cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Model ecosystem studies of the environmental fate of five herbicides used in conservation tillage

The environmental persistence of pesticides, their terminal residues and their contaminants, has played a major role in environmental regulations. To demonstrate degradation in field studies is difficult, both because of the length of time required and because of the complexity of demonstrating degradation of metabolites as well as of the pesticide itself. These difficulties can be circumvented by evaluating radiolabeled pesticides in a terrestrial aquatic laboratory model ecosystem which provides qualitative and quantitative data on persistence, bioaccumulation, and degradation both of the parent compound and of its metabolites. This microcosm was used to obtain data on the environmental degradation of pesticides with major roles in conservation tillage: paraquat, atrazine, linuron, oryzalin, alachlor, and paraquat paired with each of the other herbicides. The results suggest that alachlor, atrazine, linuron, and oryzalin do not pose serious risks of environmental accumulation when applied alone. The results of paired-herbicide eco-system evaluations compared to evaluations of each herbicide separately demonstrate that: paraquat is only minimally transported to aquatic organisms or to water; differences in herbicide application are more important in determining residue levels for these herbicides than are interactions between the herbicide and paraquat, although the latter do occur; and the addition of paraquat does not significantly alter the capacity of these herbicides for bioaccumulation or ecological magnification.
Molecular dynamics simulations of anchored viral peptide interactions

The authors use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate viral peptide interactions as the cause of pH-dependent fusion in liposomal drug delivery. Viral peptides (LEFN) are composed of a linker peptide (LELELELE) connected to a synthetic viral peptide (DRGWGNGCGLFGKGSI). Rather than being anchored in a lipid bilayer, the viral peptides are anchored to a neutral surface by the amino termini of the linker peptide (anchor atoms are mobile in the xy-plane). Atomistic-level peptide pair arrangement on a surface depends on pH; however, the overall propensity to cluster is independent of pH, indicating that pH-sensitive liposome fusion is not due to peptide clustering. To further investigate a molecular cause of pH-sensitive fusion, the authors treat the linker peptides as ectodomains, with the assumption that the viral peptides are already inserted into a target membrane. In these simulations, the linker peptides are elongated to encourage them to bundle. At both high and low pH, the peptides readily bundle. At high pH, however, bundling was constrained by long-range order induced by sodium ions bridging negatively charged glutamic acid residues on neighboring peptides. The authors hypothesize that this constraint hinders the ability of the linker peptides to support viral peptide insertion, resulting in decreased levels of fusion observed experimentally.
Time-by-Count Measurement of Diadochokinetic Syllable Rate

Diadochokinetic syllable rate has traditionally been assessed through counting the number of syllables spoken in a given time period. This count-by-time procedure has required two separate operations—one to measure time and the other to count syllables within time. A time-by-count strategy is proposed to enable an examiner to collect diadochokinetic measurements in sequential rather than overlapping tasks. Oscillographic and stop watch measurements, using the proposed new procedure, were generated and expressed as norms from syllable repetitions of 384 school-age children. The two measurements produced equivalent data. It was therefore concluded that the time-by-count procedure can produce accurate estimates of diadochokinetic syllable production. Additional conclusions regarding age, sex, and stimulus order are presented.
Nonlinear Two-Dimensional Vibrational Spectroscopy

There is currently great interest in developing the vibrational analog to two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy. One approach to implementing two-dimensional vibrational spectroscopy is to use doubly vibrationally enhanced (DOVE) four-wave mixing (FWM). Non-linear signals occur because of correlations and mode coupling that are induced by interactions involving the driven modes. Since cross peaks do not occur between modes if interactions are absent, spectral congestion is removed and only the coupled modes remain. We describe the development of a two-dimensional doubly vibrationally enhanced four wave mixing method that extends the doubly resonant nonlinear spectroscopies to vibrational nonlinearities. We demonstrate the selective enhancements of coupled modes that are possible with the double resonances where the intensity of the enhancements reflects the strength of the interactions that are responsible for the vibrational mode coupling. We also demonstrate the capabilities for selectively enhancing specific sample components in an isotopic mixture. Since biological applications of DOVE require aqueous environments, we have examined the ability of DOVE methods to discriminate against the strong water absorption and have found that water has a small vibrational nonlinearity that allows DOVE of the solutes. Our results demonstrate the feasibility and features required to make DOVE methods practical for a wide range of scientific applications where identification of intra- and intermolecular interactions is important.
Association of prematurity and neonatal infection with neurologic morbidity in very low birth weight infants

Abstract Objective To identify risk factors predictive of neurologic morbidity in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Methods This is a case–control study of all infants weighing 1500 g or less admitted to a single tertiary neonatal intensive care unit between April 1999 and December 2001. The case group were those neonates with neurologic morbidity including intraventricular hemorrhage, seizures, hydrocephalus, and periventricular leukomalacia. The control group were those without neurologic morbidity. Wilcoxon rank-sum, Fisher exact test, χ 2 , and univariate and stepwise multiple logistic regression were performed, with P Results Of 213 VLBW infants, 77 had neurologic morbidity: 61 had intraventricular hemorrhage, eight had seizures, 13 had hydrocephalus, and nine had periventricular leukomalacia. Several infants had more than one morbidity. Gestational age (odds ratio [OR] 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.94, 0.96; P P P P = .45) or base excess (−3.8 ± 4.8 mEq/L, −2.3 ± 3.0, P = .10). Only three of 52 infants (5.8%) in the case group had an umbilical arterial pH of less than 7. Conclusion Prematurity and neonatal infection were the dominant factors associated with neurologic morbidity in VLBW infants. Intrapartum acidosis occurred in less than 6% of those with neurologic morbidity.
Effect of pentolinium on ACTH stimulation of renin release.

In the rat, the rise in plasma renin activity (PRA) levels induced by ACTH is partially inhibited by blockade of the sympathetic system with pentolinium. Pretreatment with dexamethasone and pentolinium inhibited the ACTH-induced renin rise. Thus, in the rat, the sympathetic system might participate in the mechanism of renin release as an amplifier of the signal (ACTH) which is acting in the receptor sites within the juxtaglomerular cells. (Endocrinology 87:430,1970
Magnesium sulfate prophylaxis in preeclampsia: lessons learned from recent trials

In the US, the routine use of magnesium sulfate for seizure prophylaxis in women with preeclampsia is an ingrained obstetric practice. During the past decade, several observational studies and randomized trials have described the use of various regimens of magnesium sulfate to prevent or reduce the rate of seizures and complications in women with preeclampsia. There are only 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled trials evaluating the use of magnesium sulfate in mild preeclampsia. There were no instances of eclampsia among 181 women assigned to placebo, and there were no differences in the percentage of women who progressed to severe preeclampsia (12.5% in magnesium group vs 13.8% in the placebo group, relative risk [RR] 0.90; 95% CI 0.52-1.54). However, the number of women enrolled in these trials is too limited to draw any valid conclusions. There are 4 randomized controlled trials that compare the use of no magnesium sulfate, or a placebo vs magnesium sulfate, to prevent convulsions in patients with severe preeclampsia. The rate of eclampsia was 0.6% among 6343 patients assigned to magnesium sulfate vs 2.0 % among 6330 patients assigned to a placebo or control (RR 0.39; 95% CI 0.28-0.55). However, the reduction in the rate of eclampsia was not associated with a significant benefit in either maternal or perinatal outcome. In addition, there was a higher rate of maternal respiratory depression among those assigned magnesium sulfate (RR 2.06; 95% CI 1.33-3.18). The evidence to date confirms the efficacy of magnesium sulfate in reduction of seizures in women with eclampsia and severe preeclampsia; however, this benefit does not affect overall maternal and perinatal mortality and morbidities. The evidence regarding the benefit-to-risk ratio of magnesium sulfate prophylaxis in mild preeclampsia remains uncertain, and does not justify its routine use for that purpose.
Tone injection with aggressive clipping projection for OFDM PAPR reduction

The main drawback of Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems is the high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), which leads to a significant reduction in performance and power efficiency. Tone injection (TI) is a promising PAPR reduction technique that cyclically extends QAM constellations to allow an alternative encoding with lower PAPR at the transmitter. We present a new efficient complex-baseband algorithm which performs TI by using aggressive clipping to combat large peaks. An approximated-analog PAPR reduction of up to 5.1 dB at a 10–5 symbol-clip probability is obtained for 64-channel 16-QAM OFDM. This is a very fast and practical peak-power reduction method for OFDM systems that essentially achieves the same PAPR as single-carrier modulation for large constellations.
Low-Energy Separations for the Process Industry

Abstract An amount of energy equivalent to 800,000 bpd of crude oil is consumed in distillation processes in the petrochemical and petroleum refining industries in the United States. This paper reviews separation processes, including (1) distillation, (2) adsorption, (3) liquid-liquid and supercritical extraction, and (4) membrane processes. Conclusions are drawn on the merits of each type of separation process.
Specialized blood filters and fresh whole blood

Platelet counts and platelet functions were determined in fresh whole blood before and after it passed through two types of specialized transfusion filters. Both filters were capable of trapping 20% to 40% of the functional platelets, necessary for hemostasis, especially if heparin was used as the anticoagulant. When fresh whole blood is needed to treat the bleeding patient who has already received massive blood transfusions, these specialized filters should probably not be used.
A Matrix Version of the Fast Multipole Method

We present a matrix interpretation of the three-dimensional fast multipole method (FMM). The FMM is for efficient computation of gravitational/electrostatic potentials and fields. It has found various applications and inspired the design of many efficient algorithms. The one-dimensional FMM is well interpreted in terms of matrix computations. The three-dimensional matrix version reveals the underlying matrix structures and computational techniques used in FMM. It also provides a unified view of algorithm variants as well as existing and emerging implementations of the FMM.
Flexible laboratory system for 3D x-ray microtomography of 3-50 mm specimens

Point projection microradiography has established value for imaging large, wet, opaque, and intact specimens in 2D projection views. We have developed a 3D microtomography system by combining the principles of microradiography with computed tomography (CT). An extension of conventional CT methods is utilized to yield 3D data from 2D microradiographic projections. Use of 2D cone beam projections rather than 1D projections of a slice simplifies the specimen motion hardware, and reduces the amount of wasted radiation. Our imaging system consists of a microfocus x-ray source and x-ray image intensifier coupled to a CCD camera. The system is flexible in the size of specimens which can be imaged. Resolving power varies with specimen size from 4 lp/mm for 50 mm diameter objects to 40 lp/mm for 3 mm diameter objects. Image resolution is isotropic in three dimensions. The 3D nature of the resulting image data can be used to visualize internal structure and compute stereologic parameters such as volume, surface area, and surface/volume orientation. This instrument has been used to image bone specimens in studies of human vertebrae, human femoral necks, dog metacarpals, and rabbit tibias. Other applications include imaging small industrial parts, plastics, ceramics, composite materials, and geologic specimens.
InAs-GaSb superlattices-synthesized semiconductors and semimetals

The recent results of our investigations on InAs-GaSb and In1-xGaxAs-GaSb1-yAsy superlattices are summarized, including theoretical treatments, MBE growth, characterization of materials and heterojunctions, optical absorption, Shubnikuv-De Haas oscillations, and observation of semiconductor-semimetal transitions.
What factors influence provider knowledge of a congestive heart failure guideline in a national health care system

Provider knowledge is a potential barrier to adherence to clinical guidelines. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of organizational, provider, and guideline factors on provider knowledge of a congestive heart failure (CHF) clinical practice guideline (CPG) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) health care system. We developed a survey to investigate institution-level factors influencing the effectiveness of guideline implementation, including characteristics of the guideline, providers, hospital culture and structure, and regional network. Survey participants were quality managers, primary care administrators, and other individuals involved in primary care CPG implementation at 143 VHA hospitals with ambulatory care clinics. Potential explanatory variables were grouped into 11 factors. Multivariate regression models assessed the association between these factors and reported levels of provider knowledge regarding the CHF guideline at the hospital level. Two hundred forty surveys from 126 of 143 (88%) VHA hospitals were returned. Provider knowledge of the CHF guideline was estimated as "great" or "very great" by 58% of respondents. Three predictor factors (dissemination approaches, use of technology in guideline implementation, and hospital culture) were independently associated (P < or = .05) with provider knowledge. Specific variables within these categories that were related to greater knowledge included physician belief that guidelines were applicable to their practice, distribution of guideline summaries, use of guideline storyboards in clinic areas, the use of technology (eg, electronic patient records) in CPG implementation, and establishment of implementation checkpoints and deadlines. Provider knowledge of guidelines is affected by factors at various organizational levels: dissemination approaches, use of technology, and hospital culture. Guideline implementation efforts that target multiple organizational levels may increase provider knowledge.
Nonuniform laser ignition in energetic materials

Laser ignition of energetic materials is typically described in terms of a one-dimensional homogeneous ignition model. However, the Gaussian energy distribution from a laser can induce multidimensional effects on ignition. A two-dimensional numerical model that simulates radiant heating and subsequent ignition of energetic materials was developed. A laser with a Gaussian energy distribution was used as the external energy source applied to the flat surface of a cylindrical pellet. The nonuniform behavior of thermal ignition leads to radially dependent ignition times, temperatures, and energy associated with the front surface of the pellet. Existing experimental ignition data was compared to the numerical results. The model shows the importance of a two-dimensional analysis for ignition because the nonuniform external heat source can result in the formation of localized heating that will develop into nonplanar flame propagation. The model is compared to experimental results that further validate the import...
Direct-To-Consumer Television Advertising Exposure, Diagnosis with High Cholesterol, and Statin Use

BACKGROUND While statin drugs are recommended for secondary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD), there is no medical consensus on whether or not a statin should be added to lifestyle change efforts for primary prevention of CHD. Previous research suggests that exposure to direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) increases drug demand among those at comparatively low risk. Research has yet to examine whether individual-level DTCA exposure may influence statin use among men and women at high, moderate, or low risk for future cardiac events.
Fatigue crack growth of Fe3Al,Cr alloys

Iron aluminides are currently being considered for use in applications where excellent corrosion resistance, moderate strength at temperatures up to 500 C, and low cost are desired. Binary iron aluminides do not possess high ductility at room temperature in air; however, when tested in vacuum or gaseous oxygen environments iron aluminides have demonstrated ductility of greater than 10%. This indicates that Fe{sub 3}Al is an inherently ductile material and the low ductility in air is due to an environment interaction. The purpose of this research was to examine the changes in mechanical properties of two Fe{sub 2}Al,Cr intermetallic alloys in various environments. In particular, tensile behavior and fatigue crack growth resistance were examined and the resulting data used to gain insight into the role of hydrogen in embrittlement of iron aluminides.
Phase diagram of two-component dipolar fermions in one-dimensional optical lattices

Abstract We theoretically map out the ground state phase diagram of interacting dipolar fermions in one-dimensional lattice. Using a bosonization theory in the weak coupling limit at half filing, we show that one can construct a rich phase diagram by changing the angle between the lattice orientation and the polarization direction of the dipoles. In the strong coupling limit, at a general filing factor, we employ a variational approach and find that the emergence of a Wigner crystal phases. The structure factor provides clear signatures of the particle ordering in the Wigner crystal phases.
III-Nitride UV emitters and their applications

III-Nitride UV light emitting diodes (LEDs) have an enormous applications potential for air & water purification, food disinfection, polymer curing and bio-medical instrumentation. However the growth and processing of these devices is very challenging due to the high Al-fraction AlGaN layers needed for deep UV emission. Since early 2000, our research group has developed III-N deep UV LEDs (emission wavelength < 300 nm) over sapphire substrates. The key to our success was the use of a new pulsed epitaxy procedure and new device designs to mitigate junction heating issues. In this paper we will review the progress to date which has led to large area deep UV LED lamps with cw-powers approaching 100 mW.
An extension of the Gauss-Hertz principle

The Gauss-Hertz principle is extended by the use of existence conditions (or constraints) to obtain a hierarchy of differential equations which include all classical equations of continuum mechanics (including electrodynamics) and the harmonic oscillator potential as well.
Weight Counseling Patterns of U.S. Pediatricians

Objective: To estimate the proportion and characteristics of U.S. pediatricians who reportedly counsel their patients about maintaining a healthy weight. Research Methods and Procedures: Beginning in October 1998, information was collected from 813 primary care pediatricians randomly selected from a nationally representative sample. Pediatricians were asked how frequently they counseled about maintaining a healthy weight during the well-care visits of patients in three age groups. Multivariable logistic regression determined which physician characteristics were associated with counseling. Results: Approximately fifty percent of pediatricians reportedly always counseled about maintaining a healthy weight. Those who always counseled were more likely to be women, to spend more time with patients during well-care visits, and to conduct more well-care visits per week from patients in one particular age group. Most pediatricians who responded that they always counseled about healthy weight reported that they counseled about physical activity and nutrition, but not about balancing caloric intake with expenditure. Discussion: Although many pediatricians report counseling about healthy weight, the frequency of counseling might be further increased by increasing the amount of time the patient spends during office visits with the pediatrician or with other professional staff, such as nurses or dieticians.
Direct extraction of equivalent circuit parameters for heterojunction bipolar transistors

A new method is presented for the direct extraction of hybrid-T equivalent circuits for heterojunction bipolar transistors. The method differs from previous ones by extracting the equivalent circuit without using test structures or numerical optimization techniques. Instead, all equivalent circuit parameters are calculated analytically from small-signal S-parameters measured under different bias conditions. The analysis includes the distributed nature of the HBT base. The calculated parameters are essentially frequency-independent and they exhibit systematic bias dependence over the typical operating range of the transistor. Thus, the present method ensures unique and physically meaningful parameters for transistor design improvement and large-signal circuit simulation. In addition, the present method is much faster than the numerical optimization method. >
Intermittent positive pressure breathing versus Freon-unit nebulized isoproterenol in asthmatic children.

Abstract Aerosolized isoproterenol is a potent bronchodilator used as a reference standard. To use it as such, it was necessary to determine the relative efficacy of two common methods of its administration. The intermittent positive pressure breathing apparatus is purported to be the most effective, while the Freon self-propelled nebulizer is uncomplicated and convenient. Fifteen institutionalized chronically asthmatic children with reduced pulmonary function were studied. Ten minute intermittent positive pressure breathing treatments nebulized an average of 0.74 mg. of isoproterenol. Freon self-propelled nebulizer treatments consisted of one puff of Medihaler at 3 13 minute intervals for a 10 minute period, a total dose of 0.30 mg. Peak expiratory flow and forced expiratory volume at 1 second were determined before treatment and at 10, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after treatment. Each child received active intermittent positive pressure breathing, Freon self-propelled nebulizer, and a placebo aerosolization on separate trial days. Maximum increase in peak expiratory flow and forced expiratory volume at 1 second occurred at 10 minutes, and both remained above the base line at 2 hours. The intermittent positive pressure breathing and Freon self-propelled nebulizer response curves are virtually identical, and there is no statistically significant difference. There were no placebo responses.
On Maximally Dissipative Shock Waves in Nonlinear Elasticity

Shock waves in nonlinearly elastic solids are, in general, dissipative. We study the following question: among all plane shock waves that can propagate with a given speed in a given one-dimensional nonlinearly elastic bar, which one—if any—maximizes the rate of dissipation? We find that the answer to this question depends strongly on the qualitative nature of the stress-strain relation characteristic of the given material. When maximally dissipative shocks do occur, they propagate according to a definite kinetic relation, which we characterize and illustrate with examples.
Integrating Human Rights in Business Education: Embracing the Social Dimension of Sustainability

In today's complex global environment, business educators need to play a more strategic role in moving the business sector from a compliance orientation to one in which future business leaders are equipped to serve as strong advocates for human rights and every dimension of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social). While much innovative work is underway to embed human rights in business, the author aims to provide business educators with resources to do likewise so that the emergence of a new generation of business leaders may be fostered—leaders who incorporate human rights into their decision making and serve as powerful influencers in establishing an inclusive and sustainable world.
Predator-Specific Mortality of Pronghorn on Yellowstone's Northern Range

ABSTRACT. Yellowstone National Park supports a small population (<300) of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana). Some individuals migrate during summer to areas characterized by reduced visibility, mixed habitat types, and a diverse predator community. Across areas selected by migratory and nonmigratory pronghorn, we documented cause-specific mortality of adults and fawns and assessed relative risk of predation by various predators. Coyotes (Canis latrans) accounted for 56% of adult predation and up to 79% of fawn predation. Cougars (Puma concolor) and wolves (Canis lupus) accounted for additional predation of adults, while cougars, black bears (Ursus americanus), and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) were documented killing fawns on rare occasions. Our results suggest that even when pronghorn are in the presence of multiple predator species, coyote predation on adults and fawns may predominate for populations inhabiting shrubsteppe habitat. However, the risk of predation by sympatric predators, particularly ...
Relative Metabolic Rates of Semen, Seminal Plasma, and Bacteria in Semen of the Boar.∗

Conclusions1. Extra-cellular respiration was exhibited by seminal plasma of the boar. Oxygen consumption of seminal plasma ranged from 5 to 22% of that of the whole semen. The R.Q. was unity. After the plasma had been held for 5 minutes at 100°C respiration at reduced intensity was observed. Respiration was not exhibited by that fraction of the seminal plasma which passed through a porcelain filter. 2. The metabolic rate of the ejaculate of a cryptorchid boar was of the same order as that of seminal plasma. 3. No errors in measurement of oxygen consumption were detected which could be attributed to the presence of bacteria.
Acute myeloid leukemia mimicking primary testicular neoplasm. Presentation of a case with review of literature

We describe a new unique case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a 21-yr-old male presenting with abdominal pain, bilateral testicular masses and gynecomastia. Further work-up with computed tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis revealed massive retroperitoneal, peripancreatic and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, suggesting primary testicular neoplasm. The patient was subjected to right orchiectomy that showed infiltration of testicular tissue with malignant cells, originally misinterpreted as undifferentiated carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry studies, however, showed these cells to be strongly positive for myeloperoxidase and CD45, indicating a myeloid cell origin. Bone marrow (BM) aspirate and biopsy demonstrated replacement of marrow with immature myeloid cells. Both the morphology and immunophenotype of the blast cells were consistent with AML type M4 (acute myelo-monocytic leukemia), using French-American-British (FAB) classification. The patient received standard induction chemotherapy with cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C) and daunorubicin followed with two cycles of consolidation therapy with high dose ARA-C, which resulted in remission of BM disease and resolution of lymphadenopathy and left testicular masses. After the second cycle of consolidation therapy, the patient developed sepsis that was complicated by refractory disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. He expired with a clinical picture of multiple organ failure. The unique features of this case are presented and the related literature is reviewed.
Catalytic water dehydrogenation and formation on nickel: Dual path mechanism in high electric fields

Abstract To better understand the water/Ni electronic interaction relevant to many industrial catalytic processes, we performed a comprehensive investigation of water dehydrogenation–formation on Ni surfaces. Three perspectives were considered: interactions of water (i) over two distinct Ni surfaces, (ii) in the presence of a pre-adsorbed O atom, and (iii) under the influence of different electric fields. The theoretical results showed that Ni(2 1 1) lowered the overall reaction energies of water dehydrogenation–formation reactions as compared with Ni(1 1 1). A pre-adsorbed O atom largely accelerated the water dehydrogenation reaction on Ni(2 1 1). A negative electric field significantly promoted water dehydrogenation processes, while a positive field greatly enhanced water formation processes. Experimental evidence of water consumption and Ni surface compositions verifies these qualitative findings during methane steam reforming under different applied field conditions. Overall, an applied electric field can play a critical role in catalytic reaction dynamics, which is important when designing water-based catalytic processes.
Analysis of transcriptionally active gene clusters of major outer membrane protein multigene family in Ehrlichia canis and E. chaffeensis.

Ehrlichia canis and E. chaffeensis are tick-borne obligatory intramonocytic ehrlichiae that cause febrile systemic illness in humans and dogs, respectively. The current study analyzed the pleomorphic multigene family encoding approximately 30-kDa major outer membrane proteins (OMPs) of E. canis and E. chaffeensis. Upstream from secA and downstream of hypothetical transcriptional regulator, 22 paralogs of the omp gene family were found to be tandemly arranged except for one or two genes with opposite orientations in a 28- and a 27-kb locus in the E. canis and E. chaffeensis genomes, respectively. Each locus consisted of three highly repetitive regions with four nonrepetitive intervening regions. E. canis, in addition, had a 6.9-kb locus which contained a repeat of three tandem paralogs in the 28-kb locus. These total 47 paralogous and orthologous genes encoded OMPs of approximately 30 to 35 kDa consisting of several hypervariable regions alternating with conserved regions. In the 5′-end half of the 27-kb locus or the 28-kb locus of each Ehrlichia species, 14 paralogs were linked by short intergenic spaces ranging from −8 bp (overlapped) to 27 bp, and 8 remaining paralogs in the 3′-end half were connected by longer intergenic spaces ranging from 213 to 632 bp. All 22 paralogs, five unknown genes, and secA in the omp cluster in E. canis were transcriptionally active in the monocyte culture, and the paralogs with short intergenic spaces were cotranscribed with their adjacent genes, including the respective intergenic spaces at both the 5′ and the 3′ sides. Although omp genes are diverse, our results suggest that the gene organization of the clusters and the gene locus are conserved between two species of Ehrlichia to maintain a unique transcriptional mechanism for adaptation to environmental changes common to them.
Improving tree search in phylogenetic reconstruction from genome rearrangement data

A major task in evolutionary biology is to determine the ancestral relationships among the known species, a process generally referred as phylogenetic reconstruction. In the past decade, a new type of data based on genome rearrangements has attracted increasing attention from both biologists and computer scientists. Methods for reconstructing phylogeny based on genome rearrangement data include distance-based methods, direct optimization methods (GRAPPA and MGR), and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods (Badger). Extensive testing on simulated and biological datasets showed that the latter three methods are currently the best methods for genome rearrangement phylogeny. However, all these tools are dealing with extremely large searching spaces; the total number of possible trees grows exponentially when the number of genomes increases and makes it computationally very expensive. Various heuristics are used to explore the tree space but with no guarantee of optimum being found. In this paper, we present a new method to efficiently search the large tree space. This method is motivated by the concept of particle filtration (also known as Sequential Monte Carlo), which was originally proposed to boost the efficiency of MCMC methods on massive data. We tested and compared this new method on simulated datasets in different scenarios. The results show that the new method achieves a significant improvement in efficiency, while still retains very high topological accuracy.
Persuasion, slack, and traps: how can economists change the world?

Contrary to my critics, voter irrationality does not imply that economists cannot mitigate political failure. With rational voters, reform-minded economists have few viable tactics; with irrational voters reformers have more options. Rational voters can be swayed only by facts and logic; irrational voters could respond to better rhetoric. Rational voters strategically punish those who ignore their policy preferences; irrational voters use less effective disciplinary strategies that create political slack. Even with irrational voters, efficiency-enhancing reform is hard. With rational voters, however, democracy’s failure to adopt a reform is strong evidence that the reform does not enhance efficiency.
Shadowing orbits for transition chains of invariant tori alternating with Birkhoff zones of instability

We consider a dynamical system that exhibits transition chains of invariant tori alternating with Birkhoff zones of instability in a two-dimensional centre manifold. It is known that there exist orbits that shadow the transition chains. It is also known that there exist orbits that cross the Birkhoff zones of instability. We describe a topological mechanism that allows one to join together the two types of orbits. We prove the existence of diffusing orbits that shadow the transition chains of invariant tori and cross the Birkhoff zones of instability. This approach is motivated by what has been called the large gap problem in Hamiltonian systems.
Discovery of imatinib-responsive FIP1L1-PDGFRA mutation during refractory acute myeloid leukemia transformation of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia

The FIP1L1-PDGFRA rearrangement results in constitutive activation of the tyrosine kinase PDGFRA. Neoplasms harboring this rearrangement are responsive to imatinib mesylate at doses much lower than those recommended for the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Only a single report has described the identification of FIP1L1-PDGFRA in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML). Herein, we present a case report of a patient in whom the FIP1L1-PDGFRA was discovered as he evolved from CMML to acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The presence of a dominant neoplastic clone with FIP1L1-PDGFRA rearrangement was suspected on the basis of sudden onset of peripheral and bone marrow eosinophilia and confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization and molecular diagnostic tests. Whereas the patient was initially refractory to chemotherapy before the rearrangement was detected, subsequent therapy with imatinib led to complete remission.
An analysis of the in-plane acceleration sensitivity of ST-cut quartz surface wave resonators with the substrate extending beyond the supports

For this support configuration a small amount of flexure occurs in the active substrate for the case of in-plane acceleration, so the dominant extensional biasing state is found first and used to define conservatively the flexural biasing state. The calculated results show that very low (less than a few parts in 10/sup 11/) in-plane acceleration sensitivities can be obtained, and since the normal acceleration sensitivity can readily be made to vanish, very low resultant acceleration sensitivities can be achieved with this support configuration. >
Coherent structures in the inner part of a rough-wall channel flow resolved using holographic PIV

Microscopic holographic PIV performed in an optically index-matched facility resolves the three-dimensional flow in the inner part of a turbulent channel flow over a rough wall at Reynolds number . The roughness consists of uniformly distributed pyramids with normalized height of . Distributions of mean flow and Reynolds stresses agree with two-dimensional PIV data except very close to the wall () owing to the higher resolution of holography. Instantaneous realizations reveal that the roughness sublayer is flooded by low-lying spanwise and groove-parallel vortical structures, as well as quasi-streamwise vortices, some quite powerful, that rise at sharp angles. Conditional sampling and linear stochastic estimation (LSE) reveal that the prevalent flow phenomenon in the roughness sublayer consists of interacting U-shaped vortices, conjectured in Hong et al. (J. Fluid Mech., 2012, doi:10.1017/jfm.2012.403). Their low-lying base with primarily spanwise vorticity is located above the pyramid ridgeline, and their inclined quasi-streamwise legs extend between ridgelines. These structures form as spanwise vorticity rolls up in a low-speed region above the pyramid’s forward face, and is stretched axially by the higher-speed flow between ridgelines. Ejection induced by interactions among legs of vortices generated by neighbouring pyramids appears to be the mechanism that lifts the quasi-streamwise vortex legs and aligns them preferentially at angles of to the streamwise direction.
BIRTH ORDER AND NARCISSISM

The present study was concerned with the relationship between narcissism and birth order. Undergraduate students (297 men and 349 women) completed the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and a famil...
Sweeping simplices: a fast iso-surface extraction algorithm for unstructured grids

Presents an algorithm that accelerates the extraction of iso-surfaces from unstructured grids by avoiding the traversal of the entire set of cells in the volume. The algorithm consists of a sweep algorithm and a data decomposition scheme. The sweep algorithm incrementally locates intersected elements, and the data decomposition scheme restricts the algorithm's worst-case performance. For data sets consisting of hundreds of thousands of elements, our algorithm can reduce the cell traversal time by more than 90% over the naive iso-surface extraction algorithm, thus facilitating interactive probing of scalar fields for large-scale problems on unstructured three-dimensional grids.
Optimizing Word Alignment Combination For Phrase Table Training

Combining word alignments trained in two translation directions has mostly relied on heuristics that are not directly motivated by intended applications. We propose a novel method that performs combination as an optimization process. Our algorithm explicitly maximizes the effectiveness function with greedy search for phrase table training or synchronized grammar extraction. Experimental results show that the proposed method leads to significantly better translation quality than existing methods. Analysis suggests that this simple approach is able to maintain accuracy while maximizing coverage.
New Directions for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in the Era of Physician Shortages

During the past 35 years, the roles for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) have evolved in parallel with the roles that physicians have come to play. Shifting needs in primary care and expanding opportunities in specialty medicine have been the dominant trends. Future directions will be influenced additionally by the deepening physician shortage. NPs are preparing for this future by developing doctoral-level training programs in comprehensive care, whereas PAs are adding training opportunities in specific specialties. Yet, neither discipline has expanded its training capacity to the degree that will be required, and, like physicians, neither will have a supply of practitioners that will match future demand. Coordinated planning to increase the educational infrastructure for physicians, NPs, and PAs is essential.
A static RAM chip with on-chip error correction

A 2-kb CMOS static RAM with on-chip error-correction capability (ECCRAM chip) is described. The linear sum code (LSC)-based ECCRAM is capable of correcting error at any addressed bit as long as there are no more than two errors in the 17 b (the logical row and column) associated with that addressed bit. Test results show that significantly larger error-recovery capability is present in the ECCRAM chip compared to memory chips without error correction. The ECCRAM chip has been fabricated in a double-metal scalable CMOS process with a 3- mu m feature size. >
Risk as Value: Combining Affect and Analysis in Risk Judgments

Studies of public perceptions of hazardous activities and technologies include a wide range of approaches. One approach—“risk‐as‐analysis”—emphasizes the human capacity for analytic deliberation. A second approach—“risk‐as‐feelings”—emphasizes the tendency for people to rely on affective reactions. In this paper we expand and link these approaches by adopting a “risk‐as‐value” model, emphasizing that responses to risk result from a combination of analysis and affect that motivates individuals and groups to achieve a particular way of life. Derived from dual‐process theories, the risk‐as‐value model implies that differences in perceived risk may arise from differences in the analytic evaluation of a risk, differences in the affective evaluation of a risk, or the way these evaluations are combined. We discuss the goals of dual processes in comprehensively governing the valuation of risk information in order to achieve desirable outcomes. We highlight the importance of model‐based research and the need for r...
Thermal signature measurements for ammonium nitrate/fuel mixtures by laser heating

Measurements were carried out to obtain thermal signatures of several ammonium nitrate/fuel (ANF) mixtures, using a laser-heating technique referred to as the laser-driven thermal reactor (LDTR). The mixtures were ammonium nitrate (AN)/kerosene, AN/ethylene glycol, AN/paraffin wax, AN/petroleum jelly, AN/confectioner's sugar, AN/cellulose (tissue paper), nitromethane/cellulose, nitrobenzene/cellulose, AN/cellulose/nitromethane, AN/cellulose/nitrobenzene. These mixtures were also compared with AN/nitromethane and AN/diesel fuel oil, obtained from an earlier investigation. Thermograms for the mixtures, as well as individual constituents, were compared to better understand how the sample thermal signature changes with mixture composition. This is the first step in development of a thermal-signature database, to be used along with other signature databases, to improve identification of energetic substances of unknown composition. The results indicated that each individual thermal signature was associated unambiguously with a particular mixture composition. The signature features of a particular mixture were shaped by the individual constituent signatures. It was also uncovered that the baseline signature was modified after an experiment due to coating of unreacted residue on the substrate surface and a change in the reactor sphere oxide layer. Thus, care was required to pre-oxidize the sphere prior to an experiment. A minimum sample mass (which was dependent on composition) was required to detect the signature characteristics. Increased laser power served to magnify signal strength while preserving the signature features. For the mixtures examined, the thermal response of each ANF mixture was found to be different, which was based on the mixture composition and the thermal behavior of each mixture constituent.
Concepts and comparisons in multidimensional separation

Multidimensional separation methodology provides a mechanism for a very substantial increase in the resolving power of chromatographic and related systems. After defining the conditions required for multidimensional separation and reviewing the origin of its high resolving power, a comparison is drawn between the two principal kinds of multidimensional systems, represented by continuous two-dimensional operation and coupled column assemblies. It is shown that their roles are complementary. The two-dimensional system gives a broad powerful overview of a sample while the coupled column system can be used flexibly to magnify and resolve selected regions of the sample space.
Gender and Age Factors in Tsunami Casualties

A tsunami casualty model is developed with criteria based on whether a person can remain standing within tsunami flow. A simplified model of a human body is made using anthropometric data. By applying the model to tsunami inundation predictions generated by analytic solution of fully nonlinear shallow-water wave theory, we demonstrate quantitatively that differences in gender and age fatalities are most pronounced when a tsunami is marginally significant; strong tsunamis wipe out population almost indiscriminately. This trend is consistent with some of the field observations. It is important to consider gender and age factors when a coastal community plans for tsunami preparedness. Because the development of the casualty model is based solely on physical mechanisms, the model results can be used to remove physical causes from field data, which then allows for further investigation of social and behavioral factors.
Monopoly with endogenous durability

Abstract A multi-period formulation for a durable-good monopoly is developed where production and durability are decision variables. When commitment to production is possible, neither the level nor the depreciation rate of initial stock has an effect on the selected efficient degree of durability. With time-consistent production policy, the optimal degree of durability is less than the efficient rate and typically increasing in the initial stock and initial degree of durability. When a monopolist can switch at any time from an inefficient non-durable to an efficient durable, there exists a cutoff durability above which only the non-durable will be produced; otherwise the efficient durable will be produced.