cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hematology and Plasma Biochemistry Value Differences Between Acclimated and Recently Captive Female Southern Stingrays, Dasyatis americana

Southern stingrays are used for interaction and education in captive and wild settings therefore it is important to monitor their health conditions. Diagnostic tools that are useful for assessing health in other animals include hematology and plasma biochemistry profiles. Certain reference intervals have been established in this species; however, interpretation of intervals in stingrays under different conditions are lacking. The primary aim was to compare hematological and plasma biochemical values between seventeen female stingrays that were acclimated to captivity (n=8 adult) to those recently collected from the wild (n=9 immature). Examinations included measuring disc width, ultrasound evaluation of the coelomic cavity, and blood collection. The examinations were performed on both test groups at two time points: prior to introduction of the recently captive rays to the aquarium exhibit and eight months after cohabitation. Hematology analysis included manual WBC counts, leukocyte differential, PCV, and plasma protein. Plasma chemistry profiles included aspartate aminotransferase, bicarbonate, urea, calcium, creatine kinase, cholesterol, chloride, globulin, glucose, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and total protein. The two groups of stingrays’ results were compared using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. The following parameters were found to have statistically significant differences (p<0.05) prior to introduction: bicarbonate, urea, calcium, cholesterol, chloride, globulin, potassium, total protein, and PCV. The recently-captive rays had higher median values of urea, chloride, and potassium. There were no significant differences after eight months of cohabitation. Data interpretation for hematology and plasma chemistry values may be affected by the environmental changes for stingrays.
Evaluating Productivity in Educational Research: Evaluation Criteria of Rigor and Ethics

Educational researchers have been evaluating ourselves and our colleagues’ work using criteria that are based almost exclusively on bibliometrics, which are in turn based on quantities of publications and citations. In misguided attempts to conduct scientific and ‘objective’, evaluations of research, institutions (universities, foundations, and governments) have adopted instead populist, reductionist, and non-rigorous approaches to evaluating productivity in educational research. It is an example of governmentality operating as a technology of normalization that oversimplified notions of productivity have been imported uncritically to govern many research-evaluation exercises. This chapter problematizes bibliometric criteria of evaluation, and suggests instead that we pay attention to purposeful rigor and ethics in assessments of research productivity. Fortuitously, research-based conceptualizations of productivity, together with literal readings of institutional policy language open the door for the inclusion of ethical judgments into the process of evaluating productivity in educational research.
The N501Y spike substitution enhances SARS-CoV-2 infection and transmission.

Beginning in the summer of 2020, a variant of SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic, emerged in the United Kingdom. This B.1.1.7 variant, also known as Alpha, increased rapidly in prevalence, attributed to an increase in infection and/or transmission efficiency1. The Alpha variant has 19 nonsynonymous mutations across its viral genome, including 8 substitutions or deletions in the spike protein, which interacts with cellular receptors to mediate infection and tropism. Here, using a reverse genetics approach, we show that, of the 8 individual spike protein substitutions, only N501Y exhibited consistent fitness gains for replication in the upper airway in the hamster model as well as primary human airway epithelial cells. The N501Y substitution recapitulated the phenotype of enhanced viral transmission seen with the combined 8 Alpha spike mutations, suggesting it is a major determinant of increased transmission of this variant. Mechanistically, the N501Y substitution improved the affinity of the viral spike protein for cellular receptors. As suggested by its convergent evolution in Brazil, South Africa, and elsewhere2,3, our results indicate that N501Y substitution is a major adaptive spike mutation of major concern.
Yang-Baxter Equation and Triple Product Systems

By rewriting the Yang-Baxter equation into a triple product equation under some ansatz, we can solve it by using the symplectic (as well as orthogonal) triple product system. The 56-dimensional Freudenthal’s triple algebra based upon the exceptional Lie algebra E 7 gives one of these solutions.
General properties of mechanoreceptors that signal the position of the integument, teeth, tactile hairs and joints.

Publisher Summary Receptors that signal the position of some part of an animal's body are usually organized in an opponent fashion. The activity of one population of receptors increases as the body part deviates progressively from some intermediate (rest) position toward one extreme of the range and the activity of another (the opponent) population of receptors decreases. The converse pattern of activity occurs when the body part deviates from the rest position in the opposite direction. This is the method whereby receptors signal the positions of joints, teeth, vibrissae, and the skin in mammals. Joint position in arthropods is also signalled in this fashion. In a few cases, one of the opponent receptor populations may be absent. Rarely has it been seen that individual receptors respond over only a limited portion of the range at intermediate positions. It is apparent, therefore, that position signalling with opponent populations is widely used by animals that are distantly related phylogenetically.
Adult Role Models: Needed Voices for Adolescents, Multiculturalism, Diversity, and Race Relations

This study examines parents', teachers', and administrators', responses to the theory of multiculturalism. The research identifies the linkage of multicultural beliefs to the symbolic interactionist approach to a formation of self-awareness and racial consciousness. Multiculturalism is emphasized as an important element of race relations and as an instrument in the development of diversity in children's concept of self. This paper emanated from a 1992 study by this author titled “Race, Class, and Action: Adolescents Redefining Difference Through Multiculturalism.” Those 1992 respondents' parents, teachers, and administrators responses are examined in this paper for parallel factors to explore: (1) To what extent do the attitudes and beliefs held by parents, teachers, and administrators reflect multiculturalism and diversity for adolescents and societal race relations? And (2) can a multicultural viewpoint help manage diversity in a school setting complicated by racism? The findings of this study are consistent with those of the earlier 1992 study showing that adults and adolescents rate multiculturalism and diversity as important instruments of race relations.
Optimal refinement/significance map tradeoffs in SPIHT-based image compression

A rate-distortion-optimal embedded image compression algorithm is one in which each bit is generated by the encoder in such a way that the reconstruction error of the decoded image is reduced as much as possible when that bit is received. Popular embedded algorithms like set partitioning in hierarchical trees (SPIHT) use heuristic techniques to approximately achieve such optimality. Two other approaches have been developed recently that are rigorously optimized for rate-distortion within their respective algorithmic frameworks. In this work, we address the question of optimality within the framework of SPIHT, focusing specifically on the ordering of refinement and significance map information within the bit stream. From our experimental results, we conclude that SPIHT is almost optimal with respect to its ordering of these passes.
Biological Processes Associated with the Pycnocline and Surface Fronts in the Southeastern Bering Sea

Publisher Summary The factors such as light and nutrient concentration conducive to primary production processes in the ocean environment are well known in the qualitative sense but only an approximation of these essential ingredients can be quantified especially when the absolute amounts are often not important. The availability of nutrients and light are subject to a wide range of environmental factors that vary widely in both space and time. It is useful to review an oceanic area that has high primary production and a small amount of relative water movement and mixing processes that render biological production measurements difficult. The chapter reviews the persistence of surface fronts and strength of the pycnocline that is coupled to the primary production and the phytoplankton biomass.
Three-dimensional InAs/GaAs quantum-dot islands size and density study using kinetic Monte Carlo simulation

Three-dimensional (3D) InAs/GaAs quantum dots (QDs) island size and density evolution under different coverage and temperature is studied by using our 3D kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) model. Our KMC model is based on the solid-on-solid one with bond counting and Ehrlich-Schwoebel barrier being incorporated. It is found that there is a QD island size limit for the growth coverage. Below this limit existing QD islands can adsorb new-coming adatoms; however, beyond the limit new QD islands will form and adopt new coming adatoms. It is also observed that with increasing temperature, the QD islands size will be increased while their density will be reduced.
Adsorption of N2O on Ru(001)

Abstract The adsorption of N 2 O on Ru(001) at ~ 100K has been studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). At low exposures, N 2 O partly dissociates leaving atomic oxygen on the surface and desorbing N 2 . With increasing N 2 O exposures, molecular adsorption becomes dominant. He II UPS of the gas phase, solid and monolayer adsorbed molecular N 2 O are compared. To within experimental error, the peak spacings in all three are the same. The distributions of intensities in the gas and solid phase spectra are the same. In the monolayer spectra, the 7~σ (terminal nitrogen lone pair) orbital intensity is decreased significantly indicating that it is more strongly coupled to the surface than the other valence orbitals. No molecular N 2 O remains after heating to above 180 K and no detectable amount of dissociated nitrogen appears. Molecularly adsorbed N 2 O is easily dissociated by an electron beam to give N 2 (g), NO(g) and O(a).
Coronary artery disease in blacks: risk factors.

The current literature indicates that of the major risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), United States blacks and whites have similar rates for cigarette smoking and cholesterol levels. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is higher in black females than white females. Both black males and females have higher prevalence rates for hypertension. These differences in risk factors between blacks and whites in spite of similar degrees of CAD suggest that the relative importance of specific risk factors might differ between the two racial groups. Research is needed to determine if there are protective factors in blacks (e.g., high-density lipoprotein cholesterol) and/or previously unrecognized risk factors (e.g., diuretic-induced lipid abnormalities) that may be playing a major role in the epidemiology of CAD in the black population.
Natural organics as fluorescent tracers of river-sea mixing

Abstract The use of dissolved organic matter fluorescence as a tracer of river-sea mixing was examined in two South Carolina estuaries. Fluorescence declined linearly with seawater dilution in laboratory mixing studies, and also behaved conservatively in an estuary where a single river emptied into a bay. Fluorescence-salinity relationships were also studied in another estuary where a piedmont river (high suspended sediment, low fluorescence) and a coastal plains river (low sediment, high fluorescence) mixed with ocean water. The factor of 2 or greater difference in fluorescence between the two rivers allowed their relative contribution to the estuarine water mass to be distinguished. Petroleum hydrocarbons, measured in estuarine water at 0·7-1·8 μg l −1 concentrations, contributed negligibly to water fluorescence.
The parallel type of inverter

Among the many interesting and valuable applications of that versatile device, the 3-electrode hot-cathode gas-filled thermionic tube, is the inverter. Of the several different types of circuits developed, the “parallel” type gives promise of becoming of some importance, and already has been used commercially for supplying power to a-c radio sets from d-c systems. This article gives an analysis of the operation of this type of inverter under different load conditions.
Fuel cell/electrochemical capacitor hybrid for intermittent high power applications.

Abstract A hybrid power source was demonstrated to successfully power a simulated power load encountered in portable military electronics and communications equipment. The hybrid system consisted of a 25 W proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) stack connected in parallel with a 70 F capacitor bank. The cyclic regime of 18.0 W for 2 min followed by 2.5 W for 18 min was chosen as the baseline for the simulation of power load. The operating potential cut-off voltage for pass/failure was set to 3.0 V. At room temperature (23–25°C), the PEMFC alone could not handle the described baseline regime with the PEMFC operating potential dropping below the cut-off voltage within 10 s. The hybrid, however, continuously powered the same regime for 25 h. Its operating potential never reached the voltage cut-off point, not even during the high load of 18.0 W. The tests with hybrid configuration were aborted after 25 h of operation with no signs of output degradation, suggesting that further extended operation was possible.
Combined analysis of resting regional wall thickening and stress perfusion with electrocardiographic-gated technetium 99m-labeled sestamibi single-photon emission computed tomography: Prediction of stress defect reversibility

Background The high photon flux and stable distribution of the myocardial perfusion agent 99mTc-labeled sestamibi allow the perfusion data to be acquired in an electrocardiographic (ECG)-gated mode, such that information on resting regional wall thickening may be obtained simultaneously with stress perfusion data. The objective of this study was to assess whether visual analysis of resting regional wall thickening provided by ECG-gated acquisition of 99mTc-labeled sestamibi stress perfusion images correlates with and predicts the reversibility of stress-induced perfusion defects, potentially obviating the need for rest imaging.
Evaluation of a percutaneous catheter technique for ablation of ventricular tachycardia in a canine model

Abstract Catheter ablation of arrhythmias is a promising new technique. The consequence of high-energy discharges in the right ventricle were investigated in a canine model of inducible ventricular tachycardia. Seventeen dogs were studied. Four served as controls while 13 underwent thoracotomy with right coronary artery ligation. Three animals died suddenly postoperatively. Programmed stimulation was performed 4 days later using a pervenous right ventricular electrode catheter. No control dog had inducible ventricular tacycardia. Eight of the experimental animals had inducible ventricular tachycardia and underwent catheter mapping. The earliest endocardial site during tachycardia was located in four dogs with monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. These sites received one or more 300 J transcatheter stored charges from a defibrillator, and at least temporary ablation was accomplished in each case. Five animals had inducible polymorphic ventricular tachycardia which could not be mapped. The endocardial electrogram amplitude decreased 55 ± 7% ( p p
Stratigraphic distribution of marine fossils in North America

The stratigraphic distribution of fossils reflects a combination of physical and biological factors. Although many studies have addressed the distribution of fossils at a basin scale and within sedimentary sequences spanning 10 4 –10 6 yr, little is known about the distribution of fossils within longer duration sedimentary successions covering broad geographic regions. Here we combine a North American macrostratigraphic database with fossil occurrence data from the Paleobiology Database to quantify the stratigraphic distribution of fossils within hiatus-bound marine sedimentary rock packages that have a mean duration of 10 7 yr. We find that fossil collections and marine genera are, when averaged over all Phanerozoic sedimentary rock packages, more abundant than expected in the top 40% of package durations, and less common than expected in the bottom ∼25%. Generic first and last appearance datums (FADs and LADs) in North America are not randomly distributed among fossil collections. Instead, LADs are more common than expected in the top ∼20% of package durations, whereas FADs are more uniformly distributed. This result is not consistent with an unconformity-related sampling bias, but is indicative of greater congruence in the temporal scales over which genus extinction and regression occur than genus initiation and transgression. These results support the hypothesis that macroevolution, particularly genus extinction, and large-scale patterns of sedimentation share a common set of forcing mechanisms that are related to the formation and destruction of shallow-marine habitats.
Rapid HIV Testing and Counseling for Residents in Domestic Violence Shelters

Over one million Americans live with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and roughly 20 percent of those living with HIV are unaware of their status. One way to decrease this epidemic is community-based rapid testing with high-risk populations. One high-risk population that has received limited attention is victims of intimate partner violence who seek shelter. In an effort to gain foundational information to implement rapid HIV testing and counseling services in domestic violence shelters, the current study conducted a series of focus groups with eighteen residents and ten staff of local shelters from October 15 to December 12, 2012. Participants provided valuable insight into how HIV rapid testing and counseling might be best implemented given the resources and constraints of shelter life. Despite identifying some potential barriers, most believed that the promise of quick results, the convenience and support afforded by the shelter venue, and the timing of the intervention at a point when women are...
Pressure-induced local structure distortions in Cu(pyz)F2(H2O)2.

We employed infrared spectroscopy along with complementary lattice dynamics and spin density calculations to investigate pressure-driven local structure distortions in the copper coordination polymer Cu(pyz)F{sub 2}(H{sub 2}O){sub 2}. Here, pyz is pyrazine. Our study reveals rich and fully reversible local lattice distortions that buckle the pyrazine ring, disrupt the bc-plane O-H {hor_ellipsis} F hydrogen-bonding network, and reinforce magnetic property switching. The resiliency of the soft organic ring is a major factor in the stability of this material. Interestingly, the collective character of the lattice vibrations masks direct information on the Cu-N and Cu-O linkages through the series of pressure-induced Jahn-Teller axis switching transitions, although Cu-F bond softening is clearly identified above 3 GPa. These findings illustrate the importance of combined bulk and local probe techniques for microscopic structure determination in complex materials.
Stern-volmer in reverse: 2:1 Stoichiometry of the cytochrome c-cytochrome c peroxidase electron-transfer complex

A reverse protocol for measurements of molecular binding and reactivity by excited-state quenching has been developed in which the quencher, held at a fixed concentration, is titrated by a photoexcitable probe molecule whose decay is monitored. The binding stoichiometries, affinities, and reactivities of the electron-transfer complexes between cytochrome c (Cc) and cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) were determined over a wide range of ionic strengths (4.5 to 118 millimolar) by the study of photoinduced electron-transfer quenching of the triplet excited state of zinc-substituted Cc (ZnCc) by Fe3+CcP. The 2:1 stoichiometry seen for the binding of Cc to CcP at low ionic strength persists at the physiologically relevant ionic strengths and likely has functional significance. Analysis of the stoichiometric binding and rate constants confirms that one surface domain of CcP binds Cc with a high affinity but with poor electron-transfer quenching of triplet-state ZnCc, whereas a second binds weakly but with a high rate of electron-transfer quenching.
Anti-crossing behavior of local vibrational modes in AlSb

Abstract Using infrared spectroscopy we have observed a resonant interaction between local vibrational modes (LVM's) and unidentified modes in AlSb. This interaction leads to a splitting of the SeH stretch mode into three peaks at 1606.3, 1608.6 and 1615.7 cm−1 at liquid-helium temperatures. As the temperature or pressure is increased, the peaks show anti-crossing behavior.
Different susceptibility of DNA and RNA to cleavage by metal ions

METAL ions are required in virtually every phase of genetic information transfer, and they are generally essential components of biochemical processes involving DNA and RNA. Under certain conditions, however, metal ions can have deleterious effects, and one of these, the degradation of polyribonucleotides, is not frequently considered by those who deal with nucleic acids in the presence of metals. No such degradation has been demonstrated with DNA, although it is known1 that DNA, like RNA, is subject to thermal degradation, and therefore can be expected to undergo some degradation also in the presence of metal ions. It is important to understand the relative susceptibility of polydeoxynucleotides and polyribonucleotides to degradation by metal ions to answer the following questions. To what extent is DNA, compared with RNA, vulnerable to metal ion degradation during biochemical experiments? What are the implications for metal ion toxicology? Is the difference in susceptibility to metal hydrolysis sufficient to make possible a quantitative separation of degraded RNA from undegraded DNA in a DNA–RNA mixture? Finally, does this difference in susceptibility reflect differences in the intrinsic stabilities of DNA and RNA, and perhaps throw light on the reason for the evolutionary selection of DNA, rather than RNA, as the favoured bearer of the primary genetic information? These questions can be answered by a comparison of DNA and polyribonucleotide degradation by metal ions using a method of detection sensitive enough to respond to the first break in the macromolecule.
Synthesis of new 3-thiosubstituted carbacephem antibiotics and their activity against penicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae

The synthesis of a series of 3-thiosubstituted carbacephem derivatives is described. The compounds were assayed against penicillin susceptible, intermediate and resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Several analogs displayed potent in vitro activity against these organisms.
Effect of water incorporation on the diffusion of sodium in an alkaline-earth boroaluminosilicate glass

Tracer diffusion coefficients of sodium ions diffusing in an alkaline-earth boroaluminosilicate glass (Corning Code 1737 glass) were measured by using Na-22 as a radioactive tracer. It was found that the presence of a significant amount of water vapor in the atmosphere surrounding a diffusion sample during diffusion annealing reduces considerably the mobility of sodium in the near-surface region of the glass. This partial immobilization of Na is attributed to an interaction between water dissolved into the glass and diffusing sodium ions.
Tracking fresh water from space

Stream flow is traditionally monitored with channel gauges that measure the water height. This method is costly, often not implemented in remote regions, and incapable of measuring flow on floodplains and wetlands. Without these observations, global models of climate and water management are poorly constrained. In their Perspective, Alsdorf and Lettenmaier argue that satellite observations are required to measure the spatial diversity of the water surface across the globe. Three different satellite-based methods can measure water volumes in floodplains, channels, lakes, and reservoirs. Further development of these methods should allow global, volumetric measurements of fresh water from space.
Anammox Bacterial Diversity in Various Aquatic Ecosystems Based on the Detection of Hydrazine Oxidase Genes ( hzoA / hzoB )

Anammox bacteria belonging to the phylum Planctomycetes are responsible for N removal through NH4+ oxidation coupled with NO2− reduction. Microbial diversity and ecology of anammox bacteria have not yet been fully revealed due to limitations of 16S rRNA analysis. The hydrazine oxidase gene in cluster 1 (hereafter hzoA/hzoB) was suggested as a proper genetic marker due to its high expression and ubiquitous presence in anammox bacteria. We conducted a comparative analysis of 16S rRNA and hzoA/hzoB genes to reveal anammox bacterial diversity and distribution in various aquatic environments. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA and hzoA/hzoB genes showed the dominance of Scalindua organisms in marine ecosystems, but there was no congruence of 16S rRNA and hzoA/hzoB gene phylogenies among the freshwater anammox bacteria associated with Brocadia sp., Jettenia sp., and Anammoxoglobus sp. Higher diversity of anammox bacteria was revealed based on hzoA/hzoB genes than 16S rRNA genes in the examined environments. Multiple regression analysis showed that salinity had significant influence on differential distribution and diversity of anammox bacteria in different ecosystems. Thus, molecular detection and resulting phylogeny of the hzoA/hzoB gene generated a better understanding of anammox bacterial diversity and their ecological distribution in various aquatic ecosystems.
Phase behavior and rheological characterization of silica nanoparticle gel

Preferential injection into high permeability thief zones or fractures can result in early breakthrough at production wells and large unswept areas of high oil sat- uration, which impact the economic life of a well. A variety of conformance control techniques, including polymer and silica gel treatments, have been designed to block flow through the swept zones. Over a certain range of salinities, silica nanoparticle suspensions form a gel in bulk phase behavior tests. These gels have potential for in situ flow diversion, but in situ flow tests are required to deter- mine their applicability. To determine the appropriate scope of the in situ tests, it is necessary to obtain an accurate description of nanoparticle phase behavior and gel rheology. In this paper, the equilibrium phase behavior of silica nanoparticle solutions in the presence of sodium chloride (NaCl) is presented with four phase regions clas- sified as a function of salinity and nanoparticle concen- tration. Once the gelation window was clearly defined, rheology experiments of silica nanoparticle gels were also carried out. Gelation time decreases exponentially as a function of silica concentration, salinity, and temperature. Following a power law behavior, the storage modulus, G 0 , increases with particle concentration. Steady shear mea- surements show that silica nanoparticle gels exhibit non- Newtonian, shear thinning behavior. This comprehensive study of the silica nanoparticle gels has provided a clear path forward for in situ tests to determine the gel's appli- cability for conformance control operations.
Antithetic acceleration of Monte Carlo integration in Bayesian inference

Abstract It is proposed to sample antithetically rather than randomly from the posterior density in Bayesian inference using Monte Carlo integration. Conditions are established under which the number of replications required with antithetic sampling relative to the number required with random sampling is inversely proportional to sample size, as sample size increases. The result is illustrated in an experiment using a bivariate vector autoregression.
Crystallographic refinement of collective excitations using standing wave inelastic X-ray scattering

Abstract We propose a method for realizing true, real-space imaging of charge dynamics in a periodic system, with angstrom spatial resolution and attosecond time resolution. In this method, inelastic X-ray scattering (IXS) is carried out with a coherent, standing wave source, which provides the off-diagonal elements of the generalized dynamic structure factor, S ( q 1 , q 2 , ω ) , allowing complete reconstruction of the inhomogeneous response function of the system, χ ( x 1 , x 2 , t ) . The quantity χ has the physical meaning of a propagator for charge, so allows one to observe – in real time – the disturbance in the electron density created by a point source placed at a specified location, x 1 (on an atom vs. between atoms, for example). This method may be thought of as a generalization of X-ray crystallography that allows refinement of the excited states of a periodic system, rather than just its ground state.
Mathematical description and analysis of cell cycle kinetics and the application to Ehrlich ascites tumor.

Abstract The linear and nonlinear aspects of the dynamics of the cell cycle kinetics of cell populations are studied. The dynamics are represented by difference equations. The characteristics of cell population systems are analyzed by applying the model to Ehrlich ascites tumor. The model applied for the simulations of the growth of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells incorporates processes of cell division, cell death, transition of cells to resting states and clearance of dead cells. Comparison of the results obtained with the model and the experimental data suggests that the duration of the mean generation time of the proliferating EAT cells increases with aging of the tumor. An attempt is made to relate the prolongation of cell mean generation time with processes of cell death and dead cell clearance. Studying the transition of cells to the resting states, it becomes apparent that in fact transition of proliferating cells to the resting states occurs somewhere close to the end of the cell cycle and with a rate that varies with the age of the tumor. Time course behavior of the cell age, cell size, and cell DNA distribution with aging of the tumor are obtained. Variations in average size and average DNA contents are determined.
Should you offer a job to your external auditor

Companies searching for senior executive talent often lure partners from the firms that perform their annual audits. But this can be risky, warn the authors. Is it worth it? How can you manage those risks? © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Dislocation velocities in LiF based on the annealing kinetics of dislocations dipoles

Abstract Screw dislocation velocities in LiF single crystals containing 1 p.p. and 80 p.p.m. Mg are determined by measuring the rate of annihilation of isolated screw dislocation dipoles. The measurements allow a determination of the stress and temperature dependence for screw dislocation velocity in the temperature range 100°C to 200°C. We find the activation energy for screw dislocation velocity to be 0.4 eV and 0.5 eV for crystals containing 1 p.p.m. and 80 p.p.m., respectively, and to be stress independent. The stress dependence for dislocation velocity can be described by either the power law expression, v =(τ ∗ /τ 0 ) m , or the inverse exponential relation v = v 0 exp (− D /τ ∗ ) in the range of stresses studied; one form of the stress dependence could not be chosen over the other. The dislocation velocity varies approximately linearly with the stress. It is suggested that the kinetics of annihilation of a dislocation dipole are best described using the model of the equilibrium shaped elliptical half loop as opposed to the simpler model of the infinitely straight dislocation dipole. The dislocation velocity is found to depend on the Mg content. This leads to the suggestion that tetragonal defects composed of Mg impurity-vacancy pairs control the kinetics of dislocation movement. However, we show that the model suggested by Fleischer gives predictions which are inconsistent with the experimental results.
1H MRSI comparison of white matter and lesions in primary progressive and relapsing-remitting MS

Objective: To compare brain metabolite levels in patients with primary progressive (PP) and relapsing remitting (RR) MS and controls. Hypotheses: (I) creatine (Cr), a putative marker of gliosis, is elevated and N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a putative marker of axonal density and functional integrity, is reduced in PPMS lesions and normal appearing white matter (NAWM) compared to control white matter; (2) The pattern of metabolite change in PPMS is different than in RRMS. Methods: MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging ( 1 H MRSI) were collected from 15 PPMS patients, 13 RRMS patients, and 20 controls. Results: Cr was increased in PPMS NAWM compared to controls (P=0.035), and compared to RRMS NAWM (P=0.038). Cr was increased in focal MRI lesions from PPMS compared to lesions from RRMS (P=0.044) and compared to control white matter (P=0.041). NAA was similarly reduced in PPMS and RRMS NAWM compared to control. NAA was similarly reduced in PPMS and RRMS lesions, compared to control white matter. Conclusions: Creatine is higher in PPMS than RRMS NAWM and focal lesions. This observation is consistent with the notion that progressive disability in PPMS reflects increased gliosis and axonal loss whereas disability in RRMS reflects the cumulative effects of acute inflammatory lesions and axonal loss.
Measuring Leaf Damage by the Cotton Leafperforator

A method was developed to measure areas of incomplete removal of cotton, Gossypium , leaf tissue by Bucculatrix thurberiella Busck. By use of the diazo process, black and white transparencies were made of the leaves. Damaged areas appeared transparent or nearly so. The leaf images were read on an optical area meter. After opaquing the damaged areas with masking tape or black lacquer, the areas were read again and the leaf damage was obtained from the area differences. This method may be used to measure similar damage caused by other insects.
Gnathostomiasis externa: a case report.

A case report of a cutaneous larva migrans caused by the nematode, Gnathostoma spinigerum , in which the worm was visualized at surgery and successfully removed, is presented. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of documented subcutaneous gnathostomiasis in the Western Hemisphere and the first in the upper extremity.
Electron-beam deposition of vanadium dioxide thin films

Developing a reliable and efficient fabrication method for phase-transition thin-film technology is critical for electronic and photonic applications. We demonstrate a novel method for fabricating polycrystalline, switchable vanadium dioxide thin films on glass and silicon substrates and show that the optical switching contrast is not strongly affected by post-processing annealing times. The method relies on electron-beam evaporation of a nominally stoichiometric powder, followed by fast annealing. As a result of the short annealing procedure we demonstrate that films deposited on silicon substrates appear to be smoother, in comparison to pulsed laser deposition and sputtering. However, optical performance of e-beam evaporated film on silicon is affected by annealing time, in contrast to glass.
Conversion Process Models and the Jesus Movement

This paper is an extension of previous process models of conversion, based on research on the Jesus movement. The detailed examination of "predispositions" for conversion and the discussion of the importance of affective ties in the conversion process are of particular interest.
Serum renotropic activity and renal growth in spontaneously hypertensive rats

In the 1950's Braun Menendez [1, 2] noted that the production of experimental hypertension often involved reduction in renal mass. Accordingly, he proposed that a substance, probably an intermediary product of protein metabolism responsible for renal growth (renotropin), led to hypertension as a secondary event: Hypertension develops when the remaining renal tissue is unable to respond to the growth stimulator, which, in turn, creates increased concentrations of renotropin. The weakness in this proposal was that no assay had been developed to prove the existence of a specific circulating renal growth factor. Since then, experimental evidence suggests that a circulating substance(s) that incites and/or regulates compensatory renal growth (CRG) (hypertrophy, hyperplasia) in response to decreased renal mass does exist. Through parabiosis [3–10], in vivo injections of serum or plasma [11–13] and in vitro incubations [14–21], studies from many laboratories have demonstrated a renotropic factor affecting various aspects of growth. The in vitro studies show that plasma and serum from rats 12 to 48hr after unilateral nephrectomy enhance the incorporation of radiolabelled nuclides into RNA [14, 15, 19] and DNA [14, 16–18, 20] and even increase the protein and dry weight of incubating renal slices [21]. Because viable assays currently exist to demonstrate renotropic activity, at least in plasma and serum removed from unilaterally nephrectomized rats [14, 21], we wished to discern whether or not there is enhanced circulating renotropic activity in hypertensive rats. We chose to compare the renotropic activity of serum from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) with that from various strains of normotensive rats. In addition, some characteristics of CRG in SHR were assessed. We found a relative augmentation in circulating renotropic activity despite a lack of evidence of excess renal growth in young SHR.
A tour of accelerated parallel MR imaging from a linear systems perspective

Parallel MR imaging has become a well accepted method to improve image acquisition efficiency. Improved efficiency enables one to increase resolution, decrease image acquisition time, or provide some balance of both. It is generally understood that the primary difference between each of the parallel MR methods is the domain in which each reconstruction solution is posed: e.g. the spatial domain, (y,x), the k-space domain, (ky,kx), or a hybrid domain, (ky,x). This manuscript presents an alternative approach in which we use a common analytic framework to comprehensively illustrate the relationship between a number of parallel MRI reconstruction methods. With this framework, we demonstrate that the analytic relationship between the various methods is more complex than the domain classification suggests. Furthermore, this framework enables one to identify the strengths of each particular method along with the similarities and contrasts between them.
Correction to “Bayesian $k$ -Space–Time Reconstruction of MR Spectroscopic Imaging for Enhanced Resolution” [Jul 10 1333-1350]

In the above titled paper (ibid., vol. 29, no. 7, pp. 1333-1350), there were errors in equations (7) and (16). The corrected equations are presented here.
Formation of nanocolloidal metacinnabar in mercury-DOM-sulfide systems.

Direct determination of mercury (Hg) speciation in sulfide-containing environments is confounded by low mercury concentrations and poor analytical sensitivity. Here we report the results of experiments designed to assess mercury speciation at environmentally relevant ratios of mercury to dissolved organic matter (DOM) (i.e., <4 nmol Hg (mg DOM)(-1)) by combining solid phase extraction using C(18) resin with extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Aqueous Hg(II) and a DOM isolate were equilibrated in the presence and absence of 100 μM total sulfide. In the absence of sulfide, mercury adsorption to the resin increased as the Hg:DOM ratio decreased and as the strength of Hg-DOM binding increased. EXAFS analysis indicated that in the absence of sulfide, mercury bonds with an average of 2.4 ± 0.2 sulfur atoms with a bond length typical of mercury-organic thiol ligands (2.35 A). In the presence of sulfide, mercury showed greater affinity for the C(18) resin, and its chromatographic behavior was independent of Hg:DOM ratio. EXAFS analysis showed mercury-sulfur bonds with a longer interatomic distance (2.51-2.53 A) similar to the mercury-sulfur bond distance in metacinnabar (2.53 A) regardless of the Hg:DOM ratio. For all samples containing sulfide, the sulfur coordination number was below the ideal four-coordinate structure of metacinnabar. At a low Hg:DOM ratio where strong binding DOM sites may control mercury speciation (1.9 nmol mg(-1)) mercury was coordinated by 2.3 ± 0.2 sulfur atoms, and the coordination number rose with increasing Hg:DOM ratio. The less-than-ideal coordination numbers indicate metacinnabar-like species on the nanometer scale, and the positive correlation between Hg:DOM ratio and sulfur coordination number suggests progressively increasing particle size or crystalline order with increasing abundance of mercury with respect to DOM. In DOM-containing sulfidic systems nanocolloidal metacinnabar-like species may form, and these species need to be considered when addressing mercury biogeochemistry.
Incidence of Neurosurgical Wrong Site Surgery Before and After Implementation of the Universal Protocol.

Background Although exceedingly rare, wrong-site surgery (WSS) remains a persistent problem in the United States. The incidence is thought to be 2 to 3 per 10 000 craniotomies and about 6 to 14 per 10 000 spine surgeries. In July 2004, the Joint Commission mandated the Universal Protocol (UP) for all accredited hospitals. Objective To assess the effect of UP implementation on the incidence of neurosurgical WSS at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria/Illinois Neurological Institute. Methods The Morbidity and Mortality Database in the Department of Neurosurgery was reviewed to identify all recorded cases of WSS since 1999. This was compared with the total operative load (excluding endovascular procedures) of all attending neurosurgeons to determine the incidence of overall WSS. A comparison was then made between the incidences before and after UP implementation. Results Fifteen WSS events were found with an overall incidence of 0.07% and Poisson 95% confidence interval of 8.4 to 25. All but one of these were wrong-level spine surgeries (14/15). There was only 1 recorded case of wrong-side surgery and this occurred after implementation of the UP. A statistically greater number of WSS events occurred before (n = 12) in comparison with after (n = 3) UP implementation (P Conclusion A statistically significant reduction in overall WSS was seen after implementation of the UP. This reduction can be attributed to less frequent wrong-level spine surgery. There was no case of wrong procedure or patient surgery and the 1 case of wrong-side surgery occurred after UP implementation.
Social Networking: Engaging Prospective and Admitted African American and Other Minority Students before They Arrive on Campus.

With the effectiveness of traditional methods of connecting with incoming Wittenberg University minority students waning, Forest B. Wortham spans the virtual and physical worlds to help them find their place.
Response of plasma LH and FSH to gonadotropin-releasing hormone in pony foals and ovariectomized pony mares

Plasma FSH and LH response to a synthetic GnRH analog was measured in adult ovariectomized pony mares (OVX) and in pony foals (<70 days of age) during late spring (May-June). FSH and LH responded in a similar fashion (200% increase) in the OVX mare, which is different from other reports for intact mares. There was a greater mean response to a comparable dose of GnRH in the prepubertal foal for both FSH (500%) and LH (900%) than in the OVX mare. There was a positive correlation between age and the maximum FSH response to GnRH in male and female foals. The LH response was positively correlated with age in male foals, but not in females. The response to GnRH in the prepubertal foals was consistent with the previously observed patterns of gonadotropin secretion during this age period.
A multi-institution collaborative approach to a productive undergraduate research program in material science

We describe our approach to a student-centered interdisciplinary research program in material science. Our work in the synthesis and optical characterization of sol-gel materials provides an ideal research setting for undergraduates interested in physics and chemistry. Students fabricate all samples and perform laser spectroscopic measurements. The work is accessible to undergraduates but also of current interest to a wide community of scientists interested in new rare earth based optical materials. Students make meaningful contributions to publishable work, and many go on to do graduate work in physics or chemistry. Two recent students have been recognized with national awards for their research, and many have presented work at international meetings.
Thai Women in the Global Labor Force: Consuming Desires, Contested Selves

Thai Women in the Global Labor Force: Consuming Desires, Contested Selves. Mary Beth Mills. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 1999. vii. 218 pp., figures, maps, photographs, glossary, references, index.
Indentation properties of growing femoral head following ischemic necrosis

Little is known about the mechanical properties of the growing femoral head as it develops deformity following ischemic injury. The purpose of this study was to determine the indentation stiffness of growing femoral head following ischemic injury and to correlate the changes in stiffness with radiographic and histopathologic changes in the femoral head as it develops deformity. Following the induction of ischemia in 24 piglets, indentation testing of whole femoral heads was performed at 2, 4, and 8 weeks, as well as on femoral heads from eight sham operated animals. At 2 weeks, a 52% reduction of indentation stiffness was observed in the infarcted femoral heads compared to the control heads (p=0.004). The bony epiphyses in infarcted femoral heads were smaller due to growth arrest but they were not deformed. Histologically, no evidence of repair was seen. At 4 and 8 weeks, the indentation stiffness in the infarcted femoral heads was reduced by 75% (p<0.000001) and 72% (p=0.001) respectively compared to the control heads. Variable degree of femoral head deformity and repair was observed at 4 weeks. Severe deformity with extensive revascularization and repair were observed at 8 weeks. Although epiphyseal cartilage was thickened on the infarcted femoral heads only a weak correlation was found between the increase in the cartilage thickness and the decrease in the indentation stiffness (R(2)=0.55). These results indicate that the indentation properties of growing femoral head were significantly affected by ischemic injury, prior to the presence of repair process and deformity. A further decrease in the indentation stiffness was concomitant with repair of the infarcted head. These findings suggest that a reduction in the mechanical properties of the infarcted femoral head include both a cartilage and a bony component, which cannot be differentiated at this point. The study validates early institution of treatments that are aimed at limiting the mechanical loading of the affected hip. The study also suggests that in order to minimize the mechanical compromise of the infarcted femoral head, early institution of treatments aimed at stimulating new bone formation and retarding osteoclastic bone resorption may be beneficial.