cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving Hurricane Harvey Disaster Research Response Through Academic–Practice Partnerships

After Hurricane Harvey, researchers, media, and public health agencies collected data in Houston, Texas, to assess potential health effects and inform the public. To limit redundancy and ensure sampling coverage of impacted areas, research and practice partners used disaster research response (DR2) resources and relied on partnerships formed during a 2015 DR2 workshop in Houston. Improved coordination after the disaster can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of DR2 and enable the use of data to improve recovery and preparedness for future disasters.
Including Communication in the Nursing Classroom: A Content Analysis of Communication Competence and Interprofessional Communication in Nursing Fundamentals Textbooks

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing identifies communication as one the four core competencies for interprofessional collaborative practice and teaches communication to nursing students...
Do residual forces really make a difference in American transferal operations

Following the Persian Gulf War, many asserted that the American military exorcized the demons of the Vietnam War. It was inappropriate to make this claim since the war was reminiscent of the conven...
Supporting Teachers in the Design and Enactment of Socio-Scientific Issue-Based Teaching in the USA

We describe how using a collaborative professional development (PD) design supports teachers as they co-design and implement SSI curricula. We share our theoretical framework and the following commitments to SSI teaching: (1) Instruction should begin with the SSI and subsequent learning experiences should continually connect back to the issue; (2) Students should have opportunities to engage with scientific practices, content, and evidence as they make sense of the issue; (3) Students should use current media to access information about issues; (4) Students should have opportunities to explore the social dimensions of SSI; and, (5) Issue-based learning experiences should conclude with a culminating exercise so that learners can synthesize their personal positions on the issue. In Design Case 1, we found that the antibiotic resistance and climate change curricular units produced desired student learning outcomes, and we developed a tool – a modeling packet – to support students’ modeling practices. In Design Case 2, we developed curricular planning tools and our research resulted in a grounded theory of how teachers engage in co-designing SSI curricula. In Design Case 3, we found elementary teachers perceived SSI as a means for promoting social responsibility and making real world issues relevant to their students. Overall implications include the need to work with teams of teachers from the same school and the need to focus on one scientific practice— scientific modeling as a sense-making tool.
Comparing performance of deep convolutional neural network with orthopaedic surgeons on identification of total hip prosthesis design from plain radiographs

ABSTRACT A crucial step in preoperative planning for a revision total hip replacement (THR) surgery is accurate identification of failed implant design, especially if one or more well-fixed/functioning components are to be retained. Manual identification of the implant design from preoperative radiographic images can be time-consuming and inaccurate, which can ultimately lead to increased operating room time, more complex surgery, and increased healthcare costs. No automated system has been developed to accurately and efficiently identify THR implant designs. In this study, we present a novel, fully automatic and interpretable approach to identify the design of nine different THR femoral implants from plain radiographs using deep convolutional neural network (CNN). We also compared the CNN’s performance with three board-certified and fellowship trained orthopaedic surgeons. The CNN achieved on-par accuracy with the orthopaedic surgeons while being significantly faster. The need for additional training data for less distinct designs was also highlighted. Such CNN can be used to automatically identify the design of a failed THR femoral implant preoperatively in just a fraction of a second, saving time and improving identification accuracy.
Phase structures, transition behavior and surface alignment in polymers containing rigid-rod backbones with flexible side chains. Part VI Novel band structures in a combined main-chain/side-chain liquid crystalline polyester : From liquid crystal to crystalline states

Physical origins of banded structures appearing on different length scales have been investigated using polarized light and atomic force microscopies (PLM and AFM), polarized Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) in a combined main-chain/side-chain liquid crystalline (LC) polyester, PEFBP(n). This series of PEFBP(n) polymers was synthesized from the polycondensation of 2,2′-bis(trifluoromethyl)-4,4′-biphenyldicarbonyl chloride with 2,2′-bis{ω-[4-(4-cyanophenyl)-phenyoxy]-n-alkoxycarbonyl]}-4,4′-biphenyl diol. In this paper, we focus on one polymer [PEFBP(n = 11)] of this series to illustrate the band structural formation on different length scales during the evolution from liquid crystal to crystalline states. Alternating bands of the films mechanically-sheared at 190 °C are formed with a spacing of 3 ± 0.5 μm in PLM, and recognized to be primary bands. PLM and AFM results show that these bands are seen due to the change of optical birefringence constructed mainly by alternating film thickness (and thus, retardation). Based on polarized FT-IR results, both the backbones and side chains of the polymers are orientated parallel to the shear direction. Secondary fibrillar bands develop within the primary bands after the sample is subsequently crystallized at 105 °C. These bands show a zigzag arrangement and possess a lateral size of 250 ± 50 nm determined by AFM. High resolution AFM observations illustrate that these bands consist of aggregated edge-on crystal lamellae having a thickness of approximately 20 nm. The lamellar crystals are assembled together and lie across the film thickness direction. The mechanism for the formation of these secondary zigzag bands originates from the expansion of the lattice dimension along the chain direction on a molecular scale during the nematic to crystalline phase transition and crystallization in the partially confined LC primary bands, which form macroscopic zigzag buckling.
Sex differences in the transcription of glutamate transporters in major depression and suicide.

Abstract Background Accumulating evidence indicates that the glutamate system contributes to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicide. We previously reported higher mRNA expression of glutamate receptors in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of females with MDD. Methods In the current study, we measured the expression of mRNAs encoding glutamate transporters in the DLPFC of MDD subjects who died by suicide (MDD-S, n = 51), MDD non-suicide subjects (MDD-NS, n = 28), and individuals who did not have a history of neurological illness (CTRL, n = 32). Results Females but not males with MDD showed higher expression of EAATs and VGLUTs relative to CTRLs. VGLUT expression was significantly higher in the female MDD-S group, relative to the other groups. EAAT expression was lower in the male violent suicides. Limitations This study has limitations common to most human studies, including medication history and demographic differences between the diagnostic groups. We mitigated the effects of confounders by including them as covariates in our analyses. Conclusions We report sex differences in the expression of glutamate transporter genes in the DLPFC in MDD. Increased neuronal glutamate transporter expression may increase synaptic glutamate, leading to neuronal and glial loss in the DLPFC in MDD. These deficits may lower DLPFC activity, impair problem solving and impair executive function in depression, perhaps increasing vulnerability to suicidal behavior. These data add to accumulating support for the hypothesis that glutamatergic transmission is dysregulated in MDD and suicide. Glutamate transporters may be novel targets for the development of rapidly acting antidepressant therapies.
Pupil dilation signals recognition salience

Stimuli that are recognized from a prior encounter elicit larger pupil dilations than those that are not. This study tests an account of this recognition dilation response (RDR) that assumes newly encountered recognition signals, like new percepts, elicit attentional orienting responses. Because orienting is moderated by motivational significance and expectation, the RDR was tested for these properties; manipulating incentives for "old" versus "new" judgments, and isolating the effects of runs of "old" versus "new" decisions on the subsequent RDR, in two experiments. Whereas incentivizing "new" decisions largely eliminated the RDR, incentivizing "old" decisions amplified it. Moreover, the RDR was prominent following runs of "new" decisions, yet minimal following runs of "old" decisions. Thus, the pupil dilates more as recognition memory becomes more valuable and/or unexpected. This recognition-orienting response was functionally separate from an additional, late dilation linked to feedback expectancy. Thus, the pupil separately signals the salience of recognition evidence, and the expectation of post-decision feedback.
The Courts and Public Health: Caught in a Pincer Movement

Public health practitioners are familiar with the general outlines of legal authority and with judicial standards for reviewing public health regulations. What may not be as familiar are three emerging judicial doctrines that pose considerable risks to public health initiatives. We explain the contentious series of judicial rulings that now place health departments’ broad grant of authority in jeopardy. One doctrine invokes the First Amendment to limit regulatory authority. The second involves the Supreme Court’s reinterpretation of federalism to limit both federal and state public health interventions. The third redefines the standard of evidence required to support regulations. Together, these judicial trends create a pincer movement that places substantial new burdens on the ability of health departments to protect health.
Interferent Effect of Hydroxyurea on Continuous Glucose Monitoring.

While currently available continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems have continually improving accuracy that has revolutionized modern diabetes care, potential medication interferences are recognized for all available CGM systems (1). For Dexcom CGM systems, hydroxyurea was recently recognized as an interfering substance that can falsely elevate sensor glucose (SG) readings (2), but the data demonstrating this interference have not been previously published. We report a patient with type 1 diabetes taking hydroxyurea who experienced falsely elevated SG values using the Dexcom G5 and G6 CGM systems, which led to the recognition of the interferent effect of hydroxyurea. A 69-year-old woman with type 1 diabetes using an insulin pump (Medtronic Paradigm Revel 723) and real-time CGM (initially Dexcom G5, then G6) took hydroxyurea (1,000 mg daily) for treatment of essential thrombocytosis. She noted that, for approximately 6 h after taking hydroxyurea, SG measurements predictably and markedly increased, even while fasting and when the time of hydroxyurea ingestion varied. In addition, the glucose management indicator (7.6%) based on 14-day average SG (170 mg/dL) was significantly higher than concomitant glycated hemoglobin (6.3%, 45 mmol/mol), suggestive of artifactual discordance. Subsequently, the patient simultaneously wore the Dexcom G6 …
Is the core function of orbitofrontal cortex to signal values or make predictions

One dominant hypothesis about the function of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is that the OFC signals the subjective values of possible outcomes to other brain areas for learning and decision making. This popular view generally neglects the fact that OFC is not necessary for simple value-based behavior (i.e., when values have been directly experienced). An alternative, emerging view suggests that OFC plays a more general role in representing structural information about the task or environment, derived from prior experience, and relevant to predicting behavioral outcomes, such as value. From this perspective, value signaling is simply one derivative of the core underlying function of OFC. New data in favor of both views have been accumulating rapidly. Here we review these new data in discussing the relative merits of these two ideas.
A Novel Thin-Film Technique to Improve Accuracy of Fluorescence-Based Estimates for Periphytic Biofilms.

Recent studies suggest that photophysiological parameters for intact substrates with depth (e.g., periphytic biofilms, microphytobenthos) are overestimated by pulse-amplitude modulated (PAM) fluorometry. This overestimation results from depth-integration effects, following the activation of deeper photosynthesizing layers by an attenuated light signal. To mitigate this error, we propose a novel slide-based thin-film technique in which fluorescence is measured on a vertically representative subsample of the biofilm, spread evenly on a microscope slide. We compared bias and precision for photosynthetic parameters estimated through conventional PAM fluorometry on intact biofilms and through our novel slide-based technique, both theoretically and empirically. Numerical simulations confirmed the consistent overestimation of key parameters for intact biofilms, with relative errors up to 145%, compared to, at most, 52% on thin films. Paired empirical observations likewise demonstrated that estimates based on intact biofilms were consistently higher (up to 248%, p<0.001) than estimates from thin films. Numerical simulation suggested greater precision with the slide-based technique for homogeneous biofilms, but potentially less precision for heterogeneous biofilms with improper subsampling. Our empirical comparison, however, demonstrated some improvement in precision with the slide-based technique (e.g., the coefficient of variation for the maximum electron transport rate was reduced 30%, p=0.009). We recommend the use of the slide-based technique, particularly for biofilms that are thick or have small light attenuation coefficients. Care should be taken, however, to obtain vertically representative subsamples of the biofilm for measurement.
Panitumumab: A Review of Clinical Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacology Properties After Over a Decade of Experience in Patients with Solid Tumors

Panitumumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that binds to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), thereby inhibiting the growth and survival of tumors expressing EGFR. Panitumumab received approval in the USA in 2006 for the treatment of wild-type RAS (defined as wild-type in both KRAS and NRAS) metastatic colorectal cancer. Over the last 10 years, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of panitumumab has been studied to further evaluate its safety, efficacy, and optimal dosing regimen. In this review, we summarize the key clinical pharmacokinetic and pharmacology data for panitumumab, and considerations for its use in special populations. Panitumumab has a nonlinear pharmacokinetic profile and its approved dosing regimen (6 mg/kg every 2 weeks) is based on body weight; dose adjustments are not needed based on sex, age, or renal or hepatic impairment. Drug interactions do not occur when panitumumab is combined with chemotherapy drugs including irinotecan, paclitaxel, and carboplatin. The level of tumor EGFR expression was found to have no effect on panitumumab pharmacokinetics or efficacy. The incidence of anti-panitumumab antibodies is low; when anti-panitumumab antibodies are produced, they do not affect the efficacy, safety, or pharmacokinetics of panitumumab. In summary, the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of panitumumab is well suited for standard dosing, and the approved body weight–based dosing regimen maintains efficacy and safety in the treatment of wild-type RAS metastatic colorectal cancer across a broad range of patients.
Reckoning with the Popular Uptake of Alien Archaeology

This article summarizes my experience at Baltimore AlienCon in 2018. The programme offered a curious blend of themes explored in Ancient Aliens and similar programming, alongside other domains of ‘...
A Randomized Control Trial of Using Baby Books to Reduce New Mothers' Feelings of Stress and Depression.

To determine whether embedding educational information about child development and optimal parenting practices from the Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision into baby books can reduce women’s depressive symptoms and parenting stress during the first 18 months of motherhood. A sample of 167 low-income, primarily African-American, first-time mothers were randomized into three conditions while pregnant: an educational book group, a non-educational book group, or a no-book group. Depressive symptoms and parenting stress were assessed using two questionnaires during home visits when women were in their third trimester of pregnancy (baseline) and when their child was 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months of age. Hierarchical Linear Models showed that women who received books with educational information shed depressive symptoms and parenting stress at a faster rate than women who received similar books without educational information and women who did not receive books. These findings indicate that providing women with child development and parenting information via baby books can be an effective strategy for promoting new mothers’ emotional wellbeing. Since feelings of sadness and stress are risky for both mothers and their infants, this easy to implement intervention holds great promise.
Bullying experiences, body esteem, body dissatisfaction, and the moderating role of weight status among adolescents.

Abstract Introduction The present study examined the relationships between bullying victimization experiences, body esteem (BE), and body dissatisfaction (BD) by obesity status. Methods Using a cross-sectional design, adolescents (10-16y) from the U.S. completed surveys. Weight and height were objectively assessed. Bullying was assessed using the Personal Experiences Checklist, with a total score that included three subscales (cyber, verbal-relational, and physical). BE was assessed using total score on the BE Scale, and BD was assessed using the Body Image Assessment for Pre-Adolescents, operationalized as the discrepancy between current and ideal body figure. Linear regression models, controlling for sociodemographics, were used to examine obesity status (with vs. without obesity) and sex as moderators of the relationships between bullying, BE, and BD. Results On average, adolescents (n = 328) were 12.6 ± 1.9 y, 45.4% male, 58.2% White, 35.7% Black, and 36.0% had obesity. Obesity status moderated the relationship between bullying experiences and BE, such that these relationships were only significant (B = −0.38, p Conclusions The findings suggest different associations between sub-types of bullying victimization experiences and BE and BD, highlighting the importance of examining these associations separately by obesity status.
Energy-Adjusted Dietary Intakes Are Associated with Perceived Barriers to Healthy Eating but Not Food Insecurity or Sports Nutrition Knowledge in a Pilot Study of ROTC Cadets.

Military service is inherently demanding and, due to the nature of these demands, the term “tactical athlete” has been coined to capture the physical requirements of the profession. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) cadets are a unique subset of the military service community, and the complexity of their training and educational pursuits increases their susceptibility to unhealthy eating patterns. The purpose of this pilot study was to explore the relationship between the perceived barriers to healthy eating, food insecurity, sports nutrition knowledge, and dietary patterns among Army ROTC cadets. The usual dietary intake was gathered from (N = 37) cadets using the General Nutrition Assessment Food Frequency Questionnaire. The perceived barriers to healthy eating were measured using a set of scales consisting of social barriers (6 items, α = 0.86), access barriers (2 items, α = 0.95), and personal barriers (2 items, α = 0.67), with higher-scale scores indicating greater perceived barriers. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to measure the association between the energy-adjusted dietary intakes and the scores on the barriers scales. Energy-adjusted intakes of calcium (ρ = −0.47, p ≤ 0.01), fiber (ρ = −0.35, p = 0.03), vitamin A (ρ = −0.46, p ≤ 0.01), vitamin C (ρ = −0.43, p ≤ 0.01), fruit (ρ = −0.34, p = 0.04), and vegetables (ρ = −0.50, p ≤ 0.01) were negatively correlated with the perceived personal barrier scores. The energy-adjusted intakes of fiber (ρ = −0.36, p = 0.03), vitamin C (ρ = −0.37, p = 0.03), and vitamin E (ρ = −0.45, p ≤.01) were negatively correlated with perceived social barriers, while energy-adjusted vitamin C intake was negatively correlated with perceived access barriers (ρ = −0.40, p = 0.01). Although additional research is needed to better understand the dietary patterns of ROTC cadets, among the participants in this study, greater perceived personal, social, and access barriers were associated with less nutrient-dense eating patterns. Interventions aimed at addressing such barriers may prove beneficial for the improvement of diet quality among ROTC cadets.
Evaluation of bacterial hosts for conversion of lignin-derived p-coumaric acid to 4-vinylphenol

Hydroxycinnamic acids such as p-coumaric acid (CA) are chemically linked to lignin in grassy biomass with fairly labile ester bonds and therefore represent a straightforward opportunity to extract and valorize lignin components. In this work, we investigated the enzymatic conversion of CA extracted from lignocellulose to 4-vinylphenol (4VP) by expressing a microbial phenolic acid decarboxylase in Corynebacterium glutamicum, Escherichia coli, and Bacillus subtilis. The performance of the recombinant strains was evaluated in response to the substrate concentration in rich medium or a lignin liquor and the addition of an organic overlay to perform a continuous product extraction in batch cultures. We found that using undecanol as an overlay enhanced the 4VP titers under high substrate concentrations, while extracting > 97% of the product from the aqueous phase. C. glutamicum showed the highest tolerance to CA and resulted in the accumulation of up to 187 g/L of 4VP from pure CA in the overlay with a 90% yield when using rich media, or 17 g/L of 4VP with a 73% yield from CA extracted from lignin. These results indicate that C. glutamicum is a suitable host for the high-level production of 4VP and that further bioprocess engineering strategies should be explored to optimize the production, extraction, and purification of 4VP from lignin with this organism.
Linoleic acid and the regulation of glucose homeostasis: A review of the evidence

The consumption of linoleic acid (LA, ω-6 18:2), the most common ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the Modern Western diet (MWD), has significantly increased over the last century in tandem with unprecedented incidence of chronic metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although an essential fatty acid for health, LA was a very rare fatty acid in the diet of humans during their evolution. While the intake of other dietary macronutrients (carbohydrates like fructose) has also risen, diets rich in ω-6 PUFAs have been promoted in an effort to reduce cardiovascular disease despite unclear evidence as to how increased dietary LA consumption could promote a proinflammatory state and affect glucose metabolism. Current evidence suggests that sex, genetics, environmental factors, and disease status can differentially modulate how LA influences insulin sensitivity and peripheral glucose uptake as well as insulin secretion and pancreatic beta-cell function. Therefore, the aim of this review will be to summarize recent additions to our knowledge to refine the unique physiological and pathophysiological roles of LA in the regulation of glucose homeostasis.
BHDL: A Lucid, Expressive, and Embedded Programming Language and System for PCB Designs

Graphical PCB design tools like KiCAD lack support for high-level abstraction such as functions and loops. To improve PCB design productivity, we hereby present BHDL, a programming framework for PCB designs. In its compact and declarative syntax, schematics and layouts can be modeled effectively and expressed concisely. Treating all circuits, even a resistor, as functions, BHDL naturally supports modularized development that builds a complex design up from smaller designs hierarchically. As an embedded Domain Specific Language (eDSL), BHDL allows users to leverage the full feature of the host language for customization and extension. Our Jupyter kernel supports web-based, REPL-style development and generates auto-placed PCBs.
Special Variants of Malignant Melanoma

In this chapter, a number of histologically distinct variants of malignant melanoma including myxoid melanoma, small cell melanoma, rhabdoid melanoma, clear cell sarcoma, pigment-synthesizing melanoma, malignant melanoma with osteoclast-like giant cells, balloon cell melanoma, and signet-ring cell melanoma will be discussed.
Allelopathy and agroecology.

During the last half of the twentieth century, agricultural production came to depend on a wide array of chemical inputs that were designed to control a complex of weed, insect, and disease organisms. The use of these chemicals is most often evaluated in terms of their efficacy in controlling pests, lowering yield losses, and increasing the output and profitability of the cropping system. But during the last decade, evidence has accumulated that indicates that the long-term and intensive use of these materials has become a major threat to our ability to sustain agricultural production into the future [1, 2].
Analysis of prolonged storage on coagulation Factor (F)V, FVII, and FVIII in thawed plasma: is it time to extend the expiration date beyond 5 days?

BACKGROUND: According to AABB standards, fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) should be thawed at 30 to 37°C and expire after 24 hours. An increase in the aggressive management of trauma patients with thawed plasma has heightened the risk of plasma waste. One way to reduce plasma waste is to extend its shelf life, given that the full range of therapeutic efficacy is maintained. We evaluated the effect of prolonged storage at 1 to 6°C on the activity of Factor (F)V, FVII, and FVIII in plasma thawed at 37 or 45°C. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Group O plasma from healthy donors (n = 20) was divided into 10 pairs and frozen and stored at not more than −18°C. One sample from each pair was thawed at 37 or 45°C, and all were stored at 1 to 6°C. Samples were analyzed for FV, FVII, and FVIII activity on Days 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20. RESULTS: Plasma thawing time was 17% less at 45°C than at 37°C. No differences were observed between thawing groups in coagulation activity of FV, FVII, and FVIII during the 20-day storage period (p > 0.12). In both groups, the activity of FV and FVIII decreased over time but remained within a normal range at 10 days. CONCLUSION: Although levels of plasma clotting factors are reduced in storage, therapeutic levels of FV and FVIII are maintained in thawed plasma stored for up to 10 days at 1 to 6°C. Thawing of FFP at 45°C decreases thawing time but does not affect the activity of FV, FVII, and FVIII.
The normalized radar cross section of the sea at 10/spl deg/ incidence

Measurements of the normalized radar cross section of the sea at K/sub u/ band at an incidence angle of 10/spl deg/ were performed from a manned airship off the Oregon coast in September and October of 1993. The cross section at this incidence angle is often assumed to have little dependence on windspeed and direction. Their measurements, however, indicate that at windspeeds below 6-7 m/s, the cross section is in fact dependent on these quantities, and the azimuthal modulation can reach values on the order of 5-8 dB. Comparisons of the measured values with the predictions of the quasispecular scattering model are presented. The theory is shown to be accurate in predicting the azimuthal modulation and the strength of the backscatter if the effects of swell are included or if measured wind directions are ignored and the upwind direction is forced to be near the maximum cross section. Values of mean-square wind-wave slope and effective-reflection coefficient required to obtain these fits are very close to those obtained by previous investigators. In particular, mean-square wind-wave slopes are about 70-80% of those of Cox and Munk (1954) because the radar responds only to facets larger than about 10 cm, with smaller ripples acting to reduce the reflection coefficient. If swell is included, they find that mean-square slopes in the direction of the swell, that are as much as ten times the measured swell slopes, are required to fit the model to the cross-section data at low windspeeds. They suggest that this may be due to high-order effects of the hydrodynamic modulation of short waves by the swell. They believe that this explanation is more likely than assuming that wind directions were incorrectly measured.
Optical Activity and Conformation Studies of Pig Heart Lipoamide Dehydrogenase

Abstract Flavin adenine dinucleotide has been dissociated from pig heart lipoamide dehydrogenase in the presence of 1.5 m guanidine hydrochloride. Measurements of the circular dichroism on the apoenzyme show evidence of a large change in conformation, based on the molar ellipticity in the region 240 to 200 mµ. When FAD is removed from the holoenzyme in guanidine, but in the presence of approximately equimolar FMN, no change appears in the circular dichroism of the apoenzyme in the 200 mµ region. The ultraviolet absorption of the apoprotein indicates that no FMN remains bound to the apoenzyme. Either FMN stabilizes the protein in the presence of guanidine or, after the loss of FAD, promotes the return of a conformationally different species to the native form of the enzyme. Lipoamide dehydrogenase activity is reconstituted in the presence of FAD and dithiothreitol.
Linearized Collinearity Equations for Scanned Data

The collinearity equations, based upon modification of those common in conventional photogrammetry, must accommodate the continuous dynamic nature of the exterior orientation elements. Therefore, some types of functional behavior (polynomials, harmonics, etc.) must be assumed for those orientation elements. In order to investigate image and object point coordinate deformations, and to perform space resection utilizing the method of least squares, it is desirable to generate linear approximations for these collinearity equations. The technique presented for this linearization utilizes a Taylor's series expansion about some approximations for the variables involved. The functions assumed to approximate the dynamic nature of the orientation elements are included in the linearization through the use of matrix premultipliers. The resulting linearized form of analytic expressions may be used to analyze the geometric aspects of scanned imagery.
Impact of transabdominal ultrasound guidance on performance and outcome of transcervical uterine embryo transfer.

Purpose: To determine the impact of transabdominal ultrasound guidance on embryo transfer during IVF therapy.
SURGICAL TREATMENT AT THE WRIST IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A REVIEW OF THIRTY-SEVEN PATIENTS.

The wrist is the key joint for hand function and is also a key area for rheumatoid arthritic involvement. The role of rheumatoid synovitis in the natural history of the disease at this level has been discussed; the indications for surgical treatment and the results in thirty-seven patients with forty-seven surgical procedures have been presented. Splinting of the wrist should not be neglected. Many patients deserve early consideration of surgical treatment since good results can be obtained and maintained by such treatment.
The integrative biology of reproductive functioning in nonhuman primates.

At the 34th annual meeting of the American Society of Primatologists in 2011, the society organized an interdisciplinary symposium entitled, “Reproductive Function & Dysfunction in Nonhuman Primates.” The articles in this special section, excluding this introduction, represent the findings presented by four of the five speakers in that symposium. The data presented highlight the myriad factors that contribute to primate reproductive function and dysfunction, including hormones, genes, maternal variance, environmental factors, social relationships, and strategic interactions. Collectively, these articles emphasize the integrative nature of primate reproductive function, and highlight the importance of the nonhuman primate as a model for human reproductive function and dysfunction in humans. Am. J. Primatol. 75:197-201, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Influence of a Magnetic Field on the Fracture Toughness of Ferromagnetic Steel

The limited data available suggest that the mechanical properties of ferromagnetic alloys are not significantly affected by high magnetic fields. As further evidence, the present paper includes data on the fracture toughness of Incoloy 908, a ferromagnetic austenite, in fields up to 14T at 4.2 K. The field has no significant effect on the toughness. To interpret these results we review the available theoretical work on the fracture of ferromagnetic materials in magnetic fields. The model of Shindo is particularly relevant, and suggests that there is no measurable effect on the toughness of ferromagnetic steel at fields below about 25 T, and no significant effect until the field exceeds 75 T. Interestingly, the theory does suggest a possible increase in the toughness of steels with very high magnetic permeability at fields below saturation.
Objective and subjective evaluations of Kodak Ektaspeed Plus dental x-ray film

A new dental x-ray film, Kodak Ektaspeed Plus (Eastman Kodak Co., Rochester, N.Y.), was compared with Kodak Ektaspeed and Ultraspeed films. The comparison was based on objective measures (film contrast, speed, and fog levels) and subjective appraisals (film graininess and appearance). Ektaspeed Plus had higher contrast than Ektaspeed and in general similar contrast to Ultraspeed. Ektaspeed Plus was faster than Ektaspeed. Films were stored in various locations and base+fog determinations were made during a 16-week period. Ektaspeed Plus and Ultraspeed films were generally stable within this period. There were no meaningful differences in fog buildup based on storage location. Ektaspeed Plus had the least rate of buildup. Ektaspeed demonstrated the greatest rate of buildup and the greatest sensitivity to environmental factors. Periapical exposures were made of the molars of a manikin. These radiographs were subjectively assessed by three observers. The Ektaspeed Plus film was judged to appear less grainy than the Ektaspeed and to have a pleasing appearance. On the basis of the evaluations performed in this initial investigation, it was concluded that Ektaspeed Plus was superior to Ektaspeed film and was superior or equivalent to Ultraspeed film for dental radiography.
Improving outcomes through the use of surgical sealants for anastomotic sealing during cardiovascular surgery

The continued need to minimize blood product usage both during and after cardiac surgical procedures has been challenged by a changing patient population, and most recently by the withdrawal of the antifibrinolytic aprotinin (Trasylol, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, West Haven, CT, USA) from the market. To meet these challenges, a variety of topical hemostatic tools have continued to emerge in the surgical armamentarium. These include hemostatic agents, adhesives, and sealants designed to control perioperative bleeding and decrease blood product utilization. Optimal application of novel topical adjuncts can be limited due to the lack of clarity on how to differentiate between these adjunctive hemostatic products and their appropriate uses. This paper will review the classes of these products, how and where such products can be used during cardiovascular surgery for achieving hemostasis, and the potential for improved outcomes through the appropriate selection and use of these agents.
The consistency of Dempster-Shafer updating

Abstract The Dempster-Shafer theory of evidential reasoning has been proposed as a generalization of Bayesian probabilistic analysis suitable for classification and identification problems. Discriminatory information is given by basic probability assignments, a set-based representation of evidential support. The generation of support from multiple pieces of evidence uses Dempster's rule, an intuitively appealing combining function that employs set-theoretic compatibility checking augmented with a numeric calculus to quantify the support assigned to each consistent subset. When evidence may be represented as both a basic probability assignment and probabilistic support, Dempster-Shafer updating is consistent with the Bayesian analysis if, and only if, prior probabilities are uniform and the evidence is conditionally independent given the frame of discernment. These conditions are extended to define the consistency of Dempster-Shafer updating with probabilistic analysis for arbitrary basic probability assignments. The generation of support is examined in five families of basic probability assignments. It is shown that, even with suitable independence assumptions, support generation using Dempster's rule of combination produces results that are not consistent with a probabilistic analysis of the evidence.
Intracapsular partial tonsillectomy for tonsillar hypertrophy in children

Objective: To review our experience with intracapsular tonsillectomy using powered instrumentation in the management of tonsillar hypertrophy causing obstructive sleep-disordered breathing in children. Study Design: Retrospective case series. Methods: Intracapsular tonsillectomy, a form of partial tonsillectomy performed with an endoscopic microdebrider, preserves the tonsillar capsule as a barrier to exposure of the pharyngeal muscles. Results in 150 children who underwent this procedure were compared with those in 162 children who had standard tonsillectomy. Results: Children who underwent intracapsular tonsillectomy had significantly less pain throughout the recovery period than those who had standard tonsillectomy. There was no significant difference between the two groups in intraoperative blood loss, and no episodes of immediate postoperative bleeding occurred in either group. Six patients who had the standard operation and one patient who had the intracapsular procedure had delayed hemorrhage requiring hospital readmission. Five children in the standard group and one in the intracapsular group were readmitted because of dehydration. Thus, in all, 11 readmissions were necessary among children who underwent standard tonsillectomy, whereas 2 were required among those who had intracapsular tonsillectomy. Conclusion: Intracapsular tonsillectomy is as effective as standard tonsillectomy in relieving obstructive sleep-disordered breathing but produces less postoperative pain and fewer episodes of delayed hemorrhage and dehydration.
An Approach to the Analysis of Feeder Cattle Price Differentials

One of the difficulties faced by agricultural economic price analysts is the great variety of subclasses identifiable within commodity categories. Beef cattle price analysts face a particularly difficult problem in this regard. In addition to spatial, temporal, grade, and variety distinctions inherent in most agricultural commodities, cattle markets often discriminate sharply on the basis of weight, age, and sex. Most feeder cattle demand, supply, or price studies focus on a representative steer or heifer defined by an explicit set of characteristics that remains invariant across the data set (Maki). Readers are left to draw inferences for other sets of characteristics. Considerable attention has been
Presentation modality and proactive interference in short-term retention using a mixed-morality distractor task

Two experiments investigated the release from PI following a shift in mode of presentation of the study words. In each experiment, the interpolated task required processing of both auditory (A) and visual (V) information. The results were the same with mixed lists (Experiment I) and with independent groups (Experiment II): A release from PI was obtained following an A to V shift but not following a V to A shift. It was concluded that the mixed-modality filler task has functional characteristics very similar to those of an A filler and that the filler task influences the memory code for study items.
Outage Analysis of Multiple-Antenna Cognitive Radios in TV White Space

In this paper, we analyze the outage performance of coded orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems when operating as a cognitive radio in TV white space. TV white space refers to unused television channels that are now open for unlicensed operation with some constraints. A key aspect of such systems is that both the available bandwidth and band location are variable. We have considered scenarios where the number of unused (hence available) TV bands is small. Such channels fall under the category of block-fading channels. We have also considered scenarios where multiple antennas are employed at the receiver. Previous work on performance analysis of multiple receive-antenna systems have focussed on scenarios where full space-frequency diversity is achieved. In this paper, we consider scenarios where full space diversity is achieved, but full frequency diversity is not achieved. Further, existing analysis techniques in the literature only predict average performance, whereas, outage performance may be more relevant in such systems. We derive tight approximations and bounds to the average and outage performance of such systems in this paper. We also present simulation results supporting the analysis.
E2F4 Is Essential for Normal Erythrocyte Maturation and Neonatal Viability

The retinoblastoma protein (pRB) plays a key role in the control of normal development and proliferation through the regulation of the E2F transcription factors. We generated a mutant mouse model to assess the in vivo role of the predominant E2F family member, E2F4. Remarkably, loss of E2F4 had no detectable effect on either cell cycle arrest or proliferation. However, E2F4 was essential for normal development. E2f4-/- mice died of an increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections that appeared to result from craniofacial defects. They also displayed a variety of erythroid abnormalities that arose from a cell autonomous defect in late stage maturation. This suggests that E2F4 makes a major contribution to the control of erythrocyte development by the pRB tumor suppressor.
Peripherally restricted acute phase response to a viral mimic alters hippocampal gene expression

We have previously shown that peripherally restricted acute phase response (APR) elicited by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of a viral mimic, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (PIC), renders the brain hypersusceptible to excitotoxic insult as seen from profoundly exacerbated kainic acid (KA)-induced seizures. In the present study, we found that this hypersusceptibility was protracted for up to 72 h. RT-PCR profiling of hippocampal gene expression revealed rapid upregulation of 23 genes encoding cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors generally within 6 h after PIC challenge. The expression of most of these genes decreased by 24 h. However, two chemokine genes, i.e., Ccl19 and Cxcl13 genes, as well as two chemokine receptor genes, Ccr1 and Ccr7, remained upregulated for 72 h suggesting their possible involvement in the induction and sustenance of seizure hypersusceptibility. Also, 12 genes encoding proteins related to glutamatergic and GABAergic neurotransmission featured initial upregulation or downregulation followed by gradual normalization. The upregulation of the Gabrr3 gene remained upregulated at 72 h, congruent with its plausible role in the hypersusceptible phenotype. Moreover, the expression of ten microRNAs (miRs) was rapidly affected by PIC challenge, but their levels generally exhibited oscillating profiles over the time course of seizure hypersusceptibility. These results indicate that protracted seizure susceptibility following peripheral APR is associated with a robust polygenic response in the hippocampus.
HPLC Method for the Assay of Creatinine in Urine

Abstract A simple and rapid HPLC method has been developed for the determination of creatinine in urine. Urine was diluted (1:50 v/v) with water and injected directly. The chromatographic separation was accomplished with butylamine-phosphoric acid buffer at a flow rate of 1.2 ml/min. The HPLC column was a cartridge packed with 3 μm Econosphere C18. The UV detection wavelength was 230 nm. The intra and inter assay coefficient of variation were less than 5.2%. The method was validated by comparing data on 232 urines with that obtained by the Jaffe method. It is suitable for routine determination of creatinine in urine as a measure of excretion rate, and is presently being used to improve the quality of the data from drug testing programs.
EXPERIMENTAL EXPOSURE OF CANADIAN TOADS TO BASIDIOBOLUS RANARUM

Experimental transmission of the fungus Basidiobolus ranarum was induced in two treatment groups of Canadian toads (Bufo hemiophrys) and caused a fatal mycotic dermatitis. Seven of 10 (70%) toads that had their ventral skin mildly abraded and exposed to B. ranarum developed hyperemia, and sloughing of their ventral skin and died. Toads with abraded ventral skin or exposure to infected skin also were affected statistically at a higher rate than those with abraded skin and exposure to pure cultures of B. ranarum innoculated into their water source. Of toads showing clinical disease, B. ranarum was identified by both impression smears and histology in all cases, but not from toads that appeared clinically healthy. The organism was cultured from 5 of 7 (71%) toads with clinical disease but not from any toad that appeared clinically healthy (n = 28). This study documents methods of experimental transmission of B. ranarum, an organism responsible for causing a mycotic dermatitis that is fatal to toads.
Improving energetics of triacylglyceride extraction from wet oleaginous microbes

Abstract Oleaginous microbes can upgrade carbon to lipids, which can be used as a feedstock to produce renewable replacements for petroleum-based compounds. Efficient extraction of lipids from oleaginous microbes typically involves dewatering and drying of the biomass. Problematically, drying often requires an amount of energy approaching that available from the cells. Here, we report an approach for the high efficiency extraction of triacylglycerides (TAG) from wet oleaginous microbes, bypassing the drying process. Solvent candidates for extraction of wet oleaginous biomass were identified using ASPEN’s databases to determine an activity based selectivity coefficient. Optimal extraction conditions were determined which resulted in >91% extraction of TAG from yeast, bacteria, and microalgae. Experimental data was integrated into system models to evaluate the energetics of the processes compared to traditional extraction methods. The net energy ratio (NER) of a traditional dry solvent extraction is 0.84, whereas the approach presented here has a NER of 0.34 for yeast.