cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
PREKALLIKREIN ACTIVATION IN HUMAN, BOVINE, AND RABBIT PLASMAS: Presence, of an Inhibitor in Bovine Plasma

Contact of human plasma with a negatively charged surface such as dextran sulfate activates prekallikrein to kallikrein, which releases the vasoactive peptide bradykinin from high-molecular-weight kininogen. The dextran sulfate-induced activation of prekallikrein at 0°C (assayed by its amidolytic activity on the chromogenic substate S-2302) could not be observed in either bovine or rabbit plasmas when compared to human plasma. Neither bovine nor rabbit plasma inhibited the amidolytic activity of contact-activated human plasma at 0°C. The activation of prekallikrein in human plasma was significantly inhibited by the addition of bovine plasma but not by rabbit plasma. Bovine plasma (0.025 units, 1 unit=1 ml of plasma) caused 68.8% inhibition of prekallikrein activation. Eighty percent of the inhibitory property of bovine plasma was present in the greater than 30,000-molecular-weight fraction. These results indicate (he presence of an inhibitors) of prekallikrein activation in bovine plasma.
Kinematic design of fault tolerant manipulators

Abstract This paper defines the property of kinematic fault tolerance and develops a general constructive proof of the existence of fault tolerant manipulators. After formulating the necessary and sufficient condition for fault tolerance, a planar manipulator with a minimal kinematic structure is designed. A generalization to spatial manipulators, using a numerical approach is formulated. Finally, it is shown how this approach enables us to solve the spatial design problem.
Long-Term Survival After High-Dose Salvage Chemotherapy for Germ Cell Malignancies With Adverse Prognostic Variables

Purpose: Independent prognostic variables for patients undergoing high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) as salvage modality for germ cell tumors (GCT) were previously described, and a score was created. Patients with more than 2 points had a poor prognosis. However, these data were from patients treated from 1984 to 1993, and most received a single HDCT course. In this study, we evaluated outcomes at Indiana University and determined the applicability of the Beyer score to contemporary poor-risk patients. Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who received salvage HDCT between 1988 and 2001 and had at least one of the following characteristics: platinum-refractory or absolutely platinum-refractory GCT, primary mediastinal nonseminomatous GCT (PMNSGCT), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) ≥ 1,000 mU/mL or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) ≥ 1,000 ng/mL before HDCT. Primary end points were overall and 2-year failure-free survival (FFS). Results: Eighty patients were identified. Fifty-six were ...
Similar ongoing pregnancy rates after blastocyst transfer in fresh donor cycles and autologous cycles using cryopreserved bipronuclear oocytes suggest similar viability of transferred blastocysts

This retrospective cohort study compared blastocyst transfers in 136 fresh oocyte donor cycles and 69 autologous cycles using blastocysts derived from culture of thawed bipronuclear oocytes, all with oocytes derived from patients or donors less than 35 years old. The autologous cycles and oocyte donor cycles had similar rates of implantation (65.9% vs. 62.1%, respectively) and ongoing pregnancy (79.7% vs. 75.0%, respectively), suggesting that autologous blastocysts transferred after post-thaw extended culture have viability and implantation potential that are comparable with those of blastocysts transferred in fresh oocyte donor cycles.
Clinical and bilogical characteristics of acute lymphocytic leukemia in children with Down syndrome

Twenty-eight children with Down syndrome (DS) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) were compared to non-DS control leukemics matched by age, white blood cell (WBC) count, and treatment protocol to evaluate presenting manifestations, toxicity, and outcome. The DS children with ALL did not have unique clinical or biologic characteristics to distinguish their disease from that of non-DS patients. Eleven of the DS patients had successfully banded cytogenetic studies of their leukemic cells with the distribution of model chromosome number of 46 (n = 1), 47 (2), 48 (5), and greater than 50 (3). The abnormal leukemic line involved an isochromosome of the long arm of chromosome 9[i(9q)] in 3 cases. Multiagent chemotherapies induced complete remissions in 25 patients (85%), yet overall 5 year event-free survival was only 23 +/- 8% when compared to 64 +/- 9% for control children receiving similar therapies (P less than 0.01). A significant cause of treatment failure was late marrow recurrence in the DS children. Host toxicity was striking in these children. Severe congenital heart disease present in one-third contributed to 2 deaths during antileukemia therapy. Hyperglycemia secondary to diabetogenic agents and repeated bronchitis were common toxicities. Intolerance to the antifolate methotrexate with severe gastrointestinal and skin toxicities was universal. We conclude that the poor prognosis for the child with DS and ALL stems in part from their increased risk of complications and toxicity from intensive modern leukemia therapies, specifically antifolates.
Macroinvertebrate Drift: Seasonal and Habitat Associations in Pool 19, Mississippi River

ABSTRACT Macroinvertebrate drift in Pool 19 of the upper Mississippi River was examined for seasonal and habitat relationships. Samples were collected from 18 stations during each of five periods from March 1985 to October 1985. Drift communities in the upper riverine reach were distinctly different from those of the lower lacustrine area. More taxa and higher densities were collected in the upper pool compared to the lower pool. Densities and taxa also changed with season, within each section of the river.
Stability and astigmatic analysis of a six-mirror ring cavity for mode-locked dye lasers

A six-mirror ring cavity suitable for passively mode-locked dye lasers is analyzed approximately and also modeled on the computer. Results are useful in design and alignment of the laser cavity.
Matthew effects in children with learning disabilities: Development of reading, IQ, and psychosocial problems from grade 2 to grade 8

Reading achievement, IQ, and behavior problems were assessed in second and eighth grade for a longitudinal sample of 57 children. Changes in these scores over time were compared for children with no learning disabilities versus children with math or reading disabilities (research-identified and/or school-identified). A widening of the group difference in IQ was seen between the math disabled and nondisabled groups, but otherwise the gaps between groups remained unchanged or narrowed over the six-year interval, indicating that hypothesized negative consequences of initial academic difficulties (“Matthew effects”) did not occur for most of the children with learning disabilities. Elevated rates of behavior problems were seen only for the group with math disabilities, suggesting that the type of learning disability needs to be taken into account in research on the association between academic and psychosocial problems.
American banking and growth in the nineteenth century: A partial view of the terrain☆

Abstract The very nature of fixed habits of thinking, their energy-saving function, is founded upon the fact that they have become subconscious, that they yield their results automatically and are proof against criticism and even contradiction by individual facts. But precisely because of this they become drag-chains when they have outlived their usefulness.
Apoptotic death following Fas activation in human oligodendrocyte hybrid cultures

The purpose of this study was to determine how oligodendrocytes die following Fas receptor activation. An immortalized human oligodendrocyte hybrid line (MO3.13) was challenged with Fas ligand (FasL), and cell death was assessed by flow cytometry and DNA gel electrophoresis. Caspase activation was determined by either Western immunoblotting on cell extracts or by whole-cell flow cytometry. FasL challenge clearly induced substantial apoptotic cell death in the oligodendrocyte hybrid cell line, as judged by flow cytometry and by the presence of prominent low molecular weight DNA banding patterns after gel electrophoresis. Western immunoblots showed marked increases in cleaved caspase-1, 8, and 3, indicating that the extrinsic Fas death receptor-induced pathway was activated. The intrinsic mitochondrial pathway was also activated, but only at a minimal level. These findings demonstrate that there are several independent molecular sites within the extrinsic caspase cascade in oligodendrocytes where inhibitory compounds may be capable of blocking cell death in vivo.
Spatial filter for optical frequencies using plasmonic metasurfaces

We present spatial filters using two-dimensional (2-D) nanoparticle arrays (NPAs). Using interaction polarizability, which has contributions from the isolated-particle response as well as the interparticle interaction, the resonance behavior of the NPA as a shunt resonator is extracted. Then, by cascading two or more NPAs, a spatial filter with desired bandwidth can be realized. The method is verified by designing a sample filter subject to a specified bandwidth in the visible.
Hydrodynamic modes in a trapped strongly interacting Fermi gas of atoms

The zero-temperature properties of a dilute two-component Fermi gas in the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer phase–Bose–Einstein condensate crossover are investigated. On the basis of a generalization of the variational Schwinger method, we construct approximate semi-analytical formulae for collective frequencies of the radial and the axial breathing modes of the Fermi gas under harmonic confinement in the framework of the hydrodynamic theory. It is shown that the method gives nearly exact solutions.
A new chromogenic substrate for γ-glutamyl transpeptidase

Abstract A benzfurazan derivative of glutathione l -γ-glutamyl-( S -4-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazole)- l -cysteinylglycine (GS-NBD) with an absorption maximum at 419 nm is readily acted upon by γ-glutamyl transpeptidase to yield the S -benzfurazan derivative of cysteinylglycine. An internal S → N shift occurs immediately to yield the N -benzfurazan derivative, which in turn reacts with the sulfhydryl reagent 4,4′-dithiodipyridine to produce the mixed disulfide with an intense absorption at 461 nm. The maximum difference in molar extinction coefficient is 13,200 and occurs at 470 nm. This general device should be applicable to the assay of many other peptidases.
Correlations of EPPS Personality Traits and Intramural Participation

Studies !1, 2: 3, 6 ) indicate there is a relationship becween personality traits and participation In actlvlty. However, there are only a few studies which compare intramural participation and personality traits (7, 8 ) . To compare selected personality traits and intramural participation of college male freshmen the Edwards Personal Preference Schedule ( 4 ) , designed to describe the personality by ascertaining the needs shown in Table 1, was administered to 950 male freshmen enrolled in the Texas A & M University's Physical Education "concepts" course. S's intramural participation score was determined by the number of times he participated in an activity. Each activity consisted of four round-robin games; thus, it was possible for S to score four points in each activity and achieve a possible total score of 48 for the 12 activities (handball, horseshoes, bowling, flag football, basketball, volleyball, etc.).
Quantifying the economic impacts of attacks on competitive energy markets

Cyber-attacks on electric energy markets could have tremendous financial impacts in a deregulated power system. Existing indices fail to quantify the financial impacts effectively under intelligently conceived attacks. This paper identifies the conditions under which existing metrics would fail and proposes an improved impact index to better quantify the financial impacts of such attacks. Actual attack simulations on an approximate equivalent of the power system in Arizona are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed metric.
Abstract A3: Axitinib combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin in melanoma: Response in genetically selected subsets.

Background: Axitinib is a potent VEGFR inhibitor. We tested the hypothesis that axitinib could increase the effectiveness of carboplatin/paclitaxel in specific subtypes of advanced melanoma. Methods: A prospective single arm phase I/II trial of this combination was initiated August 2010 in metastatic melanoma (NCT01174238) at UCSF. Twenty seven patients have been enrolled, 16 are evaluable for response to date. Patients had an ECOG PS 0–1, and normal organ function. Axitinib 5 mg PO bid was taken days 1 − 14 of each 21-day cycle, and carboplatin/paclitaxel was administered on day 21. Biopsy specimens were sequenced for mutations in BRAF, NRAS, c-KIT, GNAQ and G11 and FLT-PET scans were done in selected patients to on days 1, 14, 17, and 20 of cycle 1. Results: This regimen was well tolerated with adverse events including GI toxicity, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, hypertension, and mild sensory neuropathy. Grade 3 adverse events have been uncommon, and grade 4 adverse events have not been observed. Four of 13 WT/NRAS patients have had a PR by RECIST, 7/13 have had some shrinkage of tumor while only 2/13 have had PD. Of the 3 patients with BRAF V600 E/K mutations, all have had PD. In the overall study population, median OS and PFS have not been reached. Conclusions: Striking activity was seen in patients whose tumors are WT for BRAF including those with NRAS mutation. Given the urgent need for effective therapies in this population, this combination warrants further study. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2011 Nov 12-16; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2011;10(11 Suppl):Abstract nr A3.
Cryosurgery of the rabbit prostate. Comparison of the immune response of immature and mature bucks.

Abstract The intensity and specificity of the immune response developed following each of three independent in situ freezing insults of the coagulating gland (anterior prostate) of immature male rabbits have been compared to that obtained following similar cryostimulation of the coagulating gland of mature bucks by the methods of tanned cell haemagglutination and gel diffusion precipitation. Results of this study offer confirmation to the previously demonstrated secondary or anamnestic immune response observed following multiple freezing of the rabbit coagulating gland and indicate further that the size and physiological status of the coagulating gland, i.e., the concentration of coagulating gland secretory autoantigens, are among the important variables in determining the cryosensitivity of a given animal. This cryosensitivity may be of particular significance in the prospective treatment of patients with prostatic cancer by cryoimmunotherapy. That is, the development of an immune response in such patients may reasonably be related to the concentration and subsequent release of prostatic tumourspecific or tumour-associated antigens.
Effects of unstable dark matter on large-scale structure and constraints from future surveys

In this paper we explore the effect of decaying dark matter (DDM) on large-scale structure and possible constraints from galaxy imaging surveys. DDM models have been studied, in part, as a way to address apparent discrepancies between the predictions of standard cold dark matter models and observations of galactic structure. Our study is aimed at developing independent constraints on these models. In such models, DDM decays into a less massive, stable dark matter (SDM) particle and a significantly lighter particle. The small mass splitting between the parent DDM and the daughter SDM provides the SDM with a recoil or ``kick'' velocity ${v}_{k}$, inducing a free-streaming suppression of matter fluctuations. This suppression can be probed via weak lensing power spectra measured by a number of forthcoming imaging surveys that aim primarily to constrain dark energy. Using scales on which linear perturbation theory alone is valid (multipoles $\ensuremath{\ell}l300$), surveys like Euclid or the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope can be sensitive to ${v}_{k}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}90\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{s}$ for lifetimes $\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\sim}1--5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{Gyr}$. To estimate more aggressive constraints, we model nonlinear corrections to lensing power using a simple halo evolution model that is in good agreement with numerical simulations. In our most ambitious forecasts, using multipoles $\ensuremath{\ell}l3000$, we find that imaging surveys can be sensitive to ${v}_{k}\ensuremath{\sim}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{km}/\mathrm{s}$ for lifetimes $\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\lesssim}10\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{Gyr}$. Lensing will provide a particularly interesting complement to existing constraints in that they will probe the long lifetime regime ($\ensuremath{\tau}\ensuremath{\gg}{H}_{0}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) far better than contemporary techniques. A caveat to these ambitious forecasts is that the evolution of perturbations on nonlinear scales will need to be well calibrated by numerical simulations before they can be realized. This work motivates the pursuit of such a numerical simulation campaign to constrain dark matter with cosmological weak lensing.
Electron Transfer Dynamics in Molten Salts of Mono- and Dinuclear Ruthenium Complexes

We have synthesized highly viscous, room-temperature, molten salts by associating various Ru(NH3)5L cations (L = 4,4‘-bipyridine, pyrazine, pyridine, 3-chloropyridine, benzonitrile) with polyether-tailed sulfonate anions. Microelectrode voltammetry in the undiluted melts yields, on the basis of charge transport occurring by electron hopping, electron self-exchange rate constants (kEX) for the various Ru3+/2+ couples. The rate constant (and activation barrier) for the pyrazine bridged binuclear pentaamineruthenium melt (Creutz-Taube ion) is similar to those obtained for mononuclear pentaammine[ligand]ruthenium melts, meaning that charge transport in the former is dominated by the rate of intermolecular, not intramolecular, electron transfer. The data at 35 °C are (Creutz−Taube ion) kEX = 3.7 × 104 M-1 s-1, (pyridine) 1.1 × 104 M-1 s-1, (3-chloropyridine) 2 × 104 M-1 s-1, and (benzonitrile) 3 × 104 M-1 s-1. All kEX values are smaller than those for [Ru2+/3+(bpy)3] in semisolid melts having equivalent MePEG ...
Systematics and natural history of the Australian genus Metoligotoma Davis (Embioptera:Australembiidae)

Members of the order Embioptera (webspinners) are among the least known groups of insects, but have a relatively well-developed, phylogenetically unique, and biologically interesting fauna in portions of Australia. The genus Metoligotoma Davis (Australembiidae) is a well-defined group occurring in south-eastern Australia where species are especially distinctive in that they occupy extremely small endemic areas. Additionally, both males and females are wingless, thereby severely limiting opportunities for dispersal. Hypotheses of relationships among these species are not available in a modern phylogenetic context and little is known of their natural history and biogeography. A new species of Embioptera, Metoligotoma rooksi Miller & Edgerly, sp. nov. is described from a male specimen from near Bombala, New South Wales, Australia. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus (including 10 of the 16 known species of Metoligotoma) was conducted using morphological and molecular data from 16S, 28S, COI+COII and H3. The new species is most closely related to M. begae, from which it is geographically separated by the high coastal mountains. The natural history of the genus is reviewed, including descriptions of the silk galleries, habitats and eggs. The biogeography of the genus is examined in light of the phylogeny. No obvious vicariance model supports the current distribution and small endemic areas exhibited by members of the genus. Instead, it is speculated that periodic, rare dispersal events from north to south, and inland over the coastal mountains, resulted in the current distribution of the species. This is the first modern phylogenetic analysis of the Australembiidae, and the first extensive analysis of any group of Embioptera to include molecular data.
Thermal regime of the Earth's core

The outer core is assumed to consist of iron and sulfur, with a small amount of potassium that generates heat by radioactive decay of sim||pre|40 K. Two cases are considered, corresponding respectively to a high rate of heat production (Q = 2 · 1012 cal./sec, about 0.1% K), and to a low rate (Q = 2 · 1011 cal./sec). The temperature at a depth of 2800 km in the mantle is taken to be 3300°K (Wang, 1972). The temperature Tc at the core-mantle boundary depends on whether or not a density gradient in the lowermost layer D″ of the mantle prevents convection in that layer. In the first case, and for high Q, Tc = 4500–5000°K. In the second case, or for low Q, Tc ≈ 3500°K. The heat-conduction equation is used to calculate the temperature Ti at the inner-core boundary in the absence of convection. For high Q, Ti − Tc ≈ 1600°K; for low Q, Ti − Tc ≈ 160°K. Corresponding temperature gradients at r = rc and r = ri are listed in Table I. The adiabatic gradient at the top of the core is calculated by the method of Stewart (1970). It strongly depends on the parameters (ρ0, c0, γ0, etc.) that characterize core material at low pressure. Stewart has drawn graphs that allow the selection of sets of parameters that are consistent with seismic velocities and a given density distribution in the core. Some acceptable sets of parameters are listed in Table II. Many sets yield temperatures Tc in the range 3500–5000°K; some give an adiabatic gradient steeper than the conductive gradient and are compatible with convection; others do not. Since properties of FeS melts remain unknown, there is at present no way of selecting any set in preference to another. Properties of the FeS system at low pressure suggest the possible appearance of immiscibility at high temperature in liquids of low sulfur content; accordingly, the inner-core boundary is thought to represent equilibrium between a solid (FeNi) inner core and a liquid layer containing only a small amount of sulfur; layer F in turn is in equilibrium with another liquid (forming layer E) containing more sulfur, and slightly less dense, than F. The temperature Ti at the inner-core boundary is about 6000–6500°K for high Q and Tc ≈ 4500–5000°K. It is consistent with Alder's (1966) and Leppaluoto's (1972) estimates of the melting point of iron at 3.3 Mbar, but not with that of Higgins and Kennedy (1971).
The political economy of productivity : Thai agricultural development, 1880-1975

The economic history of Thailand between 1880 and 1975 contrasts sharply with the development experiences of other Third World countries. Between the opening of trade in 1850 and 1941, when war halted economic activity, Thailand became a major exporter of rice in the world market. Although conditions for further growth seemed highly favourable, Thailand's rapid integration into the world economy failed to improve living standards, and rice yields actually declined. In examining the causes of the underdevelopment of Thai agriculture over the last 100 years, Feeny introduces supply and demand models of technical and institutional change to analyse why the rice export boom did not result in more development.This book, much of which is based on primary research in the Thai National Archives, is one of the few quantitative economic histories of a less developed country.
Multi-kanban mechanism for personal computer disassembly

The use of personal computers (PCs) continues to increase every year. According to a 1999 figure, 50 percent of all US households owned PCs, a figure that continues to rise every year. With continuous development of sophisticated software, PCs are becoming increasingly powerful. In addition, the price of a PC continues to steadily decline. Furthermore, the typical life of a PC in the workplace is approximately two to three years while in the home it is three to five years. As these PCs become obsolete, they are replaced and the old PCs are disposed of. It is estimated that between 14 and 20 million PCs are retired annually in the US. While 20 to 30% of the units may be resold, the others are discarded. These discards represent a significant potential source of lead for the waste stream. In some communities, waste cathode ray tubes (CRTs) represent the second largest source of lead in the waste stream after vehicular lead acid batteries. PCs are, therefore, not suitable for dumping in landfills. Besides, several components of a PC can be reused and then there are other valuable materials that can also be harvested. And with the advent of product stewardship, product recovery is the best solution for manufacturers. Disassembly line is perhaps the most suitable set up for disassembling PCs. However, planning and scheduling of disassembly on a disassembly line is complicated. In this paper, we discuss some of the complications including product arrival, demand arrival, inventory fluctuation and production control mechanisms. We then show how to overcome them by implementing a multi-kanban mechanism in the PC disassembly line setting. The multi-kanban mechanism relies on dynamic routing of kanbans according to the state of the system. We investigate the multi-kanban mechanism using simulation and demonstrate that this mechanism is superior to the traditional push system in terms of controlling the system’s inventory while maintaining a decent customer service level.
Evolution of the Probability Measure for the Majda Model: New Invariant Measures and Breathing PDFs

In 1993, Majda proposed a simple, random shear model from which scalar inter- mittency was rigorously predicted for the invariant probability measure of passive tracers. In this work, we present an integral formulation for the tracer measure, which leads to a new, comprehensive study on its temporal evolution based on Monte Carlo simulation and direct numerical integration. An interesting, non-monotonic "breathing" phenomenon is discov- ered from these results and carefully defined, with a solid example for special initial data to predict such phenomenon. The signature of this phenomenon may persist at long time, char- acterized by the approach of the PDF core to its infinite time, invariant value. We find that this approach may be strongly dependent on the non-dimensional Peclet number, of which the invariant measure itself is independent. Further, the "breathing" PDF is recovered as a new invariant measure in a distinguished time scale in the diffusionless limit. Rigorous as- ymptotic analysis is also performed to identify the Gaussian core of the invariant measures, and the critical rate at which the heavy, stretched exponential regime propagates towards the tail as a function of time is calculated.
State minimum wages and business location: Evidence from a refined border approach

This study examines the effect of state minimum wage changes on new and existing business establishments. It employs a refined border approach in conjunction with other differencing methods to control for unobserved heterogeneous area characteristics. The findings suggest that state minimum wage increases deter new establishments from locating in an area, particularly in industries that rely on low-education workforces, such as the retail and manufacturing industries. However, existing establishments, regardless of industry type, are not found to be adversely affected by minimum wage policy.
The effect of registration error on tracking distant augmented objects

We conducted a user study of the effect of registration error on performance of tracking distant objects in augmented reality. Categorizing error by types that are often used as specifications, we hoped to derive some insight into the ability of users to tolerate noise, latency, and orientation error. We used measurements from actual systems to derive the parameter settings. We expected all three errors to influence userspsila ability to perform the task correctly and the precision with which they performed the task. We found that high latency had a negative impact on both performance and response time. While noise consistently interacted with the other variables, and orientation error increased user error, the differences between ldquohighrdquo and ldquolowrdquo amounts were smaller than we expected. Results of userspsila subjective rankings of these three categories of error were surprisingly mixed. Users believed noise was the most detrimental, though statistical analysis of performance refuted this belief. We interpret the results and draw insights for system design.
Teaching critical thinking in world regional geography through stakeholder debate

Using a stakeholder debate based on a real-world case of regional construction – that of Turkey's application to join the European Union – improved students' critical thinking in an introductory world regional geography course. Such courses are a staple offering among US geography departments, and often the only exposure of non-majors to geographic thinking. A stakeholder debate highlighting regional construction, using structured learning activities and reflection on their own thinking, improved students' critical thinking. We describe the stakeholder debate and its revision after one semester, and provide data from assessment and thematic coding of students' reflection papers.
Performance and nonperformance factors in pay allocations made by managers

Abstract Salary increase decisions made by 185 managers (60 men, 125 women) from a large, nonprofit organization were investigated using a dependency perspective. The performance level of the subordinate and the subordinate's political or organizational connections were found to influence managers. Neither the subordinates' influence nor the potential for subordinate turnover had any effect on managers' decisions to increase salary. Additional interactions that failed to be significant occurred between (a) performance and subordinate influence attempts, (b) performance and potential subordinate turnover, (c) organizational connections and subordinate influence attempts, and (d) organizational connections and potential subordinate turnover.
Bedside Percutaneous Tracheostomy in Critically III Patients

Bedside percutaneous dilational tracheostomy was performed by critical care attending physicians or supervised pulmonary and critical care fellows on 100 patients in the ICU at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, over a 3-year period. A needle is inserted in the first or second tracheal interspace followed by a guidewire. The tract is enlarged with a series of dilators to allow placement of a standard tracheostomy tube. Average procedure duration for 46 patients was 6.7 ±2.9 min. The intraoperative complication rate was 8 percent: transient oxygen desaturation (4 percent), transient hypotension (3 percent), and paratracheal insertion (1 percent). The postoperative complication rate was 10 percent: bleeding (5 percent), stomal infection (3 percent), and subcutaneous emphysema (2 percent). One patient died of presumed innominate artery rupture. Fifteen of 37 patients who survived hospitalization were decannulated. Stomal closure occurred in 13 of these 15 patients within 3 days with a minimal residual scar. Comparison of percutaneous dilational tracheostomy with two other techniques of percutaneous tracheostomy reveals a similar success rate with a lower incidence of serious complications. Bedside percutaneous dilational tracheostomy can be performed in the ICU by trained physicians with a low complication rate. We believe it to be the procedure of choice for many critically ill patients who require tracheostomies.
Splicing Defects in the COL3A1 Gene: Marked Preference for 5′ (Donor) Splice-Site Mutations in Patients with Exon-Skipping Mutations and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Type IV

Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) type IV results from mutations in the COL3A1 gene, which encodes the constituent chains of type III procollagen. We have identified, in 33 unrelated individuals or families with EDS type IV, mutations that affect splicing, of which 30 are point mutations at splice junctions and 3 are small deletions that remove splice-junction sequences and partial exon sequences. Except for one point mutation at a donor site, which leads to partial intron inclusion, and a single base-pair substitution at an acceptor site, which gives rise to inclusion of the complete upstream intron into the mature mRNA, all mutations result in deletion of a single exon as the only splice alteration. Of the exon-skipping mutations that are due to single base substitutions, which we have identified in 28 separate individuals, only two affect the splice-acceptor site. The underrepresentation of splice acceptor-site mutations suggests that the favored consequence of 3' mutations is the use of an alternative acceptor site that creates a null allele with a premature-termination codon. The phenotypes of those mutations may differ, with respect to either their severity or their symptomatic range, from the usual presentation of EDS type IV and thus have been excluded from analysis.
Further examinations of the category-recall function

Subjects were assigned to use either three or six categories and were given either 5 or 10 trials in a word-sorting task. Subsequent to sorting, they recalled as many words as they could. A measure of sorting consistency showed that the six-category sort was a more difficult task than was the three-category sort. Number of categories did not have a significant effect on recall performance regardless of whether 5 or 10 sorting trials were used. A correlational analysis raised questions about the relationship of the sorting tasks to recall performance and clustering.
Nontraumatic Subluxation of the Atlantoaxial Joint: Grisel's Syndrome:

Grisel's syndrome is defined as subluxation of the atlantoaxial joint not associated with trauma or bone disease. Primarily an affliction of children, the disorder may occur in association with any condition that results in hyperemia and pathologic relaxation of the transverse ligament of the atlantoaxial joint, including several common otolaryngic entities. Grisel's syndrome has been noted infrequently in the otolaryngologic literature; this paper reports a case from West Virginia University Hospital of a 6-year-old boy with radiographic evidence of retropharyngeal cellulitis following meningitis progressing to atlantoaxial subluxation. Discussed are the pathophysiologic aspects of Grisel's syndrome with an anatomic explanation recently described to account for the syndrome.
Pediatric adherence: Perspectives of mothers of children with HIV

This study approached pediatric adherence practices from the perspective of mothers of children with HIV in the USA. The study aimed to articulate what is involved in the daily life experience of giving or supervising a child's HIV medication (i.e., adherence practices) in order to clarify, in more dynamic terms than is often found in adherence research, what promotes or impedes adherence. A team-based qualitative analytic approach was used to analyze the narrative responses of 71 maternal caregivers of children with HIV to interview questions regarding the activities and stresses of caring for a child with HIV. Four themes of dealing with medication on a daily basis that impacted mothers' adherence practices emerged from the analysis: (1) Mothers' attitudes and feelings related to adherence practices. (2) The impact of the medications on adherence practices. (3) Interactions of mothers and children related to adherence practices. (4) Developmental issues and responsibility for medication adherence. These themes, taken together, demonstrate the contextual and longitudinal factors that impact adherence and illustrate the complexity of influences on adherence practices. We found that adherence practices were impacted in a positive way by mothers' commitment to adherence, and in a negative way by feelings of stigma and guilt, by the effects of bereavement on children and by children adopting their mothers' attitudes about medications. The interactive process of giving medication was shaped by children's behavior, mothers' developmental expectations for children, and, for mothers with HIV, their adherence for themselves. We found that pediatric adherence often came at a cost to the caregiving mother's well-being.
Percutaneous Treatment of a Large Coronary Aneurysm Using the Self-Expandable Symbiot PTFE-Covered Stent

We report a complex case of percutaneous intervention on a right coronary artery with calcific stenoses and a large coronary aneurysm with long longitudinal diameter, which was successfully performed using a polytetrafluoroethylene-covered self-expandable stent (Symbiot; Boston Scientific; Natick, MA). The use of this new device may enhance the anatomic indications for percutaneous interventions on coronary aneurysms.
Diagnosis of aged prescribed burning plumes impacting an urban area.

An unanticipated wind shift led to the advection of plumes from two prescribed burning sites that impacted Atlanta, GA, producing a heavy smoke event late in the afternoon on February 28, 2007. Observed PM2.5 concentrations increased to over 140 µg/m3 and O3 concentrations up to 30 ppb in a couple of hours, despite the late hour in February when photochemistry is less vigorous. A detailed investigation of PM2.5 chemical composition and source apportionment analysis showed that the increase in PM2.5 mass was driven mainly by organic carbon (OC). However, both results from source apportionment and an observed nonlinear relationship between OC and PM2.5 potassium (K) indicate that the increased OC was not due solely to primary emissions. Most of the OC was water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) and was dominated by hydrophobic compounds. The data are consistent with large enhancements in isoprenoid (isoprene and monoterpenes) and other volatile organic compounds emitted from prescribed burning that led to both ...
Promoting new‐student success: Assessing academic development and achievement among first‐year students

This chapter presents findings from a national research study with a sample of nearly twenty thousand first-year students on how students' experiences and campus programs affect key academic outcomes of the first year.
Dyscoordinate expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by human blood monocytes and alveolar macrophages

Previous studies have shown that human alveolar macrophages produce less interleukin-1 (IL-1) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) than do their precursors, blood monocytes. The purpose of this study was to compare the capacities of alveolar macrophages and blood monocytes to synthesize tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in response to LPS. Alveolar macrophages were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage of healthy nonsmoking subjects, and blood monocytes were obtained by adherence of mononuclear cells to plastic. TNF activity was measured in supernatants and cell lysates as cytotoxicity to L929 f ibroblasts (uptake of neutral red at 570 nm). TNF activity of alveolar macrophages stimulated at 106 cells/ml with LPS (10 µg/ml) for 16 h was 596 ± 367, and of blood monocytes it was 60 ± 84 U/ml (mean ± SD, p < 0.005). At no concentration of LPS and at no period of stimulation did alveolar macrophages express less TNF activity than did blood monocytes. In concurrent experiments, supernatants of LPS-stimulated alveolar...
Novel hole transport materials for organic light emitting devices

Organic electronic devices generally have a layered structure with organic materials sandwiched between an anode and a cathode, such organic electronic devices of organic light-emitting diode (OLED), organic photovoltaic (OPV), organic thin-film transistor (OTFT). There are many advantages of these organic electronic devices as compared to silicon-based devices. However, one of key challenge for an organic electronic device is to minimize the charge injection barrier from electrodes to organic materials and improve the charge transport mobility. In order to overcome these circumstances, there are many approaches including, designing organic materials with minimum energy barriers and improving charge transport mobility. Ideally organic materials or complex with Ohmic contact will be the most desired.
Weight regain after Roux-en-Y: A significant 20% complication related to PYY

Abstract Objective Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) produces rapid and dramatic weight loss in very heavy obese patients. Up to 20% cannot sustain their weight loss beyond 2 to 3 y after surgery. Methods To identify putative etiologic factors producing post-RYGB weight regain, a literature survey of metabolic changes in very obese and a review of our diet-induced obese RYGB rat model data was done. Results Weight regain suggests an imbalance in physiologic mechanisms regulating appetite and metabolic rate. Weight regain occurred in 25% of our rats, produced by return to presurgical energy intake levels. The 75% of rats that sustained weight loss secreted a significantly larger amount of peptide YY (PYY) while suppressing leptin secretion; those that failed were unable to develop or sustain a sufficiently large plasma PYY:leptin ratio. Metabolic consequences of this failure included reversal of initial postsurgical increases in peripheral fatty acid oxidation, anorexigenic activity in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and paraventricular nucleus, and the expression of uncoupling protein-2 in adipose tissues, and decreases in hepatic lipogenesis, free tri-iodothyronine secretion, expression of orexigenic activity in the arcuate nucleus and paraventricular nucleus, expression of adenosine monophosphate kinase in adipose tissues, skeletal muscle mitochondrial mass, and endocannabinoid content and appetite. Conclusion Weight regain after RYGB occurs in approximately 20% of patients and constitutes a serious complication. Weight regain–promoting consequences are attributed to a failure to sustain elevated plasma PYY concentrations, indicating that combining RYGB with pharmacologic stimulation of PYY secretion in patients after RYGB who exhibit inadequate PYY concentration may increase long-term success of surgical weight reduction in morbidly obese adults.
Identification of Proteins and Phosphoproteins Using Pulsed Q Collision Induced Dissociation (PQD)

Pulsed Q collision induced dissociation (PQD) was developed to facilitate detection of low-mass reporter ions from labeling reagents (e.g., iTRΑQ) in peptide quantification using an LTQ mass spectrometer (MS). Despite the large number of linear ion traps worldwide, the use and optimization of PQD for protein identification have been limited, in part due to less effective ion fragmentation relative to the collision induced dissociation (CID). PQD expands the m/z coverage of fragment ions to the lower m/z range by circumventing the typical low mass cut-off of an ion trap MS. Since database searching relies on the matching between theoretical and observed spectra, it is not clear how ion intensity and peak number might affect the outcomes of a database search. In this report, we systematically evaluated the attributes of PQD mass spectra, performed intensity optimization, and assessed the benefits of using PQD on the identification of peptides and phosphopeptides from an LTQ. Based on head-to-head comparisons between CID (higher intensity) and PQD (better m/z coverage), peptides identified using PQD generally have Xcorr scores lower than those using CID. Such score differences were considerably diminished by the use of 0.1% m-nitrobenzyl alcohol (m-NBA) in mobile phases. The ion intensities of both CID and PQD were adversely affected by increasing m/z of the precursor, with PQD more sensitive than CID. In addition to negating the 1/3 rule, PQD enhances direct bond cleavage and generates patterns of fragment ions different from those of CID, particularly for peptides with a labile functional group (e.g., phosphopeptides). The higher energy fragmentation pathway of PQD on peptide fragmentation was further compared to those of CID and the quadrupole-type activation in parallel experiments.
Analysis of forecasting algorithms for minimization of electric demand costs for electric vehicle charging in commercial and industrial environments

The large scale deployment of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure can result in high added utility costs due to the peak demand cost structure in utility bills for commercial and industrial users. A method to minimize this disincentive to EV adoption is proposed that relies on forecasting demand so that EV charging activity can be intelligently controlled. This study examines multiple forecasting models and techniques to determine the optimal algorithm for use in the proposed control system. Simulation results are presented for each of the forecasting algorithms with the best mean absolute percent error of 1.26% using a neural network with averaging. This results in a reduction in the peak demand electric costs of approximately 95%.
Character and stability of axisymmetric thermal convection in spheres and spherical shells

The influence of shell size and mode of heating on the behavior and stability of axisymmetric, infinite Prandtl number convection in a spherical geometry is studied. Heating from within and below features convection onset governed by a self-adjoint system of equations and boundary conditions. For heating only from within or from below, linearized equations and boundary conditions are non-self-adjoint. Identification of the parameter which initiates the departure from self-adjointness, together with the properties of the self-adjoint solution, provide a basis for calculating the heat transfer characteristics of the non-self-adjoint situations. The investigations are an effort to develop a model for heat transfer in planetary interiors. Further development of the technique by modifying the Galerkin method by the introduction of diagonal mode truncation is suggested to permit the consideration of higher values of the Rayleigh numbers, i.e., those more commensurate with terrestrial planet mantles.
Evidence for stereoselective lipolysis in a termite. Toxicity of enantiomeric ω-fluorinated alkyldiacylglycerols to Reticulitermes flavipes

Enantiomeric pairs of sn-1,2-0-diacyl-3-0-alkyl and sn-1-0-alkyl-2,3-0-diacyl glycerols containing ω-fluoroacyl or ω-fluoroalkyl groups were prepared and were fed to the Eastern subterranean termite. Insects fed the enantiomeric 1-0-(ω-fluoroalkyl) ethers showed similar mortality vs time courses and LC50s (at four days), as did those fed the chiral alkyl diacyl glycerols bearing the ω-fluoroacyl group at the 2 position. However, the sn-1-0-(ω-fluoroacyl) showed lower toxicity and a slower time course for mortality than did the sn-3-0-(ω-fluoroacyl) enantiomer, consistent with a partially stereoselective lipolysis at the sn-3-position.
More knowledge, less certainty

Major efforts are underway to improve climate models both for the advancement of science and for the benefit of society. But early results could cause problems for the public understanding of climate change.