cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhaled nitric oxide for severe acute respiratory distress syndrome: a blessing or a curse?

The effects of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) in two young adults who developed severe acute respiratory distress syndrome are presented. Modest improvements in gas exchange and reductions in pulmonary artery pressures occurred after the initiation of treatment with inhaled NO. However, both patients became "dependent" on the inhaled NO for stabilization of their cardiopulmonary function. Repeated attempts to discontinue the inhaled NO resulted in life-threatening deterioration in gas exchange and hemodynamic instability. Prolonged family discussions were held regarding the withdrawal of inhaled NO and other life-sustaining therapies, when the irreversible nature of the patients' lung disease became apparent. However, both families were strong in their desire to continue all therapies--due in large part to the single organ nature of the disease process. Both patients died while receiving inhaled NO and escalating doses of sedative and analgesics. Based on this experience, it is recommended that clearly defined goals or endpoints for the discontinuation of inhaled NO should be established before its initial administration. If these goals are not achieved, then the therapy should be considered a failure and withdrawn. A similar strategy should be applied to all life-sustaining therapies in the intensive care unit setting (e.g., mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, dialysis). This requires that critical care clinicians effectively communicate the difference between aggressive supportive care and definitive treatment of the underlying disease process to patients or their families, or both. Furthermore, until the results of ongoing clinical trials of inhaled NO become available, it is recommended that its administration be restricted to medical centers examining its use in clinical trials.
Application of a System Level Model to Study the Planetary Load Sharing Behavior

In planetary transmissions, the input torque is split between a number of parallel sun-pinion-ring gear paths. Under ideal conditions, each parallel path carries the same amount of torque. However, manufacturing errors in the pinion pin-hole location cause unequal load sharing between the parallel paths. The nature of this load sharing behavior depends upon the number of pinions in the planetary system. This load sharing behavior is studied for 4, 5 and 6 pinion variants of a planetary transmission. Critical manufacturing tolerances are identified and loss function curves are generated. The effects of sun gear support stiffness, pinion needle bearing stiffness, and input torque on the load sharing results are also studied. It is shown that as the number of pinions in a planetary transmission increases, the pin-hole position error tolerance has to be tightened in order to reap the full benefits of load sharing between the pinions. Gear System Analysis Modules (GSAM) is an analytical tool that can model entire gear systems and will be used in this paper to quantify the load sharing between pinions. The numerical techniques implemented in GSAM will be briefly reviewed.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Human somatotropin: Semisynthesis of the hormone by noncovalent interaction of the NH2-terminal fragment with synthetic analogs of the COOH-terminal fragment

Abstract Complementation of the natural NH 2 -terminal fragment (consisting of 134 amino acid residues) with synthetic analogs of COOH-terminal fragments of 52 or 47 amino acids of reduced-carbamidomethylated human somatotropin gave recombinants with full growth-promoting activity as evidenced by the tibia test. Radioimmunoassay data show that the semisynthetic recombinant hormones possess nearly full immunoreactivity as compared to the native molecule.
3D Structure of Nanosized Catalysts by High-energy X-ray Diffraction

Currently, catalysis research is focusing on nanosized catalysts since they often show an improved activity. It is believed that the improvement is due to their greatly increased surface to volume ratio [1–3]. Evidence is mounting, however, that nanosized catalysts exhibit a good deal of structural diversity and this too may affect their activity substantially [4]. Clearly, future progress in catalysis research depends critically on the ability to obtain precise knowledge about the atomic-scale structure of nanosized catalysts. Here we show how high-energy X-ray diffraction (XRD) can accomplish this task with success.
Dual bases for spline spaces on cells

Abstract The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we extend the basic dimension result for spline spaces on simple cells to a class of spline spaces which satisfy additional smoothness conditions at the interior vertex. This extension is useful for the study of super spline spaces. Secondly, and more importantly, we show how to choose minimal determining sets of Bezier coordinates for these spaces. These in turn are useful for constructing explicit locally supported bases for spline spaces on general triangulations.
A 15-year review of pediatric neurosurgical fellowships: implications for the pediatric neurosurgical workforce.

Object The Accreditation Council for Pediatric Neurosurgical Fellowships (ACPNF) was established in 1992 to oversee fellowship training in pediatric neurological surgery. The present study is a review of all graduates from 1992 through 2006 to identify predictors of American Board of Pediatric Neurological Surgery (ABPNS) certification. Methods Basic demographic information including sex, year of graduation from residency, residency training program, year of fellowship training, and fellowship program was collected on each graduate from each of the 22 ACPNF programs. Individuals who did not meet ACPNF requirements (39 trainees) and those currently practicing in Canada (11 individuals) were excluded. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify predictors of ABPNS certification. Results Of the 193 ACPNF graduates, 143 individuals met the criteria for analysis. Currently, 70 (49%) are ABPNS certified. There is a mean period of 5.1 ± 2.4 years (range 2–13 years) between finishing fellowship and...
Sensitive and rapid HPLC quantification of tenofovir from hyaluronic acid-based nanomedicine.

The purpose of this study was to develop and validate a rapid, sensitive, and specific reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantitative determination of native tenofovir (TNF) for various applications. Different analytical performance parameters such as linearity, precision, accuracy, limit of quantification (LOQ), limit of detection (LOD), and robustness were determined according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH) guidelines. A Bridge™ C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used as stationary phase. The retention time of TNF was 1.54 ± 0.03 min (n = 6). The assay was linear over the concentration range of 0.1-10 μg/mL. The proposed method was sensitive with LOD and LOQ values equal to 50 and 100 ng/mL, respectively. The method was accurate with percent mean recovery from 95.41% to 102.90% and precise as percent RSD (relative standard deviation) values for intra-day, and inter-day precision were less than 2%. This method was utilized for the estimation of molar absorptivity of TNF at 259 nm (e(259) = 12,518 L/mol/cm), calculated from linear regression analysis. The method was applied for determination of percentage of encapsulation efficiency (22.93 ± 0.04%), drug loading (12.25 ± 1.03%), in vitro drug release profile in the presence of enzyme (43% release in the first 3 h) and purification analysis of hyaluronic acid-based nanomedicine.
Metal oxide analogue of metal alloy catalysts

Abstract Because of ion size, valence and oxide structure, hafnium and zirconium mixed oxide catalysts are ideal for study as a metal alloy analogue. Furthermore, hafnium oxide and zirconium oxide exhibit quite different selectivity for the conversion of 2-alcohols to alkene products. The alkene selectivity changed abruptly from that of pure HfO2 to that of pure ZrO2 at a composition with ca. 90 mol% Zr. Characterization of the catalysts by ESCA, Auger, and ISS spectroscopy show that the surface composition is very similar to the bulk composition and, thus, changes uniformly throughout the composition range rather than abruptly as does the alkene selectivity. Pure ZrO2 impregnated with Hf to produce catalysts with the full range of Hf-Zr surface compositions showed a catalytic selectivity that paralleled the selectivity of the bulk composition catalysts. Zr or Th impregnated onto alumina serve as catalyst poisons; however, these two metals alter the selectivity in a quite different manner. The data indicate that the catalytic selectivity of these mixed oxide catalysts is determined by ligand, rather than bulk electronic, effects.
GAINING A PERSPECTIVE ON INDIAN VALUE ORIENTATIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR EXPATRIATE MANAGERS

India's emergence in the international business arena presents challenges to Western‐trained expatriate managers assigned there. These expatriates are familiar with management theories and practices based on value orientations very different from those in India. Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's Value Orientations Framework is used to provide an overview of the different types of cultural values an expatriate manager will confront in Indian society. The impact of Indian values on various management practices, including team composition, leadership, motivation, and human resource management functions is also discussed It is hoped that this examination of the dominant value orientations of Indian employees will facilitate the successful transfer of Western expatriates to India.
Frontal sinus obliteration with hydroxyapatite cement.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy hydroxyapatite cement as an alternative to autologous fat in the obliteration of the frontal sinus after trauma or chronic suppuration. Methods Single institution, nonrandomized, prospective analysis of patients treated in an academic, tertiary care center. Patients were followed with physical examinations and were monitored for recurrent infections, which would have necessitated removal of the implant. Follow-up radiographs were obtained at 12 months. Standard surgical techniques were used to obliterate the frontal sinus with the addition of the placement of a vascularized pericardial flap along the frontal sinus floor. Results Eleven patients underwent hydroxyapatite frontal sinus obliteration. There were 2 women and 9 men in the series with age ranges from 33 to 82 years (mean, 48 y). Three patients underwent obliteration for trauma and 8 for chronic infections with or without mucopyocele. The mean follow-up is 27 months (range, 3.3–37 mo). No patient has developed clinical or radiographic evidence of recurrent frontal sinusitis and at this point no implants have been removed. Nine of 11 patients (91%) report complete resolution of all symptoms. Conclusion Hydroxyapatite cement had demonstrated efficacy in full-thickness reconstruction of frontal sinus defects. The pericranial flap may provide a barrier to prevent infection of the implant in the face of acute ethmoid sinusitis. Hydroxyapatite cement offers the advantages of no donor site morbidity and the potential for complete osseointegration.
Mutation frequency response of irradiated bacteria to a second radiation exposure

Abstract Cultures of Escherichia coli strain WP2 (tryptophan-requiring) are exposed either to UV or to X-ray and then reincubated in minimal medium supplemented with a complex supply ofamino acids. At intervals, samples are irradiated again, either with UV or with X-ray. An increased mutation frequency response to the second exposure with incubated cultures is observed upon plating on minimal agar medium. This increase is dependent on RNA and protein formation prior to the second irradiation. The increased response is lost with DNA synthesis. These results are discussed in relation to proposed repair mechanisms in radiation-exposed bacteria.
The macrophage disappearance reaction: mediation by a soluble lymphocyte-derived factor.

Abstract Lymphocytes from sensitized donors, when injected with antigen into the peritoneal cavity of nonimmunized recipients bearing glycogen-induced peritoneal exudates, cause a prompt reduction in the macrophage content of these exudates. This passive macrophage disappearance reaction (MDR) is produced even when the lymphocytes are contained within micropore chambers. Moreover, supernates from cultures of antigen-stimulated sensitized lymphocytes can substitute for intact cells in eliciting the MDR. These results show that soluble products of antigen-activated lymphocytes can modify the in vivo behavior of macrophages in reactions which are associated with delayed hypersensitivity.
Cultural Conservation of Medicinal Plant Use in the Ozarks

While a number of recent health care studies have focused on the availability of modern health care services among rural U.S. populations, the commensurate study of access to folk medical systems has been relatively neglected. In this paper we explore the cultural conservation of folk medicinal plant use in 14 communities across the Ozark Mountain region of Arkansas and Missouri. Six relevant socioeconomic and demographic factors are examined in relation to the number of medicinal plant applications reported by expert informants in each locale. Using a multiple correlation and regression analysis, we find that the preservation of traditional medicine and praxis in the Ozarks is inversely related to community "delocalization." It is suggested that the survival of esoteric, albeit dynamic, medical knowledge and praxis among rural populations ultimately depends upon sustaining biological and cultural diversity.
Offices and God

Here is Anselm's Proslogion III argument: [That than which a greater cannot be thought] exists so truly [really] that it cannot even be thought not to exist. For there can be thought to exist something whose non-existence is inconceivable; and this thing is greater than anything whose non-existence is conceivable. Therefore, if that than which a greater cannot be thought could be thought not to exist, then that than which a greater cannot be thought would not be that than which a greater cannot be thought--a contradiction. ([1], p. 94)
Sofia: the simple open framework for inventive android applications

Mobile application development in general, and the Android platform in particular, are hot topics among educators because of their power to motivate and engage students. Unfortunately, Android's software API is not designed for beginners and presents a number of stumbling blocks to classroom use. Sofia is a new abstraction layer over the Android API that provides a cleaner, simpler, easier to use API for beginners and professionals alike. It includes a novel event dispatch design that eliminates the glue code required by more conventional frameworks, provides a powerful 2D shape package with declarative animation support and physics simulation, streamlines the process of writing multi-activity apps for Android, and addresses a number of other issues that make Android hard to use in introductory courses.
Use of Indirect Calorimetry in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Case Report

Pediatric critically ill children have an altered metabolism associated with the physiological response to injury or stress and are at risk for malnutrition. Estimating the calorie requirements of critically ill children using predictive equations is fraught with inaccuracy. Commonly used pediatric predictive equations were created from healthy populations and not intended for the critically ill or for patients with developmental disorders. The use of indirect calorimetry (IC) to measure resting energy expenditure was recently recommended by the American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) in the Pediatric Critical Care Guidelines. Despite the known faults of predictive equations and recent A.S.P.E.N. recommendations, IC is not commonly used in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This is a case report on the use of IC and its effect on the nutrition support management of 2 critically ill patients with developmental disorders. The first case follows a 15-year-old critically ill b...
Retention of pyridine-14C and other 14C-labelled amines by Illinois No. 6 coal

Abstract When Illinois No. 6 whole coal or vitrain is extracted with pyridine- 14 C, the extracts and solid residues retain 12–20% and 9–16%, respectively (at temperatures of 23 and 130 °C) of the pyridine- 14 C. Repeated treatment of the extracts with benzene, followed by filtration and drying at 0.1 Pa for 48 h removes only 20–25% of the labelled amine, although 92–98% of the latter is exchangeable with unlabelled pyridine. The solid residues exhibit similar behaviour. Tetrahydroquinoline- 14 C (THQ- 14 C) was used to extract Illinois No. 6 vitrain at 270 °C; the soluble and insoluble fractions after exhaustive drying retained 18% and 15%, respectively, of the THQ- 14 C which could not be exchanged (from the soluble fraction) with a mixture of unlabelled THQ and quinoline. Ethylenediamine- 14 C (EDA- 14 C) was also used to extract Illinois No. 6 vitrain. The retention of EDA- 14 C was temperature-dependent (10% retained in 20 h at 120 °C, followed by 1 h at 150 °C). Following three exchanges with unlabelled EDA, all but 2.6% of the EDA- 14 C was removed.
Existence and stability of an intermediate wetting state on circular micropillars

It has been recently reported that, after a liquid drop contacts the bottom of a roughness groove, liquid may not completely fill this roughness groove if the groove is covered with nanostructures. Otherwise, liquid may fill the entire groove. In this work, we explore the reasons behind these phenomena for the case of circular micropillars and derive an angle inequality. We show that if the local contact angles satisfy the angle inequality, a locally stable intermediate wetting state may exist. In this intermediate state, liquid does not completely fill the roughness groove, and air pockets still exist in its bottom corners. When roughness grooves have smooth surfaces, the local contact angles are usually less than 135°, violating the angle inequality. However, the incorporation of nanostructures on the grooves may make local contact angles become above 135°, resulting in the satisfaction of the angle inequality. Therefore, the filling phenomena may be different when the grooves are covered with nanostructures or not. In addition to existing experimental results, the derived angle inequality is also validated by in situ observation of water drops in the pressing tests on circular micropillars with and without the coverage of ZnO wires.
The joint effects of management incentive and information precision on perceived reliability in fair value estimates

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to examine whether a less precise (or imprecise) estimate may increase investors’ confidence and improve investors’ perceptions of fair value reliability. The main criticism of fair value accounting has been its lack of reliability perceived by investors. Design/methodology/approach – A 2 × 3 randomized experiment was used where management incentive and information precision are manipulated. Findings – The results from this study indicate that perceived reliability is jointly affected by management’s incentives and information precision. Reliability rating is the highest for fair value stated as a point estimate with a specified confidence level attached to it. Further analysis indicates that higher perceived reliability is related to its representational faithfulness because participants perceive that a point estimate with a specified confidence level better matches uncertainty in measuring future cash flows. Originality/value – This is the first study to examine w...
Engineered biomimicry for harvesting solar energy: A bird's eye view

All three methodologies of engineered biomimicry – bioinspiration, biomimetics, and bioreplication – are represented in current research on harvesting solar energy. Both processes and porous surfaces inspired by plants and certain marine animals, respectively, are being investigated for solar cells. Whereas dye-sensitized solar cells deploy artificial photosynthesis, bioinspired nanostructuring of materials in solar cells improves performance. Biomimetically textured coatings for solar cells have been shown to reduce optical reflectance and increase optical absorptance over a broad spectral regime. Compound lenses fabricated by a bioreplication technique offer similar promise for reduced reflectance by increasing the angular field of view.
In utero and ex vivo electroporation for gene expression in mouse retinal ganglion cells.

The retina and its sole output neuron, the retinal ganglion cell (RGC), comprise an excellent model in which to examine biological questions such as cell differentiation, axon guidance, retinotopic organization and synapse formation[1]. One drawback is the inability to efficiently and reliably manipulate gene expression in RGCs in vivo, especially in the otherwise accessible murine visual pathways. Transgenic mice can be used to manipulate gene expression, but this approach is often expensive, time consuming, and can produce unwanted side effects. In chick, in ovo electroporation is used to manipulate gene expression in RGCs for examining retina and RGC development. Although similar electroporation techniques have been developed in neonatal mouse pups[2], adult rats[3], and embryonic murine retinae in vitro[4], none of these strategies allow full characterization of RGC development and axon projections in vivo. To this end, we have developed two applications of electroporation, one in utero and the other ex vivo, to specifically target embryonic murine RGCs[5, 6]. With in utero retinal electroporation, we can misexpress or downregulate specific genes in RGCs and follow their axon projections through the visual pathways in vivo, allowing examination of guidance decisions at intermediate targets, such as the optic chiasm, or at target regions, such as the lateral geniculate nucleus. Perturbing gene expression in a subset of RGCs in an otherwise wild-type background facilitates an understanding of gene function throughout the retinal pathway. Additionally, we have developed a companion technique for analyzing RGC axon growth in vitro. We electroporate embryonic heads ex vivo, collect and incubate the whole retina, then prepare explants from these retinae several days later. Retinal explants can be used in a variety of in vitro assays in order to examine the response of electroporated RGC axons to guidance cues or other factors. In sum, this set of techniques enhances our ability to misexpress or downregulate genes in RGCs and should greatly aid studies examining RGC development and axon projections.
Ecology of a herbicide transformation: Synergism of two soil fungi

Abstract Experiments in nutrient solution and in sterilized soil show that the sequential transformation of N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-propionamide (propanil) to 3,3',4,4'-tetrachloroazobenzene and other complex residues is brought about by the synergistic interaction of two common soil fungi, Penicillium piscarium and Geotrichum candidum . The interaction benefits both organisms as the end products of the transformation sequence allow higher growth yields than either the parent herbicide or its primary cleavage product. The synergism of the two fungi prevails only in the herbicide-induced stress situation.
Toward interactive learning by concept ordering

In this paper we present a visual education tool for efficient and effective learning. The toolkit is based on a simple premise: simple concepts should be learned before advanced ones. We propose algorithms to automatically capture such pre-requisite dependence relationships between concepts. We extract concept definitions from the web's hyperlinked environment and create a concept graph arranged in a hierarchical structure and presented to the user in an interactive fashion. Thereafter, the user guides the learning process in a hyperlinked environment, by selecting a target concept, exploring the associated learning graph, learning pre-requisite concepts, and repeating this process till her learning goal is reached. To measure usefulness and correctness of our approach, we conducted a user study with 25 users using precision and recall measures. Overall, the feedback from users was encouraging. We believe this is a positive step toward building user driven interactive learning systems.
On responsiveness, safety, and completeness in real-time motion planning

Replanning is a powerful mechanism for controlling robot motion under hard constraints and unpredictable disturbances, but it involves an inherent tradeoff between the planner's power (e.g., a planning horizon or time cutoff) and its responsiveness to disturbances. This paper presents an adaptive time-stepping architecture for real-time planning with several advantageous properties. By dynamically adapting to the amount of time needed for a sample-based motion planner to make progress toward the goal, the technique is robust to the typically high variance exhibited by replanning queries. The technique is proven to be safe and asymptotically complete in a deterministic environment and a static objective. For unpredictably moving obstacles, the technique can be applied to keep the robot safe more reliably than reactive obstacle avoidance or fixed time-step replanning. It can also be applied in a contingency planning algorithm that achieves simultaneous safety-seeking and goal-seeking motion. These techniques generate responsive and safe motion in both simulated and real robots across a range of difficulties, including applications to bounded-acceleration pursuit-evasion, indoor navigation among moving obstacles, and aggressive collision-free teleoperation of an industrial robot arm.
Sparsely precomputing the light transport matrix for real-time rendering

Precomputation-based methods have enabled real-time rendering with natural illumination, all-frequency shadows, and global illumination. However, a major bottleneck is the precomputation time, that can take hours to days. While the final real-time data structures are typically heavily compressed with clustered principal component analysis and/or wavelets, a full light transportmatrix still needs to be precomputedfor a synthetic scene, often by exhaustive sampling and raytracing. This is expensive and makes rapid prototyping of new scenes prohibitive. In this paper, we show that the precomputation can be made much more efficient by adaptive and sparse sampling of light transport. We first select a small subset of "dense vertices",where we sample the angular dimensionsmore completely (but still adaptively). The remaining "sparse vertices" require only a few angular samples, isolating features of the light transport. They can then be interpolated from nearby dense vertices using locally low rank approximations. We demonstrate sparse sampling and precomputation 5 × faster than previous methods.
Is β the α Dog in Estrogen Receptor–Mediated Protection From Hypertension?

See related article, pp 1255–1262 The onset of hypertension occurs earlier in men than in women. Moreover, the magnitude of hypertension is greater in men than in women across diverse mammalian species and experimental models.1 17β-estradiol (E2) is implicated in this female protection because ovarian hormone loss is associated with increased arterial pressure while E2 replacement can prevent this effect. Creation of mice deficient in estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ) and the development of ER subtype-selective ligands have enabled investigation of ER subtypes in hypertension. A study of Japanese women revealed an association between hypertension and a cytosine-adenine repeat polymorphism in the ERβ gene.2 This association was strengthened by studies in ERβ-deficient mice, which developed hypertension as they aged and exhibited abnormal ion channel function in vascular smooth muscle cells suggesting ERβ attenuated the age-associated hypertension by preserving vascular function.3 Pharmacological studies supported these conclusions by demonstrating selective agonists of ERβ-reduced arterial pressure in ovariectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats under conditions in which ERα-selective agonists did not.4 Furthermore, activation of ERβ improved nitric oxide–dependent vasorelaxation, increased cardiac output, and attenuated cardiac hypertrophy; however, this study did not determine whether these effects were peripherally or centrally mediated. Previously, Xue et al5 showed that central but not peripheral infusions of a nonselective ER antagonist into mice augmented the pressor effects of angiotensin II (Ang II), thereby underscoring the importance of central ERs in blood pressure modulation. In this issue, Xue et al6 used small interference RNA via an adeno-associated virus to selectively knockdown ERα and ERβ in specific brain nuclei. Mice with ERβ deficiency in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) exhibited increased sympathetic activity …
Cannibalism by Sporulating Bacteria

Spore formation by the bacterium Bacillus subtilis is an elaborate developmental process that is triggered by nutrient limitation. Here we report that cells that have entered the pathway to sporulate produce and export a killing factor and a signaling protein that act cooperatively to block sister cells from sporulating and to cause them to lyse. The sporulating cells feed on the nutrients thereby released, which allows them to keep growing rather than to complete morphogenesis. We propose that sporulation is a stress-response pathway of last resort and that B. subtilis delays a commitment to spore formation by cannibalizing its siblings.
Selective Formation of Metastable Ferrihydrite in the Chiton Tooth

Metastable precursors are thought to play a major role in the ability of organisms to create mineralized tissues. Of particular interest are the hard and abrasion-resistant teeth formed by chitons, a class of rock-grazing mollusks. The formation of chiton teeth relies on the precipitation of metastable ferrihydrite (Fh) in an organic scaffold as a precursor to magnetite. In vitro synthesis of Fh under physiological conditions has been challenging. Using a combination of X-ray absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, we show that, prior to Fh formation in the chiton tooth, iron ions are complexed by the organic matrix. In vitro experiments demonstrate that such complexes facilitate the formation of Fh under physiological conditions. These results indicate that acidic molecules may be integral to controlling Fh formation in the chiton tooth. This biological approach to polymorph selection is not limited to specialized proteins and can be expropriated using simple chemistry.
Recurrent Intravascular-Catheter-Related Bacteremia Caused by Delftia acidovorans in a Hemodialysis Patient

We report the first case of recurrent intravascular-catheter-related bacteremia in a pediatric hemodialysis patient caused by Delftia acidovorans, previously called Comamonas acidovorans or Pseudomonas acidovorans. The patient had a history of multiple infections of central vascular catheters with other organisms, requiring courses of antibiotics and catheter replacements. Previously reported cases of D. acidovorans infections are reviewed. The isolate appeared to become resistant to cephalosporins after antibiotic treatment, but resistance could not be confirmed with additional testing. In vitro susceptibility testing for cephalosporins is not reliable for this organism. A 10-year-old girl with renal cortical necrosis and end-stage renal disease was receiving hemodialysis via a Quinton PermCath dual-lumen catheter for 5 years. Over this period, she had a history of 24 episodes of catheter-related infections, requiring multiple courses of antibiotics and catheter replacements. While receiving outpatient dialysis treatment on day 120 of the catheter, she developed a fever of 38°C and chills. There was no erythema, warmth, tenderness, or swelling at the exit site in the femoral area. A blood culture was obtained from the catheter which subsequently grew a Gram-negative rod identified as Delftia acidovorans by MicroScan WalkAway-40 BP combo panel type 34 (Siemens, Munich, Germany). The organism was susceptible to expanded-spectrum and broad-spectrum cephalosporins, aztreonam, carbapenems, piperacillin-tazobactam, ticarcillinclavulanate, and quinolones but resistant to all aminoglycosides, penicillin, and narrow-spectrum cephalosporins and intermediately susceptible to ampicillin-sulbactam. A 14-day course of cefepime was given through the catheter with hemodialysis when microbial identification and susceptibility results were available. The patient remained afebrile. Blood cultures drawn from the catheter before starting antibiotic therapy, 3 days and 7 days after the end of therapy, were negative. The catheter was not removed. Twenty-four days after cefepime was stopped, she became febrile again (38°C), with chills, after hemodialysis. Blood cultures were obtained from the catheter and peripheral vein. Vancomycin and cefepime were started, and she defervesced within 24 h. Staphylococcus epidermidis and D. acidovorans were identified from both specimens. The D. acidovorans isolate was initially not identifiable by MicroScan WalkAway (Siemens, Munich, Germany). Additional testing was done with
Modelling and parameterization errors in body wave seismology

Summary. When body wave seismic data are analysed under ray theory assumptions it is common to transform the observations so that p , the horizontal slowness, is the independent variable to allow use of a linear formulation of the inverse problem. Modelling errors, such as the presence of inhomogeneities in the real Earth but not in the model, introduce correlated errors in distance X(p) and time T(p), as does the uncertainty in estimating p, the derivative of the travel-time curve. The propagation of errors into the model space is most easily done if the covariance matrix of the observations is diagonalized. For the error sources listed above, the transformation producing the desired result is a transformation to the variables ~(p) = T-pX and
Incarceration, prisoner reentry, and communities

Since the mid-1970s, the United States has experienced an enormous rise in incarceration and accompanying increases in returning prisoners and in postrelease community correctional supervision. Poor urban communities are disproportionately impacted by these phenomena. This review focuses on two complementary questions regarding incarceration, prisoner reentry, and communities: (a) whether and how mass incarceration has affected the social and economic structure of American communities, and (b) how residential neighborhoods affect the social and economic reintegration of returning prisoners. These two questions can be seen as part of a dynamic process involving a pernicious feedback loop in which mass incarceration undermines the structure and social organization of some communities, thus creating more criminogenic environments for returning prisoners and further diminishing their prospects for successful reentry and reintegration.
Rapid Profiling of Swiss Cheese by Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Infrared Spectroscopy and Descriptive Sensory Analysis

: The acceptability of cheese depends largely on the flavor formed during ripening. The flavor profiles of cheeses are complex and region- or manufacturer-specific which have made it challenging to understand the chemistry of flavor development and its correlation with sensory properties. Infrared spectroscopy is an attractive technology for the rapid, sensitive, and high-throughput analysis of foods, providing information related to its composition and conformation of food components from the spectra. Our objectives were to establish infrared spectral profiles to discriminate Swiss cheeses produced by different manufacturers in the United States and to develop predictive models for determination of sensory attributes based on infrared spectra. Fifteen samples from 3 Swiss cheese manufacturers were received and analyzed using attenuated total reflectance infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR). The spectra were analyzed using soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA) to build a classification model. The cheeses were profiled by a trained sensory panel using descriptive sensory analysis. The relationship between the descriptive sensory scores and ATR-IR spectra was assessed using partial least square regression (PLSR) analysis. SIMCA discriminated the Swiss cheeses based on manufacturer and production region. PLSR analysis generated prediction models with correlation coefficients of validation (rVal) between 0.69 and 0.96 with standard error of cross-validation (SECV) ranging from 0.04 to 0.29. Implementation of rapid infrared analysis by the Swiss cheese industry would help to streamline quality assurance.
Psychopathy is the Unified Theory of Crime

Psychopathy is an important clinical construct that has been studied for more than 200 years and has exploded in recent years as a guiding explanatory concept for a range of antisocial behaviors across a range of populations and subgroups. In this review essay, I advance that psychopathy is the purest and the best explanation of antisocial behavior. Indeed, psychopathy is the unified theory of crime because it mirrors the elemental nature and embodies the pejorative essence of antisocial behavior, accommodates dimensional and categorical conceptualizations and examinations of antisocial behavior, facilitates the study of antisocial phenotypes over the life span, accommodates the general overlap of antisocial behaviors among diverse populations, and facilitates emerging biosocial explanations of antisocial behavior.
Upregulation of Surface α4β2 Nicotinic Receptors Is Initiated by Receptor Desensitization after Chronic Exposure to Nicotine

It is hypothesized that desensitization of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) induced by chronic exposure to nicotine initiates upregulation of nAChR number. To test this hypothesis directly, oocytes expressing a4b2 receptors were chronically incubated (24‐48 hr) in nicotine, and the resulting changes in specific [ 3 H]nicotine binding to surface receptors on intact oocytes were compared with functional receptor desensitization. Four lines of evidence strongly support the hypothesis. (1) The half-maximal nicotine concentration necessary to produce desensitization (9.7 nM) was the same as that needed to induce upregulation (9.9 nM). (2) The concentration of [ 3 H]nicotine for half-maximal binding to surface nAChRs on intact oocytes was also similar (11.1 nM), as predicted from cyclical desensitization models. (3) Functional desensitization of a3b4 receptors required 10-fold higher nicotine concentrations, and this was mirrored by a 10-fold shift in concentrations necessary for upregulation. (4) Mutant a4b2 receptors that do not recover fully from desensitization, but not wild-type channels, were upregulated after acute (1 hr) applications of nicotine. Interestingly, the nicotine concentration required for half-maximal binding of a4b2 receptors in total cell membrane homogenates was 20-fold lower than that measured for surface nAChRs in intact oocytes. These data suggest that cell homogenate binding assays may not accurately reflect the in vivo desensitization affinity of surface nAChRs and may account for some of the previously reported differences in the efficacy of nicotine for inducing nAChR desensitization and upregulation.
Biofunctional domains of the Mycoplasma pneumoniae P30 adhesin

The P30 adhesin genes of spontaneous, hemadsorption-negative (HA-) class II Mycoplasma pneumoniae mutants that displayed P30 adhesin-deficient protein profiles were analyzed. One subclass of P30-deficient mutants possessed the entire p3O structural gene without alterations (825 nucleotides, encoding 275 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 29,743 Da [S. F. Dallo, A. Chavoya, and J. B. Baseman, Infect. Immun. 58:4163-4165, 1990]). However, the second mutant subclass contained a deletion in p3O resulting in the expression of a 25-kDa peptide (681 nucleotides, encoding 227 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 24,823 Da). This P25-truncated peptide lacked 8 of the 13 proline-rich amino acid repeat sequences at the carboxy terminus. Whole-cell radioimmunoprecipitation of M. pneumoniae with antibodies directed against the proline-rich repeat sequences located in the carboxy terminus demonstrated their surface accessibility. In contrast, antibodies generated against N-terminal amino acid sequences upstream of the repeats did not bind to intact mycoplasmas. The amino acid sequence homologies exhibited by the P30 adhesin and eucaryotic structural proteins were corroborated by cross-reactive epitopes shared between the P30 adhesin and fibrinogen, keratin, and myosin. These data reinforce the importance of the P30 protein in cytadherence and virulence and provide a molecular basis for postinfectious autoimmunity associated with M. pneumoniae-mediated pathologies.
Sonographic features related to volvulus in neonatal intestinal malrotation

This 3 year prospective study evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of abdominal ultrasonography and color Doppler ultrasonography in 31 neonates with suspected malrotation or malrotation with volvulus. Water instillation was used to detect duodenal dilatation, edema, and malrotated bowels. Twenty patients with ultrasonographic characteristics of inversion of the superior mesenteric artery and superior mesenteric vein were later surgically proved to have malrotation. Nine of these 20 patients also had volvulus. Sonographic features suggestive of volvulus included duodenal dilation with tapering configuration (8 of 9 cases, 89%), fixed midline bowel (8 of 9 cases, 89%), whirlpool sign (8 of 9 cases, 89%), and dilation of the distal superior mesenteric vein (5 of 5 cases, 100%). The sensitivity and specificity of duodenal dilation with tapering configuration for detecting volvulus were 89% and 92%, respectively; of fixed midline bowel, 89% and 92%; of whirlpool sign, 89% and 92%; and of dilation of distal superior mesenteric vein, 56% and 73%. The results of this study indicate that ultrasonographic features of inversion of the superior mesenteric artery and superior mesenteric vein could aid in the diagnosis of malrotation, and certain sonographic features can also be used to evaluate volvulus, a condition requiring emergent operation.
A universal molecular method for identifying underground plant parts to species

As part of a large project to determine rooting depth and resource uptake on the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, we developed a DNA-based technique that allows the below-ground parts of all plants to be identified to the level of genus and usually to species. Identification is achieved by comparing DNA sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the 18S-26S nuclear ribosomal DNA repeat, derived from below-ground plant material, with a reference ITS region database for plants at a site. The method works throughout plants because the plant ITS region can be PCR amplified using a set of universal primers. Congeneric species can usually be identified because the ITS region evolves relatively rapidly. In our study, all roots were easily identified to the level of genus; most congeneric species were identified solely by ITS sequence differences but some required a combination of ITS sequence data and above-ground surveys of species at a site. In addition to showing the feasibility and efficacy of our technique, we compare it with another DNA-based technique used to identify below-ground plant parts. Finally, we also describe a DNA extraction and purification technique that reliably provides high-quality DNA of sufficient quantity from roots so that PCR can be readily accomplished. Our technique should allow the below-ground parts of plants in any system to be identified and thereby open new possibilities for the study of below-ground plant communities.
Network structural properties mediate the stability of mutualistic communities

Key advances are being made on the structures of predator-prey food webs and competitive communities that enhance their stability, but little attention has been given to such complexity-stability relationships for mutualistic communities. We show, by way of theoretical analyses with empirically informed parameters, that structural properties can alter the stability of mutualistic communities characterized by nonlinear functional responses among the interacting species. Specifically, community resilience is enhanced by increasing community size (species diversity) and the number of species interactions (connectivity), and through strong, symmetric interaction strengths of highly nested networks. As a result, mutualistic communities show largely positive complexity-stability relationships, in opposition to the standard paradox. Thus, contrary to the commonly-held belief that mutualism's positive feedback destabilizes food webs, our results suggest that interplay between the structure and function of ecological networks in general, and consideration of mutualistic interactions in particular, may be key to understanding complexity-stability relationships of biological communities as a whole.
Condom use and sexually transmitted infections among Malagasy sex workers

We evaluated whether use of a short- or longer-term recall period for condom use was superior for assessing risk of acquisition of incident sexually transmitted infection (STI). Female sex workers (n = 1000) in Madagascar took part in a randomized trial comparing counselling strategies for male and female condom promotion. We explored associations between women's self-reported condom use with clients and non-paying partners and incident STI, examining both short-term recall (last sex act) and longer-term recall (over the past month and year). Self-reported condom use was generally not associated with reduced STI risk, whether measured at the last act or over longer time periods; with clients or non-paying partners; and through unadjusted and adjusted modelling. No condom use measure (short versus longer time periods, with one or both partner types) was strongly predictive of STI, suggesting poor validity.
Properties of Emerging Organizations

This article explores the characteristics of emerging organizations and suggests that emerging organizations can be identified by four properties: intentionality, resources, boundary, and exchange. These properties are defined and discussed. Suggestions are made for selecting samples for research on emerging organizations. Implications for research and theory on new and emerging organizations are discussed.
Automatic derivation of formal software specifications from informal descriptions

SPECIFIER, an interactive system which derives formal specifications of data types and programs from their informal descriptions, is described. The process of deriving formal specifications is viewed as a problem-solving process. The system uses common problem-solving techniques such as schemas, analogy, and difference-based reasoning to derive formal specifications. If an informal description is a commonly occurring operation for which the system has a schema, then the formal specification is derived by instantiating the schema. If there is a no such schema, SPECIFIER tries to find a previously solved problem which is analogous to the current problem. If the problem found is directly analogous to the current problem, it applies an analogy mapping to obtain a formal specification. On the other hand, if the analogy found is only approximate, it solves the directly analogous part of the problem by analogy and performs difference-based reasoning using the remaining (unmatched) parts to transform the formal specification obtained by analogy to a formal specification for the entire original problem. >