cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Canine dysautonomia in a litter of Havanese puppies

Canine dysautonomia is a sporadic, generally fatal disease that rarely affects groups of related animals. Four 10-week-old Havanese puppies from a litter of 5 developed clinical signs of canine dysautonomia. The 4 affected dogs were exposed to an outdoor environment, whereas the fifth littermate was not exposed to the outdoors and remained clinically healthy. Clinical signs of dysautonomia developed 10-16 days after going outside the house. An unrelated dog also developed dysautonomia after exposure to 1 of the affected Havanese littermates. All 5 dogs had morphological changes consistent with dysautonomia (widespread neuronal degeneration in autonomic ganglia, select brainstem nuclei, and ventral horn motor neurons). Differential diagnoses were excluded through negative toxicological evaluation, fecal parasite screening, negative Canine distemper virus reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, fluorescent antibody testing, attempted virus isolation, and electron microscopy. The 5 affected dogs were in the Kansas City, Missouri area, where there is a high incidence of dysautonomia.
Ultrasonic Degassing of Molten Aluminum under Reduced Pressure

Ultrasonic degassing, an environmentally clean and cheap technique, is an efficient way of degassing in a static volume melt. Vacuum degassing has also been tested a beneficial and clean method in producing high quality products. Combination of these two techniques will make degassing more efficient. An experimental device which combines the vacuum degassing and ultrasonic degassing has been built in Oak Ridge National Laboratory recently. Parametric studies have been carried out to investigate the efficacy of the ultrasonic degassing of molten Aluminum alloy under reduced pressure. This article reports the initial experimental results on ultrasonic degassing under reduced pressure.
Lyman-Alpha Galaxies at Large Redshifts

Strong Lyα emission has been detected from several different types of distant galaxies, radio galaxies and their companions at z ≃ 1.8, and galaxy companions of quasars at z > 3. This line emission is a good way of detecting galaxies at very large redshifts, and a powerful probe of the physical conditions and processes in them. A subset of the Lyα radio galaxies have photometric, spectroscopic, and morphological properties unlike those of any previously known class of objects, and may be interpreted as galaxies in the process of formation. These and other observations agree very well with some modern theoretical ideas, which predict that galaxy formation is an extended process which may begin at large redshifts, but culminate at z ~ 1–2. If this is the case, we may have already detected primeval galaxies. Searches can be (re)designed to test this notion.
An Overview of Separation Logic

After some general remarks about program verification, we introduce separation logic, a novel extension of Hoare logic that can strengthen the applicability and scalability of program verification for imperative programs that use shared mutable data structures or shared-memory concurrency.
Undergraduate nursing students and cross-cultural care: A program evaluation.

Summary Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate baccalaureate nursing students' perspectives on their acquired cultural competency following the integration of a transcultural nursing thread throughout the curriculum. This research is as part of an ongoing program evaluation. Design A cross-sectional survey design utilizing The Residents Physicians' Preparedness to Provide Cross-Cultural Care Survey (Weissman et al., 2005). The instrument was adapted and used as the Nursing Education in Cross-Cultural Care Survey. This survey consisted of five sections: training, cross-cultural experiences, resources, specialty areas, and personal and professional characteristics. Setting The setting for this research was a baccalaureate school of nursing at a small university in rural Hawaii. Participants A convenience sample of 56 graduating senior nursing students over a 2-year period participated in the study. Results Students perceived themselves as somewhat prepared to provide cultural competent care. Limited exposure and utilization of interpreters, lack of role models and mentors, and unpreparedness to counsel different cultures in the area of terminal health were the lowest scoring subsections. Students learned best in the clinical setting compared to classroom setting. Conclusions Nursing program evaluation needs to be systematic and ongoing. All programs need to determine whether program goals were met. This survey tool assisted faculty to evaluate the integration of the transcultural thread throughout the nursing curriculum. At the end of the nursing program, students were somewhat prepared to deliver cross-cultural care. Areas were identified for program improvement.
Glomerular size and charge selectivity in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Glomerular size and charge selectivity in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The pathogenesis of clinical nephropathy in Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes was investigated by measuring renal fractional clearances of albumin, total IgG, IgG4 and β2-microglobulin, four plasma proteins which differ in size and charge. Seventy patients and eleven control subjects were studied. In diabetic patients with normal urinary albumin excretion (
Dialyzer ultrafiltration coefficients: comparison between in vitro and in vivo values.

This study describes a simple, convenient method for the in vivo measurement of the ultrafiltration coefficient of hemo-dialyzers. The method is based on a scheme of isolated ultrafiltration, i.e., ultrafiltration without dialysate flow through the dialyzer. Results with this method indicate that it is more accurate than the conventional bed scale technique. Measurements on three different dialyzers demonstrate that the in vivo ultrafiltration coefficient is only between 1% and 10% lower than the corresponding in vitro value. This is in contrast to the rule of thumb used by some manufacturers that in vivo coefficients are 30% lower than in vitro values. The deviation of the in vivo value from the in vitro one seems to be higher with higher dialyzer ultrafiltration coefficients. Based on these results, it is recommended that to estimate ultrafiltration ratres in the clinical setting, the in vitro ultrafiltration coefficient be used, transmembrane pressures being corrected for the colloid osmotic pressure of plasma proteins.
Assessing the effectiveness of video feedback in the computing field

Engineering students exhibit a wide array of learning styles across the perception, input, organization, processing, and understanding dimensions. To improve students performance in the classroom, many techniques have been developed to address these variances. The computing fields, however, tend to have a large percentage of students who are visual learners. These students learn best by seeing, and they can perform very well in the classroom with the appropriate usage of teaching styles. However, when it comes to providing feedback to students on submitted assignments, the main method employed is the written comment, which is not conducive to visual learners. This method is most prevalent in the academic community because overall, it is the simplest form of feedback that a faculty member can provide to students. However, written feedback is often highly ineffective at improving student performance, as many students simply do not read the comments because the students feel they are not relevant to their performance. This paper presents an assessment of an alternative method for providing feedback to students: video feedback. In lieu of written feedback, students are provided feedback for software engineering exercises through the use of a short video made via video capture. The video captures in multimedia format the instructors perceptions and actions when grading a given assignment. The video includes both aural commentary as the assignment is assessed, as well as dynamic visuals of the grading process, demonstrating failures and improvements that can be made in the submitted assignment. The article describes the pedagogical foundation for the technique, specifics of the technique used, student perceptions of the technique, and an assessment of the learning gains from using such a method in a junior level class. In general, students are show to prefer the technique versus traditional grading, and an improvement in overall outcomes for the course is shown to exist as well.
The role of caveolin-1 in androgen insensitive prostate cancer

ABSTRACTPurpose: We summarize the literature regarding androgen insensitive prostate cancer and caveolin-1. Caveolin-1 is a major structural component of caveolae, membrane micro-domains known to have important roles in signal transduction and lipid transport.Materials and Methods: A review of the literature relevant to androgen insensitive caveolin-1 and prostate cancer included the first published report in 1998 through those published in March 2002.Results: Caveolin-1 expression is increased in primary and metastatic human prostate cancer with highest levels observed after androgen ablation therapy. Recent studies have documented that caveolin-1 is secreted by prostate cancer cells and can be detected in the serum of men with prostate cancer.Conclusions: The results presented in this review establish that caveolin-1 is an autocrine/paracrine factor associated with androgen insensitive prostate cancer. They show the potential for caveolin-1 as a biomarker therapeutic target for this important malignancy.
Swinging: What Young Children Begin To Learn about Physics during Outdoor Play.

The outdoor play environment provides an appropriate laboratory for young children’s early explorations of physics principles. Swings, as life-sized pendulums, provide three-, four-, five-, and six-year-old children opportunities to experiment with balance, force, gravity, resistance, and resonance. Findings of this study indicate that through play on swings young children accommodate and assimilate the physics principles associated with pendulums. Implications for early childhood and elementary classrooms are discussed.
Magnetic behavior of partially filled finite ising surfaces

We study the onset of spontaneous magnetization and the hysteresis properties of finite size two-dimensional Ising spin configurations which are assumed to lie on a smooth nonmagnetic surface. We model the dynamics of the spin system with and without a time-periodic magnetic field using a Monte Carlo simulation. For dilute spin lattices, we find that spontaneous magnetization occurs for spin densities well below thermodynamic predictions; this regime is identified as superparamagnetism. Based on numerical evidence and theoretical arguments we find that for a range of lattice sizes the density is proportional to $\sqrt{T}$ along the line between the paramagnetic regime and the regime in which spontaneous magnetization can occur. We also study hysteresis on four different spin structures for a piece-wise-linear magnetic driving field. We find that the hysteresis loop area depends on the effective exchange coupling as well as the detailed structure of the surface. We define a nearest-neighbor structure constant and study the dependence of the hysteresis loop area on the effective exchange coupling for each of the four different spin structures.
Migraines in mice

Altered ion permeability would clearly affect intercellular signaling and may precipitate the paroxysmal episodes. But how can a channelopathy generate a prolonged paroxysmal event? The episodic events observed in FHM/EA-2 and tottering/leaner generally last for tens of minutes to tens of hours; the shortest events, the spike and wave discharges observed in tottering and leaner mice, last for several seconds. By contrast, calcium channel activation and inactivation occur on the order of milliseconds to at most seconds in vivo. It is difficult to directly reconcile the prolonged phenotypic events with the molecular events as even mutant channels are unlikely to sustain abnormal activity for such extended periods. Both exocytotic release and neuronal electrical properties are regulated by calcium channels. Therefore, given the extended expression of the episodic phenotypes, these prolonged neurologic events are likely to involve abnormal polysynaptic signaling generated or sustained by the disrupted neurotransmission.These mouse mutants may serve as direct animal models of FHM and/or EA-2. The close proximity of the tottering mutation to one of the FHM mutations suggests the functional calcium channel defect may correspond in both human and mouse. Furthermore, while the phenotypes expressed in man and mice are not identical, they are very similar, mimicking both the paroxysmal nature of the disorder and the cerebellar atrophy. Of course, it is not reasonable to expect direct phenotypic correspondence between mouse and human even where the genetic defects are identical; this is especially true for FHM since it is not clear that mice (tottering or otherwise) experience migraine headaches. Nonetheless, these mice may provide a model for understanding the relationship between migraine headaches and ion channel misregulation. The genotypic and phenotypic similarities between the channelopathies in humans and the tottering mouse mutants suggest that tottering mice will be extremely useful for determining how a channelopathy can generate prolonged paroxysmal neurologic dysfunction in humans.
Evaluation of Granular Soil Abrasivity for Wear on Cutting Tools in Excavation and Tunneling Equipment

AbstractThis paper presents an experimental study of tool wear and abrasivity of granular soils using a testing system specifically designed for the evaluation of wear on earth-moving machines, especially soft ground tunneling applications where the impact of soil abrasion on the operation is significant. In the testing system, a propeller fitted with steel covers of different hardnesses is rotated at 60 rpm in granular soil samples in a chamber under ambient pressures of up to 10 bar. The developed system can quantitatively assess the abrasive characteristics of soils through the measurement of weight loss on the special covers of the propeller, accounting for soil gradation, mineral composition, sphericity and roundness, water content, and tool hardness. Preliminary test results indicate that water content, particle angularity, and relative hardness between the tool and soil have significant impact on tool wear and soil abrasion. For the tests conducted, it is observed that angular sands produce signifi...
Darcy Permeability of Agarose-Glycosaminoglycan Gels Analyzed Using Fiber-Mixture and Donnan Models

Agarose-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) membranes were synthesized to provide a model system in which the factors controlling the Darcy (or hydraulic) permeability could be assessed in composite gels of biological relevance. The membranes contained a GAG (chondroitin sulfate) that was covalently bound to agarose via terminal amine groups, and the variables examined were GAG concentration and solution ionic strength. The addition of even small amounts of GAG (0.4 vol/vol %) resulted in a twofold reduction in the Darcy permeability of 3 vol/vol % agarose gels. Electrokinetic coupling, caused by the negative charge of the GAG, resulted in an additional twofold reduction in the open-circuit permeability when the ionic strength was decreased from 1 M to 0.01 M. A microstructural hydrodynamic model was developed, based on a mixture of neutral, coarse fibers (agarose fibrils), and fine, charged fibers (GAG chains). Heterogeneity within agarose gels was modeled by assuming that fiber-rich, spherical inclusions were distributed throughout a fiber-poor matrix. That model accurately predicted the Darcy permeability when the ionic strength was high enough to suppress the effects of charge, but underestimated the influence of ionic strength. A more macroscopic approach, based on Donnan equilibria, better captured the reductions in Darcy permeability caused by GAG charge.
Conductivities of calcium chloride and calcium chloride-sodium chloride solutions saturated in calcium carbide and unsaturated in calcium oxide

Abstract The specific conductivity variation of the named solutions vs temperature in the range 750–950°C and vs the sodium chloride molar fractions have been measured. The specific conductivity increases sharply with increasing sodium chloride M fraction and reaches a maximum when the M fraction ratio of sodium chloride to calcium carbide is nearly two. This experimental result has been interpreted by assuming interactions between calcium carbide and sodium chloride, and constitutes a verification of a previous thermodynamic result obtained by the same authors.
The interdisciplinary management of cancer pain

For most patients, the most feared effect of cancer is the pain associated with the disease and its treatments. Poorly controlled pain in patients with cancer leads to suffering, poor nutrition, decreased compliance with treatment regimens, and increased mortality. Obviously, effective pain control is one of the pillars of effective global treatment of cancer in general. Historically, the treatment of pain in the cancer population was the responsibility of the medical oncologist, with escalating doses of opioids being the main form of therapy. Breakthroughs in diagnosis and treatment of cancer have led to patients living longer and potentially surviving this disease. Simple single-modal therapy with oral opioids fails to achieve adequate pain control in a significant percentage of patients. The interdisciplinary model for the management of cancer has long been a standard of practice, with collaboration among medical, radiation, and surgical oncologists. In this article, we describe an analogous approach to the management of cancer pain with collaboration among different specialties involved in the management of these patients.
Magnetic petrology of lower crust and upper mantle xenoliths from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Abstract A suite of xenoliths was collected from Ross Island in the McMurdo Sound area, Antarctica. The purpose of the study of these xenoliths was to determine the level of magnetization in lower crust and upper mantle lithologies and to discover the mineralogical basis for the magnetization records. The majority of xenoliths are pyroxene granulites of mafic composition; a few hornblendites occur, and upper mantle dunites are fairly common. The primary mineral assemblage of the pyroxene granulites is plagioclase + calcic pyroxene ± orthopyroxene ± olivine ± ilmenite; mineral stability relations together with two-pyroxene geothermometry indicate derivation from depths of 12 to 20 km. The pyroxene granulites show evidence of partial melting, presumably related to incorporation of the xenoliths in the host basaltic magmas. Prior to their ascent to the surface, many underwent metamorphic reactions producing secondary hornblende, biotite and titanomagnetite. On the whole, the Antarctic xenoliths are weakly magnetic, but a few ilmenite-rich pyroxene granulites have NRM > 40 × 10 −4 A m 2 /kg and X o > 0.005 SI units. The latter contain 1–3% titanomagnetite, which is largely of secondary origin and occurs chiefly as tiny quench crystals concentrated in fine-grained melt areas and as coronas about primary ilmenite crystals. Oxidation of Fe-Ti oxides is pervasive as revealed by the frequent occurrence of wispy ferrian rutile lamellae in ilmenite and trellis-type ilmenite oxyexsolution lamellae in titanomagnetite. The oxidized nature of the samples is further indicated by the presence of hematite and pseudobrookite-titanohematite intergrowths. The oxidation has caused a shift in titanomagnetite toward Fe 3 O 4 -rich compositions and in ilmenite toward higher Fe 2 O 3 . As a consequence, the pyroxene granulites exhibit thermal unblocking in the vicinity of 500–570°C. The high geothermal gradient, characteristic of a continental rift setting, argues for about 12 km of magnetic crust before the Curie point is exceeded. The primary oxide of consequence in this rift environment appears to be ilmenite, which may be a common lower crust oxide mineral in this type of tectonic setting. No evidence was found in thermomagnetic experiments or in petrographic studies to suggest the presence of native iron. The secondary origin of much of the titanomagnetite now present suggests that unaltered, in situ granulite lower crust in this area would be weakly magnetic even in a situation where the geothermal gradient was lower or where a tectonic reconfiguration would render the lower crust above the Curie geotherm. The strongest magnetizations reside in Cenozoic volcanic cap rocks, and these are expected to be the major source of local magnetic anomalies in the area.
Convective Heating on Delta-Wing Space-Shuttle Boosters Including Interference Effects

Laminar and turbulent convective heating distributions measured on models of three booster configurations at Af oo = 8 and Reynolds numbers per ft between 1 and 7 million are presented and compared with analytical predictions for vehicle angles of attack from 0°-65°. Measurements on reference configurations (blunted cylinder and 53° swept delta wing) are compared with analytical predictions and corresponding data on composite vehicle models to identify the flowfield interference effects and resulting convective heating on windward and leeward surfaces. Order-of-magnitude heating-rate increases are observed in regions of shock impingement and flow interference. Nomenclature C = chord distance: 1) measured at centerline of delta wing for windward-surface model data and on both windward and leeward surfaces of reference wing; 2) measured from leading edge of canard or wing at fuselage/wing intersection for leeward-model data h = convective heat-transfer coefficient L --= length of fuselage M = freestream Mach number R = radius of model components Re = freestream Reynolds number per ft X = distance on fuselage measured axially from nose; distance on wing measured from leading edge along constant span-line a = model angle of attack relative to freestream c/> — canard angle of attack relative to freestream 9 = peripheral angle around fuselage measured from windward centerline
A Computation Model of Parallel Solution of Linear Equations

The solution process of Ax = b is modeled by an acyclic directed graph in which the nodes represent the arithmetic operations applied to the elements of A, and the arcs represent the precedence relations that exist among the operations in the solution process. Operations that can be done in parallel are identified in the model and the absolute minimum completion time and lower bounds on the minimum number of processors required to solve the equations in minimal time can be found from it. Properties of the model are derived. Hu's level scheduling strategy is applied to examples of sparse matrix equations with surprisingly good results. Speed-up using parallel processing is found to be proportional to the number of processors when it is 10-20 percent of the order of A.
Complement activation by commercial allergen extracts of cereal grains

Commercial allergen extract preparations of whole cereal grains were examined in vitro for their reactivity with the human haemolytic complement cascade. Total haemolytic complement was consumed in a dose-dependent manner which did not correlate with the protein nitrogen content or bacterial endotoxin contamination of the extracts. Alternative pathway activation was shown by C3 conversion in the presence of EGTA while classical complement components C1, C4 and C2 were also much decreased in serum which was free of detectable specific antibody. Very small amounts of allergen extract initiated the formation of complement-dependent factors which were chemotactic for human polymorphonuclear leucocytes. These data suggest a potential for complement activation in vivo by ingestion, inhalation, or injection of cereal grain products.
Mathematical modeling of isoflurane action on lamprey spinal neurons

Anesthetics are believed to modulate activity of a variety of voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels. However, the exact biophysical mechanisms underlying anesthesia remain unclear [1]. Recent experimental evidence suggests that the volatile anesthetic isoflurane targets the TREK and TASK two-pore potassium conductances [2] and the persistent sodium conductance (Jinks et al. unpublished results). Furthermore, recent data indicate that volatile anesthetics produce immobility, a fundamental element of anesthesia, predominantly through direct action at the level of the spinal cord [3].
Product Review Users' Perceptions of Review Quality: The Role of Credibility, Informativeness, and Readability

Research problem: Gauging the quality of product reviews through helpfulness votes is problematic for a variety of reasons. We examine potential characteristics of review quality that span review credibility, informativeness, and readability to contribute to better ways of assessing review quality. Research question: Do specific review characteristics improve reviewer users' perceptions of review quality? Literature review: Studies from information systems, electronic marketing and commerce, and technical and professional communication suggest that characteristics of reviews fall into three areas, each with specific characteristics of quality. Findings from these studies suggest the 11 characteristics of review quality within those three areas as potential contributors to review quality. The first area is credibility, a construct consisting (in part) of expertise; we tested these potential specific characteristics of credibility: an assertion of a relevant role, of use of a prior model, of other products in the brand, of a similar product, of having conducted research on the product, and of having tested the product. The second area is informativeness, which is a review's diagnosticity. We tested these potential specific characteristics: a general recommendation, a specific recommendation, a statement about the product's value, and a statement about the extent to which the product met expectations. The third area is readability, which is (in part) comfort of reading, and has this specific characteristic: the use of headings. Methodology: We conducted a quantitative study using a survey distributed though SurveyMonkey Audience, a service that samples from a pool of 30 million respondents. Using control and experimental versions of 11 product reviews, we gauged participants' perceptions of review quality on a five-point scale. We looked for significant differences in participants' perceptions of quality using Pearson's chi square. Results and conclusions: We received 829 responses to include in the analysis. We found the following significant at the ${\rm p} > $ 0.05 level: a statement about reviewer's prior experience with a similar product (credibility). We found the following significant at the ${\rm p} > $ 0.01 level: A statement about researching the product, for example, online research (credibility), a general recommendation about the product (informativeness), and formatting with headings (readability). We found the following significant at the ${\rm p} > $ 0.001 level: a statement about the extent to which the product met expectations (informativeness) and a specific recommendation about the product (informativeness). Using these results, companies can better locate quality reviews; reviewers can increase the quality and, therefore, salience of their reviews; and communication specialists can help reviewers write and revise reviews for improved quality. Future research on review quality could investigate other potential characteristics of credibility, informativeness, and readability.
Ganglioneuromas of the sacrum–a report of two cases with radiologic–pathologic correlation

Ganglioneuromas are rare, benign, well-differentiated, slow-growing tumors, composed of ganglion cells and Schwann cells. Ganglioneuromas are derived from the neural crest cells and can arise anywhere from the base of the skull to the pelvis. We present and discuss the clinicopathologic and radiographic features of two patients with ganglioneuroma arising from the sacrum, a rare anatomic location.
Money is relevant: A study of 20 OECD countries

The Atlantic Economic Journal has been established on the premise that there is a substantial need to increase communication and share constructive viewpoints among economists. In addition to formal publication of full length articles, other avenues of less formal communication should be available. A small point may not be worthy of a formal paper but is important enough to warrant dissemination to colleagues. Research in progress may be of interest to other economists. A research approach ending in negative results needs to be shared to save others from similar pitfalls. The Anthology has been established to facilitate this form of communication. It will provide a means by which short manuscripts can quickly appear in the Journal. All submissions will be formally reviewed by the Board of Editors. Every attempt will be made to complete the review process within one month after receipt of the manuscript. Manuscripts not meeting the guidelines listed below will be rejected without review. 1. Categories of manuscripts: (a) A summary of original research completed, briefly stating why it was undertaken, its methodology, and results obtained. (b ) A summary of research in progress and available upon request. (c ) A positive comment about a printed article. This should be of a nature that does not require formal reply. (d ) A corrective comment on errors in one's own previously printed work. 2. (a) Total length of text must not exceed 500 words. (b) If equations are used, the number of words should be reduced accordingly. Each line of an equation is equivalent to 20 words. (c ) Double-spaced, typewritten on 81A x 11 inch paper, with original and one copy. (d ) Title, not to exceed lOwords, followed by category number of Journal o f Economic Literature under which article primarily belongs. (e ) Body of the manuscript must not contain diagrams or tables, but may include numbers and a small amount of equations. (f) References to previously published works should appear in brackets and within the body of the text. (g) No footnotes will be accepted. 3. No backlog of accepted manuscripts will occur. Publication will be in the next available issue of the Journal. 4. Because of demands on space, an author will be limited to one publication over a 12 month period in either the Anthology section or in the regular section of the Journal (with the exception of conference abstracts). 5. A handling fee of $20.00 is charged all nonmembers of the Atlantic Economic Society. The handling fee for members is $10.00. 6. A publication fee of $50.00 is charged all non-members of the Atlantic Economic Society. There will be no publication fee for members. 7. All Anthologies should be submitted to:
Real-time vision system for a mobile robot using cheap hardware

In this paper I describe work in progress on a low cost vision-based robot designed to give primitive tours. The system is very simple, robust and efficient, and runs on a hardware platform which could be duplicated for less than $10K. Much of the system's efficiency is due to its implicit knowledge about the structure and appearance of its environment. This knowledge is not represented explicitly but rather is encoded in the structure of the system. I give an overview of the system, discuss the properties of its environment, and show how they can be used to simplify the design of the system.
Effects of chlortetracycline and copper supplementation on antimicrobial resistance of fecal Escherichia coli from weaned pigs

Feed-grade chlortetracycline (CTC) and copper are both widely utilized in U.S. pig production. Cluster randomized experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of CTC and copper supplementation in weaned pigs on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among fecal Escherichia coli. Four treatment groups: control, copper, CTC, or copper plus CTC were randomly allocated to 32 pens with five pigs per pen. Fecal samples were collected weekly from three pigs per pen for six weeks. Two E. coli isolates per fecal sample were tested for phenotypic and genotypic resistance against antibiotics and copper. Data were analyzed with multilevel mixed effects logistic regression, multivariate probit analysis and discrete time survival analysis. CTC-supplementation was significantly (99% [95% CI=98-100%]) associated with increased tetracycline resistance compared to the control group (95% [95% CI=94-97%]). Copper supplementation was associated with decreased resistance to most of the antibiotics tested, including cephalosporins, over the treatment period. Overall, 91% of the E. coli isolates were multidrug resistant (MDR) (resistant to ≥3 antimicrobial classes). tetA and blaCMY-2 genes were positively associated (P<0.05) with MDR categorization, while tetB and pcoD were negatively associated with MDR. tetA and blaCMY-2 were positively associated with each other and in turn, these were negatively associated with both tetB and pcoD genes; which were also positively associated with one another. Copper minimum inhibitory concentration was not affected by copper supplementation or by pcoD gene carriage. CTC supplementation was significantly associated with increased susceptibilities of E. coli to copper (HR=7 [95% CI=2.5-19.5]) during treatment period. In conclusion, E. coli isolates from the nursery pigs exhibited high levels of antibiotic resistance, with diverse multi-resistant phenotypic profiles. The roles of copper supplementation in pig production, and pco-mediated copper resistance among E. coli in particular, need to be further explored since a strong negative association of pco with both tetA and blaCMY-2 points to opportunities for selecting a more innocuous resistance profile.
Intellectual Fit and Programmatic Power: Organizational Profiles of Four Professional/Technical/Scientific Communication Programs

Do programs in technical communication thrive when administered in English departments or in other configurations of administrative units? This article examines the variations in professional, technical, and scientific communication programs at four universities across the north central U.S. The first three programs have histories that led them to be housed at increasing distances from their universities' English departments. The fourth is a nascent program emerging in its university's English department.
An Integrated Approach for Drilling Optimization Using Advanced Drilling Optimizer

The ability to optimize drilling procedures and economics involves simulation to understand the effects operational parameters and equipment design have on the ROP. An analysis applying drilling performance modeling to optimize drilling operations has been conducted to address this issue. This study shows how optimum operational parameters and equipment can be predicted by simulating drilling operations of preexisting wells in a Northwest Louisiana field. Reference well data was gathered and processed to predict the “drillability” of the formations encountered by inverting bit specific ROP models to solve for rock strength. The output data generated for the reference well was formatted to simulate upcoming wells. A comparative analysis was conducted between the predicted results and the actual results to show the accuracy of the simulation. A significant higher accuracy is shown between the simulated and actual drilling results. Once simulations were validated, optimum drilling parameters and equipment specifications were found by varying different combinations of weight on bit (WOB), rotary speed (RPM), hydraulics, and bit specifications until the highest drilling rate is achieved for each well. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the optimized results was conducted to assess the potential operational and economic benefits on drilling operations.
RE-ENCHANTING NATURE*

Entre le programme de J. McDowell developpe dans «Mind and world» et les travaux de T. W. Adorno, l'A. repere la cible commune du naturalisme plat qui resulte du desenchantement de la nature lie a l'epistemologie moderne, en general, et a l'idealisme kantien, en particulier. Examinant les voies d'un reenchantement du monde naturel, l'A. critique le quietisme de McDowel inspire du langage de Wittgenstein.
Evaluation of aboveground and belowground biomass recovery in physically disturbed seagrass beds.

Several studies addressed aboveground biomass recovery in tropical and subtropical seagrass systems following physical disturbance. However, there are few studies documenting belowground biomass recovery despite the important functional and ecological role of roots and rhizomes for seagrass ecosystems. In this study, we compared the recovery of biomass (g dry weight m−2) as well as the biomass recovery rates in ten severely disturbed multi-species seagrass meadows, after the sediments were excavated and the seagrasses removed. Three sites were located in the tropics (Puerto Rico) and seven in the subtropics (Florida Keys), and all were originally dominated by Thalassia testudinum. Total aboveground biomass reached reference values at four out of ten sites studied, two in the Florida Keys and two in Puerto Rico. Total belowground biomass was lower at the disturbed locations compared to the references at all sites, apart from two sites in the Florida Keys where the compensatory effect of opportunistic species (Syringodium filiforme and Halodule wrightii) was observed. The results revealed large variation among sites in aboveground and belowground biomass for all species, with higher aboveground recovery than belowground for T. testudinum. Recovery rates for T. testudinum were highly variable across sites, but a general trend of faster aboveground than belowground recovery was observed. Equal rates between aboveground and belowground biomass were found for opportunistic species at several sites in the Florida Keys. These results indicate the importance of belowground biomass when assessing seagrass recovery and suggest that the appropriate metric to assess seagrass recovery should address belowground biomass as well as aboveground biomass in order to evaluate the full recovery of ecological services and functions performed by seagrasses. We point out regional differences in species composition and species shifts following severe disturbance events and discuss ecological implications of gap dynamics in multi-species seagrass meadows.
Spermidine biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae : Polyaminerequirement of a null mutant of the SPE3 gene (spermidine synthase)

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae SPE3 gene, coding for spermidine synthase, was cloned, sequenced, and localized on the right arm of chromosome XVI. The deduced amino acid sequence has a high similarity to mammalian spermidine synthases, and has putative S-adenosylmethionine binding motifs. To investigate the effect of total loss of the SPE3 gene, we constructed a null mutant of this gene, spe3delta, which has no spermidine synthase activity and has an absolute requirement for spermidine or spermine for the growth. This requirement is satisfied by a very low concentration of spermidine (10(-8) M) or a higher concentration of spermine (10(-6) M).
Computed Aberrations of Spherical Schwarzschild Reflecting Microscope Objectives

A microscope objective with (small) central obstruction of aperture and small wave-front deformation has a loss of amplitude at the center of the Airy disk which may be expressed in terms of losses due to spherical aberration, coma, and central obstruction. These losses are essentially independent; the net loss is the sum of the separate losses. Data are presented from which these losses for Schwarzschild spherical mirror systems of high initial magnification may be computed. It is shown that for visible or ultraviolet light and for numerical apertures greater than about 0.5, the net loss of central amplitude becomes excessive unless the object field is restricted to an extraordinarily small diameter. The numerical aperture at which such restriction of the field is necessary may be increased if the initial magnification is made small, e.g., about 8×, as is possible and convenient for infrared microspectroscopy.
Effects of Se vapor annealing on water-based solution-processed Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 thin-film solar cells

Among various deposition techniques to deposit Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) thin films, solution-based processes have attracted considerable attention because of their potentially low cost. Most of the reported solution-based methods are based on nonaqueous solvents, such as hydrazine, and organic solvents. We report the deposition of CZTSSe thin films and fabrication of CZTSSe solar cells by a water-based, solution-processed method followed by Se vapor annealing. The effects of Se vapor feeding time on the properties of CZTSSe thin films and the performance of CZTSSe solar cells are investigated. The ratio of Se/(Se+S) can be tuned by changing the Se vapor feeding time. Our results indicate that extending the Se vapor feeding time increases the band gap, slightly increases the lattice constant, and significantly improves the morphologies of the CZTSSe thin films. A remarkable enhancement in the performance was observed from the CZTSSe solar cells annealed with a longer Se vapor feeding time compared with those without Se feeding.
DETERMINATION OF EXTINCTION COEFFICIENTS OF OAT PHYTOCHROME BY QUANTITATIVE AMINO ACID ANALYSES

— Previously published extinction coefficients for phytochrome were based on indirect colori-metric estimates of protein weight, mostly by the Lowry method, using bovine serum albumin as a standard. This paper reports revised values based on quantitative amino acid analyses of highly purified phytochrome. The molar extinction coefficient of the red-absorbing form of phytochrome with 120000mol. wt subunits was found to be approximately 102000cm”1 per 120000moi. wt at 667nm. The molar extinction coefficients at 667 nm for phytochrome with 120000 mol. wt subunits and for the 60000 mol. wt chromopeptide of Pr were found to be approximately the same for samples of equivalent purity. Included in the amino acid analyses of phytochrome with 120000 mol. wt subunits are values for cysteine (11) and cystine (1), measured by two different techniques that gave the same results and agreed well with the estimate of total half-cystine (14) obtained by an independent method. Tryptophan was quantitated by analysis of a p-toluene sulfonic acid hydrolysate.
Design and synthesis of novel and potent amide linked PPARγ/δ dual agonists

Abstract A series of potent amide linked PPARγ/δ dual agonists ( 1a ) has been discovered through rational design. In the ZDF rat model of type 2 diabetes, compound ( R )-3-[4-(3-{1-[(5-chloro-1,3-dimethyl-1 H -indole-2-carbonyl)-amino]-ethyl}-5-fluoro-phenoxy)-2-ethyl-phenyl]-propionic acid ( 42 ) from this series has demonstrated glucose lowering efficacy comparable to the marketed PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone with less weight gain.
Low-energy ion beam oxidation of silicon

A low-energy oxygen ion beam with energy below 100 eV has been applied to the oxidation of unheated silicon substrates. Ultrathin (∼45 A) FET-gate-quality oxides have been produced for the first time at room temperature using this technique. The high electrical quality of the oxides is demonstrated by the successful fabrication of n-channel MOSFET's.
An Anthropological Take on Sustainable Development: A Comparative Study of Change

Anthropologists can use longitudinal, comparative, and multiscale research to illuminate aspects of global change and development. Goals and procedures of the emerging field of sustainability science are examined here in relation to those of the linkages methodology and other multisited, historical, and transnational approaches in recent anthropology. Conclusions about the sustainability of development emerge from field studies in Arembepe, Brazil, and Ivato, Madagascar. The contrasts between Arembepe and Ivato, and the regions and nations that include them, are sharp and almost certainly irreversible. Madagascar suffers from an overdose of environmentalism, while Brazil has been dominated by developmentalism. Arembepe now has a sustainable diversified economy and cultural contacts linking its future with the dynamics of capitalist globalization. Ivato, by contrast, is in a region and nation with dramatically increasing population and diminishing natural resources but no investment stream to provide signi...
Low-Noise Design of Microwave Transistor Amplifiers (Short Papers)

Parameters are derived for circles of constant overall noise figure on the source admittance plane of a preamplifier cascaded with a noisy main amplifier. It is shown that the noise figure and noise measure of an amplifier can be expressed in terms of the scattering parameters of a lossless two-port network connected at the input of the amplifier. Examples are given which demonstrate how this network can be synthesized to meet amplifier noise specifications.
Making the Most of Your Library Career

Making the Most of Your Library Career is a slim paperback book, which at first glance seems rather short in length and perhaps content. However, this book is chock full of useful career tips and t...
Surgical Diseases of the Trachea

Surgical diseases of the trachea, including tracheal stenosis, neoplasia, foreign bodies, parasitic granuloma, disruption and collapse, are reviewed. Respiratory obstructions and disruptions can often be successfully managed using various tracheal reconstructive techniques provided the principles of tracheal surgery are followed.
Seed provisioning in gynodioeciousSilene acaulis (Caryophyllaceae)

In gynodioecious species, which contain females and hermaphrodites, the outcrossed seeds of females have been found to outperform the outcrossed seeds of hermaphrodites, in spite of the fact that their seeds are not larger in mass. Females do not make pollen. Hence the nutrients that hermaphrodites allocate to pollen, such as nitrogen, might be allocated to seeds by the females, such that individual seeds from females are better provisioned than those from hermaphrodites. Alternatively, females might make more seeds, rather than better provisioned seeds. We tested the hypothesis that seeds from females would be better provisioned for the gynodioecious species Silene acaulis, by comparing seed mass, embryo/endosperm mass, nitrogen and phosphorus content, and energy content for outcrossed seeds from females and hermaphrodites produced in a natural population. We also measured the proportion of flowers that set fruit in both morphs. Seeds from the two sexual morphs were not found to differ significantly for any of the measures of seed provisioning, with seeds from females containing either nonsignificantly less or equivalent amounts of each of the measures as compared to hermaphrodites. However, females set a significantly higher proportion of their flowers to fruit, as compared to hermaphrodites. These results indicate that females do not provision individual seeds more than hermaphrodites in S. acaulis, and alternative hypotheses will need to be examined to explain the difference in the performance of the seeds from the two sexual morphs.
EFFECTS OF SUBGROUPING IN STUTTERING RESEARCH

Abstract The most frequently utilized research design in stuttering research compares stutterers to nonstutterers, with the assumption that stutterers represent a homogeneous group. The present study examines the effects of subgrouping stuttering subjects. Sample populations were randomly selected from a pool of stuttering children, successively increasing the stringency of selection criteria for group membership. The groups were contrasted across five dependent variables. The results indicated that the performance differences between the groups increased as the selection criteria became more stringent. The findings were interpreted as supporting the need to more closely examine the individual differences of stutterers, deviating from the traditional research paradigm.