effects of ambient and occupational particles. This study measured cytotoxicity and the release of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 by human bronchial epithelial cells treated with manufactured nano- and micron-sized particles of Al2O3, CeO2, Fe2O3, NiO, SiO2, and TiO2, with soil-derived particles from fugitive dust sources, and with the positive controls LPS, TNF-α, and VOSO4. The nano-sized particles were not consistently more potent than an equal mass of micron-sized particles of the same nominal composition for the induction of IL-6 and IL-8 secretion in the in vitro models used in this study. The manufactured pure oxides were much less potent than natural PM2.5 particles derived from soil dust, and the cells were highly responsive to the positive controls. The nano-sized particles in the media caused artifacts in the measurement of IL-6 by ELISA due to adsorption of the cytokine on the high-surface-area particles. The potency for inducing IL-6 secretion by BEAS-2B cells did not correlate with the generation of reactive oxygen species in cell-free media. Direct comparisons of manufactured metal oxide nanoparticles and previously studied types of particles and surrogate proinflammatory agonists showed that the metal oxide particles have low potency to induce IL-6 secretion in BEAS-2B cells. Particle artifacts from non-biological effects need to be considered in experiments of this type, and the limitations inherent in cell culture studies must be considered when interpreting in vitro results. This study suggests that manufactured metal oxide nanoparticles are not highly toxic to lung cells compared to environmental particles.
Signaling Through Board Diversity: Is Anyone Listening?

Abstract: The ethnic and gender make-up of corporate boards has been the subject of intense public and regulatory focus in many countries, including the United States, in recent years. Of particular interest has been quantitative research on the impact, if any, of board diversity on corporate performance. This body of work leaves substantial gaps in our understanding of the precise mechanisms by which board diversity may alter the corporate environment, if indeed it does. In this Symposium, we discuss some preliminary findings from our first thirty-five of a series of confidential, semi-structured interviews of 45 to 90 minutes in length with corporate directors and other interested parties. Due to multiple board service, these interviews represent ninety-six public company board experiences at eighty-five different public companies. We limit our discussion in this Symposium to an analysis of the rationale for board diversity that figured most prominently in interviews with our initial sample of respondents: signaling theory. Although signaling is frequently mentioned by our respondents and other researchers as a rationale supporting board diversity, we conclude that the distribution of costs and benefits of board diversity in "good" firms versus "bad" firms is unknown. We thus are unable to conclude that "bad" firms are not mimicking the signal, undermining the stability of board diversity as a meaningful signal. We, therefore, approach blanket assertions of the signaling benefits of board diversity with caution. We conclude that the signaling rationale for board diversity is at its strongest under particular conditions that may not exist in all corporations at all times.
Simple expression for light output of edge-emitting d.h. l.e.d.s

A relatively simple expression for the output power of edge emitters has been obtained by defining a net loss coefficient averaged over all wavelengths, and using the radiation confinement-factor concept. The model is verified with experimental data from (AlGa)As l.e.d.s of varying stripe contact length.
Discerning the dominant out-of-order performance advantage: is it speculation or dynamism?

In this paper, we set out to study the performance advantages of an Out-of-Order (OOO) processor relative to in-order processors with similar execution resources. In particular, we try to tease apart the performance contributions from two sources: the improved sched- ules enabled by OOO hardware speculation support and its ability to generate different schedules on different occurrences of the same instructions based on operand and functional unit availability. We find that the ability to express good static schedules achieves the bulk of the speedup resulting from OOO. Specifically, of the 53% speedup achieved by OOO relative to a similarly provisioned in- order machine, we find that 88% of that speedup can be achieved by using a single "best" static schedule as suggested by observing an OOO schedule of the code. We discuss the ISA mechanisms that would be required to express these static schedules. Furthermore, we find that the benefits of dynamism largely come from two kinds of events that influence the application's critical path: load instructions that miss in the cache only part of the time and branch mispredictions. We find that much of the benefit of OOO dynamism can be achieved by the potentially simpler task of addressing these two behaviors directly.
GENETIC RESOLUTION OF THE ENIGMATIC LESSER ANTILLEAN DISTRIBUTION OF THE FROG LEPTODACTYLUS VALIDUS (ANURA, LEPTODACTYLIDAE)

Leptodactylus validus has an unusual distribution, inhabiting Trinidad, Tobago, and the Lesser Antilles, but not the mainland of South America. This distribution is inconsistent with other distribution patterns observed for these islands. Although slight variation in adult morphology has been observed among the different island populations of L. validus, call data suggest the presence of a single species. Calls of L. pallidirostris from Venezuela and Brazil suggested that this taxon might be conspecific with L. validus. Sequence data from the 12S and 16S mt rDNA genes indicate that L. validus represents a single species throughout its distribution and is conspecific with L. pallidirostris. Dispersal of L. validus from Trinidad and Tobago to the Lesser Antilles was likely mediated by human activities.
Diagnosis of Periprosthetic Infection After Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Critical Analysis Review.

One of the most serious complications following shoulder arthroplasty is periprosthetic infection. Infection is associated with poor outcomes, increased cost, and technically difficult revision surgery. The prevalence of infection following primary shoulder arthroplasty has been reported to be between 0.7% and 4%, and even higher following revision surgery1-6. Two recent, large retrospective reviews noted infection rates of 0.7% (nineteen of 2540 cases)2 and 1.2% (thirty-two of 2588 cases)6. Bohsali and colleagues reported that deep periprosthetic infections accounted for 4.6% of all complications of total shoulder arthroplasty2. At the time of long-term follow-up, Singh et al. observed five, ten, and twenty-year periprosthetic infection-free rates of 99.3%, 98.5%, …
Animal Models of Aminoglycoside Antibiotic Ototoxicity

A model of aminoglycoside antibiotic ototoxicity was developed in the guinea pig for the study of parameters of ototoxicity such as frequency specificity, comparative ototoxic potency, latency of onset, laterality, interaction with other agents, and possible complications arising from the use of aminoglycosides in the middle ear space. In this model it was found that aminoglycoside antibiotics (1) produce their initial ototoxic effects on high-frequency auditory function; (2) differ in ototoxic potency; (3) have a latency of onset independent of drug accumulation; (4) can produce unilateral ototoxicity; (5) can have their ototoxic potential augmented by loop diuretics and loud sounds; and (6) can result in ototoxicity when instilled into the middle ear space in otic drops. The results of these studies are discussed in relation to what is known about ototoxicity due to the aminoglycoside antibiotics in humans. Several arguments support the importance of an animal model of aminoglycoside antibiotic ototoxicity. (1) In the clinical setting patients, of necessity, are administered multiple drugs. When an adverse effect such as ototoxicity occurs, it is difficult to detemine the role of a specific drug. (2) patients cannot purposely be given toxic doses of aminoglycosides. Thus, in the clinical setting the incidence of ototoxicity is low. Therefore, a large number of patients would be required for the study of any variable that might influence the incidence of ototoxicity. (3) In clinical studies it is impossible to separate the potential ototoxic effects of the patient's disease from the ototoxic effect of the drug under study.
P-019 Large Vessel Strokes Incur A Significant Financial Burden For The Hospital - An Analysis Of Intravenous Thrombolysis For Acute Ischaemic Stroke

Background Large vessel occlusions constitute a substantial subgroup of ischaemic stroke patients that carry a high morbidity and mortality and poor outcomes. In order to classify these as a separate disease entity it is also important to demonstrate the higher financial burden associated with the current standard of care of intravenous thrombolysis for this subgroup. Future clinical trials comparing different treatments should thus be targeted at this high-risk group. Methodology The hospital charges, direct cost, total cost, length of stay, discharge destination, payments received and the DRG utilised were obtained for 237 acute ischaemic stroke patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis over an 8-year period. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of a large vessel occlusion (LVO) based on the admission CTA. A LVO was defined as involvement of the ICA-terminus, the MCA (M1 or M2 origin) or the BA. The functional outcome was defined as an mRS of 0–2 at 90 days. All financial parameters were compared for the two groups and the net gain/loss was calculated as the difference between the payments received and the total hospital cost. Results As shown in table 1, the LVO-group (n=122) had significantly higher charges, direct cost and total cost as well as longer length of stay compared to the No-LVO group (n=115). Overall, there was no significant difference in payments received by the hospital. The hospital on average had a net loss of $1800 per LVO admission treated with IV thrombolysis as opposed to a net gain of $476 for patients in the No-LVO group (p=0.14). This difference however became larger and significant once patients who had died during their admission were excluded from the analysis. Amongst patients who survived and were discharged, the hospital had a net loss of $2952 per LVO patient versus a net gain of $572 for the No-LVO patient (p=0.03). In the LVO-group, 56% of the patients were discharged to a rehab facility as opposed to only 27% for the No-LVO-group (p Conclusion Large vessel strokes undergoing intravenous thrombolysis with rt-PA not only result in worse functional outcomes but also incur a significant financial loss, of almost $3000, for the hospital compared to patients without a large vessel occlusion. Disclosures A. Rai: 2; C; Stryker Neurovascular.
Ready to Lead, But How? Teachers' Experiences in High-poverty Urban Schools.

Background/ContextMany strategies to improve failing urban schools rest on efforts to improve leadership within the school. Effective school-based leadership depends not only on the activities of t...
Still no new evidence: Author-Pay Open Access in the social sciences and humanities

I argue that Polonioli (Scientometrics, 2016, this issue) provides no new evidence to show that Open Access is beneficial for the social sciences and the humanities. He raises three criticisms against my recent paper (Wray in Scientometrics 106(3): 1031---1035, 2016). Two of these criticisms fail to take account of the data I was working with. On the basis of those data, I could not draw conclusions about (1) the societal impact of research or (2) other publication models besides the traditional model and the Author-Pay Open Access model. He also claims that I do not take account of the costs associated with the status quo. I argue that he fails to take account of the value added by publishers of academic journals. Further, contrary to what he suggests, there is no evidence that Open Access publishing is making it easier for scholars in developing countries to contribute to scholarship.
Prospects for use of a varicella vaccine in adults.

Five to 10% of people reach adulthood still susceptible to VZV, which generally causes more severe primary disease in adults than seen in children. A live attenuated varicella vaccine was developed in Japan in the early 1970s and has now been tested in several trials in healthy children, immunocompromised children, and healthy adults. The vaccine is highly immunogenic in healthy children, conferring immunity for at least 7 to 10 years with a high degree of protective efficacy. In several trial in adults, the vaccine has been shown to be highly immunogenic. Humoral and cell-mediated immunity wanes in vaccinated adults, however, with antibodies to VZV detectable in approximately only 80% of vaccinated individuals after 1 year, and in approximately 70% from 2 to 6 years after vaccination. In leukemic children who have been vaccinated, however, this loss of detectable antibody has not been correlated with a reduction in protection during this time. Similar analyses have not been made in vaccinated adults because the numbers intimately exposed to VZV have been small. Protective efficacy after household exposure is approximately 65% in adults; however, when breakthrough (i.e., in those who have seroconverted) illness has occurred, it has invariably been mild, so that efficacy in preventing severe disease has been 100%. "Vaccine failures," however, may develop full-blown varicella. Side effects of immunization in adults are mild: a transient local reaction occurs in 10 to 21% and a mild rash in 6 to 8%. There is a theoretical risk of transmission of the attenuated virus if a vaccine-induced rash occurs, which has been documented only in contacts of vaccinated leukemics (any secondary disease has also been mild). To date, there has been no evidence that vaccination increases the risk of developing zoster; on the contrary, studies in leukemic children, who may be considered a "sentinel population" in this regard, suggest that the risk of zoster after vaccination may be reduced compared with the risk after natural infection. Susceptible adults who would most benefit from vaccination against VZV include health care workers, those who care for small children, women of child-bearing age prior to pregnancy, military recruits, and college students.