cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A global survey of martian central mounds: Central mounds as remnants of previously more extensive large-scale sedimentary deposits

Abstract We conducted a survey of central mounds within large (>25 km diameter) impact craters on Mars. We use mound locations, mound offsets within their host craters, and relative mound heights to address and extend various mound formation hypotheses. The results of this survey support the hypothesis that mound sediments once filled their host craters and were later eroded into the features we observe today. The majority of mounds are located near the boundaries of previously identified large-scale sedimentary deposits. We discuss the implications of the hypothesis that central mounds are part of previously more extensive sedimentary units that filled and overtopped underlying impact craters. In this scenario, as erosion of the sedimentary unit occurred, the sediment within impact craters was preserved slightly longer than the overlying sediment because it was sheltered by the crater walls. Our study also reveals that most mounds are offset from the center of their host crater in the same direction as the present regional winds ( e.g. , the mounds in Arabia Terra are offset towards the western portion of their craters). We propose that this implies that wind has been the dominant agent causing the erosion of central mounds.
Embryonic Development in House Fly Eggs Fertilized with Genetically Deficient Sperm

In house flies, Musca domestica L., eggs fertilized with sperm that have chromosome deficiencies and duplications do not hatch, but develop to a stage where a fully differentiated, prehatch larva is formed. Fifteen different chromosome translocations involving most of the 10 arms of the 5 autosomes were studied by crossing male translocation heterozygotes to normal females. Egg hatch was reduced to 36-66% depending on the translocation used. Eggs that did not hatch after 24 hours were fixed, stained, and examined for stage of development. Several translocations involving the right arm of chromosome 4 indicate that the region closest to the centromere contains genes that affect the process of syngamy or early cleavage divisions, but do not reduce the ability of the sperm to compete for egg fertilization. Approximately 70% of the autosomal genes can be absent from sperm (not simultaneously but in different crosses) without inhibiting embryonic development.
Morphological and electrophysiological properties of atypically oriented layer 2 pyramidal cells of the juvenile rat neocortex

We used whole-cell patch clamp recordings combined with intracellular dye-filling to examine the morphological and electrophysiological properties of atypically oriented pyramidal cells located at the layer 1/2 border of the juvenile rat neocortex. Orientation of the apical dendrite varied from oblique (>20 degrees from vertical) to truly horizontal (90 degrees from vertical). The length of the apical dendrite ranged from 150 to 400 microm. The total horizontal domain of the dendritic tree (including basal dendrites) of the longest horizontal pyramids exceeded 500 microm, but we also found short horizontal cells with horizontal dendritic domains of less than 300 microm. In addition, atypically oriented pyramids had long horizontal axon collaterals in layer 1/2. Electrophysiologically, atypically oriented pyramidal cells had intrinsic membrane properties similar to regularly oriented pyramids that have been described in the superficial layers at this age in the rat. Cells that fired repetitively were all regular spiking. In addition, we identified a subgroup of neurons (20%) in this sample, which were unable to fire more than a few spikes at the beginning of the current pulse. We suggest that the unique orientation and size of their dendritic trees and the length and arrangement of their local axons collaterals make atypically oriented pyramids in layer 2 ideally suited to perform horizontal integration of synaptic inputs in the neocortex.
Relationship between the pseudo- and superconducting gaps: Effects of residual pairing correlations below T c

The existence of a normal-state spectral gap in underdoped cuprates raises important questions about the associated superconducting phase. For example, how does this pseudogap evolve into its below ${T}_{c}$ counterpart? In this paper we characterize this unusual superconductor by investigating the nature of the ``residual'' pseudogap below ${T}_{c},$ and find that it leads to an important distinction between the superconducting excitation gap and order parameter. Our approach is based on a conserving diagrammatic BCS Bose-Einstein crossover theory which yields the precise BCS result in weak coupling at any $Tl{T}_{c}$ and reproduces Leggett's results in the $T=0$ limit. We explore the resulting experimental implications.
The impact of training on the use of electronic health records

Background: Studies have found that health information technology can improve the quality and efficiency of care delivery through better decision support. Objective: To gauge the effectiveness of electronic health records (EHR) training that was delivered to health care providers in an academic practice, to leverage feedback from the training evaluation to inform the content and process of training health care providers and to understand the impact of EHR implementation on all facets of health care delivery. Methods: A mixed methods instrument was designed to assess learning outcomes (cognitive, attitudinal and behavioral) associated with EHR training. A sample of 220 health care providers who regularly interacted with the EHR system was included. Participants were asked to evaluate cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects of their training with the EHR system. A multidimensional assessment of learning outcomes was selected. Results: On behavioral theme, 50% of our survey respondents answered the questions positively, 28% did not, 16% had mixed feelings, 3% felt EHR had negative impacts and 3% were neutral. On cognitive theme 31% felt EHR had a positive impact, 33% felt it had drawbacks whereas 35% left the answers blank and 1% felt they had no idea. On attitudinal theme, there was positive response from 45%, 21% had negative feelings about the system, 5% were neutral and the rest 25% did not answer. Conclusions: In this study, we found that majority of the respondents were satisfied with the EHR for behavioral and attitudinal themes. Future studies with mandatory response to cognitive theme will help figure out the satisfaction of survey respondents on all themes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/hren.v9i3.5580 HR 2011; 9(3): 140-147
Using Perseverative Interests to Elicit Joint Attention Behaviors in Young Children with Autism: Theoretical and Clinical Implications for Understanding Motivation.

Various explanations have been offered in the literature on the underlying cause of joint attention deficits in autism. One possible explanation is that children with autism are capable of producing joint attention but lack the social motivation to share their interests with others. The current study used a single-subject reversal design with alternating treatments to examine whether joint attention initiations for social sharing would occur as a collateral effect of utilizing the motivational techniques of Pivotal Response Treatment (PRT) in conjunction with perseverative interest stimuli for three young nonverbal children with autism. Results indicated an immediate increase in joint attention initiations when perseverative, or highly preferred, interests were incorporated within the motivational techniques of PRT. Additional findings included collateral increases in joint attention initiations toward less preferred interests, as well as improvements in the quality of interaction between the children and...
Systemic metastases in primary intracranial germinoma. Case report and literature review

Systemic metastases from central nervous system germinomas are exceedingly rare, and when they occur lead to fatal outcomes. The authors report the case of a 10-year-old girl who presented with metastatic involvement of the rib and pelvis 2.5 years after surgical resection and radiation therapy for a suprasellar dysgerminoma. After combination chemotherapy, the patient remains disease-free 30 months after relapse. This case provides evidence that chemotherapy can be an effective therapeutic alternative to the use of radiation in the treatment of children with extracranial germinomas.
Transparency in Chinese stocks: A study of earnings forecasts by professional analysts

Abstract We utilize individual analysts forecasts of Chinese stocks to measure the transparency of the Chinese capital market. We find that the aggregate analysts forecast errors of all Chinese shares are around twice that of their control group, the shares of Hong Kong companies, and are also higher than those of several developed and developing Asia Pacific countries. The measure depends on factors related to the transparency of a market such as the location of the exchange and the market value of the firms. We present evidence that lack of transparency of shares in a country could be costly. Specifically, market valuations of more (less) transparent Chinese shares are priced higher (lower).
Calcium in cells of fresh bone stained with glyoxal bis(2-hydroxyanil).

Fresh ileum of adult rats and vertebrae and calvariae of newborn rats were immersed in a staining solution containing 0.1 gm of glyoxal bis(2-hydroxyanil) (GBHA) per 2 ml of 3.4% NaOH in 75% ethanol, dehydrated in absolute ethanol, cleared in xylene, and embedded in paraffin. Paraffin sections of stained material, 7 μ thick, were affixed to albumenized slides, immersed in 90% ethanol saturated with Na2CO4 and KCN to ensure specificity for calcium, rinsed in 95% ethanol, counterstained in 50% ethanol containing 0.1% methylene blue, dehydrated in absolute ethanol, deparaffinized and cleared in xylene, and mounted in neutral synthetic resin. By this procedure, red Ca-GBHA granules were deposited in goblet and Paneth cells, and in the cytoplasm of osteoblasts, osteocytes, chondrocytes, and periosteal cells of developing bones. Calcium in apatite did not stain. In osseous tissues sectioned in a cryostat or processed by the freeze-dry or freeze-substitution method, epiphyseal chondrocyte calcium was removed, an...
The effects of kernel size in plump and shrunken kernels, and of sprouting, on kernel hardness in wheat

Three methods (time to grind, particle size of ground wheat, and near-infrared reflectance, NIR of ground wheat) were used to measure hardness in samples of plump and of shrunken wheat, and in their sieved fractions, in two series of commercial wheat samples that varied in percentage of sprouted kernels, and in samples of four wheat cultivars germinated for various times in the laboratory. Hardness characteristics were much more affected by kernel size with shrunken kernels than with plump kernels. Generally, as kernel size decreased, grinding time and particle size of ground wheat increased and NIR reflectance values decreased. The percentage of sprouted kernels did not affect consistently the hardness values of commercial samples even though the results of hardness measurements by the three methods were correlated. Hard wheats (spring and winter) mellowed as germination proceeded; time to grind increased and particle size of ground wheat decreased. No such changes were observed with soft wheats.
Contending discourses in the electric and magnetic fields controversy: The social construction of EMF risk as a public problem

The issue of adverse health effects from electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) has been brewing for the last decade or so. While the epidemiological evidence persists in linking proximity-to-powerlines to a few forms of cancer, exposure and dose remain undefined, and no clear mechanism of action has been identified. Despite this scientific ambiguity, there are frequent calls for governmental action; and yet, there is no unanimity on what action is appropriate, even among those asserting that something ought to be done. This article analyzes the various ways that the EMF problem has been socially constructed through distinctive forms of public discourse and the sources of contention among these different forms. It should appeal to ‘interpretive’ policy analysts and to those interested in the valuative assumptions behind policy claims. Those oriented exclusively to the technical side of EMF may find the interpretation offered here somewhat unsettling, however, since it relativizes many of the ‘factual’ claims surrounding the issue. Attention is also given to the ways that multiple EMF discourses are accommodated in the absence of scientifically conclusive evidence.
Implications for bcd mRNA localization from spatial distribution of exu protein in Drosophila oogenesis

Subcellular RNA localization in different cell types leads to asymmetric distribution of proteins in these cells. The localization of bicoid (bcd) messenger RNA to the anterior pole of the developing Drosophila oocyte gives rise in embryogenesis to a steep concentration gradient of the bcd protein, a transcription factor that activates expression of zygotic genes needed for anterior development. The exuperantia (exu) gene is necessary for this localization of bcd mRNA. Here we express a chimaeric gene encoding a fusion between the Acquorea victoria green fluorescent protein (GFP) and the exu protein (Exu) in female germ cells, and find that the fusion protein fluoresces strongly in both live and fixed cells during Drosophila oogenesis. The fusion protein rescues an exu null allele, restoring full fertility to females, and is expressed and localized in a temporal and spatial pattern similar to native Exu. The high sensitivity of the GFP tag provides important new details on the subcellular localization of Exu. The fusion protein is found in particles concentrated at ring canals, where transport occurs between nurse cells and the oocyte. Drugs such as colchicine and taxol that affect microtubule stability alter localization of the particles. We propose that the particles are ribonucleoprotein complexes or vesicles which transport bcd mRNA along microtubules and target it to the anterior oocyte cortex.
A psychological constraint on obedience to God's commands: the reasonableness of obeying the abhorrently evil

Robert Adams, in Finite and Infinite Goods: A Framework for Ethics, suggests a moral constraint on our obedience to God's commands: if a purportedly divine command seems abhorrently evil, then we should infer that it is not really God so commanding. I suggest that in light of his commitments to God as the standard of goodness, to the transcendence of God, and to a critical stance towards ethics, Adams should be willing to consider the possibility of a good God commanding us to do something that seems abhorrently evil to us, but really is good according to His transcendent goodness. I suggest that the ought-to-is moral constraint that Adams advocates is only appropriate when we are not certain that it is God giving the command, and that an is-to-ought constraint based on psychological certainty should be the ultimate constraint on our obedience to purportedly divine commands. This constraint advocates that if one is certain upon reflection that a command is from God, then one should obey that command, regardless of how evil it seems. After responding to several objections to this psychological constraint, I offer my own qualification, according to which it is appropriate to disobey a command that one is certain is from God if one cannot conceive that the command is good. Finally, I offer some reason to think that, contrary to Adams's assertions, the project of considering how to react to a purportedly divine command that also seems abhorrently evil is worth both philosophic and spiritual energy.
Job burnout, geographic location, and social interaction among educational audiologists.

Summary Job stress of 332 educational audiologists, measured on the Maslach Burnout Inventory, was obtained. 84% of the sample rated their overall job burnout as lower than norms for educational personnel. Mean differences were significant among those participants working in rural, suburban, and urban areas. Participants in rural areas had a significantly higher mean on Emotional Exhaustion and a lower mean on Personal Accomplishment. Correlations between scores on Emotional Exhaustion and Social Interactions (r= −.36) and Personal Accomplishment and Social Interactions (r=.44) were significant but not strong. As predicted, job burnout for these educational audiologists is similar to that in other descriptive studies of sampled helping professions.
Electrocortical manifestations of epilepsy in monkey

Abstract 1. 1. Studies were made on the local cortical potentials evoked in different areas of the monkey brain. These potentials appeared as predominantly surface-negative waves, and consistent patterns in the apperance and amplitude of the responses were exhibited by each area studied. Maximal voltages characterized the “motor area”, while minimal deflections were found in the prefrontal and occipital cortex, intermediate values were present in other areas. 2. 2. Correlation was found to exist between the excitability of cortical loci to single-shock stimuli as manifested by local cortical responses and to high-frequency stimulation as indicated by seizure after discharges. 3. 3. When enhanced epileptogenesis was induced in a locus of the motor region by chronically circumsecting an area of cortex in a mirror site on the opposite hemisphere, increased responsiveness to single shocks was observed in the remote cortical locus. This epileptogenic effect was not due to tonic influences from the circumsected area since its excision or procainization or callosal section did not alter the augmented response. 4. 4. The concept of dendritic depolarization as an index of neuronal excitability was discussed in relation to observed variations in the local cortical response. It was proposed that this concept could conceivably be extended to account for differences in seizure susceptibility exhibited by various cortical regions.
Susceptibility of Three Stocks of Pacific Herring to Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia

Abstract Laboratory challenges using specific-pathogen-free Pacific herring Clupea pallasii from three distinct populations indicated that stock origin had no effect on susceptibility to viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS). All of the populations were highly susceptible to the disease upon initial exposure, with significantly greater cumulative mortalities occurring in the exposed treatment groups (56.3–64.3%) than in the unexposed control groups (0.8–9.0%). Interstock differences in cumulative mortality were not significant. The virus loads in the tissues of fish experiencing mortality were 10–10,000 times higher during the acute phase of the epizootics (day 13 postexposure) than during the recovery phase (days 30–42). Survivors of the epizootics were refractory to subsequent VHS, with reexposure of VHS survivors resulting in significantly less cumulative mortality (1.2–4.0%) than among positive controls (38.1–64.4%); interstock differences in susceptibility did not occur after reexposure. These results i...
Gangliosides in Axolemmal and Synaptic Membrane Fractions from Developing Rats: Effects of Maternal Ethanol Consumption on Offspring

Previous work from this laboratory has shown that in utero exposure to ethanol significantly alters the synthesis of glycoproteins in synaptic, axolemmal, and myelin membranes from developing rats. In an attempt to determine whether in utero exposure to ethanol similarly alters the synthesis of other glycoconjugates involved with cell-cell interactions, the present study examined the influence of chronic maternal ethanol consumption prior to parturition on the content and synthesis of gangliosides in axolemmal and synaptic plasma membranes from developing rats. The results demonstrate that, in contrast to central nervous system glycoproteins, synaptic and axolemmal glycolipids are minimally affected by in utero exposure to ethanol. At all ages examined (17 to 34 days of age), the offspring of control and ethanol-treated rats had a comparable distribution of radiolabel among synaptic and axolemmal gangliosides, a normal concentration of ganglioside sialic acid in synaptic plasma membranes, and a near-normal distribution of sialic acid among synaptic gangliosides. The present study provides evidence which indicates that the radiolabeling patterns of axolemmal and synaptic membrane gangliosides are similar. Specifically, the most heavily labeled synaptic and axolemmal gangliosides were GT1b (20-37% of the total radioactivity) and GD1a (20-32%). A smaller proportion of radioactivity was associated with GD1b (approximately 11-16%), GM1 (5-10%), and GQ1b (4-11%), as well as with GD3 and the other monosialogangliosides (less than 5%). During the age period examined the proportion of radioactive GT1b increased in both membrane fractions.
Educational and Work Strategies from Adolescence to Early Adulthood: Consequences for Educational Attainment

Whereas sociologists have long recognized that adolescence marks the start of the socioeconomic career, the importance of this period has been attributed to school performance, aspirations and significant others' influence that support educational attainment to a greater or lesser degree. The underlying premise of this study is that adolescent work is an expression of instrumental action with consequences for socioeconomic attainment. Using data from the Youth Development Study, we find that part-time work during high school is linked with patterns of schooling and working that persist during the succeeding years and are more or less conducive to the receipt of a BA/BS degree. Moderate work coupled with school appears to especially facilitate the educational attainment of low promise youth.
Echocardiographic Appearance of Large Left Ventricular Mural Thrombi Undergoing Lysis

Two patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction and unusual appearing mural thrombi were identified and followed up. Both patients had mobile membranes in the left ventricular chamber that were visualized by two-dimensional echocardiography and disappeared during anticoagulant therapy.
Fungi associated with eggs and first-instar larvae of the European corn borer

Abstract Fungi isolated from field-collected egg masses of the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis , were identified as Alternaria spp., A. porri, Fusarium spp., Fusarium oxysporum, Beauveria bassiana, Mucor spp., and an unidentified yeast. Most fungi were associated with predator injury to the egg mass. Bioassay of fungi on egg masses, however, showed that Alternaria spp. and A. porri reduced the hatch of both injured and uninjured egg masses, and Mucor sp. reduced the hatch only when the egg mass was injured.
Food preferences predict eating behavior of very young Mohawk children.

Abstract Objective To collect baseline data on energy and nutrient intake and nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behavior of very young Mohawk children to assist the community in planning an appropriate, targeted nutrition and exercise intervention. Design Energy and nutrient intake data were collected from 24-hour recalls conducted in the children's homes. Nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behavior were assessed using a 38-item questionnaire that asked children to report on what foods they like the best, eat most of the time, and think are healthful. The questionnaire was completed in an elementary school on the reservation. Before data collection, we hypothesized that the average diet of the Mohawk children would not meet national dietary recommendations. Subjects One hundred forty-three children, prekindergarten through third grade (aged 4 to 9 years), completed the 24-hour recalls and the questionnaire. An additional 136 children, also prekindergarten through third grade, completed the questionnaire (n=279). Statistics Analysis of variance with a Scheffe's multiple-comparison test was used to test for differences among grades and genders for energy and nutrient intake and questionnaire scores. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between eating behavior and selected variables. Results A mean daily energy intake of 1,980kcal consisted of 34% fat, 13% protein, and 52% carbohydrate with 13g fiber and 235mg cholesterol. Food preferences were the strongest predictor of behavior; they explained 71% of the variation in the behavior score. Applications The major finding of this study, that food preferences are the strongest predictor of reported eating behavior in very young Mohawk children, has implications for behavior change interventions. Focusing on changing what children like to eat, through repeated exposure to new foods in a positive social context, is more likely to change what foods they choose than is simple nutrition education.
Odor analysis of pinot noir wines from grapes of different maturities by a gas chromatography-olfactometry technique (osme)

Pinot noir character varies significantly with vintage and with maturity within a given vintage. Our objective was to use a gas chromatography-olfactometry technique (Osme) to compare odor profiles of Pinot noir wines from grapes harvested at different maturities, during 1987 and 1988. Odor profiles of Pinot noir wines from those years were very different from each other with only 4 odor-active peaks common to both vintages. Wines made with grapes harvested at the end of the ripening period had more odor-active peaks than wines from earlier harvested fruit. The 1988 wines had more odor-active peaks than the 1987 wines.
ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF COSMIC RAYS: RESULTS FROM THE COSMIC RAY ISOTOPE SPECTROMETER ON THE ACE SPACECRAFT

Over the past seven years the Cosmic Ray Isotope Spectrometer (CRIS) on the ACE spacecraft has returned data with an unprecedented combination of excellent mass resolution and high statistics, describing the isotopic composition of elements from lithium through nickel in the energy interval ~ 50 to 500 MeV/nucleon. These data have demonstrated: * The time between nucleosynthesis and acceleration of the cosmic-ray nuclei is at least 105 years. The supernova in which nucleosynthesis takes place is thus not the same supernova that accelerates a heavy nucleus to cosmic-ray energy. * The mean confinement time of cosmic rays in the Galaxy is 15 Myr. * The isotopic composition of the cosmic-ray source is remarkably similar to that of solar system. The deviations that are observed, particularly at 22Ne and 58Fe, are consistent with a model in which the cosmic-ray source is OB associations in which the interstellar medium has solar-system composition enriched by roughly 20% admixture of ejecta from Wolf-Rayet stars and supernovae. * Cosmic-ray secondaries that decay only by electron capture provide direct evidence for energy loss of cosmic rays as they penetrate the solar system. This invited overview paper at ECRS 19 was largely the same as an invited paper presented a month earlier at the 8th Nuclei in the Cosmos Conference in Vancouver. The proceedings of that conference will be published shortly by Elsevier as a special edition of Nuclear Physics A. For further summary of results from CRIS, the reader is referred to URL 〈〉 and links on that page to CRIS and to Science News.
Improved Survival and Decreasing Incidence of Adverse Events With the HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device as Bridge-to-Transplant Therapy

Background Pulsatile left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are effective as bridge-to-transplant therapy, but they are limited by their large size and lack of durability. Smaller, more durable, continuous flow devices such as the HeartMate II LVAD are increasingly being used. The aim of this study is to report our single-center experience with this device as bridge-to-transplant therapy. Methods Overall, 47 patients received HeartMate II LVADs at our center from June 2005 to July 2007; 32 as bridge to transplant, 7 as destination therapy, and 8 as exchange therapy for a failed HeartMate XVE. We reviewed our experience with the device as bridge-to-transplant therapy and report on patient survival and adverse events. Results The mean age of the bridge-to-transplant patients was 50.75 ± 13.78 years; 10 (31.3%) were female. The cause of the underlying disease was ischemic in 18 patients (56.3%), idiopathic in 11 (34.4%), myocarditis in 1 (3.1%), postpartum cardiomyopathy in 1 (3.1%), and congenital heart disease in 1 (3.1%). The mean duration of HeartMate II support was 193.2 ± 139.9 days. At 30 days after HeartMate II placement, the patient survival was 96.9% by Kaplan-Meier analysis; at 6 months (alive or transplanted), 86.9%. Major adverse events included bleeding requiring reexploration in 5 patients (15.6%), right ventricular failure requiring right ventricular assist device support in 2 (6.3%), LVAD-related infections in 4 (12.5%), neurologic or thromboembolic events in 2 (6.3%), and gastrointestinal bleeding in 5 (15.6%). We noted one serious device malfunction (3.1%) resulting in the patient's death; in addition, 2 patients experienced pump thrombosis (6.3%). Conclusions Despite morbidity, use of the HeartMate II LVAD as bridge-to-transplant therapy is associated with excellent survival and low mortality rates. We found a marked decrease in morbidity related to right ventricular failure, to device-related infections, and to thromboembolic events. However, the requirements for anticoagulation therapy may be associated with increased mediastinal and gastrointestinal bleeding. Strategies to optimize anticoagulation therapy may further improve results for these critically ill patients.
Pixie: a jukebox architecture to support efficient peer content exchange

Peer-to-peer (P2P) content exchange has recently gained attention from both the research and industrial communities. The dynamic nature of peer networks and the resource constraints of peer hosts have introduced a number of unique technical challenges that must be addressed to make large-scale P2P content exchange applications viable. In this work, we present and evaluate Pixie, an architecture that integrates one-to-many distribution of content and peer networks. Pixie provides a valuable data location service as well as a number of scalability properties both in terms of data location and content distribution. Our results indicate that, using a one-to-many scheme, we can significantly reduce the resources consumed in searching for and distributing content across peer networks. These scalability properties will become increasingly important as peer content exchange is extended to support more advanced applications.
Fosfomycin trometamol versus pipemidic acid in the treatment of bacteriuria in pregnancy.

The Italian multihospital study of bacteriuria in pregnancy randomized 153 pregnant bacteriuric patients to receive fosfomycin trometamol (FT) as a single dose of 3 g and 138 such patients to receive
Reasons for rejecting potential donors from a sperm bank program

Purpose: Recruiting donors to a sperm bank program is difficult and slow because of high dropout rates and high rejection rates. The profile of successful and unsuccessful donors was determined at our sperm bank. Methods: A total of 199 men was screened from 1986 to 1994 in the anonymous sperm bank donor program; 174 (87%) men dropped out or did not meet minimum guidelines. The study included 25 accepted donors and 20 rejected men (of 52 rejected donors, only 20 donors who came for two consecutive semen analyses were selected). Sperm quality variables and demographic data were compared between the groups. Results: Accepted donors had significantly better semen quality in motility, velocity, linearity, and ALH than did rejected donors (P < 0.01). More rejected donors than accepted donors were single (P < 0.01). A higher percentage of accepted donors consumed caffeine (P < 0.001), and they were more likely to have college degrees (P < 0.03). Conclusions: These results indicate that loss of interest and poor semen quality were the major reasons for rejection of donors in our anonymous donor sperm bank program.
Revisiting the accurate calculation of block-sample covariances using Gauss quadrature

Block-sample covariances may be calculated by discretizing a block into regularly spaced grid points, computing punctual covariance between each grid point and the sample, then averaging. Gauss quadrature is a better, more accurate method for calculating block-sample covariance as has been demonstrated in the past by other authors (the history of which is reviewed herein). This prior research is expanded upon to provide considerably more detail on Gauss quadrature for approximating the areal or volumetric integral for block-sample covariance. A 4 × 4 Gauss point rule is shown to be optimal for this procedure. Moreover, pseudo-computer algorithms are presented to show how to implement Gauss quadrature in existing computer programs which perform block kriging.
Photonic Crystal Nanocavity Lasers

When combined with high index constrast slabs in which light can be efficiently guided, microfabricated two-dimensional photonic bandgap mirrors provide us with the geometries needed to confine light into extremely small volumes. We show that these high Q cavities now make it possible to define microcavity lasers which function at room temperature and have mode volumes as small as 2.5 (λ/2nslab)3 or 0.03 μm3 in InGaAsP emitting at 1.55μm.
Thyroid Hormones and cortisol concentrations in Offspring are Influenced by Maternal Supranutritional Selenium and Nutritional Plane in Sheep

To determine the effects of maternal supranutritional selenium (Se) supplementation and maternal nutritional plane on offspring growth potential, ewes were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 treatments in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement [dietary Se (adequate Se; 9.5 μg/kg body weight vs. high Se; 81.8 μg/kg body weight initiated at breeding) and plane of nutrition [60%, 100%, or 140% of requirements; initiated on day 50 of gestation]]. Lambs were immediately removed from dams at birth and reared. Cortisol concentrations at birth were similar, but by 24 h, a relationship (P = 0.02) between maternal Se supplementation and nutritional plane on cortisol concentrations was observed in lambs. A sex of offspring × day of age interaction (P = 0.01) and a maternal Se supplementation × nutritional plane × day of age interaction (P = 0.04) was observed for thyroxine concentrations. Differences in growth may be influenced by thyroid hormone production early in neonatal life.
An update on ATM traffic management

The Traffic Management (TM) group at the ATM Forum has been fairly focused on developing a new service called guaranteed frame rate (GFR) service. This service is expected to be positioned as an intermediate alternative between the available bit rate (ABR) service, which uses a closed-loop feedback control framework, and the unspecified bit rate (UBR) service, which provides no assurances whatsoever. The motivation for GFR service comes from the perceived need for frame-based minimum rate guarantees. The article gives an update on the status of the GFR service definition, as well as other topics discussed in the ATM Forum.
Over-Harbor Channel Modeling with Directional Ground Station Antennas for the Air-Ground Channel

As use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) is expected to dramatically increase in the coming years, and two new frequency bands (960-977 MHz in L-band and 5030-5091 MHz in C-band) have been allocated for future control and non-payload communications for UAS civil applications, characterization of the air-ground channel becomes essential. Directional ground station (GS) antennas are expected to be used, hence the UAS is likely to fly into the GS back lobe area in some conditions. In this paper, dual-band single-input multiple-output (SIMO) data is employed to estimate channel characteristics. This data was taken over a harbor in Oxnard, CA where the aircraft was outside the half power main beam of the GS antennas. We analyze and compare results with those taken within the main beam. Although the results depend on specific antenna pattern, the statistical models provide a useful evaluation of this AG channel. In the back lobe area the path loss is 15 dB larger (in C-band) and 20 dB larger (in L-band) than free space path loss, the fading is rapid and severe (worse than Rayleigh), and the root mean square delay spread (RMS-DS) is on average 35 ns with maximum 400 ns, whereas the RMS-DS in the main beam over water setting is only 10 ns. The number of multipath components (MPCs), MPC excess delay, and the path loss of the line of sight (LOS) component all increase in the back lobe area.
Benign skin tumors.

There are a multitude of lesions seen when examining a patient’s skin—so many that it can be overwhelming deciding which lesions are benign and which are malignant. Some of the most common benign skin tumors seen on the head and neck are discussed in this article, which should help the clinician identify these entities and reassure patients. In most cases, removal is necessary only for cosmetic purposes. One of the most important aspects of becoming familiar with benign skin tumors is acquiring the judgment necessary to differentiate benign entities from more complicated and potentially dangerous malignant lesions. Diagnosing benign skin lesions can often be obvious by clinical examination; however, any uncertainty should be confirmed with a skin biopsy. In this review, benign tumors are separated by their origin within the skin (epidermal, eccrine, sebaceous, apocrine, follicular, or nevomelanocytic). Several other common miscellaneous benign tumors will also be discussed. This is not an exhaustive list, but an attempt to describe lesions that a facial plastic surgeon will likely encounter.
Neural coding of temporal information in auditory thalamus and cortex

How the brain processes temporal information embedded in sounds is a core question in auditory research. This article synthesizes recent studies from our laboratory regarding neural representations of time-varying signals in auditory cortex and thalamus in awake marmoset monkeys. Findings from these studies show that 1) the primary auditory cortex (A1) uses a temporal representation to encode slowly varying acoustic signals and a firing rate-based representation to encode rapidly changing acoustic signals, 2) the dual temporal-rate representations in A1 represent a progressive transformation from the auditory thalamus, 3) firing rate-based representations in the form of monotonic rate-code are also found to encode slow temporal repetitions in the range of acoustic flutter in A1 and more prevalently in the cortical fields rostral to A1 in the core region of marmoset auditory cortex, suggesting further temporal-to-rate transformations in higher cortical areas. These findings indicate that the auditory cortex forms internal representations of temporal characteristics of sounds that are no longer faithful replicas of their acoustic structures. We suggest that such transformations are necessary for the auditory cortex to perform a wide range of functions including sound segmentation, object processing and multi-sensory integration.
Psychometric Properties and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills

This article describes the confirmatory factor analysis of the Student Engagement in School Success Skills (SESSS) instrument. The results of this study confirm that the SESSS has potential to be a...
Molecular Clouds in the Dwarf Elliptical Galaxy NGC 205

We present observations of CO emission in NGC 205 (a dwarf elliptical companion of M31) obtained with the Berkeley-Illinois-Maryland Association (BIMA) array and the IRAM 30 m telescope. We compare the CO results to VLA observations of the H I emission at the same spatial resolution. On scales of 90 pc, the atomic gas and dust have very similar distributions, and the atomic and molecular gas have similar kinematics. A12CO (2-1)/(1-0) brightness temperature ratio of 0.9 is derived for one molecular cloud in NGC 205. This cloud is resolved by the 40 pc × 20 pc beam of the BIMA array; the cloud is elongated and shows a velocity gradient along its major axis. CO line widths are comparable to those in the Galaxy and the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) for clouds of the same size, which suggests that the molecular clouds in NGC 205 have similar virial masses to those in the Galaxy and the SMC.
It's A Man's Job, or So They Say: The Maintenance of Sex Segregation in a Manufacturing Plant

Following Reskin's call for case studies that investigate how inequality is maintained, this article investigates the mechanisms that limit women's mobility into traditionally male job titles in a manufacturing plant and the barriers to women's resistance of these mechanisms. The article demonstrates the ways in which formal structures, such as departmental design and promotion procedures, combine with informal social interactions in maintaining sex segregation in the plant's job titles and departments. Blocked opportunity promotes competition for social rewards and animosity between mobile and immobile women, which divide women. Coupled with allegiances across gender lines, these divisions undermine the potential for solidarity among female workers, making resistance to gender-based barriers unlikely.
Half Of Older Americans Seen In Emergency Department In Last Month Of Life; Most Admitted To Hospital, And Many Die There

Emergency department use contributes to high end-of-life costs and is potentially burdensome for patients and family members. We examined emergency department use in the last months of life for patients age sixty-five or older who died while enrolled in a longitudinal study of older adults in the period 1992–2006. We found that 51 percent of the 4,158 decedents visited the emergency department in the last month of life, and 75 percent in the last six months of life. Repeat visits were common. A total of 77 percent of the patients seen in the emergency department in the last month of life were admitted to the hospital, and 68 percent of those who were admitted died there. In contrast, patients who enrolled in hospice at least one month before death rarely visited the emergency department in the last month of life. Policies that encourage the preparation of patients and families for death and early enrollment in hospice may prevent emergency department visits at the end of life.
Ionization balance and gain calculations for neon-like selenium x-ray laser plasmas

Abstract We have developed compact collisional-radiative models to describe the ionization balance and excitation mechanisms in neon-like selenium x-ray laser plasmas. These models can be used for calculations of the ionization dynamics, detailed emission spectra, and gain coefficients. Careful attention has been paid to indirect processes such as dielectronic recombination, excitation-autoionization, and resonant excitation. We discuss the importance of different atomic processes and model approximations in the ionization balance and gain calculations. These results will be compared to experimental measurements and to previous calculations.
■ FEATURED ABSTRACT Does CCSVI explain MS: a prospective, blinded study utilizing MRV, ultrasound and catheter venography with pressure measurements

Purpose Chronic cerebrospinal insufficiency (CCSVI) was reported to be more common in multiple sclerosis (MS), possibly causative, prompting venous interventions to improve flows. We examined whether CCSVI exists by using multiple imaging modalities: neurosonagraphy, 3T MRV, and catheter directed venography with pressures. Materials and Methods This single center case-control study prospectively enrolled 276 patients with MS or another neurologic problem for evaluation. We had IRB approval and informed consent from all subjects. Neurosonography performed by a single operator was interpreted in a blinded fashion to diagnosis. MRV was performed on a 3T MR system with gadofoveset trisodium contrast. Selected subjects proceeded to catheter venography (CV) with pressure measurements of the IJ, brachiocephalic,azygos, SVC and femoral veins. Results 276 adult volunteers (276 with MS, 70 non-MS) were enrolled. The MS patients were older (48.3±9.9 vs 44.3±11.8 years, p Conclusion NS findings consistent with CCSVI were much less frequent in our study and did not separate MS from non-MS subjects. MRV results are similar to NS. MRV showed fewer stenoses than CV which might be related to flow artifacts across stenoses or spasm. No significant gradient existed at any level. CV can overcall stenoses. NS, MRV, and CV with pressures showed no support for CCSVI as contributing to or explaining the pathogenesis of MS.
High resolution 13C-detected solid-state NMR spectroscopy of a deuterated protein

High resolution 13C-detected solid-state NMR spectra of the deuterated beta-1 immunoglobulin binding domain of the protein G (GB1) have been collected to show that all 15N, 13C′, 13Cα and 13Cβ sites are resolved in 13C–13C and 15N–13C spectra, with significant improvement in T 2 relaxation times and resolution at high magnetic field (750 MHz). The comparison of echo T 2 values between deuterated and protonated GB1 at various spinning rates and under different decoupling schemes indicates that 13Cα T 2′ times increase by almost a factor of two upon deuteration at all spinning rates and under moderate decoupling strength, and thus the deuteration enables application of scalar-based correlation experiments that are challenging from the standpoint of transverse relaxation, with moderate proton decoupling. Additionally, deuteration in large proteins is a useful strategy to selectively detect polar residues that are often important for protein function and protein–protein interactions.
The Demand for Monitoring Technologies: The Case of Trucking

This paper examines the demand for on-board computers in trucking, distinguishing between their incentive- and resource-allocation-improving capabilities. I find that monitoring's incentive benefits are high when perquisite-taking is attractive to drivers, driver effort is important, and verifying drivers' actions to insurers is valuable. These results are consistent with agency theory and suggest that networking applications will raise the productivity and pay of difficult-toevaluate workers. I also find that monitoring's benefits are disproportionately resource-allocation-related when managerial decisions are least constrained. This suggests that networking applications' monitoring capabilities raise the returns to delegation when resource allocation decisions are routine and lower them when they are not.
Shi'i political discourse and class mobilization in the tobacco movement of 1890–1892

The political role of Shi'i religion in the tobacco movement of 1890–1892 against the Qajar state and a British company in Iran is considered. Using this historically significant event, this article pursues a dual objective. First, it makes a modest attempt to clarify the connection between ideology and class action. The utility of conceiving ideology as a discourse, a set of general principles and concepts, rituals and symbols that shape class action, is suggested. Second, after summarizing and criticizing the existing explanations of Shi'i politics in the 19th century, it offers an alternative interpretation of the oppositional role of Shi'ism in the politics of late 19th-century Iran. I argue that in the tobacco movement Shi'i Islam constituted a language for addressing the problem of British domination; it transcended class differences and provided an effective tactic for mobilizing support against a British monopoly. The merchants' capacity to act was not simply the result of their organization and resources but was enhanced by Shi'i discourse.