cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
COMPONENTS OF VITAMIN B6 IN TURKEY BREAST MUSCLE

Extracts of raw and cooked turkey breast muscle were chromatographically separated into pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine fractions. Those fractions, in addition to an extract for total vitamin B6, were assayed microbiologically. Pyridoxine and pyridoxal contents were higher in the raw than in the cooked muscle; the pyridoxamine level was higher in the cooked muscle. No significant differences were found in the sum of the three forms of vitamin B6 or total vitamin B6 between cooked and raw muscle.
Study of n- and p-Type Silicon Exposed to Highly Energetic Radiation

For an understanding of displacement effects in semiconductors, it is important to establish a correlation of the magnitude of these effects with various types of radiation. A study has been made of the effect of highly energetic radiation on n-type silicon using two techniques. First, with electron-spin resonance studies, the energy dependence of formation of the Si-Bl center at 80° and 300°K by 1.5, 2.5, 5, and 30 MeV electrons and by reactor neutrons has been determined. In addition, the energy dependence of the production of the divacancy by electrons with energies between 2.5 and 30 MeV in n-type silicon have been obtained. Second, using galvanomagnetic techniques, information has been obtained on the irradiation response and subsequent recovery during annealing of the conductivity, Hall coefficient, and Hall mobility of n-and p-type silicon. The samples were bombarded at 80°K with 5 to 30 MeV electrons and isochronally annealed to 400°K. A considerable amount of annealing was observed in all cases, but the recovery was never complete.
PATENT DUCTUS ARTERIOSUS (PDA) IN INFANTS LESS THAN 30 WEEKS GESTATION: INDICATIONS FOR SURGERY

As intensive respiratory care is provided to more preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), heart failure from an associated PDA is being increasingly recognized. How ever, indications for surgery are not clearly defined. The clinical courses of 21 infants ≤ 30 wks. gestation with RDS and a PDA diagnosed by either single film aortography or surgery were analyzed. Two clinical patterns were identified. One, involving infants with severe RDS (8 cases) requiring high respirator pressures and the other with mild or moderate RDS (13 cases). Those infants with severe RDS showed some improvement by 3 days, but relapsed again requiring continuation of respiratory assistance. Four infants with massive cardiomegaly and pulmonary edema underwent ligation of PDA between 5-9 days. Aortography demonstrated massive left-to-right ductal shunt as early as 3 days. Therefore it is suggested that ligation of PDA should be performed at the time of relapse or a short time later. Those infants with mild or moderate RDS recovered from their disease within a few days. They subsequently developed persistent apnea associated with PDA and heart failure. Ten infants could not be weaned from the respirator and underwent ligation of PDA between 8-32 days. It is suggested that in this group of infants surgery should be performed at the time when respirator therapy is needed to control the heart failure.
Desiccation-time limits of photosynthetic recovery in Equisetum hyemale (Equisetaceae) spores.

The chlorophyllous spores of Equisetum survive desiccation, yet cannot tolerate this quiescent state for more than -2 wk. The hypothesis that spore viability of Equisetum hyemale L. is limited by inhibition of photosynthetic recovery was tested using chlorophyll a fluorescence and oxygen-exchange analyses. Experimental spores were desiccated at 2% relative humidity and 25?C for time periods of 24 h, 1 wk, and 2 wk, and then rehydrated at 200 pmol photons-m-2.s-' (PAR) and 25?C for up to 24 h. Spores desiccated for 24 h recovered photosynthetic competence very rapidly during rehydration, reaching the 02 compensation point in 6.3 ? 0.3 (X ? SE) min. Recovery of photosynthetic performance of spores desiccated for 1 wk was slower, as judged by significantly slower increases of (1) photochemical efficiency of photosystem (PS) II, (2) PS II quinoneB-reducing center concentration, (3) quinoneB-2 concentration, (4) water-oxidation activity, (5) rate of lightinduced 02 evolution, and (6) apparent quantum yield of net 02 exchange. Photosystem-I1 and whole-spore photosynthetic competence of 2-wk desiccated spores was increasingly impaired, and did not recover during rehydration. Origin fluorescence yield and dark respiration were not affected by desiccation time following rehydration. The results suggest that the extremely short viability of disseminated spores of Equisetum hyemale is due to the inability to recover losses of water oxidation and photosystem II-core function following 2 wk of desiccation.
Evidence for a stochastic mechanism in the differentiation of mature subsets of T lymphocytes

Thymocytes that coexpress the CD4 and CD8 glycoproteins differentiate into mature CD4+ helper or CD8+ cytotoxic cells depending on whether their antigen receptors are specific for MHC class II or class I molecules, respectively. The mechanism of this decision process was investigated in mice whose T cell development was biased toward the class II-specific lineage. We found that constitutive expression of CD4 allows a developmentally arrested population of thymocytes that have mismatched class II-specific TCRs and the CD8 coreceptor to be rescued and to acquire a cytotoxic phenotype. This result is consistent with a two-step process of thymocyte maturation, in which there is stochastic down-regulation of either CD4 or CD8 and subsequent selection based on the ability of the TCR and remaining coreceptor to engage the same MHC molecule.
Egg chamber production, egg protection and clutch size among fungivorus beetles of the genus Eumicrota (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and their evolutionary implications

Observations of members of the staphylinid genus Eumicrota show that they breed on a variety of relatively persistent gilled mushrooms (Pleurotus, Hohenbuehelia), relatively fleshy polypores (Fauolus, Phaeolus) and similar fungi (Climacodon, Hydnellum, Phanerochaete), and a few more woody polypores (Daedaleopszs). Behaviour features of members of Eumicrota associated with these mushrooms include: construction of an egg chamber by the female; female guarding and care of eggs; and fidelity of the female to the egg chamber before, during, and after hatching. Such energetic investment by the female results in increased survival and hatching of eggs by preventing egg predation by conspecific larvae and adults, and by preventing fungal hyphae from growing over the eggs. This behaviour differs significantly from that of related genera (Phanerota, Gyrophaena) which live and breed on more ephemeral gilled mushrooms. This is especially noticable in comparison with members of the genus Gyrophaena which are exclusively limited to those mushrooms. Members of Gyrophaena do not form an egg chamber or guard their eggs (though some cover their eggs with a layer of fungal frass), adults leave the mushroom soon after larvae hatch, and females lay significantly fewer eggs per clutch (Gyrophaena mean = 4.94, N= 18; Eumicrota mean = 11.78, N= 23; P < 0.05). It is hypothesized that these differences in behaviour of closely related genera reflect life cycle strategies evolved in response to host fungi which differ in persistence and predictability. Comparison of known behavioural features among lineages of gyrophaenine staphylinid beetles did not resolve the phylogenetic patterns of evolution of these life history features, primarily because of lack of comparative data for some groups.
Measurements of differential cross-section ratios for single-nucleon transfer reaction pairs near A = 25

Abstract Differential cross sections for the (d, p), (3He, d), (α, t), and (α,3He) reactions involving seventy-one residual states in 23Na, 25Mg, 25Al, and 27Al have been measured at a forward angle with incident energies of 17.5, 20.2, 34.8, and 34.8 MeV, respectively. The ratio of cross-section pairs involving formation of the same residual state is determined for forty-five cases where both the angular momentum transfer and single-particle spectroscopic strength have been previously established. These are compared to values calculated with conventional distorted-wave Born approximation analyses, and the utility of this technique for identifying some levels which are possible s- or p-wave resonances is demonstrated and discussed for states in the vicinity of proton thresholds. An application is made involving proton threshold states in 27Al.
Clinical significance of the recovery of Aspergillus species from the respiratory secretions of cystic fibrosis patients

The frequent recovery of Aspergillus species from the respiratory tract secretions of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is well recognized, and the presence of the fungus in the airways may trigger an inflammatory response that can manifest as the clinical entity known as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA). In our CF patient population we studied the clinical characteristics of those who had Aspergillus sp. recovered from their respiratory tract secretions (n = 45) and compared them with the characteristics seen, during the same time period, in those patients who were culture negative for Aspergillus sp. (n = 167). There were no differences in peripheral blood eosinophil count (P = 0.9) or serum immunoglobulin E levels (P = 0.61). By logistic regression analysis there seemed to be an increased risk for more advanced lung disease, both radiographically (defined by a Brasfield chest radiograph score < 18) and by lung function parameters in those who were culture positive. However, after appropriate adjustment, almost all the increased risk was associated with age and gender, but not with the presence of Aspergillus sp. in respiratory secretions. Additionally, increasing age was strongly correlated with the risk of Aspergillus sp. being cultured from respiratory secretions (P = 0.0025). The presence of Aspergillus sp. in respiratory secretions was not associated with two indicators of atopy in our CF patient population. We do not have evidence that the culture of Aspergillus sp. from CF respiratory secretions is independently associated with an increased risk for more advanced lung disease.
Sexual Initiation in Wild Mountain Gorillas

A field study of wild mountain gorillas was conducted to elucidate details of sexual initiation required for an interpretation of the increased frequency of copulation during the menstrual cycle, in comparison to the wild, that occurs when this species is tested in traditional laboratory pair tests. Although females in the wild played a clear role in establishing and maintaining proximity to the male and assertively presenting for copulation, all female presenting was preceded by some form of behavior by the male. Of particular relevance were several components of the male’s chest-beat display that had been observed at much higher frequencies in the laboratory tests. Although originally described as male aggression in the laboratory tests, such behavior now appears to be male sexual initiative, elicited by female proximity. The exaggerated form and frequency of the display in the laboratory, and the increased copulation during the cycle that ensued, are likely due to (1) placing females in proximity to a male daily, rather than on 2–3 days of estrus as occurs in the wild, and (2) the inability of the female in the laboratory to withdraw from male proximity during pair tests in a single cage. In addition to clarifying the data on laboratory pair tests, the data on wild gorillas have relevance to the captive breeding of gorillas.
High-precision Pb isotopic measurements of teeth and environmental samples from Sofia (Bulgaria): insights for regional lead sources and possible pathways to the human body

High-precision Pb isotopic measurements on teeth and possible sources in a given area can provide important insights for the lead (Pb) sources and pathways in the human body. Pb isotopic analyses on soils from the area of Sofia, Bulgaria show that Pb is contributed by three end-members represented by two natural sources and leaded gasoline. Sequential leaching experiments reveal that the alumosilicate fraction of the soils is mainly controlled by natural Pb derived from two mountain massifs bordering the city. Around 1/3 to a half of the Pb in the soil leachates, however, can be explained by contamination from leaded gasoline. Contemporary teeth from Sofia residents show very similar Pb isotopic compositions to the soil leachates, also indicating that around 1/3 to a half of the Pb can be explained by derivation from leaded gasoline. The remarkable isotopic similarities between the teeth and the most labile fractions of the local soils suggest that the lead can be derived from the latter. Pb incorporation in the human body via soil-plant–human or soil–plant–animal–human chains is unlikely due to the fact that no significant farming occurs in the city area. The isotopic compositions of the local soil labile fractions can be used as approximation of the bioaccessible lead for humans. Considering all possible scenarios it appears that soil and/or soil-born dust inhalation and/or ingestion is the most probable pathway for incorporation of local soil lead in the local population. The high-precision Pb isotope data presented in this work indicate that apparently the local soil is what plays major role in the human Pb exposure.
Direct solution vs quadratic programming technique in elastic-plastic finite element analysis

Abstract Elastic-plastic plane stress finite element analysis of a disk rolling on a rigid track is performed by the direct method as well as the quadratic programming technique. Tresea and von Mises' yield conditions are used in the former whereas an approximate piecewise linear Tresea yield condition is used in the later case. It is concluded from a comparison of the computer times needed in the two cases that the direct method is far superior to the quadratic programming technique.
A perioperative nurse's experience in Haiti.

ABSTRACT Haiti is a poor Caribbean nation plagued by years of political uncertainty and a wealth of unmet health care needs. A significant amount of its health care, especially for indigent people, is provided by volunteer nongovernment organizations, including military medical staff members from the United States and Canada. One perioperative nurse, who served with a US Navy surgical company in Port au Prince, Haiti, shares his impressions and experiences of providing surgical care to United Nations troops and Haitian citizens at five hospitals in the Port au Prince area. AORN J 69 (Feb 1999) 346–357.
DDx: diagnostic assistance for the radiologist using PACS

A potentially valuable tool in medical imaging is the development, and integration with PACS, of systems which enhance the interpretive accuracy of the user -- his ability, given a set of findings (in the broad sense, including clinical information about the patient as well as characteristics of the lesion being analyzed), to assign the proper disease label, or diagnosis, to them. Such systems, which we call here interpretive tools (IT), contain a variety of types of information about diseases and their radiologic diagnosis. They can contain information about large numbers of diseases, including statistical information (incidence, characteristic anatomical locations, association with age and gender or with other diseases, probabilities of various findings given a disease), textual information (description of diseases, treatment, literature references, lists of other entities that might be confused with the disease of interest, additional diagnostic points that may not be represented, or even representable, within IT), and image-based information (typical and atypical examples for each entity and radiographic finding, examples of normal anatomy). These databases can be used both for teaching purposes and as a tool for improving interpretive accuracy [Swett, 1987]. This paper describes some of the requirements for these databases and then discusses early work on the implementation of DDx, an IT whose domain is neuroradiology.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Charge transfer and excitation processes in p-He collisions studied using a unified atomic-orbital–molecular-orbital matching method

A comprehensive theoretical study of the charge transfer to hydrogen 1s-italic, 2s-italic, and 2p-italic states and excitation to helium 2 /sup 1/S and 2 /sup 1/P states in p-italic-He collisions in the 1--100 keV energy region is presented. This study is the first demonstration of the application of the recently developed atomic-orbital--molecular-orbital matching procedure to two-electron collision systems. In this method the time-dependent electronic wave function is expanded in terms of traveling atomic orbitals of the two collision centers at large internuclear separation which is matched to the solution in the inner region where it is expanded in terms of molecular orbitals without translation factors. It is shown that the results from the present theoretical method are in good agreement with experimental measurements of (1) total charge-transfer cross sections to 1s-italic, 2s-italic, and 2p-italic states, (2)= charge-transfer probabilities at small impact parameters or large scattering angles, and (3) excitation cross sections to 2 /sup 1/S and 2 /sup 1/P states above 20 keV.
Macromolecule synthesis and determination in sea urchin blastomeres at the sixteen-cell stage.

Abstract Three size classes of blastomeres, micro-, meso-, and macromeres, form at the fourth cleavage of sea urchin embryos. These cells are the first for which there is unequivocal evidence of restricted developmental potential. Overall patterns of protein synthesis are qualitatively similar in all three, but distinct quantitative differences exist, particularly but not exclusively in the ratio of histone to nonhistone synthesis. These differences are reproduced in heterologous cell-free translation directed by RNA purified from each of the three cell types. They are abolished by treatment of the embryos with actinomycin, in the presence of which all cells synthesize the same kinds and very nearly the same amounts of proteins, at least at the level of resolution available with gel electrophoresis in one dimension. Divergence of the protein synthetic patterns in normal embryos appears to be due to the addition of similar amounts of newly transcribed messenger RNA to variable maternal messenger pools, the sizes of which are proportional to the volume of cytoplasm.
How Animals Move: An Integrative View

Recent advances in integrative studies of locomotion have revealed several general principles. Energy storage and exchange mechanisms discovered in walking and running bipeds apply to multilegged locomotion and even to flying and swimming. Nonpropulsive lateral forces can be sizable, but they may benefit stability, maneuverability, or other criteria that become apparent in natural environments. Locomotor control systems combine rapid mechanical preflexes with multimodal sensory feedback and feedforward commands. Muscles have a surprising variety of functions in locomotion, serving as motors, brakes, springs, and struts. Integrative approaches reveal not only how each component within a locomotor system operates but how they function as a collective whole.
Using web corpus statistics for program analysis

Several program analysis tools - such as plagiarism detection and bug finding - rely on knowing a piece of code's relative semantic importance. For example, a plagiarism detector should not bother reporting two programs that have an identical simple loop counter test, but should report programs that share more distinctive code. Traditional program analysis techniques (e.g., finding data and control dependencies) are useful, but do not say how surprising or common a line of code is. Natural language processing researchers have encountered a similar problem and addressed it using an n-gram model of text frequency, derived from statistics computed over text corpora. We propose and compute an n-gram model for programming languages, computed over a corpus of 2.8 million JavaScript programs we downloaded from the Web. In contrast to previous techniques, we describe a code n-gram as a subgraph of the program dependence graph that contains all nodes and edges reachable in n steps from the statement. We can count n-grams in a program and count the frequency of n-grams in the corpus, enabling us to compute tf-idf-style measures that capture the differing importance of different lines of code. We demonstrate the power of this approach by implementing a plagiarism detector with accuracy that beats previous techniques, and a bug-finding tool that discovered over a dozen previously unknown bugs in a collection of real deployed programs.
Leptin as a novel profibrogenic cytokine in hepatic stellate cells: mitogenesis and inhibition of apoptosis mediated by extracellular regulated kinase (Erk) and Akt phosphorylation

A key feature in the molecular pathogenesis of liver fibrosis requires maintenance of the activated hepatic stellate cell (HSC) phenotype by both proliferation and inhibition of apoptosis. We provide evidence that leptin is a potent HSC mitogen and dramatically inhibits stellate cell apoptosis. Leptin proved to be as potent an HSC mitogen as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) as assessed by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation in isolated primary HSCs; data using fluorescent propidium iodide (PI) uptake revealed that leptin, like PDGF, increased HSC populations in the S- and G2/M-phases of the cell cycle. Leptin resulted in a robust increase in cyclin D1 expression. Using the chemical inhibitor of Janus kinase 2 (Jak2) activity, AG 490, and overexpression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS-3), we show that blockade of leptin receptor (Ob-Rb) phosphorylation blocks leptin-induced HSC proliferation. Leptin-associated phosphorylation of both extracellular regulated kinase (p44/p42, Erk) and Akt is also prohibited. Further, the PI-3 kinase inhibitor LY294002 and MAPK inhibitor PD98059 were found to significantly reduce leptin-induced HSC proliferation, thereby indicating that leptin induced HSC proliferation is Akt- and Erk-dependent. Akt was also protective against HSC apoptosis. Leptin abolished both cycloheximide-induced and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL)-induced apoptosis, demonstrated by reduced caspase-3 activity, HSC-TUNEL staining, and DNA fragmentation. We conclude that leptin acts as a direct hepatic stellate cell survival agonist. Importantly, we have demonstrated that leptin-induced HSC proliferation and survival by Ob-Rb phosphorylation are both Erk- and Akt-dependent.
Online Anonymity Protection in Computer-Mediated Communication

In any situation where a set of personal attributes are revealed, there is a chance that revealed data can be linked back to its owner. Examples of such situations are publishing user profile micro-data or information about social ties, sharing profile information on social networking sites, or revealing personal information in computer-mediated communication (CMC). Measuring user anonymity is the first step to ensuring that the identity of the owner of revealed information cannot be inferred. Most current measures of anonymity ignore important factors such as the probabilistic nature of identity inference, the inferrer's outside knowledge, and the correlation between user attributes. Furthermore, in the social computing domain, variations in personal information and various levels of information exchange among users make the problem more complicated. We present an information-entropy-based realistic estimation of the user anonymity level to deal with these issues in social computing in an effort to help predict the identity inference risks. We then address implementation issues of online protection by proposing complexity reduction methods that take advantage of basic information entropy properties. Our analysis and delay estimation based on experimental data show that our methods are viable, effective, and efficient in facilitating privacy in social computing and synchronous CMCs.
Wireless channel access reservation for embedded real-time systems

Reservation-based channel access has been shown to be effective in providing Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees (e.g., timeliness) in wireless embedded real-time applications such as mobile media streaming and networked embedded control systems. While the QoS scheduling at the central authority (i.e., base station) has received extensive attention recently, the computation of resource requirements at each individual node has been widely ignored. An inappropriate resource requirement may lead to degraded support for real-time traffic and overprovisioning of scarce network resources. This work addresses this issue by presenting a strategy for nodes to determine minimal resource reservations that guarantee the real-time constraints of their network traffic. In addition, this paper examines the relationship between timeliness constraints of the traffic and resource requirements.
USE AND INTERPRETATION OF LOGISTIC REGRESSION IN HABITAT-SELECTION STUDIES

Abstract Logistic regression is an important tool for wildlife habitat-selection studies, but the method frequently has been misapplied due to an inadequate understanding of the logistic model, its interpretation, and the influence of sampling design. To promote better use of this method, we review its application and interpretation under 3 sampling designs: random, case–control, and use–availability. Logistic regression is appropriate for habitat use–nonuse studies employing random sampling and can be used to directly model the conditional probability of use in such cases. Logistic regression also is appropriate for studies employing case–control sampling designs, but careful attention is required to interpret results correctly. Unless bias can be estimated or probability of use is small for all habitats, results of case–control studies should be interpreted as odds ratios, rather than probability of use or relative probability of use. When data are gathered under a use–availability design, logistic regr...
Insurgent Planning and Its Interlocutors Studio Pedagogy as Unsanctioned Practice in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

International service learning is shaped by complex and shifting relationships between different actors with different, sometimes conflicting interests. Especially in Latin America, practice, pedag...
Femoral bone strains during antegrade nailing: A comparison of two entry points with identical nails using finite element analysis

Abstract Background Antegrade femoral nailing has become the standard treatment for diaphyseal femoral shaft fractures. Concerns linger that improper location of the nail entry point may lead to iatrogenic fracture and further complications. This study used finite element analysis to compare the strain magnitude and distribution resulting from each of two entry points in the proximal femur during antegrade nailing. Methods A finite element model was created from a CT scan of a 37 year old male femur and of a standard antegrade nail. Using implicit time-stepping, the nail was inserted through piriformis and trochanteric entry points and strain was computed at 9 anatomic locations. Findings The strain levels were higher overall when inserting a nail through the trochanteric starting point. The highest strain occurred immediately medial and lateral to the trochanteric entry point. The posterior greater trochanter also showed very high strain levels during nail insertion. All strain values for nail insertion through the piriformis entry point were less than 2000 μm/m. Interpretation The trochanteric entry will have a much greater potential of iatrogenic fracture of the proximal femur during insertion of a nail. Strains with this entry point exceed the yield level of bone and the repeated loading with the progression of the nail could cause fissures or fractures. Caution should be taken during insertion of an antegrade nail when utilizing a lateral trochanteric starting point secondary to an increased risk of trochanteric fracture and lateral cortex fracture.
Estrogen-related receptor α (ERRα): A novel target in type 2 diabetes

Recent studies have shown that reduced mitochondrial content and function in skeletal muscle are common features of type 2 diabetes. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms involved in the regulation of mitochondrial genes in skeletal muscle, focusing on a key transcriptional network consisting of ERRα and PGC-1α. We describe how knowledge of this transcriptional circuit can be translated to the development of novel therapies for type 2 diabetes.
Resistance spectroscopy-based condition monitoring for prognostication of high reliability electronics under shock-impact

Leading indicators of failure have been developed based on high-frequency characteristics, and system-transfer function derived from resistance spectroscopy measurements during shock and vibration. The technique is intended for condition monitoring in high reliability applications where the knowledge of impending failure is critical and the risks in terms of loss-of-functionality are too high to bear. Previously, resistance spectroscopy measurements [Constable 1992, Lizzul 1994, Prassana 1995] have been used during thermal cycling tests to monitor damage progression due to thermo-mechanical stresses. The development of resistance spectroscopy based damage pre-cursors for prognostication under shock and vibration is new. In this paper, the high-frequency characteristics, and system transfer function based on resistance spectroscopy measurements have been correlated with the damage progression in electronics during shock and vibration. Packages being examined include ceramic area-array packages. Second level interconnect technologies examined include copper-reinforced solder column, SAC305 solder ball, and 90Pb10Sn high-lead solder ball. Assemblies have been subjected to 1500g, 0.5 ms pulse [JESD-B2111]. Continuity has been monitored in-situ during the shock test for identification of part-failure. Resistance spectroscopy based damage pre-cursors have been correlated with the optically measured transient strain based feature vectors. High speed cameras have been used to capture the transient strain histories during shock-impact. Statistical pattern recognition techniques have been used to identify damage initiation and progression and determine the statistical significance in variance between healthy and damaged assemblies. Models for healthy and damaged packages have been developed based on package characteristics. Data presented shows that high-frequency characteristics and system-transfer characteristics based on resistance spectroscopy measurements can be used for condition-monitoring, damage initiation and progression in electronic systems. A positive prognostic distance has been demonstrated for each of the interconnect technologies tested.
Regroup: interactive machine learning for on-demand group creation in social networks

We present ReGroup, a novel end-user interactive machine learning system for helping people create custom, on demand groups in online social networks. As a person adds members to a group, ReGroup iteratively learns a probabilistic model of group membership specific to that group. ReGroup then uses its currently learned model to suggest additional members and group characteristics for filtering. Our evaluation shows that ReGroup is effective for helping people create large and varied groups, whereas traditional methods (searching by name or selecting from an alphabetical list) are better suited for small groups whose members can be easily recalled by name. By facilitating on demand group creation, ReGroup can enable in-context sharing and potentially encourage better online privacy practices. In addition, applying interactive machine learning to social network group creation introduces several challenges for designing effective end-user interaction with machine learning. We identify these challenges and discuss how we address them in ReGroup.
Inter‐annual variation in responses of water chemistry and epilithon to Pacific salmon spawners in an Alaskan stream

Summary 1. Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) deliver salmon-derived nutrients (SDN) to the streams in which they spawn. However, many stream parameters, such as discharge and spawner abundance, can vary from year to year, which could alter the quantity and flux of SDN. 2. Over six consecutive years, we studied responses in streamwater chemistry and epilithon (i.e. the microbial community on submerged rocks) to salmon spawners in Fish Creek, southeastern Alaska, U.S.A. The lower reach of Fish Creek receives spawners of several salmon species, while the upper reach does not receive spawners because of an intervening waterfall. 3. We estimated salmon spawner biomass, analysed water chemistry [ammonium, nitrate, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC)], and measured epilithon abundance [as chlorophyll a (chl a) and ash-free dry mass (AFDM)] in Fish Creek. Measurements were made in both the upper and lower reaches, before, during and after the major salmon runs. 4. Absolute values and relative differences indicated that the presence of salmon spawners consistently increased dissolved ammonium (by 58 μg L−1 on average, 41× over background), SRP (by 6 μg L−1, 14×), epilithon chl a (by 35 mg m−2, 16×), and epilithon AFDM (by 3 g m−2, 8×). Salmon spawners did not increase nitrate or DOC in either absolute or relative amounts. The persistence and magnitude of spawner effects varied among years and appeared to reflect weather-driven hydrology as well as spawner biomass. 5. Salmon-derived nutrients can stimulate the growth of primary producers by increasing streamwater nutrient concentrations, but this positive influence may be modulated by other factors, such as water temperature and discharge. To better assess the ecological influence of SDN on stream biota, future studies should explicitly consider the role of key environmental factors and their temporal and spatial dynamics in stream ecosystems.
MEMBRANA TESTACEA OF TITANOSAURID DINOSAUR EGGS FROM AUCA MAHUEVO (ARGENTINA): IMPLICATIONS FOR EXCEPTIONAL PRESERVATION OF SOFT TISSUE IN LAGERSTÄTTEN

ABSTRACT Numerous megaloolithid eggs of Early Campanian age have been found in Auca Mahuevo in Argentina (Patagonia, Neuquen Province) with diagnostic skeletal embryonic remains in ovo allowing the identification of these eggs as those of titanosaurid dinosaurs. Although fossilization favors the preservation of the eggshell, organic compounds that are often destroyed are commonly recovered in these eggs. A detailed description is provided of the 79.5—83.5 Ma-old membrana testacea found in great abundance and in situ in titanosaurid eggs. The fossilized membrana testacea is uniquely preserved and appears in two distinct morphs, each composed of two identifiable layers as observed in extant reptiles and birds. This membrane also shares great similarities with those previously reported occurrences in post-Jurassic dinosaurs. One morph displays a solid calcium carbonate layer with fine preservation of the negative imprints of shell unit nucleation centers each surrounded by coloration reminiscent of stratifie...
Induction of multiple matrix metalloproteinases in human dermal and synovial fibroblasts by Staphylococcus aureus : implications in the pathogenesis of septic arthritis and other soft tissue infections

Infections of body tissue by Staphylococcus aureus are quickly followed by degradation of connective tissue. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis are more prone to S. aureus-mediated septic arthritis. Various types of collagen form the major structural matrix of different connective tissues of the body. These different collagens are degraded by specific matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) produced by fibroblasts, other connective tissue cells, and inflammatory cells that are induced by interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). To determine the host's contribution in the joint destruction of S. aureus-mediated septic arthritis, we analyzed the MMP expression profile in human dermal and synovial fibroblasts upon exposure to culture supernatant and whole cell lysates of S. aureus. Human dermal and synovial fibroblasts treated with cell lysate and filtered culture supernatants had significantly enhanced expression of MMP-1, MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-10, and MMP-11 compared with the untreated controls (p 50 kDa. The MMP expression profile was similar in fibroblasts exposed to a combination of IL-1/TNF. mRNA levels of several genes of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway were significantly elevated in fibroblasts treated with S. aureus cell lysate and culture supernatant. Also, tyrosine phosphorylation was significantly higher in fibroblasts treated with S. aureus components. Tyrosine phosphorylation and MAPK gene expression patterns were similar in fibroblasts treated with a combination of IL-1/TNF and S. aureus. Mutants lacking staphylococcal accessory regulator (Sar) and accessory gene regulator (Agr), which cause significantly less severe septic arthritis in murine models, were able to induce expression of several MMP mRNA comparable with that of their isogenic parent strain but induced notably higher levels of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). To our knowledge, this is the first report of induction of multiple MMP/TIMP expression from human dermal and synovial fibroblasts upon S. aureus treatment. We propose that host-derived MMPs contribute to the progressive joint destruction observed in S. aureus-mediated septic arthritis.
Local detection of selfish routing behavior in ad hoc networks

Reputation mechanisms for detecting and punishing free-riders in ad hoc networks depend on the local detection of selfish behavior. Although naive selfish strategies based on dropping data packets are readily detected, more sophisticated strategies that manipulate ad hoc routing protocols present a greater challenge. In this work we develop a method to distinguish selfish peers from cooperative ones based solely on local observations of AODV routing protocol behavior. Our approach uses the finite state machine model of locally observed AODV actions to build up a statistical description of the behavior of each neighbor. We apply a series of well-known statistical tests to features derived from this description to partition the set neighboring nodes into a cooperative and selfish class. Simulation results for a non-mobile ad hoc network show that our approach can detect two different types of routing manipulation while maintaining a low rate of false positives.
Trends in death associated with pediatric dental sedation and general anesthesia

SummaryBackground Inadequate access to oral health care places children at risk of caries. Disease severity and inability to cooperate often result in treatment with general anesthesia (GA). Sedation is increasingly popular and viewed as lower risk than GA in community settings. Currently, few data are available to quantify pediatric morbidity and mortality related to dental anesthesia. Objective Summarize dental anesthesia-related pediatric deaths described in media reports. Methods Review of media reports in the Lexis-Nexis Academic database and a private foundation website. Settings: Dental offices, ambulatory surgery centers, and hospitals. Patients :US-based children (≤21 years old) who died subsequently receiving anesthesia for a dental procedure between 1980–2011. Results Most deaths occurred among 2–5 year-olds (n = 21/44), in an office setting (n = 21/44), and with a general/pediatric dentist (n = 25/44) as the anesthesia provider. In this latter group, 17 of 25 deaths were linked with a sedation anesthetic. Conclusions This series of media reports likely represent only a fraction of the overall morbidity and mortality related to dental anesthesia. These data may indicate an association between mortality and pediatric dental procedures under sedation, particularly in office settings. However, these relationships are difficult to test in the absence of a database that could provide an estimate of incidence and prevalence of morbidity and mortality. With growing numbers of children receiving anesthesia for dental procedures from providers with variable training, it is imperative to be able to track anesthesia-related adverse outcomes. Creating a national database of adverse outcomes will enable future research to advance patient safety and quality.
Deoxyribosyl compounds in animal tissues.

SUMMARY The concentrations of deoxynucleosides, deoxynucleoside monophos- phates, and “digestible” deoxynucleotides in tissues were determined for a number of normal and malignant tissues of the rat and mouse. The designation, “digestible” deoxynucleotides, refers to nucleotides which require enzymatic digestion for conversion to nucleotide monophosphates or nucleosides. It appears that, with some exceptions, the levels of the nucleotides and digestible nucleotides are higher in malignant than in normal tissue, relative to the concentration of nucleosides, and are relatively higher in regenerating liver, 24 hours postoperatively, than in the controls. The data suggest that this difference may be characteristic of growing tissue. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Potter, R. L., and Schlesinger, S. J., J. Am. Chem. Sot., 77, 6714 (1955). 2. Schneider, W. C., J. Biol. Chem., 216, 287 (1955). 3. Schneider, W. C., J. Nut. Cancer Inst., 18, 569 (1957). 4. Schneider, W. C., and Brownell, L. W., J. Nut. Cancer Inst., 18, 579 (1957). 5. Potter, R. L., Schlesinger, S., Buettner-Janusch, V., and Thompson, I,., J. Biol. Chem., 226, 381 (1957). 6. Potter, R. L., and Buettner-Janusch, V., Federation Proc., 16, 234 (1957). 7. LePage, G. A., J. Biol. Chem., 226, 135 (1957). 8. Sugino, Y., J. Am. Chem. Sot., 79, 5074 (1957). 9. Schneider, W. C., and Potter, R. L., Proc. Sot. Exp. Biol. and Med., 94,798 (1957). 10. Hoff-Jggensen, E., Biochem. J., 60, 400 (1951-52). 11. Higgins, G. M., and Anderson, R. M., Arch. Path., 12, 186 (1931). 12. Hurlbert, R. B., Schmitz, H., Brumm, A. F., and Potter, V. R., J. Biol. Chem., 209, 23 (1954). 13. Lee, K., and Eiler, J. J., Science, 114, 393 (1951). 14. Siebert, G., and Smellie, R. M. S., in Bourne, G. H., and Danielli, J. F., Inter- national review of cytology, New York, 6, 414 (1957). 15. Hecht, L. I., and Potter, V. R., Cancer Res., 16, 999 (1956).
Teaching social impact of technology via writing

Students of the 1990s are probably more sophisticated about environmental issues than undergraduates of previous decades, since a number of states (including Alabama, Florida, Wisconsin and New Jersey) have adopted an environmental education curriculum in K-12. Another reason for the including of social impact of technology into the engineering curriculum is that engineering students also make decisions concerning technology and the environment as citizens. An informed public is vital to the functioning of a democratic society. What kind of understanding should engineering undergraduates have concerning "social" impact of technology? This paper proposes several ideas for such an education, and a curriculum module to teach social impact of technology via writing. For schools with Writing Across the Curriculum, writing is an effective medium to teach social impact of technology, because it is an excellent pedagogical tool and also because local examples can normally be found to illustrate the interaction of technology, society, and values in a variety of engineering courses.
Nonhuman Animal Senses

How ought we to determine the senses of nonhuman animals? To answer that question, we first need to determine the relationship between our understanding of nonhuman animal senses and those of humans; should the two accounts be continuous or discontinuous with one another? In this chapter, I argue that regardless of how we answer these questions, the understanding of nonhuman animal senses is philosophically interesting and should receive more attention than it has to date. Nonhuman animal senses such as infrared perception and magnetoreception pose some interesting conceptual challenges to attempts at understanding their operation.
Transcriptional feedback regulation of efflux protein expression for increased tolerance to and production of n-butanol

Microorganisms can be engineered to produce a variety of biofuels and commodity chemicals. The accumulation of these products, however, is often toxic to the cells and subsequently lowers production yields. Efflux pumps are a natural mechanism for alleviating toxicity through secretion of the product; unfortunately, pump overexpression also often inhibits growth. Tuning expression levels with inducible promoters is time-consuming and the reliance on small-molecule inducers is cost-prohibitive in industry. We design an expression regulation system utilizing a native Escherichia coli stress promoter, PgntK, to provide negative feedback to regulate transporter expression levels. We test the promoter in the context of the efflux pump AcrB and its butanol-secreting variant, AcrBv2. PgntK-driven AcrBv2 confers increased tolerance to n-butanol and increased titers of n-butanol in production. Furthermore, the system is responsive to stress from toxic overexpression of other membrane-associated proteins. Our results suggest a use for feedback regulation networks in membrane protein expression.
Erratum: &&A Survey of Drug Products Removed from the Market

AbstractA survey of drug product removal from the market was conducted for the years of 1980–1984 covering 24 firms and 95 products. The questionnaires were mailed to 46 firms and covered 200 products, 152 single entities and 48 combination products. Useable responses included 71 single entities and 24 combination products. The percentages of mode of product approval for the final sample were NDA 50%; ANDA, 16%, and grandfather clause, 34%. The mean life span was 20.4 years. The primary reasons for removal of the products were economic, 65%; regulatory, 27% and other, 8%. There was a significant difference in the approval modes and a marginally significant difference for the reasons of product removal from the market for the two product types. The reason for product removal was different for products approved under the three modes of approval, but this was only marginally significant statistically. The X2 test was used for these determinations. More drug products were removed from the market than were add...
Can foreign aid free the press

Can foreign aid help free the press? Aid may boost press freedom by incentivizing government to reduce media regulations and provide financial support for infrastructure. Alternatively, foreign aid may prevent press freedom by expanding the role of the state and promoting government over private enterprises. We contend that the magnitude of foreign aid's influence is conditional on the existence of democratic checks. Using panel data from 1994 to 2010, we find evidence suggesting that aid significantly increases press freedom in democracies but insignificantly relates to press freedom in autocracies. Collectively, the results suggest that a standard deviation increase in aid to a country at the mean level of democracy increases press freedom by approximately a 1/20th standard deviation. Overall, the findings suggest that donors should be cautious as most aid recipients are not democratic and aid leads to only relatively small marginal improvements in press freedom.