cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of ATPγS in isolated rat brain synaptosomes

Abstract The effects of ATPγS, a slowly hydrolyzable analogue of ATP, were investigated in the preparation of synaptosomes isolated from rat cerebral cortex. It was found that addition of [ 35 S]ATPγS resulted in substantial magnesium-dependent incorporation of 35 S into synaptosomal proteins which was prevented completely by ATP. The most prominently labeled polypeptides were those with apparent molecular weights of 100,000; 84,000; 74,000; 62,000; 55,000; 48,000; and 41,000. The rate and extent of thiophosphorylation were unaffected by addition of cAMP, veratridine or sodium fluoride. ATPγS at 50–100 μM had no effect on either uptake or release of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and dopamine; at a concentration of 1 mM it inhibited incorporation of dopamine by about 20%. This inhibition was also seen with 1 mM GTP, β, γ-methylene-adenosine 5′-triphosphate and adenylylimidodiphosphate, which suggests that the nucleotide triphosphates themselves, and not membrane protein phosphorylation, were responsible for the effect observed. It is concluded that ATPγS is an effective tool for studying the possible role of ATP released in synaptic transmission. The results obtained thus far suggest that neither extrasynaptosomal ATP nor phosphorylation of external proteins of the presynaptic membrane is sufficient for modulation of neurotransmitter uptake or release. They may, however, play a role in combination with other conditions.
Pt/SiO2. - Part IV: Isotopic exchange between cyclopentane and deuterium

Isotopic exchange between cyclopentane and deuterium, mostly at 81/sup 0/C, has been investigated on a set of 10 Pt/SiO/sub 2/ catalysts whose percentages exposed ranged from 6.3 to 81%. The standard pretreatment, O/sub 2/, 300/sup 0/C; H/sub 2/, 300/sup 0/C; He 450/sup 0/C with cooling in helium, leads to turnover numbers for formation of exchanged cyclopentanes, which decline by a factor of less than 2 as the percentage exposed increases from 6.3 to 63.5% and then at 81% rise to about the value for 6.3%. Selectivity to various exchanged species varies with percentage exposed and, in particular, D/sub 6//D/sub 10/ (the ratio of initial yields of d/sub 6/ and d/sub 10/) decreases substantially as the percentage exposed increases. This suggests that exchange of the hydrogen atoms on both sides of the cyclopentane ring proceeds mainly via formation of ..cap alpha..,..cap alpha..-diadsorbed cyclopentane on catalysts with a smaller percentage exposed and by rollover on catalysts with a large percentage exposed. Other pretreatment conditions such as O/sub 2/, 300/sup 0/C; H/sub 2/, 100/sup 0/C and O/sub 2/, 300/sup 0/C; H/sub 2/, 450/sup 0/C with cooling in hydrogen give larger structure sensitivites for activity and different selectivities. Catalysts deactivate rather rapidly but withmore » little change in selectivity. Deactivation is accompanied by the formation of carbonaceous residues. C/Pt/sub s/ becomes approximately 0.5 and the activity declines 10% in about 10 min on stream. Ninety percent or more of the carbon in the residue occurs in a cyclopentane structure because 90% of the carbon is removed as cyclopentane by hydrogen at 100/sup 0/C. Repetition of the standard pretreatment regenerates the initial activity and selectivity.« less
SU‐GG‐T‐552: Statistical Validation of A New Helical Tomotherapy Patient Transfer Station

Purpose: To evaluate statistically the accuracy of a patient transfer station (PTS, TomoTherapy Inc., Madison, WI) that automatically converts one planning‐station‐generated treatment plan to another one with a different beam model. Method and Materials: In our department we have installed 2 HI⋅ART tomotherapy systems, and patients often need to be transferred from one tomotherapy unit to the other. 30 patients who underwent patient transfer between the two systems were evaluated. For each patient, dose differences between his/her original plan and PTS‐transferred plan were evaluated by comparing doses at 10 randomly selected positions in his/her CTimages. The Pearson indexes were calculated to analyze the relationship of the deviations to other parameters, which include absolute dose levels, sites (targets or normal tissues), dose accuracy of original plans and that of transferred plans. The dose accuracy of a treatment plan was determined by comparing delivered doses at the center of a 30cm × 30cm × 12cm solid water phantom to planned doses at the same position. Results: The maximum calculated dose difference between original and transferred plans for target was 1.9%; the average deviation (of non‐directional values) was 0.8% ± 0.005. The errors generated during PTS‐based transferring process were random and did not show correlation with other parameters. More importantly, the PTS took less than 10 minutes to generate a backup plan and reduced the transfer time by ∼90% compared to creating a duplicate plan manually. Conclusion: The results show that a PTS‐transferred plan is an excellent match to the original plan. With a physician's approval, a transferred plan is acceptable for treatment without the necessity of being revalidated in phantom. Thus far, all of our PTS plans have been approved by the treating physician without further optimization.
Effects of colchicine, cytochalasin B, and 2-deoxyglucose on the topographical organization of surface-bound concanavalin A in normal and transformed fibroblasts

The distribution of surface-bound concanavalin A on the membranes of 3T3, and simian virus 40-transformed 3T3 cultured mouse fibroblasts was examined using a shadow-cast replica technique with a hemocyanin marker. When cells were prefixed in paraformaldehyde, the binding site distribution was always random on both cell types. On the other hand, labeling of transformed cells with concanavalin A (Con A) and hemocyanin at 37 degrees C resulted in the organization of Con A binding sites (CABS) into clusters (primary organization) which were not present on the pseudopodia and other peripheral areas of the membrane (secondary organization). Treatment of transformed cells with colchicine, cytochalasin B, or 2-deoxyglucose did not alter the inherent random distribution of binding sites as determined by fixation before labeling. However, these drugs produced marked changes in the secondary (but not the primary) organization of CABS on transformed cells labeled at 37 degrees C. Colchicine treatment resulted in the formation of a caplike aggregation of binding site clusters near the center of the cell, whereas cytochalasin B and 2-deoxyglucose led to the formation of patches of CABS over the entire membrane, eliminating the inward displacement of patches observed on untreated cells. The distribution of bound Con A on normal cells (3T3) at 37 degrees C was always random, in both control and drug-treated preparations. Pretreatment of cells with Con A enhanced the effect of colchicine on cell morphology, but inhibited the morphological effects of cytochalasin B. The mechanisms that determine receptor movement and disposition are discussed.
ICP34.5-dependent and -independent activities of salubrinal in herpes simplex virus-1 infected cells.

The small molecule salubrinal has antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) and inhibits dephosphorylation of eIF2α mediated by the HSV-1 protein ICP34.5. We investigated whether salubrinal's activities in infected cells depend on ICP34.5. An ICP34.5 deletion mutant was as sensitive as wild type HSV-1 to salubrinal inhibition of plaque formation in Vero cells. However, salubrinal induced formation of syncytia in infected Vero cells, which was enhanced by ICP34.5 mutations. Expression of HSV-1 US11 with immediate early kinetics, which is known to suppress the effects of ICP34.5 mutations, resulted in slight resistance to salubrinal in murine embryonic fibroblasts, and substantial resistance in those cells when ICP34.5 was additionally mutated. ICP34.5 mutations, but not immediate early expression of US11, prevented salubrinal's ability to increase phosphorylation of eIF2α during HSV-1 infection of Vero cells. Taken together, our data indicate that salubrinal has both ICP34.5-dependent and -independent activities in HSV-1 infected cells.
Self-propagating reactive fronts in compacts of multilayered particles

Reactive multilayered foils in the form of thin films have gained interest in various applications such as joining, welding, and ignition. Typically, thin film multilayers support self-propagating reaction fronts with speeds ranging from 1 to 20m/s. In some applications, however, reaction fronts with much smaller velocities are required. This recently motivated Fritz et al. (2011) to fabricate compacts of regular sized/shaped multilayered particles and demonstrate self-sustained reaction fronts having much smaller velocities than thin films with similar layering. In this work, we develop a simplified numerical model to simulate the selfpropagation of reactive fronts in an idealized compact, comprising identical Ni/Al multilayered particles in thermal contact. The evolution of the reaction in the compact is simulated using a two-dimensional transient model, based on a reduced description of mixing, heat release, and thermal transport. Computed results reveal that an advancing reaction front can be substantially delayed as it crosses from one particle to a neighboring particle, which results in a reduced mean propagation velocity. A quantitative analysis is thus conducted on the dependence of these phenomena on the contact area between the particles, the thermal contact resistance, and the arrangement of the multilayered particles.
Superior Antimalarial Immunity after Vaccination with Late Liver Stage-Arresting Genetically Attenuated Parasites

While subunit vaccines have shown partial efficacy in clinical trials, radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS) remain the "gold standard" for sterilizing protection against Plasmodium infection in human vaccinees. The variability in immunogenicity and replication introduced by the extensive, random DNA damage necessary to generate RAS could be overcome by genetically attenuated parasites (GAP) designed via gene deletion to arrest at defined points during liver-stage development. Here, we demonstrate the principle that late liver stage-arresting GAP induce larger and broader CD8 T cell responses that provide superior protection in inbred and outbred mice compared to RAS or early-arresting GAP immunizations. Late liver stage-arresting GAP also engender high levels of cross-stage and cross-species protection and complete protection when administered by translationally relevant intradermal or subcutaneous routes. Collectively, our results underscore the potential utility of late liver stage-arresting GAP as broadly protective next-generation live-attenuated malaria vaccines and support their potential as a powerful model for identifying antigens to generate cross-stage protection.
When to worry about the weather: role of tidal cycle in determining patterns of risk in intertidal ecosystems

Species range boundaries are determined by a variety of factors of which climate is one of the most influential. As a result, climate change is expected to have a profound effect on organisms and ecosystems. However, the impacts of weather and climate are frequently modified by multiple nonclimatic factors. Therefore, the role of these nonclimatic factors needs to be examined in order to understand and predict future change. Marine intertidal ecosystems are exposed to heat extremes during warm, sunny, midday low tides. Thus, the timing of low tide, a nonclimatic factor, determines the potential contact intertidal invertebrates and algae have with heat extremes. We developed a method that quantifies the daily risk of high temperature extremes in the marine intertidal using solar elevations and spatially continuous tidal predictions. The frequency of ‘risky days’ is variable over time and space along the Pacific Coast of North America. Results show that at some sites the percentage of risky days in June can vary by 30% across years. In order to do a detailed analysis, we selected San Francisco as a study site. In San Francisco, May is the month with the greatest frequency of risky days, even though September is the month with the greatest frequency of high air temperature, ≥30 °C. These results indicate that marine intertidal organisms can be protected from high temperature extremes due to the timing of tides and local weather patterns. In addition, annual fluctuations in tides influence the frequency of intertidal zone exposures to high temperature extremes. Peaks in risk for heat extremes in the intertidal zone occur every 18 years, the length of the tidal epoch. These results suggest that nonclimatic variables can complicate predictions of shifts in species ranges due to climate change, but that mechanistic approaches can be used to produce predictions that include these factors.
Stable Copper-Tin Cluster Compositions from High-Temperature Annealing

Copper-doped tin clusters can be thermally annealed to much more stable compositions with a substantially higher copper/tin ratio. The annealed clusters are only prominent over a narrow range of compositions: CuSn(10-15)+, Cu2Sn(12-18)+, Cu3Sn(15-21)+, Cu4Sn(18-(24)+, and Cu5Sn(21-(27)+. These compositions are close to those found for W(m)Si(n)+ clusters, raising the possibility that the Cu(m)Sn(n)+ clusters have core-shell geometries like those proposed for the W(m)Si(n)+ clusters. Increasing the number of copper atoms causes a change in the dissociation pattern from the fission processes that are characteristic of semiconductor clusters to the expulsion of individual atoms, which usually occurs for metal clusters. The change in the fragmentation pattern may result because the clusters rich in copper melt before they dissociate, while the pure tin clusters dissociate directly from a solidlike phase.
Calculation of single-mode approximation to the limit-cycle solution of a nonlinear wave equation

Abstract We construct an averaging procedure to calculate an approximation to the single mode limit-cycle solution to a nonlinear wave equation. The nonlinearity consists of two terms, one linear in the first-order time derivative, the second proportional to the third power of this derivative. An equation of this form appears in a model for growth of wind-induced vibrations in overhead power lines.
Blood flow and metabolic regulation in seal muscle during apnea

SUMMARY In order to examine myoglobin (Mb) function and metabolic responses of seal muscle during progressive ischemia and hypoxemia, Mb saturation and high-energy phosphate levels were monitored with NMR spectroscopy during sleep apnea in elephant seals ( Mirounga angustirostris ). Muscle blood flow (MBF) was measured with laser-Doppler flowmetry (LDF). During six, spontaneous, 8–12 min apneas of an unrestrained juvenile seal, apneic MBF decreased to 46±10% of the mean eupneic MBF. By the end of apnea, MBF reached 31±8% of the eupneic value. The t 1/2 for 90% decline in apneic MBF was 1.9±1.2 min. The initial post-apneic peak in MBF occurred within 0.20±0.04 min after the start of eupnea. NMR measurements revealed that Mb desaturated rapidly from its eupenic resting level to a lower steady state value within 4 min after the onset of apnea at rates between 1.7±1.0 and 3.8±1.5% min –1 , which corresponded to a muscle O 2 depletion rate of 1–2.3 ml O 2 kg –1 min –1 . High-energy phosphate levels did not change with apnea. During the transition from apnea to eupnea, Mb resaturated to 95% of its resting level within the first minute. Despite the high Mb concentration in seal muscle, experiments detected Mb diffusing with a translational diffusion coefficient of 4.5×10 –7 cm 2 s –1 , consistent with the value observed in rat myocardium. Equipoise P O 2 analysis revealed that Mb is the predominant intracellular O 2 transporter in elephant seals during eupnea and apnea.
Kinetic theory of sheath formation in solar wind plasma

Abstract We present a general self-consistent kinetic theory for plasma sheath formation in solar wind plasma. The theory could be applied to anisotropic, as well as to isotropic collisionless plasma without resorting to any simplifications, limitations, or assumptions, such as the necessary existence of a ‘pre-sheath’ region of ions acceleration to ensure the Bohm criterion. The kinetic framework is first applied to sheath formation around an arbitrary oriented planar absorbing surface, charged by solar wind anisotropic plasma, under the condition of negligible photoelectric effect. We then make use of our kinetic approach for the plane geometry in isotropic collisionless plasma, as a particular case of a planar electrode orientation parallel to plasma streaming velocity, also analyzing the sheath structure around spherical and cylindrical absorbing electrodes submerged in isotropic collisionless plasma. Obtained results demonstrate principal differences in spatial charge distributions in sheath regions between spherical or cylindrical electrodes of large size and an unbound planar surface submerged in isotropic plasma. In the case of a planar electrode, we directly compare results obtained in our kinetic and hydrodynamic theories and conventional hydrodynamic theory of plasma sheath formation. The outcome from the present study have direct implications to the analysis of plasma sheath structure and associated distribution in space of charged dust grains, which is relevant to the moon exploration near the optical terminator region or in shadowed craters in the moon.
Application of multidetector CT in skeletal trauma.

Abstract Multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) has improved our ability to image patients with skeletal trauma. The chief advantages of this technology include the extremely rapid scan times, the ability to produce very-high-quality multiplanar reformations, and the ability to reprocess raw data quickly and easily. Unlike soft tissue imaging, CT of bony structures requires high spatial resolution. Each joint in the body presents a unique challenge, and guidelines for imaging of each of the major joints is discussed throughout this article. In general, use of the thinnest slice width and a bone-reconstruction algorithm maximizes image quality. Imaging of larger joints such as the shoulder and hip requires slightly thicker slices to ensure reasonable image quality, particularly if surface rendering is to be performed. The demonstration of fracture line extension to articular surfaces is a key function of imaging, and image postprocessing is an integral component of high-resolution joint imaging. The introduction of MDCT has enabled submillimeter slice widths, ensuring unparalleled joint visualization in multiple planes from a single scan acquisition.
Heparin Antagonism by Polyvalent Display of Cationic Motifs on Virus-Like Particles

Particles to the rescue! The construction of cationic amino acid motifs on the surface of bacteriophage Qbeta by genetic engineering or chemical conjugation gives particles that are potent inhibitors of the anticoagulant action of heparin, which is a common anticlotting agent subject to clinical overdose.Polyvalent interactions allow biological structures to exploit low-affinity ligand-receptor binding events to affect physiological responses. We describe here the use of bacteriophage Qbeta as a multivalent platform for the display of polycationic motifs that act as heparin antagonists. Point mutations to the coat protein allowed us to generate capsids bearing the K16M, T18R, N10R, or D14R mutations; because 180 coat proteins form the capsid, the mutants provide a spectrum of particles differing in surface charge by as much as +540 units (K16M vs. D14R). Whereas larger poly-Arg insertions (for example, C-terminal Arg(8)) did not yield intact virions, it was possible to append chemically synthesized oligo-Arg peptides to stable wild-type (WT) and K16M platforms. Heparin antagonism by the particles was evaluated by using the activated partial thrombin time (aPTT) clotting assay; this revealed that T18R, D14R, and WT-(R(8)G(2))(95) were the most effective at disrupting heparin-mediated anticoagulation (>95 % inhibition). This activity agreed with measurements of zeta potential (ZP) and retention time on cation exchange chromatography for the genetic constructs, which distribute their added positive charge over the capsid surface (+180 and +360 for T18R and D14R relative to WT). The potent activity of WT-(R(8)G(2))(95), despite its relatively diminished overall surface charge is likely a consequence of the particle's presentation of locally concentrated regions with high positive charge density that interact with heparin's extensively sulfated domains. The engineered cationic capsids retained their ability to inhibit heparin at high concentrations and showed no anticlotting activity of the kind that limits the utility of antiheparin polycationic agents that are currently in clinical use.
The Backbone Project (Abstract Only)

It is well-known that software maintenance is an arduous task. It is particularly so because of poor design decisions made by software engineers during the development phase. Past research has shown that there are smells in the code that can be used to gauge the quality of the project. Nevertheless, code maintenance due to these research tools is still costly because they are focused on curative solutions rather than preventive measures.Majority of the past research techniques detect code smells after the fact; and the classification of code changes rely on the commit messages written by the developers. However, developers do not always mention the necessary meta-data to determine the changes. The goal of my research is to find a set of design and implementation change categories using abstract syntax trees from the code rather than the commit messages. The categories will help classify the common changes in software projects and identify the resulting unstable regions. A rule-based system will be developed using these regions to recommend the potential improvements required to stabilize the code-base.The result of my research will contribute a toolset that will be used from the start of the development phase to evaluate the stability of the system using software metrics and recommend improvements. This will help project managers mitigate the design and implementation flaws early on during the product life-cycle and reduce the cost during the maintenance phase. Hence, the toolset will have the potential to change the software maintenance paradigm from corrective to preventative measures.
A perspective on ubiquitous computing

This panel explores the networking impact of placing hundreds to thousands of computers into the office or home environment using wireless (e.g. infrared) techniques to interlink them.
Mining fuzzy association rules and fuzzy frequency episodes for intrusion detection

Lee, Stolfo, and Mok 1 previously reported the use of association rules and frequency episodes for mining audit data to gain knowledge for intrusion detection. The integration of association rules and frequency episodes with fuzzy logic can produce more abstract and flexible patterns for intrusion detection, since many quantitative features are involved in intrusion detection and security itself is fuzzy. We present a modification of a previously reported algorithm for mining fuzzy association rules, define the concept of fuzzy frequency episodes, and present an original algorithm for mining fuzzy frequency episodes. We add a normalization step to the procedure for mining fuzzy association rules in order to prevent one data instance from contributing more than others. We also modify the procedure for mining frequency episodes to learn fuzzy frequency episodes. Experimental results show the utility of fuzzy association rules and fuzzy frequency episodes for intrusion detection.
Recognizing song-based blink patterns: applications for restricted and universal access

We introduce a system for recognizing patterns of eye blinks for use in assistive technology interfaces and security systems. First, we present a blink-based interface for controlling devices. Well known songs are used as the cadence for the blinked patterns. Our system distinguishes between ten similar patterns with 99.0% accuracy. Second, we present a method for identifying individual people based on the characteristics of how they perform a specific pattern (their "blinkprint"). This technique could be used in conjunction with face recognition for security systems. We are able to distinguish between nine individuals with 82.02% accuracy based solely on how they blink the same pattern.
Current and lifetime psychiatric illness in women with Turner syndrome.

Abnormalities in quality of life and cognitive measures have been observed in women with Turner syndrome (TS), and a relationship between these phenomena and chromosomal constitution has been suggested. In contrast, few studies have systematically evaluated the presence of mood and behavioral syndromes in these women. In this study, 100 TS women were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV after a two-week period during which their hormone replacement had been discontinued. The majority of women who met criteria for a psychiatric condition had a mood or anxiety disorder. Overall, 52 (52%) of the TS women met criteria for a current or a past depressive or anxiety disorder. Eighteen of the women with TS met criteria for a current Axis I psychiatric disorder [Depression – major (n = 5), minor (n = 5), dysthymia (n = 1); Anxiety (n = 9)]. Forty-six of the women with TS met criteria for a past Axis I psychiatric illness [Depression: unipolar (n = 41), bipolar (n = 3); Anxiety (n = 7); eating disorder (n = 6); substance dependence (n = 3)]. Five women with TS met criteria for an Axis II personality disorder. Women with TS reported a higher rate of lifetime depression compared with rates observed in community-based studies
Castleman disease presenting in the neck: Report of a case and review of the literature

Castleman disease is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder with two primary subtypes that vary in presentation and course. Unicentric Castleman disease (UCD) presents as a solitary mass, most commonly in the mediastinum, and rarely in the head and neck. In contrast to multicentric Castleman disease (MCD), which features peripheral lymphadenopathy and numerous systemic symptoms, UCD is not typically associated with generalized symptoms. Here, we present an unusual case of UCD presenting as a slowly expanding, isolated neck mass in a 29-year-old woman. This case demonstrates the distinguishing clinical, radiologic, and histologic findings unique to UCD, which is often misdiagnosed as lymphoma or other malignant process. These findings stand in contrast to those observed in MCD patients, and hence, offer insight into the practical aspects of diagnosis and management of Castleman disease in the head and neck.
An experimental comparison of the relative benefits of work and torque assistance in ankle exoskeletons

Techniques proposed for assisting locomotion with exoskeletons have often included a combination of active work input and passive torque support, but the physiological effects of different assistan...
Hard-wired multipliers with encoded partial products

A multibit overlapped scanning multiplication algorithm for sign-magnitude and two's complement hard-wired multipliers is presented. The theorems necessary to construct the multiplication matrix for sign-magnitude representations are emphasized. Consequently, the algorithm for sign-magnitude multiplication and its variation to include two's complement numbers are presented. The proposed algorithm is compared to previous algorithms that generate a sign extended partial product matrix, with an implementation and with a study of the number of elements in the partial product matrix. The proposed algorithm is shown to yield significant savings over well known algorithms for the generation and the reduction of the partial product matrix of a multiplier designed with multibit overlapped scanning. >
Using dynamic Brownian bridge movement modelling to measure temporal patterns of habitat selection

Summary 1. Accurately describing animal space use is vital to understanding how wildlife use habitat. Improvements in GPS technology continue to facilitate collection of telemetry data at high spatial and temporal resolutions. Application of the recently introduced dynamic Brownian bridge movement model (dBBMM) to such data is promising as the method explicitly incorporates the behavioural heterogeneity of a movement path into the estimated utilization distribution (UD). 2. Utilization distributions defining space use are normally estimated for time-scales ranging from weeks to months, obscuring much of the fine-scale information available from high-volume GPS data sets. By accounting for movement heterogeneity, the dBBMM provides a rigorous, behaviourally based estimate of space use between each set of relocations. Focusing on UDs generated between individual sets of locations allows us to quantify fine-scale circadian variation in habitat use. 3. We used the dBBMM to estimate UDs bounding individual time steps for three terrestrial species with different life histories to illustrate how the method can be used to identify fine-scale variations in habitat use. We also demonstrate how dBBMMs can be used to characterize circadian patterns of habitat selection and link fine-scale patterns of habitat use to behaviour. 4. We observed circadian patterns of habitat use that varied seasonally for a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and coyote (Canis latrans). We found seasonal patterns in selection by the white-tailed deer and were able to link use of conifer forests and agricultural fields to behavioural state of the coyote. Additionally, we were able to quantify the date in which a Rio Grande wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo intermedia) initiated laying as well as when during the day, she was most likely to visit the nest site to deposit eggs. 5. The ability to quantify circadian patterns of habitat use may have important implications for research and management of wildlife. Additionally, the ability to link such patterns to behaviour may aid in the development of mechanistic models of habitat selection.
Issues for consideration when choosing a qualitative data management system

A primary issue in conducting qualitative research is the time required for data analysis Qualitative research can be costly, since data analysis is generally labour intensive and our tune factors into money There is, unfortunately, no magic formula for hastening the conceptual tasks associated with qualitative analysis, yet effective qualitative data management systems (QDMS) expedite the mechanical tasks, those tasks associated with storing and retrieving qualitative data Rapid and smooth data management increases the time one can allot to data analysis Although computer QDMS are increasingly recommended for their time-saving potential in relation to data management, some significant issues associated with the adoption of a computer versus a manual QDMS have not yet been fully explored The purpose of this paper is to present major issues researchers should consider in choosing a computer or a manual QDMS These issues include availability and accessibility, comfort, appropriateness, efficiency, thoroughness and contextualization
Fixed and Incremental Levels of Microwave Power Application on Drying Grapes under Vacuum

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Prevention of perioperative infection.

Surgical site infection is one of the most common complications that a surgeon encounters, with an infection occurring after approximately 780,000 operations in the United States each year1. In the era of evidence-based medicine, it is in the best interest of patients and physicians to follow practices backed by basic science and clinical data. Unfortunately, standards of practice, even for the use of prophylactic antibiotics, are frequently not followed2. In 2005, this journal made a commitment to present physicians with the literature to support the best available treatment for their patients with use of “recommendations for care” based on grades of recommendation in review articles3. Grades of recommendation are intended to guide surgeons in determining whether they should change their practice on the basis of good (Grade-A) or fair (Grade-B) recommendations. Grade-A recommendations are generated from Level-I studies, whereas Grade-B recommendations are derived from Level-II or III research. A proposal is considered to be Grade C when there is poor or conflicting evidence concerning an intervention based on Level-IV or V studies, and Grade …
Mechanism of Hydrogen Storage on Reduced Carbon Single-Walled Nanotubes

Carbon single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) have been studied extensively as hydrogen storage materials. Herein, a novel hydrogen sorbtion behavior was observed for alkali metal reduced SWNTs and the mechanism of hydrogen binding in these materials has now been elucidated. SWNTs prepared by laser vaporization and purified by oxidation were reduced with Na in combination with naphthalene in tetrahydrofuran (THF) solution. The product, initially formulated as (Na+)xSWNTx-, was dark colored and insoluble in all common solvents examined. Temperature programmed desorption studies showed that hydrogen amounting to 3.5-4.2% w/w was released between 200 and 500°C from the Na-reduced material. This is consistent with hydrogenation of the reduced nanotubes to form C-H bonds with a C2H empirical formula. It appears that SWNT radical anions produced by reaction with sodium deprotonate THF to form hydrogenated nanotubes and the THF cleavage products ethylene and sodium enolate, as confirmed by isotope labeling. A structure consisting of pairs of lines of C-H units that spiral about the long tube axis with a coverage of 50% of the tube carbons is proposed.
Analysis of Renal Sympathetic Nerve Responses to Stress

Abstract We studied sympathetic nerve activity responses to acute environmental stress (air jet stress) in conscious Wistar-Kyoto, spontaneously hypertensive, and borderline hypertensive rats. The borderline hypertensive rats were fed either 1% (normotensive) or 8% (hypertensive) NaCl. Renal sympathetic nerve activity responses were analyzed with three methods: mean integrated voltage over time, power spectrum analysis, and sympathetic peak detection analysis. Measurements of mean integrated voltage over time showed that air jet stress increased renal sympathetic nerve activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats and in borderline hypertensive rats on 8% NaCl but not in the other groups. In the NaCl responders, power spectrum analysis of renal sympathetic nerve activity indicated that the increase in relative power was at the heart rate frequency, indicating that it was related to renal sympathetic nerve discharge coupled to the cardiac cycle. Sympathetic peak detection analysis of renal sympathetic nerve activity indicated that there was an increase in frequency of sympathetic peaks of greater height and shorter duration because of sinoaortic baroreceptor deactivation (increased peak frequency) and the recruitment of more active fibers (greater peak height) firing with greater synchronization (shorter peak duration). Additional methods of analysis of renal sympathetic nerve activity provide information in addition to that derived from measurement of mean integrated voltage over time.
Analog Emulation of a Reconfigurable Tap Changing Transformer

Accurate analog models of power system components are required in order to realize an analog computation engine for power systems. Analog computation is an area of continued interest and has certain advantages over traditional digital computation. Among the advantages are physically realizable solutions and significantly faster computation times. This paper focuses on the development of a tap changing transformer model designed for a previously proposed method of analog power flow computation. Prior research in this field has modeled generators, loads and transmission lines. The transformer model proposed here provides a more accurate depiction of the network and captures the switching behavior of tap changing transformers. The transformer is modeled in analog form and a controller for the tap changing was developed in digital form. The model is verified via software simulation.
Evaluation of small-scale hot-water postpackaging pasteurization treatments for destruction of Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat beef snack sticks and natural-casing wieners.

This study was conducted to evaluate small-scale hot-water postpackaging pasteurization (PPP) as a postlethality (post-cooking) treatment for Listeria monocytogenes on ready-to-eat beef snack sticks and natural-casing wieners. Using a commercially available plastic packaging film specifically designed for PPP applications and 2.8 liters of boiling water (100°C) in a sauce pan on a hot plate, an average reduction in L. monocytogenes numbers of ≥2 log units was obtained using heating times of 1.0 min for individually packaged beef snack sticks (three brands) and 4.0 min for packages of four sticks (two brands) and seven sticks (three brands). Average product surface temperatures, measured as soon as possible after PPP and opening the package, were 47 to 51.5, 58 to 61.5, and 58.5 to 61°C for the beef snack sticks packages of one, four, and seven sticks per package, respectively. A treatment of 7.0 min for packages of four natural-casing wieners (three brands) achieved L. monocytogenes reductions of ≥1.0 log...
Generation of hybrid SPECT bone scans and reconstruction using CT-derived anatomical priors

Anatomical priors derived from CT scans offer the promise of improved image quality in SPECT reconstruction. We describe reconstruction of clinical SPECT/CT bone scans of the spine using anatomical priors to enhance SPECT. We also generate hybrid images: lesion-absent backgrounds from a clinical scan with a synthetic lesion generated by Monte Carlo simulation. These hybrids can be used to assess the change in image quality due to anatomical priors.
Unraveling predicted immunomodulatory effects of novel cancer-associated non-coding RNAs

Meeting abstracts Cellular non-coding RNA (ncRNA) transcription and regulation has only recently been systematically investigated. Studies have demonstrated abundant transcription of a set of ncRNAs preferentially within tumors as opposed to normal tissue. In some cases these tumor-associated
Scale dependence in occupancy models: implications for estimating bear den distribution and abundance

Monitoring programs are typically designed to identify long-term trends in animal abundance, however estimating abundance at a relevant scale can be logistically prohibitive. This is particularly true for species that occur at low densities or those with large home ranges. In such cases, occupancy surveys are often employed in place of more expensive abundance estimation techniques such as mark-recapture because precise estimation of occupancy probability generally requires fewer data. Although choice of plot size is a critical design element of occupancy monitoring, relatively little effort has been expended to develop or test plot size recommendations. Animal movement between surveys can complicate efforts to obtain an optimal plot size, but surveys of fixed objects, such as nests, dens, or burrows can provide insight about scale effects because the population exposed to sampling does not change during the duration of the survey. We used repeated aerial occupancy surveys to obtain estimates of brown bear (Ursus arctos) den distribution and abundance in a portion of Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. We then used these data to assess the importance of plot size selection and highlight the effects of spatial grain on the resulting inference and utility for monitoring. Scale effects in estimates of mean den-based site occupancy, but not total den abundance demonstrated that careful selection of sample unit size is important if estimating occupancy probability is a primary monitoring objective. We expect occupancy surveys based on important structures such as nests or dens could have wide applicability for many species.
Trade Agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea: What are We Waiting for?

American businesses pay billions of dollars in tariffs each year on exports to countries that are willing to eliminate those tariffs. Why? Because Congress has failed to ratify three key trade agreements already negotiated and signed by the United States.
The Seasonal Pricing Plan for Milk

Seasonal pricing of milk is practiced in most fluid milk markets in the United States to provide producers with an incentive for keeping supplies in line with fluid needs. The effect of present seasonal pricing systems on producers' annual returns may be less than it is believed to be. An analysis in which Boston blend prices were used to price 12 New England seasonal patterns showed little variation in annual returns regardless of the production pattern. A new system is suggested for determining each producer's contribution to market imbalance. A graded deduction from payments to those who contribute the most to imbalance is used to make premium payments to those who more nearly conform to market needs. The suggested system goes far in separating seasonal pricing from other price changes, increases the incentive for a balanced supply, and rewards or penalizes individuals on the basis of their contribution to the market supply. T IS generally acknowledged that the farm price of milk per hundred pounds reaches an annual low in June and rises to a peak in November. Although a major factor in this price picture is the normal pattern of high production in June and low production in November, another factor is a deliberate attempt-through the machinery of pricing itself, acting as an income incentive-to achieve the stable production which is desirable to meet the needs of a fluid market. Currently there are in use at least four methods of seasonal pricing. The first one is based on use classification of milk. The blending of high Class I prices with low Class II prices results in a lower blend price in the spring when milk supplies are "flush" than in the fall when supplies are low. The second method accentuates the spring-fall difference by adding to the Class I price a seasonal differential-a reduction in the spring and an addition in the fall. The third is the Louisville "take-out, pay-back" plan whereby money is deducted from the blend price in the spring and added to the blend price in the fall. The fourth is the base-surplus plan, in which producers establish, generally in the short fall months, a base amount of milk for which they receive a Class I price. Throughout the year they are paid the Class I price for the base amount and the Class II price for any surplus.
Teach with Alice - and have fun!: pre-conference workshop

Alice is an innovative 3-D programming environment used to create animated movies and interactive games or programs. It has been used successfully in over 200 colleges and universities around the country as a tool to teach introductory programming in an environment that is more engaging and less frustrating than traditional introductory courses. Studies have shown that using Alice can improve students' attitudes towards computer science and increase the retention rate and performance of students in computer science programs. This workshop introduces the Alice environment through creating several simple worlds. It also presents information related to the pedagogical aspects of using Alice in the classroom. No prior programming experience is required.
Verifying Emission Reductions from Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks Operating on Southern California Freeways

Measurements on truck-dominated freeways in southern California have offered a unique opportunity to track emission changes that have occurred due to the implementation of local and state regulations affecting heavy-duty diesel trucks. These regulations have accelerated fleet turnover to cleaner and newer trucks. In this study, a mobile platform was used to measure nitrogen oxides (NOX), black carbon (BC), and ultrafine particles (UFPs) on diesel-dominated southern California freeways. Fleet-averaged fuel-based emission factors were calculated for diesel trucks and the results showed NOX and BC emissions were reduced by 40% or more between 2009 and 2011, but there were no statistically significant reductions for UFP. Technologies associated with these new trucks, mainly diesel particulate filters, have changed the physical characteristics of diesel particulate, shifting the size distribution of such particles to smaller modes (10–20 nm). In addition, integration of 2007 MY trucks into the fleet was also o...
Clinical practice. Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)23: a new hormone.

Until a decade ago, two main hormones were recognized as directly affecting phosphate homeostasis and, with that, bone metabolism: parathyroid hormone and 1,25 (OH) 2 vitamin D (calcitriol). It was only a decade ago that the third major player hormone was found, linking gut, bone, and kidney. The physiologic role of fibrinogen growth factor (FGF)23 is to maintain serum phosphate concentration within a narrow range. Secreted from osteocytes, it modulates kidney handling of phosphate reabsorption and calcitriol production. Genetic and acquired abnormalities in FGF23 structure and metabolism cause conditions of either hyper—FGF23—manifested by hypophosphatemia, low serum calcitriol, and rickets/osteomalacia—or hypo-FGF23, expressed by hyperphosphatemia, high serum calcitriol, and extra-skeletal calcifications. In patients with chronic renal failure, FGF23 levels increase as kidney functions deteriorate and are under investigation to learn if the hormone actually participates in the pathophysiology of the deranged bone and mineral metabolism typical for these patients and, if so, whether it might serve as a therapeutic target. This review addresses the physiology and pathophysiology of FGF23 and its clinical applications.
Periodontal disease in the rice rat

Abstract 1. 1. The oral tissues of sixty-two rice rats, 2 days to 23 months of age, were, examined. 2. 2. The anatomy of the teeth and the times of eruption of the molar teeth of the rice rat have been described. 3. 3. A high incidence of periodontal disease was observed, which was characterized by gingival recession, periodontal pockets filled with hair and food debris, severe alveolar resorption, and mobility of teeth. 4. 4. This species of rodent, which has not been studied previously, gives promise of being a helpful subject in periodontal research.
The Golden Ratio is Less Than π2/6

(1996). The Golden Ratio is Less Than π2/6. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 69, No. 4, pp. 266-266.