cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Palladium Fluoroenolate Complexes.

Cross-coupling reactions of aryl groups with α-fluoro carbonyl compounds catalyzed by palladium complexes have been reported, but palladium fluoroenolate intermediates relevant to such reactions have not been isolated or even detected previously. We report the synthesis, structural characterization, and reactivity of a series of C-bound arylpalladium fluoroenolate complexes ligated by monophosphines and bisphosphines. DPPF-ligated arylpalladium fluoroenolate complexes (DPPF = 1,1-bis(diphenylphosphino)-ferrocene) derived from a monofluoroester, a difluoroester, difluoroamides, and difluoroacetonitrile underwent reductive elimination in high yields. Reductive elimination was faster from complexes containing less electron-withdrawing fluoroenolate groups and longer Pd–C(enolate) bonds than from complexes containing more electron-withdrawing fluoroenolate groups and shorter Pd–C(enolate) bonds. The rates of reductive elimination from these C-bound fluoroenolate complexes were significantly faster than those ...
Mitigation of chromium poisoning of cathodes in solid oxide fuel cells employing CuMn1.8O4 spinel coating on metallic interconnect

Abstract Chromium poisoning is one of the major reasons for cathode performance degradation in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). To mitigate the effect of Cr-poisoning, a protective coating on the surface of interconnect for suppressing Cr vaporization is necessary. Among the various coating materials, Cu-Mn spinel coating is considered to be a potential candidate due to their good thermal compatibility, high stability and good electronic conductivity at high temperature. In this study, Crofer 22 H meshes with no protective coating, those with commercial CuMn2O4 spinel coating and the ones with lab-developed CuMn1.8O4 spinel coating were investigated. The lab-developed CuMn1.8O4 spinel coating were deposited on Crofer 22 H mesh by electrophoretic deposition and densified by a reduction and re-oxidation process. With these different Crofer 22 H meshes (bare, CuMn2O4-coated, and CuMn1.8O4-coated), anode-supported SOFCs with Sr-doped LaMnO3-based cathode were electrochemically tested at 800 °C for total durations of up to 288 h. Comparing the mitigating effects of the two types of Cu-Mn spinel coatings on Cr-poisoning, it was found that the performance of the denser lab-developed CuMn1.8O4 spinel coating was distinctly better, showing no degradation in the cell electrochemical performance and significantly less Cr deposition near the cathode/electrolyte interface after the test.
Sleep and Pain

The high prevalence of sleep disturbance in chronic pain conditions is due in part to bi-directional influences in which pain disturbs sleep and poor sleep reduces pain thresholds and aggravates pain. Other variables, especially depression and anxiety, may mediate this relationship, although supporting data has been equivocal. Trauma exposure and resulting PTSD symptoms have not been adequately evaluated in the pain-sleep relationship. The hyperarousal symptoms of PTSD are conceived to impact sleep directly in the manner that hyperarousal maintains insomnia. Even when pain severity, depression, and anxiety are decreased, sleep disturbance may persist due to the perpetuating factors of insomnia not being fully addressed in most patients. The importance of ruling out primary sleep disorders other than insomnia (sleep apnea and PLMD) must be underscored as they can contribute to sleep disruption that leads to increased pain sensitivity. Several lines of inquiry in regard to underlying sleep-pain mechanisms promise to unravel this complex relationship. Treatment of sleep complaints in chronic pain patients with antidepressant is best approached with caution. Nonpharmacological approaches to insomnia warrant further study and a tempered call for increased utilization based on a growing literature of successful treatment of insomnia secondary to medical conditions.
The Operator and Its Applications to Series

(2003). The Operator and Its Applications to Series. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 76, No. 5, pp. 364-371.
A Review of Citrus Harvesting in Florida

The removal of Florida citrus from the tree for harvesting is still done by handpickers on ladders and requires a work force of 20,000 to 35,000 persons. Moving fruit from the grove and subsequent fruit handling has been mechanized in the last 40 years. Factors affecting harvesting are fruit type and utilization, grove characteristics, and harvest labor requirements and costs. Although mechanical harvesting research over the past 35 years has not developed a feasible machine to replace the picker, substantial design and field performance information has been developed to mechanize the harvest of a significant portion of the crop if labor becomes unavailable or too costly. Some picking aids have been implemented to increase the productivity of pickers, but their feasibility is questionable under current conditions. Renewed attempts have been made to mechanize the harvest since 1993. A harvesting program administrator was employed by the Florida Department of Citrus in January 1995 to develop a program which will insure the harvest of future crops at a competitive cost, Record crops, low fruit prices, steadily increasing harvest costs, and more regulations are predicted for the next decade.Paper published with permission.Compilation Copyright © 2018 ASME
Surface Normal Modes of a “Real” Electron Gas

The measured dielectric constants e1 and e2 for the simple metals are incorporated into the theoretical equation for the surface response function, which is derived from a calculation based upon a “jellium” metal. This procedure gives a first order estimation of the effect of the bulk band structure upon the energy, dissipation and dispersion of the surface modes, such as the surface plasmon and the multipole mode. When e2 is relatively small, the only noticeable effect is the increased damping for the surface plasmon for small q‖.
Information Systems Ethics: A Practitioner Survey

Fortune 500 non-management employees who work in their company's information systems department were polled via a mail survey; of 191 surveys sent (one to a company), 123 (64%) were returned. Virtually all respondents (97%) indicated that management should define ethical computer use for employees. A majority of respondents (60%) reported that the method management uses to do this should be some form of consensus building. Almost two thirds of respondents (63%) reported that the definition of ethical computer use was well known in their organization. Finally, over half of the respondents (55%) had no personal knowledge that computer abuse occurred in their organization – a surprisingly favorable finding. Of responses indicating knowledge of computer abuse, only about a quarter (26%) indicated direct evidence of the problem.
MECHANISM OF STEROID HORMONE ACTION: IN VITRO CONTROL OF GENE EXPRESSION IN CHICK OVIDUCT CHROMATIN BY PURIFIED STEROID RECEPTOR COMPLEXES

Numerous studies have demonstrated that steroid hormones appear to exert their primary influence at the level of genetic transcription (O’Malley and Means, 1974). Evidence in endocrine target tissue systems utilizing estrogen (Gorski and Nicolette, 1963; Hamilton et al., 1963), progesterone (O’Malley and McGuire, 1968a,b), aldosterone (Edelman and Fimognari, 1968), glucocorticoids (Kenney and Kull, 1963; Sekeris and Lang, 1964) and vitamin D (Norman, 1966; Stohs et al., 1967) have demonstrated increased RNA synthesis after the in vivo localization of administered hormone in the nuclear compartment. Quantitative and qualitative changes in RNA synthesis usually precede the steroid hormone stimulation of inducible protein biosynthesis in target tissues. Recent experiments, in fact have conclusively demonstrated that female sex steroids are capable of inducing a net increase in specific mRNA molecules in target cells (Chan et al., 1973; Comstock et al., 1972; Harris et al., 1975).
Randomized Embolization Trial for NeuroEndocrine Tumor Metastases to the Liver (RETNET): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are the second most common gastrointestinal malignancy after colon cancer. Up to 90% of patients with NETs develop liver metastases, which are a major determinant of symptoms and survival. Current guidelines recommend embolotherapy for progressive or symptomatic NET liver metastases, but the optimal technique among bland embolization, lipiodol chemoembolization, and drug-eluting bead chemoembolization remains unknown and controversial. A prospective, open-label, multicenter randomized controlled trial will be conducted in patients with progressive or symptomatic unresectable NET liver metastases. Patients will be randomized to treatment with bland embolization, lipiodol chemoembolization, or drug-eluting microsphere chemoembolization, with 60 enrollees per arm. The primary endpoint will be hepatic progression-free survival (HPFS) following initial embolotherapy by RECIST criteria. The sample size is powered to detect an HR of 1.78 for HPFS following chemoembolization compared with bland embolization, which was estimated on the basis of existing retrospective studies. Secondary endpoints include overall progression-free survival, duration of symptom control, quality of life, rate of adverse events, and interval between embolotherapy cycles. Interim safety analyses will be performed at 10 and 30 patients per arm. The RETNET trial is a prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial designed to determine the optimal embolotherapy technique for NET liver metastases. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02724540 . Registered on March 31, 2016.
The state of the Italian Republic

There have traditionally been several obstacles in the way of the smooth functioning of the Italian political system. This article explores recent changes in the government, Parliament, the politic...
Best Practices in Mycobacterial Research Laboratories

Research on Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), the bacterium causing tuberculosis (TB), has seen a significant increase in the last decade. Advances in molecular biology techniques now provide scientists with a plethora of approaches to investigate bacterial pathogenesis in the laboratory and in animal models. Here we outline some good laboratory practices for working with MTB in a research setting. The risk of bacterial transmission via aerosols or through accidental exposure requires that we implement rigorous practices to mitigate this risk. Most laboratory research on MTB is performed in specialized laboratories at biological safety level 3. We discuss primary and secondary barriers to MTB exposure (infection), controls that reduce the risk of exposure to the bacterium during experimental manipulation, provide guidelines for the prudent use of biosafety cabinets and personal protective equipment, and present examples of standard operating protocols, including setup of biosafety cabinets, waste management practices, equipment use, management of spills, occupational health programs, and facility decontamination.
What does MIS survey research reveal about diversity and representativeness in the MIS field? A content analysis approach

Diversity and representativeness are two enriching components of an academic field and for quite some time, Management Information Systems (MIS) researchers have been advocating for more studies on them. The objective of this study is to investigate the extent to which survey-based research articles reflect diversity in MIS research and to evaluate representativeness in journals in the MIS field. Diversity is a multifaceted concept that can be delineated along several constructs such as diversity in research approach, diversity in theories, and diversity in research methods. Survey research is the dominant research method in the MIS field accounting for 32–41% of published empirical research studies. In this study, diversity is conceptualized and explored through six factors that are easily identifiable in a survey-based research article namely the unit of analysis, research topics, type of respondents, number of authors, number of schools of authors, and number of country of authors. The study makes use of a set of 1466 survey-based research articles published over 21 years in 15 mainstream MIS journals in Europe and the USA to study diversity and representativeness using Tsallis entropy and Chi-Square statistics. The results present an overview of the state of the MIS survey-based research in Europe and the USA while also revealing that MIS researchers are predominantly gathering survey data from business executives at the firm and individual units of analysis in both regions. Overall, we find dominant categories (top 2) emerge for each factor as they relate to diversity both in Europe and the USA with three factors having the same dominant categories indicating that diversity continues to elude the MIS research field. The results have implications for both research and practice in the MIS field.
Modeling the impact of Python and R packages using dependency and contributor networks

This paper develops methods to estimate the factors that affect the impact of open-source software (OSS), measured by number of downloads, with a study of Python and R packages. The OSS community is characterized by a high level of collaboration and sharing which results in interactions between contributors as well as packages due to reuses. We use data collected from Depsy.org about the development activities of Python and R packages, and generate the dependency and contributor networks. We develop three Quasi-Poisson models for each of the Python and R communities using network characteristics, as well as author and package attributes. We find that the more derivative a package is (the more dependencies it has), the less likely it is to have a high impact. We also show that the centrality of a package in the dependency network measured by the out-degree, closeness centrality, and pagerank has a significant effect on its impact. Moreover, the closeness and weighted degree centralities of the developers in the Python and R contributor networks play an important role. We also find that introducing network features to a baseline model using only package features (e.g., number of authors, number of commits) improves the performance of the models.
Teaching Advanced SQL Skills: Text Bulk Loading.

Studies show that advanced database skills are important for student to be prepared for the today’s highly competitive job market. A common task for database administrators is to insert large amount of data into a database. This paper illustrates how an up-todate, advanced database topic, namely bulk insert, can be incorporated into a database class. It gives detailed examples on how to import different file types and discusses associated issues.
Chapter 7 – Primary Production

Publisher Summary The chapter describes primary production, which is the amount of solar energy that is converted into biomass via photosynthesis. The quantity of energy minus respiration and losses because of consumption by herbivores is the net primary production and is generally measured as “above ground dry mass” (biomass) at the end of the growing season. However, net primary production includes leaf and stem production, root production, and increase in stem diameters of perennial dicots. Plant production in an ecosystem determines the energy available to consumers and decomposers. In arid ecosystems, biomass production estimates are generally made for those species of plants that provide forage for domestic livestock. If primary production varied according to the pulse-reserve paradigm, there would be a linear relationship between annual net above-ground production and growing-season precipitation. Although there is no doubt that precipitation is the most important variable affecting primary production, it is not the only variable that affects production. The inability to predict annual above-ground net primary production (AAGNPP) and the lack of understanding of all of the variables that affect AAGNPP are the major contributors to the failure of management systems to be sustainable. Understanding the complex interrelationships of environmental factors affecting the net primary production and production of harvestable biomass is necessary to avoid over-harvesting that leads to desertification.
Computational analysis of hereditary spastic paraplegia mutations in the kinesin motor domains of KIF1A and KIF5A

Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a genetically heterogeneous collection of neurodegenerative disorders categorized by progressive lower-limb spasticity and frailty. The complex HSP forms a...
Statutory right of redemption and its influence on defaulted mortgage outcomes

Abstract This paper provides empirical evidence that a strong statutory right of redemption leads to a statistically significant and an economically large impact in reducing bankruptcy filings. Under the statutory right of redemption, borrowers can repurchase the property after the foreclosure auction at a certain price. Implementations of the statutory right of redemption, however, vary substantially among states. When categorizing the redemption rights from an economic perspective, we find that a strong redemption right leads to a greater than 30% decrease in the odds that a borrower with a defaulted mortgage will file for bankruptcy.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Termite-Associated “Cuckoo Fungus,” Athelia (Fibularhizoctonia) sp. TMB Strain TB5

ABSTRACT Atheliales is a diverse order of crust-forming Basidiomycota fungi. Here, we report the draft genome of the “cuckoo fungus,” Athelia (Fibularhizoctonia) sp. TMB strain TB5 (Atheliales), which forms termite-egg-mimicking sclerotia that termites tend. We further compare its repertoire of psilocybin gene homologs to homologs previously reported for Fibularhizoctonia psychrophila.
Independent association of marijuana use and poor oral hygiene with HPV–negative but not HPV–positive head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

BACKGROUND Sexual behavior is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV)-positive head and neck cancer, whereas tobacco and alcohol use are associated with HPV-negative cancer. A case-control study was designed to investigate additional demographic and behavioral factors independently associated with these distinct oral cancers. METHODS From 2011 to 2014, 249 newly diagnosed oral cavity and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cases were matched (1:2) on age, gender, and self-identified race to 498 controls without a cancer history attending the outpatient otolaryngology clinic at The Ohio State University in Columbus. Cases were stratified by detection of high-risk HPV DNA and RNA in tumors. Demographic and behavioral data were collected using an audio computer-assisted self-interview, and associations with HPV-positive versus HPV-negative OSCCs were investigated by use of univariable and multivariable conditional logistic regression models. RESULTS After adjustment for oral sexual behavior, the odds of HPV-positive cancer decreased with the patient's years of education. Annual income, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, marijuana smoking, and poor oral hygiene were not associated with HPV-positive OSCC. In contrast, the odds of HPV-negative OSCC increased independently with decreased annual income, decreased with a high number of marijuana hit-years, and increased with fewer than annual dental visits after adjustment for lifetime tobacco and alcohol use. Sexual behavior and education were not associated with HPV-negative OSCC. CONCLUSIONS The distinct risk-factor profiles for HPV-positive and HPV-negative OSCC are confirmed and extended in this case-control study, thus supporting 2 principal etiological pathways for OSCC development. LAY SUMMARY Sexually acquired human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an established cause of tonsil and base of tongue cancers. This study compared and contrasted risk factors for HPV-positive and HPV-negative oral cancers. Low number of years of education and sexual behavior are associated with HPV-positive cancer. In contrast, low annual income, infrequent dental visits, and tobacco and alcohol use are associated with HPV-negative cancers. Long-term marijuana use appears protective for HPV-negative cancer. Public health efforts to address these modifiable risk factors may prevent oral cancer.
Bystander effects in FUS1-nanoparticle-mediated human lung cancer gene therapy

2408 Restoration of tumor suppressor FUS1 function in FUS1-deficient lung cancer cells by DOTAP:cholesterol nanoparticle-mediated gene transfer significantly suppressed tumor cell growth by induction of apoptosis in vitro. Systemic treatment with FUS1-nanoparticles demonstrated a potent antitumor efficacy in preclinical lung cancer animal models and showed promising clinical benefits in advanced lung cancer patients. However, the currently available gene transfer protocols and techniques for cancer gene therapy are capable of transducing only a fraction of tumor cells in vivo, thus, relying on a bystander effect (killing of non-transduced cells by products of transduced cells) to achieve clinically-meaningful therapeutic efficacy. Based on observations that FUS1 protein could interact extensively with various receptor tyrosine kinases and cellular proteins and demonstrates a potent pro-apoptotic activity, we hypothesized that cancer cells transduced by FUS1-nanoparticles would kill their neighboring cells through a bystander effect. To test whether ectopic expression of FUS1 in tumor cells can cause neighboring cell killing by triggering the release of cytotoxic soluble factors, we collected conditioned medium (CM) from FUS1-nanoparticle-transduced H1299 cells. CM was collected after 48 h in cell culture either containing or free of bovine fetal serum and concentrated by lyophilization. The CMs from untransduced, or empty vector (EV), and dysfunctional mutant FUS1-transduced cells were used as controls. A marked inhibition of tumor cell growth and induction of apoptosis were detected in H1299 cells treated by concentrated CMs from wt-FUS1-transduced cells compared with those of controls. In addition, distinct soluble protein/peptide species were clearly detected in the serum-free wt-FUS1-CM on protein mass spectra by a ProteinChip array-based SELDI-TOF-MS analysis, compared to those of control CMs, suggesting release of specific soluble peptides. To further test the potential bystander effects of FUS1 on lung cancer cells, we used the wt-FUS1-nanoparticles-transfected H1299 cells as effector cells and mixed them with the Ad-GFP-transduced H1299 target cells, which do not express FUS1, at a ratio of 1:1. The EV-transfected H1299 effectors were used as the control. The mixed cells were cultured for 48 hr. The dead/apoptotic cells in both effector and target (GFP) cell populations were determined by flow cytometry with TUNEL-reaction. A significantly increased population of dead/apoptotic cells was detected in the GFP-expressing target cells mixed with wt-FUS1-transfected H1299 effecter cells, compared with that of target cells mixed with EV-transfected effectors. These results strongly suggest the presence of bystander effects induced by FUS1-nanoparticle-mediated gene transfer in lung cancer cells. This abstract is supported by grants of NIH NCI (SPORE P50CA70907 and RO1CA116322).
'Sticking with the Union After Janus' Union Library Workers 2017-2018

On June 27, 2018 the public sector union landscape shifted with the Supreme Court Janus vs. AFSCME ruling that dramatically undermined unions for librarians, teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public employees throughout the United States (Matthews, 2018). In 2017-2018 unions responded to the 2016 election as a push-back against their daily work. Coming into 2017 unions were faced with the realization that their hollowing out had impacted election choices because of the powerful role unions play in politically mobilizing and educating their members by articulating and transmitting social democratic values and class solidarity. Because unions were delivering less at the bargaining table members were less willing to accept political direction (Draper, 2017). The main event in 2018 for library workers, many of whom are in the public sector, was the Supreme Court Janus decision, which ended the longstanding practice of unions’ right to collect dues from all bargaining unit members regardless of an individual's decision to join or not join the union.
The Interface Between the Contents of Physics and Mathematics

Physics and mathematics are different academia developed by applying different methods and ways of inquiring that resulted in their unique core content knowledge. Subsequently, each subject required different delivery methods. There is though a robust epistemological overlay between these subjects, and exemplifying these intersections is one of this book’s goals. Establishing such a curriculum alignment within the physics scope prompted reaching out to mathematics education and pinpointing these mathematical concepts and ideas that support empirical-mathematical covariate reasoning. Realizing the instrumental role of the mathematics structural domain in understanding physics is a step toward achieving research recommendations and inducing a research-based approach to use these methods in physics teaching is seen as a compelling task. It is hypothesized that setting up such an aim will allow for a more precise identification of the math knowledge and thus empower physics teachers and students with more robust knowledge and skills. This enterprise’s far-reaching goal is to develop a notion that mathematics is applied not only to quantify physics phenomena parameters but also to exemplify covariate thinking and scientific analysis beyond the boundary of the classroom.
Accountability and Accessibility in Heat Communication and Safety

Communicating heat safety to public audiences constitutes a difficult task which requires negotiating multiple layers of public perception and experience. While research into heat safety communication has focused on survey data and the efficacy of forecasting technologies to predict meteorological events, communicating extreme heat via digital social media environments presents an opportunity to study both communication from official sources along with the public response to information provided. This article compares communication about extreme heat on the National Weather Service Phoenix Facebook page during the hottest summer ever recorded (May-September 2020) with information delivered the following summer regarding heat awareness (May 2021). The findings from this study suggest that information that seeks to protect individuals from severe forecasts should be included in ways that garner more public attention, highlighting the need for vulnerable communities to take action to protect their health from the impacts of extreme heat. In the discussion, recommendations are offered for how technical communication regarding extreme heat could be modified to better account for safety concerns and vulnerability.
WC/DLC/WS2 nanocomposite coatings for aerospace tribology

Tribological properties of three-phase composite coatings consisting of nanocrystalline WC, amorphous diamond-like carbon (DLC), and nanocrystalline WS2 are evaluated. The WC/DLC/WS2 coatings have 0.5 μm thickness, 7–8 GPa hardness, excellent wear resistance, and low friction coefficients: 0.03 in vacuum, and 0.15 in air; with unique friction recovery in cycling between dry and moist environments. The benefits of carbide/dichalcogenide/DLC nanocomposites for aerospace tribology are highlighted.
Uniform Transformations at Turning Points: Analytic Theory

The results of Chapter V are of limited interest by themselves. Only if the formal series constructed there are asymptotic representations of asymptotic transformations in sets of the x-plane that contain a turning point has really useful information been attained.
Self-Steepening of Optical Pulses

Self-steepening of optical pulses has been well described in the literature (De Martini et al., 1967; Marburger, 1975) and has been invoked to explain certain cases of spectral superbroadening (Yang and Shen, 1984). For intense optical pulses the refractive index depends on the intensity. Thus, the peak of the pulse travels at a speed different from that of the leading and trailing edges, so that ultimately the pulse tries to form a shock at the trailing edge if n 2 is positive or on the leading edge if n 2 is negative. A very similar thing occurs in fluid mechanics. However, all fluids exhibit viscosity and heat flow and these effects combine to prevent the formation of a truly discontinuous shock; they give the final shock structure, which has finite thickness and a definite shape. In the optical case, dispersion will play an analogous role; it brings the process of self-steepening to an end before a true discontinuity can form. It is for this last reason that we feel it to be imperative to include the effects of dispersion in our present study of self-steepening.
The Economics of Restricted Stock and the Section 83(B) Election

As restricted stock is increasingly important in compensation packages, understanding its unique institutional features becomes paramount. We study the interplay between tax and incentive attributes to show how management appears to be utilizing a unique tax election to generate firm benefits. Interestingly, theoretical models predict a firm’s indifference to an employee’s acceleration of income recognition of restricted stock grants (i.e., make an I.R.C. Section 83(b) election). However, our empirical evidence shows otherwise. Our comparison of a sample of firms that restrict the election to a sample of firms that does not confirms that firms prohibit the election to minimize taxes whereas they require the election for incentive purposes.
A Comparative Evaluation of Moxalactam: Antimicrobial Activity, Pharmacokinetics, Adverse Reactions, and Clinical Efficacy

Although moxalactam is not, technically speaking, a cephalosporin it is chemically and microbiologically so closely related to those compounds that it can be viewed as a member of the cephalosporin family. Moxalactam has a spectrum of activity that includes both gram positive and gram negative bacteria. Its gram positive activity is less than earlier cephalosporins, but its activity against the Enterobacteriaceae is similar to that of the aminoglycoside family of antibiotics in most comparative studies. Although moxalactam is considerably less active against gram positive bacteria than cefotaxime, another third generation cephalosporin, its higher and more prolonged serum levels probably offset this disadvantage. Compared to cefoperazone, the stability of moxalactam to many types of beta lactamases produced by gram negative bacteria may be advantageous in the therapy of infections caused by hospital-acquired pathogens. Clinical studies suggest that moxalactam can be used for empiric therapy of suspected gram negative infections when Pseudomonas and other non-fermentative bacteria, such as Acinetobacter, are not suspected. Impressive improvements in the survival of patients with gram negative enteric bacillary meningitis have been reported. Although moxalactam, cefotaxime, and cefoperazone have activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, none of these antibiotics should be used alone as therapy for suspected or proven severe systemic infections caused by this pathogen. Cost is a major problem with all of the new cephalosporin-like antibiotics. While this high cost may be partially balanced by the use of a single agent compared to an antibiotic combination for therapy in some situations, these antibiotics are not cost effective for prophylactic use. Superinfection with fungi, such as Candida, and Streptococcus faecalis have occurred, and toxicities, such as bleeding due to vitamin K deficiency and disulfuram-like reactions, have also been reported. Reports of resistance to moxalactam and the other third generation cephalosporins are of major concern and indicate the need to closely monitor antibiotic susceptibility patterns of hospital acquired organisms if these antibiotics are to be used for empiric therapy of suspected gram negative non-pseudomonas sepsis.
Development and Role of Tight Junctions in the Retinal Pigment Epithelium

The outer blood-retinal barrier is formed by the retinal pigment epithelium. In any epithelial monolayer, the tight junctions enable the epithelium to form a barrier by joining neighboring cells together and regulating transepithelial diffusion through the paracellular spaces. Tight junctions are complex, dynamic structures that regulate cell proliferation, polarity, and paracellular diffusion. The specific properties of tight junctions vary among epithelia, according to the physiological role of the epithelium. Unlike other epithelia, the apical surface of the retinal pigment epithelium interacts with a solid tissue, the neural retina. Secretions of the developing neural retina regulate the assembly, maturation, and tissue-specific properties of these tight junctions. The slow time course of development allows investigators to dissect the mechanisms of junction assembly and function. These studies are aided by culture systems that model different stages of development.
State estimation and control for systems with perspective outputs

In this paper we consider the problem of estimating the state of a system with perspective outputs. We formulate the problem in a deterministic setting by searching for the value of the state that is "most compatible" with the dynamics, in the sense that it requires the least amount of noise to explain the measured output. We show that, under appropriate observability assumptions, the optimal estimate converges globally to the true value of the state and can be used to design output-feedback controllers by using the estimated state to drive a state-feedback controller. We apply these results to the estimation of position and orientation of a controlled rigid body, using measurements from a charged-coupled-device camera attached to the body.
Estimating photosynthetic 13C discrimination in terrestrial CO2 exchange from canopy to regional scales

[1] We determined δ13C values associated with canopy gross and net CO2 fluxes from four U.S. sites sampled between 2001 and 2002. Annual mean, flux-weighted δ13C values of net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) were estimated for four contrasting ecosystems (three forests and one grassland) by analyzing daytime flask measurements collected at the top of canopies. Combining δ13C values associated with respiratory and net (respiration minus photosynthesis) fluxes, we demonstrate a method for estimating whole-canopy photosynthetic discrimination against 13C (ΔA) in terrestrial ecosystems directly from field measurements. This experimental approach offers the possibility of examining interannual variability in ΔA from ecosystem δ13C measurements. Our estimated δ13C values associated with photosynthetic fluxes are in agreement with those measured from foliar organic matter for C3 forests, and are within the range bounded by C3 and C4 grasses in a tallgrass prairie. The δ13C associated with NEE fluxes at our C3 forest sites ranges between −27.1 ± 2.7 and −28.3 ± 2.5‰, and is −22.6 ± 4.0‰ at the prairie site. These estimates differ from a previous study, particularly for C3 ecosystems at comparable latitudes. Sensitivity analyses indicate that our estimates of δ13C values of net CO2 fluxes are robust with respect to measurement errors, but can vary depending on the selection of background atmospheric values. Other factors (e.g., drought and sampling footprint) that might have influenced our δ13C measurements and calculations of ΔA are also discussed. Our measurement-based analyses are particularly useful when both latitudinal and longitudinal variations in ΔA are to be considered in the global inversion modeling studies.
A Petulant Demand

Teaching delivers signs. The teaching body produces … signs, or more precisely, signifiers supposing the knowledge of a prior signified. … Every university puts language in a position of belatednes...
Varicella in a Paediatric Intensive Care Unit: 10-year review from Starship Children's Hospital, New Zealand.

Aims Varicella is now a vaccine-preventable disease but is generally considered benign, making it a low priority for a funded universal immunisation scheme. We aimed to increase the knowledge of the severity, morbidity and mortality caused by varicella, by a review of cases requiring paediatric intensive care in New Zealand where vaccine is available but not funded. Methods This is a retrospective chart review of children admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) over a 10-year period (July 2001–July 2011) identified from the PICU database with a primary or secondary code for varicella. Results Thirty-four cases were identified and 26 cases were included. Of the 26 cases, 84.6% were Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity, 54% had no preceding medical condition and 23% were immunocompromised. Main PICU admission reasons were neurologic (38.5%), secondary bacterial sepsis or shock (26.9%), respiratory (15.4%), disseminated varicella (11.5%), or other causes (7.7%). Fifty per cent of children required inotropic support and 81% invasive ventilation. Four children died (15%), three of whom were immunocompromised. A further eight children (31%) had ongoing disability at hospital discharge. Conclusion Varicella, or its secondary complications, requiring paediatric intensive care, carries high mortality, particularly for immunocompromised patients, and long-term morbidities, mostly affecting previously healthy children.
Erbium:YAG Laser in Cataract Extraction

Erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) cataract extraction has shown considerable promise as a new technique for lens nucleus removal prior to intraocular lens (IOL) implantation for the treatment of cataracts. Recent studies suggest that the laser energy is dissipated much more locally and heats surrounding intraocular tissues less than traditional ultrasonic phacoemulsification does. Clinical studies demonstrate the safety of the procedure in human cataract patients, and a randomized study found little difference in outcomes when compared to conventional cataract surgery. Further advances in fiber optic delivery systems and handpiece development may make this approach even more attractive in the future.
A Career Assistance Program for Elite Athletes

A program to assist elite athletes in coping with the transition out of active sport competition is presented. A life span development framework is used to describe the formulation of the program. An outline of the program is presented, and implications for counselors are discussed.
Comparison of several classical density functional theories for the adsorption of flexible chain molecules into cylindrical nanopores

Adsorption of flexible oligomers into narrow cylindrical pores has been studied by means of several versions of classical density functional theory (CDFT) and Monte Carlo simulation. The adsorption process is interesting to study due to the competition between the entropic depletion of oligomers from the pores and the wall–oligomer attraction. It is also challenging to describe using current CDFTs, which tend to overestimate the amount of the adsorbed fluid. From a comparison of several different CDFT approaches, we find that this is due to the assumption of ideal or freely jointed chain conformations. Moreover, it is demonstrated that it is impossible to obtain a reasonable description of the adsorption isotherms without taking into account accurate contact values in the distribution functions describing the structure of the reference monomer fluid. At low densities, more accurate result are obtained in comparison with Monte Carlo simulation data when accurate contact values are incorporated into the the...
The Effect of Dimethyl Sulfoxide on Endotoxin-Induced Pulmonary Dysfunction: A Biochemical and Electron Microscope Study

Abstract : The results of this study indicate that DMSO has a significant effect in preserving PCEC luminal ATPase activity and fine structure and survival in endotoxin-treated rats. Although the exact mechanisms remain speculative, data from this study and others suggest that the effect may involve the inhibition of the release of lysosomal enzymes and the scavenging of O2 metabolites, such as superoxide anion (.O2(-)), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and hydroxyl radicals (.OH) , produced by endotoxin-stimulated phagocytes. Most organisms have active enzymes for catabolism of H2O2 and .o2(-) (precursors of .OH). However, there are no direct enzymatic mechanisms for the clearance of the highly cytotoxic . OH. Thus, the reaction of DMSO with .OH may be an explanation for the protective mechanism.
Improving Interagency Collaboration: Effective Strategies Used by High-Performing Local Districts and Communities

Young adults with disabilities often depend on linkages and supports from adult agencies to achieve high-quality adult outcomes. However, interagency collaboration has emerged as a major area of difficulty and a critical area in need of improvement for school districts throughout the United States. Based on the input of research participants from 29 high-performing districts and state-level transition coordinators from five diverse states, this article identifies 11 key strategies to enhance interagency collaboration. Results provide implications for the field of transition concerning effective methods for increasing interagency collaboration and, ultimately, improving postschool outcomes for student with disabilities.
A method for ossicular reconstruction with tragal cartilage autografts.

Reconstruction of the ossicular mechanism using a tragal cartilage autograft frequently presents problems, including displacement of the cartilage graft, maintenance of firm and accurate contact between the graft and ossicular remnants, and loss of stiffness of the graft. To avoid these problems, we have used the cartilage graft and overlying perichondrium of appropriate size, with a tunnel made between the outer perichondrium and the cartilage to accomo-date remnants of the incus or handle of the malleus. The graft has a small perichondrial flap on the other end for firm anchorage to the arch of the stapes or the footplate. This allows the cartilage graft to be firmly anchored with the adjacent ossicular remnants. The presence of perichondrium with the graft helps to maintain nutrition, stiffness, and the configuration of the cartilage. With minor modifications, we have used this technique in 115 patients to reconstruct different types of ossicular defects, with commendable hearing results. Of the 115 operated ears, an air-bone gap closure within 10 dB was found in 14.8%, within 15 dB in 34.8%, and within 20 dB in 24.4% of ears. In another 20.8% of cases, the air-bone gap closure remained in the range of 25 dB or less. The longest follow-up was 13 years 7 months. The presented technique is easy and effective and solves most of the problems of cartilage ossiculoplasty.
Provider Education about Glaucoma and Glaucoma Medications during Videotaped Medical Visits

Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine how patient, physician, and situational factors are associated with the extent to which providers educate patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medications, and which patient and provider characteristics are associated with whether providers educate patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medications. Methods. Patients with glaucoma who were newly prescribed or on glaucoma medications were recruited and a cross-sectional study was conducted at six ophthalmology clinics. Patients' visits were videotape recorded and patients were interviewed after visits. Generalized estimating equations were used to analyze the data. Results. Two hundred and seventy-nine patients participated. Providers were significantly more likely to educate patients about glaucoma and glaucoma medications if they were newly prescribed glaucoma medications. Providers were significantly less likely to educate African American patients about glaucoma. Providers were significantly less likely to educate patients of lower health literacy about glaucoma medications. Conclusion. Eye care providers did not always educate patients about glaucoma or glaucoma medications. Practice Implications. Providers should consider educating more patients about what glaucoma is and how it is treated so that glaucoma patients can better understand their disease. Even if a patient has already been educated once, it is important to reinforce what has been taught before.
Mineral-Chemical and Isotopic Variations in Apollo 16 Impact-Melt Breccias

Lunar impact-melt breccias were formed by intense bombardment of the Moon's surface by meteorites. The compositions of these rocks may record the composition of the underlying lunar crust, but also may contain components that were transported from much larger basin-forming impacts several hundred kilometers away. In this study, a suite of nine impact-melt breccia samples were analyzed for their texture and mineral compositions and a subset of these samples were analyzed for Sr and Nd-isotopic compositions. These new data were integrated into accumulated databases on the mineral-chemical and geochemical compositions of Apollo 16 impact-melt breccias to develop a better understanding of the formation of these rocks and the nature of the materials from which they were derived. Although not pronounced, there are some distinct mineralogical features characteristic of the various breccia groups and subgroups defined in McKinley et al. (1984) and Korotev (1994). Rocks in the various subgroups have isotopic chara...
Primary Productivity of Periphyton

THE difficult problem of assaying biomass and rates of colonization by periphyton in fresh and saline waters has been recognized for many years. The most common method used in these investigations has involved the measurement of rates of colonization by periphyton on artificial substrata. The literature on this subject has recently been reviewed by Cooke1, Sladeckova2, and myself3. Very few of these investigations are concerned with measurements of photosynthetic rates of algal periphyton under natural conditions. A method for measuring productivity of periphyton in situ in lakes and ponds would be useful for comparative studies of the relative importance of each of the photosynthetic producer components, that is, phytoplankton, periphyton, and macrophytos.
A National Survey of Undergraduate Psychology Degree Options and Major Requirements.

We examined the catalogs of a random sample of 292 national and regional universities and liberal arts colleges to collect curricular data on the prevalence of focused specialty versus general degrees in psychology and on the course requirements for the various degree options. We analyzed the data by type of degree and institution. Requirements for the various psychology majors were in general agreement with recommendations by the curriculum committee of the recent St. Mary's Conference. We also found that a substantial number of schools offer options other than general degrees. Given trends such as rising undergraduate enrollments and concern for career relevance and job preparation, we believe that the number of these alternative degree options may increase in the future.
Effect of additional B-site transition metal doping on oxygen transport and activation characteristics in La0.6Sr0.4(Co0.18Fe0.72X0.1)O3−δ (where X = Zn, Ni or Cu) perovskite oxides

Abstract The bulk structure, surface characteristics and catalytic properties of perovskite-type oxides with the formula La0.6Sr0.4(Co0.18Fe0.72X0.1)O3−δ with X = Zn, Ni and Cu have been investigated. With additional B-site doping with divalent cations, the oxygen vacancy generation properties were significantly enhanced, while still maintaining a stable perovskite structure. The Zn-doped sample showed the best performance and was further characterized for surface structure and properties. CO2 TPD and methane oxidation experiments were conducted to gauge the oxygen activation and oxygen mobility and the Zn-doped catalyst showed improved performance over the baseline La0.6Sr0.4Co0.2Fe0.8O3−δ catalyst, making it a potential SOFC cathode catalyst.