cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetic studies of the initiation step in copper catalyzed atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) in the presence of free radical diazo initiators as reducing agents.

Kinetic parameters for the reduction of copper(II) complexes in atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) in the presence of free-radical diazo initiator (AIBN) were determined using both experimental and kinetic modeling techniques. The rate constant of decomposition of AIBN (kdc) in various solvents was determined at 60 °C using UV−vis spectroscopy. Rate constants of deactivation (kd,AIBN) of [CuII(TPMA)Cl][Cl] (TPMA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine), [CuII(Me6TREN)Cl][Cl] (Me6TREN = tris[2-(N,N-dimethylamino)ethyl]amine), [CuII(PMDETA)Cl2] (PMDETA = N,N,N′,N′′,N′′-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine), and [CuII(bpy)2Cl][Cl] (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) complexes by radicals generated from the decomposition of AIBN were measured using the TEMPO-trapping method in a competitive clock reaction. Activation rate constants (ka,AIBN) were finally estimated from kinetic modeling utilizing the experimentally determined rate constants of decomposition of AIBN and deactivation. The effect of ka,AIBN, kd,AIBN, kdc and initial AIBN c...
Visualizing system latency

Heat maps are a unique and powerful way to visualize latency data. Explaining the results, however, is an ongoing challenge.
Novel optoelectronic laser interferometric microscope (OELIM) methodology for NDE of microsystems

Advances in emerging technology of microelectromechanical systems, aka microsystems, are one of the most challenging tasks in today’s experimental mechanics. More specifically, development of these miniature devices requires sophisticated design, analysis, fabrication, testing, and characterization tools that have multiphysics and multiscale capabilities, especially as microsystems are being developed for use at harsh conditions. In harsh-environment and high-performance (military) guidance applications inertial sensors must be sensitive to low rates of rotation yet survive the high blast loads associated with the initial launch. In this multi-year study a set of tuning fork gyroscopes were subjected to a series of increasing g-loads (culminating at approximately 60,000 g’s) with measurements of shape made after each test. A custom set of test sample packages (aka articles) were hermetically sealed with glass lids to allow optical inspection of components while preserving the operating environment. Initial test measurements were made upon fabrication of the articles. Optical and interferometric measurements have been made prior to and after each shock g-loading. The shape of the tuning fork gyroscope test articles was measured using optoelectronic laser interferometric microscope methodology. Full field shape was determined and traces of pertinent structures were extracted for comparison. Failure of the die was observed in the form of fractures below the chip surface as well as fractures in the glass lid sealing the package. Potential causes of the failure are discussed as well as a recommendation for modified packaging techniques to mitigate future component failures.
Origin of microbiological zoning in groundwater flows

Reactive transport modeling helps explain the origin of the microbiological zoning observed in pristine freshwater aquifers. Zoned aquifers have been described previously as either thermodynamic or kinetic phenomena, but neither interpretation has proved fully satisfactory. Drawing on concepts of population dynamics, the modeling reported here offers an alternative explanation of how certain microbes exclude others from zones: one functional group maintains conditions under which cells in another group die more rapidly than they can reproduce. The modeling also lends support to the idea that a group of microbes that appears to dominate a particular zone in an aquifer may in fact coexist with, or even be subordinate to, another group.
Structure of alkaline metmyoglobin-xenon complex.

Abstract Structural changes of alkaline metmyoglobin compared to neutral metmyoglobin have been determined by a three-dimensional X-ray diffraction analysis. Alkaline metmyoglobin crystals proved, however, to be somewhat unstable under X-irradiation. Exposure of crystals to xenon stabilized them thus permitting the necessary extended X-ray exposures. Structural changes were determined by inspection of difference electron density maps with subsequent refinement by a difference least-squares method. The results show two xenon binding sites in addition to a number of structural rearrangements.
Effects of goal specificity and time cues on pain tolerance

The effects of providing subjects with a specific goal and temporal cues on pain tolerance was tested in a cold pressor paradigm. The format of the time cues was varied by providing subjects with information about the time remaining to the specified goal or with information about the passage of time relative to the start of the test trial. Six goal and time cue combinations were compared: time-remaining cues (implying the goal), time-passed cues (with and without a specified goal), tone cues (without a specified goal), and no time cues (with and without a specified goal). The results of this study indicated that the specification of the goal increased the mean tolerance times. Although the availability of the cues had no effect on the mean tolerance times, they did increase the probability that the subjects would enter a decision process shortly after the cue was presented. This effect was evident in the pattern of termination points within the cue intervals. These results were discussed in relation to current research in self-control and clinical implications.
Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in mouse and rat brain: An immunocytochemical study

Abstract Immunoperoxidase technique and light microscopy were used to investigate the distribution of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in mouse and rat brain. Both 50 μm unmounted cryostat and 6 μm deparaffinized sections were studied in coronal or sagittal plane. At least 4 different major VIP systems were found: (1) an intracerebral cortical system; (2) one innervating the central amygdala and nucleus of the stria terminalis; (3) a pathway originating in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus; and (4) another originating in the central grey of the midbrain. Specific cell body staining was seen in the limbic and neocortex, in the basal-caudal portion of the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus, and in the central grey of the midbrain. Heavy terminal field patterns were noted in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, central amygdaloid nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and nucleus accumbens. Fiber density was moderate in the tuberculum olfactorium, anterior hypothalamus including the medial preoptic area, mediobasal hypothalamus (especially dorsomedial region), periventricular thalamus, lateral lemniscal system, parabrachial nucleus, nucleus solitarius, and area postrema. Fibers could be traced dorsally from the suprachiasmatic nucleus to the dorsomedial and paraventricular nuclei of the hypothalamus and the periventricular nucleus of the thalamus. Scattered cell bodies and fibers were found in a number of other forebrain and brain stem areas with only a rare fiber seen in median eminence.
Psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia

As indicated in recent treatment guidelines, psychosocial treatments play a critical role in the rehabilitation of schizophrenia patients. During the past few years, novel psychosocial treatments have emerged expanding the scope of successful outcomes and designed to address the specific deficits inherent in schizophrenia. This paper provides a brief description and evaluate the efficacy of five new emerging psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia. There is strong evidence for the efficacy of supported employment programs and family therapy, especially those involving multiple family interactions. Although schizophrenia patients appear to derive benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy, no evidence supports it superiority over that of other individual psychotherapies. The trials of cognitive remediation to date have been largely unsuccessful, although new innovative approaches continue to be tested. Finally, substance use treatment specifically designed to address the deficits in schizophrenia patients have been formulated, which are supported by optimistic pilot data and awaiting the completion of on-going clinical trials.
Specific indication of hemoproteins in polyacrylamide gels using a double-staining process

Abstract Hemoproteins were revealed in polyacrylamide gels in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate by staining with different benzidine derivatives. When the protein samples were treated with either β-mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol, a significant decrease in peroxidase activity of the proteins possessing noncovalently bound heme led to diminished staining. However, when Coomassie blue R-250 staining followed the hemespecific stain it was observed that the hemoprotein bands stained more intensely than duplicate sample bands that had been stained only with the Coomassie blue R-250. This staining property allows the indication of hemoproteins in gels even after the peroxidase yield has been significantly depleted by reducing agents.
Changes in seed germination with time for polycross progenies of cicer milkvetch.

Seed of 80 polycross progenies from four populations were evaluated for rate of germination when the seed were about one year of age and after 12 yr of storage at ambient temperature in an unheated, uninsulated building and subsequently germinated at high (15/25 °C) and low (5/20 °C) alternating temperatures
Plasmacytoid dendritic cell depletion leads to an enhanced mononuclear phagocyte response in lungs of mice with lethal influenza virus infection

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) have been implicated both in the control and pathogenesis of influenza virus infection. We demonstrate that pDC depletion has marked effects on the response of mononuclear phagocytes, including conventional DCs (cDCs) and macrophages, to lethal influenza virus infection. Infection of mice lacking pDCs through antibody-mediated depletion resulted in substantially increased accumulation of mononuclear phagocytes and their progenitors in lungs compared to non-treated controls. pDC ablation resulted in a 5- to 35-fold enhancement of intracellular TNF-α and IL-6 production from inflammatory cDCs and exudate macrophages. Purified pulmonary cDCs and macrophages cultured from pDC-depleted mice produced significantly elevated levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines compared to pDC-intact counterparts. Elimination of pDCs resulted in decreased lung IFN-α production and an immediate and transient reduction in lung virus burden but did not impact disease outcome. These data reveal a suppressive effect of pDCs on the inflammatory response to influenza virus infection in the lung.
Posttranslational regulation of Akt in human cancer

Akt regulates critical cellular processes including cell survival and proliferation, glucose metabolism, cell migration, cancer progression and metastasis through phosphorylation of a variety of downstream targets. The Akt pathway is one of the most prevalently hyperactivated signaling pathways in human cancer, thus, research deciphering molecular mechanisms which underlie the aberrant Akt activation has received enormous attention. The PI3K-dependent Akt serine/threonine phosphorylation by PDK1 and mTORC2 has long been thought to be the primary mechanism accounting for Akt activation. However, this regulation alone does not sufficiently explain how Akt hyperactivation can occur in tumors with normal levels of PI3K/PTEN activity. Mounting evidence demonstrates that aberrant Akt activation can be attributed to other posttranslational modifications, which include tyrosine phosphorylation, O-GlcNAcylation, as well as lysine modifications: ubiquitination, SUMOylation and acetylation. Among them, K63-linked ubiquitination has been shown to be a critical step for Akt signal activation by facilitating its membrane recruitment. Deficiency of E3 ligases responsible for growth factor-induced Akt activation leads to tumor suppression. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of posttranslational modifications in Akt regulation will offer novel strategies for cancer therapy.
Inhibitory activity of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes

Background. Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (iIEL) are the first line of lymphoid cells exposed to orally absorbed foreign antigen. Because of this unique position, we hypothesized that the iIEL down-regulates the immune response to foreign antigen to prevent broad sensitization. Methods. One-way mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLCs) were performed with Brown Norway (BN) as the responder and irradiated Lewis rats as the stimulator. BN iIEL or control cells (irradiated BN spleen-thymus cells) were added to the MLCs to assess their inhibitory function. Results. When iIEL cells comprised 0.63% of well volumes, a significant (p < 0.05) decline in MLC proliferation was seen. To determine whether this inhibitory action was mediated by a soluble factor, supernatant from iIEL cultured with irradiated Lewis spleen-thymus cells was added to MLCs and was compared with the addition of culture medium as the control group. The iIEL group proliferated significantly less (p < 0.05) than the control group. To further define the mechanism of action, iIEL-conditioned supernatant was treated with neutralizing antibody to transforming growth factor-β (25 μg/ml) or control immunoglobulin. Treated supernatant was then added to an MLC, resulting in a partial loss of inhibitory action. Conclusions. The iIEL appears to significantly suppress a response to allogeneic stimuli via a mechanism mediated by the action of one or more soluble factors. Transforming growth factor-β may well be one of the mediators of this inhibitory action.
Spunbonded Nonwoven Fabric Studies: I : Characterization of Filament Arrangement in the Web

This paper, in general terms, treats the morphology of spunbonded nonwovens as related to fabric properties and de scribes some characterization techniques which have been useful in establishing mophological structure. A generalized description of spunbonded processes is given. The dependence of fabric functional properties and aesthetics on basic structural parameters (1) weight uniformity, (2) filament separation, and (3) filament directionality is discussed. The character of weight nonuniformity and methods of measuring uniformity are described. Methods of measuring filament separation and directionality are described.
Regulatory Capture: A Review

This article reviews both the theoretical and empirical literatures on regulatory capture. The scope is broad, but utility regulation is emphasized. I begin by describing the Stigler--Peltzman approach to the economics of regulation. I then open the black box of influence and regulatory discretion using a three-tier hierarchical agency model under asymmetric information (in the spirit of Laffont and Tirole, 1993). I discuss alternative modelling approaches with a view to a richer set of positive predictions, including models of common agency, revolving doors, informational lobbying, coercive pressure, and influence over committees. I discuss empirical work involving capture and regulatory outcomes. I also review evidence on the revolving-door phenomenon and on the impact that different methods for selecting regulators appear to have on regulatory outcomes. The last section contains open questions for future research. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.
On Fuzzy Result Merging for Metasearch

The result merging problem for metasearch engines is to combine multiple result lists, returned by search engines, in response to a query, so as to achieve optimal aggregation. Here we propose three result merging models for metasearch that apply Yager's fuzzy aggregation OWA operator to result merging and extend the OWA model for metasearch proposed by Diaz. These are the importance guided OWA (IGOWA), the algebraic t-norm OWA, and the algebraic t-norm IGOWA models. While the first two are based on Yager's extension of the OWA operator, the third is a combination of the features of the first two. We compare the performance of our models to Diaz's OWA model and the Borda-Fuse and Weighted Borda-Fuse models proposed by Aslam and Montague.
How smart homes learn: the evolution of the networked home and household

Despite a growing desire to create smart homes, we know little about how networked technologies interact with a house's infrastructure. In this paper, we begin to close this gap by presenting findings from a study that examined the relationship between home networking and the house itself--and the work that results for householders as a consequence of this interaction. We discuss four themes that emerged: an ambiguity in understanding the virtual boundaries created by wireless networks, the home network control paradox, a new home network access paradox, and the relationship between increased responsibilities and the possibilities of wireless networking.
Long-term results of open mitral valve reconstruction for mitral stenosis.

Abstract Open mitral reconstruction for rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) was performed in 120 patients, 101 women and 19 men, aged 22 to 75 years (mean 49). Nine patients were functional class II, 106 class III, 5 class IV; 13 only underwent noninvasive studies, including echocardiography, before surgery, while 107 had preoperative cardiac catheterization studies. The latter showed a mean valve area of 1.09 cm 2 and a pulmonary artery wedge to left ventricular mean diastolic gradient of 14 mm Hg. Cardiopulmonary bypass was used in all patients for open reconstruction under direct vision. Superior commissurotomy was done in 115 patients, inferior in 114, papillary muscles were incised and chordae lengthened in 39 and calcium was excised from valve leaflets in 23. Suture or ring anuloplasty was not required in any patient. The series was begun January 1972 and terminated in January 1984. Personal follow up was conducted in July 1984. There were no operative deaths in the 120 patients. There were 5 late deaths, all from noncardiac causes. The mean follow-up time was 53 months. The actuarial probability of survival at 10 years was 95 ± 2%. Thromboemboli occurred in 9 patients; the probability of freedom from thromboemboli at 10 years was 91 ± 3% and the linearized rate was 1.8%/patient-year of follow-up. Reoperation was required in 9 patients, an absolute incidence of 7.5% and an annual incidence of 1.7%/patient year. At 10 years the probability of freedom from reoperation was 84 ±5%.
Role of adsorbates in field emission from nanotubes

Two field-emission states of single-walled carbon nanotubes were identified according to their respective emission current levels. The state yielding increased emission current was attributed to the presence of adsorbates on the nanotubes as confirmed by electron emission measurements at different background pressures. Application of high electric fields induced large emission currents and a transition between the two states. During this transition, a current drop to 1/10 of the original value was observed. For the high current state, field-emitted electrons originated from states located below the Fermi level, as was determined by field-emission energy distribution measurements. This suggested that adsorbates introduced a resonant state on the surface that enhanced the tunneling probability of electrons. The adsorbed states are removed at high applied electric fields, presumably due to thermal effects caused by large emission currents. This adsorption/desorption process is completely reversible.
Storage of seeds: Potential and limitations for germplasm conservation

Abstract Objectives of seed storage are primarily either short-term for forestry operations, or long-term for germplasm conservation. Seeds can be grouped into four classes of storage characteristics: ‘true orthodox’ seeds can be stored for long periods at seed moisture contents of 5–10% and sub-freezing temperatures; ‘sub-orthodox’ seeds can be stored under the same conditions, but for shorter periods due to high lipid content or thin seed coats; ‘temperate recalcitrant’ seeds cannot be dried at all, but can be stored for 3–5 years at near-freezing temperatures; and ‘tropical recalcitrant’ seeds also cannot be dried, and they are killed by temperatures below 10–15°C. Cryogenic storage in liquid nitrogen at −196°C holds promise, but needs more research. Some genetic damage may occur during seed storage, but the extent and effect of this damage has yet to be determined. Seed storage, by both conventional and cryogenic technologies, offers a relatively cheap method of conserving a broad range of germplasm. It will likely play an essential, complementary role, in germplasm conservation as temporary conservation until ex-situ stands are established, and as a safety measure against disastrous losses for limited numbers of seedlots. To fulfill the conservation roles, seed storage life must exceed the natural interval between germination and seed production for the next generation. Most true orthodox and many sub-orthodox seeds offer no problem, but neither recalcitrant seed class can meet this criterion with present technology. However, even short gains in viability retention of recalcitrant species can be useful (e.g., in transporting seed collections from remote areas to nurseries or laboratories).
Neutron star magnetic field dynamics and its evolution

The phenomenological two-component dynamical model of the magnetic field of neutron stars, first developed by Cummings, Dixon & Kaus, is replaced by a physically more realistic three-component model, and its principles are directly applied to a typical neutron star with solid crust-superfluid, interior-solid core structure. The cooling of the star via neutrino emission is shown to be responsible for the evolution of the dynamics of its magnetic field through three distinct phases, one of which is the 'pulsar phase'. According to this new model, a much shorter lifetime of pulsars ( '" 5 X 105 yr) is seen to offer a possible resolution to the problem of pulsar turn-off at long periods. The long-standing problem of 'missing pulsars' and the phenomenon of 'delayed pulsar onset' in type II supernovae (SNe II) are also successfully addressed.
In memoriam – Alan Hall

ABSTRACT On May 3 of this year, cell biology lost a giant with the untimely passing of Alan Hall (Fig. 1). Alan didn9t discover the Rho family of GTPases but, more than anyone else, he and his laboratory brought these key regulatory proteins to the prominent position that they now occupy. I first met Alan in the early 1990s shortly after his landmark papers with Anne Ridley were published (Ridley and Hall, 1992; Ridley et al., 1992). Over the years our interests frequently overlapped, we met often at conferences and became friends. Ultimately, we became collaborators, each of us directing projects within a Program Project Grant that is headed by Klaus Hahn, and that also includes Gaudenz Danuser and John Sondek. Shortly before his death we had been in conversation about this grant and were discussing when we would next get together as a group. I was looking forward to seeing him again, not only because I enjoyed his company but because I always learned something new from every interaction. Other obituaries have covered Alan Hall9s career, research accomplishments and service to the research community, such as being Chair of Cell Biology at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cell Biology . Here, I wish to share my perspective on his enormous contribution to the Rho GTPase field, particularly focusing on the decade of the 1990s when he and his laboratory thrust Rho GTPases to the forefront of cell biology.
An accelerated Newton method for equations with semismooth Jacobians and nonlinear complementarity problems

We discuss local convergence of Newton’s method to a singular solution x * of the nonlinear equations F(x) = 0, for $$F:{\mathbb{R}}^n \rightarrow {\mathbb{R}}^n$$. It is shown that an existing proof of Griewank, concerning linear convergence to a singular solution x * from a starlike domain around x * for F twice Lipschitz continuously differentiable and x * satisfying a particular regularity condition, can be adapted to the case in which F′ is only strongly semismooth at the solution. Further, Newton’s method can be accelerated to produce fast linear convergence to a singular solution by overrelaxing every second Newton step. These results are applied to a nonlinear-equations reformulation of the nonlinear complementarity problem (NCP) whose derivative is strongly semismooth when the function f arising in the NCP is sufficiently smooth. Conditions on f are derived that ensure that the appropriate regularity conditions are satisfied for the nonlinear-equations reformulation of the NCP at x *.
Radiographic Outcomes of Postoperative Taping Following Hallux Valgus Correction.

Background:Traditionally, hallux valgus operative correction has been accompanied by serial spica taping of the great toe during the postoperative period.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed 187 adult patients who underwent proximal first metatarsal osteotomy with a modified McBride procedure in 2008-2009 (n = 83) and 2011-2012 (n = 104). Postoperatively, to maintain the corrected position of the hallux, patients from 2008 through 2009 underwent weekly spica taping, while patients from 2011 through 2012 utilized a toe separator. The hallux valgus angle (HVA) and intermetatarsal angle (IMA) were measured using anteroposterior weight-bearing preoperative, 2-week postoperative non-weight-bearing, and 3-month weight-bearing final follow-up radiographs. A mixed-effects linear regression model identified differences between the treatment groups over time, and a t test compared actual radiographic differences at final follow-up.Results:The mixed-effects model revealed no significant difference in the HVA over tim...
A Community-Based Approach to Eliminating Racial and Health Disparities among Incarcerated Populations: The HIV Example for Inmates Returning to the Community:

To underscore the public health risk involved, as well as the extent to which HIV infection rates disproportionately affect racial/ethnic populations in prison settings, the authors briefly review a current approach that is being implemented in four selected sites located in the southeastern region of the United States. Moreover, the authors present these observations in terms of HIV infection and how health professionals may be able to curb the spread of this and other infectious pathogens among primarily incarcerated African American and Latino male inmates. Based on a peer education model, the authors outline several practice implications for dealing with this population, which include (a) making provisions for case management, (b) building capacity and increasing the participatory role of community agencies, (c) focusing on the significance of ethnicity and cultural competency in prison culture, (d) implementing youth-specific models, and (e)applying a holistic approach.
Multiphase design of autonomic self-healing thermoplastic elastomers

The development of polymers that can spontaneously repair themselves after mechanical damage would significantly improve the safety, lifetime, energy efficiency and environmental impact of man-made materials. Most approaches to self-healing materials require the input of external energy, healing agents, solvent or plasticizer. Despite intense research in this area, the synthesis of a stiff material with intrinsic self-healing ability remains a key challenge. Here, we show a design of multiphase supramolecular thermoplastic elastomers that combine high modulus and toughness with spontaneous healing capability. The designed hydrogen-bonding brush polymers self-assemble into a hard-soft microphase-separated system, combining the enhanced stiffness and toughness of nanocomposites with the self-healing capability of dynamic supramolecular assemblies. In contrast to previous self-healing polymers, this new system spontaneously self-heals as a single-component solid material at ambient conditions, without the need for any external stimulus, healing agent, plasticizer or solvent.
An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of Foreign Aid: A Panel Approach

This paper uses a panel approach to examine the determinants of foreign aid. It examines the extent to which taxes on international trade and the scope of government activities, ethnicity, private credit, and education determine foreign aid. The paper specifies and estimates a model that explains the allocation of foreign aid among 151 countries over the period 1975 to 1998. The key empirical finding suggests that Taxes on Trade increases foreign aid dependency. Moreover, trade, private credit, foreign direct investment, GDP per worker, and government consumption are important determinants of foreign aid. The factors that appear to decrease foreign aid include: Years of schooling, private credit, trade, and GDP per worker. The factors that appear to increase foreign aid include: Taxes on international trade, ethnicity, and government consumption.
Retinal pigment epithelial tears in the era of intravitreal pharmacotherapy: risk factors, pathogenesis, prognosis and treatment (an American Ophthalmological Society thesis).

Methods: We searched a database of 10,089 patients and retrospectively identified a large case series of 56 eyes with neovascular agerelated macular degeneration (AMD) complicated by an RPE tear over an 8-year period. Baseline visual acuity (VA) was tabulated and analysis of the RPE tear was performed with multimodal imaging. Follow-up VA, progression of the tear, and severity of fibrosis were evaluated, and each was correlated with number of anti-VEGF injections. Results: Average follow-up for the 56 eyes was 42 months, and mean logMAR VA at baseline was 0.88 (Snellen VA 20/150) with minimal decline over 3 years. LogMAR VA plotted against number of anti-VEGF injections demonstrated that more frequent and cumulative injections correlated with better VA (P<.0001). A greater number of anti-VEGF injections was associated with minimal progression of the RPE tear, reduced fibrosis, and lower risk of a large, end-stage exudative disciform scar. Conclusions: Fifteen to 20% of vascularized pigment epithelial detachments (PEDs) may develop RPE tears after anti-VEGF therapy due to progressive contraction of the type 1 choroidal neovascular membrane in a PED at risk. Continued monitoring of RPE tears for exudative changes warranting anti-VEGF therapy may stabilize VA, improve anatomical outcomes, reduce fibrosis, and decrease the risk of developing a large blinding end-stage exudative disciform scar.
National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey: 1995 emergency department summary.

OBJECTIVE: This report describes ambulatory care visits to hospital emergency departments in the United States. Statistics are presented on selected patient and visit characteristics. METHODS: The data presented in this report were collected from the 1995 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS). NHAMCS is part of the ambulatory care component of the National Health Care Survey, which measures health care utilization across various types of providers. NHAMCS is a national probability survey of visits to hospital emergency and outpatient departments of non-Federal, short-stay, and general hospitals in the United States. Sample data were weighted to produce annual estimates. RESULTS: During 1995, an estimated 96.5 million visits were made to hospital emergency departments (ED's) in the United States, about 36.9 visits per 100 persons. Persons 75 years and over the highest rate of emergency department visits. There were an estimated 37.2 million injury-related emergency department visits during 1995, or 14.2 visits per 100 persons. There were 225 thousand visits related to injuries caused by firearms, including 144 thousand visits for gunshot wounds. One-fifth of the injury visits were work-related for persons 18-64 years of age. Four-fifths of the ED visits involved medication therapy with pain relief drugs accounting for 30 percent of the medications mentioned. Acute upper respiratory infection was the leading illness-related diagnosis for ED visits. Language: en
Economics and (Modern) Sports History

Economics is an integral part of history and economic methods can be useful to historians, in just the same way as the perspective of the historian is often vital to understanding the economics of a problem. This paper argues that while there exist tensions, economists and historians should see their work as complementary.
Science as a Social Reality

Lou Pondy said that he wanted me to speak last because he wanted the conference to end on a cynical note. However, after listening to Karl, I don’t think I can reach the expected pitch, but I can summarize some of the content of the conference: Briefly, we went through pebbles and popes and circles and now clocks; without straining imagination, it would seem that our conference was on the rock of the Middle Ages.
Daytime Roost of the Yellow Bat in Veracruz

On July 22, 1955, a field party from the University of Kansas found yellow bats, Dasypterus intermedius (H. Allen), concealed among dried corn stalks hanging from the sides of a large, open tobacco shed, one mile southwest of Catemaco, Veracruz. This shed, approximately 60 feet long, 40 feet wide, and 25 feet high, was constructed of vertical poles that supported a corrugated metal roof. The shed was braced …
Assessing Competitive Interactions in Parasite Guilds Prior to Introduction

Analysis of interspecific competition among 3 parasites of an endemic, gall-forming midge ( Rhopalomyia californica Felt) is used to illustrate how competitive interactions in parasite guilds can be assessed prior to introduction in classical biological control. Host galls are multi-chambered and contain either hosts, parasites, or both; galls containing parasites contain either 1, 2, or 3 species of parasites. Parasitization by Torymus koebelei (Huber) and Platygaster sp. was highest when these species occurred alone compared to when they occurred with 1 or 2 other species. Parasitization by Zatropis capitis Burks was the same in single and mixed-species samples. In all cases, total parasitization in mixed-species samples was greater than parasitization in single-species samples. Interspecific copetition occurred among the parasites but did not result in reduced levels of total parasitization. It is suggested that analogous methods can be used to evaluate interspectfic competition among parasites in similar situations.
School-Based Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for an Adolescent Presenting with ADHD and Explosive Anger: a Case Study

This case demonstrates the efficacy of utilizing an intensive, multi-faceted behavioral intervention paradigm. A comprehensive, integrative, school-based service model was applied to address attention deficit hyperactivity disorder symptomology, oppositional behaviors, and explosive anger at the secondary level. The case reviews a multi-modal assessment approach to inform intervention, including a developmental history; parent, teacher, and student interviews; systematic classroom observations; and BASC-2 and Conners parent, teacher, and student social, emotional, and behavior rating reports. Treatment included cognitive-behavioral therapy sessions over 6 months with the implementation of a 9-week classroom Daily Behavior Report Card plan. Outcome data revealed a decrease in office discipline referrals, lower levels of behavior symptoms, and an increase in prosocial classroom behaviors with maintained improvement into the following school year.
Preparation and characterization of un-support Pt black catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells

Un-support Pt black catalyst was prepared using citrate sodium as a capping agent and NaBH4 as a reducing agent in the liquid phase for direct methanol fuel cells. The influences of the pH and molar ratio of the Pt and citrate sodium on the catalyst properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemistry active area method, with the mechanism of citrate sodium’s effect analyzed. The results show that the Pt black catalyst prepared with a Pt∶C6H5O3-7 molar ratio of 1∶1 and pH=8 gives the best performance. This Pt black catalyst has smaller particles 3.7 nm in diameter, narrower distribution range and better single cell current-voltage performance than the commercial Pt black catalyst.
Study on imaging character and regularity of congenital heart disease of left transposition of great arteries by two dimensional echocardiography

Objective:To probe into the imaging character and regularity of congenital heart disease of left-transposition of great arteries by two dimensional echocardiography (2DE). Materials and Methods:228 patients of left-transpotion of great arteries were examined by 2DE, 139 men and 89 women,aged 6 months to 47 years (median 11.04 years).208 cases were taken angiocardiography, and 147 cases were proved by surgical operations. Result:The imaging on parasternal short axis plane of the two great arteries of the 228 cases shows “Bi-cycling sign”on 2DE. The two cycles are located on left anterior-right posterior,which 8 combined into kinds of congenital heart diseases. In the 208 cases of pulmonary stenosis(PS),the internal dimension of the posterior cycle is greatly shorter than the anterior one. In the 20 cases of pulmonary hypertension(PH),14 cases have apparently longer internal dimensions of the posterior cycles than the anterior one, 6 cases have equal internal dimension of the two cycles. Conclusion: 2DE imaging of left transposition of great arteries on parasternal short axis plane shows “Bi-cycling Sign”on left anterior-right posterior,which can be found in 8 kinds of congenital heart diseases.Comparison between the internal dimension of the two cycles can help to make sure if it is PS or PH.
A Source Transformation via Operator Overloading Method for the Automatic Differentiation of Mathematical Functions in MATLAB

A source transformation via operator overloading method is presented for computing derivatives of mathematical functions defined by MATLAB computer programs. The transformed derivative code that results from the method of this article computes a sparse representation of the derivative of the function defined in the original code. As in all source transformation automatic differentiation techniques, an important feature of the method is that any flow control in the original function code is preserved in the derivative code. Furthermore, the resulting derivative code relies solely upon the native MATLAB library. The method is useful in applications where it is required to repeatedly evaluate the derivative of the original function. The approach is demonstrated on several examples and is found to be highly efficient when compared to well-known MATLAB automatic differentiation programs.
The properties of Raman scattering resulting from solitons excited in the organic protein molecules

Some properties of Raman scattering resulting from; the solitons excited in the organic protein molecules have theoretically been studied in terms of the partial diagonalization of the soliton Hamiltonian. The transition probability and the differential cross-section of the Raman scattering are also given. The red-shift associating With the Stokes component of the Raman scattering obtained is found to be basically consistent with the experimental data in the systems.
Use of a synthetic peptide adjuvant for the immunization of baboons with denatured and deglycosylated pig zona pellucida glycoproteins

Baboons were immunized using a synthetic peptide adjuvant with two purified pig zonapellucida glycoproteins. The major zona pellucida glycoprotein (ZPI) was purified by preparative isoelectric focusing, and the 80 K deglycosylated zona pellucida protein (ZPIII) was purified by preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The immunogenicity as well as the antigenicity of these proteins were evaluated by characterizing antibodies using the enzyme-linked immunoassay and by immunoblotting of zona pellucida proteins separated by high-resolution two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both groups of animals developed antibodies that recognize the major zona pellucida glycoprotein, (ZPI) and immunoblotting procedures provide evidence that two of the major porcine zona pellucida glycoprotein families (ZPI and ZPIII) contain shared antigenic determinants. The animals immunized with ZPI showed decreased levels of estrogen throughout their menstrual cycles, and two of the animals ceased ovulation. All animals in the group immunized with ZPIII had a significant reduction in the numbers of antral follicles as compared with control animals. Although ovarian cyclicity was not altered significantly within a few months after immunization, two of the five animals in this group became amenorrheic by 8 months. Histologic analysis of ovarian tissue shows that follicles were absent or frequently abnormal in animals of both groups following longterm immunization. These studies demonstrate that the synthetic adjuvant is effective in inducing antibodies (to purified zona pellucida glycoproteins) that recognize antigenic determinants to either denatured or deglycosylated zona pellucida glycoproteins, and that some of these antibodies may interfere with normal ovarian function.
Assessment of national systems for the surveillance and monitoring of animal health

Continued growth in international trade and the developing concepts of zoning and risk assessment demand effective assessment of national surveillance and monitoring systems for animal health. The ideal national epidemiological delivery system incorporates surveillance for disease agents, host monitoring and environmental assessment. An extensive veterinary infrastructure is necessary to support the ideal epidemiological delivery system. While the full spectrum of epidemiological services is represented worldwide, a standardized approach to assessing national surveillance and monitoring systems is proposed, in order to meet the emerging demand for scientifically-based import regulations.
Scaphoid Nonunion Advanced Collapse: A Review

Scaphoid fracture nonunion leads to altered wrist biomechanics for patients and can result in degenerative arthritis of the wrist and debilitating pain with loss of motion. Watson and Ballet first quantified and qualified this pattern of arthritis in 1984 which is akin to the advanced collapse pattern seen in scahpolunate ligament disruption. Treatment begins conservatively however may require surgical intervention for those who continue to loss motion, function, and have pain. There is much debate on the optimal surgical procedure however the two predominant procedures of four corner fusion and proximal row carpectomy have been studied extensively for efficacy. Each surgery has its merits with the goal of relieving pain while leaving maximal function and motion.
Morphology, Provenance, and Decomposition of a 19th Century Hybrid Dugout and Sod House in Nicodemus, Kansas

During the summer of 2009, researchers and students traveled to Nicodemus, Kansas to investigate a settlement home of African American pioneers. In the late 19th century, new arrivals in the Midwest often constructed dugouts and sod houses to quickly build shelters. Although sod structures began to disappear in the 1900's, their decomposed remains left clues in the soil that would tell us the story of their existence. Our team sought to identify and define sod remains that were once a part of an early home. Specifically, we studied the remains of one hybrid dugout and sod home and our goal was to collect data that would support the identification of materials used and how the structure has decomposed over time. Soil color, particle size analysis data, and micromorphology were used to compare and contrast the sod blocks from with other soil materials at the site. Generally, there is now a thin mantle of soil that has eroded from an upper landscape position and that now buries the site; dark rectangular blo...
Antifungal activity of neem leaf ethanol extract on Aspergillus flavus

BACKGROUND Aspergillosis is an infectious disease due to inhalation of Aspergillus spores. Drug resistance to aspergillosis has been reported since 14 years ago. Therefore, alternative treatment using herbals began to attract the attention of the medical profession and the community, because herbals are relatively safe and have minimal side effects. Neem (Azadirachta indica) is an herb with broad spectrum biological activity, but studies on the antifungal activity of neem leaves are lacking. The objective of this study was to evaluate the activity of neem leaves on Aspergillus flavus (A. flavus). METHODS This was a laboratory experimental study using A. flavus samples obtained from bronchial washing specimens of inpatients. Neem leaf extract in ethanol (NLE) was prepared in various concentrations. Aspergillus. flavus antifungal activity of NLE were assessed by disc diffusion (using NLE at 1.0; 0.75; 0.50; 0.25 g/dL) and macrodilution (using NLE at 1.0; 0.75; 0.5; 0.25; 0.125 g/dL). Ketoconazole 0.1 g/dL was used as antifungal positive control. Disc diffusion and macrodilution were conducted using Sabouraud dextrose agar and broth, to measure inhibition zone diameter and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), respectively. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney test from SPSS 15. RESULTS There were significant differences in inhibition zone diameter (p = 0.034) between A. flavus samples exposed to NLE (1 g/dL) and the control group exposed to ketoconazole (0.1 g/dL). The MIC of NLE against A. flavus was 0.5 g/dL. CONCLUSIONS Neem leaf ethanol extract has antifungal activity against A.flavus in vitro.
EVI1 Interacts with and Represses RUNX1: A Novel Mechanism of Deregulated Hematopoiesis in EVI1-Positive Hematopoietic Cells.

Abstract Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) comprises a group of disorders with overlapping features. The majority of recurring chromosomal abnormalities associated with MDS are large deletions. There are two genes, RUNX1 and EVI1, whose deregulation is also known to be associated with MDS. RUNX1 is a master regulator of hematopoiesis that specifically binds to the DNA and regulates the expression of hematopoietic genes. Lately it has become clear that RUNX1 is frequently mutated in patients with MDS. Surprisingly, the mutations are limited to one allele, suggesting that a partial loss of function is sufficient to contribute to the disease. The second gene, EVI1, encodes a large nuclear protein characterized by two domains of zinc fingers. While the precise role of EVI1 is not known, this protein is not expressed in normal bone marrow and is inappropriately activated in very aggressive MDS by chromosomal translocations. Because alterations of both genes are not usually observed together, we have recently investigated whether there could be a potential link between the pathways regulated by RUNX1 and EVI1. Here, we report that in vivo and in vitro EVI1 physically interacts with RUNX1. We mapped the interaction domains to the eighth zinc finger motif of EVI1 and to the DNA-binding Runt domain of RUNX1. We found that this interaction alters the ability of RUNX1 to bind to its DNA consensus and represses the ability of RUNX1 to activate a reporter gene, suggesting that the interaction between EVI1 and RUNX1 could impair the hematopoietic programs regulated by RUNX1. These data suggest that inappropriate expression of EVI1 could contribute to hematopoietic transformation in part by a new mechanism that involves EVI1 association with key hematopoietic regulators leading to their functional impairment. Our results also indicate that the interaction region between RUNX1 and EVI1 could represent a novel target for therapeutic drugs for EVI1-associated leukemia.