cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Covid-19 pandemic is a Vitamin D deficiency problem and is easy to solve: Revised to cite a new double-blind randomized study.

In this paper, I argue that the COVID-19 pandemic that has ravaged the world’s healthcare systems and economies is actually a Vitamin D deficiency problem with an unbelievably effective solution that costs a few cents a day per person but saves lives and trillions of dollars, with zero adverse side effects. Until people worldwide raise their serum Vitamin D levels to 30 ng/mL (75 nmol/L) and above—COVID-19 and other diseases caused by viruses will continue to wreak havoc on health and economies. Remarkably, fighting viruses is only the tip of the iceberg of the health problems that high doses of Vitamin D can solve. One way to verify these properties of high doses of Vitamin D for yourself is to talk to someone that you trust who takes more than 5,000 IU of Vitamin D per day. That trusted someone can be a friend, family member, co-worker, someone from your place of worship, or someone from a social network you trust. A recent double-blind randomized study now shows that high doses of Vitamin D are also very effective in treating patients who have already been infected by the virus. Finally, it remains to be proven that what is observed as the effectiveness of a vaccine against the virus is not actually a Vitamin D effect.
Bone grafting history affects soft tissue healing following implant placement.

Background This study aimed to determine and compare soft tissue healing outcomes following implant placement in grafted (GG) and non-grafted bone (NGG). Methods Patients receiving single implant in a tooth-bound maxillary non-molar site were recruited. Clinical healing was documented. Volume and content of wound fluid (WF; at 3, 6, and 9 days) were compared with adjacent gingival crevicular fluid (GCF; at baseline, 1, and 4 months). Buccal flap blood perfusion recovery and changes in bone thickness were recorded. Linear mixed model regression analysis and generalized estimating equations with Bonferroni adjustments were conducted for repeated measures. Results Twenty-five patients (49 ± 4 years; 13 males; nine NGG) completed the study. Soft tissue closure was slower in GG (P 0.05). Blood perfusion rate decreased immediately postoperatively (P 0.05 both groups). The recovery to baseline values was almost complete for NGG whereas GG stayed ischemic even at 4 months (P = 0.05). Buccal bone thickness changes were significant in GG sites (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion History of bone grafting alters the clinical, physiological, and molecular healing response of overlying soft tissues after implant placement surgery.
Draft Genome Sequence of Salinivibrio sp. Strain EAGSL, a Biotechnologically Relevant Halophilic Microorganism

The halophilic bacterium Salinivibrio sp. strain EAGSL was isolated from the Great Salt Lake (Utah) for use in microbial electrochemical technologies experiencing fluctuating salt concentrations. Genome sequencing was performed with Ion Torrent technology, and the assembled genome reported here is 3,234,770 bp with a GC content of 49.41%.
Thirty-day readmission rates, trends and its impact on liver transplantation recipients: a national analysis.

Reduction of early hospital readmissions is a declared goal in the United States economic and quality improvement agenda. A retrospective study was performed using the Nationwide Readmissions Database from 2010 to 2014. Our primary aim was to study the rate of early readmissions and its predictors in liver transplant recipients (LTRs). Our secondary aims were to determine the trends of LT, reasons for readmission, costs and predictors of calendar year mortality. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were utilized. The 30-day readmission rate was 30.6% among a total of 25,054 LTRs. Trends of LT were observed to be increased in patients > 65 years (11.7-17.8%, p 10 days were the predictors of 30-day readmission. Moreover, number of early readmission, age > 64 years, non-alcoholic cirrhosis, and length of stay > 10 days were significant predictor of calendar year mortality in LTRs. Approximately one third of patients require early admission after LT. Early readmission not only increases burden on healthcare, but is also associated with calendar year mortality. Strategies should be implemented to reduce readmission in patients with high risk of readmission identified in our study.
Evaluation of metabolic syndrome parameters after Roux-y Gastric Bypass

Introduction: Morbid obesity is characterized by a state of insulin-resistance and is often associated with metabolic syndrome
An Empirical Assessment of the Contract Based Exceptionto the Employment-At-Will Rule

While extensive, the existing literature on the employment-at-will doctrine and its various exceptions has been remarkably uniform. By relying on a discussion of selected court opinions on specific aspects of the doctrine, scholars have focused primarily on normative issues such as what the courts should do when deciding job security disputes, or what plaintiffs/employees and defendants/employers should argue when litigating employment disputes. Our approach and focus are different. Instead of relying on a discussion of selected cases, we rely on a more comprehensive sample of cases. Instead of focusing on normative issues, our goal is to provide a more complete picture of the state of the at-will doctrine as reflected in those cases. Our data should be of interest to legal scholars interested in understanding the characteristics and outcomes of litigated employment-at-will cases. Our data should also be relevant to the current debate among management scholars regarding conflicts that might arise due to aggressive recruitment practices which highlight long term employment opportunities and the realities associated with at-will employment.
Cost-Effectiveness of Advanced Neuroimaging for Transient and Minor Neurological Events in the Emergency Department.

Background Accurate diagnosis of patients with transient or minor neurological events can be challenging. Recent studies suggest that advanced neuroimaging can improve diagnostic accuracy in low‐ri...
Skeletal Nuclear Medicine

Bone scan or bone scintigraphy (BS) is among the earliest diagnostic applications in NM imaging that remains useful today since its establishment in the early 1970s (Wikipedia Contributors. Bone scintigraphy. 16 October 2013 08:40 UTC; http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bone_scintigraphy&oldid=577401413. Accessed 10 Dec 2013, 01:22 UTC, 2013). Current bone-seeking radiotracers can be divided into those emitting gamma rays (imaged with gamma cameras) or positrons (imaged with PET/CT). The former group is collectively called 99mTc-polyphosphonates (99mTc-PPs), which include 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate and 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate. The latter group includes 18F-labeled sodium fluoride (Na18F). They are all administered intravenously and taken up by the skeleton through a process called chemabsorption whereby the tracer is incorporated into the calcium hydroxyapatite crystal (CHAC) matrix of the bone, which is laid down by osteoblasts. Thus, bone-seeking radiotracers reflect skeletal osteoblastic activity (Wong KK, Piert M, J Nucl MEd. 54(4):590–599, 2013). Sometimes the radiotracers can localize to pathological or dystrophic calcium depositions in soft tissues such as calcified metastatic liver lesions from colorectal cancer or calcium deposits in the lungs or stomach in hyperparathyroidism.
Biosafety in the Pharmaceutical Industry

This chapter addresses the biosafety challenges commonly experienced in cultivating recombinant and pathogenic microbes and the use of mammalian cells for the production of therapeutic proteins and viruses. It summarizes the place and application of viruses, bacteria, and fungi in pharmaceutical research and development. Recombinant viral agents have become a significant starting material for both gene therapy and vaccine production. Recombinant bacteria are frequently used to produce pharmacological proteins, enzymes, and plasmid DNA. The two bacterial species most frequently employed are Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis. Containment for fungi and yeasts can vary from biosafety level 1 (BSL-1) for organisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae through BSL-3 for Histoplasma species. Containment for known fungi should follow the recommendations provided by national guidelines, such as in Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories (BMBL). Mammalian cells may be used for the direct generation of pharmacological proteins, usually created by recombinant DNA techniques. The biosafety regulations utilized at a specific company are frequently dictated by the home country for the organization. Clinical assays can present challenge for the biosafety professional within the pharmaceutical industry. The global harmonization of biosafety practices would allow benchmarking to determine the best practices for this industry.
Social organization and foraging in emballonurid bats

1. Graphical methods are presented for the simultaneous comparisons of group size and territory size (subsumed jointly under the term “social dispersion”), in organisms with exclusive but contiguous territories. The methods are applied to recently published data on five species of neotropical emballonurid bats with particular emphasis on identifying the factors which set maximal limits on group size. The available evidence suggests that population densities, group territory sizes, and group sizes are all limited by components of the food distribution. More particularly, it is argued that minimization of annual foraging ranges is of advantage to these bats and leads to a colony territory size containing one and only one active food site at any given time. Territory size is thus determined by the average distance between successively available food sites, the number of such sites needed per year, and the average size of these sites. Maximal group size is then determined as a result of this territory size minimization and equals average richness of currently used food patches. 2. The model predicts that where food patches are low in richness and close together, social dispersion will be fine-grained; where patches are high in richness and occur far apart, social dispersion will be coarse-grained. Since sites in this study which have many small patches tend to be located in the more stable habitats, the model also predicts that temporal stability in group size and unimodal frequency distributions of group size over space will be associated with fine-grained dispersions. The reverse is predicted for coarse-grained social dispersions. 3. The model only predicts the maximal size colonies can take. Among the many possible factors promoting social aggregation up to the predicted maxima, only a few account for the observed congruence in colony sizes and compositions at the roost and on the foraging grounds. These include information transfer about new food sites, location of roosts centrally to reduce energy costs of transit (Horn, 1968), and stabilization of competition with conspecifics at food sites.
The role of surveillance and evaluation research in the reduction of violence against workers.

Abstract Background: Violence against workers is garnering increased attention as awareness grows of the toll violent events have on workers and work environments. Methods: In this review, we summarize information about surveillance of violent events in the workplace and summarize evaluations of intervention programs to reduce such violence. We describe surveillance programs that nationally collect data, and we compare some data. We summarize two systematic studies of workplace violence–prevention programs: The first study examined evaluations of the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design approach to prevention, and the second examined evaluations of behavioral and administrative interventions. Results: Reliable national data sets of worker homicides exist, but case identification and coding problems have yet to be solved. Although the number of workplace homicides has decreased since the mid-1990s, much less is known about the incidence of nonfatal events. The role that prevention programs have played in reducing workplace homicide remains largely unknown because so few evaluations have been conducted. Conclusions: Information about effective methods to reduce violence against workers is needed. Research that evaluates existing prevention programs, especially efforts conducted in a collaborative manner, will be invaluable to shaping effective programs in the future.
Metal Ion Complexes of N,N′-Bis(2-Pyridylmethyl)-trans-1,2-Diaminocyclohexane-N,N′-Diacetic Acid, H2bpcd: Cis/Trans Isomerization Equilibria

The synthesis of N,N′-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N′-diacetic acid (H2bpcd) and its complexation of Ga(III) and Co(III) are reported. H2bpcd and the metal–bpcd2– complexes, isolated as hexafluorophosphate salts, were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray crystallography, IR spectroscopy, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. [Ga(bpcd)]PF6, [Ga(C22H26N4O4)]PF6, crystallized in the orthorhombic space group Ibca, with a = 13.8975(7) A, b = 15.0872(7) A, c = 22.2418(10) A, and Z = 8. Ga is coordinated in a distorted octahedral geometry provided by a N4O2 donor atom set with trans-monodentate acetate groups and cis-2-pyridylmethyl N atoms, i.e., the trans-O,O isomer. The diamagnetic [Co(bpcd)]PF6, [Co(C22H26N4O4)]PF6, also crystallized from solution in the Ibca space group as the trans-O,O isomer. The 1H and 13C assignments for H2bpcd and metal–bpcd2– complexes were made on the basis of 2D COSY and HSQC experiments, which were used to differentiate among three possible isomers, i.e., on...
Effect of nitrate, fumarate, and oxygen on the formation of the membrane-bound electron transport system of Haemophilus parainfluenzae.

The composition of the membrane-bound electron transport system of Haemophilus parainfluenzae underwent modification in response to the terminal electron acceptor in the growth medium. H. parainfluenzae was able to grow with O2, nitrate, fumarate, pyruvate, and substrate amounts of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) as electron acceptors. When O2 served as the electron acceptor and its concentration was lowered below 20 μm, the bacteria formed more cytochromes b, c, a1, a2, and o than were present in the cells grown at 150 to 200 μm O2. Nitrate and nitrite reductase activities also appeared during growth at the low O2 concentrations in the absence of added nitrate. Cytochrome levels in cells grown anaerobically with fumarate, pyruvate, or NAD as terminal acceptors were similar to those formed in cells grown at low O2 concentrations. Cells grown with nitrate had higher levels of cytochromes c, b, and o, and of nitrate and nitrite reductases, than did cells grown with the other acceptors. The formation of cytochrome oxidase a2 was repressed by the presence of nitrate in the growth medium. The critical O2 concentration (the O2 concentration at which the rate of O2 uptake becomes demonstrably dependent on the O2 concentration) was about 100 μm in cells grown with nitrate and about 15 μm in cells grown with the other acceptors. A mutant of H. parainfluenzae was found to make about 10% as much cytochrome c as the wild type, and its formation of cytochrome a2 was not repressed by nitrate. The critical O2 concentration of the mutant was high when it was grown with nitrate, suggesting that the high levels of cytochrome c and the absence of cytochrome a2 from the wild type are not responsible for the high critical O2 concentration. The modifications of the respiratory system induced by changing the terminal electron acceptor were inhibited by the presence of chloramphenicol, which suggests that protein synthesis is involved.
Optically active dendronized polymers as a new type of macromolecular chiral catalysts for asymmetric catalysis

Optically active ephedrine-bearing dendronized polymers were synthesized by using the Suzuki coupling polymerization. These novel polymers are soluble in common organic solvents such as THF, toluene and chloroform. Their application as a new type of macromolecular chiral catalysts for asymmetric catalysis was studied. The combination features of more catalytic sites, higher solubility and nanoscopic dimensions of optically active dendronized polymers make them more efficient than the corresponding linear polymeric and dendritic chiral catalysts. This study provides a new direction for the design and synthesis of macromolecular chiral catalysts.
Brewster Angle Microscopy Study of a Magnetic Nanoparticle/Polymer Complex at the Air/Water Interface

The Langmuir layer behavior of a polymer/magnetite nanoparticle complex at the air/water interface was studied beyond the liquid-expanded region with Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). The copolymer surfactant was poly(octadecene-co-maleic anhydride) (POMA) with an average molecular weight of 30 000. The subphase was an aqueous colloidal solution of Fe3O4 nanoparticles with an average diameter of 8.5 ± 1.3 nm. In comparison to the case of a pure water subphase, the surface pressure versus specific area isotherm of the POMA was significantly expanded in the presence of the nanoparticles in the subphase. At 24 mN/m a phase transition was observed between the liquid-expanded and the liquid-condensed states. In the absence of the magnetite nanoparticles the POMA monolayer exhibited no domains as observed with BAM. In the presence of nanoparticles, formation of domains, was observed at surface pressures of 24 mN/m or higher. The domain size increased with surface pressure, suggesting the growth of a two-dimensio...
EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION: SOME PHILOSOPHICAL AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

In this paper, which was presented at a Conference for Lecturers in Educational Administration held in Melbourne in August 1981, the author expands upon past criticisms of the phenomenological and Marxist perspectives, provides an extensive analysis of the concept of loose coupling and puts forward a philosophical alternative to the phenomenological and positivistic positions. The interplay of philosophical viewpoints with issues in theory, research and preparation in educational administration is emphasized.
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor expression in Xenopus oocytes.

The rodent GnRH receptor was characterized in Xenopus oocytes injected with RNA isolated from rat pituitary and from a gonadotrope cell line, αT3, derived from a transgenic mouse. Three to 4 days after 150–200 ng RNA injection, 93% of the oocytes, which were recorded by voltage clamp, responded to 10−7 m GnRH. The mean inward currents obtained after RNA injection were 620 ± 88 nA (n = 22) with pituitary RNA and 1415 ± 598 (n = 4) with αT3 RNA. The threshold GnRH concentration able to evoke the dose dependent current after pituitary RNA injection was 3 × 10−9 m GnRH. The GnRH receptor response of the oocyte was antagonized by [d-Phe2,6,Pro3] GnRH and [N-Ac-d-Na](2)1, d-αd-Me, pCI-Phe2, dArg6, d-Ala10-NH2]GnRH and could be elicited by d-Ser(But)6,Pro9-N-ethylamide GnRH (buserelin). The reversal potential of the GnRH generated current as determined by voltage-ramp was −22.5 ± 1.0 mV (n = 7) and −25.6 ± 3.3 mV (n = 3) in pituitary and cell line RNA-injected oocytes respectively, consistent with the chloride r...
Salting in peptides: Conformationally dependent solubilities and phase behavior of a tripeptide zwitterion in electrolyte solution

The dielectrically consistent interaction site model theory is applied to a model system consisting of a zwitterion tripeptide of sequence Gly-Ala-Gly at infinite dilution in a solvent mixture of water and sodium chloride with only the central φ,ψ dihedrals for conformational degrees of freedom. The peptide is found to be salted into solution by the cosolvent, with its solubility depending strongly on conformation of the central φ,ψ pair. The distribution of cosolvent relative to the bulk solvent mixture is examined and relatively little specific association is found. Instead, the ionic concentration around the peptide is increased, especially near the phase boundary, and the increased concentration extends up to eight solvent diameters into the bulk. The consequences of such an ionic distribution on thermodynamic measures of association are discussed. Similarities between this model system and the unusual solubility behavior of β-lactoglobulin found in experiments are shown. The molecular distributions c...
Symptoms Predictive of Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) in the Adolescent Headache Patient

Objective To identify symptoms that may predict postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) among adolescent patients with headache and lightheadedness referred for tilt table testing. Background Individuals with POTS can have a variety of symptoms that impair quality of life. The specific symptoms that help to distinguish the POTS patient in an adolescent headache population have not been determined. Methods A group of symptoms was compared among 70 adolescent patients with headache and lightheadedness referred to a pediatric headache clinic for tilt table testing. Every patient completed a symptom questionnaire prior to the tilt table test. The chi-square test was used to compare questionnaire responses between patients found to have POTS and those who did not have POTS. Thirteen symptoms were analyzed. Symptoms that differed statistically between groups were further assessed for sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic predictive values. Results Thirty-seven (53%) patients met diagnostic criteria for POTS. Several symptoms differed between the patients found to have POTS and those without POTS. Headache type was not predictive. Vertigo and evening exacerbation of headaches had P values <.05 but did not meet significance after a statistical correction for multiple variables, P ≤ .004 (0.05/13). New-onset motion sickness, dizziness as a headache trigger, and orthostatic headaches had P values <.004 and were relatively sensitive and/or specific for the POTS diagnosis. Conclusions While no single clinical symptom or headache type reliably establishes the POTS diagnosis, several symptoms can help to distinguish the POTS patient in an adolescent headache population.
An Assessment of the Integration of Entrepreneurship via Strategic Management Textbooks

How might a new content area be integrated into an academic curriculum when divisional credit hours are a zero-sum game? We assess if business entrepreneurship, an area of fast-growing pedagogical interest, can be integrated into a curriculum as part of the business policy and strategy course, an established and formerly required component of the undergraduate business curriculum. We examine the common historical basis of these two fields in commerce, their practical and academic divergence following the industrial revolution, and their current state as separate yet complimentary fields. We assess the potential for piggybacking coverage of entrepreneurship within the more established and widespread business strategy course through the careful selection of strategic management textbooks. A fundamental research question in this study is how much coverage of entrepreneurship is included in strategic management textbooks? Does it vary across strategy textbooks? We present a methodology for gauging and quantif...
Effects of Substrate Amount and Orientation on Production and Population Structure of Freshwater Prawns Macrobrachium rosenbergii in Ponds

Abstract.— Previous studies have demonstrated a direct linear relationship between freshwater prawn Mucrobrachium rosenbergii production intensity (kg/ha) and amount of added substrate. However, increases greater than 80% have not been practicable with multiple layers of substrate installed in horizontal orientation. Vertical orientation could allow higher inclusion rates, but might not be useable by prawns which had recently molted. This study compared the effectiveness of substrate (in the form of polyethylene fencing) oriented horizontally or vertically, and evaluated the impact of increasing amounts of vertical substrate (0, 50, and 100%) on prawn production. Juvenile prawns (0.2 ± 0.1 g) were stocked into 12 0.04-ha ponds at 65,000/ ha. Ponds were randomly assigned one of four treatments with three replicate ponds per treatment: 1) controls containing no substrate, 2) 50% increase in horizontal orientation, 3) 50% increase in vertical orientation, or 4) 100% increase in vertical orientation. After 106 d, orientation of substrate (horizontal or vertical) had no significant (P > 0.05) impact on prawn survival, production, or population structure. In ponds with different amounts of vertical substrate, average weight (42 9). survival (89%). and feed conversion ratio (2.7) were not significantly different (P > 0.05) among treatments. However, total yield (kg/ha) was significantly greater (P > 0.05) in ponds with 100% increase in surface area (2,653 kg/ha) than in control ponds (2,140 kg/ha). Ponds with a 50% increase in surface area had yields (2,452 kg/ha) that were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from control ponds or ponds with a 100% increase. These data indicate that orientation does not impact substrate effectiveness in ponds and that increasing amounts of added substrate continue to increase prawn production up to at least an increase of 100% in available surface area.
Pygmy resonances probed with electron scattering

Pygmy resonances in light nuclei excited in electron scattering are discussed. These collective modes will be explored in future electron-ion colliders such as ELISe/FAIR (spokesperson: Haik Simon - GSI). Response functions for direct breakup are explored with few-body and hydrodynamical models, including the dependence upon final state interactions.
Cytokine and superoxide production in clinical stroke.

Cytokines appear to play an important role in a variety of central nervous system (CNS) diseases and may be involved in ischemia. Activated leukocytes are a major source of cytokines and other inflammatory mediators that may directly injure ischemic CNS tissue. To investigate the importance of these substances in clinical stroke, we compared spontaneous secretion of IL-lβ, IL-6, IL-8, and superoxide production from neutrophils (PMN) and mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from either acute stroke patients (n = 10) or matched controls (n = 10). Cytokine production from 5 × 10 6 cells incubated for 24 h was determined by ELISA. MNC from acute stroke patients secreted significantly less IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 than MNC from control patients. No significant cytokine production was detected from PMN. Superoxide production from 1.25 × 10 5 cells was determined over 1 h measuring cytochrome C reduction. There was a trend toward higher superoxide production in PMN from acute stroke patients, whereas the superoxide production in MNC from acute stroke patients was significantly higher than that of control MNC. This difference persisted even when various agonists were added preincubation. This study suggests that MNC spontaneous cytokine secretion is reduced in acute stroke patients, whereas superoxide production is increased. This decreased cytokine production may be secondary to the effects of a cytokine inhibitory factor.
On an Intrusion-Detection Approach Via Adaptive Prediction

We introduce the notion of using adaptive (digital) prediction in an intrusion-detection application, where stimuli due to intruders are transient signals. The basic idea is to use an adaptive digital predictor for removing correlated noise. As such, this approach assists in reducing false (nuisance) alarms in the absence of intruder stimuli. It also yields an improvement in signal-to-noise ratio when intruder stimuli are present, thereby assisting in their detection. The performance of this approach is assessed in terms of a fixed-point arithmetic simulation. Some aspects of a corresponding hardware implementation that involves a commercial microprocessor are also included.
On the trade-offs between collecting packet level forensic evidence and data delivery performance in wireless networks

Transmission Evidence (TE for short) refers to a historic trail of the packet transmissions in the network. TE is collected and maintained in a distributed manner by the nodes in the network and can be queried on demand by a network forensics system to trace past events. The latter can facilitate crucial applications such as identifying malicious or malfunctioning nodes. Recently, we developed an analytical framework towards computing the likelihood of TE availability in wireless networks. Our prior efforts [1] brought to light the impact of the network's operational parameters (such as transmission rate and packet length) on the availability of TE. However, provisioning for TE could impact the network performance in terms of throughput and/or delay. Our objective in this work is to capture and quantify the trade-offs between provisioning transmission evidence and achieving high performance in wireless networks. In particular, we investigate the network performance hit, under the constraint of TE availability guarantees. Our results indicate that the performance remains unaffected up to a certain TE requirement. Beyond this, the throughput could degrade and the delay could increase by as much as 30%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study of its kind.
Injection Locked Grid Oscillators

In this paper, we report results of the first successful injection phase locked grid oscillators. The grid oscillator, operate at 4.25 GHz with 150 MHz mechanical tuning range and 32 dBm effective isotropic radiated power, was locked to a frequency synthesizer by way of injection locking. Phase noise was improved to match the specification of the synthesizer reference source.
The role of inversion and PP-fronting in relating discourse elements: some implications for cognitive and computational models of natural language processing

This paper will explore and discuss the less obvious ways syntactic structure is used to convey information and how this information could be used by a natural language database system as a heuristic to organize and search a discourse space.The primary concern of this paper will be to present a general theory of processing which capitalizes on the information provided by such non-SVO word orders as inversion, (wh) clefting and prepositional phrase (PP)fronting.
Transnational Strategic Networks and Policymaking in Chile: CORFO's High Technology Investment Promotion Program

Once prey to government patrimonial practices, the Corporacion de Fomento de la Produccion (CORFO), Chile's economic development agency, overcame this problem in the early 1990s. In 2000 CORFO established a High Technology Investment Promotion Program to promote foreign direct investment in high technology and other nontraditional sectors. This article applies concepts of political survival and cooperation to explain how CORFO moved from patrimonialism to technocratic independence. Then it demonstrates that governments possessing technocratic independence but lacking other characteristics typically associated with successful investment promotion efforts can develop transnational strategic networks of individuals, business associations, and universities to facilitate their learning process in order to devise more effective strategies to promote nontraditional FDI.
Comparison of free and ribosome-bound phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from rabbit reticulocytes.

Abstract Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase ( l -phenylalanine:tRNA ligase [AMP], EC 6.1.1.b) from the ribosomal and the postribosomal cell supernatant fractions of rabbit reticulocytes were purified separately and characterized. Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the ribosomal fraction was purified 114-fold to a final specific activity of 1603 units/mg and is approximately 90% pure. Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from the postribosomal supernatant fraction was purified 4186-fold to a final specific activity of 247 units/mg. The enzymes from the two fractions appear to be identical based on their elution from various chromatographic media, sedimentation coefficient, pH, Mg 2+ , and K + optima, and heat stability. Phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase from rabbit reticulocytes has a molecular weight of approximately 245,000 with an α 2 β 2 subunit structure. The molecular weights of the subunits are 57,000 and 67,200.
A class of non-binary matroids with many minors

Abstract It is a well-known result of Tutte, A homotopy theorem for matroids, I, II, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 88 (1958) 144–174. that U 2,4 is the only non-binary matroid M such that, for every element e , both M⧹e and M/e are binary. Oxley generalized this result by characterizing the non-binary matroids M such that, for every element e of M , the deletion M⧹e or the contraction M/e is binary. We characterize those non-binary matroids M such that, for all elements e and f , at least two of M⧹e,f ; M⧹e/f ; M/e⧹f ; and M/e,f are binary.
Cholesterol affects retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with multiple sclerosis with optic neuritis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE To evaluate the associations between retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and lipid profiles in multiple sclerosis (MS). METHODS This study enrolled 136 patients with MS (n = 272 eyes; 108 females, 28 males, mean age: 46.7 ± 8.9 years); 45% had a history of optic neuritis (ON). Subjects received optical coherence tomography (OCT) testing to assess RNFL thickness and visual acuity testing with Snellen charts. A subset of 88 patients received pattern reversal visual-evoked potential (PRVEP) testing. Lipid profiles consisting of serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and total cholesterol (TC) levels were obtained within ± 6 months of OCT. Regression analyses were used to assess the associations between RNFL thickness and lipid profile variables. RESULTS Low RNFL thickness (P = 0.008) and higher PRVEP latency (P = 0.017) were associated with high LDL cholesterol > 100 mg/dl status. Low RNFL thickness (P = 0.008) and higher PRVEP latency (P = 0.043) were associated with high HDL cholesterol levels. Low RNFL thickness was also associated with HDL cholesterol > 60 mg/dl status (P = 0.001) and with TC > 200 mg/dl status (P = 0.015). The probability of average RNFL thickness in the lowest tertile (≤ 33rd percentile) was associated with interactions between TC > 200 mg/dl status (P = 0.001, odds ratio = 7.5, 95% confidence interval = 2.7-21) with affected/unaffected by ON status. CONCLUSIONS High cholesterol adversely affects RNFL thickness in patients with MS with ON.
Prevalence of hepatitis G virus in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients and in HCV-contaminated intravenous immunoglobulin products

Hepatitis GB virus C/hepatitis G virus (HGV) is an RNA virus, which appears to be transmitted by parenteral exposure to contaminated blood and blood products, and may be associated with clinical hepatitis in humans. The prevalence of HGV was investigated in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients, and (HCV)-contaminated immune globulin intravenous products (IGIV), manufactured prior to the introduction of viral inactivation processing, and in recipients of these lots. Nested primers, specific for the 5' non-coding region of HGV, were designed and used to test 100 chronic HCV patients, 10 HCV RNA-positive IGIV lots and 36 of the recipients of these products. Hepatitis G virus specificity of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products was confirmed by sequencing a number of the amplified products and comparing the results with the published prototype sequence for HGV RNA. HGV RNA was detected in 23 of the 100 (23%) HCV-infected patients. The level of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) was lower in HCV-HGV coinfected patients than those with HCV infection alone. Hence, the severity of HCV infections is not influenced by HGV. Two of the 10 (20%) IGIV lots tested positive for HGV RNA; however, none of the serum samples from recipients of IGIV contained detectable HGV RNA although many were infected with HCV. This suggests that the transmission of HGV RNA from IGIV to the recipients is less efficient than that seen for HCV.
Twinned one-dimensional quasicrystals in Bridgman-grown Al-Si-Cu-Co alloys.

Single grains of ${\mathrm{Al}}_{60}$${\mathrm{Si}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{18}$${\mathrm{Co}}_{20}$ with a decaprismatic morphology were grown by the Bridgman method and studied by transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Although the diffraction patterns of these grains superficially resemble that of a decagonal quasicrystal, a closer inspection reveals that they are composed of tenfold twins of a one-dimensional quasicrystal along with small domains of three crystalline approximant phases.
Pervasive Seismic Wave Reflectivity and Metasomatism of the Tonga Mantle Wedge

Subduction zones play critical roles in the recycling of oceanic lithosphere and the generation of continental crust. Seismic imaging can reveal structures associated with key dynamic processes occurring in the upper-mantle wedge above the sinking oceanic slab. Three-dimensional images of reflecting interfaces throughout the upper-mantle wedge above the subducting Tonga slab were obtained by migration of teleseismic recordings of underside P- and S-wave reflections. Laterally continuous weak reflectors with tens of kilometers of topography were detected at depths near 90, 125, 200, 250, 300, 330, 390, 410, and 450 kilometers. P- and S-wave impedances decreased at the 330-kilometer and 450-kilometer reflectors, and S-wave impedance decreased near 200 kilometers in the vicinity of the slab and near 390 kilometers, just above the global 410-kilometer increase. The pervasive seismic reflectivity results from phase transitions and compositional zonation associated with extensive metasomatism involving slab-derived fluids rising through the wedge.
The RNA Molecule CsrB Binds to the Global Regulatory Protein CsrA and Antagonizes Its Activity in Escherichia coli

The RNA-binding protein CsrA (carbon storage regulator) is a new kind of global regulator, which facilitates specific mRNA decay. A recombinant CsrA protein containing a metal-binding affinity tag (CsrA-H6) was purified to homogeneity and authenticated by N-terminal sequencing, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry, and other studies. This protein was entirely contained within a globular complex of approximately 18 CsrA-H6 subunits and a single approximately 350-nucleotide RNA, CsrB. cDNA cloning and nucleotide sequencing revealed that the csrB gene is located downstream from syd in the 64-min region of the Escherichia coli K-12 genome and contains no open reading frames. The purified CsrA-CsrB ribonucleoprotein complex was active in regulating glg (glycogen biosynthesis) gene expression in vitro, as was the RNA-free form of the CsrA protein. Overexpression of csrB enhanced glycogen accumulation in E. coli, a stationary phase process that is repressed by CsrA. Thus, CsrB RNA is a second component of the Csr system, which binds to CsrA and antagonizes its effects on gene expression. A model for regulatory interactions in Csr is presented, which also explains previous observations on the homologous system in Erwinia carotovora. A highly repeated nucleotide sequence located within predicted stem-loops and other single-stranded regions of CsrB, CAGGA(U/A/C)G, is a plausible CsrA-binding element.
Super-efficiency and DEA sensitivity analysis

Abstract This paper discusses and reviews the use of super-efficiency approach in data envelopment analysis (DEA) sensitivity analyses. It is shown that super-efficiency score can be decomposed into two data perturbation components of a particular test frontier decision making unit (DMU) and the remaining DMUs. As a result, DEA sensitivity analysis can be done in (1) a general situation where data for a test DMU and data for the remaining DMUs are allowed to vary simultaneously and unequally and (2) the worst-case scenario where the efficiency of the test DMU is deteriorating while the efficiencies of the other DMUs are improving. The sensitivity analysis approach developed in this paper can be applied to DMUs on the entire frontier and to all basic DEA models. Necessary and sufficient conditions for preserving a DMU’s efficiency classification are developed when various data changes are applied to all DMUs. Possible infeasibility of super-efficiency DEA models is only associated with extreme-efficient DMUs and indicates efficiency stability to data perturbations in all DMUs.
Involuntary Transfer as a Cause of Death and of Medical Hospitalization in Geriatric Neuropsychiatry Patients

: The effects of mass involuntary transfer on geriatric neuropsychiatric male patients were evaluated by comparing outcomes for three overlapping sets of patients (N = 403, 385, and 378) over several follow-up periods. One group, the “reorganization” sample, consisted of all patients on three geriatric wards at a time just before the wards were reorganized and 20 percent of the patients were transferred to other buildings. The comparison samples comprised two overlapping groups consisting of all patients on the wards four months earlier and four months later. Neither the short-term (4-month) nor the long-term (12-month) follow-ups showed any increase in deaths or in medical ward transfers attributable to the reorganization. These findings indicate that certain types of mass involuntary transfer can be carried out without serious traumatic effects on physical health as reported by some observers. Differences between the relatively modified transfer in this project and the more radical transfers described by others are discussed.
Study of the effect of DATEM. 4. Optimization of DATEM synthesis.

Abstract DATEM synthesis was optimized to produce samples with high amounts of active components for breadmaking. Therefore, the parameters of a standard procedure were modified systematically and the amounts of the major components in the resulting samples were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Standard solutions of the three most active components were used for identification and quantitation. Molten reactions between monoacylglycerols and diacetyltartaric acid anhydride at low temperature (100°C) had a positive effect on the formation of active components, especially after the addition of sodium acetate as a catalyst. The yield of active components increased up to 88% compared to ∼60% obtained by a standard procedure. The highest yield of the major components was obtained by using tetrahydrofuran as a solvent and pyridine as a catalyst. Under these conditions more than 90% of the DATEM sample were components with high baking activity.
The protective role of the peritrophic membrane in the tannin-tolerant larvae of Orgyia leucostigma (Lepidoptera)

Abstract Tannic acid had no detrimental effect on the growth rates or digestion efficiencies of Orgyia leucostigma larvae. We examined three potential mechanisms which might allow these larvae to tolerate ingested tannic acid. (1) Little chemical modification of ingested tannic acid was found. Less than 10% of the tannic acid ingested by O. leucostigma was hydrolysed to gallic acid when measured with the rhodanine assay, and virtually all tannic acid was recovered in the frass when measured as total phenolics or with HPLC. (2) Peritrophic membranes were freely permeable to gallic acid but were impermeable to the higher molecular weight polyphenolic components of tannic acid. (3) Peritrophic membranes adsorbed less than 1% of the amount of tannic acid present in the guts of O. leucostigma larvae in vivo. Therefore, adsorption is not the means by which tannins are contained within the endoperitrophic space in O. leucostigma. We conclude that the peritrophic membrane acts as an ultrafilter. Further work is needed to determine whether ultrafiltration is dependent on tannin-binding substances in the gut fluid.
Nano-optics from sensing to waveguiding

The design and realization of metallic nanostructures with tunable plasmon resonances has been greatly advanced by combining a wealth of nanofabrication techniques with advances in computational electromagnetic design. Plasmonics — a rapidly emerging subdiscipline of nanophotonics — is aimed at exploiting both localized and propagating surface plasmons for technologically important applications, specifically in sensing and waveguiding. Here we present a brief overview of this rapidly growing research field.
Interpersonal Motives and Supportive Communication

This study examined the relationship between individuals’ interpersonal communication motives and their self-reported use of social support behaviors. College students (N = 133) completed a questionnaire based on their communication with a friend. Parents (N = 119) completed a questionnaire based on their communication with one of their children. Parents higher in their affection and pleasure motives were more likely to provide emotional and social support. Friends higher in their affection, inclusion, and pleasure motives were more likely to provide emotional support. In both samples, individuals higher in their affection and control motives provided more advice support.
Biosynthetic incorporation of ethyl (RS) [2,3-13C2,3-14C]-4-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-3-oxobutanoate into cuscohygrine in Erythroxylum coca☆

Abstract Ethyl ( RS )-2,3- 13 C 2 ,3- 14 C]-4-(1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinyl)-3-oxobutanoate was administered to intact leaves of Erythroxylum coca which led to good incorporation (0.75% and 0.99%) into cuscohygrine. Specific incorporation was determined by radioactivity and by mass spectrometry. The positions of the isotopically enriched 13 C atoms were determined by the presence of satellite peaks in the 13 C NMR. Since hygrine was previously established as a precursor of cuscohygrine, [2- 14 C]-hygrine was fed to E. coca leaves as well. The results (0.13% specific incorporation) show that the β-keto ester is over five times more effective as a precursor than hygrine. From these results a modified biosynthetic pathway for cuscohygrine is proposed.
Weighted spaces of vector-valued continuous functions

We study completeness of weighted spaces of vector-valued functions. Also, the dual of a weighted space of vector-valued continuous functions on a locally compact space is characterized as a space of vector valued Radon measures with values in the topological dual of the range space.
Comparative digestibility of energy and nutrients in diets fed to sows and growing pigs

The objective of this research was to compare values for digestible energy (DE) and metabolisable energy (ME) and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients in 11 diets fed to both growing pigs and gestating sows. Three diets were based on corn, wheat or sorghum and eight diets were based on a combination of corn and soybean meal, canola meal, conventional distillers' dried grains with solubles, low-fat distillers' dried grains with solubles, corn germ meal, corn bran, wheat middlings or soybean hulls. A total of 88 gestating sows (252 ± 24.2 kg BW; parity two to six) and 88 growing barrows (40 ± 4.7 kg BW) were used and randomly allotted to the 11 diets with eight replicate sows or pigs per diet. Faecal and urine samples were collected for 4 d following a 19 d adaptation period. The DE, ME and ATTD of gross energy (GE), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and crude protein (CP) in the 11 diets were calculated. Gestating sows had greater (p < 0.05) ATTD of GE and CP and DE values for all diets compared with growing pigs. Gestating sows also had greater (p < 0.05) ME values than growing pigs for the three grain diets and the diets containing wheat middlings and soybean hulls. No differences were observed in ATTD of ADF and NDF between gestating sows and growing pigs for any of the diets, except that gestating sows had greater (p < 0.05) ATTD of NDF than growing pigs when they were fed the four protein diets. The ATTD of GE and CP and DE values in gestating sows may be predicted by using equations generated from the values of ATTD of GE and CP and DE values obtained in growing pigs. Results of this research indicate that ATTD values of CP and GE obtained in gestating sows are greater than the values obtained in growing pigs, but values for ATTD of ADF obtained in growing pigs are not different from values in gestating sows.