cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clostridioides difficile Infections in Inpatient Pediatric Oncology Patients: A Cohort Study Evaluating Risk Factors and Associated Outcomes.

BACKGROUND Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a significant source of morbidity in pediatric cancer patients. Few reports to date have evaluated risk factors and short-term outcomes for this population. METHODS We retrospectively evaluated pediatric oncology admissions at St Louis Children's Hospital from 2009 to 2018. All inpatient cases of diagnosed initial CDI were identified. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of CDI and associated risk factors, including coadmission with another patient with CDI, and to evaluate short-term outcomes including length of stay and delays in subsequent scheduled chemotherapy. RESULTS Review of 6567 admissions from 952 patients revealed 109 CDI cases (11.4% of patients). Patients with leukemia or lymphoma, compared to those with solid tumors, were more likely to have CDI (odds ratio [OR], 3 [95% CI, 1.4-6.6], and 3 [95% CI, 1.3-6.8], respectively). Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) was also a risk factor (OR, 3.5 [95% CI, 1.7-7.4]). Prior antibiotic exposure independently increased the risk for CDI (OR, 3.0 [95% CI, 1.8-4.8]). Concurrent admission with another patient with CDI also significantly increased the risk (OR, 84.7 [95% CI, 10.5-681.8]). In contrast to previous reports, exposure to acid-suppressing medications decreased the risk for CDI (OR, 0.5 [95% CI, .3-.7]). CDI was associated with increased length of stay (mean difference, 8 days [95% CI, 4.6-11.4]) and prolonged delays for subsequent chemotherapy (mean difference, 1.4 days [95% CI, .1-2.7]). CONCLUSIONS CDI in pediatric oncology patients significantly prolongs hospitalization and delays chemotherapy treatment plans. Interventions to control CDI will improve the care of pediatric oncology patients.
Is Cerebrospinal Fluid Responsible for Innate Immune Cell Activation and Neurotoxicity in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neuroinflammatory disease characterized not only by the classic focal demyelinating plaques but also by a cytotoxic neurodegenerative process of the brain.1 Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) on MRI has shown that microstructural damage is more evident in brain areas closer to CSF, including the cortex and periventricular white matter (WM), suggesting a common pathophysiologic mechanism of damage.2,3 Even though microglial activation has been associated with cortical damage postmortem,4 the exact mechanism of tissue damage in areas around the CSF and the role of CSF in it have yet to be identified.
Preserved glycemic control and baroreflex efficacy in young adult hypertensive female obese Zucker rats

Obese Zucker rats (OZRs) develop hypertension and hyperinsulinemia by 3 mo of age. Male OZRs also have diminished baroreflex-mediated activation of nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and bradycardia,...
Suv420 enrichment at the centromere limits Aurora B localization and function

Centromere structure and function are defined by the epigenetic modification of histones at centromeric and pericentromeric chromatin. The constitutive heterochromatin found at pericentromeric regions is highly enriched for H3K9me3 and H4K20me3. While mis-expression of the methyltransferase enzymes, Suv39 and Suv420, that regulate these marks are common in disease, the consequences of such changes are not well understood. Our data show that increased centromere localization of Suv39 and Suv420 suppress centromere transcription and compromise localization of the mitotic kinase Aurora B: decreasing microtubule dynamics and compromising chromosome alignment and segregation. We find that inhibition of Suv420 methyltransferase activity partially restores Aurora B localization to centromeres and that restoration of the Aurora B-containing CPC to the centromere is sufficient to suppress mitotic errors that result when Suv420/H4K20me3 is enriched at centromeres. Consistent with a role for Suv39 and Suv420 in negatively regulating Aurora B, high expression of these enzymes corresponds with increased sensitivity to Aurora kinase inhibition in cancer cells suggesting that increased H3K9 and H4K20 methylation may be an underappreciated source of chromosome missegregation in cancer.
Security Informatics: A Paradigm Shift in Information Technology Education

Security informatics will represent a paradigmatic shift in college and university curricula in computer science, software engineering, information systems and science, networking and telecommunications, Internet technologies and related disciplines – the disciplines that might be assumed under the broad umbrella of ”information technology” – though most programs have not yet understood the import or implemented the systemic change. Faculty have experienced much technology change over the short history of computing and are much more frequently introducing change into courses and programs than their colleagues in other disciplines. The need for security in information applications in virtually every discipline will generate robust interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary opportunities for informatics (as different from information technology) programs.
Ultrastructure of Escherichia coli Depleted of an Amino Acid

Particles accumulating during amino acid starvation of Escherichia coli C600 are described and illustrated.
Power-performance optimal 64-bit carry-lookahead adders

A circuit sizing tool that minimizes the delay under energy constraints has been developed using optimisation software, tabulated delay models and analytical energy models. The tool is used to generate energy-delay (E-D) tradeoff curves for selected high-performance 64-bit carry-lookahead adders. The optimisation indicates that the sparse radix-4 carry-lookahead adder with sparseness factor of 2 has optimal performance in the energy-delay space.
Genetic variants, immune function, and risk of pre-eclampsia among American Indians.

Citation Best LG, Nadeau M, Davis K, Lamb F, Bercier S, Anderson CM. Genetic variants, immune function, and risk of pre-eclampsia among American Indians. Am J Reprod Immunol 2012; 67: 152–159 Problem To determine the prevalence in an American Indian population of genetic variants with putative effects on immune function and determine if they are associated with pre-eclampsia (PE). Method of study In a study of 66 cases and 130 matched controls, six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with either previously demonstrated or postulated modulating effects on the immune system were genotyped. Allele frequencies and various genetic models were evaluated by conditional logistic regression in both univariate and multiply adjusted models. Results Although most genetic variants lacked evidence of association with PE, the minor allele of the CRP related, rs1205 SNP in a dominant model with adjustment for age at delivery, nulliparity, and body mass index, exhibited an odds ratio of 0.259 (95% CI of 0.08–0.81, P = 0.020) in relation to severe PE (48 cases). The allelic prevalence of this variant was 46.1% in this population. Conclusion Of the six SNPs related to immune function in this study, a functional variant in the 3′UTR of the CRP gene was shown to be associated with severe PE in an American Indian population.
Analysis of rat serum apolipoproteins by isoelectric focusing. I. Studies on the middle molecular weight subunits.

The low molecular weight proteins of rat apo HDL and apo VLDL have been isolated and analyzed by the technique of isoelectric focusing. Sephadex fractions from apo HDL (HS-3) and apo VLDL (VS-3) that contain these proteins reveal three major bands with apparent isoelectric points of pH 4.50, 4.67, and 4.74, as well as three minor bands at pH 4.43, 4.57, and 4.61. In addition, apo HDL has a major band at pI of 4.83. DEAE-Cellulose chromatography was used to prepare purified fractions of these components that were characterized by N-terminal analyses and molecular weight determinantions by SDS gel electrophoresis. The major low molecular weight components of apo HDL were focused on a slab gel and the bands were identified as A-II (pI 4.83), C-II (pI 4.74), C-III-0 (pI 4.67), and C-III-3 (pI 4.50). Neuraminidase treatment of apo HDL, followed by isoelectric focusing, suggested that the other bands, which have not previously been reported, may be additional forms of the C-III protein, differing only in their content of sialic acid.
The Expressed Protein in Glyphosate-Tolerant Soybean, 5-Enolypyruvylshikimate-3-Phosphate Synthase from Agrobacterium sp. Strain CP4, Is Rapidly Digested In Vitro and Is not Toxic to Acutely Gavaged Mice

The safety of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase enzyme derived from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4 (CP4 EPSPS) was assessed. CP4 EPSPS is the only protein introduced by genetic manipulation that is expressed in glyphosate-tolerant soybeans, which are being developed to provide new weed-control options for farmers. Expression of this protein in plants imparts high levels of glyphosate tolerance. The safety of CP4 EPSPS was ascertained by evaluating both physical and functional characteristics. CP4 EPSPS degrades readily in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, suggesting that this protein will be degraded in the mammalian digestive tract upon ingestion as a component of food or feed. There were no deleterious effects due to the acute administration of CP4 EPSPS to mice by gavage at a high dosage of 572 mg/kg body wt, which exceeds 1000-fold the anticipated consumption level of food products potentially containing CP4 EPSPS protein. CP4 EPSPS does not pose any important allergen concerns because this protein does not possess characteristics typical of allergenic proteins. These data, in combination with seed compositional analysis and animal feeding studies, support the conclusion that glyphosate-tolerant soybeans are as safe and nutritious as traditional soybeans currently being marketed.
White matter abnormalities associated with military PTSD in the context of blast TBI

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common among recent military veterans and involve substantial symptom overlap, making clinical distinction and effective intervention difficult. Emerging evidence of cerebral white matter abnormalities associated with mTBI may provide a biological measure to inform diagnosis and treatment, but the potentially confounding effects between PTSD and mTBI have largely gone unexamined. We collected diffusion imaging data from 133 recently-deployed American service members who developed PTSD and/or sustained mTBI, or had neither condition. Effects of PTSD and mTBI on traditional tensor-based measures of cerebral white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy [FA] and mean diffusivity [MD]) were compared in anatomical regions of interest and individual voxels throughout the brain. Generalized FA (GFA), which allows for multiple fiber orientations per voxel, was also included to improve sensitivity in white matter areas containing crossing or diverging axon bundles. PTSD was consistently associated with high GFA in select brain regions, greater likelihood of regions and voxels with abnormally low MD, and a greater number of voxels with abnormally high FA, while mTBI was associated with fewer high MD regions. Overall, PTSD was associated with more restricted diffusion (low MD) and greater anisotropy (high GFA) in regions of crossing/diverging fibers poorly characterized by a single tensor (FA), suggesting that interstitial fibers may be involved. Contrary to earlier results in a sample without PTSD, mTBI was not associated with anisotropy abnormalities, perhaps indicating the cooccurrence of PTSD and mTBI requires special consideration with regard to structural brain connectivity. Hum Brain Mapp, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Language: en
Behavioral testing of cellular neural networks

This paper addresses the functional behavior of Cellular Neural Networks (CNN). The impact of variable convergence times on the proper operation of the network is discussed A test method is presented to determine the functionality of the network. The function fault models assume that the cells are unable to switch between limiting states. The proposed method attains 100% stuck-at fault coverage without any extra hardware for its implementation. Moreover, the required number of test vectors is constant and independent of the array size which makes it suitable for practical implementations. The paper discusses the new fault model, presents the algorithmic procedures and shows simulated testing results. >
Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Colony Initiation Attempts: Translocations and Decoys

Abstract. Within the context of a limited number of Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) breeding sites, promoting new colonies can mitigate localized threats to regional populations. To assess the efficacy of short-distance (∼5 km) translocations and use of decoys to establish new colonies, and thereby increase statewide population viability, research was conducted within the Isles Dernieres archipelago, Louisiana. Translocations of 323 Brown Pelican chicks to an un-colonized island were performed from 2007 to 2009, and from 2008 to 2010, 108 Brown Pelican decoys were deployed on a separate island void of nesting. From 2008 to 2010 band re-sighting surveys detected only one transplanted Brown Pelican chick that returned to the release site. Further, < 1 % of translocated individuals were observed throughout the archipelago, compared to 5% and 9% of banded individuals encountered that fledged from nearby islands. Low detection of translocated Brown Pelicans may be due to translocation stress that can re...
Prevention of heterotopic bone formation with early post operative irradiation in high risk patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty: comparison of 10.00 Gy vs 20.00 Gy schedules

Prior studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of postoperative radiation therapy (RT) to the hip area following total hip replacement (THR) surgery in preventing the development of heterotopic bone formation in patients considered to be at high risk for development of this complication. Previously, patients received 20.00 Gy in 10 fractions (fx) over 2 weeks, beginning as soon postop as medically feasible (usually post-op day 2). In an effort to reduce hospital stay and risk of secondary malignancy, a prospective treatment program was initiated April 1982 using a reduced dose of 10.00 Gy in 5 fx over 5-7 days. As of February 1984, 46 consecutive hips determined to be at high risk were treated with this reduced dose. Prior studies have demonstrated that heterotopic bone is always radiographically evident by 8 weeks. Of the 46 hips, 41 had been evaluated with the minimum required 8 week follow-up X ray. Twenty-five of these hips, 61%, had a mean long term follow-up of 12 months. Our historical control group, consisting of 54 consecutive high risk post-THR's, was shown to have a 68.5% incidence of heterotopic bone. The 20.00 Gy group, when RT was started by post-op day 5, demonstrated a 3.2% incidence, compared to 4.9% in the 10.00 Gy group. Complication rates were also comparable in the two RT groups, 19.4% and 7.3% respectively; 10.00 Gy is apparently as effective as 20.00 Gy in preventing heterotopic bone formation in high risk post-THR patients.
Modernism, Christianity, and Business Ethics: A Worldview Perspective

Despite growing interest in examining the role of religion in business ethics, there is little consensus concerning the basis or standards of “good” or ethical behavior and the reasons behind them. This limits our ability to enhance ethical behavior in the workplace. We address this issue by examining worldviews as it relates to ethics research and practice. Our worldview forms the context within which we organize and build our understanding of reality. Given that much of our academic work as well as business practice operate from a modern worldview, we examine how modernism shapes our beliefs and approaches to ethics in business and academia. We identify important limitations of modernism in addressing moral issues and religion. We then introduce the Christian worldview as an alternative approach to examining ethical issues in business
Prostatic crystalloids: Association with adenocarcinoma

With review of 393 consecutive cases of previously documented prostatic adenocarcinoma, the coexistence of intraglandular crystalloids was confirmed. The various morphologic appearances of these structures are described. Unequivocal crystalloids were identified in 10% of cases. They were most often located in the acini of malignant glands but occasionally were observed in benign glands adjacent to carcinoma. Of available clinical and demographic parameters analyzed, several unexplained statistical relationships were observed, but none of the variables could be used to characterize the patients with crystalloids. This paper suggests that these structures may be useful in the diagnosis of prostatic adenocarcinoma when only inadequate or equivocal biopsy material is available.
Botulinum neurotoxin interactions with substrate

The mechanism by which a CNT properly identifies and cleaves its target SNARE once inside the neuron involves one or more regions of enzyme–substrate interaction remote from the active site (so called exosites). We determined the structure of a CNT endopeptidase in complex with its target SNARE that illustrates the extensive enzyme–substrate interface and the basis of substrate selectivity. Our structure of BoNT/A, in complex with human SNAP-25, revealed multiple exosites, including several that are involved in substrate specificity, and one that likely functions as an allosteric activator of the toxin. Different crystal forms of wildtype BoNT/A revealed conformational variability of several loops near the active site. We also determined crystal structures of the apo form of the TeNT LC49 and that of the BoNT/C1 LC protease50. We found remarkable structural differences between the BoNT/C1 and BoNT/A LC proteases that may explain the dual substrate-binding ability of BoNT/C1.
Chiral fermions on the lattice

An expression for the lattice efective action induced by chiral fermions in any even dimensions in terms of an overlap of two states is shown to have promising properties in two dimensions: The correct Abelian anomaly is reproduced and instantons are suppressed.
Narrative practices and the social construction of self in childhood

Narrative, self, and face-to-face interaction all intersect in everyday storytelling practices in which children and caregivers make claims to personal experiences. This article examines such practices as a site for the social construction of self in early childhood. Drawing upon excerpts of narrative talk from a variety of cultural traditions in the United States, we describe the self-relevant meanings and processes entailed in three particular narrative practices. [narrative, self, childhood socialization, language socialization, ethnopsychology]
Using risk-adjusted outcomes to assess clinical practice: An overview of issues pertaining to risk adjustment

Increasingly, health care providers are being evaluated and held accountable for their patients' outcomes, ranging from the costs to service consumption to death. To be meaningful, the outcomes under scrutiny must be important to patients or to the health care system as a whole, relatively common, and linked temporally and causally to the care provided. In addition, outcomes findings should be adjusted for patient risk factors, with the goal of accounting for pertinent clinical characteristics before drawing inferences about the effectiveness or quality of care. Risk adjustment "levels the playing field" in comparing outcomes across providers. Although this concept is straightforward, performing clinically credible risk adjustment is difficult, especially given the widespread data constraints. In this article, I review the major issues involved in performing risk adjustment for health care outcomes studies.
Committee reviews NSF geosciences efforts and releases ocean drilling report

The state of the geosciences directorate at the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is healthy, with a number of accomplishments, although there are also challenges related to funding and other issues, Tim Killeen, assistant director for geosciences at NSF, told the agency's Advisory Committee for Geosciences (AC/GEO) at an 18–19 April meeting. The meeting provided a broad overview of the geosciences directorate, including program priorities, the budget, a report on ocean drilling, and an update on the search to find a replacement for Killeen, whose term as assistant director will conclude on 30 June. At the meeting, NSF director Subra Suresh said that the agency has interviewed candidates for the position based on search committee recommendations. “We hope to close on the search very, very soon,” he said. “Hopefully, it will work out well in time for a smooth transition.” Other searches include finding a replacement for Robert Detrick, former director of the geoscience directorate's Earth sciences division, who recently became assistant administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research office.
Characterization of adult human astrocytes derived from explant culture

Four different human astrocytic cell lines established from either epilepsy surgical specimens or cerebral white matter obtained during thalamotomy for tremor in a patient with multiple sclerosis were characterized using morphologic analysis, ultrastructural attributes, growth characteristics, and immunocytochemical analysis. Immunocytochemical characterization of cultures indicated a mean of 84% of cells contained cytoplasmic glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP): to confirm that GFAP (+) cells also proliferated, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake was measured in cell line. Our method of simplified explant culture allows establishment of astrocytic cell lines from a variety of pathologic substrates using limited amounts of human material.
Aluminoborosilicate Waste Glass Dissolution under Alkaline Conditions at 40°C: Implications for a Chemical Affinity-Based Rate Equation

Environmental context. The production of nuclear materials has generated a very large amount of highly radioactive wastes that need to be disposed of in a manner that will keep them from posing a danger for millions of years until the radioactivity decays. The process being considered for this daunting task is to contain the wastes in glass. Although studies with ancient and natural glass suggest the weathering of glass is slow, experiments are being conducted to determine the impact of this material on the natural environment and attempt to predict its long-term behaviour. The present paper briefly discusses three models that are being considered for implementing this process and the one that appears to hold the most promise. Abstract. Single-pass flow-through experiments were conducted with aluminoborosilicate waste glasses to evaluate how changes in solution composition affect the dissolution rate (r) at 40°C and pH (23°C) = 9.0. The three prototypic low-activity waste (LAW) glasses, LAWE-1A, -95A and -290A, used in these experiments span a wide range covering the expected processing composition of candidate immobilised low-activity waste (ILAW) glasses. Results suggest incongruent release of Al, B, Na, and Si at low flow-rate (q) to sample surface area (S), in units of (m s–1), (log10(q/S) –7.9). Dissolution rates increase from log10(q/S) ≈ –9.3 to –8.0 and then become constant at log10(q/S) > –7.9. Forward (maximum) dissolution rates, based on B release, are the same irrespective of glass composition, evident by the dissolution rates being within the experimental error of one another (r1A = 0.0301 ± 0.0153 g m–2 day–1, r95A = 0.0248 ± 0.0125 g m–2 day–1, and r290A = 0.0389 ± 0.0197 g m–2 day–1). The results also illustrate that as the activity of SiO2(aq) increases, the rate of glass dissolution decreases to a residual rate. The pseudo-equilibrium constant, Kg, (log10(Kg) = –3.7) predicted with these results is slightly lower than the K for chalcedony (log10(K) = –3.48) at 40°C. Finally, these results support the use of a chemical affinity-based rate law to describe glass dissolution as a function of solution composition.
Changes in Nitrogen Cycling Processes Along a Salinity Gradient in Tidal Wetlands of the Hudson River, New York, USA

Rising sea levels and stronger storm surges may expose tidal freshwater wetlands to saline waters, possibly leading to increased sulfate reduction and higher sulfide (H2S) concentrations. To better understand the effects of salinity on nitrogen cycling, porewater chemistry and sediment profiles of H2S and dissolved oxygen (O2) were measured along a salinity gradient in the Hudson River (New York, USA). Additionally, laboratory experiments exposed freshwater sediments to varying salinities after which sediment O2 and H2S dynamics along with nitrification and denitrification were measured. Overall, sites with higher salinities had lower oxygen availability (both as concentration and oxic sediment depth) and higher sulfide concentrations. Both nitrification and denitrification were depressed at higher salinities suggesting that exposure to saline water may alter nitrogen cycling of tidally influenced wetlands in the brackish region of the Hudson River estuary which may result in reduced retention of nitrogen.
Sustainability of superhydrophobicity under pressure

Prior studies have demonstrated that superhydrophobicity of submerged surfaces is influenced by hydrostatic pressure and other environmental effects. Sustainability of a superhydrophobic surface could be characterized by both how long it maintains the trapped air in its surface pores, so-called “longevity,” and the pressure beyond which it undergoes a global wetting transition, so-called “terminal pressure.” In this work, we investigate the effects of pressure on the performance of electrospun polystyrene fibrous coatings. The time-dependent hydrophobicity of the submerged coating in a pressure vessel is optically measured under elevated pressures. Rheological studies are also performed to determine the effects of pressure on drag reduction and slip length. The measurements indicate that surface longevity exponentially decays with increasing pressure in perfect agreement with the studies reported in the literature at lower pressures. It is found, however, that fibrous coatings could resist hydrostatic pressures significantly higher than those of previously reported surfaces. Our observations indicate that superhydrophobic fibrous coatings could potentially be used for underwater applications.
A Primal Simplex Based Solution Procedure for the Rectilinear Distance Multifacility Location Problem

In this paper a primal simplex based solution procedure is developed for a multiproduct, multi-facility location problem using rectilinear distance measures. By overcoming the combinatorial nature of the problem which arises in the presence of degeneracy, this procedure is capable of handling large size problems. Computational results are also provided.
Self-competence Among Early and Middle Adolescents Affected by Maternal HIV/AIDS

Adolescent children of mothers with HIV face a host of stressors that place them at increased risk for poor outcomes. Using covariance structure analysis, this study examines adolescent risk outcomes and their relationships to maternal health, as well as the potentially protective factors of family environment and self-competence. The final model indicated that poor maternal health was negatively related to a protective family environment, which in turn was negatively related to adolescent risk outcomes. A protective family environment was also positively related to adolescent self-competence, which was negatively related to adolescent risk outcomes. Implications of the study are discussed, including how these findings can influence interventions aimed at reducing the risk for poor outcomes among adolescent youth with HIV-infected mothers.
RETRIEVAL OF MULTIMEDIA WEB DOCUMENTS AND REMOVAL OF REDUNDANT INFORMATION

This paper describes a search engine for multimedia web documents and a methodology for removing (partially or totally) redundant information from multiple documents in an effort to synthesize new documents. In this paper, a typical multimedia document contains free text and images and additionally has associating well-structured data. An SQL-like query language, WebSSQL, is proposed to retrieve this type of documents. The main differences between WebSSQL and other proposed SQL extensions for retrieving web documents are that WebSSQL is similarity-based and supports conditions on images. This paper also deals with the detection and removal of redundant information (text paragraphs and images) from multiple retrieved documents. Documents reporting the same or related events and stories may contain substantial redundant information. The removal of the redundant information and the synthesis of these documents into a single document can not only save a user's time to acquire the information but also storage space to archive the data. The methodology reported here consists of techniques for analyzing text paragraphs and images as well as a set of similarity criteria used to detect redundant paragraphs and images. Examples are provided to illustrate these techniques.
What Is the Role of Newer Molecular Tests in the Management of CAP

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) accounts for major morbidity and mortality in the United States. With improved broad-spectrum antibiotics, the implementation of diagnostic studies has declined and most patients do not have an etiologic pathogen of CAP identified. To enhance the appropriate use of antiviral agents and prevent overuse of antibiotics, the successful management of CAP requires rapid and accurate diagnosis of the etiologic agent of CAP. This article provides an overview of the new rapid molecular tests for the diagnosis of influenza, other respiratory viruses, and bacteria compared with nonmolecular tests and how their use for directed therapy can enhance and improve the management of CAP.
The effects of information availability on the benefits accrued from enhancing audit-firm reputation

Abstract This paper reports on a laboratory experiment that examines the effect of market setting and reputation enhancement on audit prices, profits, and number of contracts. Klein and Leffler (1981) The role of market forces in assuring contractual performance. Journal of Political Economy, 89 , 615–641 provide theory related to reputation effects based on the availability of perfect ex-post quality (of the audit) information. Such information is not routinely available within audit markets. Therefore, the assumption of the availability of perfect ex-post quality information was relaxed to reflect a more realistic market in which audit quality must be inferred from information related to audit failure. Findings are that restricting the information available in this manner significantly affected the market's response to the auditor's attempts to establish a reputation. While the markets for which perfect ex-post quality information was provided closely followed the model's expectations, the limited information markets did not—auditors who attempted to enhance their reputation were unable to charge significantly higher prices and correspondingly made significantly lower profits.
The Institutional Press and Professionalization: Defining the Press Clause Journalist's Privilege Cases

(1996). The Institutional Press and Professionalization: Defining the Press Clause Journalist's Privilege Cases. Free Speech Yearbook: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 49-62.
OH radical nonequilibrium in methane-air flat flames

The OH radical concentration and rotational temperature were measured in atmospheric pressure methane-air flat flames using absorption spectra obtained with a tunable dye laser. The OH radical nonequilibrium and the associated recombination in the post flame gases were observed for flue-air equivalence ratios of .8, .9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2. Predicted peak OH concentrations from one-dimensional laminar flame models1–3 were found to be in good agreement with those observed in the experiment. Both the measured and laminar flame model4 predicted OH decay profiles were consistent with a second order dependence of the decay on the OH concentration, i.e., d[OH]/dt=−α[OH]2[M]. For the fuel-rich flames this second order dependence can be derived analytically from the recombination chemistry and partial exquilibrium arguments5. An integration of the chemical rate equations6 governing the chemistry in the recombination dominated post flame region of the fuel-rich flames also leads to this second order dependence. For the fuel-lean flames, the integration of the chemical rate equations yields OH decay profiles which are not second order in [OH]. For these flames, it appears that diffusional transport effects are responsible for the observed second order behavior of the OH decay profiles. The decay rate constant, α, characterizing the measured OH decay was found to remain relatively constant for the lean and stoichiometric flames and to increase substantially for fuel-rich conditions. This result agrees, with the laminar flame models, and is consistent with the integration of the chemical rate equations and an analytic derivation for the fuel-rich flames. Values of the decay rate constant, α, measured in this experiment are comparable to those obtained from other experimental observations7 at similar temperatures. Decay rate constants obtained at somewhat lower temperature8 are two orders of magnitude larger than those found in the present work. This increase in the decay rate constant cannot be attributed to the temperature dependence of the recombination rate constants. Recent measurements9 duplicating the conditions of ref. 8 indicate that the (OH) is a factor of 100 larger than was reported. This error accounts for the unexpectedly large decay rate constants which were reported.
Moth Sex Pheromone Receptors and Deceitful Parapheromones

The insect's olfactory system is so selective that male moths, for example, can discriminate female-produced sex pheromones from compounds with minimal structural modifications. Yet, there is an exception for this “lock-and-key” tight selectivity. Formate analogs can be used as replacement for less chemically stable, long-chain aldehyde pheromones, because male moths respond physiologically and behaviorally to these parapheromones. However, it remained hitherto unknown how formate analogs interact with aldehyde-sensitive odorant receptors (ORs). Neuronal responses to semiochemicals were investigated with single sensillum recordings. Odorant receptors (ORs) were cloned using degenerate primers, and tested with the Xenopus oocyte expression system. Quality, relative quantity, and purity of samples were evaluated by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We identified olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) housed in trichoid sensilla on the antennae of male navel orangeworm that responded equally to the main constituent of the sex pheromone, (11Z,13Z)-hexadecadienal (Z11Z13-16Ald), and its formate analog, (9Z,11Z)-tetradecen-1-yl formate (Z9Z11-14OFor). We cloned an odorant receptor co-receptor (Orco) and aldehyde-sensitive ORs from the navel orangeworm, one of which (AtraOR1) was expressed specifically in male antennae. AtraOR1•AtraOrco-expressing oocytes responded mainly to Z11Z13-16Ald, with moderate sensitivity to another component of the sex pheromone, (11Z,13Z)-hexadecadien-1-ol. Surprisingly, this receptor was more sensitive to the related formate than to the natural sex pheromone. A pheromone receptor from Heliothis virescens, HR13 ( = HvirOR13) showed a similar profile, with stronger responses elicited by a formate analog than to the natural sex pheromone, (11Z)-hexadecenal thus suggesting this might be a common feature of moth pheromone receptors.
Micromechanics for x-ray lithography and x-ray lithography for micromechanics

X-ray masks are micromechanical structures. They are best fabricated from thin films of low atomic number materials with built-in tensile strain. Optimized low pressure chemical vapor deposited polysilicon films have the desired characteristics for excellent x-ray masks. They also offer many other application opportunities as stencil masks and optical filters. Deep x-ray lithography has been developed in Germany. Concepts in very thick photoresist processing are fundamentally involved in this procedure. The end result: nearly three-dimensional metal structures will be very beneficial to future micro-structure fabrication.
Experimental Study on the FBG Sensing Character under Three-Dimensional Uniform Stress Field

FBG sensing character and model under three-dimensional stress are studyed in this paper. FBG center wavelength shifts of the two polarization directions are different and the shifts are determined by the changes of refractive index and the axial stain. The experiment indicates that the resonance peak wavelength shift amounts of the two directions are proportional to the transverse load.
Enhanced photovoltaic performance of perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 solar cells with freestanding TiO2 nanotube array films

Freestanding TiO2 nanotube array films are fabricated and first applied as electrodes in perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 sensitized solar cells. The device demonstrates improved light absorption with more than 90% of light absorbed in the whole visible range and a reduced charge recombination rate, leading to a significant improvement of the photocurrent and efficiency. This study suggests a promising way of improving the conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells through novel electrodes.
1443 IS ULTRA EARLY (UE) SURFACTANT (S-TA) TREATMENT IN HYALINE MEMBRANE DISEASE (HMD) BENEFICIAL?

Although S-TA has been used in the treatment of HMD, the optimal time of therapy is not established. We compared the physiologic responses to ultra early (UE) and late (LT) treatment of S-TA therapy in preterm baboons (76% of term). After C-section they were intubated and ventilated. S-TA 100 mg/kg was instilled at 10' in UE group and at 2 hrs. in LT group. All were treated to maintain normoxia, normocarbia, and normal pH range. Sequential data are shown below. Improvement in compliance (CL) was significantly better in UE than LT group. Mean airway pressure (MAP) dropped significantly in UE group reaching 5.2±2.2 cmH20 at 14 hrs. P-V curves of lungs at autopsy showed significantly higher lung vol. (at P5 deflation, 19.3±5.2 vs 11.6±2.8 ml/kg. P<.02) in UE group. These data suggest UE treatment establishes rapid alveolar stability and improves lung compliance facilitating rapid drop in MAP. better than the late treated group.
Diagnosis of glaucoma using telemedicine - the effect of compression on the evaluation of optic nerve head cup-disc ratio

A photograph of the optic nerve head requires a lot of disk space (over 1 MByte) for storage and may require substantial bandwidth and time for transmission to a remote practitioner for a second opinion. To test whether compression degrades the image quality of the images, 302 slides were digitized at an optical resolution of 2400 pixels/inch (945 pixels/cm) and 30 bit/pixel. The images were saved both in non-compressed TIFF format and in compressed JPEG (compression ratio of 60) format. A blinded observer measured the optic nerve head cup-disc ratio for all three groups: the original slides, uncompressed TIFF and compressed JPEG images. The results showed that digital images were less accurate than slides. However, compression, even up to a ratio of 40, did not make matters worse.
FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS FOR THE SEISMIC RESPONSE OF EARTH BANKS

The seismic response of earth banks is studied by the finite element method. The effects of the division and extent of the section of the bank used in the analysis are examined. The appropriate extent of the bank to be included in the analysis is ascertained by studying several sections of varying extents and observing the influence of the boundaries on the response values. The effects of the division of the bank are examined by increasing the number of divisions and observing the influence on the response values. Based on these results, criteria for the appropriate division and extent of earth banks on either rigid or flexible foundations are proposed. An independent check on the results is provided by the fact that the response values of the parts of the bank well behind the crest and well beyond the toe of the slope approach those of corresponding semi-infinite layers.
Photon-counting-intensified CID detector for space astronomy

We are developing a novel solar blind, high resolution, photon counting detector for applications in space UV astronomy. Our concept is to utilize a charge injection device (CID) as the readout stage behind a microchannel plate (MCP) intensifier. This detector will take advantage of the flexible readout options afforded by the addressable CID architecture to provide high local frame rates around bright features in an image. In this concept, the detector bandwidth can be used most efficiently, reading pixels around a bright star more frequently than those in a nearby dim cloud of gas, for example. The demonstration apparatus described in this paper incorporates a 25 mm diameter intensifier tube fiber optically coupled to a commercially available 30 frame-s-1, 512 X 512 pixel, progressive-scan CID2250 camera. The 10 MHz analog video from this camera is digitized and processed by a centroider module that calculates the position of each event in real time with subpixel precision, thus providing high spatial resolution limited by the MCPs. The pore-resolved images presented in this paper validate the intensified CID concept. We plan to incorporates custom driving electronics and an experimental CID with on-chip address decoders for high speed random access of detector subarrays of arbitrary size and location. Our goal is to demonstrate a solar-blind UV photon counter with 200-300 counts-s-1 point source and 3 X 105 counts-s-1 global rate capability with up to 4000 by 4000 elements.
Effect of precursory cooling on falling-film rewetting

An analytical model for falling-film wetting of a hot surface has been developed to account for the effect of cooling by droplet-vapor mixture in the region immediately ahead of the wet front. The effect of precursory cooling is characterized by a heat transfer coefficient decaying exponentially from the wet front. Based on the present model, the wet front velocity, as well as the temperature profile along a thin slab, can be calculated. It is demonstrated that the precursory cooling can increase the wet front velocity by an order of magnitude. Existing experimental data with variable flow rates at atmospheric pressure are shown to be successfully correlated by the present model. (auth)
IDEAS Approach to Process Network Synthesis: Minimum Plate Area for Complex Distillation Networks with Fixed Utility Cost†

In this paper, we employ the infinite dimensional state-space (IDEAS) paradigm to determine the globally minimum plate area for a liquid/vapor equilibrium based separation process (distillation) network. The IDEAS paradigm results in a convex (linear) optimization problem which accounts for all possible design alternatives. The obtained solution is thus guaranteed to be the global optimum over all networks. The power of the IDEAS paradigm is demonstrated in a case study on the separation of a nitrogen/oxygen mixture. The plate area for the IDEAS design is 58% lower than the plate area of the best conventional design.
THE CLINICAL PRESENTATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS AND THE ROLE OF THE PEDIATRIC PROVIDER: What Do I Do When I See Children Who Might Have an Environmentally Related Illness?

The practice of environmental health is concerned with the protection of the community. There are a number of tools used for assessment of environmental hazards, but environmental health is most reliant on the use of risk assessment. Risk assessment is a set of tools used to assess hazards on a community level, based on human studies, ecological studies, or toxicity testing of animals.
Division polarity in developing stomata

Stomata are generated via asymmetric cell division in both dicots and monocots. Intrinsic or extrinsic polarity cues are perceived and acted upon to generate mother cell polarity and determine asymmetric division planes. Arabidopsis employs both intrinsic and extrinsic cues to orient a variable series of asymmetric stomatal divisions, using novel proteins such as BASL and POLAR to generate polarity. In contrast, maize appears to employ only extrinsic cues to orient the polarities of divisions occurring in an invariant sequence to generate stomatal complexes. Although both plants use receptor-like kinases to generate or orient division polarity in developing stomata, there are few similarities in the proteins and pathway identified to date as regulators of these processes.
Development of the XIth or spinal accessory nerve in the chick with some notes on the hypoglossal and upper cervical nerves.

Bodian stained serial sections show that N. XI first appears at Stage 19. By Stage 21 there are at least 350 rootlet fibers, and about 65 fibers have reached N. X in their growth. N. XI merges with the second cervical ganglion posteriorly, and passes through the first cervical ganglion while the latter is present. Contrary to findings from gross dissection, histological sections show that the second cervical ganglion is retained in the adult, and N. XI retains its relation to this ganglion. Nerve cells present along N. XI in the embryo disappear by adulthood from a little anterior to ganglion C. 2 to the most anterior levels of C. 1, possibly migrating along the nerve rather than degenerating. Proprioceptice fibers for the nerve may originate from cells that lie in the adult in or near the ganglion of C. 2 or in or near the jugular ganglion. Motor fibers originate from cells of the ventral horn of C. 2, C. 1, and the lowest medullary levels, and leave the cord and medulla by a route similar to the fibers of von Lenhossek of more posterior levels. N. XI in the adult contains about 350 spinal and 215 medullary fibers. The two main roots of N. XII on each side send strong lateral branches to the cervical musculature before joining to form the nerve to the tongue, to which C. 1 and C. 2 ventral roots also contribute.
Singlet excitation transfer from poly rA to bound dye at 77 K

Abstract The fluorescence of poly rA frozen in an aqueous medium containing sugar is half-quenched by bound dyes at a fractional concentration ≈ 0.01, smaller by an order-of-magnitude than that required to sensitize the room-temperature fluorescence of dyes bound to nucleic acid polymers. There is no quenching of the fluorescence of similarly frozen adenosine solutions having the same absolute concentrations of base and dye.
The Effects of Acetic Acid on Mammalian Cells

Effects of the contrast agent, acetic acid, on mammalian cells are studied using light scattering measurements, viability and fluorescence pH assays. Results depend on whether cells are in PBS or are live and metabolizing.