cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hatching asynchrony in birds: Multiple nesting attempts and the nest failure hypothesis

ABSTRACT Hatching asynchrony in birds, which occurs when incubation begins before egg laying is complete, has been a topic of study for many decades. The “nest failure hypothesis” posits that the distribution of the risk of nest predation across the nesting cycle (from egg laying to the fledging of young) determines the optimal degree of hatching asynchrony. If such risk is higher earlier in the nesting cycle, then much asynchrony (e.g., incubation on the first egg laid) is generally favored. Alternatively, if the risk of nest predation is concentrated later in the cycle, then greater synchrony (a late start to incubation) is favored. Adult mortality during incubation favors greater hatching synchrony. Existing models suggest that optimal hatching asynchrony should depend on the ratio of daily mortality risks prehatching and posthatching, or early and late in the nesting cycle. We show that these classic theoretical expectations depend critically on the assumption of a single nesting attempt per breeding ...
Low Temperature Carbonate Phosphate Materials or the Carbonate — Apatite Problem: A Review

Hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite are well known and documented crystalline mineral phases. Apatite containing carbonate, the usual species present in vertebrate tissues and in phosphorites, however, remains an enigma. It has been impossible to accurately determine the chemical composition and the precise crystalline configuration of the mineral apatitic phase formed in biologic environments.
Black Girls' Achievement in Middle Grades Mathematics: How Can Socializing Agents Help?.

ABSTRACTThe middle grades mathematics classroom is full of transitions that students must overcome to become successful long-term learners of mathematics. This transition can be exorbitantly more tumultuous for Black girls who must overcome gender and racial mathematics achievement stereotypes. Mathematics identities and achievement socialization trends can help Black girls navigate the challenges associated with these transitions. In this article, we argue that socializing agents can play a key role in the development of positive mathematics identities and positive achievement socialization patterns in Black girls. We use recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) data to characterize Black girls' middle grades content knowledge through a strength-based and growth-oriented lens. Then using the data, we provide explicit examples of how parents, teachers, and curriculum developers acting as socializing agents can harness Black girls' funds of knowledge to address the observed challenges iden...
Functional assessment-based interventions: Focusing on the environment and considering function

ABSTRACTIt can be challenging for educators to select intervention tactics based on the function of the student's behavior. In this article, authors offer practical information on behavioral function and environmental-focused intervention ideas for educators developing behavior intervention plans. Ideas are organized according to the hypothesized function of the student's behavior of concern. Authors conclude with additional considerations for educators implementing behavior intervention plans to support students with the most intensive intervention needs.
The Factors Determining Charge Rate of Magnetite Electrode and the Functional Mechanism of Sulfide on the Reaction

Abstract The electro-reduction of magnetite is important for many different industries. For example, it relates to the extraction of iron from iron ore and the charging of iron-based batteries. The sluggish electro-reduction reaction of magnetite affects the energy efficiency of iron extraction or the charge rate of iron-based batteries. However, what factors affecting the reduction rate is not well understood. In this study, electrochemical analysis, XRD, SEM, EDS mapping and XPS techniques are adopted to analyze the reaction, and it is proved that two factors determine the electro-reduction rate of magnetite electrode: O2− diffusion inside the particles determines the electro-reduction rate of a single particle, and the electrical resistivity of electrode determines how many magnetite particles are involved in electro-reduction simultaneously. Contact resistance between particles is the dominant part of the electrical resistance of the magnetite electrode. The function mechanism of sulfide in the reaction is also revealed: a sulfide additive can react with magnetite to form amorphous or crystal FeS at different potentials. These compounds, especially crystal FeS, coat onto the surface of magnetite particles, and bond them together. The coating and bonding can decrease contact resistance significantly, thus enhancing the electro-reduction rate of magnetite to one order of magnitude.
Experiences of Pharmacy Trainees from an Interprofessional Immersion Training

Interprofessional education is essential in that it helps healthcare disciplines better utilize each other and provide team-based collaboration that improves patient care. Many pharmacy training programs struggle to implement interprofessional education. This purpose of the study was to examine the effect of a 30-h interprofessional training that included pharmacy students to determine if the training helped these students build valuable knowledge and skills while working alongside other health care professions. The interprofessional training included graduate-level trainees from pharmacy, behavioral health, nursing, and family medicine programs where the trainees worked within teams to build interprofessional education competencies based on the Interprofessional Education Collaborative core competencies. Sixteen pharmacy trainees participated in the training and completed pre- and post-test measures. Data were collected over a two-year period with participants completing the Team Skills Scale and the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale. Paired sample t-tests indicated that, after this training, pharmacy trainees showed significant increases in feeling better able to work in healthcare teams and valuing interprofessional practice.
Formal probabilistic analysis of a surgical robot control algorithm with different virtual fixtures

Surgical robots are increasingly being used in operation theaters involving normal or laparoscopic surgeries. The working of these surgical robots is highly dependent on their control algorithms, which require very rigorous analysis to ensure their correct functionality due to the safety-critical nature of surgeries. Traditionally, safety of control algorithms is ensured by simulations, but they provide incomplete and approximate analysis results due to their inherent sampling-based nature. We propose to use probabilistic model checking, which is a formal verification method, for quantitative analysis, to verify the control algorithms of surgical robots in this paper. As an illustrative example, the paper provides a formal analysis of a virtual fixture control algorithm, implemented in a neuro-surgical robot, using the PRISM model checker. In particular, we provide a formal discrete-time Markov chain-based model of the given control algorithm and its environment. This formal model is then analyzed for multiple virtual fixtures, like cubic, hexagonal and irregular shapes. This verification allowed us to discover new insights about the considered algorithm that allow us to design safer control algorithms.
Influence of photoperiod on tuber production in various races of Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)

The potential for asexual reproduction throughproduction of tubers was evaluated in various races ofan International Hydrilla [Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.)Royle] germplasm collection. Interracecomparisons were made under both shortday and longdayphotoperiods in environmental growth chambers. Allthe races evaluated produced rates varying from91-7182 tubers per sq m of production under shortdayconditions. Tuber production occurred under longdayphotoperiods in several races. Under propertemperature conditions, all the monoecious racescurrently established in the U.S. appear capable oftuber production throughout the year.
Duodenal Diverticular Perforation after Small Bowel Obstruction: A Case Report

Introduction. Duodenal diverticulum is a rare disease that can be easily missed. The incidence of duodenal diverticulum diagnosed by upper GI study is approximately 5%. Autopsy results show that 22% of the population have duodenum diverticulum. Most patients with duodenal diverticulum are asymptomatic. However, complications like inflammation, perforation with retroperitoneal abscess, sepsis, pancreatitis, bile duct obstruction, and bleeding can occur. Approximately 162 cases of perforated duodenal diverticulum have been reported in the literature. Case Presentation. We present a rare case of an 82-year-old female with perforation of a duodenal diverticulum caused by small bowel obstruction; in addition to this, there was a synchronous colonic tumor. Conclusion. Diagnosis and management of this rare disorder are controversial. Nonoperative management is advocated in some cases. Some of the cases require early aggressive surgical intervention. The mortality rate remains approximately 45% in all these patients.
Early Implant Failure Associated With Patient Factors, Surgical Manipulations, and Systemic Conditions.

PURPOSE Systematic monitoring of important clinical outcomes is increasingly important for health-care decision making, especially in the context of continuous quality improvement. Dental implant failure within the first year (early failure) has been previously shown to be more common than subsequent failure. The purpose of this study was to identify associations between early implant failure and patient factors, surgical manipulations, and systemic conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS The authors retrospectively identified the records of consecutive adult patients with dental implants seen between 2000 and 2014 in the Department of Dental Specialties, at the Mayo Clinic. Demographic, surgical, and medical data were extracted from the database and individual medical records to determine time to first implant failure. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to assess associations of demographic, surgical, and systemic conditions with implant failure during the first year post-implantation, summarized as hazard ratio (HR) (95% confidence interval [CI]). RESULTS Among 8540 implants identified during the study period, 362 (4.2%) failed within the first year of placement at a mean (SD) of 129 (96) days after placement. On univariate analysis, most candidate predictors were not shown to influence first-year failure. Preplacement surgical manipulations associated with increased early implant failure were bone augmentation only (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.02-2.05; p = 0.04), socket preservation (HR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.33-5.38; p = 0.006), and xenogenic material (HR, 2.12; 95% CI, 1.11-4.04; p = 0.02). Alveoloplasty only at placement was associated with decreased early implant failure (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.17-0.65; p = 0.001). Overall, 318 implants (3.7%) had surgical complications within the first year of placement at a mean (SD) of 110 (114) days after placement; any surgical complication was significantly associated with early implant failure (hazard ratio, 15.84; 95% CI, 11.10-22.61; p < 0.001). After adjustment for age, sex, and implant era, no single or multiple medical condition(s) and no single or multiple medication(s) increased patient risk of implant failure in the first year after placement. CONCLUSIONS These findings support a targeted effort to reduce the incidence of surgical complications to reduce early failure of dental implants.
Response to Morgan: On the Role of Status Threat and Material Interests in the 2016 Election:

I am delighted to have the opportunity to respond to Morgan’s article, which is a critique of my recent publication (Mutz 2018). I will restrict my response to matters concerning the data and analy...
Computational Study of the pH-Dependent Competition between Carbonate and Thymine Addition to the Guanine Radical

When oligonucleotides are oxidized by carbonate radical, thymine and carbonate can add to guanine radical, yielding either a guanine-thymine cross-link product (G∧T) or 8-oxo-7,8-dehydroguanine (8o...
Management of Acute Mesenteric Ischemia

Acute mesenteric ischemia is an uncommon diagnosis; however, this condition is associated with a high mortality rate because of a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Therefore the diagnosis should be in the differential when evaluating a patient with acute-onset abdominal pain. Patients are typically elderly with a sudden onset of abdominal pain out of proportion to the physical exam. Additional findings may include bloody diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal distention. The etiology of acute mesenteric ischemia is either embolic, thrombotic, non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) or mesenteric venous thrombosis. Embolization to the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is the most common cause of acute mesenteric ischemia. Thrombosis of the SMA typically occurs at the origin of the vessel where dense atherosclerotic disease is present. NOMI typically presents during a low flow state that is secondary to shock or vasoconstrictors. Effective treatment for this condition includes early diagnosis with operative intervention using both open and endovascular techniques.
Single-cell Transcriptomics Identify Extensive Heterogeneity in the Cellular Composition of Mouse Achilles Tendons

Tendon is a connective tissue that transmits forces between muscles and bones. Cellular heterogeneity is increasingly recognized as an important factor in the biological basis of tissue homeostasis and disease, but little is known about the diversity of cells that populate tendon. Our objective was to explore the heterogeneity of cells in mouse Achilles tendons using single-cell RNA sequencing. We assembled a transcriptomic atlas and identified 11 distinct cell types in tendons, including 3 previously undescribed populations of fibroblasts. Using trajectory inference analysis, we provide additional support for the notion that pericytes are progenitor cells for the fibroblasts that compose adult tendons. We also modeled cell-interactions and identified ligand-receptor pairs involved in tendon homeostasis. Our findings highlight notable heterogeneity between and within tendon cell populations, which may contribute to our understanding of tendon extracellular matrix assembly and maintenance, and inform the design of therapies to treat tendinopathies.
Abstract 706: Changes in Translational Efficacy During Zebrafish Heart Regeneration

Zebrafish are able to regenerate heart muscle after catastrophic injury. Fervent research is underway to discover critical molecules with therapeutic potential, yet many principal biological proces...
Is bariatric surgery safe in patients with history of cardiac revascularization

Abstract Background The number of patients undergoing bariatric surgery with prior cardiac revascularization (CR) is rising. However, scarce data exist regarding the safety of bariatric procedures in these patients. Objectives The aim of this study is to compare postoperative cardiovascular and noncardiovascular outcomes among patients with different CR procedures. Setting Academic hospital, United States. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 2884 patients undergoing bariatric surgery from 2009–2018. Patients with prior CR were included and stratified into groups: coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention with stent (PCI), and CABG + PCI. We described patient demographic characteristics, co-morbidities, smoking status, history of myocardial infarction, type of bariatric surgery, number of vessels grafted/stents, time from CR to bariatric surgery, length of stay, and cardiovascular and noncardiovascular 30-day outcomes. A control group composed of patients without prior CR undergoing bariatric surgery was used to compare the rate of complications to the total patients with prior CR. For continuous and categorical variables, t test and χ2 tests were performed, respectively. Results We identified 76 patients with prior CR undergoing bariatric surgery. The mean patient age was 61.4 ± 7.9 years, the mean body mass index was 41.7 ± 6.5 kg/m2, and male sex was predominant (71.1%). Among these, 50% (n = 38) had PCI, 39.4% (n = 30) had CABG, and 10.5% (n = 8) had CABG + PCI. Early cardiovascular complications rate included ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (n = 2), pulmonary embolism (n = 1), supraventricular arrhythmia (n = 2), ventricular arrhythmia (n = 1), and pacemaker/defibrillator-insertion (n = 1). The overall rate of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular complications was 9.2% (n = 7) and 10.5% (n = 8) during the 30 days. Mortality rate was 0%. Comparison of rate of complications between groups did not show any statistical difference; no significant difference was found when comparing patients with prior CR to the 76 patients in the control group (P > .05). Conclusions Although revascularized individuals have severe co-morbidities and are high-risk patients, bariatric surgery remains safe in this population when outcomes are compared with bariatric patients without prior CR.
Use of intraoperative CT scanning for quality control assessment of cochlear implant electrode array placement.

Background: Imaging of cochlear implant (CI) electrode arrays (EAs) consists of intraoperative fluoroscopy to rule out tip fold-over and/or post-operative computerized tomography (CT) if concern ex...
College Students’ Achievement Goals, Social Goals, and Self-reported Persistence in Physical Activity Class Settings

Achievement goal theory has been a dominant framework guiding research on motivation in physical activity (PA) settings. This study was designed to examine the predictive role of achievement goals ...
Single- and Double-Loop Learning: Linking Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) Developer Motivation, Contribution, and Turnover Intentions

Free/Libre Open Source Software (FLOSS) developers often make a single contribution to a project and then no more, making project management difficult. To improve understanding around why developers leave, this work explores the relationship between FLOSS developer motivations and their attitudes and behavior related to projects. In particular, we add insight to the current understanding of these issues by proposing single- and double-loop learning as intervening mechanisms that connect developer motivations to outcomes and thereby help clarify when developer motivations have negative and positive impacts for the project. We test our hypotheses in a sample of 132 FLOSS developers. We find that intrinsic motivations (motivation to learn) and social motivations (motivation to collaborate) positively influence single- and double-loop learning while extrinsic motivations negatively impact both types of learning. We further find that single- and double-loop learning have differential impacts on contribution to the focal project and other projects. While single-loop learning is associated with lower turnover intentions, double-loop learning is associated with higher turnover intentions. Implications of our findings for research and management are provided in the discussion.
Robotics in Pediatric Urology: Evolution and the Future

Almost 30 years have passed since the inception of minimally invasive surgery in urology and specifically in pediatric urology. Laparoscopy has now become an essential tool in the pediatric urologic armamentarium. The application of robot-assisted surgery in pediatrics has allowed for widespread utilization for common reconstructive procedures such as pyeloplasty and ureteral reimplantation. Understanding the implementation, technical considerations, and outcomes are critical for continued success and adoption. This has allowed for increased use in more complex urologic procedures such as redo pyeloplasty, dismembered ureteral reimplantation, catheterizable channel creation, and bladder augmentation.
“Love. Stability. Boundaries.” Kinship perspectives of social-emotional well-being of youth residing in out-of-home care

Abstract A significant number of children and youth in out-of-home care in the United States are placed in congregate care settings, and a large proportion of this group are age 12 and older. Many of these young people experience challenges to their social and emotional well-being resulting from contextual circumstances related to their placement into out-of-home care. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the social and emotional well-being of youth in congregate care settings from the perspective of kin and fictive kin involved in the young people’s lives. Using qualitative methodology, 20 non-parental adults were asked to describe their perspectives of social and emotional well-being of youth at a time when they were residing in a congregate care setting. During semi-structured interviews, kin and fictive kin described a number of factors that undermine social and emotional well-being for youth in congregate care settings including interpersonal relationships, academic achievement, relationships with caregivers, and intrapersonal functioning. The findings suggest that when youth perceive their contextual environment within the congregate care setting as dependable, stable, and supportive, these young people experience success in school, were able to navigate difficult emotions successfully, and had hope for the future. This study underscores the important consideration of non-parental adult relationships with youth in congregate care and the limitations of unidimensional perspectives as the primary source for evaluating social and emotional well-being.
Evaluation of precipitation indices in suites of dynamically and statistically downscaled regional climate models over Florida

The present work evaluates historical precipitation and its indices defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI) in suites of dynamically and statistically downscaled regional climate models (RCMs) against NOAA’s Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily) dataset over Florida. The models examined here are: (1) nested RCMs involved in the North American CORDEX (NA-CORDEX) program, (2) variable resolution Community Earth System Models (VR-CESM), (3) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) models statistically downscaled using localized constructed analogs (LOCA) technique. To quantify observational uncertainty, three in situ-based (PRISM, Livneh, CPC) and three reanalysis (ERA5, MERRA2, NARR) datasets are also evaluated against the station data. The reanalyses and dynamically downscaled RCMs generally underestimate the magnitude of the monthly precipitation and the frequency of the extreme rainfall in summer. The models forced with CanESM2 miss the phase of the seasonality of extreme precipitation. All models and reanalyses severely underestimate both the mean and interannual variability of mean wet-day precipitation (SDII), consecutive dry days (CDD), and overestimate consecutive wet days (CWD). Metric analysis suggests large uncertainty across NA-CORDEX models. Both the LOCA and VR-CESM models perform better than the majority of models. Overall, RegCM4 and WRF models perform poorer than the median model performance. The performance uncertainty across models is comparable to that in the reanalyses. Specifically, NARR performs poorer than the median model performance in simulating the mean indices and MERRA2 performs worse than the majority of models in capturing the interannual variability of the indices.
GPU Performance and Power Tuning Using Regression Trees

GPU performance and power tuning is difficult, requiring extensive user expertise and time-consuming trial and error. To accelerate design tuning, statistical design space exploration methods have been proposed. This article presents Starchart, a novel design space partitioning tool that uses regression trees to approach GPU tuning problems. Improving on prior work, Starchart offers more automation in identifying key design trade-offs and models design subspaces with distinctly different behaviors. Starchart achieves good model accuracy using very few random samples: less than 0.3p of a given design space; iterative sampling can more quickly target subspaces of interest.
Investigating Ancient Maya Agricultural Adaptation Through Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Analysis of Karst Terrain, Northern Yucatán, Mexico

Landscape adaptation on the Northern Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, is particularly difficult, as soils are thin and the terrain is devoid of any surface water other than the occasional sinkhole (cenote) that connects directly to the groundwater system. Despite this, ancient Maya cities, including Xuenkal, emerged and thrived, likely because of their proximity to natural sinkholes. In the case of Xuenkal, these sinkholes, known locally as rejolladas, have bases above the local water table and, as such, do not provide direct access to the underlying water, but they provide closer access. Recognizing that the presence of rejolladas was likely important to the ancient Maya the purpose of this study is to characterize the rejolladas in terms of their subsurface characteristics, specifically bedrock configuration and soil. Ground penetrating radar analysis, as well as the results of a test pit excavation, confirm the presence of deep soils in the rejollada bases. It seems that the smaller deeper rejolladas have the thickest soils and sediment. The ancient city of Xuenkal is constructed amidst a particularly dense cluster of rejolladas which may have contributed to its location. Rejolladas, containing significantly thicker soils than the surrounding karst surface, and the ability to sustain dense healthy vegetation would have been particularly desirable for the Maya to capitalize on.
A review of "Neighbors & neighborhoods: Elements of successful community design".

How much effect design can have in promoting and enhancing strong communities remains a matter of debate. Building on his experience as a practicing physical planner as well as an academic, Sidney ...
Liver fatty acid-binding protein: A marker for studying cellular differentiation in gut epithelial neoplasms

Human liver fatty acid binding protein is a 127 residue cytoplasmic protein synthesized in liver and in the intestinal epithelium. Previous studies of normal and transgenic mice indicated that the liver fatty acid-binding protein gene is a sensitive marker of enterocytic differentiation. This study shows the use of immunohistochemical methods to examine liver fatty acid-binding protein gene expression in normal human colonic epithelium, colonic villoglandular adenomas, nonmucinous and mucinous adenocarcinomas, and several types of noncolonic epithelial neoplasms. Cells containing liver fatty acid-binding protein were found in normal colonic epithelium, in two thirds of colorectal villoglandular adenomas and nonmucinous adenocarcinomas, and in one third of mucinous adenocarcinomas but not in noncolonic, nonhepatic carcinomas. All liver fatty acid-binding protein-positive colonic adenomas and adenocarcinomas contained patches of immunoreactive cells distributed among histologically identical patches of cells without liver fatty acid-binding protein immunoreactivity. This "mosaicism" was also found in metastases from liver fatty acid-binding protein-positive colonic adenocarcinomas. Immunostaining of these liver fatty acid-binding protein-positive tissues for carcinoembryonic antigen did not show a mosaic cellular pattern in its expression. These data suggest that within a given neoplasm, differences exist in the differentiation programs of monoclonally-derived, malignant colonic epithelial cells and that liver fatty acid-binding protein is a useful marker for operationally defining these subpopulations. Liver fatty acid-binding protein is also a potentially useful diagnostic marker for colorectal and hepatic carcinomas.
C-Reactive Proteins, Limunectin, Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein, and Coagulin

In 1964, Levin and Bang discovered that gram-negative bacterial endotoxin could rapidly induce gelation of Limulus amebocyte lysate. This observation has led to the development of the most sensitive and specific method for the detection of bacterial endotoxin in pharmaceuticals and drugs intended for human use. Over 10 years ago, Bang injected endotoxin into young horseshoe crabs and observed a time and dose-dependent coagulation of the whole hemolymph. Limunectin, LEBP-PI, and Limulus CRP are found together with coagulin as part of the hemolymph clot at the time of endotoxin-induced exocytosis of amebocytes. In this manner, these molecules with agglutinin/lectin activities could work in concert to assist in the recognition and eventual removal of invading microorganisms from the circulating system. Although the mechanism of endotoxin-induced clot formation is to a large extent understood, the mechanism of clot dissolution and removal in the Limulus hemolymph remains to be clarified.
Cell Division: Aurora B Illuminates a Checkpoint Pathway

Separating mitotic error correction, chromosome biorientation and the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is complicated by their interconnected relationships. New research finds that Aurora B kinase, which drives error correction and promotes biorientation, also directly regulates the SAC.
Observation of light diffraction by time-resolved femtosecond correlation interferometry.

We demonstrate time development of the diffraction of light waves from objects for what is to our knowledge the first time by using a new femtosecond correlation interferometry. This new dynamical optics method allows for the conversion of temporal information to space information with femtosecond resolution and has the potential to produce a time-resolved femtosecond movie for the visualization of light-wave propagation in space for scientific, biological, and medical applications.
MR of an adrenal pseudocyst

We describe the appearance of an adrenal pseudocyst on MRI and CT. The MR characteristics of the lesion were noteworthy in that the lesion had two components with different imaging characteristics. The larger component was of low signal intensity on both T1- and T2-weighted images and might have been confused with an adrenal adenoma.
Simultaneous administration of live virus vaccines. Measles, mumps, poliomyelitis, and smallpox.

A double-blind controlled study was conducted to evaluate the clinical and serologic responses to the simultaneous administration of four live virus vaccines: further attenuated measles, mumps, oral trivalent poliomyelitis, and smallpox. The percent of children with temperatures ≥103 F (39.4 C), 15%, was significantly greater among recipients of simultaneous vaccines than among those receiving placebos, 4%. However, there was no significant difference in the percent of temperatures ≥103 F between simultaneous vaccine recipients and children receiving a single vaccine. The serologic response to measles and smallpox vaccines given singly or simultaneously was in excess of 93%, while seroconversion rates for mumps vaccine given alone and simultaneously were 93% and 86%, respectively. The frequency distributions of antibody titers to each antigen, whether administered simultaneously or singly, were similar. No evidence of viral interference or increased severity of adverse reactions was noted when the four vaccines were given simultaneously.
Birth of mice after nuclear transfer by electrofusion using tail tip cells

Mice have been successfully cloned from cumulus cells, fibroblast cells, embryonic stem cells, and immature Sertoli cells only after direct injection of their nuclei into enucleated oocytes. This technical feature of mouse nuclear transfer differentiates it from that used in domestic species, where electrofusion is routinely used for nuclear transfer. To examine whether nuclear transfer by electrofusion can be applied to somatic cell cloning in the mouse, we electrofused tail tip fibroblast cells with enucleated oocytes, and then assessed the subsequent in vitro and in vivo development of the reconstructed embryos. The rate of successful nuclear transfer (fusion and nuclear formation) was 68.8% (753/1094) and the rate of development into morulae/blastocysts was 40.8% (260/637). After embryo transfer, seven (six males and one female; 2.5% per transfer) normal fetuses were obtained at 17.5-21.5 dpc. These rates of development in vitro and in vivo are not significantly different from those after cloning by injection (44.7% to morulae/blastocysts and 4.8% to term). These results indicate that nuclear transfer by electrofusion is practical for mouse somatic cell cloning and provide an alternative method when injection of donor nuclei into recipient oocytes is technically difficult.
Studies in selenium-77 and tellurium-125 nuclear magnetic resonance. Substituent effects and polarizability

Abstract Selenium-77 substituent-caused chemical shifts, where the substituents are alkyl groups, have been studied for a series of selenols, selenides and diselenides, respectively. An understanding of the origin of these shifts was obtained by examining solvent effects on 77 Se chemical shifts of dialkyl selenides and dialkyl diselenides in ten halocarbon solvents of varying molecular polarizabilities as well as in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol. Based on these results of intermolecular polarizability, an intramolecular polarizability concept is proposed whereby dispersion forces within a molecule exerted by neighboring alkyl and haloalkyl groups influence selenium shielding. This effect along with the well-known “γ effect” offer a clear understanding of a large number of 77 Se chemical shifts. The same intramolecular polarizability concept can be used when examining the chemical shifts of tellurides and ditellurides. Here, even larger substituent caused chemical shifts are observed. Solvent effects on 125 Te chemical shifts of dimethyl telluride were also examined in solvents of varying polarizability. As in the case of several selenides and diselenides studied, the 125 Te chemical shift of dimethyl telluride can be correlated with the polarizability of the solvent.
A quantitative assay for binding and inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Binding Antigen 175 reveals high affinity binding depends on both DBL domains

Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Binding Antigen 175 (PfEBA-175) engages Glycophorin A (GpA) on erythrocytes during malaria infection. The two Duffy binding like domains (F1 and F2) of PfEBA-175 that form region II (RII) are necessary for binding GpA, and are the target of neutralizing antibodies. Recombinant production of RII in Pichia pastoris and baculovirus has required mutations to prevent aberrant glycosylation or deglycosylation resulting in modifications to the protein surface that may affect antibody recognition and binding. In this study, we developed a recombinant system in Escherichia coli to obtain RII and F2 without mutations or glycosylation through oxidative refolding. The system produced refolded protein with high yields and purity, and without the need for mutations or deglycosylation. Biophysical characterization indicated both proteins are well behaved and correctly folded. We also demonstrate the recombinant proteins are functional, and develop a quantitative functional flow cytometry binding assay for erythrocyte binding ideally suited to measure inhibition by antibodies and inhibitors. This assay showed far greater binding of RII to erythrocytes over F2 and that binding of RII is inhibited by a neutralizing antibody and sialyllactose, while galactose had no effect on binding. These studies form the framework to measure inhibition by antibodies and small molecules that target PfEBA-175 in a rapid and quantitative manner using RII that is unmodified or mutated. This approach has significant advantages over current methods for examining receptor-ligand interactions and is applicable to other erythrocyte binding proteins used by the parasite.
Augmentation of the atrophic maxilla with interpositional autogenous bone grafts

Extreme ridge atrophy is a significant problem when it occurs in the maxilla, since inadequate denture function, as well as poor facial aesthetics, commonly result. Use of the Le Fort I osteotomy of the maxilla with interpositional iliac cortico-cancellous bone grafts is a predictable method of ridge augmentation in severe cases. In our experience, secondary vestibuloplasty has not been necessary prior to construction of new prostheses. Patient satisfaction has been excellent.
NSTX-U Control System Upgrades

Abstract The National Spherical Tokamak Experiment (NSTX) is undergoing a wealth of upgrades (NSTX-U). These upgrades, especially including an elongated pulse length, require broad changes to the control system that has served NSTX well. A new fiber serial Front Panel Data Port input and output (I/O) stream will supersede the aging copper parallel version. Driver support for the new I/O and cyber security concerns require updating the operating system from Redhat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) v4 to RedHawk (based on RHEL) v6. While the basic control system continues to use the General Atomics Plasma Control System (GA PCS), the effort to forward port the entire software package to run under 64-bit Linux instead of 32-bit Linux included PCS modifications subsequently shared with GA and other PCS users. Software updates focused on three key areas: (1) code modernization through coding standards (C99/C11), (2) code portability and maintainability through use of the GA PCS code generator, and (3) support of 64-bit platforms. Central to the control system upgrade is the use of a complete real time (RT) Linux platform provided by Concurrent Computer Corporation, consisting of a computer (iHawk), an operating system and drivers (RedHawk), and RT tools (NightStar). Strong vendor support coupled with an extensive RT toolset influenced this decision. The new real-time Linux platform, I/O, and software engineering will foster enhanced capability and performance for NSTX-U plasma control.
Relationship between gene duplicability and diversifiability in the topology of biochemical networks

Selective gene duplicability, the extensive expansion of a small number of gene families, is universal. Quantitatively, the number of genes (P(K)) with K duplicates in a genome decreases precipitously as K increases, and often follows a power law (P(k)∝k-α). Functional diversification, either neo- or sub-functionalization, is a major evolution route for duplicate genes. Using three lines of genomic datasets, we studied the relationship between gene duplicability and diversifiability in the topology of biochemical networks. First, we explored scenario where two pathways in the biochemical networks antagonize each other. Synthetic knockout of respective genes for the two pathways rescues the phenotypic defects of each individual knockout. We identified duplicate gene pairs with sufficient divergences that represent this antagonism relationship in the yeast S. cerevisiae. Such pairs overwhelmingly belong to large gene families, thus tend to have high duplicability. Second, we used distances between proteins of duplicate genes in the protein interaction network as a metric of their diversification. The higher a gene’s duplicate count, the further the proteins of this gene and its duplicates drift away from one another in the networks, which is especially true for genetically antagonizing duplicate genes. Third, we computed a sequence-homology-based clustering coefficient to quantify sequence diversifiability among duplicate genes – the lower the coefficient, the more the sequences have diverged. Duplicate count (K) of a gene is negatively correlated to the clustering coefficient of its duplicates, suggesting that gene duplicability is related to the extent of sequence divergence within the duplicate gene family. Thus, a positive correlation exists between gene diversifiability and duplicability in the context of biochemical networks – an improvement of our understanding of gene duplicability.
Seasonal and Size-Related Food Habits of Largemouth Bass in Two Connecticut Lakes

Abstract Stomach contents of 425 largemouth bass were identified and quantified using the Relative Importance (RI) index over three seasons (spring, summer, and fall) from Lake Lillinonah and Pickerel Lake, Connecticut. In Lake Lillinonah during spring, aquatic insects had the highest RI, followed by crayfish and fish (primarily white perch). During summer and fall, the RI of aquatic insects decreased, the RI of crayfish remained consistent, and the RI of fish approximately doubled. Fish (primarily bluegill) was the most important diet item of largemouth bass from Pickerel Lake during all seasons. Aquatic insects were the second most important diet item during spring and summer. In Lake Lillinonah and Pickerel Lake, the RI of aquatic insects decreased and the RI of fish increased with increasing fish length; aquatic insects were most important in largemouth bass less than 300 mm. In contrast to Lake Lillinonah where the RI of crayfish and fish were of equal importance in largemouth bass ≥ 380 mm, largemou...
Genetic heterozygosity and growth rate in Mytilus edulis

Individuals of Mytilus edulis of the same age (ca 2 months) were collected as spat from natural populations. Relative growth rates were determined among individuals differing in heterozygosity at five enzyme loci. Growth rate was positively correlated with individual heterozygosity and each of the five loci contributed about equally to the relatinship. More heterozygous individuals also achieved more uniform average growth rates. Although there was a deficiency of heterozygotes at each locus, relative to Hardy-Weinberg expectations, the magnitude of the deficiency, measured as FIS, was less among faster growing mussels. Our results conform closely with those of Zouros et al. (1980) on the American oyster. We conclude that the relationship between multiple locus heterozygosity and growth rate is one that is general to a diversity of outbreeding plant and animal populations. Other studies indicate that this relationship is due to a greater average metabolic efficiency of more heterozygous individuals. This relationship does not emerge from experimental designs in which there has been limited genetic sampling of the natural genetic variation.
Active Transport of Nicotine by the Isolated Choroid Plexus In Vitro

: In vitro, the transport of [14C]nicotine into the isolated choroid plexus, the anatomical locus of the blood–CSF barrier, was studied. The isolated rabbit choroid plexus accumulated [14C]nicotine by two processes: an active saturable transport process and a nonsaturable process. The [14C]nicotine accumulation process by choroid plexus was not due to binding or intracellular metabolism of the [14C]nicotine. The [14C]nicotine accumulation process in isolated choroid plexus was inhibited by weak bases, including tolazoline and lidocaine, but not by the weak acid probenecid. The accumulation process was decreased 60% by iodoacetate and dinitrophenol and by low temperatures. These results are consistent with previous autoradiographic evidence showing the choroid plexus concentrated [14C]nicotine in vivo, and suggest that the choroid plexus may transfer nicotine between blood and CSF in vivo.
A Risk-Informed Decision Making Methodology for Evaluating Failure Impact of Early System Designs

In this paper, we introduce a new risk-informed decision-making methodology for use during early design of complex systems. The proposed approach is based on the notion that a failure happens when a functional element in the system does not perform its intended task. Accordingly, risk is defined depending on the role of functionality in accomplishing designed tasks. A simulation-based failure analysis tool is used to analyze functional failures and their impact on overall system functionality. The analysis results are then integrated into a decision-making framework that relates the impact of functional failures and their propagation to decision making in order to guide system level design decisions. With the help of the proposed methodology, a multitude of failure scenarios can be quickly analyzed to determine the effects of decisions on overall system risk. Using this decision-making approach, design teams can systematically explore risks and vulnerabilities during early, functional stage of system development prior to the selection of specific components. Application of the presented method to a reservoir system design demonstrates these capabilities.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Evaluating treatments for Ménière's disease: controversies surrounding placebo control.

Although double-blind experimental designs are considered the gold standard for documenting treatment effectiveness, many treatments for Meniere's disease have not been evaluated using this methodology. Particularly with a disease characterized by exacerbation and remission, carefully controlled, long-term studies are required. The nature of the placebo effect is described in this article, and the concept of debonafide effect introduced. Ideally, patients should be given treatments supported by evidence-based medicine that have the lowest possible risk of side effects. However, risk minimization may dictate using treatments that have not been proven effective and may evoke debonafide effects.
Maintenance contracts for leased goods: their role in creating brand loyalty

Using a two-period switching cost model, this paper compares rental profit with sales profit in a framework in which duopolists produce horizontally differentiated durable goods. Rental firms use maintenance contracts that stipulate that repeat customers pay a lower fine per unit of damage than do those customers who switch to a rival firm. In the sales regime, firms give loyal customers a discount on their second period prices. If switching costs are zero, sales profit equals rental profit. For positive and identical switching costs, either regime can dominate. As the exogenous rate of depreciation falls, rental profit exceeds sales profit. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Elastic Scattering and Capture of Protons by Oxygen

The yield of elastically scattered protons from oxygen was measured with a magnetic analyzer which detected protons scattered through laboratory angles of 159\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 169\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. Using protons accelerated by an electrostatic generator, the proton energy range from 0.6 to 4.5 Mev was covered in 4.4-kev or smaller steps. Two sharp resonances were observed, one at an incident proton energy of 2.66 Mev with a width of 19.9 kev, and the second at 3.47 Mev with an observed width less than 3.5 kev. Near 4.0 Mev a broad maximum in the cross section was obtained, and a broad resonance appears to give another maximum slightly above 4.5 Mev. The resonance at 2.66 Mev appeared as a nearly symmetrical dip in the scattering cross section.The capture cross section of oxygen for protons was measured for incident proton energies from 1.4 to 4.1 Mev by counting the positrons from the decay of ${\mathrm{F}}^{17}$ built up under the bombardment of oxide targets. Up to a narrow resonance at 3.47 Mev, the capture cross section was observed to increase almost linearly with energy. Above 3.75 Mev, the cross section was found to increase more rapidly to a maximum near 3.99 Mev.On the basis of the scattering and capture data, energy levels have been assigned to ${\mathrm{F}}^{17}$ at 3.11, 3.88, 4.36, and 4.73 Mev, although the positions of the latter two levels are not clearly defined by the data.