cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Standardizing the culture of trauma rotation handoffs.

Objective One of the General Surgery milestones focuses on effective handoffs between residents as they change shifts. Although the content of handoffs is crucial, we recognized that the culture of handoffs was equally important. After the reorganization of the trauma service at our institution, there were difficulties in maintaining the standardized handoff culture. We analyzed the culture of handoffs on the trauma service to create an environment more conducive to effective handoffs. Design All trauma activations from 2012 to 2013 were evaluated from our institution's trauma data registry. Data on timing of activations and disposition of the patient were analyzed to understand service work flow. A survey was developed and administered to the residents to assess the culture of trauma handoffs. Setting This work occurred at an academic, state-designated level 1 trauma center. Participants All current residents in the general surgery residency who rotated on the trauma service in the last 5 years. Results There were 1654 admissions to the trauma service from June 2012 to July 2013. The single busiest hour for trauma admissions (7% of admissions) was the same time the residents were designated to handoff. Interruptions occurred often; 83% of residents indicated that a handoff interruption occurred daily, and 73% indicated a new activation interrupted handoffs weekly. A large majority, 61%, felt patient care was frequently compromised by an ineffective handoff. Similarly, as a direct result of inadequate handoffs, 50% felt uncomfortable answering nurses' pages at night. Conclusions The unique situation of the trauma service impaired the handoff culture for residents. Assessment of our trauma activation flow indicates the timing of handoffs was adversely affecting our resident's ability to handoff effectively, requiring interventions to improve the efficacy and safety of handoffs.
The 26S Proteasome and Initiation of Gene Transcription

Transcription activation is the foremost step of gene expression and is modulated by various factors that act in synergy. Misregulation of this process and its associated factors has severe effects and hence requires strong regulatory control. In recent years, growing evidence has highlighted the 26S proteasome as an important contributor to the regulation of transcription initiation. Well known for its role in protein destruction, its contribution to protein synthesis was initially viewed with skepticism. However, studies over the past several years have established the proteasome as an important component of transcription initiation through proteolytic and non-proteolytic activities. In this review, we discuss findings made so far in understanding the connections between transcription initiation and the 26S proteasome complex.
Glucose formation by the 27,500g supernatant fraction of rat liver homogenate.

The gluconeogenic properties of the 27,500g supernatant fraction of a 20% rat liver homogenate were investigated. This cell-free system, prepared from a salt solution simulating the ionic composition of intracellular fluid, was found to be capable of forming glucose from added glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-diphosphate, and dihydroxyacetone phosphate. No metabolism of l-α-glycerophosphate occurred. Fructose 1,6-diphosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate were metabolized also in the direction of glycolysis; 3-phosphoglycerate was metabolized exclusively in this direction. Inhibition of the enolase reaction with NaF prevented metabolism of 3-phosphoglycerate unless both ATP and NADH were added to the system, in which case l-α-glycerophosphate was formed. The addition of ATP and NADH to the system in the absence of NaF resulted in the formation of both lactate and l-α-glycerophosphate from 3-phosphoglycerate. The conversion of fructose 1,6-diphosphate and fructose 6-phosphate to glucose was effectively prevented by the addition of ATP to the system, which caused it to metabolize these substrates by glycolysis.
A New Image and Video Compression Technique in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode Network Environment

Abstract A new motion video compression technique that combines the popular block matching motion compensation, vector quantization (VQ), and discrete cosine transform (DCT) coding is introduced in this paper. This technique is designed for an environment where the probability of partial transmission loss is high. This technique can be used in its entirety for moving digital video compression or a single stage can be extracted for still image coding. The proposed technique efficiently reduces the transmission bit rate, requires only a small priority layer (approximately 4% of channel space), is robust to packet loss, and is simple to implement due to its regular structure. The technique relies on creatively clustering 1D DCT frequency coefficients for VQ. This approach, as compared with other compression schemes, reduces the subjective impact of partial image loss on decoded image quality. The effects of packet loss on decoded images are studied, and the experimental results are shown.
Detection of Vaccinia Virus, Herpes Simplex Virus, Varicella-Zoster Virus, and Bacillus anthracis DNA by LightCycler Polymerase Chain Reaction After Autoclaving: Implications for Biosafety of Bioterrorism Agents

Objective To determine whether autoclaving suspensions of vaccinia virus, herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), and Bacillus anthracis inactivate infectivity of these agents but allow detection of target DNA by LightCycler polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Patients and Methods Swabs were inserted into tubes containing serial 10-fold dilutions (10 −1 to 10 −5 ; 500 μL; 6 samples per dilution) of vaccinia virus, HSV, VZV, or a single suspension of 10 8 colony-forming units of B anthracis (2 samples). One half of the samples were autoclaved , and the remainder were not. An aliquot of each not autoclaved sample served as a control for infectivity. Results Autoclaving swabs saturated with suspensions of vaccinia virus, HSV, or VZV eliminated the infectivity of these agents; however, DNA was detectable in most autoclaved samples in dilutions of 10 −1 to 10 −4 by LightCycler PCR. All not autoclaved specimens were detected by culture (infectivity) except for VZV and, in most dilutions of 10 −1 to 10 −3 , by assay of target DNA by LightCycler PCR. Similarly positive results were obtained for PCR assessment of sporulated B anthracis . Conclusions Standard autoclaving procedures eliminated the infectivity of viruses (and B anthracis ), but target DNA was often retained for detection by LightCycler PCR. Current recommendations indicate that the laboratory diagnosis of smallpox virus infection be performed only within Biosafety Level 4 facilities. We suggest that, in addition to the requirement for immediate coordination with public health officials, the federal government consider expanding the existing guidelines for processing these specimens to encourage immediate collection, autoclaving, and testing by LightCycler PCR to differentiate smallpox virus from other dermal pathogens such as HSV and VZV by specific qualified laboratories.
A Kinetic Model for the Integrated Assessment of Safety and Efficacy in Clinical Trials

Regulatory agencies, professional societies, and clinical trialists commonly base judgments of treatment benefit on separate assessments of efficacy and safety. When separate assessments were compared with an integrated assessment using a kinetic model of a hypothetical randomized trial of antiplatelet agents in patients with acute coronary syndrome, the former showed treatment A to be superior to treatment B, whereas the latter showed treatment B to be superior to treatment A. In conclusion, comparative judgments regarding the balance between efficacy and safety depend on the model chosen for analysis; kinetic models are particularly suited to the integrated assessment of efficacy and safety relative to regulatory decisions, public policy, guideline development, and clinical care.
Impact of target-specific oral anticoagulants on transitions of care and outpatient care models

Patients with acute or chronic illness experience transitions of care when they leave one healthcare setting and move to another. Care transitions are points of increased patient risk. Numerous care transition models have been developed that focus on improving the hospital discharge process to prevent adverse events after hospital discharge and to reduce readmission rates. Anticoagulants are a common cause of adverse drug events in hospitals, and of adverse events that lead to patient harm and hospital readmission. Anticoagulation management services improve the outcomes of anticoagulant therapy in both hospitalized and ambulatory patients. The services they provide, including improved communication, medication management, and patient education, are also central tenets of care transition models. These services have traditionally been focused around warfarin and heparin. Recently, new target specific oral anticoagulants have been approved in the US for various indications that traditionally have been treated with warfarin. These new agents are administered in fixed doses without the need for routine laboratory monitoring or frequent dosing adjustments. Yet as high risk drugs, they will require systematic efforts to assure their safety and minimize potential adverse events. These concerns are of particular importance during transitions of care. Anticoagulation management services, must be prepared to establish practices that improve patient outcomes regardless of the anticoagulant prescribed, using the established principals of care transition models.
Evaluation and derivation of cloud-cover algorithms for calculation of surface irradiance in sub-Antarctic and Antarctic environments

To investigate approaches for parameterizing cloud cover effects in models of surface irradiance, the daily-averaged and hourly irradiances measured at Palmer Station (64°46′S, 64°3′W), McMurdo Station (77°5l′S, 166°40′E) and Ushuaia (54°49′S, 68°19′W) between 1993 and 1997 were compared to irradiance values computed with a clear sky radiative transfer model in which nine empirical cloud-cover correction relationships were included. The cloud cover correction algorithms improved the simulated irradiance by factors of 3 and 3.7 for Palmer Station and Ushuaia, respectively, over the non-corrected irradiances. No single cloud cover correction algorithm worked consistently at the three sites. Therefore, a power function cloud cover correction algorithm was derived from comparisons between the observed spectrally-integrated irradiances and the simulated irradiances at the three locations. New coefficient values for the power function cloud cover correction algorithm for the spectrally-resolved irradiances were also derived at the three sites, and were found to be spectrally-neutral and to differ in magnitude. The general trends in the values obtained for the three sites provide an approach for generalizing cloud cover correction algorithm coefficients to other parts of the Antarctic.
Postthaw motility, acrosomal integrity, and fertility of antibiotic-treated frozen bull spermatozoa

Abstract New antibiotics, including tiamulin, which has a high antimycoplasma activity, were tested to determine safe levels to add to bull semen frozen in straws. In Experiment 1, only raw semen (unextended) was treated with cephapirin. In Experiments 2 and 3, whole milk (WM), egg yolk-tris (EYT), and egg yolk-tris-sodium and triethanolamine lauryl sulfate (EYT-STLS) extenders were treated with an amikacin-cephapirin mixture and tiamulin. Penicillin and streptomycin were added to control extenders. After storage for 2 wk in liquid nitrogen, frozen semen was thawed at 37°C. Postthaw percentage of motile spermatozoa was affected by bulls, extenders, and antibiotic treatments. Addition to raw semen of 500 to 1000 μg/ml of cephapirin improved postthaw percentage of motile spermatozoa and percent of intact acrosomes. Fertility of semen frozen in WM with added cephapirin resulted in a 72.1% 59-d nonreturn rate, compared with 72.5% for the control. Sperm motility and the proportion of sperm with normal acrosomes was unaffected by 500 μg/ml each of amikacin and cephapirin. However, the maximum innocuous concentration of tiamulin was 200 μg/ml. The addition of STLS detergent to EYT improved cryopreservation of spermatozoa.
Sex differences in quadriceps and hamstrings EMG-moment relationships.

Sports Exerc., Vol. 41, No. 8, pp. 1652-1660, 2009. Purpose: To evaluate sex differences in quadriceps and hamstrings muscle EMG-moment relationships when the muscles were acting as agonists and antagonists across the range of contraction intensity. Methods: Twenty-two age- and activity-level-matched young people (11 females, 11 males) with no history of serious lower extremity injuries participated in this study. Muscle-specific EMG-moment relationships were determined for the quadriceps and hamstrings muscles when acting as agonists and antagonists during isometric target matching at 10 loads ranging from 10% to 100% peak moment. Sex differences in quadriceps and hamstrings muscle activation were assessed across the normalized moment spectrum. Results: Females had significantly higher vastus medialis activity than males during knee extension trials at 10%, 20%, and 30% peak moment (P ≤ 0.05). Significant sex differences were broadly observed in the subjects' quadriceps muscle EMG-moment relationships (females displayed higher activity) during knee flexion trials (P < 0.05). Conversely, no sex differences were observed in the subjects' hamstrings muscle EMG-moment relationships. The shape of the EMG-moment relationships in agonist contractions were variable with linear patterns observed in the rectus femoris, semitendinosus, and biceps femoris muscles, and nonlinear patterns observed in the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles. Antagonistic muscle activity increased with increases in moment magnitude. Conclusions: The results of this study provide evidence of some sex differences in quadriceps muscle EMG-moment relationships. Conversely, the activation patterns for the hamstrings muscles were similar between the sexes. The consistent association between antagonist activity patterns and moment magnitudes supports the idea that the control of agonist-antagonist activity in the thigh muscles is linked.
Response of fiber reinforced composites to underwater explosive loads

Abstract An in-house developed, verified and fully validated three-dimensional finite element code, with rate dependent damage evolution equations for anisotropic bodies, is used to numerically ascertain the damage developed in a fiber-reinforced composite due to shock loads representative of those produced by an underwater explosion. Three internal variables characterize damage due to fiber/matrix debonding, fiber breakage, and matrix cracking. The delamination and relative sliding of adjoining layers has been simulated by the nodal release technique. The interaction among the four failure modes, and the possibility of their initiating concurrently at one or more points in the composite is considered. The effect of different parameters on the damage development and propagation, and energy absorbed in each one of the four failure modes has been examined. These results give preliminary information on composite structure’s design for maximizing the energy absorption and hence increasing structure’s resistance to blast loads. The paper is a sequel to Hassan and Batra’s paper [Composites B, 2007] wherein details of the damage model, verification of the code, and the validation of the mathematical model are given.
Aurophilic interactions in cationic gold complexes with two isocyanide ligands. Polymorphic yellow and colorless forms of [(cyclohexyl isocyanide)2AuI](PF6) with distinct luminescence.

Crystallographic studies of yellow and colorless forms of [(C6H11NC)2AuI](PF6) show that they are polymorphs with differing, but close, contacts between the gold atoms which form extended chains. In the colorless polymorph the gold cations form linear chains with a short Au···Au contact (3.1822(3) A) indicative of an aurophilic attraction. The structure of the yellow polymorph is more complicated with four independent cations forming kinked, slightly helical chains with very short Au···Au contacts of 2.9803(6), 2.9790(6), 2.9651(6), and 2.9643(6) A. However, in the related compound, [(CH3NC)2AuI](PF6), each cation is surrounded by six hexafluorophosphate ions and there is no close Au···Au contact despite the fact that the isocyanide ligand has less steric bulk. The crystalline colorless and yellow polymorphs are both luminescent at 298 K, λmax: 424 nm (colorless) or 480 nm (yellow). Colorless solutions of the two polymorphs have identical absorption spectra and are nonluminescent at room temperature. Fre...
TOLERANCE TO COCAINE'S RATE-INCREASING EFFECTS UPON REPEATED ADMINISTRATION

Four squirrel monkeys responded daily under a fixed-interval 5-min or 8-min schedule of food-pellet delivery. Cocaine (0.03 to 1.7 mg/kg) and saline were injected before occasional daily sessions (acute administration). Some doses of cocaine produced substantial overall increases in response rate for 3 of the subjects; effects were less substantial for the remaining subject, who exhibited modest increases in response rate early in the session and during the middle portion of the intervals. A dose that increased response rate when administered acutely was then administered before each session (chronic administration). Chronic administration resulted in a reduction in the increases in response rate seen under acute administration for all subjects.
Assessing helical protein interfaces for inhibitor design.

Structure-based design of synthetic inhibitors of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) requires adept molecular design and synthesis strategies as well as knowledge of targetable complexes. To address the significant gap between the elegant design of helix mimetics and their sporadic use in biology, we analyzed the full set of helical protein interfaces in the Protein Data Bank to obtain a snapshot of how helices that are critical for complex formation interact with the partner proteins. The results of this study are expected to guide the systematic design of synthetic inhibitors of PPIs. We have experimentally evaluated new classes of protein complexes that emerged from this data set, highlighting the significance of the results described herein.
Effects of Magnesium Sulfate Administration During Hypoxia on CaM Kinase IV and Protein Tyrosine Kinase Activities in the Cerebral Cortex of Newborn Piglets

The present study tested the hypothesis that magnesium sulfate administration prior to hypoxia prevents hypoxia-induced increase in Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent-kinase (CaM Kinase) IV and Protein Tyrosine Kinase (PTK ) activities. Animals were randomly divided into normoxic (Nx), hypoxic (Hx) and magnesium-pretreated hypoxic (Mg2+-Hx) groups. Cerebral hypoxia was confirmed biochemically by measuring ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr) levels. CaM Kinase IV and PTK activities were determined in Nx, Hx and Mg2+-Hx newborn piglets. There was a significant difference between CaM kinase IV activity (pmoles/mg protein/min) in Nx (270 ± 49), Mg2+-Hx (317 ± 82) and Hx (574 ± 41, P < 0.05 vs. Nx and Mg2+-Hx) groups. Similarly, there was a significant difference between Protein Tyrosine Kinase activity (pmoles/mg protein/h) in normoxic (378 ± 68), Mg2+-Hx (455 ± 67) and Hx (922 ± 66, P < 0.05 vs. Nx and Mg2+-Hx ) groups. We conclude that magnesium sulfate administration prior to hypoxia prevents hypoxia-induced increase in CaM Kinase IV and Protein Tyrosine Kinase activities. We propose that by blocking the NMDA receptor ion-channel mediated Ca2+-flux, magnesium sulfate administration inhibits the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent activation of CaMKIV and prevents the generation of nitric oxide free radicals and the subsequent increase in PTK activity. As a result, phosphorylation of CREB and Bcl-2 family of proteins is prevented leading to prevention of programmed cell death.
In vivo evaluation of tetrahedral amorphous carbon.

Abstract The in vivo behavior and tissue reaction to tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) has been evaluated for periods of up to 6 months in SV129 mice. Two sample types were tested—silicon die coated with ta-C (n=53) and micromachined particles (n=40). The coated samples were compared to uncoated silicon die (n=22). Die samples were implanted subcutaneously, and tissue reaction and capsule formation were evaluated at various time points. Micromachined particles of 1, 3, 10, and 30 μm were injected adjacent to the sciatic nerve, and tissue samples were examined histologically at various time points (4 days–6 months). Tissue reaction to ta-C was mild and was localized to the area of the injection or implantation. Samples with a higher ratio of 3-fold bonding appeared to shed material during the experiments; this was not observed on samples with a higher level of 4-fold bonding, nor on uncoated silicon die. The results strongly suggest that films with greater 4-fold bonding character (more diamond-like) are more resistant to in vivo fragmentation than films with higher 3-fold character (more graphitic).
Impulse response waveforms of a perfectly conducting right circular cylinder

A Fourier synthesis technique is utilized to obtain the backscattered impulse response waveforms of a perfectly conducting right circular cylinder. The impulse response waveforms for broadside incidence for both parallel and perpendicular polarizations are given. The character of a creeping wave contribution and the validity of high-frequency asymptotic estimates of the reflected and the diffracted fields are discussed.
The effects of revetment on streamside vegetation in Sequoia sempervirens (Taxodiaceae) forests.

Abstract Stream-bank stabilization structures, or revetment, can impact riparian systems by confining watercourses to the point where natural functions are limited. Removal of existing revetment may have considerable impacts to stream-bank stability however. The effects of revetment and revetment removal on vegetation and stream-bank morphology were measured on three streams in forests dominated by Sequoia sempervirens (Coast Redwood) in northern California. Data were collected using randomly located transects on three treatments; “no-revetment,” “revetment-intact,” and “revetment removed.” Results were compared between treatments using ANOVA at a 0.05 level of significance. On all three sites, species richness, vegetation cover, and tree seedling density were found to be highest where no revetment existed compared to where revetment was intact. Stream depth and stream-bank slope were highest where revetment was intact. Recovery of vegetation following removal of revetment was more site specific being mos...
Dehydration, damage to cellular membranes, and heat-shock proteins in maize hybrids from different climates

Summary We recently described a band of HSP(s) of 45 ku (kDa) in the leaf tissue of a drought and heat-resistant maize line, ZPBL 1304 (Ristic et al., 1991). This band had not been previously described in the leaves of maize and does not appear to be common in higher plants. It is not known whether this band of HSP(s) of 45 ku is unique to the ZPBL 1304 line or if a band of HSP(s) of similar molecular weight also exist in other maize genotypes. Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc. has developed sixteen hybrids of maize. These hybrids have been bred for resistance to drought and heat in three, climatically different, geographical regions: southern, central, and northern United States. We hypothesize that hybrids from climatically differing environments have different abilities to withstand drought and high-temperature stress conditions and synthesize specific HSPs. The objectives of this study were to determine: 1) whether Pioneer hybrids synthesize HSPs of similar molecular mass to that of the 45 ku HSP(s) found in ZPBL 1304 maize line, 2) whether hybrids from climatically differing environments differ in their abilities to resist drought and high-temperature stress conditions, and 3) whether hybrids from climatically differing environments differ in the possible synthesis of 45 ku HSP(s). Our previous observation of the 45 ku HSP(s) was not unique to a single maize line. The 45 ku HSP(s) were synthesized in maize hybrids that have been bred for resistance to drought and heat. Southern hybrids displayed greater ability to withstand drought and heat stress conditions than central and northern hybrids. Also, southern hybrids showed greater ability to synthesize HSP(s) of 45 ku than northern hybrids. It is possible that the 45 ku HSP(s) we found play a role in the development of drought and heat resistance in maize.
On the determination of hole concentration in thallium cuprate superconductors

We comment on a recent report of a wet-chemical procedure for determining the hole concentration in thallium cuprate superconductors. That report failed to address (a) the oxidation of reduced thallium by the bromine liberated by the oxidized copper and (b) the variation with Tl concentration of the overlap of the Fermi energy by the Tl 6s band in the double-Tl-layer compounds.
HLA-A and B polymorphisms predate the divergence of humans and chimpanzees.

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) glycoproteins bind processed fragments of proteins and present them to the receptors of T lymphocytes1,2. The extraordinary polymorphism of class I MHC molecules in man (HLA-A, B and C) and mouse (H–2 K, D and L) poses many questions concerning their diversification and evolution. Comparison of allelic sequences within a species suggests diversity is generated by the assortment of point mutations into varied combinations by mechanisms of recombination and gene conversion3–5. We have now compared class I MHC alleles in two closely related species: humans (Homo sapiens) and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Chimpanzee homologues of HLA-A, HLA-B and a non-classical gene have been identified. No features distinguishing human and chimpanzee alleles could be found. Individual HLA-A or B alleles are more closely related to individual chimpanzee alleles than to other HLA-A or B alleles. These results show that a considerable proportion of contemporary HLA-A and B polymorphism existed before divergence of the chimpanzee and human lines6,7. The stability of the polymorphism indicates that hyper-mutational mechanisms are not necessary to account for HLA-A, B and C diversity.
Indications for catheter-based angiography of the cerebrovasculature

Indications for Catheter-Based Angiography of the Cerebrovasculature Brian Jankowitz, MD, Elad I. Levy, MD*, L. Nelson Hopkins, MD, FACS, Lee R. Guterman, PhD, MD Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 200 Lothrop Street, Suite B-400, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA Department of Neurosurgery and Toshiba Stroke Research Center, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, 3 Gates Circle, Buffalo, NY 14209, USA
From Stress to Learning: Attachment Theory Meets Goal Orientation Theory:

Few investigators have explored connections between attachment theory and goal orientation theory. Although the theories differ in important ways, we suggest there is a striking similarity in their...
Papillary fibroelastomas in 19 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy undergoing septal myectomy.

Background The aim of this study was to characterize papillary fibroelastomas (PFEs) and their clinical sequelae in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). PFE is the third most common primary cardiac tumor and can be associated with neurologic events. Because endocardial trauma has been implicated in its pathogenesis, the occurrence and outcomes of PFEs in patients with HCM were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Methods Echocardiograms and medical records were reviewed for characteristics of PFEs in 19 patients with HCM who underwent septal myectomy. Results PFEs were detected preoperatively by transthoracic echocardiography in 5 patients, by transesophageal echocardiography in 2 patients, and perioperatively in 12 others. Three patients had previously undergone septal myectomy. Although the majority of patients (n = 11 [58%]) had 1 PFE, the number ranged from 1 to >40 (median, 1.0). PFEs arose on the aortic valve (47%), in the left ventricular outflow tract (42%), and in the right heart (11%). Conclusions In this study of patients with HCM, 89% of PFEs were located on the aortic valve or in the left ventricular outflow tract compared with about 40% to 50% in prior studies of PFEs in general. This suggests that endocardial trauma due to turbulent left ventricular outflow tract flow may predispose to PFE development. Because of the high incidence of neurologic events among patients with HCM, PFEs may not be innocuous and should be searched for in patients with HCM and unexplained neurologic events.
Beeswax in the nutrition of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.)

Abstract Larvae of Galleria mellonella grow as well on a semi-synthetic diet if sugar or carbohydrate, optimally present to the extent of 30 to 40 per cent of the diet as originally developed, is replaced entirely or in part by white beeswax. Myricin, a refined product of beeswax consisting largely of long-chain esters of palmitic acid and myricyl alcohol, was utilized as well as beeswax, but none of several simple fatty acids and alcohols, ranging in chain length from C14 to C30, nor four esters of palmitic acid, were effective substitutes for beeswax.
Accomplishing equipage for NextGen

The benefits of Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) depend heavily on avionics, but building business cases for operators to expend funds for avionics retro-fit equipage is often very challenging; operators tend to require short times for return on investment and low risk. When the benefits of equipping involve Air Traffic Management (ATM), they are dependent on successful transition of one or many of automation, infrastructure, routes and procedure design, and the equipage of other aircraft — each the responsibility of stakeholders other than the equipping operator. To be successful, ongoing and future transitions involving avionics must be planned based on the way operator Value depends on breadth of aircraft Equipage. This must consider existing equipage and benefits independent of ATM changes, the nature of mixed equipage operations and benefits, and the allocation of benefits during transition. The economic relationships between Value and the Equipage are a strong determinant for what strategies for motivating equipage will be effective. For NextGen ATM-related avionics, risk avoidance, collaborative risk reduction, and performance-based operational incentives (operationally justified procedures implementing Best-Equipped Best-Served) will be essential to these transitions.
Professional Development in Physical Education

Professional development for teachers in physical education can take on various forms. Some professionals engage in workshops, training, seminars, and physical activity sessions. But professional development can also be attained through reading research articles, practitioner-based journals, and book chapters. This article presents a brief description of three scholarly works that the author believes are essential for current and future physical educators.
Treatment adherence among low-income, African American children with persistent asthma.

Objective. The study aims to assess medication adherence and asthma management behaviors and their modifiable predictors in low-income children with persistent asthma. Methods. The authors conducted a cohort study of 143 children ages 6 to 11 prescribed a daily inhaled controller medicine that could be electronically monitored. Children were recruited from clinics or the emergency department of an urban children's hospital. Data were collected at baseline (T1) and 1 year later (T2). Outcome measures were adherence to controller medications as measured by electronic monitoring devices, observed metered-dose inhaler and spacer technique, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, and attendance at appointments with primary health care provider. Results. Medication adherence rates varied across medications, with higher rates for montelukast than for fluticasone. Eleven percent to 15% of children demonstrated metered dose inhaler and spacer technique suggesting no drug delivery, and few (5% to 6%) evidenced sig...
Some newer aspects of organozirconium chemistry of relevance to organic synthesis. Zr-Catalyzed enantioselective carbometallation

The reaction of terminal alkenes with trialkylalanes in the presence of chiral (NMI)2ZrCl2 has been shown to be 70-75% ee for methylalumination and 90-95% ee for ethyl- and higher alkylalumination. It must involve an acyclic bimetallic process. Its scope, limitations, and applications to some natural products syntheses are discussed.
Immune responses to mycoplasma infections of the respiratory tract

Mycoplasmas are capable of causing respiratory disease in a number of species of animals. The pathogenicity of the mycoplasma species ranges from those that cause major disease outbreaks and economic loss to what might be considered the more highly evolved and successful parasites at the other end of the spectrum that survive for long periods in the host without being recognised and evicted. This prolonged colonisation of mucous membranes which is typical of many mycoplasmas is related to certain unique features of the mycoplasma and its interaction with the hosts immune system. An initial step in infection is the attachment of the mycoplasma to the epithelial lining of the respiratory tract. Lack of cell wall confers plasticity and may engender the intimate association of mycoplasma and host cell that has been noted. This in turn may favour persistence of the extracellular parasite. Before the specific immune response is produced avoidance of the non-specific immune mechanisms would clearly aid survival. Both passive (capsules) and active (toxic effects) mechanisms of avoiding phagocytosis have been proposed. Both humoral and cell mediated responses are generated by mycoplasma infections. The serum antibody response follows the usual course IgM, G and A. The indications of cell mediated immunity that have been reported include; delayed type hypersensitivity reactions, lymphocyte transformation responses and inhibition of macrophage migration. The concept that the pathological lesions are in a large part due to host reactivity is well accepted. The lung lesions may contain infiltrating and dividing lymphocytes some of which are producing specific antibody. Evidence for the lung lesion in some animals being partly due to the hosts cell mediated response has also been produced. The local immune response appears to be of greater relevance to immunity to infection than the systemic response, in general the association between local antibody and immunity is much better than for serum antibody. Of particular note is the high contribution of local IgG production, particularly in the lower respiratory tract. Attempts are now being made to use this increased understanding to produce effective killed vaccines that produce immune responses in the lung. Such studies will hopefully lead to the development of 'killed' vaccines that are effective. It can be urged that mycoplasmas would be less pathogenic if they did not produce an inflammatory response and some species have been shown to have an immunosuppressive effect. Such a property could affect the lesion, and hence pathogenicity, and also aid mycoplasma persistence.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Neuromyopathy of cyanide intoxication due to “laetrile” (amygdalin). A clinicopathologic study

A 67-year-old woman with lymphoma presented with a neuromyopathy following "laetrile" (amygdalin) treatment. She had significant elevation of blood and urinary thiocyanate and cyanide levels. Sural nerve biopsy specimen revealed a mixed pattern of demyelination and axonal degeneration, the latter being prominent. Gastrocnemius muscle biopsy specimen showed histochemically a mixed pattern of denervation and myopathy with Type II atrophy. It is concluded that cyanide toxicity secondary to laetrile therapy and nutritional deficiency caused the neuromyopathy, as the changes in peripheral nerve are similar to changes described in ataxic polyneuropathy occurring in Nigeria attributed to high cyanide content in the diet and nutritional deficiency. Although this patient received vincristine initially, the development of the neuromyopathy had no temporal relationship to its administration. The clinical profile, as well as peripheral nerve and muscle changes were not similar to either vincristine neuromyopathy or neuromyopathy due to paraneoplastic manifestation of lymphoma. Clinical improvement following discontinuation of "laetrile" by the patient further supports the toxic etiologic results for the neuromyopathy in this patient.
Insights into How RNase R Degrades Structured RNA : Analysis of the Nuclease Domain

RNase R readily degrades highly structured RNA, whereas its paralogue, RNase II, is unable to do so. Furthermore, the nuclease domain of RNase R, devoid of all canonical RNA-binding domains, is sufficient for this activity. RNase R also binds RNA more tightly within its catalytic channel than does RNase II, which is thought to be important for its unique catalytic properties. To investigate this idea further, certain residues within the nuclease domain channel of RNase R were changed to those found in RNase II. Among the many examined, we identified one amino acid residue, R572, that has a significant role in the properties of RNase R. Conversion of this residue to lysine, as found in RNase II, results in weaker substrate binding within the nuclease domain channel, longer limit products, increased activity against a variety of substrates and a faster substrate on-rate. Most importantly, the mutant encounters difficulty in degrading structured RNA, pausing within a double-stranded region. Additional studies show that degradation of structured substrates is dependent upon temperature, suggesting a role for thermal breathing in the mechanism of action of RNase R. On the basis of these data, we propose a model in which tight binding within the nuclease domain allows RNase R to capitalize on the natural thermal breathing of an RNA duplex to degrade structured RNAs.
The Next Frontier of Scholarship: Open Access Journals in Communication Disorders

Copyright: © 2013 Dalton JC. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Open access journals in the field of speech-language pathology and audiology present a practical and efficient opportunity for scholarly publishing that is gaining momentum. Currently, there are only a few open access journals focused on scholarly research in the field. Open access journals provide a rich and easily accessible means for researchers and practitioners in the field to gain access to and communicate about the latest research as well as for clients, their families, and other medical professionals to learn about the latest advances in the field.
MINERAL METABOLISM: STUDIES OF IMMUNOREACTIVE PARATHYROID HORMONE (IPTH) AND CALCITONIN (ICT) IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Serum IPTH levels hare been determined in 114 normal children 2 mos. to 15 yrs. old and in 28 children with various disorders of Ca and bone metabolism. Serum IPTH levels in normal children were similar to those of normal adults ranging from non-detectable to 10 μl Eq/ml with 75% detectable levels. Normal levels were found in 2 cases of osteogenesis imperfecta, in 3 Turner's syndrome, and in 3 children with renal stones. High levels of serum IPTH (35 to 250 μl Eq/ml) were found in children with chronic renal disease and in children with hypocalcemia associated with a variety of syndromes, including congenital obstructive jaundice, hemolytic uremic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, nephotic syndrome, hemorrhage and massive transfusions, salicylate intoxication, and acute leukemia. The majority of normal newborns as well as newborns with hypocalcemia had non-detectable to low levels of IPTH during the first 48 to 72 hrs. of life. In another study, serum ICT levels were non-detectable (<50 pg/ml) in 18 normal children and in 2 children with hypercalcemia secondary to vitamin D toxicity. Non–detectable to low levels of ICT were found in normal newborns and in 3 newborns with hypocalcemic tetany. Elevated serum ICT with normal serum gastrin was found in a hypocalcemic 5–week old infant following a massive intestinal resection. The significance of these results will be discussed.
Quantification of the Design Relationship Between Ground Vehicle Weight and Occupant Safety Under Blast Loading

Military ground vehicle design must consider the threat posed by underbody blasts to new vehicles and their occupants, while also accounting for weight reduction goals for improving fuel economy and mobility. A two-stage process is presented to model the blast event, using LS-DYNA for simulating vehicle response and MADYMO for the occupant's response. Issues including computational expense, objective function formulation and multi-objective seating system design optimisation are addressed in detail, and three different blastworthiness optimisation formulations are presented and evaluated.
Nonpartisanship, interventionism and legality in accompaniment: comparative analyses of Peace Brigades International, Christian Peacemaker Teams, and the International Solidarity Movement

International non-governmental organisations deploy international observers as unarmed bodyguards to promote human rights and protect local citizens threatened by political violence. The political dynamics associated with three prominent organisation's whose fieldwork extensively utilises the accompaniment tactic are comparatively examined along three lines of inquiry: their respective degrees of nonpartisanship, interventionism, and engagement in illegal activities through the practice of civil disobedience. How do the real or perceived partisanship, interventionism and respect for local law of an accompaniment organisation impact the actions of those citizens and state forces that it is trying to deter from violating human rights? How do they impact the supporters of the accompaniment organisation as they lobby host governments? An argument is made that those local activists who are provided with international accompaniment are likely better served through nonpartisanship, i.e. the accompanier's lack of...
Scanning electron microscopy of normal rat liver: The surface structure of its cells and tissue components

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) allows the surface ultrastructure of intrahepatic cells and other tissue components of liver to be delineated. Excellent depth of focus of the SEM makes it possible to visualize surfaces of intact cells in their native configurations. This report details the surface characteristics and inter-relationships of hepatocytes and hepatic plates, sinusoidal endothelial cells and sinusoids, presumed Kupffer cells, vessels, bile ducts, connective tissue, and the capsule of rat liver. Hepatocytes present three structurally distinctive faces – the intercellular face containing flat surfaces and bile canaliculus, the sinusoidal face, and the connective tissue face which abuts portal tracts and hepatic veins. Sinusoidal endothelium is penetrated by large (1 to 3 μm) and small (0.1 μm) fenestrae, the latter occurring in clusters of up to 50. The width of bile canaliculi and distribution of large fenestrae vary proximodistally along hepatic plate or sinusoid. The cells of portal bile ductules contain microvilli located in linear rows and sparse cilia. Endothelium of hepatic artery and of portal vein is sparsely fenestrated.
Structural characterization of activated carbon adsorbents prepared from paper mill sludge

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to characterize the microstructure of a series of activated carbons produced from paper mill sludge using ZnCl2. The pores in these carbons are roughly rod-like; their radii and volumes increase with an increase in the amount of activating agent (ZnCl2) used for the production of the carbons. Contrast-variation SANS studies demonstrate the existence of two different phases, a zinc-rich particle phase and a bulk carbon phase with nanopores. Both phases are largely accessible to the solvent. The size and morphology of the pores and inclusions were determined from the SANS data. A conceptual model describing these carbons as consisting of amorphous carbon containing zinc-rich particles in large voids linked by narrow channels is proposed.
Interacting Rydberg and valence states in radicals and molecules: experimental and theoretical studies

This review discusses low-lying (n = 3) Rydberg electronic states of molecules and radicals, in particular those that result in mixed configurations and participate in non-adiabatic interactions. Rydberg-valence interactions are ubiquitous in molecules and radicals and have important effects on potential energy surface shapes, spectroscopy, and dissociation dynamics. The review emphasises selected properties that are affected by these interactions and illustrates them with several examples, mostly involving free radicals, in which collaboration between experimental and theoretical investigations has been crucial for understanding. Specifically, the cases of substituted methyl, vinyl, and hydroxyalkyl radicals are described, as well as Rydberg states of diazomethane and the ethyl radical. The issue of triple conical intersections is also briefly discussed.
Signal Processing Algorithms for High-Precision Three-Dimensional Navigation and Guidance of Unmanned Undersea Vehicles (UUV)

This paper presents the concept and implementation of a novel algorithm for homing and docking of underwater unmanned vehicle (UUV). This new technique has been implemented and experimented with sea-test data, and demonstrated angular polarity estimation accuracy as high as 92%.
British civil–military relations and the problem of risk

Drawing primarily on the experience of the UK since 2001, this article examines the increasing prevalence of risk as an organizing concept for western defence and security planning and its implications for civil–military relations and strategy-making. It argues that there may be tensions between such approaches and the principles of good strategy-making, which aim to link means and resources to ends in a coherent manner. Not only does risk potentially blur the relationship between means and ends in the strategy-making process, it also exposes it to contestation, with multiple interpretations of what the risks actually are and the strategic priority (and commitment) which should be attached to them. The article examines these tensions at three levels of risk contestation for British defence: institutions, operations and military–society relations. In the case of the UK, it contends that the logic of risk has not been able to provide the same national motivation and sense of strategic purpose as the logic of threat. In this context, calls for a reinvigoration of traditional strategy-making or a renewed conception of national interest may be missing a more fundamental dissonance between defence policy, civil–military relations and the wider security context. More widely, the strategic ennui that some western states have been accused of may not simply be a product of somehow falling out of the habit of strategy-making or an absence of ‘political will’. Instead, it may reflect deeper social and geostrategic trends which constrain and complicate the use of military force and obscure its utility in the public imagination.