cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Empirical evidence of disease activity thresholds used to indicate need for major therapeutic change in US veterans with rheumatoid arthritis.

A previous analysis of the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry showed that more than half of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) did not receive a major therapeutic change (MTC) despite moderate or severe disease activity. We aimed to empirically determine disease activity thresholds associated with a decision by rheumatologists and nurse practitioners to institute a MTC in patients with RA and to report the impact of that change on RA disease activity. We analyzed data from the VARA registry between January 1, 2006, and September 30, 2017. Eligible patients had a visit with 3 disease activity measures (DAMs) recorded: Disease Activity Score for 28 joints (DAS28), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3). The Youden Index was used to identify disease activity thresholds that best discriminated rheumatologist/nurse practitioner decision to initiate MTC. Clinical outcome was 20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20 response). The effect of MTC on ACR20 response was presented as crude descriptive statistics and evaluated using G-computation for marginal and conditional effects with established disease activity level combined with an empirical threshold from Youden analysis. The study population comprised 1776 patients (12,094 visits: 3077 with MTC, 9017 without MTC). Empirical thresholds (95% bootstrap confidence interval with 1000 replications) for MTC were 4.03 (3.70–4.36) for DAS28, 12.9 (10.4–15.4) for CDAI, and 3.81 (3.32–4.30) for RAPID3. Visits with MTC had increased likelihood of ACR20 response: risk ratios for ACR20 response for visits with MTC vs without MTC ranged 1.2–2.6 across DAMs; risk differences ranged 0.2–14.5%. MTC was associated with clinical improvement across all DAMs with the greatest change in patients with RA disease activity above the Youden threshold identified in this work. VARA Registry, https://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/research/abstracts.cfm?Project_ID=2141698764
Information Resources Valued by Medical Students in a Clinical Reasoning Course: A Cross-Sectional Study

The clinical reasoning process for arriving at an accurate diagnosis represents a complex activity. How medical students harness existing information resources in their clinical reasoning courses h...
Group Swimming Behaviour and Energetics in Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss

Group swimming size influences metabolic energy consumption and swimming behaviour in fishes. Hydrodynamic flows and vortices of other fish are thought to be beneficial in terms of the energetic costs of swimming. Similarly, abiotic obstructions have been shown to have similar benefits with respect to metabolic consumption in swimming fish such as rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. The current study works to examine metabolic rates and swimming behaviours as a function of group swimming with bluegill sunfish Lepomis macrochirus and O. mykiss. Fishes were subjected to individual and group swimming in a respiratory swim tunnel to determine oxygen consumption as a proxy for the metabolic rate of swimming fish. In addition, fish movements within the swim tunnel test chamber were tracked to examine group swimming behaviour. We hypothesized that fish would benefit metabolically from group swimming. In the case of O. mykiss, we also hypothesized that groups would benefit from the presence of an abiotic structure, as has been previously observed in fish swimming individually. Our results suggest that the influence of group size on swimming metabolism is species specific. While L. macrochirus show decreased metabolic rate when swimming in a group compared to individually, O. mykiss did not show such a metabolic benefit from group swimming.
Effect of blue and red-orange LEDs on the growth and biochemical profile of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Light management methods are considered effective to enhance the quantum yield and photosynthetic efficiency and promote the biomass and nutrient production; however, light saturation and inhibition restrain further improvement. This work studies the effect of light mixing on algal light saturation/inhibition, growth kinetics, and biochemical profile. The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was cultivated with batch culture under an LED light panel with multiple spectra options. Different combinations of blue (B) and red-orange (RO) light intensities were tested with blue light ranging from 45 to 65 μmol photons m−2 s−1 and red-orange light ranging from 45 to 205 μmol photons m−2 s−1. Results reveal that the mixed blue and red-orange light significantly improved the growth kinetics and relieved the light saturation under blue light and the light inhibition under the red-orange light. The maximum specific growth rate, biomass concentration, and productivity increased by 22, 50, and 57%, respectively, compared with the results under the red-orange light. The lipid and protein synthesis were observed to be promoted under mixed light with relatively low red-orange light intensities (45 and 105 μmol photons m−2 s−1) and repressed at high red-orange light intensities (155 and 205 μmol photons m−2 s−1). The carbohydrate content did not change.
Pediatric spinal intramedullary anaplastic myxopapillary ependymoma: a case report

A 6-year-old girl presented with a 1-week history of progressive upper and lower extremity weakness and bilateral upper extremity dysesthesia. Imaging demonstrated a 4.7 × 1.2-cm enhancing intramedullary lesion in the cervical spine from level C2 to C5 with associated cystic components and syringomyelia. The patient underwent a C2-C5 laminoplasty, with gross total resection of the intramedullary lesion. Histological analysis showed small to medium-sized epithelioid cells, with predominantly a solid architecture focally infiltrating into the adjacent spinal cord tissue. Focal papillary differentiation was present along with peri-vascular pseudorosettes, mucin microcysts, and globules of dense collagen. Focal anaplasia was noted with mitosis (5/10 HPF), focal necrosis, and elevated Ki67 10-15%. These findings were consistent with a myxopapillary ependymoma with anaplastic features. CSF cytology was negative for tumor cells. MYCN amplification was not present. She was treated with targeted proton-beam radiation therapy. This is the fourth case of an intramedullary anaplastic myxopapillary ependymoma to date, and the first case in the cervical spine reported in the literature.
Conclusion: The Call of a Different Drummer

This chapter, the conclusion to Social Nullification and African-American Citizenship, is a summary of the concerns that lead to the formulation of the idea of social nullification. Birthed in the midst of the struggle against police violence in African-American communities, the chapter defines the central ideas in the monograph and explores the dynamic of the failure of citizenship as a category for Black people and the exploration of Black people thinking of themselves beyond the terms of that category.
New Modes of Respiratory Support for the Premature Infant: Automated Control of Inspired Oxygen Concentration

Most extremely premature infants have respiratory instability that can manifest as frequent episodes of intermittent hypoxemia. Although caregivers target clinically recommended ranges of arterial oxygen saturation (oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry [Spo2]), consistent maintenance of these ranges is not always achieved. Excessive administration of supplemental oxygen combined with limited staff resources increases exposure to extreme Spo2 levels. In this population, exposure to hyperoxemia and prolonged episodes of intermittent hypoxemia have been associated with damage to the eye and lung and impaired neurodevelopment. To improve Spo2 targeting, various systems for automated control of inspired oxygen have been developed recently.
Advances in Underwater Robot Vehicles for Deep Ocean Exploration: Navigation, Control, and Survey Operations

This paper reports recent advances and open problems in navigation, control, and survey methodologies for underwater robotic vehicles. First, the technical challenges of underwater navigation are discussed. Second, an acoustic navigation system combining bottom-lock doppler sonar and time-of-flight long-baseline (LBL) navigation techniques, recently reported by the Authors, is reviewed. The performance of this system is examined in the context of recent deep-submergence operations with the Jason underwater robot. Third, principal theoretical and practical obstacles to the task of acoustic and optical undersea survey operations are reviewed. These issues are illustrated with acoustic bathymetric and optical photomosaic surveys performed by the authors during two recent deployments in the Mediterranean Sea.
Enterobacter ribonuclease: II. A reexamination of the enzyme's specificity toward internucleotide linkages

Abstract A heat-stable ribonuclease isolated from the organism Enterobacter sp. has been purified to homogeneity as evidenced by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, sucrose density centrifugation and Sephadex gel filtration. Comparison of the properties of the homogeneous enzyme with those of the ribonuclease partially purified from Enterobacter by another method indicates that the two enzymes are the same. Analysis of the hydrolytic products found after enzymatic degradation of synthetic ribonucleotide polymers and of yeast RNA suggests that those fragments terminating in 3′-adenylic acid as well as those terminating in 3′-cytidylic acid result from the activity of the same enzyme.
Comparative effects of unfractionated heparin and low molecular weight heparin on vascular endothelial cell tissue factor pathway inhibitor release: a model for assessing intrinsic thromboresistance.

Objectives: The purpose of our study was to characterize tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) release from human vascular endothelial cells following daily exposure to varying concentrations of unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH).
Media and Political Engagement: Citizens, Communication, and Democracy, by Peter Dahlgren

Politics is an impolite topic at the dinner table; the news is sometimes superficial and often ignored; and citizens' interest in the traditional activities of democracy is on the wane. How did we ...
Growth and Organic Carbon Production in Peatlands Dominated by Distichia muscoides, Bolivia, South America

Abstract Little is known about the growth or production of alpine cushion plant communities in the southern hemisphere, even though they dominate many high elevation peat-accumulating ecosystems in this region. We measured the growth and organic carbon production in four Distichia muscoides cushion plant—dominated peatlands in the tropical Andes of Bolivia, South America. Height growth was measured using the modified crank wire system. Cores were collected at the end of the 18-month study period to determine the biomass and organic carbon production rate. Bulk density averaged 0.081 g cm-3. Total height increase ranged from 0.96 to 5.37 cm yr-1, indicating very rapid growth. Most growth occurred during the austral summer wet season. Mean organic carbon production for the four sites ranged from 1.5 to 4.0 kg C m-2 yr-1 and is among the most rapid rates of potential peat accumulation known for high elevation or high latitude ecosystems on Earth.
Maruja Mallo. La Bohemia encarnada

The youth of the so-called “Generation of 27" practiced a form of mystical bohemianism which they inherited above all from the first avant-garde artists who resided in Paris at the turn of the 20th century. This is the case of, among them, the woman who contributed the most to the Spanish avant-garde movement, the eccentric and chameleonic Maruja Mallo. Like the quintessential bohemian, she lived her life as if she herself were a work of art. Mallo “infiltrated” the intellectual world, ignoring the social mores for women. Her most surrealist works, her photographs and her paintings from the “Cesspools and Belfries” series, brilliantly reveal her innovative talents. Because of her daring and her scandalous life, Mallo was boycotted during her long exile, but in the post-Franco period, she was rescued from oblivion and is now recognized as one of the essential figures of the historical avant-garde in Spain.
The linked cluster expansion for two-body operators

Abstract It is argued that the usual Bethe-Goldstone wavefunction should be normalized before being used to calculate the effect of two-body correlations on expectation values of two-body operators. This normalization is related to specific linked cluster diagrams and is shown to be necessary for ‘pair number’ conservation.
Tubulin isoform usage in maize microtubules

Antibodies specific to two of the maize β-tubulin isoforms and to the three subfamilies of maize α-tubulins were used in immunofluorescence microscopy to determine where and into which microtubule (MT) arrays these tubulin isoforms are incorporated in maize plants. All the tubulins examined appear to be incorporated into MTs in at least some cell types, with the possible exception of subfamily II α-tubulins, which have been found only in the form of diffuse, nonfibrillar staining. Whereas the α-tubulins of subfamily I appear to be used constitutively, others are used much more selectively in the plant, with β2-tubulin found in microtubules only during sexual reproduction. If a particular tubulin is used in the MTs of a given cell type, it appears to be incorporated into all the MT arrays found in the cell.
The structure of Te(OH)6.Na3P3O9.K3P3O9.

The structure of this compound, originally described in space group C2/c [Averbuch-Pouchot & Durif (1987). Acta Cryst. C43, 1653-1655] is properly described as rhombohedral, space group R3c, with a = 12.355 (4) A, a = 51.01 (2) degrees, Z = 2. (Hexagonal cell: a = 10.640 (4), c = 32.16 (2) A, Z = 6). Revised coordinates are given.
An efficient QR based method for the computation of Lyapunov exponents

Abstract An efficient and numerically stable method to determine all the Lyapunov characteristic exponents of a dynamical system is developed. Numerical experiments are presented highlighting some aspects of convergence, accuracy and efficiency in the computation of the Lyapunov characteristic exponents.
Mapping the Contacts of Yeast TFIIIB and RNA Polymerase III at Various Distances from the Major Groove of DNA by DNA Photoaffinity Labeling

The structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase III transcription complex on the SUP4 tRNATyr gene was probed at distances of approximately 10 to approximately 23 A from the C-5 methyl of thymidine in the major groove of DNA using photoreactive aryl azides attached to deoxyuridine by variable chain lengths. The nucleotide analogs contained an azidobenzoyl group attached with chain lengths that were incrementally increased by approximately 4. 3 A by inserting 1-3 glycine residues into the chain. Another photoreactive deoxyuridine analog was made that contained a butyl chain (ABU-dUMP) to assess the effect of the chain's hydrophobicity on its ability to photoaffinity label the transcription complex. These nucleotide analogs were incorporated at base pairs (bp) -26/-21, -17, or -3/-2 on the nontranscribed strand of the SUP4 tRNATyr gene along with an [alpha-32P]dNMP by primer extension using an immobilized single-stranded DNA template annealed to specific oligonucleotides. The 27-kDa subunit of TFIIIB or the TATA box binding protein was photoaffinity labeled at bp -26/-21 with nucleotide analogs containing a approximately 19- or approximately 23-A chain and not with shorter chains of approximately 10 to approximately 15 A in length. The B" subunit of TFIIIB (Mr = 90 kDa) was photoaffinity labeled at bps -26/-21 with DNA containing a approximately 14-A chain and not with shorter or longer chains. Cross-linking of the B" subunit was inhibited by binding of RNA polymerase III (Pol III) to the TFIIIB-DNA complex and suggested that Pol III binding causes a conformational change in the TFIIIB-DNA complex resulting in the displacement of the 90-kDa subunit at bps -26/-21. Next, the chain length dependence of photoaffinity labeling the 34-kDa subunit of Pol III at bps -17 and -3/-2 indicated that the 34-kDa subunit of Pol III is slightly removed from the major groove at bp -17 in the initiation complex and makes closer contact at bps -3/-2 in a stalled elongation complex.
Evaluation of acute and chronic toxicity of selected compounds in higher plants using cell culture

The feasibility of using plant cell culture to measure toxicity was determined by investigating the toxicological effects of three chemical compounds, allyl alcohol, propargylglycine, and cadmium chloride, on cell cultures ofCatharanthus roseus G. Don (Madagascar periwinkle). Suspension cultures ofC. roseus were maintained in modified B5 medium and transferred every 5 d. Five-day-old cell cultures were exposed to various concentrations (10,3,1,0.3,0.1,0.03,0.01,0.003,0.001,0.0003,0.0001, 0.00003, and 0.0 mM) of the toxicants in both acute and chronic toxicity tests. In the acute test, cells were exposed to the toxicant for 24 h, washed three times with sterile medium, and plated in petri plates with an equal volume of 1.4% agar medium. Cells in the chronic test were plated with an equal volume of 1.4% agar medium containing various concentrations of the toxicant. Cells were incubated 28 d at 30°C in the dark. The colonies were counted and the results plotted as percent survival versus toxicant concentration. The results indicate, at the concentrations tested, thatC. roseus assay may be feasible in that it fulfills the criteria for a practical assay (e.g., rapid, simple, quantifiable, and reproducible).
Leaf flavonoid chemistry and taxonomy of Coreopsis sect. Coreopsis

Seventeen flavonoid glycosides were isolated from the leaves of the nine species of Coreopsis sect. Coreopsis. The compounds include two flavones, four flavonols, a 6-hydroxyflavone, a 6-hydroxyflavonol, two 6-methoxyflavones, a 6-methoxyflavonol and three chalcone-aurone pairs. Chemistry distinguishes all species except C. auriculata and C. intermedia. The mean flavonoid similarity for pair-wise comparison of the four species of annuals (C. basalis, C. nuecensis, C. nuecensoides and C. wrightii) is 0.63 whereas it is 0.66 for the five perennial species (C. auriculata, C. grandiflora, C. intermedia, C. lanceolata, C. pubescens) and 0.54 for comparison of annuals with perennials. This indicates that on the average there is slightly higher flavonoid similarity among species of annuals and among species of perennials than there is between annuals and perennials. Lack of the chalcone-aurone pair coreopsin-sulfurein in perennials is the only consistent chemical difference between annuals and perennials. Leaf flavonoid chemistry supports the hypothesis that C. nuecensis and C. nuecensoides are closely related species but flavonoid data are not concordant with the hypothesis of close relationship between C. basalis and C. wrightii, intermedia, Coreopsis pubescens and C. lanceolata are considered closely related and flavonoid chemistry is concordant with this hypothesis. Coreopsis lanceolata is also viewed as closely allied to C. auriculata, but flavonoids suggest the latter species is more similar to C. intermedia. Coreopsis grandiflora is the only perennial species lacking flavonols and has the fewest number of compounds of any species in the section; chemical data support the view that C. grandiflora is quite distinct from other perennial species of sect. Coreopsis.
The ML approach to the readable all-purpose language

The ideal computer language is seen as one that would be as readable as natural language, and so adaptable that it could serve as the only language a user need ever know. An approach to language design has emerged that shows promise of allowing one to come much closer to that ideal than might reasonably have been expected. Using this approach, a language referred to as ML has been developed, and has been implemented as a language-creation system in which user-defined procedures invoked at translation time translate the source to some object code. In this way the user can define both the syntax and the semantics of the source language. Both language and implementation are capable of further development. This paper describes the approach, the language, and the implementation and recommends areas for further work.
Electronic structure of tungsten carbide and its catalytic behavior

Abstract The different observations concerning the platinum-like electronic structure found in X-ray photoelectron spectra as contrasted by the platinum-unlike density of states detected by soft X-ray appearance potential spectroscopy is reconciled. The platinum-like catalytic activity of WC results from changes in the electron distribution when C is added to W; core level chemical shifts indicate electron transfer from W valence orbitals to C 2p orbitals.
Adsorption of Water on Reconstructed Rutile TiO2(011)-(2×1): TiO Double Bonds and Surface Reactivity

Recent combined experimental and theoretical studies (Beck et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 2004, 93, 036104) have provided evidence for TiO double-bonded titanyl groups on the reconstructed rutile TiO2(011)-(2×1) surface. The adsorption of water on the same surface is now investigated to further probe the properties of these groups, as well as to confirm their existence. Ultraviolet photoemission experiments show that water is adsorbed in molecular form at a sample temperature of 110 K. At the same time, the presence of a 3σ state in the photoemission spectra and work function measurements indicate a significant amount of hydroxyls within the first monolayer of water. At room temperature, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) suggests that dissociated water is present, and about 30% of the surface active sites are hydroxylated. These findings are well explained by total energy density functional theory calculations and Car−Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations for water adsorption on the titanyl model of TiO2(...
Mode stability and spectral properties of resonant periodic gain surface-emitting lasers

Use of resonant periodic gain media provides enhanced gain for a specific design wavelength and propagation direction. The modal properties and emission spectra of CW optically pumped GaAs/AlGaAs resonant periodic gain surface-emitting lasers are described as functions of pump power, and for small temperature variations in the vicinity of 300 K. The achievement of fundamental transverse mode operation and hence narrow spectral widths is considered in detail.
Hybrid structures: Faculty use and perception of web-based courseware as a supplement to face-to-face instruction

Abstract The researchers examined responses from 862 faculty members at 38 institutions nationwide using the blackboard Learning Management System (LMS) to supplement their face-to-face instruction. The four research questions addressed the primary uses that faculty make of blackboard, perceptions that faculty have of how certain blackboard features enhance or elevate (or might enhance or elevate) their assessment of student work and instructional capabilities, and how faculty use of blackboard might positively affect the psychosocial climate within the face-to-face classroom setting. Additional analysis sought to identify the factors that predict use and positive perception of blackboard as a supplement to face-to-face teaching activities. The results indicate that faculty primarily used blackboard as a course management/administration tool to make course documents available to students and manage course grades. Few faculty used blackboard for instructional or assessment purposes, and even fewer utilized blackboard to foster a more positive sense of community within their face-to-face classes. Faculty attitudes, on the whole, were positive when it came to the classroom management functions of blackboard, but neutral or otherwise undecided in terms of its instructional or psychosocial benefits. The main factor in determining blackboard usage—whether for course administration or instructional purposes—was experience with the tool. In addition, women had more positive attitudes than men did in terms of blackboard's potential to enhance classroom management and foster a positive relational climate. Limitations of the study and suggestions for future research are discussed before concluding.
Seasonal variation of soil and forage mineral concentrations in north florida

Abstract A two‐year study was conducted in north Florida on two farms located near Bronson and Williston for beef cattle grazing bahiagrass pastures. Soil concentrations of Ca, P, Mg, Na, and Cu were similar for both locations and seasons for either year. At Bronson soil, Se was higher than at Williston in 1988, but in 1989, soil Se at Williston was higher in the late than in the main grazing season. All soil salnples analyzed were deficient in K and Se, and over 63% of samples were found deficient for Mg, Zn, P, Cu, and Mn. Acidity did not appear to be a problem in soil mineral availability, since mean pH was 5.5 and higher. Forage concentrations of Ca, Na, Fe, Co, Mo, and protein were similar for all seasons and locations during 1988; however, greater (P < 0.05) concentrations of P, K, Cu, and Zn were found in June than in October. In 1989, forage concentrations of Ca, K, Na, Zn, Co, Mg, and Cu were higher in the early grazing season (March‐May) than during the rest of the year; however, concentrations ...
2-phase GA-based image registration on parallel clusters

Abstract Genetic algorithms (GAs) are known to be robust for search and optimization problems. Image registration can take advantage of the robustness of GAs in finding best transformation between two images, of the same location with slightly different orientation, produced by moving spaceborne remote sensing instruments. In this paper, we present 2-phase sequential and coarse-grained parallel image registration algorithms using GAs as optimization mechanism. In its first phase, the algorithm finds a small set of good solutions using low-resolution versions of the images. Based on these candidate low-resolution solutions, the algorithm uses the full resolution image data to refine the final registration results in the second phase. Experimental results are presented and revealed that our algorithms yield very accurate registration results for LandSat Thematic Mapper images, and the parallel algorithm scales quite well on the Beowulf parallel cluster.
An ex ante analysis of put-call parity

Abstract The authors previously had extended the theoretical put-call parity models developed by Stoll (1969) and Merton (1973) to include a dividend term. Ex post tests of the models were generally consistent with market efficiency, but a sufficient number of hedges had high enough returns to warrant analysis of ex ante results. The purpose of this study was to construct hedges 5 and 15 minutes after they were initially identified as having an ex post return in excess of $20 per hedge. The results indicate that mispriced options adjust and that economic profit is sensitive to the level of transaction costs and unlikely even for member firms.
Can't finish what you started? The effect of climactic interruption on behavior

Abstract Individuals experience a greater frequency of interruptions than ever before. Interruptions by e-mails, phone calls, text messages and other sources of disruption are ubiquitous. We examine the important unanswered question of whether interruptions can increase the likelihood that individuals will choose closure-associated behaviors. Specifically, we explore the possibility that interruptions that occur during the climactic moments of a task or activity can produce a heightened need for psychological closure. When an interruption prevents individuals from achieving closure in the interrupted domain, we show that the resulting unsatisfied need for psychological closure can cause individuals to seek closure in totally unrelated domains. These findings have important implications for understanding how consumer decisions may be influenced by the dynamic—and often interrupted—course of daily events.
Epidermal Chalone–past To Present Concept

How the constantly renewing epidermis maintains its homeostatic state remains a mystery. A "negative feedback" mechanism of control with chalone, a tissue-specific, species-nonspecific inhibitor of mitosis, has been suggested by Bullough and Laurence. Progress in isolating, purifying, and characterizing epidermal chalone has been slow and difficult because of the lack of a fast, assurate, and meaningful assay system. A G2 assay (depending upon mitotic counts) was used to obtain the data which served as the basis for postulating the existence of chalone. Since a control point with the G1 phase of the cell cycle is considered to be the one with physiologic implications, in vivo and in vitro assays with pure primary epidermal cell cultures have been used to investigate a G1 block. The incorporation of tritiated thymidine into DNA is often used as a measure of the rate of prokiferation. However, inhibition of thymidine transport and phosphorylation have been encountered in several systems and negate this method as an accurate measure of cell proliferation.
The Effect of Uncertainty Visualizations on Decision Making in Weather Forecasting

People's reasoning with uncertainty information is often flawed. Visual representations can help, but little is known about what is the best way to present such information. Two studies investigated the effect of visualizations on the understanding and use of wind speed forecast uncertainty. Participants varied in expertise from novices in weather forecasting (Experiment 1) to professional forecasters (Experiment 2). The authors investigated three visualizations: (a) a chart showing the amount of uncertainty, (b) a chart showing the worst-case scenario, and (c) a box plot of likely wind speeds. Participants were asked to determine the relative uncertainty in the forecast, predict wind speed, and decide whether to post a high-wind warning advisory. The results for novices and professional forecasters were similar. The uncertainty chart enhanced awareness of the degree of uncertainty associated with the forecast, box plots improved reading accuracy, and presenting a visualization of the worst-case scenario introduced bias in the deterministic wind speed forecast. An interactive display (e.g., a combination of an uncertainty chart with a box plot display) may be optimal to convey uncertainty information.
Nearly complete rRNA genes from 371 Animalia: updated structure-based alignment and detailed phylogenetic analysis.

Abstract This study presents a manually constructed alignment of nearly complete rRNA genes from most animal clades (371 taxa from ∼33 of the ∼36 metazoan phyla), expanded from the 197 sequences in a previous study. This thorough, taxon-rich alignment, available at http://www.wsu.edu/~jmallatt/research/rRNAalignment.html and in the Dryad Repository (doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.1v62kr3q ), is based rigidly on the secondary structure of the SSU and LSU rRNA molecules, and is annotated in detail, including labeling of the erroneous sequences (contaminants). The alignment can be used for future studies of the molecular evolution of rRNA. Here, we use it to explore if the larger number of sequences produces an improved phylogenetic tree of animal relationships. Disappointingly, the resolution did not improve, neither when the standard maximum-likelihood method was used, nor with more sophisticated methods that partitioned the rRNA into paired and unpaired sites (stem, loop, bulge, junction), or accounted for the evolution of the paired sites. For example, no doublet model of paired-site substitutions (16-state, 16A and 16B, 7A–F, or 6A–C models) corrected the placement of any rogue taxa or increased resolution. The following findings are from the simplest, standard, ML analysis. The 371-taxon tree only imperfectly supported the bilaterian clades of Lophotrochozoa and Ecdysozoa, and this problem remained after 17 taxa with unstably positioned sequences were omitted from the analysis. The problem seems to stem from base-compositional heterogeneity across taxa and from an overrepresentation of highly divergent sequences among the newly added taxa (e.g., sequences from Cephalopoda, Rotifera, Acoela, and Myxozoa). The rogue taxa continue to concentrate in two locations in the rRNA tree: near the base of Arthropoda and of Bilateria. The approximately uncertain (AU) test refuted the monophyly of Mollusca and of Chordata, probably due to long-branch attraction of the highly divergent cephalopod and urochordate sequences out of those clades. Unlikely to be correct, these refutations show for the first time that rRNA phylogeny can support some ‘wrong’ clades. Along with its weaknesses, the rRNA tree has strengths: It recovers many clades that are supported by independent evidence (e.g., Metazoa, Bilateria, Hexapoda, Nonoculata, Ambulacraria, Syndermata, and Thecostraca with Malacostraca) and shows good resolution within certain groups (e.g., in Platyhelminthes, Insecta, Cnidaria). As another strength, the newly added rRNA sequences yielded the first rRNA-based support for Carnivora and Cetartiodactyla (dolphin + llama) in Mammalia, for basic subdivisions of Bryozoa (‘Gymnolaemata + Stenolaemata’ versus Phylactolaemata), and for Oligostraca (ostracods + branchiurans + pentastomids + mystacocarids). Future improvement could come from better sequence-evolution models that account for base-compositional heterogeneity, and from combining rRNA with protein-coding genes in phylogenetic reconstruction.
Application of ion-assited electron beam metallization to diamond electronics

Abstract The application of the ion-assisted electron beam deposition technique for the fabrication of contacts on diamond has been evaluated by studying the adhesion of metal films as well as by performing electrical measurements on metal/diamond structures. Metal films were deposited on naturally occuring B-doped diamond crystals (type IIb) and on polycrystalline diamond films using an electron beam deposition technique with and without ion assist. A marked improvement in adhesion was observed for the films deposited with ion-assisted deposition compared to those deposited by non-ion-assisted electron beam technique. The metal contacts fabricated on a natural diamond (type IIb) exhibited excellent rectifying characteristics with low reverse leakage current densities. No apparent difference in the reverse leakage current densities could be detected for the contacts deposited by ion-assisted electron beam deposition as compared to the contacts deposited by non-ion-assisted electron beam.
Evaluation of the Emergency Severity Index (version 3) triage algorithm in pediatric patients.

Objectives: As demand for emergency services outpaces available allocated resources, emergency department (ED) triage systems face increasing scrutiny. Longer waits for care make the use of reliable, valid triage systems imperative to patient safety. Little is known about the reliability and validity of triage systems in children. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Emergency Severity Index version 3 (ESIv.3) triage algorithm in a pediatric population. Methods: This two-phase investigation used both retrospective chart review and prospective, observational designs. Interrater reliability was evaluated using ED triage scenarios, a prospective cohort of ED patients presenting to triage, and retrospective triage assignments using the original triage note. ED triage nurses, nurse investigators, and physician investigators performed retrospective blinded triages using only the original triage note to assess reproducibility. In the second phase, validity was assessed using a retrospective analysis of observed resource use, ED length of stay, and hospitalization compared with resource utilization estimated at triage by the ESI. Results: In the reliability phase, weighted k for ED nurse triage of standard scenarios ranged from 0.84 to 1.00, representing excellent agreement. Twenty ED pediatric patients were triaged simultaneously by an ED triage nurse and the nurse investigator. Weighted k was 0.82 (95% confidence interval = 0.66 to 0.98), also representing strong agreement between raters. When used for retrospective chart review, the weighted k statistics ranged from 0.42 to 0.84, representing poor to good agreement among the different categories of reviewers. During the validity phase, 510 patients were included in the final data analysis. Hospitalization, ED length of stay, and resource utilization were strongly associated with ESIv.3 category. Conclusions: The ESI triage algorithm demonstrated reliability and validity between triage assignment and resource use in this group of ED pediatric patients. Key words: triage; Emergency Severity Index; pediatrics. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2005; 12:219‐224.
Patch‐clamp analysis of glycine‐induced currents in chick ciliary ganglion neurons.

1. The whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique was used to analyse currents induced by glycine in chick ciliary ganglion neurons freshly dissociated from 14- to 15-day-old embryos. 2. Application of glycine to cells voltage-clamped at -60 mV induced inward currents in all neurons tested. Dose-response curves yielded an EC50 of about 50 microM. Similar responses were elicited by beta-alanine and taurine though higher concentrations were required. 3. Strychnine reversibly inhibited the glycine-induced responses. The effect was dose dependent with a half-maximal effect being obtained with 20 nM strychnine. 4. Glycine-induced currents were inhibited by 100 microM Zn2+. The inhibition had slow rates of onset and recovery, in contrast to Zn2+ inhibition of GABA responses. Both bicuculline and d-tubocurarine inhibited glycine responses in a dose-dependent manner. 5. The steady-state I-V curve for glycine-induced currents was linear over the range -60 to +60 mV, but showed an outward rectification at very hyperpolarized membrane potentials. The reversal potential of glycine-induced currents shifted with changes in intracellular chloride concentration in a manner expected for chloride-selective channels. 6. Expression of functional glycine receptors during development was examined at embryonic day 8 (E8), 11, 14, and 18. The mean peak current was about 60-fold larger at E14 than at E8 and vastly exceeded changes in cell size. During the same period, responses to GABA increased only 2-fold in amplitude and correlated with changes in cell size.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Circuit-technology co-optimization of heterogeneous hierarchical network-on-chips

Because of the ever increasing number of cores present on a single chip, fast and energy efficient, inter-core data communication has become a major concern. Various networkon-chip (NoC) topologies and flow controls have been presented in literature. In this paper, for the first time, the benefits of a hierarchical heterogeneous NoC are quantized using a comprehensive circuit-interconnect technology co-optimization. It is demonstrated that this optimal hybrid network provides lower end-to-end latency and power consumption compared to other homogeneous solutions. It is shown that not only is there a significant decrease in latency and power, but also the hardware overhead and wiring area in such a system are significantly reduced.
Strategies for prevention of byssinosis

Cotton dust is a heterogeneous mixture of plant parts and contaminants from the soil, weeds, and microorganisms. Research to control byssinosis has focused on methods to reduce the trash associated with harvested fiber and control the dust in the textile mill environment. Dust control has been effective in reducing the prevalence of byssinosis, but because cotton dust is a heterogeneous mixture of components, simple reduction in dust levels does not always assure the prevention of byssinosis. Research to identify the agents that cause byssinosis and development of methods to eliminate those agents from cotton is needed to prevent new cases of byssinosis.
Factors affecting the mRNA levels for the non-heme iron and effector-binding subunits of ribonucleotide reductase.

Abstract Ribonucleotide reductase which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the de novo synthesis of dNTPs is composed of two non-identical protein subunits which are not under coordinate control in terms of synthesis and degradation. The mRNAs for the effector-binding (EB) and non-heme iron (NHI) subunits are likewise not under coordinate control during cell cycle traverse. Inhibitors directed at the specific subunits of ribonucleotide reductase block DNA synthesis. These current studies show that drugs such as IMPY or hydroxyurea which specifically inhibit the NHI subunit cause a marked increase in the steady-state level of the mRNA for the NHI subunit while resulting in a decrease in the level of the mRNA for the EB subunit. In cells treated with deoxyadenosine, the patterns of the mRNAs for the NHI and EB subunits were different from those seen in the IMPY- or hydroxyurea-treated cells. Control experiments utilizing inhibitors (aphidicolin or araC) directed at DNA polymerase showed that the pattern of changes in the mRNA levels for the NHI and EB subunits were specific for the reductase inhibitors. These changes in the mRNAs for the NHI and EB subunits may be due to drug-induced alterations in transcription rates and/or degradation rates for the specific mRNAs.
Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Famotidine in Paediatric Patients

Famotidine, an H2 receptor antagonist, has several potential advantages over cimetidine and ranitidine. These advantages include its potency, relatively longer elimination half-life, and lack of interaction with the cytochrome P450 isoforms. Eight studies addressing the use of famotidine in paediatric patients have been published. Data from these studies demonstrate that the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intravenous famotidine appear to be similar in both children over the age of 1 year and adults. These data support a starting paediatric dosage for intravenous famotidine of 0.5 mg/kg every 8 to 12 hours. In addition, the safety and efficacy of famotidine in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease and esophagitis in paediatric patients is supported by these studies involving over 150 children. Future studies with famotidine in paediatrics should address its disposition in children under the age of 1 year and in children with compromised renal function, as well as the bioavailability of the oral formulation.
An alternative to the analysis of variance for reliability data

Though the analysis of variance is a commonly applied method for testing for differences between means of several processes, it is based in part on the assumption that the processes give rise to output that is normally distributed on the measured variable. Reliability and life test studies frequently give birth to data that exhibit clear skew, and application of the analysis of variance is questionable in such cases. A method referred to as analysis of reciprocals, which is based on an assumed inverse Gaussian distribution, provides an alternative to the analysis of variance in these instances. With applications in a variety of functional areas, including reliability and life testing, the inverse Gaussian distribution is able to accommodate substantial skew. It is hoped that this exposition will increase awareness of both the inverse Gaussian distribution and data analysis methods that are based on this distribution.
Sexuality Education in Video Games: Recommendations for the Use of Video Games to Teach Human Sexuality Issues

Abstract This article provides a review of some of the currently available literature surrounding the academic study of video games. Many of these theoretical methods have been used to study film and television and are discussed here in order to frame the need for further examination of video games. Suggestions for the use of video games in the classroom and suggestions for further areas of study are included. Specific focus is on the topics of gender, gender roles, and the stereotypes commonly held by American culture at large about gender and gender roles. Demographic information about video game players and a brief resource list are also included.
Tracing 15N through landscapes: potential uses and precautions

Abstract Stable N isotopes are used to examine the source, flow and fate of N at scales ranging from greenhouse pots to landscapes. There are two main approaches: the 15N-enriched method applies an artificially enriched source of 15N and the 15N natural abundance (δ15N) method uses natural 15N differences between N sources and sinks. The δ15N method is good for semi-quantitative estimates of N flow in undisturbed ecosystems, for analyzing patterns, and for developing new hypotheses, particularly when spatial variability across a landscape or watershed can be explained. The spatial variability of δ15N across a landscape is often non-random, following predictable spatial patterns. Topographic features control the rate of various hydrological and biological processes, resulting in significantly different δ15N between lower and upper slope positions. However, if the difference between source-δ15N and sink-δ15N is small due to inherent background variability and/or if fractionating processes have a large effect on the isotopic signature of the N to be traced, δ15N will not work as a tracer. With the 15N-enriched method, the isotopic signature of the enriched tracer can be pre-determined to ensure a significant difference in atom%15N between source and background levels, even when fractionation occurs. In most situations, the 15N-enriched method can be successfully used as a tracer to test hypotheses and to quantify N cycling through the landscape, regardless of background variability in δ15N. Limitations of the 15N-enriched method include the cost associated with applying an enriched tracer, especially at the landscape scale, and the potentially confounding effects of applying N to a previously undisturbed landscape.
Follicular variant of papillary carcinoma of the thyroid : Fine-needle aspirates with histologic correlation

Crile and Hazard reported in 1953 a follicular pattern of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Little has been said about this pattern in the cytologic literature. From more than 8,000 thyroid aspirates in our files, we reviewed all those diagnosed as "follicular variant of papillary carcinoma," "suspect follicular variant of papillary carcinoma," and "follicular neoplasm vs. follicular variant of papillary carcinoma." Also, we reviewed all aspirates in which a diagnosis of follicular variant of papillary carcinoma had been made on surgically excised glands, regardless of the cytologic diagnosis; 63 aspirates from 45 patients were collected. All smears were air-dried and stained with Diff-Quik. Most smears were very cellular ("tumor cellularity"), and the neoplastic follicular cells formed empty follicles, rosettes, tubules, and papillary structures. Nuclei were twice the size of red blood cells, had smooth contours, were hyperchromatic, and varied in shape but not much in size. Nuclear overlapping was common. Some nuclei had one small and almost pointed end, thereby resembling arrowheads. Intranuclear inclusions, multinucleated histiocytes, and psammoma bodies were uncommon. Pink-stained colloid was frequent.
The use of a pending mortgage reference point in valuation judgment

American real estate appraisers given identical valuation problems produced statistically different value estimates. The measured variable between experimental groups was an agency‐client treatment operationalized as a pending mortgage scenario. This finding is consistent with the view of anchoring as a routinized response to agent‐client concerns. Experienced appraisers may develop heuristic behaviors which subconsciously sensitizes them to agency‐client considerations. Although further research is warranted, this study provides initial experimental evidence of a causal link between agency‐client concerns and valuation bias.