cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ranavirus Ecology and Evolution: From Epidemiology to Extinction

Ranaviruses have been identified in wild and captive populations of ectothermic vertebrates around the world. Ranavirus epidemics can result in a range of effects on their host populations, from apparently benign infections to mass mortality and local extirpation. In this chapter, we review the current status of ranavirus epidemiology and ecology in amphibians, fish, and reptiles. Ranavirus epidemics in amphibians and fish usually have a rapid onset in the mid-to-late summer while outbreaks in reptiles occur irregularly. Susceptibility to ranavirus differs among host species, and may be influenced by the type of ranavirus and natural or anthropogenic stressors. Ranaviruses can be transmitted within and between host species via several routes, but there is a need for transmission estimates in natural environments. Generally, ranaviruses are locally adapted to their host populations, but movement of infected hosts over long distances can disrupt these associations. There is evidence of increased virulence of ranaviruses in captive fish and amphibian populations raised for production. Given their broad host ranges, potential for high virulence, multiple routes of transmission, and frequent movement of amphibians, fish and reptiles in global trade, it appears that some ranaviruses have the potential to significantly impact host populations and even cause extinctions in the wild.
On the boundedness of the bilinear Hilbert transform along “non-flat” smooth curves. The Banach triangle case $(L^r, 1 ≤ r < \infty)$

We show that the bilinear Hilbert transform HΓ along curves Γ=(t,−γ(t)) with γ∈NFC is bounded from Lp(R)×Lq(R)→Lr(R) where p,q,r are
Performance Analysis of Semi-supervised Learning in the Small-data Regime using VAEs.

Extracting large amounts of data from biological samples is not feasible due to radiation issues, and image processing in the small-data regime is one of the critical challenges when working with a limited amount of data. In this work, we applied an existing algorithm named Variational Auto Encoder (VAE) that pre-trains a latent space representation of the data to capture the features in a lower-dimension for the small-data regime input. The fine-tuned latent space provides constant weights that are useful for classification. Here we will present the performance analysis of the VAE algorithm with different latent space sizes in the semi-supervised learning using the CIFAR-10 dataset.
Chemotaxis and Reactions in Biology

Chemotaxis plays a crucial role in a variety of processes in biology and ecology. Quite often it acts to improve efficiency of biological reactions. One example is the immune system signalling, where infected tissues release chemokines attracting monocytes to fight invading bacteria. Another example is reproduction, where eggs release pheromones that attract sperm. A macro scale example is flower scent appealing to pollinators. In this paper we consider a system of PDE designed to model such processes. Our interest is to quantify the effect of chemotaxis on reaction rates compared to pure reaction-diffusion. We limit consideration to surface chemotaxis, which is well motivated from the point of view of many applications. Our results provide the first insight into situations where chemotaxis can be crucial for reaction success, and where its effect is likely to be limited. The proofs are based on new analytical tools; a significant part of the paper is dedicated to building up the linear machinery that can be useful in more general settings. In particular we establish precise estimates on the rates of convergence to ground state for a class of Fokker-Planck operators with potentials that grow at a logarithmic rate at infinity. These estimates are made possible by a new sharp weak weighted Poincare inequality improving in particular a result of Bobkov and Ledoux.
Colonoscopia: quando a preparação se torna uma complicação

Introducao: A colonoscopia e o exame de eleicao para o diagnostico precoce do cancro do colon e reto, que se associa a incidencia e mortalidade elevadas no nosso pais. Representa a primeira linha de investigacao perante a presenca de sinais ou sintomas sugestivos de patologia do colon ou do reto. Como qualquer procedimento medico, a colonoscopia nao e isenta de complicacoes, as quais podem acontecer em diversas etapas: na preparacao intestinal, na sedacao/analgesia ou durante o exame colonoscopico propriamente dito. Este caso clinico ilustra uma complicacao durante a preparacao intestinal para a colonoscopia com picossulfato de sodio/citrato de magnesio, evidenciando o papel essencial do medico de familia na gestao da saude do utente. Embora as complicacoes graves sejam incomuns, as suas consequencias podem afetar a qualidade de vida dos nossos utentes a curto, medio e longo prazo. Descricao do caso: Mulher de 56 anos, autonoma, com antecedentes pessoais relevantes de hipertensao arterial e doenca hemorroidaria, que recorreu a consulta por episodios esporadicos de retorragia, acompanhados de dor anal e desconforto nos quadrantes abdominais inferiores, com alguns anos de evolucao. Foi pedida colonoscopia para esclarecimento das queixas. Durante a preparacao intestinal a utente sofreu queda da propria altura com perda de conhecimento, da qual resultou fratura parietal direita, motivando internamento hospitalar. A recuperacao foi mais lenta do que o expectavel e, decorridos dois anos, a utente mantem alteracoes da memoria, nomeacao e concentracao, confirmadas em avaliacao neuropsicologica. Apos varias tentativas de retomar a sua atividade profissional, a utente mantem incapacidade para exerce-la. Comentarios: As complicacoes graves da colonoscopia, embora incomuns, deverao ser ponderadas previamente a sua prescricao atendendo a elevada morbilidade. Embora haja necessidade de gerir reduzidos tempos de consulta, e importante estar alerta para as possiveis complicacoes associadas as diversas etapas do exame de forma a informar, esclarecer e capacitar os nossos utentes sobre as suas consequencias.
Turtles & teamsters revival? Analyzing labor unions' environmental discourse from the 2014 People's Climate March

Through an examination of collective action frames, this article explores the sociopolitical motivations driving American union members' engagement in the climate change movement, as well as the political ideologies inferred by their proposed action strategies. The analysis centers on the historic action of the 2014 People's Climate March (PCM) and employs a qualitative mixed-methods approach, including 19 in-depth interviews with labor leaders and rank-and-file members who participated in the march. I find that the majority of these labor activists contend that climate change is a result of systemic political-economic arrangements, and mobilize around climate change under the master frame of environmental justice. However, divergent frames exist within the prognostic realm, with some labor activists advancing reformist mitigation strategies that adhere to the paradigm of ecological modernization, and others advocating political strategies that entail more structurally transformative interventions. I also discuss the PCM's legacy impact on coalition building between the labor and environmental movements, and identify obstacles that exist to labor's future climate justice organizing in the U.S. context. In concluding, I note the limitations of this analysis and suggest avenues for future research on this topic.
Epidemiological investigation on the hepatitis A outbreak in the country

Objective To investigate the cause and the transmission route of the hepatitis A outbreak,and analyze the epidemic factors,and evaluate the control effect,in order to provide evidence for prevention and control.Methods The epidemic characteristic was analyzed by descriptive epidemiology method,and the risk factors of hepatitis outbreak were explored by case-cuntrol study and retrospective cohort study.Results 36 cases of hepatitis A were reported during August and September in 2009 in Nanyang Sub-District of Xiaoshan District.The cases were mainly around the agricultural market.The incidence peak between August 24th and September 4th.The major patients were local middle aged and old women.The incidence rate of natives was higher than non-native population(2.09‰:0.32‰,x2 =12.72,P ＜ 0.01 ).The results of the case-control study didn't support the hypothesis of food-borne outbreak.The retrospective cohort study and the hygiene investigation showed that drinking well water was the protect factor,and the distribution of the running water in the north gate of the town farm produce market was consistent with the case' s distribution.Conclusions The water pollution caused by the leakage of the water distribution system in the north gate of the Nanyang farm produce market is the primary risk factor for this outbreak of hepatitis A. Key words: Hepatitis A; Running water; Outbreak; Hazard factor
Malignant Hematopoietic Disorders of the Mediastinum

Hematopoietic tumors are among the most common neoplasms involving the mediastinum. Lymphomas alone represent ~60% of all mediastinal malignancies (Temes et al. Oncologist 5(3):179–84, 2000; Temes et al. West J Med 170(3):161–6, 1999). Mediastinal lymphoma includes cases of Hodgkin (~40%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (~60%) and few cases of acute myeloid leukemia/myeloid sarcoma. Hematolymphoid neoplasms confined to the mediastinum (primary disease) represent only 5% of cases, whereas mediastinal involvement in the setting of systemic disease occurs in 95% of cases (secondary involvement) (Macchiarini and Ostertag. Lancet Oncol 5(2):107–18, 2004; Strickler and Kurtin. Semin Diagn Pathol 8(1):2–13, 1991). This chapter is focused in the nodal mediastinal and thymic involvement by hematolymphoid neoplasms. Pleural and pulmonary hematolymphoid tumors are discussed in their respective chapters.
The Effects of Home Care Provider Mix on the Care Recipient: An International, Systematic Review of Articles from 2000 to 2020.

In this systematic review, we examine the literature from 2000 to 2020 to ascertain whether we can make strong conclusions about the relative benefit of adding informal care or formal care provider...
Multilevel Selection Theory

Multilevel Selection (MLS) Theory is a theoretical framework that presumes that selection can occur at an array of organizational levels from the gene upwards. MLS theory is the synthesis of individual selection as popularized by researchers including Williams (1966) and group selection as championed by researchers including DS Wilson (1975). More precisely, MLS theory offers a pluralist and flexible analytical framework that recognizes that selection occurs at different levels of organization as a function of context. As Wilson and Sober (1994) illustrated, when there is both phenotypic uniformity and shared fate at a given level of organization, then selection can be expected to occur. Consequently, if there is no phenotypic uniformity or shared fate among individuals in a given set of individuals, then one would expect selection to occur at the level of individuals. On the contrary, if individuals in a given set do share a common fate with one another and demonstrate phenotypic uniformity, then one would expect selection to occur at the level of sets wherein sets are being selected across evolutionary time relative to other sets in a given population of sets.
Deterministic Budget-Feasible Clock Auctions.

We revisit the well-studied problem of budget-feasible procurement, where a buyer with a strict budget constraint seeks to acquire services from a group of strategic providers (the sellers). During the last decade, several strategyproof budget-feasible procurement auctions have been proposed, aiming to maximize the value of the buyer, while eliciting each seller's true cost for providing their service. These solutions predominantly take the form of randomized sealed-bid auctions: they ask the sellers to report their private costs and then use randomization to determine which subset of services will be procured and how much each of the chosen providers will be paid, ensuring that the total payment does not exceed budget. Our main result in this paper is a novel method for designing budget-feasible auctions, leading to solutions that outperform the previously proposed auctions in multiple ways. First, our solutions take the form of descending clock auctions, and thus satisfy a list of properties, such as obvious strategyproofness, group strategyproofness, transparency, and unconditional winner privacy; this makes these auctions much more likely to be used in practice. Second, in contrast to previous results that heavily depend on randomization, our auctions are deterministic. As a result, we provide an affirmative answer to one of the main open questions in this literature, asking whether a deterministic strategyproof auction can achieve a constant approximation when the buyer's valuation function is submodular over the set of services. In addition, we also provide the first deterministic budget-feasible auction that matches the approximation bound of the best-known randomized auction for the class of subadditive valuations. Finally, using our method, we improve the best-known approximation factor for monotone submodular valuations, which has been the focus of most of the prior work.
The possible worlds theory of visual experience

When we watch movies, or are tricked by a trompe-l'oeil painting, we seem to be visually representing possible worlds; often non-actual possible worlds. This suggests that we really can visually re...
Meta-analysis of Self-compassion Interventions for Pain and Psychological Symptoms Among Adults with Chronic Illness

Self-compassion interventions are increasingly used to address mental and physical health outcomes in individuals with chronic illness. This review integrates the available evidence to (1) determine the extent to which self-compassion interventions improve mental and physical health among adults with chronic illness, (2) investigate moderators of effect size, and (3) situate the current findings in the context of current practice of evidence-based approaches. Randomized and non-randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated self-compassion interventions among samples of adults with chronic illness (N = 21) were included in a meta-analysis that employed random effects models. Outcomes included depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, pain, quality of life, and self-compassion. Overall, the studies included in the review were of low quality. Findings provided evidence that self-compassion interventions improved all within-person outcomes from pre- to post-intervention. In addition, self-compassion interventions had small effects on improvement in self-compassion compared to controls. Initial results showed small effects on improvement in depressive symptoms compared to controls, which became nonsignificant after trim-and-fill analyses. Length of intervention was a moderator of within-subject depressive symptoms and type of control condition and age were moderators of within-subject self-compassion. Compared to current evidence-based approaches, self-compassion interventions have small effects on improved self-compassion in individuals with chronic illness. However, more rigorous RCTs that include follow-up assessments are needed prior to determining whether self-compassion interventions are an effective treatment for co-morbid mental and physical health challenges among adults with chronic illness.
Information-Driven Volatility

Modern asset pricing theory predicts an unambiguously positive relationship between volatility and expected returns. Empirically, however, realized volatility in the past often predicts expected returns in the future with a negative sign, as exemplified by the volatility-managed portfolios of Moreira and Muir (2017). Theoretically, we show that information-driven volatility induces a negative correlation between past realized volatility and expected volatility and expected returns in the future. We develop a simple asset pricing model based on this intuition and demonstrate that our model can account for several volatility-related asset pricing puzzles such as the return on volatility managed portfolios, the “variance risk premium” return predictability (Bollerslev, Tauchen, and Zhou, 2009), and the predictability of returns by implied volatility reduction on macroeconomic announcement days.
How Knowledge Workers Gather Information from the Web: Implications for Peer-to-Peer File Sharing Tools

The success of peer-to-peer (p2p) music sharing has no doubt contributed to assumptions that individuals’ PCs are a vast untapped resource of assets just waiting to be unlocked by such systems. This includes the push for opening up our file spaces at work to allow peers access to previously inaccessible information with minimum effort. We wished to explore the potential value of these ideas and to test some of the assumptions underlying them, the motivation being that we believed the issues raised by this investigation would be important to those developing p2p information sharing tools. We do this by looking at the flow of information in and out of 16 knowledge workers’ file spaces in the context of carrying out Web information gathering tasks at work. In doing this we find that the file spaces used for knowledge work are more like ‘workbenches’ than ‘archives’ and that the information held within them is fundamentally different in content and organization to that which knowledge workers place in shared information spaces such as the Web. Knowledge workers work on their information to make it shareable to specific audiences yet this information is found side by side on the ‘workbench’ with unshareable information. This leads us to question the potential value of enabling people to open up their file spaces without having regard to the reusability of this information for others.
Innate Immune Responses in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common complication of mechanical ventilation, resulting in substantial morbidity, mortality, and health care cost. Early upper airway colonization by pathogenic bacteria and microaspiration are the primary pathogenic events leading to VAP. Patients at risk for VAP have defects in structural/mechanical defenses of the respiratory tract. In addition, critical illness, including sepsis, trauma, and postoperative states, is associated with profound defects in both innate and acquired antibacterial immunity, influencing antimicrobial effector functions of both leukocytes and structural/parenchymal cells. Factors present within the lung microenvironment, including alveolar stretch, cyclical atelectasis, changes in oxygen tension, and respiratory tract microbiota, substantially impact antibacterial host responses. Mechanisms accounting for dysregulated immune homeostasis are incompletely understood, but likely involve: (1) alterations in the balance of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines; (2) changes in pathogen recognition receptor and G-protein coupled receptor expression and downstream signaling cascades; and (3) dysregulated cell death responses. Antibiotics and preventive strategies are the mainstay of therapy in patients with VAP. However, novel approaches are needed to reverse immunological reprogramming that occurs during critical illness and/or mechanical ventilation, and to identify patients who are most likely to benefit from immunomodulatory therapy.
Abstract 085: The Role of Afferent and Efferent Renal Nerves in T Lymphocyte Recruitment into the Kidneys and Development of Two Models of Salt-Dependent Hypertension

Renal denervation (RDNX) attenuates hypertension (HT) in some animal models and human patients, yet the antihypertensive mechanisms involved are not known. Because it has been suggested that efferent renal nerves may cause recruitment of T lymphocytes (T cells) into the kidneys, and T cell-secreted cytokines can activate afferent neurons, we hypothesized that RDNX attenuates HT in the angiotensin II (AngII)-salt and deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt models by decreasing efferent renal nerve-dependent T cell trafficking to the kidneys and T cell-mediated activation of afferent renal nerves. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent SHAM surgery, RDNX or selective ablation of afferent renal nerves (renal-CAP) and were subjected to either AngII-salt or DOCA-salt HT. AngII-salt rats underwent SHAM, RDNX or renal-CAP (n = 8/group) and were instrumented with an IV catheter and radio-telemeter to measure mean arterial pressure (MAP). Rats were fed a 4% NaCl diet and, after a baseline period, AngII was infused IV (10 ng/kg/min) for 16 days. DOCA-salt rats were unilaterally nephrectomized and, after 2 weeks, instrumented with a radio-telemeter, subjected to SHAM (n = 5), RDNX (n = 7) or renal-CAP (n = 6) and given 0.9% saline to drink. After a baseline period, silicone pellets containing 100mg DOCA were implanted SC and rats were sacrificed 3 weeks later. Upon sacrifice, kidneys were harvested for flow cytometry to determine the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the kidneys. In AngII-salt rats, renal CD4 and CD8 T cell counts and the change in MAP from baseline (ΔMAP) were similar between groups (SHAM = 42.3 ± 6.4 mmHg, RDNX = 32.6 ± 5.9 mmHg, renal-CAP = 36.8 ± 5.0 mmHg). In DOCA-salt rats, RDNX and renal-CAP significantly attenuated ΔMAP (SHAM = 24.2 ± 3.1 mmHg, RDNX = 12.7 ± 2.4 mmHg, renal-CAP = 13.8 ± 1.7 mmHg). CD8 T cell counts in RDNX kidneys were significantly lower than SHAM (p < 0.01) and trended lower than renal-CAP. CD4 T cell counts in RDNX kidneys were significantly lower than renal-CAP (p < 0.05) and trended lower than SHAM. These data show that renal nerves do not contribute to AngII-salt HT, but suggest that afferent renal nerves contribute to DOCA-salt HT and that this may be T cell-mediated and dependent on efferent renal nerves. Funding: R01 HL116476-01.
Probability of Random Correspondence for Fingerprints

Individuality of fingerprints can be quantified by computing the probabilistic metrics for measuring the degree of fingerprint individuality. In this paper, we present a novel individuality evaluation approach to estimate the probability of random correspondence (PRC). Three generative models are developed respectively to represent the distribution of fingerprint features: ridge flow, minutiae and minutiae together with ridge points. A mathematical model that computes the PRCs are derived based on the generative models. Three metrics are discussed in this paper: (i) PRC of two samples, (ii) PRC among a random set of n samples (n PRC) and (iii) PRC between a specific sample among n others (specific n PRC). Experimental results show that the theoretical estimates of fingerprint individuality using our model consistently follow the empirical values based on the NIST4 database.
Effect of Exclusion of Anomalous Tropical Stations on Temperature Trends from a 63-Station Radiosonde Network, and Comparison with Other Analyses

Abstract A 63-station radiosonde network has been used for many years to estimate temperature variations and trends at the surface and in the 850–300-, 300–100-, and 100–50-mb layers of climate zones, both hemispheres, and the globe, but with little regard for the quality of individual station data. In this paper, nine tropical radiosonde stations in this network are identified as anomalous based on unrepresentatively large standard-error-of-regression values for 300–100-mb trends for the period 1958–2000. In the Tropics the exclusion of the 9 anomalous stations from the 63-station network for 1958–2000 results in a warming of the 300–100-mb layer rather than a cooling, a doubling of the warming of the 850–300-mb layer to a value of 0.13 K decade−1, and a greater warming at 850–300-mb than at the surface. The global changes in trend are smaller, but include a change to the same warming of the surface and the 850–300-mb layer during 1958–2000. The effect of the station exclusions is much less for 1979–2000...
Real time DSA and AI: next steps?

Summary form only given. The paper covers the following aspects: 1) Role and importance of real time DSA (especially after 2003 blackouts); 2) AI methodologies used to tackle different aspects of DSA problem; 3) Hurdles in implementing real time DSA in power system control; 4) Hurdles in implementing AI to enhance DSA performance; 6) Next steps (R&D, training, etc..).
Innocent Love of the Street Untouchable

In this article Weimin Mo presents us with a study of Ineke Holtwijk's Asphalt Angels , a powerful, bleak novel about Brazilian street children and how that relates to issues of globalization.
m-YouTube mobile UI: video selection based on social influence

The ease-of-use of Web-based video-publishing services provided by applications like YouTube has encouraged a new means of asynchronous communication, in which users can post videos not only to make them public for review and criticism, but also as a way to express moods, feelings, or intentions to an ever-growing network of friends. Following the current trend of porting Web applications onto mobile platforms, the authors sought to explore user-interface design issues of a mobile-device-based YouTube, which they call m-YouTube. They first analyzed the elements of success of the current YouTube Web site and observed its functionality. Then, they looked for unsolved issues that could give benefit through information-visualization design for small screens on mobile phones to explore a mobile version of such a product/service. The biggest challenge was to reduce the number of functions and amount information to fit into a mobile phone screen, but still be usable, useful, and appealing within the YouTube context of use and user experience. Borrowing ideas from social research in the area of social influence processes, they made design decisions aiming to help YouTube users to make the decision of what video content to watch and to increase the chances of YouTube authors being evaluated and observed by peers. The paper proposes a means to visualize large amounts of video relevant to YouTube users by using their friendship network as a relevance indicator to help in the decision-making process.
What can we learn from the ongoing challenge to implement routine outcome measures

Routine outcomes measurement is important for clinical care, quality improvement, and performance management. The nine papers in this special volume describe national and regional efforts at implementation of outcomes measures in nine different countries. They describe successes and challenges. This special collection of papers makes an important contribution towards improving the implementation of routine outcomes measurement globally.
Organic chemistry: A cure for catalyst poisoning

Compounds that are sensitive to the components of air are difficult to use in chemical reactions, requiring conditions that are tedious to set up. A simple, practical solution to this problem has finally been devised. See Letter p.208 The chemical synthesis of many compounds for applications ranging from materials science to drug discovery rely on components that are sensitive to oxygen and water contained in the atmosphere, and many valuable chemical reagents spoil before they are fully consumed. Stephen Buchwald and colleagues report an encapsulation method that uses paraffin wax to render sensitive compound mixtures stable so that they can be stored on a laboratory bench top. The authors demonstrate this approach in single-use capsules that contain all of the reagents (catalysts, ligands, and bases) necessary for palladium-catalysed carbon–fluorine, carbon–nitrogen, and carbon–carbon bond forming reactions. The strategy described here should be broadly applicable to a wide range of reagents and catalysts, making many more synthetic processes readily available to non-specialist laboratories.
Information and idiosyncratic risk in the NCAA men's basketball betting market.

Betting lines and scores from the 2009/10 college basketball season for 169 mid-major and major colleges are used to verify the efficiency hypothesis for the betting-market analogy to the CAPM-based market model. As in that model, the portion of the variance in the spreads that is unexplained by the betting lines is the idiosyncratic risk associated with a team’s games. The paper shows that this risk is due to team-specific and conference-specific informational and consistency-of-play factors that impact bettors’ decisions.
Long-range atmospheric transport of terrestrial biomarkers to the western North Atlantic

[1] We analyzed terrestrial plant-derived leaf wax biomarkers in aerosols collected at Bermuda over a 2.5 years time series. Leaf waxes comprised 60–70% of extractable lipids and 0.5–1.0% of total organic carbon. Biomarker concentrations in biweekly integrated samples varied by over an order of magnitude and indicate that long-range atmospheric transport is highly episodic. Results indicate that North America is the main source of terrestrial organic carbon in the western North Atlantic and that terrestrial carbon advected from Africa originates mainly in tropical C3 forests to the south of Saharan dust-source regions. Terrestrial biomarker concentrations were poorly correlated with organic carbon concentrations, which suggest significant source differences. Variations in relative abundance of the major wax compound classes and in their carbon isotopic composition indicate that waxes in aerosols are mainly derived from ablation off living vegetation and reveal a large-scale seasonal cycle in terrestrial biosphere emissions of wax biomarkers.
Lentivirus Live Cell Array for Quantitative Assessment of Gene and Pathway Activation during Myogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Stem cell differentiation involves multiple cascades of transcriptional regulation that govern the cell fate. To study the real-time dynamics of this complex process, quantitative and high throughput live cell assays are required. Herein, we developed a lentiviral library of promoters and transcription factor binding sites to quantitatively capture the gene expression dynamics over a period of several days during myogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) harvested from two different anatomic locations, bone marrow and hair follicle. Our results enabled us to monitor the sequential activation of signaling pathways and myogenic gene promoters at various stages of differentiation. In conjunction with chemical inhibitors, the lentiviral array (LVA) results also revealed the relative contribution of key signaling pathways that regulate the myogenic differentiation. Our study demonstrates the potential of LVA to monitor the dynamics of gene and pathway activation during MSC differentiation as well as serve as a platform for discovery of novel molecules, genes and pathways that promote or inhibit complex biological processes.
Comparative resistance of nonsporogenic bacteria to low-temperature gamma irradiation.

A total of 36 microorganisms, comprising 19 species of 11 genera, were screened for radiation resistance with 60Co gamma rays at a radiation temperatore of -80 ± 2 C in phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) under vacuum. Micrococcus radiodurans was the most resistant organism. An initial population of 2.8 × 105 cells per dose of this species survived 2.4 but not 2.7 Mrad. Of the remaining 18 species with initial populations of about 106 cells per dose, Streptococcus faecium survived 0.9 to 1.5 Mrad, depending on the strain tested. S. faecalis QM survived 0.9 but not 1.2 Mrad. S. faecalis 1539 and Alcaligenes faecallis survived 0.6 but not 0.9 Mrad. Three species of Salmonella, one strain each of Escherichia coli, Streptococcus lactis, and Aerobacter aerogenes survived 0.3 but not 0.6 Mrad. The remaining 22 bacteria did not survive 0.3 Mrad, the lowest dose tested. Detailed survival curve determinations for four strains of S. faecium, the most resistant of the test bacteria of public health significance, indicated the following order of resistance at -80 C: α21 > θ12 = F6 > FEC. Each strain produced two exponential survival curves with different slopes, the breaks occurring at 0.3 to 0.5 Mrad. The D values (doses which reduce the microbial population by 90%) of the more resistant cell fractions were two- to three-fold higher than the more sensitive cell fraction. The resistance of strain α21 was determined at different radiation temperature (+5, -30, -80, -140, -196 C). The D value-radiation temperature relationship followed a quadratic equation. Computations of Ea and Q10 values (activation energy and temperature coefficient, respectively) showed a very small thermodynamic effect on radiation death. An Arrhenius evaluation of the temperature effect on cell kill indicated that there was no simple physicochemical mechanism which might explain the change in D value as a function of temperature.
Scattering of Low-Energy Photons by Particles of Spin ½

The first two terms in a frequency expansion of the photon scattering amplitude are considered in the case where the scatterer is a particle of spin ½. It is shown that an exact calculation in quantum field theory gives results identical with those obtained by classical methods or else by use of the Dirac equation with an anomalous Pauli moment. The results depend only on the charge, mass, and magnetic moment of the scatterer. In the case of the proton, the second term, arising from scattering by the magnetic moment, appears to be negligible in comparison with effects due to Thomson and Rayleigh scattering.
Escherichia coli mutants with altered control of alcohol dehydrogenase and nitrate reductase

Mutants of Escherichia coli which overproduce alcohol dehydrogenase were obtained by selection for the ability to use ethanol as an acetate source in a strain auxotrophic for acetate. A mutant having a 20-fold overproduction of alcohol dehydrogenase was able to use ethanol only to fulfill its acetate requirement, whereas two mutants with a 60-fold overproduction were able to use ethanol as a sole carbon source. The latter two mutants produced only 25% of the wild-type level of nitrate reductase, when grown under anaerobic conditions. Alcohol dehydrogenase production was largely unaffected by catabolite repression but was repressed by nitrate under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The genetic locus responsible for alcohol dehydrogenase overproduction was located at min 27 on the E. coli genetic map; the gene order, as determined by transduction, was trp tonB adh chlC hemA. The possible relationship of alcohol dehydrogenase to anaerobic redox systems such as formate-nitrate reductase is discussed.
Selective Chemical Vapor Deposition-Grown Ru for Cu Interconnect Capping Applications

A selective chemical vapor deposition process of a ruthenium (Ru) metal capping layer was investigated for Cu interconnects in ultralarge scale integrated circuits. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy determined the Ru deposition selectivity as a function of the deposition temperature and substrate materials. The feasibility of the selective Ru metal capping layer in the Cu interconnects for nanoelectronic applications was checked via a comprehensive evaluation including both electrical and reliability.
Some exact numerical results for the BGK model: Couette, Poiseuille and thermal creep flow between parallel plates

Numerically “exact” results for the Couette flow, Poiseuille flow and thermal creep flow between parallel plates are given for the BGK model. Equations obtained earlier by Cercignani and Williams, who used the method of elementary solutions, are solved by convergent Liouville-Series and results are compared with works of other authors.
Using Qualitative and Quantitative Methods for Complementary Purposes: A Case Study

The authors describe a program evaluation that uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies to create the information needed to meet the needs of different stakeholders.
Infrared, Raman, And Normal Mode Studies Of Structure In Peptides And Proteins

Recent advances in normal mode analysis of peptides and proteins have enhanced our ability to interpret IR and Raman spectra of such molecules in terms of their structure. We review the development of an empirical vibrational force field for doing such calculations, show how it can be useful in spectral analysis, band assignments, and structure determination, and indicate how ab initio methods can provide more detailed insights into the nature of such force fields.
C237. On the coefficient of determination

(1985). C237. On the coefficient of determination. Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation: Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 181-184.
Gas Chromatographic Analysis of Cyclophosphamide in Plasma and Tissues Using Nitrogen-Phosphorus Detection

Abstract A gas chromatographic method for the analysis of cyclophosphamide in plasma, blood, and organ tissues is described. This method involves extraction of aliquots of plasma or tissue homo-genate in alkaline condition with ether. The extracted drug is derivatized with heptafluorobutyric anhydride followed by gas chromatographic separation via a glass column of 183 cm × 2 mm i. d. packed with 3% SE-30 on chromosorb W-HP. The derivatized cyclophosphamide and isophosphamide, an added internal standard, are detected by a nitrogen-phosphorus detector. The sensitivity limit of this method is 10 ng per gm or ml of sample and gives linearity over 100-fold of concentration range.
University of Wisconsin‐Green Bay: technology makes students active participants in American government

Summarizes a teaching strategy developed by three University of Wisconsin‐Green Bay faculty members which employs e‐mail and the World Wide Web to bring interactivity to large‐section, introductory lecture classes.
A simple digitizer technique for determining the effective center of spoke shots

A method is described for computing the effective center of an x‐ray spoke shot pattern and determining its separation from a given reference point, such as the mechanical isocenter. This method is as quick as, but more accurate than, the standard technique of using a ruler.
Sulcal Artery Syndrome: Report of Two Cases (P03.012)

Objective: To present two cases of sulcal artery syndrome. Background Sulcal (also known as central and sulcocommisural) arteries are perforating branches of the anterior spinal artery, which perfuse the anterior 2/3 of a hemicord. Sulcal arteries alternatively perforate the right or left side of the spinal cord at successive levels. Unilateral spinal cord infarction restricted to the perfusion territory of sulcal artery is very rare. All of the four previously reported cases have been associated with vertebral dissection. Design/Methods: Case 1: A 16 year old boy experienced sudden onset of a shooting pain on the right neck and arm after throwing a basketball. Over the next few hours, he developed right arm and leg paralysis. Examination showed right sided hemiplegia and impaired pain and temperature sensation on the left side. Vibratory sensation and proprioception were normal. Case 2: A 41 year old man presented with sudden onset of vertigo, pain on his left shoulder radiating to the nape of the neck and back of the head. Examination showed left upper and lower limb weakness, and impaired pain and temperature sensation on the right side. Results: Case 1: Cervical spinal MRI showed T2 WI signal intensity abnormality extending from C3 to C4 with mild cord expansion. Axial diffusion weighted image showed restricted diffusion in the right hemicord. CT angiogram showed hypoplastic right vertebral artery but no definitive dissection. Case 2: MRI showed acute infarct in the left cerebellum and in the left hemicord from C3-C5. CT angiogram demonstrated a left vertebral artery dissection. Conclusions: Sulcal artery syndrome is to be considered in acute onset of hemiplegia and contralateral pain and temperature impairment. Both of our cases had neck and upper limb pain, which is very uncommon with hemispheric or brainstem strokes. Disclosure: Dr. Da Silva has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brorson has received personal compensation for activities with CVS Caremark Corporation as a consultant. Dr. Rezania has nothing to disclose.
Mass spectrometry of di‐(2‐ethylhexyl)phthalate metabolites

The electron impact, methane positive chemical ionization, oxygen negative chemical ionization and collision induced dissociation mass analyzed ion kinetic energy spectra of nine metabolites of di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate are presented. The collision induced dissociation mass analyzed ion kinetic energy spectra of selected fragment ions were useful for structural information.
Effects of dietary lipid concentration, a dairy-yeast prebiotic, and fish and nonfish protein sources on growth, survival, and nonspecific immune response of golden shiners in indoor tanks and outdoor pools.

Abstract We conducted two feeding trials in which golden shiners Notemigonus crysoleucas were given six practical diets: Two basal diets with 5% fish meal and either 4% or 10% supplemental lipid (poultry fat [PF]); two prebiotic diets with 2% dairy–yeast prebiotic, 5% fish meal, and 4% or 10% PF; and two 4% or 10% PF diets that contained no fish meal or prebiotic. To compare diet effects in the presence or absence of natural foods, one trial was conducted in indoor aquaria and one was conducted in outdoor pools. Diet effects were assessed by measuring growth, survival, feed efficiency, and body composition in both trials and Fulton's condition factor K in the outdoor pool trial. A subset of fish from the outdoor trial was grown to a larger size for analysis of alternative complement activity (ACH50). The prebiotic enhanced growth and feed conversion ratio (FCR) slightly in the indoor aquarium trial. Weight gain and FCR did not differ among diet groups in the outdoor trial, reflecting the influence of natu...
Electrolysis of liquid hydrogen sulphide

Electrolysis of liquid hydrogen sulphide has been investigated. Pyridine was used to provide conductivity. The cathodic current efficiency for hydrogen production was 99.7 ± 0.5%; sulphur was the major anodic product with a current efficiency of 84.2 ± 4.5%. Ohmic losses in the solution were the largest source of voltage drop.
Sloan Digital Sky Survey telescope enclosure: flow visualization

telescope of this size. The roll-off design eliminates dome-induced image degradation because the telescope enclosure isrolled downwind of the telescope during observations.Flow visualization techniques were used to study a 1/72 scale model of the enclosure in a water tunnel. The overallslope and the vegetation present at the telescope site were represented in the model. Results indicate that flow separates atthe leading edge of the telescope platform but that the turbulent boundary layer remains below the level of the telescope andshould not contribute to image degradation. A close fitting telescope wind and light baffle is intended to reduce wind-inducedtracking error and scattered light from off-axis sources. A model of a portion of the baffle was examined, also. The baffle isvery effective in reducing flow velocity downstream of the baffle. Although the velocity of the flow through openings inthe baffle is high, these jets diffuse within 0.1 to 0.2 meters of the baffle. The resulting flow should have little effect ontelescope tracking while providing excellent flushing of the telescope light path.
Superconductivity and Spin Fluctuations in the Ir -Ni, Ir -Co, and Ir -Fe Alloy Systems

The superconducting transition temperatures of Ir-Ni, Ir-Co, and Ir-Fe alloys have been measured in the temperature interval 0.10-0.040 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. It is shown that the rates of change of $\mathrm{ln}{T}_{c}$ with impurity concentration for these systems provide quantitative evidence that localized spin fluctuations are responsible for the suppression of superconductivity when these rates are compared with the rates of increase of the specific-heat coefficient $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and the susceptibility $\ensuremath{\chi}$.
Uncertainties encountered in implementation of adaptive planning with in vivo dosimeters

Under a previously approved institutional review board protocol for prostate cancer patients, implanted metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor dosimeters (dose verification system, Sicel Technologies) were used for measurement of the in vivo delivered daily dose. This dosimetric information provided the ability to adapt the plan if the measured doses did not match the dose expected from the planning system. Due to the inherent uncertainty in the dosimeters, the decision to adapt the treatment plan was made only if readings differed by more than 7 % for three consecutive days. To validate this method, we acquired daily cone beam computed tomography images for five patients, and the dose delivered to the dosimeters was calculated by use of (1) an automated procedure (MIM Maestro, MIM Software) and (2) the treatment planning system (XIO, Elekta). 72 % of the doses calculated automatically fell within 1 % of the doses calculated in the planning system, and 99 % agreed within 2 %. When compared to the calculated dose, 53 % of the in vivo measurements fell within 3 % of the calculated dose, 80 % fell within 5 %, and 9.8 % were greater than 7 %, but never on three consecutive days. The measured doses agreed reasonably well with the calculated doses, supporting the decision to adapt the plan only if there were discrepancies of more than 7 % over three consecutive days. Even with the inherent uncertainty in the dosimeters, this adaptive planning method can detect delivery inaccuracies that would not otherwise be caught with the use of only daily image guidance or other dose calculation surrogates.
Biosynthesis of abscisic acid from farnesol derivatives in Cercospora rosicola

Abstract (E,E)−[1−14C]Farnesyl phosphate and (E,E)−[1−14C]farnesyl pyrophosphate were both converted to abscisic acid by Cercospora rosicola resuspensions. (E,E)−[1−14C]Farnesol, (E,Z)−[1−14C]farnesol, (E,Z)−[1−14C]farnesyl pyrophosphate, (E,E)−[1−14C]farnesic acid, and (E,Z)−[1−14C]farnesic acid were not converted to abscisic acid by the fungus. These findings provide information on the sequence of the reactions involved in converting farnesyl pyrophosphate to abscisic acid. Specifically, they suggest that the transformations involving the three terminal carbons in the side chain occur after one or more changes elsewhere in the molecule.
Perceptions of women: influence of performance, marital and parental variables

The purpose of this study was to examine whether level of job performance interacts with marital and parental status to influence evaluations of employed women. College students (104 females and 104 males) evaluated a stimulus person on 24 scales describing personality traits and job performance characteristics. Each participant rated 1 of 8 employed women depicted as either an outstanding or below-average worker, divorced or married, with one or no children. Compared to below-average workers, outstanding workers were rated as better-adjusted (especially if they were mothers) and more professionally and socially competent (especially if they were not mothers). Married women were perceived as better-adjusted than divorced women. Mothers were viewed as more nurturant than nonmothers.
Improving quantum microscopy and lithography via Raman photon pairs: II. Analysis*

We show that by using the strongly correlated photon pairs generated in a Raman quantum erasure scheme (Scully M and Druhl K 1982 Phys. Rev. A 25 2208), it is possible to exceed the Rayleigh resolution limit of classical microscopy. The complete analysis of the underlying physics is given here. Further discussion of the physics and potential applications are presented in a companion paper (Scully M O 2004 Improving quantum microscopy and lithography via Raman photon pairs: I. Biological applications, submitted).