cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observation of Magnetic Ordering as High as 28 K for meso-Tetrakis(4-halophenyl)porphinatomanganese(III) Tetracyanoethenide, [MnTXPP][TCNE] (X = F, Br, I)

The toluene solvates of meso-tetrakis(4-halophenyl)porphinatomanganese(III) tetracyanoethenide, [MnTFPP][TCNE] (1F), [MnTBrPP][TCNE] (1Br), and [MnTIPP][TCNE] (1I) have been prepared, and the magnetic and thermal properties have been determined and compared to those of [MnTClPP][TCNE] (1Cl). 1Br and 1I form uniform 1-D chains with each [TCNE](*)(-) being trans-m-N-sigma-bound to Mn(III) with Mn-N distances of 2.293 (1Br) and 2.276 (1I), which are a bit longer than 2.267 A observed for 1Cl. The Mn-N-C angles are 167.2, 168.1, and 158.7, while intrachain Mn.Mn separations are 10.189, 10.277, and 10.101 A. The magnetic susceptibilities for 1Br and 1I can be fit by the Curie-Weiss expression with high-temperature (T > 200 K) theta and low-temperature (T < 110 K) effective theta' values of -53 and 13 K and -79 and 30 K, respectively, compared to -60 and 13 K in 1Cl. theta is not observed for 1F; however, theta' is 70 K. The magnetic data are consistent with linear chain ferrimagnets composed of antiferromagnetically coupled S = 2 Mn(III) sites and S = (1)/(2) [TCNE](*)(-) sites with the antiferromagnetic intrachain coupling, J(intra/)k(B) (k(B) = Boltzmann's constant) determined from fits to the Seiden expression, of -225, -33, -30, and -53 K for the 1F, 1Cl, 1Br, and 1I, respectively. Hysteresis with coercive fields at 2 K of 20.0, 6.7, 4.0, and 15.9 kOe was observed for the 1F, 1Cl, 1Br, and 1I, respectively. Metamagnetic behavior is observed below 10 K for 1F, and below 5 K for both 1Br and 1I. The observed critical fields of 21.8, 6.8, 4.1, and 15.8 kOe were observed for 1F, 1Cl, 1Br, and 1I at 2 K, respectively. The ordering temperatures, T(c), determined from the maxima in the chi'(T) data taken at 10 Hz, are 28.0, 8.8, 8.0, and 6.5 K for 1F, 1Cl, 1Br, and 1I, respectively. The 28 K T(c) for 1F is the highest reported for this family of magnets.
The statute of limitations

Eileen is a professor at Enormous State University. Her recent work on coral populations has been fruitful and she can hardly find the time to follow up on all her ideas. ESU has an informal "brown bag" seminar series in which graduate students and faculty present and critique ideas and data that are formative or in-progress. A year ago, Eileen presented an intriguing new idea: a Genetic Equilibrium Model, which she referred to as GEM. Bill, one of her departmental colleagues, was enthusiastic about the concept. Bill had just returned from a sabbatical with reams of data on the spatial distribution of genotypes in bracket fungi. Bill thought that GEM would be a great explanation for some of the patterns in his data. Bill approached Eileen afterwards and offered to collaborate by publishing GEM along widi tests of the model using his data. Eileen politely declined. She wanted to test it herself, and she expected that someone in her lab would pursue the idea soon. A year after her seminar, Eileen hasn't published GEM and all of her stu? dents are busy with other projects. Bill and Eileen are discussing it in Eileen's office.
Specific modulation of complement-dependent human granulocyte function by imidazole acetic acid

Abstract Because imidazole acetic acid (IAA), a product of histamine catabolism, was shown to inhibit histaminase release from human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs), the effect of this compound on other neutrophil functions was investigated. IAA at concentrations of 10 −10 or more inhibited histaminase release induced by particle-bound C3b, the larger fragment of the activated form of the third component of complement. Release of histaminase induced by aggregated IgG, phorbal myristate acetate (PMA), formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) and calcium ionophore was not affected by IAA. In addition IAA had no effect on release of β-glucuronidase, myeloperoxidase, and lysozyme or on phagocytosis and superoxide generation. IAA did modestly inhibit neutrophil chemotaxis. These findings suggest a highly specific modulating effect of the histamine catabolite IAA on complement-mediated PMN function.
Work in Progress: Electrical Engineering from an Unusual Perspective: A Broader View for First-Year Students Using Francis Bacon, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Thomas Friedman, Et Al.

Students benefit from being aware of the broader context of electrical engineering topics, and a first-year introductory course can provide a setting to bring together and discuss a number of broader-view examples. An interesting way to compile examples is to begin with authors outside of electrical engineering and show the connections of some of their ideas back to electrical engineering. Such an approach, using quotations from philosopher Bacon, novelist Garcia Marquez, journalist Friedman, and many other authors from diverse fields, was employed in the development of a lecture that was given to first-year electrical and computer engineering students at Texas Tech University. Positive student evaluations of the lecture lend support to the basic approach and encourage future expansion and improvement of the lecture material.
Commentary: the sedimentation sign: correlation with operative level in patients undergoing lumbar decompression for spinal stenosis.

COMMENTARY ON Fazal A, Yoo A, Bendo JA. Does the presence of the nerve root sedimentation sign on MRI correlate with the operative level in patients undergoing posterior lumbar decompression for lumbar stenosis? Spine J 2013;13:837–42 ( in this issue ).
The hidden costs of anticoagulation in hospitalized patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation.

Introduction: Non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and ischemic stroke are collectively associated with annual hospital costs of tens of billions of dollars in the USA. Oral anticoagulant (OAC) treatment with warfarin reduces the risk of stroke in patients with NVAF. Unfortunately, because of the complexity of warfarin therapy and potential for adverse events (AEs), many patients who might benefit go untreated or receive suboptimal therapy, increasing their stroke and/or bleeding risk. Areas covered: This review explores current hospital costs and resource utilization for NVAF patients on warfarin therapy and the potential impact of newer OACs in this area. Expert opinion: Many ischemic strokes could be prevented through wider use of OACs. Further, admissions due to anticoagulant-associated AEs could be reduced by optimizing OAC therapy. In the hospital, specialized anticoagulation services can decrease costs by improving the effectiveness of warfarin management, empowering patients through education a...
Direct measurements of xanthine in 2000-fold diluted xanthinuric urine with a nanoporous carbon fiber sensor

High selectivity and sensitivity is reported in the measurements of xanthine in urine by fast scan cyclic voltammetry (FSV) with a nanostructured carbon fiber sensor of 3.5 ± 0.4 μm radius. Fabrication of the sensors for the measurements is described. Fabrication of the nanostructure at the carbon fiber sensor surface exposes surface pores. SEM images confirm the formation of the nanostructure. The results indicate that the nanostructure improves the sensitivity and limit of detection (LOD) in the measurements of xanthine and uric acid. The sensors allow rapid direct measurements of xanthine in 2000-fold diluted xanthinuric urine and of uric acid in 2000-fold diluted normal urine. The sensitivity and the LOD of xanthine is 0.40 ± 0.02 nA μM−1 (0.995) and 1 μM, respectively, and 0.99 ± 0.01 nA μM−1 (0.998) and 500 nM for uric acid. The concentration of xanthine in 2000-fold diluted xanthinuric urine is 1.6 ± 0.2 μM from FSV and from HPLC. The concentration of xanthine and uric acid in urine can be determined by pre- or post-calibration of the sensor in buffer or by the method of standard addition.
Matrix factorization techniques for analysis of imaging mass spectrometry data

Imaging mass spectrometry is a method for understanding the molecular distribution in a two-dimensional sample. This method is effective for a wide range of molecules, but generates a large amount of data. It is difficult to extract important information from these large datasets manually and automated methods for discovering important spatial and spectral features are needed. Independent component analysis and non-negative matrix factorization are explained and explored as tools for identifying underlying factors in the data. These techniques are compared and contrasted with principle component analysis, the more standard analysis tool. Independent component analysis and non-negative matrix factorization are found to be more effective analysis methods. A mouse cerebellum dataset is used for testing.
Acriflavin-induced loss of kinetoplast deoxyribonucleic acid in Crithidia fasciculata (Culex pipiens strain).

Acriflavin-Induced Loss of Kinetoplast Deoxyribonucleic Acid in Crithidia fasciculata (Culex pipiens Strain)
Ethylene responsiveness changes in Pelargonium×domesticum florets

Florets of Pelargonium x domesticum L. H. Bailey respond to ethylene with rapid petal abscission. Florets become increasingly responsive to ethylene with age, with the greatest change in responsiveness occurring between the day of anthesis and 2 days later. The ethylene responsiveness coefficient (the ratio of the concentrations of ethylene giving 90% and 10% abscission) declined from 21 in 1-day-old florets to slightly greater than 1 in older florets; therefore abscission was ultraresponsive (responsiveness coefficient <81) even in 1-day old florets. Younger florets required a higher concentration of ethylene and longer duration of ethylene exposure to induce the abscission response. Even florets aged 2–3 days after anthesis required at least 40 min of exposure to ethylene for the abscission response to occur, irrespective of the concentration.
Influence of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor on Reproductive Functions in the Rat

The acute administration of 0.015-1.5 nmol ovine corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) into the lateral ventricle of gonadectomized (or gonadectomized/adrenalectomized) female rats caused a rapid and prolonged dose-related inhibition of LH (but not FSH) secretion. By contrast, the acute peripheral injection of up to 15 nmol CRF was without effect in the same animal preparations. In cycling intact female rats, injection of 1.5 nmol CRF into the brain or of 75 nmol CRF sc inhibited ovulation and blocked the proestrous LH surge in about 50% of the animals. Lower doses of peripherally administered CRF were ineffective. Finally, CRF injected daily sc (15 nmol/day) to female rats during the first 12 days after mating caused a 40% disruption of pregnancy. These results indicate that CRF will lower plasma LH levels and can exert this effect in the absence of circulating steroids of either adrenal or gonadal origin. CRF inhibition of LH secretion, which we have previously reported to be absent in vitro, was unaltered by the opiate receptor antagonist naltrexone or by the ganglionic blocker chlorisondamine. Furthermore, blockade of CRF-induced beta-endorphin or ACTH release into the general circulation by dexamethasone did not interfere with the inhibitory effect of CRF on LH secretion. Such observations suggest that CRF exerts deleterious actions on reproductive functions through brain sites of action which, at least under the experimental mental design used, do not appear to directly involve opiate or peripheral catecholaminergic pathways.
Partitioning for Profit: An Empirical Study of Methods for Handling Unequal Costs of Error in Predictive Data Mining

This paper expands prior work on the Sequential Binary Programming (SBP) algorithm as a framework for cost-sensitive classification. The field of cost-sensitive learning has provided a number of methods to adapt predictive data mining from engineering and hard science applications to those in commerce. This discussion will test theoretical limitations of classical cost-sensitive algorithms empirically and outline the appropriate conditions under which various methods (specifically SBP) should be implemented in favor of others.
Outcome of Pregnancy in Patients with Organic Heart Disease in Taiwan

A total of 122 pregnancies in 101 women with organic heart disease were reviewed. The incidence of organic heart disease in pregnant women was 0.25%. The ratio of rheumatic to congenital heart disease was 1.0 to 1.5. In the congenital heart disease group, IUGR was more frequent in the cyanotic group as were preterm births. Patients with cyanotic lesions had a significantly higher maternal mortality rate than those with acyanotic lesions. The cyanotic group without surgical correction had a significantly higher maternal mortality rate and more IUGR than those with correction. Congestive heart failure was the most common maternal complication, with a rate of 38.1%. The patients with good cardiac status control during pregnancy developed less IUGR, had fewer preterm births, less maternal morbidity and less maternal mortality than those in poor condition. Patients in functional classes I and II before pregnancy carried less risk of maternal morbidity than those in classes III and IV.
The spontaneous release of 5-hydroxytryptamine and acetylcholine within the diencephalon of the unanaesthetized rhesus monkey.

The diencephalon of the unanaesthetized rhesus monkey was explored for sites which release either 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or acetylcholine (ACh), or both, spontaneously. In 34 monkeys “push-pull” perfusion cannulae were implanted so that the tips rested in 66 different loci of the hypothalamus and thalamus. Each site was perfused for 30 min at 24–48 h intervals, and usually three perfusions were carried out for the 5-HT assays and three for ACh assays.
YXXM Motifs in the PDGF-β Receptor Serve Dual Roles as Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase Binding Motifs and Tyrosine-based Endocytic Sorting Signals

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI 3-kinases) are important regulators of endocytic trafficking. Previous studies have shown that mutant human platelet-derived growth factor-β receptors (PDGFR), which contain Phe in place of Tyr at the two p85/p110 PI 3-kinase binding sites (PDGFR-F/F), are defective for both p85 binding and ligand-stimulated degradation. This suggested that p85/p110 regulates PDGFR trafficking. However, more recent work has identified hVPS34, and not p85/p110, as the major PI 3-kinase regulating the movement of receptors through the endosomal system. To reconcile this discrepancy, we hypothesized that YXXM motifs in the PDGFR might play a second role as Tyr-based lysosomal sorting motifs (YXXΦ). To test this, we replaced both YXXM motifs with a motif from LAMP-1, YQTI. This mutant PDGFR (PDGFR-YQTI) still underwent PDGF-stimulated autophosphorylation but did not bind p85. In CHO cells, both wild-type and YQTI receptors showed PDGF-stimulated turnover, whereas F/F receptors did not. In addition, uptake and degradation of cell surface-labeled YXXM and YQTI receptors was fast relative to F/F receptors. We also constructed chimeras containing extracellular and membrane-spanning domains from CD25 (Tac) and cytoplasmic tails containing the YQTI motif, two YXXM motifs, or two mutant FXXM motifs. The YXXM and YQTI chimeras mediated lysosomal delivery of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled anti-CD25 antibodies, whereas the F/F chimera was defective. Thus, YQTI motifs can target PDGFR for degradation in the absence of p85/p110 binding, and the p85/p110 binding motifs from PDGFR are sufficient to target Tac chimeras to the lysosome. These data suggest that the YXXM motifs in the PDGFR serve two distinct functions: PI 3-kinase recruitment and lysosomal targeting.
Network deficiency exacerbates impairment in a mouse model of retinal degeneration.

Neural oscillations play an important role in normal brain activity, but also manifest during Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and other pathological conditions. The contribution of these aberrant oscillations to the function of the surviving brain remains unclear. In recording from retina in a mouse model of retinal degeneration, we found that the incidence of oscillatory activity varied across different cell classes, evidence that some retinal networks are more affected by functional changes than others. This aberrant activity was driven by an independent inhibitory amacrine cell oscillator. By stimulating the surviving circuitry at different stages of the neurodegenerative process, we found that this dystrophic oscillator further compromises the function of the retina. These data reveal that retinal remodeling can exacerbate the visual deficit, and that aberrant synaptic activity could be targeted for RD treatment.
Identification of structural features and associated mechanisms of action for carcinogens in rats.

Abstract A set of chemicals tested for carcinogenicity in rats that have been analyzed in the Carcinogenic Potency Database (CPDB) was subjected to CASE/MULTICASE (a computer-automated structure evaluation system) structure-activity relationship (SAR) analyses. This SAR system identifies structural features of chemicals in a learning set that are associated with a predefined activity and produces an SAR model based on these characteristics. The rat CPDB used in this study consisted of 745 chemicals, 383 of which are carcinogens, 14 marginally active carcinogens (i.e., chemicals that require a relatively high dose to induce carcinogenesis) and 348 are non-carcinogens. In an internal prediction analysis where CASE/MULTICASE ‘predicted’ the activity of chemicals in the learning set, the system was able to achieve a concordance between experimental and predicted results of 95%. This indicates that the program is able to adequately assess the chemicals in the database. In a 10-fold cross-validation study where 10 disjoint sets of 10% of the chemicals were removed from the database and the remaining 90% of the chemicals were used as a learning set, CASE/MULTICASE was able to achieve a concordance between experimental and predicted results of 64%. Using a modified validation process designed to investigate the predictivity of a more focused SAR model, the system was able to achieve a concordance of 71% between experimental and predicted results. Among the major biophores identified by CASE/MULTICASE as associated with cancer causation in rats, several are derived from electrophilic or potentially electrophilic compounds (e.g., aromatic amines, nitrogen mustards, isocyanates, epoxides). Other biophores however are derived from chemicals seemingly devoid of actual or potential DNA-reactivity and as such may represent structural features of non-genotoxic carcinogens.
Searching for consensus in molt terminology 11 years after Howell et al.'s “first basic problem”

ABSTRACT Howell et al. (2003) published an innovative augmentation to terminology proposed by Humphrey and Parkes (1959) that classified bird molt on the basis of perceived evolutionary relationships. Despite apparent universal applicability, Howell et al.'s (2003) proposed terminological changes were met with criticism that cited a failure to verify the evolutionary relationships of molt and an inability to recognize homologous molts even within closely related taxa. Eleven years after Howell et al. (2003), we revisit arguments against a terminological system of molt based on evolutionary relationships, suggest an analytical framework to satisfactorily respond to critics, clarify terminology, and consider how to study molt variation within an evolutionary framework.
PHYSICAL PROGRAMMING FOR ROBUST DESIGN

Computational optimization for design is effective, only to the extent that the aggregate objective function adequately captures designer’s preference. Physical programming is an optimization method that captures the designer’s physical understanding of the desired design outcome in forming the objective function. Furthermore, to be useful, a resulting optimal design must be sufficiently robust/insensitive to known and unknown variations that to different degrees affect the design’s performance. This paper explores the effectiveness of the physical programming approach in explicitly addressing the issue of design robustness. Specifically, we synergistically integrate methods that had previously and independently been developed by the authors, thereby leading to optimal - robust - designs. We demonstrate that the Physical programming method can be used to efficiently address designer’s preference in making tradeoffs between the mean and variance attributes when solving biobjective robust design problems. The work documented in this paper establishes the superiority of the Physical programming method over the conventional weighted sum method in solving multiobjective optimization problems. It also illustrates that the Physical programming method is as efficient as other multicriteria mathematical programming techniques for the generation of Pareto solutions that belong to
Growth response of cottonwood roots to varied NH4:NO3 ratios in enriched patches

Maximization of short-rotation forest plantation yields requires frequent applications of nutriends, especially nitrogen(N). Whole-plant growth is known to be sensitive to teh proportion of ammonium to nitrate (NH4:NO3). However, the extent to which N form affects root growth, branching and morphology is poorly understood, and these variables may have substantial impoacts on plant nutrient and water acquisition. We used rooted cuttings of cottonwood (Populus deltoides Bartr. ex Marsh.) to investigate the effect of various NH4:NO3 ratios on root growth in N-enriched patches. A sand culture study with split-root systems was carried out in which 1-3% of the total root system of each cutting was supplied with 2 mMN at NH4:NO3 ratios of 0:100, 20:80, 40:60, 80:20, and 100:0 (molar basis), with the rest of the plant supplied with 0 mM N, resulting in the whole plant becoming N deficient. During the experiment, while-plant growth was unaffected by the treatments. Of the NH4:NO3 ratios tested, greatest total root length, specific root length, and root N concentration of roots in enriched patches occurred in the 20:80 NH4:NO3 treatment. The largest response of roots in enriched patches was third- and fourth-order root production. We conclude that N form has a profound effect on root development and morphology in enriched patches.
Fisheries development in the Third World: The role of international agencies

Abstract International development assistance agencies play an important role in the transfer of scientific and technical information. Inevitably, information, tools and processes are laden with values reflecting the culture and society of origin. Recipient developing nations do not necessarily share either the cultural values or the societal mechanisms which give rise to and make useful technologies developed in the West. This paper examines the impact of internationally sponsored development of Third World marine fisheries, where capital-intensive technological innovations (frequently oriented to export markets) have had a negative effect on small-scale fishermen who comprise the vast majority of those employed in the fisheries sector. The argument is advanced that fisheries development efforts must be balanced by resource management policies which take into account traditional resource use rights of small-scale fishermen.
Desalination by pressure osmosis

Abstract Reverse osmosis is generally thought of as a process in which essentially completely desalinated water is produced from a saline source in a single pass through a semipermeable membrane. The term pressure osmosis is used here to describe similar processes in which only partial salt removal is achieved, or in which the permeate is actually enriched in salt relative to the pressurized solution. Thermodynamic pressure requirements for various degrees of separation are calculated. Membrane materials capable of yielding an enriched permeate have not been developed to date. Two model membranes suitable for the purpose are suggested, and their expected performance is calculated.
Regulatory perspectives of license renewal

Abstract The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 limits commercial nuclear power reactor licenses to 40 years, but it also permits operating licenses to be renewed, thus extending the term of the licenses beyond the original 40 years. The technical considerations, procedural steps, and criteria are established in 10 CFR Part 54 and 10 CFR Part 51 of the Commission's regulations. This paper will provide a summary of the past and current NRC regulatory activities related to license renewal. It will include a description of the background of the regulations and the major technical requirements of the license renewal rule, 10 CFR Part 54. It will also provide a summary of the ongoing industry license renewal activities and staff's review experience to date.
Conduction velocity costs energy

Hodgkin and Adrian's 1975 hypothesis that the squid axon is optimized for maximum conduction velocity is flawed by (i) the inaccurate value of its prediction for channel density, and (ii) the prohibitive energetic expense entailed by their prediction. Here we investigate the metabolic cost of conduction velocity. By manipulating ion channel density or by manipulating the Nernst battery voltages, we demonstrate that action potential velocity has a significant metabolic cost. Thus, in addition to the cost of information transmission (Neural Comput. 8(1996) 531 [9]), there is a cost associated with the timely arrival of such transmitted information.
Review of energy storage systems

The suitability of energy storage systems for transmission, distribution and wind farm applications are studies here. This review on the available energy storage systems (ESS) is performed considering several criteria. Efforts are made to investigate solutions that meet all the power system requirements. These solutions are used to design an intelligent energy storage system (IESS).
Note on rosenthal's “Unintended effects of the clinician in clinical interaction”

Studies of examiner expectancy effects on inkblot test responses were examined, especially those not available for Rosenthal's (1969) review. These newer data suggest that the direction of expectancy effects is different for different dependent variables and, hence, the importance of including no-expectancy control groups in studies of new dependent variables.
Multimirror Telescope Alignment Systems Which Employ Fan Beams And TI Interferometers

We will describe an alignment system for a multimirror telescope array in which an optical light plane provides a synthetic stable platform or optical reference flat upon which are located a series of heterodyne interferometers which measure the relative phasing, tilts, etc., of each element in the array. Several approaches to synthesizing the optical light plane are presented and compared.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Obstructive uropathy associated with uterine prolapse.

Abstract Ninety five of 252 (38 per cent) patients with uterine prolapse who had excretory urograms were evaluated to determine the presence of ureteral obstruction. Seven of the 95 (7 per cent) had evidence of hydroureteronephrosis attributable to uterine prolapse. Two patients initially had urologic complaints, and 3 of 6 patients demonstrated resolution of the hydroureteronephrosis in post-treatment urograms. The causation of the ureteral obstruction in patients with procidentia is discussed. The need for complete urologic work-up, particularly pre- and post-treatment excretory urogram in patients with uterine prolapse, is emphasized.
Age Prediction of Glacio-Isostatic Strandlines Based on Their Gradients

Scandinavian research has shown that strandline gradients decrease exponentially toward the present day. The relationship of gradient to age can be used to estimate the time of formation of a strandline that has not been directly dated, provided that: (1) the gradient of the strandline has been determined, and (2) both gradient and age estimates for two or more other Strandlines in the series are available. As an example, six Strandlines of previously unknown age in southeast Scotland are dated by means of an expression devised from the age and gradient of three other Strandlines from the same series. Any such relationship, however, is valid only for the local area.
A New Paradigm for Robotic Rovers

We are in the process of developing rovers with extreme mobility needed to explore remote, rugged terrain. We call these systems Tetrahedral Explorer Technologies (TETs). Architecture is based on conformable tetrahedra, the simplest space–filling form, as building blocks, single or networked, where apices act as nodes from which struts reversibly deploy. The tetrahedral framework acts as a simple skeletal muscular structure. We have already prototyped a simple robotic walker from a single reconfigurable tetrahedron capable of tumbling and a more evolved 12Tetrahedral Walker, the Autonomous Landed Investigator (ALI), which has interior nodes for payload, more continuous motion, and is commandable through a user friendly interface. ALI is an EMS level mission concept which would allow autonomous in situ exploration of the lunar poles within the next decade. ALI would consist of one or more 12tetrahedral walkers capable of rapid locomotion with the many degrees of freedom and equipped for navigation in the unilluminated, inaccessible and thus largely unexplored rugged terrains where lunar resources are likely to be found: the Polar Regions. ALI walkers would act as roving reconnaissance teams for unexplored regions, analyzing samples along the way.
Lifetime Abuse and Mental Health Distress Among English-Speaking Latinas:

Domestic violence has adverse consequences on the mental health of abused women, including Latinas, who face stressors that are associated with oppression, resettlement, and minority status, which increase their risk of abuse and its psychological distress. This article presents a descriptive study of lifetime abuse (seven types of childhood abuse and abuse by adult partners) and mental health in a small sample of English-speaking Latinas. Depression, anxiety, and somatization were studied in relation to lifetime abuse. The findings revealed that recent emotional abuse was associated with distress, which was manifested in anxiety, and that childhood abuse elevated the risk of victimization in adulthood. Implications for feminist social work practice are discussed.
The Unit and the Context of the Analysis for Research in Educational Administration.

A fairly common error in research in educational administration is the inappropriate choice of the unit or the context of the analysis for a given research question. The statistical treatment of data for a particular unit and a particular context is often accompanied by an interpretation of the results for a different unit or context. This paper discusses those problems, using examples from recent Educational Administration Quarterly articles, and offers some suggestions for reducing such errors in future research.
Quantitative Ga-67 SPECT imaging

Tumor avidity for Ga-67 is known to be correlated with the histopathologic stage of disease, yet quantitative imaging has remained elusive because Ga-67 images are seriously degraded by several factors. We have previously optimized and evaluated on projection images a general spectral (GS) approach to compensate for patient scatter and Pb x-rays from the collimator. We also recently developed a joint, multienergy iterative algorithm (OSEM-J) to compensate for nonuniform attenuation and for distance- and energy-dependent collimator resolution. In the work reported here, we evaluated the overall activity quantitation performance achieved by combining GS with OSEM-J, and compared this to the (almost ideal) performance obtained when reconstructing primary unscattered photons, as well as to that obtained with another proposed iterative approach (OSEM-S) in which the sum of the two lowest photopeak windows was reconstructed using a single, energy-weighted attenuation map. We simulated 96 projections of an anthropomorphic phantom containing seven 2-cm-diameter tumors with Ga-67 concentration values 4 to 8 times that of the local background. Sixteen noise realizations containing lesions and 16 without lesions were generated, and least-squares estimates of tumor activity were calculated for each reconstruction method. The mean bias of tumor estimates for primary+OSEM-J, GS+OSEM-J, and GS+OSEM-S was, respectively, 1.2%, 1.6%, and 8.0% The average precision of the corresponding estimates was 15.0%, 19.1%, and 24.8% These results suggest that use of a spectral-based estimate of contaminant photons within a joint multiple-energy iterative reconstruction leads to nearly optimal performance in quantitation of Ga-67 tumor activity.
Fiberoptic transillumination: A new tool for the pediatric surgeon

Transillumination (TI) is a safe and reliable technique for evaluating masses or the presence of free air in the thorax or abdomen. TI can also be of help in the accurate placement of catheters or needles in the chest, abdomen, bladder, or vessels. Its use in several hundred cases has been documented by this report.
Momentum, heat, and mass transfer in turbulent non-Newtonian boundary layers

The boundary-layer equations and a Blasius type of relationship between f and NRe gen are used to derive expressions for velocity distribution, local boundary-layer thickness, local shear stress, and total drag force for the turbulent boundary-layer flow of a power law non-Newtonian fluid across a flat plate at zero incidence. Relationships are derived for the velocity at the edge of the laminar sublayer and for the thickness of the laminar sublayer. An analogy between heat and momentum transfer is then used to obtain expressions for local and mean values of the heat transfer coefficient in a turbulent thermal boundary layer for power law materials flowing over flat plates. Analogous extensions to mass transfer are indicated. A tentative criterion is suggested for characterizing the transition from laminar to turbulent boundary-layer flow of power law fluids. Relationships combining the effects of a part laminar, part turbulent boundary layer are presented.
High-Sensitivity Troponin T and N-Terminal Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) and Risk of Incident Heart Failure in Patients with CKD: The Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study

High-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) strongly predict heart failure (HF) in the general population. However, the interpretation of levels of these biomarkers as predictors of HF is uncertain among patients with CKD. Here, we investigated whether hsTnT and NT-proBNP are associated with incident HF among patients with CKD. In a prospective cohort analysis, we studied 3483 people with CKD in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study recruited from June of 2003 to August of 2008 who were free of HF at baseline. We used Cox regression to examine the association of baseline levels of hsTnT and NT-proBNP with incident HF after adjustment for demographic factors, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, markers of kidney disease, pertinent medication use, and mineral metabolism markers. At baseline, hsTnT levels ranged from ≤5.0 to 378.7 pg/ml, and NT-proBNP levels ranged from ≤5 to 35,000 pg/ml. Compared with those who had undetectable hsTnT, participants in the highest quartile (>26.5 ng/ml) had a significantly higher rate of HF (hazard ratio, 4.77; 95% confidence interval, 2.49 to 9.14). Similarly, compared with those in the lowest NT-proBNP quintile ( 433.0 ng/ml) experienced a substantially higher rate of HF (hazard ratio, 9.57; 95% confidence interval, 4.40 to 20.83). In conclusion, hsTnT and NT-proBNP were strongly associated with incident HF among a diverse cohort of individuals with mild to severe CKD. Elevations in these biomarkers may indicate subclinical changes in volume and myocardial stress that subsequently contribute to clinical HF.
Error probabilities of frequency-hopped MFSK with noise-normalization combining in a fading channel with partial-band interference

An error probability analysis is performed for a M-ary orthogonal frequency shift keying (MFSK) receiver using frequency-hopped (FH) spread-spectrum waveforms transmitted over a fading channel with partial-band interference. Diversity is performed using multiple hops per data bit. A combination procedure referred to as noise-normalization combining is used by the receiver to minimize partial-band interference effects. Each diversity reception is assumed to fade independently according to a nonselective Rician process. The partial-band interference is modeled as a Gaussian process. Thermal noise is also included in the analysis. Forward error correction coding is applied using convolutional codes and Reed-Solomon codes. Diversity is found to dramatically reduce the degradation of the noise-normalization receiver caused by partial-band interference regardless of the strength of the direct signal component. In addition, diversity offers significant receiver performance improvement when channel fading is strong. >
Enteral stenting for gastric outlet obstruction and afferent limb syndrome following pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Background Obstruction of the afferent or efferent limbs of a gastrojejunal anastomosis is a potential complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) resulting in either gastric outlet obstruction or afferent limb syndrome. The use of self-expanding metal stents for the management of anastomotic strictures after resection of pancreatic cancer has not been well studied. We present four such cases and review published data regarding this population. Methods Retrospective chart review and literature search. Outcomes were summarized with descriptive statistics. Results At our institution, 4 patients underwent metal stent placement for gastrojejunal obstruction after PD for pancreatic cancer. Enteral stents were placed in two patients across the afferent limb, in one patient across the efferent limb, and in another patient across both limbs. Similar cases in the literature revealed that the anastomotic stricture was malignant in 26 of 27 cases. Clinical improvement occurred in 88%. Afferent limb syndrome was successfully treated in 5 of 6 cases. Median survival was 3.5 months after stent placement. Conclusions Effective palliation of both gastric outlet obstruction and afferent limb syndrome after PD can be provided with enteral stenting. Gastrojejunal strictures after PD for pancreatic cancer are usually malignant with median survival of 3.5 months after stent placement. Keywords Stent, pancreaticoduodenectomy, gastric outlet obstruction, afferent limb syndrome, pancreatic cancer Ann Gastroenterol 2014; 27 (4): 413-417
Novel approaches to optical reflectometry

The author reviews the fundamentals of optical reflectometry, including the standard optical time-domain reflectometry (OTDR) measurement. Some novel reflectometry schemes are described, including a spread-spectrum approach to long-range OTDR, as well as new optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR) techniques that have proven useful for high-resolution measurements. These novel reflectometry techniques are suitable for testing both fiber links and small components. The spread-spectrum technique allows improved dynamic range without sacrificing resolution. High-speed modulators and detectors now allow the extension of OFDR techniques to high frequencies. Resulting measurements show a large dynamic range and resolution better than 4 mm. >
Error-Based Software Testing and Analysis

An approach to error-based testing is described that uses simple programmer error models and focus-directed methods for detecting the effects of errors. Errors are associated with forgetting, ignorance, bandwidth and perversity. The focus-directed approach was motivated by the observation that focus is more important than methodology in detecting such errors. The strengths and weaknesses of error-based versus more methodological methods are compared using three underlying assumptions called the faith, coincidence and hindsight effects. The weaknesses of error-based testing are compensated for by establishment of an expertise-based foundation that uses research from the study of natural decision making. Examples of the application of error-based methods are given from projects in which the author had access to the programmers, making it possible to track failure back to both defect and error. The relationship of error-based testing to contemporary methods, such as context-driven and exploratory testing, is described.
Site-specific recombinase strategy to create induced pluripotent stem cells efficiently with plasmid DNA.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have revolutionized the stem cell field. iPSCs are most often produced by using retroviruses. However, the resulting cells may be ill-suited for clinical applications. Many alternative strategies to make iPSCs have been developed, but the nonintegrating strategies tend to be inefficient, while the integrating strategies involve random integration. Here, we report a facile strategy to create murine iPSCs that uses plasmid DNA and single transfection with sequence-specific recombinases. PhiC31 integrase was used to insert the reprogramming cassette into the genome, producing iPSCs. Cre recombinase was then used for excision of the reprogramming genes. The iPSCs were demonstrated to be pluripotent by in vitro and in vivo criteria, both before and after excision of the reprogramming cassette. This strategy is comparable with retroviral approaches in efficiency, but is nonhazardous for the user, simple to perform, and results in nonrandom integration of a reprogramming cassette that can be readily deleted. We demonstrated the efficiency of this reprogramming and excision strategy in two accessible cell types, fibroblasts and adipose stem cells. This simple strategy produces pluripotent stem cells that have the potential to be used in a clinical setting. STEM CELLS 2011;29:1696–1704
The effect of sulfur in cattle diets with varying cation-anion balances upon feedlot performance, blood chemistry and body fluid compartments.

Corn distillers grains with solubles (DGS) is a major feed commodity ingredient used by the U.S. cattle feeding industry. Increasing dietary levels of DGS increases sulfur intake. Excess sulfur in finishing diets has been associated with reduced dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW) gain, and a negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD). The potential of supplemental cations to increase DCAD and improve performance of cattle consuming finishing diets containing MDGS was investigated. In a completely randomized block design, 186 crossbred steers (342 kg ±4.80) were blocked by weight, allotted to 28 pens, and assigned to one of seven treatments with 3 levels of wet, MDGS (25, 50, 75% of DM) supplemented or not with added cations. A Control diet contained no MDGS. Steers were fed to appetite twice daily (0800 and 1500 hr). On d 56, blood samples were collected prior to the morning feeding from each steer and analyzed for components. Steers were harvested at d 170 of the trial. Increasing DCAD with added cations reduced the metabolic acid load of steers as evidenced by reduced blood Cl and increased bicarbonate concentrations, but had no effect upon DMI, BW gain, or carcass characteristics. Steers fed MDGS did not differ compared with Control steers in ADG, DMI or G:F. Increasing the level of MDGS above 25% in diets resulted in a linear decrease in ADG, a quadratic decrease in DMI, and a trend towards a quadratic increase in F:G. Supplementation of finishing diets containing MDGS with sodium and potassium to increase DCAD is not an economical management tool to improve performance.
The Neural Architecture of the Language Comprehension Network: Converging Evidence from Lesion and Connectivity Analyses

While traditional models of language comprehension have focused on the left posterior temporal cortex as the neurological basis for language comprehension, lesion and functional imaging studies indicate the involvement of an extensive network of cortical regions. However, the full extent of this network and the white matter pathways that contribute to it remain to be characterized. In an earlier voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping analysis of data from aphasic patients (Dronkers et al., 2004), several brain regions in the left hemisphere were found to be critical for language comprehension: the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (MTG), the anterior part of Brodmann’s area 22 in the superior temporal gyrus (anterior STG/BA22), the posterior superior temporal sulcus (STS) extending into Brodmann’s area 39 (STS/BA39), the orbital part of the inferior frontal gyrus (BA47) and the middle frontal gyrus (BA46). Here, we investigated the white matter pathways associated with these regions using diffusion tensor imaging from healthy subjects. We also used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data to assess the functional connectivity profiles of these regions. Fiber tractography and functional connectivity analyses indicated that the left MTG, anterior STG/BA22, STS/BA39 and BA47 are part of a richly interconnected network that extends to additional frontal, parietal and temporal regions in the two hemispheres. The inferior occipito-frontal fasciculus, the arcuate fasciculus and the middle and inferior longitudinal fasciculi, as well as transcallosal projections via the tapetum were found to be the most prominent white matter pathways bridging the regions important for language comprehension. The left posterior MTG showed a particularly extensive structural and functional connectivity pattern which is consistent with the severity of the impairments associated with MTG lesions and which suggests a central role for this region in language comprehension.
Homage to Linnaeus: How many parasites? How many hosts?

Estimates of the total number of species that inhabit the Earth have increased significantly since Linnaeus's initial catalog of 20,000 species. The best recent estimates suggest that there are ≈6 million species. More emphasis has been placed on counts of free-living species than on parasitic species. We rectify this by quantifying the numbers and proportion of parasitic species. We estimate that there are between 75,000 and 300,000 helminth species parasitizing the vertebrates. We have no credible way of estimating how many parasitic protozoa, fungi, bacteria, and viruses exist. We estimate that between 3% and 5% of parasitic helminths are threatened with extinction in the next 50 to 100 years. Because patterns of parasite diversity do not clearly map onto patterns of host diversity, we can make very little prediction about geographical patterns of threat to parasites. If the threats reflect those experienced by avian hosts, then we expect climate change to be a major threat to the relatively small proportion of parasite diversity that lives in the polar and temperate regions, whereas habitat destruction will be the major threat to tropical parasite diversity. Recent studies of food webs suggest that ≈75% of the links in food webs involve a parasitic species; these links are vital for regulation of host abundance and potentially for reducing the impact of toxic pollutants. This implies that parasite extinctions may have unforeseen costs that impact the health and abundance of a large number of free-living species.