cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A suspected case of ulnar tunnel syndrome relieved by chiropractic extremity adjustment methods.

Abstract Background There has been little published about ulnar tunnel syndrome (UTS) as it relates to the practice of chiropractic, despite chiropractors' apparent interest in nerve compression syndromes and a growing trend toward providing chiropractic extremity care. This syndrome is not very common and could be mistaken for carpal tunnel syndrome by practitioners who are not aware of the differences. Objective To discuss the case of a patient with ulnar tunnel syndrome whose symptoms were resolved by chiropractic extremity adjustment. Clinical features A 45-year-old female patient complained of numbness in her little finger. Standard orthopedic testing procedures for the wrist and hand reproduced the symptom, but tests for the cervical spine and thoracic outlet region were negative. Intervention and outcome Care for this patient consisted of adjustment procedures directed to the wrist, primarily the hamate and pisiform articulations with the triquetrum. Her symptoms were resolved in 4 office visits, with corresponding improvement in examination findings. Conclusions This case report represents what a patient could expect during a typical chiropractic treatment. The examination and the care given were simple and cost-effective but might not be sufficient for a more complicated or persistent case. The costs for the care in this case were borne solely by the patient and were affordable. Hard conclusions cannot be reached without more sophisticated diagnostic procedures, additional similar cases, and controlled research conditions.
A Mountain Too Far? The Saga of Social Security Personal Accounts

As a pay-as-you-go system, Social Security faces severe long-term financing challenges stemming from a rapidly growing retirement population, continued low fertility rates, and increased longevity. Unfortunately, the political debate in the U.S. over how to “fix” Social Security has become polarized. Republicans, led by the Bush Administration, have argued for partial advance funding of Social Security through the establishment of voluntary personal accounts and a scaling back of the index formula used to establish initial benefits for higher income workers. Democrats have vigorously attacked personal account proposals as attempts to “privatize” Social Security. After reviewing historical consideration of personal accounts and the current debate over them, the paper concludes that personal accounts funded through the diversion of payroll taxes supporting traditional benefits are not politically viable and are impeding bipartisan discussions over ways to address Social Security's solvency. The paper endorses a strategy proposed by Senator Robert Bennett (R-Utah) to engage in negotiations with Democrats over solvency measures separately from consideration of personal accounts.
Regression-based prediction of long-term outcome following multidisciplinary rehabilitation for traumatic brain injury

Abstract Studied 100 patients (62 males, 38 females) who had sustained traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in an automobile accident. Patients were a mean age of 27 years (SD = 16.8) and were 6.2 years (SD = 1.7) postinjury. All patients were covered by no-fault automobile insurance in the state of Michigan and had unlimited access to services and treatments as mandated by state law. Patient files were randomly selected from a catastrophic claims office, a reinsuring association established by the Michigan legislature in conjunction with auto no-fault law. Time postinjury was inversely related to virtually all outcome domains assessed. Treatment variables considering both duration and costs, produced little or no significant increase in the prediction of long-term functional outcome, and in the majority of cases were inversely related to outcome. Patients receiving the longest duration of treatment and accumulating the greatest treatment costs displayed the poorest outcome ratings in this sample; some shorter ...
Creation of Nanocrystals Through a Solid-Solid Phase Transition Induced by an STM Tip

A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was used to fabricate T-phase tantalum diselenide (TaSe 2 ) nanocrystals with sizes ranging from 7 to more than 100 nanometers within the surface layer of 2H-TaSe 2 crystals at liquid helium temperature. Atomic-resolution images elucidate the structural changes between T- and H-phase regions and were used to develop an atomic model that describes a pathway for the production of T-phase nanocrystals from the H-phase crystal precursor through a solid-solid phase transition. The size-dependent properties of these nanocrystals may lead to improved understanding of the physics of charge density waves in small structures.
Injuries to belted older children in motor vehicle crashes.

Abstract Context The American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration currently recommend that, unless they are under 57 in. in height, 8–12-year-old children use seat belts and all should ride in the rear seats of vehicles. These recommendations assume that the vehicle seat belt should provide adequate protection for these older children in the event of a crash. Objectives To describe characteristics of older children in the rear seat using seat belts in crashes, to estimate their risk and body region distribution of injury, and to identify risk factors for injury. Methods A representative sample of 6680 seat belt-restrained occupants, 8–12 years of age, seated in the rear seat during crashes involving insured vehicles in 16 US states between December 1998 and December 2007. A telephone interview was conducted with the driver of each vehicle. The main outcome was the parent-reported injury defined as Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 2 or greater injuries. Results The risk of injury for belted 8–12 year olds in the rear seat was 1.3%. Head injury was the most common injury (60%), followed by injuries to the face (9%), upper extremity (9%) and abdomen (9%). One out of five (21%) 8–12 year olds either did not use the shoulder portion of the vehicle seat belt or placed it incorrectly behind their back or under their arm. Bivariate analyses indicated a higher risk of injury for these children (1.8%) as compared to children using both the lap and shoulder portions of the seat belt (1.1%). However, this difference was not statistically significant when other risk factors such as crash severity and characteristics of the driver were considered. Conclusions Injuries to the head, face, abdomen and upper extremity are the most common injuries to target for improved protection among 8–12 year olds in seat belts. Driver and crash characteristics are important risk factors for injury. A recent federal motor vehicle safety standard requiring lap and shoulder belts in all rear seat positions has the potential to further decrease the risk of injury to older children using seat belts.
Ultrasound-Guided Stellate Ganglion Block: Safety and Efficacy

Cervical sympathetic and stellate ganglion blocks (SGB) provide a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic benefit to sympathetically maintained pain syndromes in the head, neck, and upper extremity. With the ongoing efforts to improve the safety of the procedure, the techniques for SGB have evolved over time, from the use of the standard blind technique, to fluoroscopy, and recently to the ultrasound (US)-guided approach. Over the past few years, there has been a growing interest in the ultrasound-guided technique and the many advantages that it might offer. Fluoroscopy is a reliable method for identifying bony surfaces, which facilitates identifying the C6 and C7 transverse processes. However, this is only a surrogate marker for the cervical sympathetic trunk. The ideal placement of the needle tip should be anterolateral to the longus colli muscle, deep to the prevertebral fascia (to avoid spread along the carotid sheath) but superficial to the fascia investing the longus colli muscle (to avoid injecting into the muscle substance). Identifying the correct fascial plane can be achieved with ultrasound guidance, thus facilitating the caudal spread of the injectate to reach the stellate ganglion at C7-T1 level, even if the needle is placed at C6 level. This allows for a more effective and precise sympathetic block with the use of a small injectate volume. Ultrasound-guided SGB may also improve the safety of the procedure by direct visualization of vascular structures (inferior thyroidal, cervical, vertebral, and carotid arteries) and soft tissue structures (thyroid, esophagus, and nerve roots). Accordingly, the risk of vascular and soft tissue injury may be minimized.
The effects of lithium on high energy phosphate and glucose levels in the rat superior cervical ganglion.

Abstract— The effects of acute treatment with lithium ion (25 mm) on the levels of ATP, phosphocreatine and glucose were measured in an in vitro preparation of rat superior cervical ganglion. Similar analyses were performed on ganglia from rats fed a chronic lithium diet (0.5 mm). Ganglia were excised and de-sheathed, then stimulated (5 Hz) or rested for 20, 40 or 80 min in normal or lithium-containing Krebs-Ringer bathing solutions. Following freeze drying, enzymatic pyridine nucleotide methods were used to measure fluorometrically ATP, phosphocreatine and glucose on portions of a ganglionic perchloric acid extract. After 20 min of incubation, normal ganglionic contents of ATP and phosphocreatine were higher than the initial zero time levels. Incubation for periods longer than 20 min resulted in ATP and phosphocreatine levels which were lower than those at zero time. Stimulation of normal ganglia caused a decrease in the contents of high-energy phosphates relative to those in the resting state. Except for the 20 min time period the ATP levels were lower than normal in ganglia from rats chronically fed lithium. Levels of ATP and phosphocreatine in ganglia acutely exposed to lithium were significantly lower than in both normal ganglia and ganglia from chronically-treated rats. In comparison to normal ganglia, significantly lower levels of glucose were found only for stimulated ganglia acutely exposed to lithium.
Luteal development, placentation, and plasma progesterone concentration in the viviparous lizard Sceloporus jarrovi

Abstract Corpus luteum development, placentation, and embryonic development were observed in pregnant viviparous lizards ( Sceloporus jarrovi ). Plasma progesterone concentration was also determined monthly during pregnancy using radioimmunoassay. S. jarrovi exhibits gonadal growth, ovulation, and fertilization in the autumn. Embryonic development occurs throughout the winter at a reduced rate. Four simultaneous events occur during the fourth month of pregnancy (March): (1) a significant decrease in the diameter of the corpora lutea, (2) the onset of rapid embryonic growth, (3) the formation of the chorioallantoic placenta, and (4) a marked increase in plasma progesterone concentration. These observations suggest that the corpora lutea are not the only source of progesterone during pregnancy in S. jarrovi , as they have degenerated when the major peak in progesterone concentration is observed. The most likely candidates for progesterone biosynthesis and secretion during pregnancy are the chorioallantoic placenta or the corpora atretica of this species.
The Respiratory Chain of Plant Mitochondria. II. Oxidative Phosphorylation in Skunk Cabbage Mitochondria

Mitochondria were prepared from the spadices of skunk cabbage ( Symplocarpus foetidus ) whose respiratory rate with succinate and malate showed 15% to 30% sensitivity to cyanide inhibition, and which showed respiratory control by added ADP. The observed respiratory control ratios ranged from 1.1 to 1.4. The change in pH of the mitochondrial suspension was recorded simultaneously with oxygen uptake: alkalinization of the medium, expected for phosphorylation of ADP, coincided with the period of acceleration in oxygen uptake caused by addition of an ADP aliquot. The ADP/O ratios obtained were 1.3 for succinate and 1.9 for malate. In the presence of 0.3 mm cyanide, the ADP/O ratio for succinate was zero, while that for malate was 0.7. These results are consistent with the existence of an alternate oxidase which interacts with the flavoprotein and pyridine nucleotide components of the respiratory chain and which, in the presence of cyanide, allows the first phosphorylation site to function with an efficiency of about 70%. In the absence of respiratory inhibitors, the efficiency of each phosphorylation site is also about 70%. This result implies that diversion of reducing equivalents through the alternate oxidase, thereby bypassing the 2 phosphorylation sites associated with the cytochrome components of these mitochondria, occurs to a negligible extent during the oxidative phosphorylation of ADP or State 3. Addition of ADP or uncoupler to skunk cabbage mitochondria respiring in the controlled state or State 4, results in reduction of cytochrome c and the oxidation of the cytochromes b , ubiquinone and pyridine nucleotide. A site of interaction of ADP with the respiratory chain between cytochromes b and cytochrome c is thereby identified by means of the crossover theorem. Flavoprotein measured by fluorescence is also oxidized upon addition of ADP or uncoupler, but flavoprotein measured by optical absorbance changes becomes more reduced under these conditions. Depletion of the mitochondria by pretreatment with ADP and uncoupler prevents reduction of most of the fluorescent flavoprotein by succinate. These results indicate that skunk cabbage mitochondria contain both high and low potential flavo-proteins characterized by different fluorescence/absorbance ratios similar to those demonstrated to be part of the respiratory chain in mitochondria from animal tissues.
Teaching critical thinking skills in IT using PINE-TRIZ

TRIZ is a structured approach stimulating innovative problem solving. Corporations use TRIZ to strengthen employees' critical thinking skills. This paper describes an ongoing effort at the University of South Carolina Upstate to use an extension of TRIZ, called PINE-TRIZ, to develop alternative, and analytical thinking skills in non-traditional information technology students. TRIZ principles are better suited for physical, chemical, and mechanical systems. PINE-TRIZ builds on TRIZ by adding innovation principles applicable to information systems and information technology. If successful, we will have developed a way to teach critical skills to students who have historically found it difficult to perform in mathematics and science courses, where these skills have traditionally been honed, and will open information technology programs up to a much wider student base.
The Osteopathic Physician and End-of-life Care

As modern medicine discovers more ways of prolonging life, Americans are indeed living longer, but there is a high price for longevity. In the United States, 41% of people die in hospitals and perhaps as many as 40% of Americans die in pain (though some studies suggest that the number in North America is closer to 50%). Pain often leads to and may contribute to a patient's suffering, especially in those with terminal illnesses. Is modern medical treatment so aggressive, so bent on saving life, that the quality of living (and dying) is compromised? Can medicine offer patients an alternative?
Action of nicotine on the respiratory activity of the diaphragm and genioglossus muscles and the nerves that innervate them

Nicotine is known to alter respiration by stimulating peripheral chemoreceptors and receptors within the brain. In this study the sites of action and the effects of nicotine on hypoglossal nerve activity were compared to its effects on phrenic activity in paralyzed, vagotomized and chloralose-anesthetized cats. Since anesthesia is known to affect respiratory responses, we also compared the effects of intravenous nicotine given to conscious unsedated cats on genioglossus and diaphragm electrical activity. In eight conscious animals intravenous doses of nicotine ranging between 10 ng and 200 micrograms increased genioglossus activity significantly more than diaphragm activity. Studies in 26 anesthetized animals included injection of nicotine, intravenously, in the lateral ventricles, and application of nicotine to the ventrolateral surface of the medulla (the putative site of the central chemoreceptors) before and after section of the carotid sinus nerves. With all these interventions, changes in hypoglossal nerve activity were significantly greater than changes in phrenic nerve activity. The responses to nicotine could be blocked by application of hexamethonium to the ventrolateral medullary surface or by cooling the same area. The results indicate that: nicotine increases hypoglossal nerve activity by both its peripheral and central effects; nicotine has differential effects on different respiratory muscles and nerves; and the central action of nicotine may be mediated largely through receptors located near the ventral medullary surface.
RNA helicase DDX21 coordinates transcription and ribosomal RNA processing

DEAD-box RNA helicases are vital for the regulation of various aspects of the RNA life cycle, but the molecular underpinnings of their involvement, particularly in mammalian cells, remain poorly understood. Here we show that the DEAD-box RNA helicase DDX21 can sense the transcriptional status of both RNA polymerase (Pol) I and II to control multiple steps of ribosome biogenesis in human cells. We demonstrate that DDX21 widely associates with Pol I- and Pol II-transcribed genes and with diverse species of RNA, most prominently with non-coding RNAs involved in the formation of ribonucleoprotein complexes, including ribosomal RNA, small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) and 7SK RNA. Although broad, these molecular interactions, both at the chromatin and RNA level, exhibit remarkable specificity for the regulation of ribosomal genes. In the nucleolus, DDX21 occupies the transcribed rDNA locus, directly contacts both rRNA and snoRNAs, and promotes rRNA transcription, processing and modification. In the nucleoplasm, DDX21 binds 7SK RNA and, as a component of the 7SK small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) complex, is recruited to the promoters of Pol II-transcribed genes encoding ribosomal proteins and snoRNAs. Promoter-bound DDX21 facilitates the release of the positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) from the 7SK snRNP in a manner that is dependent on its helicase activity, thereby promoting transcription of its target genes. Our results uncover the multifaceted role of DDX21 in multiple steps of ribosome biogenesis, and provide evidence implicating a mammalian RNA helicase in RNA modification and Pol II elongation control.
Using Cross-Cultural Dimensions Exercises to Improve and Measure Learning Outcomes in International Business Courses

This article proposes an approach for using cross-cultural dimensions exercises to improve and measure learning outcomes in international business courses. The following key issues are highlighted: (a) what are the targeted learning outcomes to be assessed, (b) how to measure the accomplishment of these learning outcomes, (c) the input measures needed to determine what the students had learned, and (d) the measurement process. Also, this article offers educators strategies for merging assurance of learning approaches into business courses that are integrative in nature, and an example on how to use cross-cultural dimensions exercises as a pedagogical tool for enhancing and measuring learning.
Unidirectional Laser Emission from Limacon Shaped Microdisk

We fabricated a new shape of microdisk which not only gives unidirectional output but also has high quality. All the lasing modes in such a cavity have the same output directionality.
Interpreting social-sexual behavior in a work setting

Abstract The influx of women into the work force, especially into nontraditional jobs, has facilitated interest in the topic of sexual harassment and, more generally, sexuality at work. Survey research data show disagreement about the interpretation of interactions between the sexes at work. This study was designed to learn more about the way people interpret ambiguous, but potentially sexual, interactions between the sexes in a work setting. Respondents were asked to evaluate a vignette depicting such an interaction. The vignettes were composed so that three dimensions were manipulated: the sex of the initiator of the behavior, the status of the initiator relative to the target, and the type of behavior. These manipulated dimensions, along with the sex of the respondent, were used as variables to examine the respondent's interpretation of the vignettes. Four-way ANOVAs showed that the independent variables were related to the evaluation of the relationship between the initiator and the target, the evaluation of the behavior, the appropriateness of the behavior, and the likelihood of the behavior. Men interpreted the vignettes more positively than did women. Incidents initiated by women were viewed more positively. Those initiated by persons with higher status than the target were seen less positively. Respondents, especially women, considered incidents that included touching to be negative. This was especially so when the touching was combined with a comment on work, and this effect was exacerbated when the behavior was initiated by a male and/or higher status person.
The Scholar: A Species Threatened by Professions

Progress cannot be reversed; what it has killed, we cannot restore to life. Professionalism, like pollution, is here to stay. Nonetheless, the fact that professionalism and pollution are facts does not force us to welcome and implement them. Indeed, there are those who would accelerate “progress”, their effective definition of which is what is going to happen willwe nillwe. I wonder why progressive thinkers do not, since it is inevitable we shall all die one day, advocate present universal suicide.
Genetic maps of microsatellite and single‐nucleotide polymorphism markers: Are the distances accurate?

Genetic maps play an important role in gene mapping. Inaccurate genetic maps can hinder gene mapping by biasing lod scores and reducing the power to map a trait to a particular region. Although sequence-based physical maps can provide a unique order for markers, they do not provide information on genetic map distances. By simulation studies, I investigated how many meioses are necessary to accurately estimate genetic map distances for maps constructed from microsatellite and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers for various intermarker distances and marker heterozygosity. To evaluate the accuracy of the generated genetic maps, the length of the 95% confidence interval for intermarker genetic distances was examined. In addition, the power to separate two adjacent markers by a nonzero map distance was investigated. The number of meioses necessary to accurately estimate map distances depends greatly not only on intermarker distances but also on marker heterozygosity. For example, for a genetic map with intermarker distances of 0.5 cM generated with 1,000 meioses, when marker heterozygosity was high (0.90), for 96% of the markers there was a nonzero map distance between adjacent markers. However, when marker heterozygosity was low (0.32), only 48% of the markers mapped to a unique position. For identical numbers of meioses and intermarker distances, genetic maps constructed from microsatellite markers will be more precise than maps assembled from SNP markers, due to the higher levels of heterozygosity for microsatellite markers.
Construction of PCR Primers to Detect and Distinguish Eimeria spp. in Northern Bobwhites and a Survey of Eimeria on Gamebird Farms in the United States

Coccidiosis is an important disease in captive gamebirds, including northern bobwhites (Colinusvirginianus). Three Eimeria species, Eimeria lettyae, Eimeria dispersa, and Eimeria colini, have been described in bobwhites. Distinguishing the various Eimeria spp. is often problematic because of similarity in oocyst morphology and site of infection and thus requires live bird infections to distinguish between the coccidian species. To aid in identification and diagnosis, PCR specific primers were generated against the internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS-1) of the ribosomal RNA gene using sequences obtained from coccidian-positive samples collected from diagnostic cases or litter from captive bobwhites. Three distinct Eimeria spp. were detected. Species-specific primers were constructed and used to survey the prevalence of the species in 31 samples collected from 13 states. The primers survey results identified E. lettyae, E. dispersa, and Eimeria sp. in 20 (64.5%), 22 (71%), and 29 (93.5%) of the samples, respectively. Mixed infections were common: 13 (41.9%) samples had 3 Eimeria spp., 14 (45.2%) had 2 spp., and 4 (12.9%) samples had only 1 species. The species were widely distributed over the area sampled and were not associated with the age of the flock.
Determinants of black interstate migration, 1965-70 and 1975-80.

This paper presents and tests a regression-based model of black interstate migration. Explanatory variables include characteristics of origins and destinations, distance, and two migrant stock measures. The model is tested using black interstate migration flows published by the U.S. Bureau of the Census for 1965–70 and 1975–80. Three findings stand out. Firstly, the stock measures are strong determinants of black migration. They tap behavioral processes that channelize black migration streams, including information flows through familial and social networks and return migration. Secondly, the migrant stock measures attenuate effects of other explanatory variables indicating that other variables influence current migration both directly and indirectly through the stock measures. Thirdly, changes in coefficients of explanatory variables between the two periods reflect shifts in black migration patterns that occurred during the 1970s.
NUMERICAL RELATIONS, SIMILARITY, AND SHORT-TERM RECOGNITION MEMORY FOR PAIRS OF DIGITS

Recognition memory for pairs of digits after a 6 sec interference task was superior for pairs containing a zero or one and for pairs consisting of two identical digits than for ‘ordinary’ pairs. Pairs consisting of digits in forward or backward sequence (e.g. 56 or 43) and pairs where one digit is a multiple of the other were remembered slightly better than ‘ordinary’ pairs. False recognition rates were highest for test pairs that had the highest degrees of ‘identical elements' similarity to the presented pair (two identical digits in reversed positions or one identical digit in the same position as in the presented pair). The results are discussed in terms of an associative theory of short-term recognition memory.
Personal Financial Behavior: The Influence of Quantitative Literacy and Material Values

Some consumers finance discretionary spending at extremely high interest rates. Many carry substantial balances on their credit cards at effective annual rates as high as 36 percent, and some pay annual rates on “pay day” loans as high as 400 percent. High interest debt can rapidly cascade into an overwhelming financial burden, threatening the consumer’s credit and long-term financial health. This survey study investigates how quantitative literacy may promote forward-looking financial decisions, decisions that recognize the long-term consequences of current choices and may favor the future over the present. In addition, we examine the consumer’s confidence in their quantitative skills. Confidence in working with numbers could help consumers think through the implications of their financing choices. Although quantitative literacy and consumer education matter, we propose that consumer values also may be important in explaining financial behavior. In particular, materialism may drive many American consumers to take on high levels of debt. Understanding consumer financing choices may require a better understanding of the consumption behavior that motivates those choices. Results from a diverse sample (n = 267) of consumers confirm that both quantitative literacy and subjective numeracy, the individual’s confidence in applying quantitative skills, are positively related to forward-looking financial behavior. The impact of materialism on financial behavior is largely mediated by impulsive consumption, the tendency to make frequent purchases without forethought or consideration of the financial consequences. Finally, subjective numeracy may encourage a less-impulsive, more-considered approach to consumption decisions.
Energy-Efficient Operation of Multicore Processors by DVFS, Task Migration, and Active Cooling

Energy efficiency has taken center stage in all aspects of computing, regardless of whether it is performed on a portable battery-powered device, a desktop PC, on servers in a data center, or on a supercomputer. It is expressed as performance-per-watt (PPW), which is equal to the number of instructions that are executed per Joule of energy. The shift to multicore processors, with tens or hundreds of cores on a single die requires that the operation of the cores be dynamically controlled to maximize the processor's overall energy efficiency. This paper presents a unified formulation and an efficient solution for this problem. The solution considers dynamic frequency and voltage scaling, thread migration, and active cooling as the means to control the cores. The solution method is efficient for a real-time implementation. The formulation includes accurate power and thermal models, temperature constraints, and accounts for the dependence of leakage power and circuit delay on temperature. The PPW metric is extended to Pα PW (performanceα-per-watt), which allows examining the tradeoffs between optimizing for performance versus optimizing for energy by varying . Simulation experiments assuming a four-core processor demonstrate that the derived control strategy can achieve 3.2× greater energy efficiency (i.e., executes more than three times the number of instructions per Joule) over the performance-optimal solution. The formulation and the efficiency of the solution method also allows for fast design space exploration. Specifically, it is shown how simply increasing the number of cores in a processor can significantly diminish its energy efficiency, and that there is an optimal number of cores that maximize the PPW. This number depends on the ratio of how much the power of an individual core is reduced by scaling, i.e., as the number of cores are increased. Finally, the proposed method is implemented on a quad-core Intel Sandy Bridge processor, and verified by running benchmarks. The experiments suggest that the proposed method results in an improvement of 37 percent over the current state-of-the-art energy-efficient schemes.
The ATP/AMP binding site of pyruvate, phosphate dikinase: selective modification with fluorescein isothiocyanate

Pyruvate,phosphate dikinase from Propionibacterium shermanii is strongly inhibited by fluorescein 5'-isothiocyanate (FITC). The time course of inactivation is biphasic, but the dependence of the pseudo-first-order rate constants on the inhibitor concentration indicates the formation of a reversible complex with the enzyme prior to covalent modification. The substrate/product nucleotide pairs MgATP and MgAMP protected against inactivation, while in the absence of Mg2+, both the nucleotides were ineffective. Previously, an essential lysine at the ATP/AMP subsite of the enzyme from Bacteroides symbiosus had been implicated by use of the 2',3'-dialdehyde of AMP (oAMP) [Evans, C. T., Goss, N. H., & Wood, H. G. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 5809]. The inhibition by FITC was competitive with MgAMP, and a multiple inhibition analysis plot indicated that binding of oAMP and FITC was mutually exclusive. These observations suggest that FITC and oAMP bind at the nucleotide binding site and probably to the same reactive lysine that is modified by oAMP. With peptide mapping by high-performance liquid chromatography, FITC was found to be a suitable probe for isolating the peptide from the ATP/AMP subsite.
Ambient and High-Pressure Structures of LiMnVO4and Its Mn3+/Mn2+Redox Energy

Abstract LiMnVO 4 has been prepared and shown, by Rietveld analysis, to be orthorhombic isostructural with Li 1.2 In 0.6 VO 4 ; it has a melting point of 784°C, and it transforms under a pressure of 55 kbar at 850°C to a 7.7% more dense cubic spinel phase V[LiMn]O 4 . The orthorhombic phase contains linear, ferromagnetic chains of Mn 2+ ions in edge-shared oxygen octahedra. The spinel has mostly octahedral Mn 2+ ions with evidence, below 50 K, of ferrimagnetic clusters associated with some terahedral-site Mn 2+ . Electrochemical delithiation of the spinel reveals a Mn 3+ /Mn 2+ couple located at ∼3.8 eV below the Fermi energy of elemental lithium, which indicates that the (VO 4 ) 3− tetrahedron behaves as a polyanion. This energy compares with 4.2 and 4.8 eV for the Co 3+ /Co 2+ and Ni 3+ /Ni 2+ couples in V[LiCo]O 4 and V[LiNi]O 4 , respectively.
Evaluation of a teacher's classroom performance using the Florida performance measurement system

Abstract This article documents the use of the screening and formative observation instruments of the Florida Performance Measurement System; a system whose content validity, reliability, and predictive validity has been established for use in evaluating beginning, certified, and master teachers. A videotaped lesson, taught by the Secretary of Education, William Bennett, was coded and the data analyzed by reference to the norms of high school teacher performance in Florida. The specific strengths and areas of potential improvement of the teacher's performance are identified and constructive changes in performance suggested.
One Dimensional, Linear Dynamic Electromechanical Responses of Ferroelectric Ceramics

In this paper we consider the coupled electromechanical responses of poled ferroelectric ceramics. Our considerations are linear as well as one dimensional. The constitutive relations which characterize the stress and the electric field in terms of the strain and the electric displacement reflect the fact that the responses of such a material are time dependent. These time dependent processes arise principally because domain switching, due to mechanical loadings and the application of external electric fields, does not occur instantaneously as well as due to other mechanical and electrical relaxation effects. We then formulate the boundary-initial value problems which correspond to the voltage mode, finite resistance, and pulse poling and depoling experiments. These problems are solved using Laplace transform technique, and numerical inversions of the transform solutions are obtained by utilizing the method outlined by Luke and Salzer.
Measuring the Permanent Component of a Series for Serially Correlated Observations

Abstract Alternative systems of negative binomial and binomial weights are proposed for measuring the permanent component of a series as a weighted average of the observed series. If the observed series is generated by a stable first-order autoregressive process it is shown that there are alternative sets of weights using either weighting scheme for which the permanent and transitory components are uncorrelated.
The Effect of Hen Diet and Chick Diet on the Need of Chicks for an Unidentified Growth Factor

Abstract IT HAS been demonstrated by numerous investigators that a number of products of marine origin exert a beneficial effect on the growth of chicks, when added to certain practical rations. Christiansen, Deobald, Halpin and Hart (1940), Carver and Evans (1943), Hammond and Titus (1944), in investigations of diets containing a high level of soybean oil meal found that the addition of fish meal to such a diet resulted in more rapid growth of chicks. Cravens, McGibbon and Halpin (1945) noted a similar growth promoting effect when fish press water and ground fish viscera were added to a chick ration composed of yellow corn, wheat by-products, meat scrap, soybean oil meal, minerals, fish oil and riboflavin. Berry, Carrick, Roberts and Hauge (1945) demonstrated that fish press water, fish liver meal and animal liver meal were satisfactory supplements to a chick diet containing all vegetable protein. They found further that the water . . .
Functional Speech Disorders and Personality: A Decade of Research.

This paper summarizes and evaluates the research literature published between 1958 and 1968, relating measured personality and adjustment to the functional (non-organic) speech problems of articula...
Sources of estuarine dissolved and particulate organic matter: A multi-tracer approach

Abstract Assessing the fate of organic matter (OM) in estuaries is challenging due to its numerous sources, diagenetic processing, and physical and biogeochemical sinks. In order to evaluate differences in the sources and potential transformations of OM, particulate organic matter (POM) and high molecular weight dissolved organic matter (HMW DOM (⩾3 kDa)) were characterized along the York River estuary (Virginia, USA) using lipid biomarker, elemental ratios, and stable isotope (δ13C and δ15N) analyses. Isotopic signatures of HMW DOM from the freshwater site were distinct from both its POM counterpart and HMW DOM from higher salinity regions of the estuary. Lipid compound classes were depleted in HMW DOM relative to POM. Saturated fatty acids (FA) dominated the dissolved organic pool while monounsaturated and polyunsaturated FA were the primary FA classes in POM. Concentrations of sterols diagnostic of allochthonous (i.e., plant/freshwater algae) sources were enriched in HMW DOM relative to the POM at higher salinities. Ternary plots based on FA biomarkers show that POM is characterized by contributions from polyunsaturated FA, labile compounds representing contributions from “fresh” phytoplankton/zooplankton sources. In contrast, FA in HMW DOM reflect bacterial and vascular plant signatures. Disparities in the composition of HMW DOM and POM likely reflect differences in the dominant biological sources, different susceptibilities to transformation and/or differential influences from abiotic processes (sorption–desorption, flocculation, etc.). Thus, the physical associations of OM (particulate vs. dissolved) may be a fundamental control on both the distribution and biogeochemical processing of OM whereby terrigenous DOM may be selectively exported while terrigenous POM is retained within the estuary. These observations have implications for the selective processing of different sources and forms of OM in rivers and estuaries prior to export to the coastal ocean.
Triplet repeat disorders: discussion of molecular mechanisms

Comparison of the growing number of disorders known to be associated with triplet repeat expansions reveals both common features and a diversity of molecular pathways. Despite significant progress towards the characterization of proteins coded by the mutant genes, the complex nature of these disorders requires identification of all molecular components of the triplet repeat pathways. In this brief review we will discuss recent progress in determining the molecular mechanisms of disorders with unstable trinucleotide mutations.
Epidemiology of community-acquired respiratory tract infections in adults: Incidence, etiology, and impact

Upper respiratory tract infections are the most common types of infectious diseases among adults. It is estimated that each adult in the United States experiences two to four respiratory infections annually. The morbidity of these infections is measured by an estimated 75 million physician visits per year, almost 150 million days lost from work, and more than $10 billion in costs for medical care. Serotypes of the rhinoviruses account for 20 to 30 percent of episodes of the common cold. However, the specific causes of most upper respiratory infections are undefined. Pneumonia remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality for nonhospitalized adults despite the widespread use of effective antimicrobial agents. There are no accurate figures on the number of episodes of pneumonia that occur each year in ambulatory patients. In younger adults, the atypical pneumonia syndrome is the most common clinical presentation; Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the most frequently identified causative agent. Other less common agents include Legionella pneumophila, influenza viruses, adenoviruses, and Chlamydia. More than half a million adults are hospitalized each year with pneumonia. Persons older than 65 years of age have the highest rate of pneumonia admissions, 11.5 per 1,000 population. Pneumonia ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. The pathogens responsible for community-acquired pneumonias are changing. Forty years ago, Streptococcus pneumoniae accounted for the majority of infections. Today, a broad array of community-acquired pathogens have been implicated as etiologic agents including Legionella species, gram-negative bacilli, Hemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus and nonbacterial pathogens. Given the diversity of pathogenic agents, it has become imperative for clinicians to establish a specific etiologic diagnosis before initiating therapy or to consider the diagnostic possibilities and treat with antimicrobial agents that are effective against the most likely pathogens.
Marketing Department Leadership: An Analysis of a Team Transformation

Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, the leadership style of a department chair in a marketing department that underwent a transformation in collegiality and research productivity is investigated. The leader™s unique leadership style was compared to published models, and a composite model was identified based on responses of faculty familiar with the leader. Rationale for the mechanism at work and suggestions for application are stressed.
Parallel and pipelined VLSI implementation of a staged decoder for BCM signals

This paper is devoted to VLSI implementation of a staged decoder for Block-Coded Modulation (BCM). We first review a general parallel and pipelined implementation of the decoder and we identify the parameters to be considered for optimization. A particular BCM scheme, based on the 8-PSK signal set, is chosen for a case study. Several ideas are described leading to a code-optimized design, and hardware implementation is shown. Next, we evaluate the performance of our design. In particular it is shown that, by exploiting regularity, a simple structure which achieves a throughput rate of 10 Mbps can be implemented by using 23 K transistors and 2Μ standard cells CMOS technology. Further optimization and simple stacking of ten processors on a single chip in a block-processing structure allows us to achieve a throughput rate of 100 Mbps with about 150 K transistors (38 K gates).
Spatial and temporal variations of persistent organic pollutants impacted by episodic sediment resuspension in southern Lake Michigan

The impacts of large-scale, episodic sediment resuspension on the cycling of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners (PCBs) were examined using a spatially coordinated air and water sampling strategy conducted in southern Lake Michigan in the late winters of 1998, 1999, and 2000. We found no significant temporal changes in gas phase, dissolved phase, or suspended sediment PCB concentrations despite large-scale seasonal storms occurring before and after sampling campaigns. Only gas phase and suspended sediment PCBs varied spatially. Higher total suspended material (TSM) concentrations and fraction organic carbon (foc) were measured at sampling stations located in the near-shore region of southern Lake Michigan than at open-water sampling stations. Gas phase concentrations (ΣPCBg) were higher in the west (0.436 ± 0.200 ng/m3, n = 11) and south (0.408 ± 0.286 ng/m3, n = 5) than the east (0.214 ± 0.082 ng/m3, n = 10) and central (0.253 ± 0.145 ng/m3, n = 8) regions of southern Lake Michigan. Dissolved phase concentrations (ΣPCBd) averaged 0.18 ± 0.024 ng/L (n = 52); suspended sediment concentrations (ΣPCBs) accounted for between 4% and 72% (23 ± 4%, n = 52) of the total ΣPCB concentrations (ΣPCBT = ΣPCBd + ΣPCBs). Despite no consistent temporal variations in both dissolved phase or suspended sediment ΣPCB concentrations, there were temporal and spatial variations in the distribution shift between phases that can be linked to sediment resuspension, not a state of equilibrium. Specifically, our analysis suggests sediment resuspension results in preferential sorption of heavier, more chlorinated PCB congeners.
Episodic Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Secretion and the Response of LH and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone to LH-Releasing Hormone in Aged Men: Evidence for Coexistent Primary Testicular Insufficiency and an Impairment in Gonadotropin Secretion*

The influence of aging on episodic LH secretion and the release of LH and FSH after LRH administration was studied in 14 healthy men, aged 65–80 yr. Mean morning serum testosterone levels were reduced by 16% (P<0.05) and serum LH and FSH concentrations were increased by nearly 2- and 3-fold, respectively (P<0.01), compared to levels in young men. LH secretory episodes were evident and did not differ significantly in either amplitude or frequency from those of young men in spite of the higher mean LH concentrations. The increments in serum LH and FSH levels after LRH and the areas under the response curves were similar in aged and young men. However, the time of the peak LH response was significantly delayed with aging (P<0.001), suggesting an alteration in the control of the releasable LH pool. Further, LH levels were slower to fall after the peak in elderly men (P<0.01), suggesting prolonged secretion of hormone after LRH stimulation. These changes did not relate to the basal hypersecretion of LH in elde...
Comparisons of Supercritical Properties from an Equation of State with a Hard-Sphere Repulsive Pressure Term and from the Peng−Robinson Equation of State†

An equation of state that adds a Percus−Yevick hard-sphere repulsive pressure term to a Morrison−McLinden term for attraction of two adjustable parameters correlates residual enthalpies and solubilities in supercritical carbon dioxide better than the Peng−Robinson cubic equation of state. Its use can be extended to mixtures of inorganic compounds in carbon dioxide. Volumes and enthalpies of mixing in general are correlated and predicted as well as or better by the equation with the hard-sphere repulsion, so there is no reason to continue to use cubic equations of state where the free-volume term is wrong.
Purifying and directional selection in overlapping prokaryotic genes

In overlapping genes, the same DNA sequence codes for two proteins using different reading frames. Analysis of overlapping genes can help in understanding the mode of evolution of a coding region from noncoding DNA. We identified 71 pairs of convergent genes, with overlapping 3' ends longer than 15 nucleotides, that are conserved in at least two prokaryotic genomes. Among the overlap regions, we observed a statistically significant bias towards the 123:132 phase (i.e. the second codon base in one gene facing the degenerate third position in the second gene). This phase ensures the least mutual constraint on nonconservative amino acid replacements in both overlapping coding sequences. The excess of this phase is compatible with directional (positive) selection acting on the overlapping coding regions. This could be a general evolutionary mode for genes emerging from noncoding sequences, in which the protein sequence has not been subject to selection.