cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Site-Specific Installation and Study of Electroactive Units in Every Layer of Dendrons

Whereas encapsulation of functional groups at the core of dendrimers is well-understood, very little is known about their intermediate layers or even the periphery. Here we report on a systematic investigation of every layer of dendrimers by incorporating a single ferrocene unit in well-defined locations in dendrons. Site-specific incorporation of the ferrocene unit was achieved by utilizing the dendrimer sequencing methodology. We show here that the redox potential values of ferrocene at intermediate layers were remarkably different from those at the core and the periphery. Although redox potential values were location-dependent, no significant change in the rate of heterogeneous electron transfer (k(0)) was observed with respect to locations. This was attributed to the possibility that free rotation of dendrimer nullifies the distance between the electrode and ferrocene unit. Finally, we also show that no Faradaic current was observed for the amphiphilic assemblies of these dendrons, whereas the same dendron did exhibit significant Faradaic current in nonassembling solvent environments.
Flow Visualizations and Transient Temperature Measurements in an Axisymmetric Impinging Jet Rapid Thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition Reactor

Carrier gas flow in a rapid thermal chemical vapor deposition (RTCVD) reactor was studied using flow visualization and laser induced Rayleigh light scattering (RLS). The flow field consists of a downward axisymmetric jet of carrier gas impinging on a wafer which undergoes transient heating. Flow visualization results showed three stable flow regimes as the surface rose from ambient to high temperature; momentum dominated, buoyancy dominated, and a second momentum dominated regime at high temperature; each separated by unstable, chaotic flows. RLS temperature measurements provided transient gas temperature histories, documenting flow visualization results. Regions of momentum dominated, buoyancy dominated, and unstable flows were defined as a function of Grashof number, Reynolds number, pressure, and wafer temperature
Trends in Primary Care Clinician Perceptions of a New Electronic Health Record

Background Clinician perceptions of a newly implemented electronic health record play an important role in its success or failure.
Real application testing with database replay

Oracle Database Replay provides a new way to test changes to a database system by reproducing the real user workload in a test environment. It helps to identify potential problems after software or hardware upgrades, patches, or changes to database parameters, schema or data. Any interesting workload period of a production database system can be captured with minimal overhead. The captured workload can be used to drive a test system while maintaining the concurrency and load characteristics of the real production workload. The replay does not depend on any other software including the application itself. It reliably reproduces the captured workload to support early diagnosis and troubleshooting. In this paper we discuss the analysis of replay results and introduce a new compare-period report, which assists with a detailed performance comparison of the capture and its replays with respect to changes. We demonstrate its usefulness in a case study involving an upgrade for a Siebel financial application, where Database Replay identifies performance problems after the upgrade and helps correcting them.
Distinct binding sites for Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 in bovine parathyroid glands.

Abstract We utilized high specific activity, [ 32 P]-labelled ligands to measure the binding of Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 and Ins(1,4,5)P 3 to membanes prepared from bovine parathyroid glands. [ 32 P]Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 bound rapidly and reversibly to parathyroid membranes, and the binding data could be fitted by the interaction of the ligand with two sites, one with K d =6.8×10 −9 M and B max =26 fmol/mg protein and a second, lower affinity site, with K d =4.1×10 −7 M and B max =400 fmol/mg protein. InsP 5 was 10–20 fold less potent than InsP 4 , and Ins(1,3,4)P 3 and Ins(1,4,5)P 3 were nearly 1000-fold less potent in displacing [ 32 P]Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 . [ 32 P]Ins(1,4,5)P 3 , on the other hand, bound to a single class of sites with K d =7.6×10 −9 M and B max =34 fmol/mg. While the binding of [ 32 P]Ins(1,3,4,5)P 3 increased markedly on raising pH from 5 to 8, the binding of [ 32 P]Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 decreased by 75% over this range of pH. Thus, [ 32 P]-labelled Ins(1,3,4,5)P 4 and Ins(1,4,5)P 3 may be used to identify distinct binding sites which may represent physiologically relevant intracellular receptors for InsP 3 and InsP 4 in parathyroid cells.
Evidence that raphe-spinal neurons mediate opiate and midbrain stimulation-produced analgesias.

Abstract The present experiments were undertaken to assess the role of neurons in the nucleus raphe nagnus (NRM) in mediating opiate and stimulation-produced analgesias. A cannode for both electrical stimulation and local opiate microinjection was placed in the midbrain periaqueductal gray region of decerebrate or chloralose-urethane anesthetized cats. Microelectrodes recorded the responses of medullary NRM neurons. Raphe-spinal neurons were identified by antidromic activation from the cervical spinal cord. Fifteen of 20 raphe-spinal cells tested were excited by electrical stimulation of the midbrain. Of 49 NRM neurons tested, 26 were excited by either systemic or midbrain injection of opiate agonist. Twelve of 33 NRM cells tested by midbrain microinjection were excited. In 10 the effect was reversed by naloxone. Seventeen raphe-spinal neurons were tested; 5 showed naloxone-reversible excitation to either midbrain or intravenous injection of opiates. NRM neurons respond to auditory and somatic stimuli; at least half respond maximally to somatic stimuli of noxious intensity. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that the raphe-spinal projection mediates opiate and electrical stimulation-produced effects from midbrain sites. The properties of raphe-spinal neurons suggest that they are part of a negative feedback system which monitors and limits the output of spinal dorsal horn pain-transmission neurons.
Atmospheric corrosion of Cu by UV, ozone and NaCl

AbstractThe effects of ultraviolet (UV), ozone and NaCl on the atmospheric corrosion of Cu have been studied. The corrosion products were analysed by X-ray diffraction and quantified by coulometric reduction. Surface morphology after exposure was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The protection effect of naturally formed copper oxide was shown by comparing the corrosion behaviours of Cu and Ag with UV and ozone but in the absence of NaCl. Ultraviolet illumination had a significant accelerating effect on Cu corrosion regardless of the presence of ozone. With ozone and NaCl, the accelerating effect of UV was more evident at low relative humidity (RH) (60%) than at high RH (90%). Loading of NaCl is critical for the formation of Cu2(OH)3Cl, a common corrosion product of Cu in marine environments. Oxidation of Cu2O to Cu2(OH)3Cl in the presence of NaCl by oxygen and ozone is a possible pathway for the formation of Cu2(OH)3Cl.
p-Type PbSe and PbS Quantum Dot Solids Prepared with Short-Chain Acids and Diacids

We show that ligand exchange with short-chain carboxylic acids (formic, acetic, and oxalic acid) can quantitatively remove oleic acid from the surface of PbSe and PbS quantum dot (QD) films to yield p-type, carboxylate-capped QD solids with field-effect hole mobilities in the range of 10−4−10−1 cm2 V−1 s−1. For a given chemical treatment, PbSe devices have 10-fold higher mobilities than PbS devices because of stronger electronic coupling among the PbSe QDs and possibly a lower density of surface traps. Long-term optical and electrical measurements (i) show that carboxylate-capped PbSe QD films oxidize much more gradually in air than do thiol-capped PbSe films and (ii) quantify the slower and less extensive oxidation of PbS relative to PbSe QDs. We find that whereas the hole mobility of thiol-capped samples decreases continuously with time in air, the mobility of carboxylate-capped films first increases by an order of magnitude over several days before slowly decreasing over weeks. This behavior is a conse...
Discrepancies between meeting abstracts and subsequent full text publications in hand surgery.

Purpose Research abstracts presented during the proceedings of an annual meeting are often cited and can influence clinical practice. Prior studies show that roughly 50% of abstracts at American Society for Surgery of the Hand meetings are eventually published. Yet, it is unknown how often the results or conclusions of published studies differ from the podium presentation. The objective of this study was to quantify the differences between abstracts presented during the annual meeting of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand and the resulting manuscripts. Methods We retrospectively reviewed every abstract delivered as a podium presentation at the American Society for Surgery of the Hand annual meeting from 2000 to 2010. We searched the PubMed database for matching publications and compared authorship, country of origin, hypothesis, study design and methodology, changes in study groups or populations, results, and conclusions. Results Of 798 total abstracts, we analyzed 719 involving the hand, wrist, and brachial plexus. Fifty-six different journals published 393 of the abstracts, for a 49% publication rate. Mean time to publication was 18 months with a median of 14 and maximum of 122 months. There were inconsistencies between the results and/or conclusions in 14% of full-length articles compared with the abstract presented at the meeting. A total of 9% of articles were published with fewer subjects. Authorships changes were noted in 54% of publications. Conclusions Abstracts represent preliminary investigations and major and minor changes occur before subsequent publication. Caution should be exercised in referencing abstracts or altering clinical practice based on their content. Type of study/level of evidence Economic/decision analysis IV.
Communication and sensorimotor functioning in children with autism

This study examined the relationship between sensorimotor functioning and communicative intent in children with autism. Ten children with autism, four verbal and six nonverbal, served as subjects. Sensorimotor functioning was assessed on object permanence, means-end, causality, vocal and gestural imitation, the construction of objects in space and schemes for relating objects. A 2-hr communication sample was also obtained and analyzed for the number and diversity of pragmatic functions expressed. Object permanence was not significantly related to either the diversity or total number of pragmatic functions. Means-end was significantly related to both of these measures, while vocal imitation was significantly related to the total number of pragmatic functions expressed. In addition, means-end was significantly correlated with performance on the vocal and gestural imitation scales.
Tiagabine (gabitril) experience in children.

Summary: Tiagabine (TGB) is indicated as adjunctive therapy for partial seizures in adults and children aged 12 years and older. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of TGB treatment are under way in younger children with various forms of epilepsy. The results of pediatric pharmacokinetic trials indicate patterns similar to those seen in adults. An open-label study was conducted in the United States in 31 children with refractory complex partial seizures, with doses escalated every 2 weeks by 0.25 mg/kg up to a maximal daily dose of 1 mg/kg. Twenty-nine patients were treated with TGB for >1 year; 26 completed the study, of whom 18 were receiving monotherapy at study completion. A European dose-escalation study evaluated TGB (0.25–1.5 mg/kg/day) as add-on therapy in 52 children aged 2–15 years. TGB appeared to be more effective in localization-related epilepsy syndromes, with 17 of 23 patients with localization-related epilepsy having a 33% median reduction of seizure rate compared with baseline in the fourth month of treatment, and six patients having ≥50% seizure rate reduction. In this study, myoclonic seizures and spasms showed a poor response as opposed to encouraging findings reported by other groups with these seizure types. The adverse effect profile of TGB in children with epilepsy is similar to that in adults. In the U.S. study, most common adverse events were related to the central nervous system (CNS) and decreased over time. In the European study, mostly mild to moderate adverse events, including asthenia (19%), nervousness (19%), dizziness (17%), and somnolence (17%), were reported by 83% of TGB-treated children (39% of children reported adverse events during the single-blind placebo period). In summary, preliminary pediatric data with TGB suggest particular efficacy against epilepsy characterized by partial seizures or other syndromes, and further investigation is warranted.
Ultrastructure of a new microtubule-neurofilament coupler in nerves

A new structure associated with the surfaces of neuronal microtubules is described which connects microtubules to neurofilaments in the axonal processes of cultured chick sensory ganglia. These couplers consist of a spherical core particle (15 nm in diameter) from which radiate several thin filaments (4 nm in diameter). Connection of adjacent microtubules and neurofilaments is achieved by thin filaments radiating from core particles positioned between these cytoskeletal elements. Couplers are most conspicuous in regions of axonal processes containing widely separated microtubules and neurofilaments. The structure and distribution of these couplers suggests that they are directly involved in intra-axonal organelle movements, possibly by modulating the spatial separation of adjacent microtubules and neurofilaments, thereby allowing the passage of transported organelles.
Multi-Institutional Survey of Graduates of Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship: Assessment of Training and Current Professional Activities

UNLABELLED We surveyed all the graduates of four fellowship programs in pediatric anesthesia between 1985 and 1993 to assess their current professional activities, their evaluation of fellowship training, and their opinions on future directions of such training. One-hundred ninety-one (62%) of the graduates responded. Nearly all of the respondents had sought fellowship training for pediatric anesthesia and thought that the training was worthwhile. At the time of the survey, 40% worked in a children's hospital, 72% had university or affiliate positions, and 54% had a practice that was > 50% pediatric. Those with > or = 12 mo fellowship and/or board certification in pediatrics were the most likely to have a pediatric-dedicated practice. Seventy percent of the respondents thought that fellowship training should be for 12 mo, and the proportion of respondents who recommended inclusion of training in pain management and clinical research was greater than the number who had actually received such training. Fifty-eight percent of respondents supported restriction of fellowship positions in the future, but 83% did not support a mandatory 2-yr fellowship with research training. We conclude that fellowships in pediatric anesthesia seem to be successful in providing training that is not only satisfying to the trainees, but that is also followed by active involvement in the care of children and in the training of residents and fellows in anesthesia. Additional information should be gathered to assess the impact of this training on pediatric care, to formulate a standardized curriculum, and to justify support for such training in the future. IMPLICATIONS We surveyed graduates of four fellowship programs in pediatric anesthesia (1985-1993) to assess current professional activities, fellowship training, and future directions of such training. Fellowships in pediatric anesthesia seem to provide training that is satisfying to trainees and that is followed by active involvement in the care of children.
A Comparative Study of Natural Killer Cell Activity, Lymphoproliferation, and Cell Phenotypes in Nonhuman Primates

Three different species of nonhuman primates (baboons [Papio hamadryas], rhesus monkeys [Macaca mulatta], and African green monkeys [Cercopithecus aethiops]) were evaluated for their natural killer cell activity, and for the ability of their peripheral blood mononuclear cells to proliferate in response to known mitogens (concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin, and pokeweed mitogen) and to react with a panel of mouse monocional antibodies directed against human leukocyte surface antigens. Rhesus monkeys displayed the highest natural killer cell cytotoxic activity (185.7 ± 33 lytic units) compared with those of baboons (83.8 ± 19 lytic units) and of African green monkeys from West Africa (39.08 ± 8 lytic units) and from the Caribbean basin (37.9 ± 9 lytic units). No correlation was observed between the natural killer cell cytotoxic activity and the percentage of CD 16′ natural killer cells among the three species studied. High spontaneous proliferative capacity was observed in African green monkeys obtained fro...
A cortical disinhibitory circuit for enhancing adult plasticity

The adult brain continues to learn and can recover from injury, but the elements and operation of the neural circuits responsible for this plasticity are not known. In previous work, we have shown that locomotion dramatically enhances neural activity in the visual cortex (V1) of the mouse (Niell and Stryker, 2010), identified the cortical circuit responsible for this enhancement (Fu et al., 2014), and shown that locomotion also dramatically enhances adult plasticity (Kaneko and Stryker, 2014). The circuit that is responsible for enhancing neural activity in the visual cortex contains both vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and somatostatin (SST) neurons (Fu et al., 2014). Here, we ask whether this VIP-SST circuit enhances plasticity directly, independent of locomotion and aerobic activity. Optogenetic activation or genetic blockade of this circuit reveals that it is both necessary and sufficient for rapidly increasing V1 cortical responses following manipulation of visual experience in adult mice. These findings reveal a disinhibitory circuit that regulates adult cortical plasticity.
Retaliation level as a foundation for subsequent conciliation

Sixty female subjects opposed a simulated opponent in a modified prisoner's dilemma game. At first the subjects communicated threats of a ten-point penalty if the opponent did not cooperate. When subjects did penalize, the opponent could retaliate with 0, 5, 10, or 20 points. After the first penalty and retaliation, the opponent became the communicator and sent a series of honest promises of cooperation to the subject. As hypothesized, subjects whose penalties had been reciprocated with equal retaliation were more cooperative on the first block of promise trials than were 20-point or five-point subjects, but this effect dissipated, presumably because the opponent was not programed to reciprocate with a competitive choice if the promised cooperation was exploited. The opponent in the zero retaliation condition was not significantly less effective with conciliatory promises than the equal retaliation opponent. The study was discussed in terms of the starting and stabilizing functions of the norm of reciprocity in all levels of social systems and in terms of Osgood's graduated and reciprocal initiatives in tension reduction (GRIT) proposal.
A three-phase examination of academic comparative optimism and perceived academic control ☆

Abstract Early academic perceptions are critical to undergraduate students' success in college. This 3-phase study examined stability of and links between academic comparative optimism (ACO; positive expectations about future performance) and perceived academic control (PAC; sense of influence over academic outcomes) among 68 undergraduate students. ACO and PAC were assessed at the start, midway through, and at the end of a semester and a cross-lagged panel analysis tested which academic perception better predicted the other. We also examined early ACO and PAC as predictors of later achievement. Students' ACO and PAC were fairly stable throughout the semester. Regression analyses (controlling for course load, prior achievement, and prior ACO or PAC) indicated ACO predicted PAC more so than the reverse, suggesting students may boost their PAC via optimistic social comparisons. Early ACO predicted later performance. Implications for enhancing ACO and PAC early in the academic year are discussed.
ON THE INVERSE OF THE COVARIANCE MATRIX OF A FIRST-ORDER MOVING AVERAGE.

Abstract : Let (x sub t) be a first-order moving-average process; that is, x sub t = epsilon sub t + beta (epsilon sub t-1), where the sequence (epsilon sub t, t = 0, plus or minus 1,...) consists of uncorrelated random variables with mean 0 and variance v, and the absolute value of beta is < 1. Another parameterization which is useful involves sigma squared = v(1 + beta squared) and sigma squared rho = v(beta). This paper discusses the problem of inverting the covariance matrix Sigma sub T of x = (x sub 1,..., x sub T)'. (Author)
Limiting youth access to tobacco: comparing the long-term health impacts of increasing cigarette excise taxes and raising the legal smoking age to 21 in the United States.

Although many states in the US have raised cigarette excise taxes in recent years, the size of these increases have been fairly modest (resulting in a 15% increase in the per pack purchase price), and their impact on adult smoking prevalence is likely insufficient to meet Healthy People 2010 objectives. This paper presents the results of a 75-year dynamic simulation model comparing the long-term health benefits to society of various levels of tax increase to a viable alternative: limiting youth access to cigarettes by raising the legal purchase age to 21. If youth smoking initiation is delayed as assumed in the model, increasing the smoking age would have a minimal immediate effect on adult smoking prevalence and population health, but would affect a large drop in youth smoking prevalence from 22% to under 9% for the 15–17-year-old age group in 7 years (by 2010)—better than the result of raising taxes to increase the purchase price of cigarettes by 100%. Reducing youth initiation by enforcing a higher smoking age would reduce adult smoking prevalence in the long-term (75 years in the future) to 13.6% (comparable to a 40% tax-induced price increase), and would produce a cumulative gain of 109 million QALYs (comparable to a 20% price increase). If the political climate continues to favor only moderate cigarette excise tax increases, raising the smoking age should be considered to reduce the health burden of smoking on society. The health benefits of large tax increases, however, would be greater and would accrue faster than raising the minimum legal purchase age for cigarettes. © 2006 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
A simple method for power spectral estimation using subband decomposition

A method for estimating the power spectral density (PSD) of a given input sequence is proposed. The method is derived as a simple extension of the subband decomposition fast Fourier transform algorithm. A simple tree-structured subband decomposition of the input sequence is applied using only additions and subtractions. A minor addition to the algorithm allows at each decomposition stage the computation of an estimate of the autocorrelation coefficients of the respective input sequence. The overall PSD estimate is then obtained by properly combining the outputs of the separate stages. The method is best suited for estimating the frequency band containing most of the signal power and can be used by itself as an estimate and/or as an integral part of data-driven algorithms to compute a limited number of transform points, to initialize transform domain adaptive algorithms. >
Telehealth for Children with Special Health Care Needs: Promoting Comprehensive Systems of Care:

This study identified ways that telehealth systems are used to enhance service delivery for children with special health care needs. Various health professionals utilize telehealth to provide physical and behavioral health care, to conduct developmental evaluations, and to address family/social concerns. Telehealth is used most for follow-up visits after in-person specialty care and for child evaluation with treatment recommendations to local care providers. Telehealth systems have the potential to increase access to specialized services and to enhance community-based services for rural and underserved children. However, inadequate reimbursement poses a significant barrier to the development of these services.
Mechanisms of Light Chain Injury along the Tubular Nephron

The tubular nephron is responsible for reabsorption and catabolism of filtered low molecular weight proteins that include Ig free light chains. In the setting of a plasma cell dyscrasia, significant amounts of free light chains, now monoclonal proteins, present to the tubular nephron for disposal. The result may be clinical renal dysfunction in the form of AKI, progressive CKD, and end-stage kidney disease. Here, I review the mechanisms involved in these processes that result in tubular injury, including proximal tubulopathy and cast nephropathy.
Torsional sensor applications in two-phase fluids

A solid corrosion-resistant torsional waveguide of diamond cross section has been developed to sense, online and in real-time, the characteristics of the liquid in which it is submerged. The sensor can measure, among other things, the liquid content of a bubbly medium, the density of adjacent pure liquids, the equivalent density of liquid-vapor mixtures or particulate suspensions, a suspension's concentration, and the liquid level. The sensor exploits the phenomenon that the speed of propagation of a torsional stress wave in a submerged waveguide with a noncircular cross section is inversely proportional to the equivalent density of the liquid in which the waveguide is submerged. The sensor may be used to conduct measurements along distances ranging from 20 mm to 20 m and over a wide range of temperatures and pressures, e.g., from the cryogenic temperature of liquid nitrogen, -196 degrees C, up to hot pressurized water at 300 degrees C and 7 MPa. A self-calibrating three-zone sensor and associated electronics have also been developed to compensate for any sensor inaccuracies due to operation over a wide range of temperature. >
The effects of generalized school choice on achievement and stratification: Evidence from Chile's voucher program

In 1981, Chile introduced nationwide school choice by providing vouchers to any student wishing to attend private school. As a result, more than 1000 private schools entered the market, and the private enrollment rate increased by 20 percentage points, with greater impacts in larger, more urban, and wealthier communities. We use this differential impact to measure the effects of unrestricted choice on educational outcomes. Using panel data for about 150 municipalities, we find no evidence that choice improved average educational outcomes as measured by test scores, repetition rates, and years of schooling. However, we find evidence that the voucher program led to increased sorting, as the bbestQ public school students left for the private sector. D 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Space-invariant multiple-grating interferometers in holography

Properties of multiple-grating interferometers in forming holograms are described. With these interferometers, the coherence requirements of off-axis holography can be reduced to a level considerably less than those of in-line holography. The effect of source coherence (or source structure) on the hologram modulation transfer function of the system is discussed. The modulation transfer function can be adjusted to produce low-pass, bandpass, or high-pass characteristics.
Protein biomarkers of ovarian cancer: the forest and the trees

The goal of effective population-based screening for ovarian cancer remains elusive despite intense efforts aimed at improving upon biomarker and imaging modalities. While dozens of potential serum biomarkers for ovarian cancer have been identified in recent years, none have yet overcome the limitations that have hindered the clinical use of CA-125. Avenues of opportunity in biomarker development are emerging as investigators are beginning to appreciate the significance of remote, as well as local or regional, sources of biomarkers in the construction of diagnostic panels, as well as the importance of evaluating biomarkers in prediagnostic settings. As the list of candidate biomarkers of ovarian cancer continues to grow, refinements in the methods through which specific proteins are selected for further development as components of diagnostic panels are desperately sought. Such refinements must take into account both the bioinformatic and biological significance of each candidate. Approaches incorporating these considerations may potentially overcome the challenges to early detection posed by the histological heterogeneity of ovarian cancer. Here, we review the recent progress achieved in efforts to develop diagnostic biomarker panels for ovarian cancer and discuss the challenges that remain.
B-MATING-TYPE GENES INFLUENCE SURVIVAL OF NUCLEI SEPARATED FROM HETEROKARYONS OF SCHIZOPHYLLUM

Abstract Separation of single haploid nuclei from dikaryons of Schizophyllum commune , via protoplast formation and regeneration, has revealed significant asymmetric ratios of the two component nuclear types despite the strict 1:1 ratio that prevails in these highly structured heterokaryons. Skewed ratios of one type of nucleus to the other were previously shown to be characteristic of hemicompatible heterokaryons in which the A -mating-type alleles were identical but the B -mating-type alleles were different. This study has determined a genetic basis for this phenomenon by demonstrating that alleles of the B -mating-type genes influence nuclear survival. Specificity of alleles at bothBα andBβ loci has been shown to correlate with percentage survival of the component nuclear types recovered from both kinds of heterokaryons, suggesting differential effects of these series of multiple alleles on nuclear function in monokaryons isolated from heterokaryons. The alleles can be put in an hierarchical order with respect to this function. Mutation to loss or impairment ofB function results in a shift in hierarchical order relative to the progenitor allele. Evidence is given for an effect on nuclear division as a basis for the differential recovery of nuclei carrying different B -gene alleles. A scheme with some analogy to the system for establishing mitotic synchrony in cells of opposite mating type in Saccharomyces cerevisae is suggested as a possible basis for the observed effects of the B -mating-type genes in basidiomycetes.
Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Sensor for Measurements of Temperature and Water Concentration in Supersonic Flows

The development and use of a tunable diode laser absorption sensor for gas temperature and water concentration in a high enthalpy supersonic flow is presented. This diagnostic enables non-intrusive, in situ measurements in harsh environments produced by propulsion ground test facilities. Water vapor was chosen as the target species to enable calculations of hydrogen-air combustion efficiency and to calibrate steam addition for simulated-vitiated testing. The sensor utilizes robust diode lasers capable of probing the nearinfrared absorption band of water near 1.4 microns. Two lasers are wavelength-multiplexed to enable twoline thermometry and both scanned-wavelength direct absorption and wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2f) techniques were used. Results are presented for measurements taken at the combustor entrance and tunnel exit of the University of Virginia’s dual-mode scramjet combustor for steam-injected and hydrogen-air combustion operation modes.
Analysis on Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases in Huishui County of Guizhou Province from 2004 to 2010

Objective To investigate the prevalence regularity and trend of infectious diseases in Huishui County,and to provide a scientific basis for developing prevention and control strategy. Methods With descriptive epidemiological methods,we analyzed the information about infectious diseases in Huishui County form 2004 to 2010. Results A total of 10,220 cases of infectious diseases were reported during the seven years,and the average annual incidence rate was 353.86/100,000.The average annual incidence rate of respiratory infectious diseases was 218.86/100,000, ranking the first place in various types of infectious diseases.Totally 2,378 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were found,accounting for 58.24% of the total incidence of respiratory infectious diseases.The average annual incidence rate of intestinal infectious diseases was 99.16/100,000,ranking the second place in various types of infectious diseases.Totally 1,907 cases of bacterial dysentery were found,accounting for 66.59% of the total incidence of intestinal infectious diseases.The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis and viral hepatitis was increased year by year,while the incidence of bacterial dysentery was decreased year by year. Conclusions Epidemic characteristics and patterns of infectious diseases are gradually changing.We must improve and strengthen the prevention and control measures and pay more attention to the monitoring and control of tuberculosis,immune targeted diseases,infectious diseases which are transmitted through blood and sexual intercourse,and emerging infectious diseases.
Effective evaluation on professional knowledge training of persons in plague control in Gansu Province

Objective To evaluate the training effect of professional knowledge on persons in plague control at primary level in Gansu Province.Methods Relevant testing data of the primary trainees in professional knowledge training course in Gansu Province in 2010 were analyzed.Results The awareness rate of epidemiological investigation,emergency treatment and monitoring knowledge of persons in plague prevention and control increased after training.Principles and technique of new detection in plague such as polymerase chain reaction(PCR),enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),indirect hemagglutination assay(IHA),reverse hemagglutination assay(RIHA)and gold immunochromatography assay(ICA) were improved accordingly after training.Conclusions The effect of professional knowledge training in persons in primary plague control personnel is remarkable on improving their ability of dealing with epidemic situation of plague,and this kind training is very necessary.
Statistical Circuit Modeling

This paper reviews common approaches to statistical circuit modeling, and details their limitations. A simple, efficient, and generic approach to statistical circuit modeling is presented. Backward propagation of variance (BPV) is used to guarantee that the statistical circuit models match variations in key device performances. Examples are provided for MOSFETs and BJTs.
Micropapillary Bladder Cancer: Insights from the National Cancer Database.

Introduction: Micropapillary bladder cancer (MPBC) is a variant histology of urothelial carcinoma (UC) that is associated with poor outcomes however given its rarity, little is known outside of institutional reports. We sought to use a population-level cancer database to assess survival outcomes in patients treated with surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for all cases of MPBC and UC using International Classification of Disease-O-3 morphologic codes between 2004–2014. Primary outcome was survival outcomes stratified by treatment modality. Treatments included radical cystectomy (RC) with or without neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) or adjuvant chemotherapy (AC). Results: Overall 869 patients with MPBC and 389,603 patients with UC met the inclusion criteria. Median age of the MPBC cohort was 69.9 years (58.9–80.9) with the majority of the cohort presenting with high-grade (89.3%) and muscle invasive or locally advanced disease (47.6%). For cT1 MPBC, outcomes of RC and BPS were not statistically different. For≥cT2 disease, NAC showed a survival benefit compared with RC alone for UC but not for MPBC. On multivariable analysis, MPBC histology independently predicted worse increased risk of death. On subanalysis of the MPBC RC patients, NAC did not improve survival outcomes compared with RC alone. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy utilization and early cystectomy did not show a survival benefit in patients with MPBC. This histology independently predicts decreased survival and prognosis is poor regardless of treatment modality. Further research should focus on developing better treatment options for this rare disease.
Clifford Algebras and Their Decomposition into Conjugate Fermionic Heisenberg Algebras

We discuss a construction scheme for Clifford numbers of arbitrary dimension. The scheme is based upon performing direct products of the Pauli spin and identity matrices. Conjugate fermionic algebras can then be formed by considering linear combinations of the Clifford numbers and the Hermitian conjugates of such combinations. Fermionic algebras are important in investigating systems that follow Fermi-Dirac statistics. We will further comment on the applications of Clifford algebras to Fueter analyticity, twistors, color algebras, M-theory and Leech lattice as well as unification of ancient and modern geometries through them.
Validity and reliability of an application review process using dedicated reviewers in one stage of a multi-stage admissions model

Abstract Introduction With increased emphasis placed on non-academic skills in the workplace, a need exists to identify an admissions process that evaluates these skills. This study assessed the validity and reliability of an application review process involving three dedicated application reviewers in a multi-stage admissions model. Methods A multi-stage admissions model was utilized during the 2014–2015 admissions cycle. After advancing through the academic review, each application was independently reviewed by two dedicated application reviewers utilizing a six-construct rubric (written communication, extracurricular and community service activities, leadership experience, pharmacy career appreciation, research experience, and resiliency). Rubric scores were extrapolated to a three-tier ranking to select candidates for on-site interviews. Kappa statistics were used to assess interrater reliability. A three-facet Many-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) determined reviewer severity, candidate suitability, and rubric construct difficulty. Results The kappa statistic for candidates’ tier rank score (n = 388 candidates) was 0.692 with a perfect agreement frequency of 84.3%. There was substantial interrater reliability between reviewers for the tier ranking (kappa: 0.654–0.710). Highest construct agreement occurred in written communication (kappa: 0.924–0.984). A three-facet MFRM analysis explained 36.9% of variance in the ratings, with 0.06% reflecting application reviewer scoring patterns (i.e., severity or leniency), 22.8% reflecting candidate suitability, and 14.1% reflecting construct difficulty. Discussion and conclusions Utilization of dedicated application reviewers and a defined tiered rubric provided a valid and reliable method to effectively evaluate candidates during the application review process. These analyses provide insight into opportunities for improving the application review process among schools and colleges of pharmacy.
Express detection of water pollutants by photoelectric recording from algal cell suspensions

Abstract Phototactic green algae, such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, generate photoinduced channelrhodopsin-mediated currents across the cell membrane. These currents can be measured with a simple population assay, modifications of which also permit instantaneous measurements of the degree of phototactic and gravitactic orientation. The addition of heavy metal cations or organic pollutants led to rapid (one to several minutes) changes in the photocurrents. Opening of the flagellar voltage-gated Ca2+ channels was more sensitive to the tested heavy metal cations, but not to formaldehyde, than the photoreceptor currents generated by channelrhodopsins. The sensitivity of photocurrents to heavy metal cations was several times higher than that of the swimming velocity and other physiological parameters of flagellate algae reported in the literature, which makes photoelectric measurements in algal suspensions ideally suited for low-cost express detection of heavy metal contamination of water.
Integrating Liberation Theology into Restructuring: Toward a Model for Urban Catholic Schools

While the research on Catholic schools focuses on their distinctive character including the central role of faith communities within those schools, the challenges facing faith communities in urban Catholic schools have received relatively little attention. This essay argues that the integration of the principles of liberation theology, especially reflection on Gospel passages related to social justice, into the Accelerated Schools Project (ASP) may be a viable approach to restructuring in urban Catholic schools. The congruities and incongruities in the origins and purposes of liberation theology and the ASP are examined. Then a strategy is suggested for integrating liberation theology into the ASP, with the intent of building a deeper shared sense of community and commitment to social justice.
Understanding and Managing Sampling Issues in Research with Children

Pediatric and clinical child psychologists often conduct research with heterogeneous clinical populations (e.g., children and adolescents with behavior disorders or chronic health conditions) that raise difficult sampling problems. Children and adolescents may be recruited from highly specialized populations and settings, for example, hospitals, that can result in biased samples (Berkson, 1946). Recruiting clinical populations can result in sample self-selection (Betan, Roberts, & McClusky-Fawcett, 1995) and attrition (Aylward, Hatcher, Stripp, Gustafson, & Leavitt, 1985), which may seriously limit generalizability of findings. Finally, in order to reduce heterogeneity of sample characteristics and carefully target their samples, investigators often restrict eligibility criteria, which also limits generalizability.
How can clinical researchers quantify the value of their proposed comparative research

A research funder faces the challenge of selecting to fund a small set of studies from a larger pool of proposals, even after proposals achieve the benchmarks of scientific rigor and integrity. Clinical researchers can better quantify the value of their proposed study to facilitate this prioritization process. Value of information analysis can help in this quantification and inform the funder about the population and individual patient-level impact of a comparative research proposal. In this article, we introduce the overarching framework of the value of information to a clinical research audience, identify the steps required to calculate value of information for a proposal, and highlight some software that can be used to readily compute these estimates based on information available for a research protocol.
The Toxicity of Copper to Crocosphaera watsonii and Other Marine Phytoplankton: A Systematic Review

The cupric ion (Cu2+) plays a dual role as both nutrient and toxicant to terrestrial and marine phytoplankton, functioning in multiple photochemical processes, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This duality has been investigated through a variety of methods to determine the consequences of natural and anthropogenic copper introduction to algal ecosystem composition. Studies conducted over the past few decades have described the growth responses of many unique organisms to copper availability. Such observations are critical for describing the global distributions of major phytoplankton species in terms of global trace metal abundance; however, highly variable experimental practices impede direct inter-study comparison. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the available data regarding the effects of copper concentration on diverse marine phytoplankton growth rates. Through extensive literary comparison, 143 studies were systematically reviewed, and data on copper concentrations and growth rates reported were extracted. From the data available, we conclude that trends in phytoplankton sensitivity to copper are mainly driven by a single study. We discuss the obstacles to inter-study comparison and detail both the concurring and conflicting results to date, with an emphasis on taxonomic trends and methodologies employed. Finally, we present the first copper sensitivity measurements for marine unicellular diazotrophs using three representative strains of the unicellular nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterium, Crocosphaera watsonii.
Substance Abuse and the Heart

Substance abuse was common in Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s time, and it remains a major problem today. It has been estimated that 6.9% of the U.S. population are illicit drug users.1 The effects of substance abuse on the cardiovascular system can be divided into two broad categories: (1) general effects of substance abuse, such as endocarditis or vasculitis in intravenous drug abusers; and (2) specific cardiovascular toxicity associated with specific drugs. Endocarditis in drug abusers has been discussed in detail in Chapter 19. Thus, this chapter focuses on cardiovascular manifestations of specific drugs, particularly cocaine and ethanol. Tobacco abuse, which constitutes a major cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality due to premature coronary atherosclerosis, is discussed in Chapter 127.
Harmonic nonlinear radar: from benchtop experimentation to short-range wireless data collection

Three successive experiments are conducted to determine the viability of using harmonic radar to detect electronic targets-of-interest. For the first experiment, the radar transmit signal is directly injected into the front-end of each target to determine whether or not the target is sufficiently nonlinear and will re-radiate harmonics that may be used for its detection. For the second experiment, the radar transmit signal is applied indirectly, in the form of field energy, to the target inside of a transverse-electromagnetic cell, to determine whether or not the target will generate its own field energy that may be captured by a radar receiver. The third experiment, constructed using a wideband radar antenna, confirms that each target is detectable remotely. In this paper, the experiments are demonstrated using four handheld radios and ultra-high frequencies (UHF). Modifying the experiments to accommodate different targets and lower/higher frequencies is straightforward. A list of best-practices for minimizing system-generated distortion (while adapting the authors’ experiments to new applications) is provided.