cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kinetics and pH-dependence of glycine-proton symport in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Interactions between intracellular pH (pHi) and H+-coupled transmembrane transport of glycine have been studied by means of 31P-NMR, using both aerobic and 'energy starved' cells of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The general features of glycine transport in the yeast strain used (NCYC 239) are similar to those already reported for Saccharomyces carlsbergensis and S. cerevisiae, there being two kinetically distinct glycine uptake systems, with pH-independent K1/2 values near 14 and 0.4mM, respectively, but pH-dependent maximal velocities. Glycine transport itself has no measurable effect on pHi in aerobic cells, and only a marginal effect in energy-starved cells, but changes of pHi, imposed by extracellular addition of butyric acid, strongly influence glycine transport. Indeed, the dependence of glycine influx (in energy-starved cells) upon cytoplasmic H+ concentration appears to be third order, showing Hill slopes of 2.7-3.0. A crucial kinetic role for cytoplasmic pH in glycine transport is further indicated by a proportionality between the decline of flux and the decline of pHi produced by various metabolic inhibitors and uncouplers. Extracellular pH (pHo), by contrast, has only a weak effect on glycine influx, showing a Hill slope of 0.5. The major observations can be accommodated by a simple cyclic carrier scheme, in which 2 or more protons are transported along with glycine, but only one extracellular proton binding site dissociates in the testing range, with a pK near 5.5. The model requires a finite membrane potential, which must be somewhat sensitive to both pHi and pHo, and accommodates the discrepancy between measured net proton flux (one per glycine) and the kinetically required proton flux (two or more per glycine) by shunting through other proton-conducting pathways in the yeast membrane.
The effect of sire selection on cow mortality and early lactation culling in adverse and favorable cow survival environments

The objective of this study was to determine the extent that genetic selection can help reduce dairy cow mortality and early lactation culling in adverse cow survival environments. Two datasets were constructed. The first contained 100,911 mortality records and 171,178 sixty-day culling records from 1467 herds. Cows that left the herd (culled or died) from 21 days prior to a due date through 60 days in milk were considered a 60-day cull. Cows were classified as belonging to herds with adverse cow survival environments (≥ 4.4% mortality rate and ≥ 7.1% 60-day cull rate) or favorable cow survival environments ( 50th percentile) and low (≤ 50th percentile) groups based on their sire's PTA for daughter calving ease and daughter stillbirth rates. Mortality and 60-day culling in the first dataset were evaluated with logistic regression models with the independent effects of sire PTA quartile, cow survival environment (adverse or favorable), the interaction of sire PTA quartile with cow survival environment, lactation number, age within lactation number, and herd-calving-cluster. The second dataset was analyzed in the same manner, but with cow survival environment replaced by herd management system. The estimated proportion of lactations that ended in death declined from 9.0% to 6.8% and 60-day culling incidence from 7.6% to 4.9% as sire productive life PTA went from the lowest to highest quartile in adverse cow survival environments. The corresponding reduction in mortality (0.7%) and 60-day culling (0.9%) were also significant in favorable cow survival environments. Mortality and 60-day culling both declined by 2.0% from low to high sire productive life PTA quartile in complete confinement free-stalls, which was the most unfavorable herd management system for cow survival. Daughters of bulls with high somatic cell score PTA and low daughter pregnancy rate PTA had higher incidences of mortality and 60-day culling, and 60-day culling was higher for daughters of sires with high milk and protein yield PTA. Selection to reduce stillbirth risk was associated with less mortality and 60-day culling, whereas mortality risk was reduced in favorable cow survival environments with selection to lower the incidence of stillbirths and calving difficulty. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that sire selection can play an important role in reducing the incidence of mortality and early lactation culling, particularly in herds with adverse cow survival environments.
Mapping lodgepole pine stand structure susceptibility to mountain pine beetle attack across the western United States

Abstract Mountain pine beetle (MPB) outbreaks are important disturbances of forests in the western United States. Stand conditions influence the success of MPB attack through food availability, shelter, and effects on tree vigor and thus the ability of a tree to withstand MPB infestation. We estimated the contribution of stand structure to susceptibility to MPB-caused mortality in lodgepole pine forests by applying a model that incorporates stand age, stem density, and basal area by species. We utilized tree-level measurements across the western United States from the USDA Forest Service Resources Planning Act inventory database that permitted plot-level and county-level analysis. In the western United States, we found that stands were typically in age classes (60–120 years) and stem densities (>400 stem ha−1) that are highly susceptible. A third structural factor, the percentage of susceptible pine basal area within a stand (compared to all trees within that stand), typically reduced stand susceptibility across the region. However, when we considered the susceptibility of only the pine component instead of the entire stand, we found substantially increased susceptibility index values. Regional susceptibility was high (pine component susceptibility index >50, which has been related in past studies to 34% loss of stand basal area) for 2.8 Mha, or 46%, of lodgepole pine forest. Maps revealed variability among regions, with the highest susceptibility in the southern Rocky Mountains and the lowest in the coastal states. Our analysis provides useful information to land managers concerned with future forest ecosystem dynamics and forest susceptibility to MPB outbreak.
Unusual Kondo behavior in the indium-rich heavy-fermion antiferromagnet Ce 3 Pt 4 In 13

We report the thermodynamic, magnetic, and electronic transport properties of the ternary intermetallic system ${(\mathrm{C}\mathrm{e},\mathrm{}\mathrm{L}\mathrm{a})}_{3}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{4}{\mathrm{In}}_{13}.$ ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{3}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{4}{\mathrm{In}}_{13}$ orders antiferromagnetically at 0.95 K, while the nonmagnetic compound ${\mathrm{La}}_{3}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{4}{\mathrm{In}}_{13}$ is a conventional 3.3-K superconductor. Kondo lattice effects appear to limit the entropy associated with the N\'eel transition to $(1/4)R\mathrm{ln}2$ as an electronic contribution to the specific heat of $\ensuremath{\gamma}\ensuremath{\sim}1{\mathrm{J}/\mathrm{m}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{l}\mathrm{e}\mathrm{}\mathrm{Ce}\mathrm{}\mathrm{K}}^{2}$ is observed at ${T}_{N};$ roughly 35% of this \ensuremath{\gamma} survives the ordering transition. Hall effect, thermoelectric power, and ambient-pressure resistivity measurements confirm this interpretation. These results suggest that RKKY and Kondo interactions are closely balanced in this compound ${(T}_{N}\ensuremath{\approx}{T}_{K}).$ Contrary to expectations based on the Doniach Kondo necklace model, applied hydrostatic pressure modestly enhances the magnetic ordering temperature with ${\mathrm{dT}}_{N}/dP=+23\mathrm{m}\mathrm{K}/\mathrm{k}\mathrm{b}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{r}.$ As such ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{3}{\mathrm{Pt}}_{4}{\mathrm{In}}_{13}$ provides a counterexample to Kondo systems with similar Kondo and RKKY energy scales, wherein applied pressure enhances ${T}_{K}$ at the expense of the ordered magnetic state.
Ranking of rankings: benchmarking twenty-five higher education ranking systems in Europe

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the ranking practices of 25 European higher education ranking systems (HERSs). Ranking practices were assessed with 14 quantitative measures derived from the Berlin Principles on Ranking of Higher Education Institutions (BPs). HERSs were then ranked according to their degree of congruence with the BPs. Additionally, the three domains of methodology, transparency, and consumer-friendliness were proposed to underlie the BPs, and the measures were also applied for assessing HERSs regarding these domains. Results indicate that the cooperating HERSs by CHE (Germany), AQA (Austria) and swissUp (Switzerland) exhibit the highest congruence with the BPs. However, no European HERS demonstrates good overall congruence with the BPs, mainly due to methodological shortcomings. Results further show that HERSs compiled and published by non-profit research entities seem to perform better than the majority of HERSs published by for-profit news outlets. International comparisons indicate that HERSs published in German-speaking countries and the Netherlands tend to exhibit a higher congruence with the BPs. Overall, this study hopes to stimulate the improvement of ranking practices through benchmarking with existing exemplary models. The quantitative assessment tool further promises to be useful in explaining relative stability or change of higher education institutions in HERSs, as well as in helping to explain resource allocation pressures within higher education institutions.
SAXS Studies of Polymer Melting: Models for Surface Melting, Sequential Melting, and Stack Melting

Melting of semicrystalline polymers typically occurs over a temperature range of 10 °C or more, throughout which the long period L increases by 50%−100%. Less recognized is the evolution of the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) pattern from peaked to monotonic before the final stages of melting. These two features are considered with SAXS patterns calculated for basal surface melting, for sequential melting by increasing thickness of randomly placed crystals, and for melting of separate stacks of lamellar crystals having different periods. Calculated intensities are further analyzed by the correlation function γ(r) and the interface distribution function G(r). Neither surface melting nor sequential melting can account for the commonly observed increase in L, although the sequential mechanism provides monotonic scattering from single lamellae as melting is completed. Stack melting can display an increase in L, but not a conversion to monotonic scattering. A reasonable conclusion is that most melting is a...
SU-FF-T-154: Long-Term Reproducibility of IMRT Planning and Dosimetry Using Clinical Fields

Purpose: To augment our patient‐specific IMRT QA program by checking the individual and overall reproducibility of the DMLC planning and delivery systems periodically using standardized patient data sets and a commercial diode array. Method and Materials: Clinical fields were chosen from IMRT treatment plans using 6MV and 15MV, respectively. It is our intent to completely re‐plan the same patients, generate leaf sequence files, and use the diode array to measure the absolute dose distributions for at least one different linac/MLC combination each month, thereby performing the evaluation for all MLC‐equipped linacs every six months. The dose distributions are recalculated in a flat homogeneous phantom using the clinical treatment planning system. Data are analyzed using dose‐difference and distance to agreement (DTA) methods. The supplied analysis program also provided a score for each field, which is defined as the percentage of the number of detectors satisfying the user defined dose‐difference and dose threshold constraints and DTA constraint. Results: The scores for the fields used in this study range from 75–100% of an average ∼200 points for each field for the 3% dose, 10% dose threshold, and 3 mm constraints that we specified. The diode array is able to identify the dose discrepancies relative to treatment planning calculations and earlier measurements and provides a quantitative score to grade each comparison, which along with the relative distribution of the failed points will serve as means for comparisons of measurements and/or calculations over time. Conclusion: The protocol that we present here enables us to provide a quick, accurate and reproducible evaluation of the overall DMLC planning and delivery process. With periodical evaluation using the same patients' data sets, we should be able to detect differences in performance among similar MLCs and linacs, and very small variations introduced over time for the same components.
Lack of Hemocyte Chemiluminescence Stimulation by Perkinsus marinus in Eastern Oysters Crassostrea virginica with Dermo Disease

Abstract Phagocytosis of zymosan A particles by hemocytes of eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica stimulates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are easily quantified by luminol-augmented chemiluminescence (CL). Antimicrobial defense mechanisms of hemocytes may involve the activity of cytotoxic ROS. The CL response to phagocytosis of zymosan by hemocytes from C. virginica with advanced Perkinsus marinus infections is more elevated than that produced by zymosan in cells from uninfected oysters. This effect is perhaps akin to macrophage activation. Phagocytosis of P. marinus cells by hemocytes withdrawn from uninfected oysters produced no detectable CL response. Hemocytes withdrawn from oysters with P. marinus infections ranging from light to heavy were evaluated for CL responses after phagocytosis of zymosan or P. marinus. Increases in CL stimulation by zymosan were seen as the intensity of infection increased. Despite avid phagocytosis of P. marinus, CL activity of the hemocytes was not...
Detection of binocular disparities

A stereo correspondence algorithm designed to perform matching on figurally similar images (arising in normal human binocular vision) is described. It is based on the observation that the operational principles underlying biological stereo disparity detection seem to be extremely general and few in number instead of an extended set of specific "constraints". We identify one general characteristic of objects in the three dimensional world and use it to formulate a simple noniterative, parallel and local algorithm that successfully detects disparities generated by opaque as well as transparent surfaces.
Grandparents, Gray Power and Grassroots Organizing: Implications for Anthropologists

When I talk about my research on grandparents of children at-risk, people often remark that they are glad that I chose this topic. My reply is always the same. I did not choose this topic, it chose me. This is a personal issue for me because of events within my own family. This situation puts me in the precarious position of being what is known in our field as a "native anthropologist." There are both positive and negative aspects of this situation. The most salient positive is that it allows me to build rapport with people and in situations to which I would not otherwise be privy. The most outstanding negative is that as an anthropologist, I feel a moral obligation to remain available to my research population. Since my fieldwork, I continue to receive and average of three or four calls and several letters a day requesting information on visitation rights. I have adapted by developing form letters, charts of state laws, a 43-page booklet and a small consulting practice. Despite my best efforts, it still ...
Effects of configuration interaction on dielectronic recombination of Fe(XXIV)

Abstract The rate of dielectronic recombination for Fe 23+ has been computed in the non-relativistic approximation, with and without configuration interaction. All possible doubly excited states with n = 3−6, and l = 0−4 were included in the calculation. The rate of recombination for this manifold of states was found to be insensitive to the effects of configuration interaction, although contributions from any given LS symmetry were changed by as much as 40%.
Do Theodicists Mean What They Say

Many theodicists have maintained that God is justified in permitting suffering on the ground that His doing so is a necessary condition of the realization of certain intrinsically valuable ends which the suffering serves and whose value outweighs the suffering which occasions them. Examples of ends which are frequently cited in this connection are freely chosen actions in accordance with stringent obligations to be charitable and steadfast. To say that the value of these ends outweighs the suffering which gives rise to them is to say that the existence both of these ends and of suffering is better than the non-existence of both. (Of course, the best thing of all on the view of the theodicists under discussion would be for these ends to exist and for the suffering not to exist, but they point out that it is logically impossible for there to be desirable responses to suffering in the absence of suffering.)
A Benign Hardware Trojan on FPGA-based embedded systems

In this paper we present the use of Benign Hardware Trojans (BHT) as a security measure for an embedded system with a software component and a hardware execution environment. Based on delay logic, process variation, and selective transistor aging, the BHT can be incorporated into an embedded system for the software and the hardware components to authenticate each other before functional execution. We will demonstrate an implementation of such a BHT within an embedded system on a Xilinx Spartan-6 FPGA platform. Using the same platform we will also show that the BHT security measurement has a low to modest amount of performance overhead basing on the test results from a variety of synthetic and real world benchmarks.
Gravitational Two-Body Problem with Acceleration-Dependent Spin Terms

We generalize our previous work, on the gravitational two-body post-Newtonian Lagrangian with spin and parametrized post-Newtonian parameters γ and β, by addingaccelerationdependent spin terms corresponding to anarbitrary spin supplementary condition. For the purpose of constructing the corresponding Hamiltonian we make use of our recently developedmethod of the double zero. Using this method, we remove the acceleration-dependent spin terms from the Lagrangian and, in the process, create new non-accelerationdependent terms. Use of this new Lagrangian enables us to construct the Hamiltonian corresponding to the arbitrary spin supplementary condition. Energy constants of the motion are also discussed.
Phase Coexistence Curves for Off-lattice Polymer-Solvent Mixtures: Gibbs-Duhem Integration Simulations

The Gibbs-Duhem integration scheme is combined with the osmotic Gibbs-ensemble simulation method presented in previous work [Brennan, J.K. and Madden, W.G. "Phase coexistence curves for off-lattice polymer-solvent mixtures: Gibbs-ensemble simulations." Macromolecules , 2002, 35, 2827.] to calculate the phase coexistence of a polymer-solvent mixture. Gibbs-Duhem integration simulations are carried out at temperatures for which the osmotic Gibbs-ensemble method is not valid because the solvent-rich phase contains a significant amount of polymer. This combined strategy allows for the calculation of the full coexistence curve for polymer-solvent systems in the continuum. An alternative formulation of the Gibbs-Duhem integration algorithm is also presented. A major strength of the technique is that neither chain insertions nor deletions are required. The method allows for the calculation of the phase behavior of polymer-solvent mixtures containing long chains or branched and networked chains not previously pos...
Transitional cell metaplasia of the cervix: A newly described entity in cervicovaginal smears

Transitional cell metaplasia (TCM) of the cervix is rarely reported in the pathology literature. To our knowledge, no case reports describing TCM in cervicovaginal smears exist. We report the cytologic features of TCM and compare them with squamous-cell carcinoma in situ (CIS), tubal metaplasia (TM), and atrophy. One hundred twenty-seven cervicovaginal smears from 31 patients with histologically proven cervical TCM were reviewed: seven smears (five patients) showed TCM. Five smears each of CIS, TM, and atrophy were evaluated as to architecture, nuclear features, nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios, and cytoplasmic haloes for comparison to TCM. The features that characterize TCM and allow its distinction from CIS, TM, and atrophy include cohesive groups of streaming spindled nuclei with haloes, grooves, tapered ends, and wrinkled contours.
Circulation of labeled albumin through the aortic wall of the dog

Data are presented which support the concept that albumin enters the inner layer of the aortic wall by passage from the lumen of the aorta across the intimal endothelium. The rate of movement of albumin from serum into the aortic wall is much greater proximally where the aorta is wide than distally where it is narrow. Thus the rate correlates with the circumferential tension to which the aortic wall is subjected. The hypothesis is advanced that circumferential tension acts as a major determinant of transendothelial transfer of proteins into the aorta by widening the endothelial intercellular spaces through which the transfer occurs.
Brief Incubations of Mixed Ruminal Bacteria: Effects of Anaerobiosis and Sources of Nitrogen and Carbon

Abstract A series of brief in vitro incubations with mixed rumen bacterial populations was conducted. Aerobic, aerobic plus cysteine-sulfide, and anaerobic plus cysteine-sulfide treatments using either McDougall's or Starvation-survival buffer were compared for their effectiveness in preparing a mixed rumen bacterial inoculum from rumen contents. The results showed that the absence of strict anaerobiosis resulted in partial loss of cellulolytic and amylolytic bacterial groups. In incubations containing a mixture of carbohydrates and various nitrogen sources, urea plus acid-hydrolyzed casein was the best for maintaining normal proportions of carbohydrate-specific bacterial groups and appeared to enhance growth of cellulolytic and xylanolytic groups. With urea plus acid-hydrolyzed casein as the nitrogen source, effects of individual carbohydrate sources were monitored. Glucose, cellobiose, and soluble starch incubations were predominated by Streptococcus bovis -like bacteria within 3h and resulted in disappearance of the cellulolytic bacterial group. In contrast, pectin or xylan plus xylose as carbon sources allowed a normal, rumen-like fermentation to continue and enhanced growth of cellulolytic and xylanolytic groups. The importance of these findings in relation to research with mixed ruminal bacteria is discussed.
Methodological Concerns About the Education Value-Added Assessment System

Value-added models help to evaluate the knowledge that school districts, schools, and teachers add to student learning as students progress through school. In this article, the well-known Education Value-Added Assessment System (EVAAS) is examined. The author presents a practical investigation of the methodological issues associated with the model. Specifically, she argues that, although EVAAS is probably the most sophisticated value-added model, it has flaws that must be addressed before widespread adoption. She explores in depth the shortage of external reviews and validity studies of the model, its insufficient user-friendliness, and methodological issues about missing data, regression to the mean, and student background variables. She also examines a paradigm case in which the model was used to advance unfounded assertions.
Perceptions of neighborhood environment for physical activity: Is it “who you are” or “where you live?”

Lack of physical activity among American adults is a serious public health concern. Many factors influence activity levels, and most research has focused on either individual factors, such as race and income, or on characteristics of the physical environement, such as the availability of parks. Our study used a cross-sectional multilevel design to examine the influences of individual-and neighborhood-level characteristics on participant’s perceptions of their neighborhood as an appropriate venue for physical activity. Study participants were 1,073 African American and white adults living in the St. Louis, Missouri, metropolitan area. Individual-level information was gathered from self-administered questionnaires; neighborhood-level data for these same individuals were obtained from the 2000 US Census. We found that both individual and neighborhood characteristics were significant predictors of how individuals perceived physical activity opportunities in their neighborhood, and that African Americans perceived their neighborhoods as less safe and less pleasant for physical activity than did whites, regardless of the racial composition of the neighborhood. We suggest that any evaluation of opportunities for physical activity within a neighborhood should includd consideration of resident’s perceptions of the safety and pleasantness of using them, and that the role of perceived and actual neighborhood conditions in explaining disparities in physical activity between African American and other populations should be examined further.
Cloning, solubilization, and characterization of squalene synthase from Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1

Squalene synthase (SQS) is a bifunctional enzyme that catalyzes the condensation of two molecules of farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) to give presqualene diphosphate (PSPP) and the subsequent rearrangement of PSPP to squalene. These reactions constitute the first pathway-specific steps in hopane biosynthesis in Bacteria and sterol biosynthesis in Eukarya. The genes encoding SQS were isolated from the hopane-producing bacteria Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, and Zymomonas mobilis and cloned into an Escherichia coli expression system. The expressed proteins with a His6 tag were found exclusively in inclusion bodies when no additives were used in the buffer. After extensive optimization, soluble recombinant T. elongatus BP-1 SQS was obtained when cells were disrupted and purified in buffers containing glycerol. The recombinant B. japonicum and Z. mobilis SQSs could not be solubilized under any of the expression and purification conditions used. Purified T. elongatus His6-SQS gave a single band at 42 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and molecular ion at m/z 41886 by electrospray mass spectrometry. Incubation with FPP and NADPH gave squalene as the sole product. Incubation of the enzyme with [14C]FPP in the absence of NADPH gave PSPP. The enzyme requires Mg2+ for activity, has an optimum pH of 7.6, and is strongly stimulated by detergent. Under optimal conditions, the Km of FPP is 0.97 ± 0.10 μM and the kcat is 1.74 ± 0.04 s−1. Zaragozic acid A, a potent inhibitor of mammalian, fungal, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae SQSs, also inhibited recombinant T. elongatus BP-1 SQS, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 95.5 ± 13.6 nM.
IT HURTS TO BE A GIRL Growing Up Poor, White, and Female

In this article, the author asserts that a group of poor white middle school young women in the postindustrial urban Northeast are living among high concentrations of domestic violence. Many of these females are constructing futures characterized by jobs and self-sufficiency. As their narrations indicate, such plans are fueled by the hope that by living independent lives as single career women, they will bypass the domestic violence that currently rips through their own and their mothers' lives. By not critically exploring the issue of violence against women in classrooms, the author argues that schools become implicated in the silencing and “normalizing” of abuse. This analysis is one piece of a large-scale ethnographic study in which the production of identities among poor white urban girls and boys is explored.
West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease: neurological manifestations and prospective longitudinal outcomes

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus that has caused ongoing seasonal epidemics in the United States since 1999. It is estimated that ≤1% of WNV-infected patients will develop neuroinvasive disease (West Nile encephalitis and/or myelitis) that can result in debilitating morbidities and long-term sequelae. It is essential to collect longitudinal information about the recovery process and to characterize predicative factors that may assist in therapeutic decision-making in the future. We report a longitudinal study of the neurological outcomes (as measured by neurological examination, Glascow Coma Scale, and Modified Mini-Mental State Examination) for 55 subjects with WNV neuroinvasive disease (confirmed by positive CSF IgM) assessed on day 7, at discharge, and on days 14, 30, and 90. The neurological outcome measures were coma (presence and degree), global cognitive status, presence of cranial neuropathy, tremors and/or weakness. At initial clinical presentation 93% presented with a significant neurological deficit (49% with weakness, 35% with tremor, and 16% with cranial neuropathy). The number of patients with a cognitive deficit fell from 25 at initial evaluation to 9 at their last evaluation. Cranial neuropathy was present in 9 at onset and in only 4 patients at study conclusion. Of the 19 patients who had a tremor at enrollment, 11 continued to exhibit a tremor at follow-up. Seven patients died after initial enrollment in the study, with 5 of those having presented in a coma. The factors that predict either severity or long-term recovery of neurological function include age (older individuals were weaker at follow-up examination), gender (males recovered better from coma), and presentation in a coma with cranial nerve deficits (had a poorer recovery particularly with regard to cognition). This study represents one of the largest clinical investigations providing prospectively-acquired neurological outcomes data among American patients with WNV central nervous system disease. The findings show that the factors that influence prognosis from the initial presentation include age, gender, and specific neurological deficits at onset. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00138463 and NCT00069316 .
Single crystalline GaAs nanoneedles grown on 46% lattice-mismatched sapphire with bright luminescence

Catalyst-free GaAs nanoneedles are grown on a c-plane sapphire substrate at 400°C using MOCVD. Despite of an extremely large lattice mismatch of 46%, the nanoneedles show single wurtzite-phase and bright room-temperature photoluminescence with narrow linewidths.
Impact of the structure of agricultural production to the financial health of farms

The first part of the paper deals with the influence of individual commodities on the profitability and risks of farms. Production structure was given thought share of twelve basic crops in total agricultural production yield. Volume of accumulated profit for five-year income was chosen as viability criterion. The research did not show that specialization in one of the commodities had significantly influenced achieved profitability. The only exception is the production of milk, which clearly lead to lower profitability. Production structure determined the risk of farms. Farms were constantly threatened by both negative profitability, and also steep fluctuations of cash flow (in other of long-term positive profitability), leading to temporary loss of solvency. The analysis showed that different types of production structures lead to different types of threats. The probability of falling into production losses, or that the loss is so great that not even cover variable costs (a farm finds itself under the point of termination of production) was calculated using the EaR method. The results again supported previous findings. Loss is highly likely to be achieved in commodities of animal production. For commodities of crop production the probability of loss was roughly a half, but the probability of exceeding a period of variable costs is higher.
Chromosomal and cardiovascular anomalies associated with congenital laryngeal web.

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to estimate the frequency of chromosomal and cardiovascular anomalies associated with a congenital laryngeal web. Methods: We reviewed our experience with 25 patients who underwent intervention for a symptomatic congenital laryngeal web between 1988 and 2000, in order to investigate the frequency of associated chromosomal and cardiovascular anomalies. Twelve patients underwent cytogenetic evaluation, including seven that were tested for a chromosome 22q11 deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Results: Chromosomal abnormalities were detected in seven of the 12 patients in whom cytogenetic evaluation was performed (28% of the entire cohort), including a chromosome 22q11 deletion in six and trisomy 21 in one. Associated cardiovascular anomalies were diagnosed in nine of the 25 patients, most commonly aortic arch anomalies. Of the patients with cardiovascular anomalies, 55% also had chromosomal alterations, and 71% of patients with chromosomal alterations also had a cardiovascular defect, of which four had the triad of a congenital laryngeal web, a chromosome 22q11 deletion, and congenital cardiovascular anomalies. Conclusions: Chromosomal and cardiovascular anomalies are common in patients with a congenital laryngeal web. A chromosome 22q11 deletion was particularly common, as were the cardiovascular anomalies associated with the chromosome 22q11 deletion syndrome. Accordingly, patients with a congenital laryngeal web should undergo genetic screening, including evaluation for a chromosome 22q11 deletion, and a thorough cardiovascular evaluation, including imaging of the aortic arch. Particular attention should be paid to identifying patients with the triad of a congenital laryngeal web, a chromosome 22q11 deletion, and cardiovascular anomalies, particularly a vascular ring.
Phenylephrine-induced atypical chest pain in patients with prolapsing mitral valve leaflets.

Abstract The syndrome of midsystolic click and late systolic murmur is usually associated with mild mitral regurgitation. Since patients with the click-murmur syndrome often have atypical chest pain we considered the possibility that alterations in afterload, which affect myocardial oxygen demand, may be partially responsible for this precordial discomfort. Systolic arterial pressure and electrocardiographic and phonocardiographic recordings were monitored before and during intravenous infusion of phenylephrine in 21 patients with the click-murmur syndrome, 9 of whom gave a history of atypical precordial pain. An identical protocol was carried out in nine control patients, three of whom had a history of atypical chest discomfort. In each patient with the click-murmur syndrome the diagnosis was confirmed by two or more of these findings: (1) a typical phonocardiographic response to the Valsalva maneuver, inhalation of amyl nitrite or a postural change, (2) a characteristic echocardiogram, or (3) a diagnostic left ventriculogram. During phenylephrine infusion 8 of the 9 patients with the clickmurmur syndrome and a previous history of chest pain had precordial discomfort, whereas none of the other 12 patients with the syndrome had pain ( P
Modern Logic and Tasks for Experiments on Problem Solving Behavior

(1954). Modern Logic and Tasks for Experiments on Problem Solving Behavior. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 38, No. 1, pp. 151-160.
Knowledge-based management support: an application to the IS change agent role problem

Abstract This paper explores how the change agent role problem can be detected and alleviated with the help of a knowledge-based support tool. The mismatch between MIS specialist change agent role style and IS environment is a complex problem to solve. The problem results when the MIS specialist's role outlines responsibilities that cannot possibly manage the change and related uncertainty surrounding an IS initiative. MIS specialists are classified by change agent roles that reflect varying types of responsibility for social and technological change. Evaluation of IS environment constructs provide the MIS specialist with a formal way to compare the different IS change agent roles to moderate IS uncertainty, thereby increasing the likelihood of IS success. The relevant IS change agentry relationships are identified from a literature review. Results from a multiple case study were used to develop and validate a conceptual model of the IS change agentry application domain. Based on this model, a suitable knowledge representation scheme is developed that provides a high level structure to the IS change agent role application domain and also guides the reasoning process. The proposed approach supports the interpretation of domain relationships applicable when choosing among change agent roles. Therefore, it could be used by IS specialists proactively to facilitate the analysis of complex domain facts prior to committing resources to a change agent role. The approach is illustrated with case data. Managerial implications of the study are discussed.
PODS: a new model and processing algorithms for uncertain data streams

Uncertain data streams, where data is incomplete, imprecise, and even misleading, have been observed in many environments. Feeding such data streams to existing stream systems produces results of unknown quality, which is of paramount concern to monitoring applications. In this paper, we present the PODS system that supports stream processing for uncertain data naturally captured using continuous random variables. PODS employs a unique data model that is flexible and allows efficient computation. Built on this model, we develop evaluation techniques for complex relational operators, i.e., aggregates and joins, by exploring advanced statistical theory and approximation. Evaluation results show that our techniques can achieve high performance while satisfying accuracy requirements, and significantly outperform a state-of-the-art sampling method. A case study further shows that our techniques can enable a tornado detection system (for the first time) to produce detection results at stream speed and with much improved quality.
Validity of Self-Reported Substance Use in Men Who Have Sex With Men: Comparisons With a General Population Sample

Purpose To understand the validity of self-reported recent drug use in men who have sex with men (MSM). Methods We obtained a probability sample of Chicago men who have sex with men (MSM; n = 216) and administered urine and saliva drug testing after a self-administered interview. Analyses examined participation in drug testing, the agreement between self-reported past month drug use and drug test results, correlates of underreporting, and the relative utility of drug testing versus self-reports in identifying recent marijuana and cocaine use. For marijuana and cocaine, findings were compared with those obtained from a general population sample of men (n = 241). Results More than three quarters of the participants in both samples provided at least one specimen for drug testing. Self reports in both samples showed a high degree of correspondence with drug tests for marijuana but not for cocaine. Sensitivity for cocaine use reporting was 60% for the MSM sample and 40% for the general-population men. Conditional kappa and sensitivity statistics for marijuana, cocaine, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (i.e., MDMA, “ecstacy”), and methamphetamine suggested that self reports among MSM are provided with a high degree of validity. Underreporting was a correlate of social class (education, income, and employment) in the general population but not in the MSM sample. The utility of drug testing was dependent on social class in the general population sample. Conclusions Drug testing is feasible in epidemiological surveys of drug use. Self reports among MSM are at least as valid as those provided by a general population sample of men. In some instances (e.g., cocaine use), they may actually be of higher quality. Although the findings support the merit of epidemiological studies of MSM drug use that have relied completely on self-reporting, drug tests may be useful for clarifying club drug ingestion patterns.
Anti-inflammatory interventions in pregnancy: now and the future.

Summary A growing body of evidence implicates inflammatory pathways in adverse reproductive outcomes. This expanding evidence suggests that anti-inflammatory interventions may hold promise in reducing the maternal and neonatal morbidities and mortalities associated with these obstetrical complications. Preterm birth, preeclampsia, pregnancy loss and adverse neonatal outcomes have all been associated with the activation of inflammatory pathways during pregnancy. Because of the number of observational human studies, as well as animal models of preterm birth, the mechanisms by which inflammation may promote preterm parturition and adverse effects on the fetus are beginning to be elucidated. Although the future use of anti-inflammatory interventions in this context holds significant promise, much research is still warranted. Only when the pathogenesis of obstetrical complications is more fully understood can meaningful therapeutic interventions become a realistic goal.
Diabetes self-care maintenance, comorbid conditions and perceived health

Background: The rising global prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) has made it increasingly important for healthcare providers to examine how amenable factors beyond optimal medical care might influence health outcomes. DM self-care maintenance (SCM) is an important influential component of overall care, and perceived health is an important subjective health outcome. However, the relationship between DM SCM and perceived health has not been examined extensively. Aim: To study the relationship between DM SCM and perceived health. Methods: A secondary analysis was performed using cross-sectional descriptive self-reported data from 1154 adults with DM living in Pennsylvania. Multivariate hierarchical logistic regression modelling was used to determine whether better SCM was significantly associated with better perceived health, controlling for the influence of sociodemographics and comorbid conditions. Results: Higher levels of engagement in SCM (healthier diet and more exercise) were significantly associated with better perceived health. Three comorbid conditions included in the model were associated with worse perceived health. Conclusion: Our data suggest that interventions designed to improve outcomes for patients with DM should take into account the relationship between SCM and perceived health. Although further research is needed to replicate our findings in more heterogeneous patient populations, nurses should consider improving SCM as a means of improving health outcomes, such as health status in patients with DM. Eur Diabetes Nursing 2009; 6(2): 65‐68
Spintronics search engines

We present a novel design concept for spintronic nanoelectronics that emphasizes a seamless integration of spin-based memory and logic circuits. The building blocks are magneto-logic gates [1,2] based on a hybrid graphene/ferromagnet material system. We use network search engines as a technology demonstration vehicle and present a spin-based circuit design with smaller area and lower energy consumption than the state-of-the-art CMOS counterparts. This design can also be applied in applications such as data compression, coding and image recognition. In the proposed scheme, over 100 spin-based logic operations are carried out before any need for a spin-charge conversion. Consequently, supporting CMOS electronics requires little power consumption. The spintronic-CMOS integrated system can be implemented on a single 3-D chip. These nonvolatile logic circuits hold potential for a paradigm shift in computing applications.
Bounded parameter Markov decision processes with average reward criterion

Bounded parameter Markov Decision Processes (BMDPs) address the issue of dealing with uncertainty in the parameters of a Markov Decision Process (MDP). Unlike the case of an MDP, the notion of an optimal policy for a BMDP is not entirely straightforward. We consider two notions of optimality based on optimistic and pessimistic criteria. These have been analyzed for discounted BMDPs. Here we provide results for average reward BMDPs. We establish a fundamental relationship between the discounted and the average reward problems, prove the existence of Blackwell optimal policies and, for both notions of optimality, derive algorithms that converge to the optimal value function.
A New Algorithm for Measuring and Optimizing the Manipulability Index

The estimation of the performance characteristics of robot manipulators is crucial in robot application and design. Furthermore, studying the manipulability index for every point within the workspace of any serial manipulator is considered an important problem. Such studies are required for designing trajectories to avoid singular configurations. In this paper, a new method for measuring the manipulability index is proposed, and then some simulations are performed on different industrial manipulators such as the Puma 560 manipulator, a six DOF manipulator and the Mitsubishi Movemaster manipulator.
Association of fish oil supplement use with preservation of brain volume and cognitive function

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of fish oil supplements (FOSs) is associated with concomitant reduction in cognitive decline and brain atrophy in older adults. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study to examine the relationship between FOS use during the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative and indicators of cognitive decline. Older adults (229 cognitively normal individuals, 397 patients with mild cognitive impairment, and 193 patients with Alzheimer's disease) were assessed with neuropsychological tests and brain magnetic resonance imaging every 6 months. Primary outcomes included (1) global cognitive status and (2) cerebral cortex gray matter and hippocampus and ventricular volumes. Results FOS use during follow-up was associated with significantly lower mean cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale and higher Mini-Mental State Examination scores among those with normal cognition. Associations between FOS use and the outcomes were observed only in APOE e4–negative participants. FOS use during the study was also associated with less atrophy in one or more brain regions of interest.
International surgical clerkship rotation: perceptions and academic performance

Abstract Background Concerns about international training experiences in medical school curricula include the effect on student learning. We studied the educational effect of an international elective integrated into a traditional third-year (M3) surgical clerkship. Methods A 1-week surgical elective in Haiti was available to M3 students during the conventional 8-week surgical clerkship each year for the 4 academic years 2008 to 2011. The authors collected student and surgeon perceptions of the elective using a mixed-methods web-based survey. Statistical analysis compared the academic performance of participating M3s relative to nonparticipating peers. Results Twenty-eight (100%) students (41 trip weeks) and 3 (75%) surgeons responded. Twenty-five (89%) students believed the elective provided appropriate clinical training. Surgeon responses were consistent with students' reported perceptions. Strengths included unique clinical experiences and close interactions with faculty. Criticisms included recurring overwhelming clinical responsibilities and lack of local provider involvement. Academic performance of participants versus nonparticipants in the same clerkship term were statistically insignificant. Conclusions This study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating global health experiences into traditional medical student clinical curricula. The effects on less tangible attributes such as leadership skills, fostering teamwork, and cultural competency require future investigation.