cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gel permeation chromatography: Efficiency and operational variables

A variety of expressions for measuring efficiency and resolution in gel permeation chromatography have been used. These are compared and evaluated. In general, there are large differences for all of these methods as a function of molecular weight. Further, at the same molecular weights the various equations do not always rank columns in the same order. This complicates the problem of selecting the optimum operational variables. The various expressions are compared as a function of flow rate and temperature.
Mechanical Signal Influence on Mesenchymal Stem Cell Fate is Enhanced by Incorporation of Refractory Periods into the Loading Regimen

Mechanical signals of both low and high intensity are inhibitory to fat and anabolic to bone in vivo, and have been shown to directly affect mesenchymal stem cell pools from which fat and bone precursors emerge. To identify an idealized mechanical regimen which can regulate MSC fate, low intensity vibration (LIV; <10 microstrain, 90 Hz) and high magnitude strain (HMS; 20,000 microstrain, 0.17 Hz) were examined in MSC undergoing adipogenesis. Two x twenty minute bouts of either LIV or HMS suppressed adipogenesis when there was at least a 1h refractory period between bouts; this effect was enhanced when the rest period was extended to 3h. Mechanical efficacy to inhibit adipogenesis increased with additional loading bouts if a refractory period was incorporated. Mechanical suppression of adipogenesis with LIV involved inhibition of GSK3β with subsequent activation of β-catenin as has been shown for HMS. These data indicate that mechanical biasing of MSC lineage selection is more dependent on event scheduling than on load magnitude or duration. As such, a full day of rest should not be required to "reset" the mechanical responsiveness of MSCs, and suggests that incorporating several brief mechanical challenges within a 24h period may improve salutary endpoints in vivo. That two diverse mechanical inputs are enhanced by repetition after a refractory period suggests that rapid cellular adaptation can be targeted.
Nonstoichiometry and defects in V2O3

The structural mechanism which accommodates nonstoichiometry in V2O3 was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The existence of distinct diffuse scattering was observed as the boundary of the homogeneity range was approached. The analysis of the diffuse scattering indicates the formation of one-dimensional microdomains in the c direction having a structure similar to VO2. Orientation relations between V2O3 and V3O5 (which is formed from V2O3 by heat treatment in an oxidizing atmosphere) show that V3O5 is formed by redistribution of vanadium ions among the octahedral interstitial sites of common close-packed sublattice consisting of oxygen ions. Possible relations between the present observations and physical properties in nonstoichiometric V2O3+x are discussed.
Energy Impacts of Effective Range Hood Use for all U.S. Residential Cooking

Range hood use during residential cooking is essential to maintaining good indoor air quality. However, widespread use will impact the energy demand of the U.S. housing stock. This article describes a modeling study to determine site energy, source energy, and consumer costs for comprehensive range hood use. To estimate the energy impacts for all 113 million homes in the United States, we extrapolated from the simulation of a representative weighted sample of 50,000 virtual homes developed from the 2009 Residential Energy Consumption Survey database. A physics-based simulation model that considered fan energy, energy to condition additional incoming air, and the effect on home heating and cooling due to exhausting the heat from cooking was applied to each home. Range hoods performing at a level common to range hoods currently in U.S. homes would require 19–33 TWh (69–120 PJ) of site energy, 31–53 TWh (110–190 PJ) of source energy; and would cost consumers $1.2 to $2.1 billion (US$/2010) annually in the U....
An Integral Method of Nonisothermal Kinetic Analysis.

Abstract A new series solution for the constant heating rate Arrhenius integral is the basis of a method for determining the kinetic parameters of a single-step reaction from temperature scanning experiments. Isoconversion formulas are derived for calculating the Arrhenius activation energy and frequency factor of a reaction independent of the form of the rate law. Thermogravimetry data for pyrolysis of low density polyethylene and differential scanning calorimetry data for the phenylethynyl curing reaction were analyzed and activation energies were determined and found to agree with literature values. In contrast to existing integral methods, frequency factors for the pyrolysis and curing reaction were obtainable using the present approach without any assumptions about the reaction order or the form of the conversion function.
Pubovaginal sling and pelvic prolapse repair in women with occult stress urinary incontinence: effect on postoperative emptying and voiding symptoms

Abstract Objectives. To determine the perioperative morbidity of performing a concurrent pubovaginal sling with prolapse repair in women with occult (or potential) stress incontinence, particularly on voiding dysfunction and emptying. Methods. We reviewed the charts of 38 women with grade 3-4 pelvic prolapse and occult stress incontinence. All patients underwent video urodynamic testing with the prolapse unreduced and again with the prolapse reduced with a pessary or packing. The abdominal leak point pressure was determined. Appropriate surgical repair of all components of the prolapse was performed concurrently with pubovaginal sling placement. The outcomes were measured with respect to the time to spontaneous voiding, permanent urinary retention, development of stress incontinence or de novo urge incontinence, resolution of urge incontinence, and perioperative complications. Results. The mean age was 72 years, and the mean follow-up was 15 months (range 6 to 39). The mean time required before spontaneous voiding resumed without the need for catheterization was 11.8 days (range 2 to 46). No patient developed permanent urinary retention. Two (9.5%) of 21 women without preoperative urge incontinence developed de novo urge incontinence. However, existing urge incontinence resolved in 45%. One woman developed a suprapubic wound infection, which resolved with conservative management. Stress incontinence occurred in 2 women (7%) at 4 and 19 months postoperatively. Clinically significant prolapse (uterine) developed in 1 patient 2 years after surgery. Conclusions. Simultaneous pubovaginal sling placement for women with occult stress incontinence undergoing repair of a large pelvic prolapse is effective in preventing postoperative stress incontinence and has little negative effect on postoperative bladder emptying. It should be considered in all women with occult stress incontinence undergoing prolapse repair.
Hot Jupiter secondary eclipses measured by Kepler

Hot-Jupiters are known to be dark in visible bandpasses, mainly because of the alkali metal absorption features. The outstanding quality of the Kepler mission photometry allows a detection (or non-detection upper limits on) giant planet secondary eclipses at visible wavelengths. We present such measurements on published planets from Kepler Q1 data. We then explore how to disentangle between the planetary thermal emission and the reﬂected light components that can both contribute to the detected signal in the Kepler bandpass. We ﬁnally investigate how diﬀerent physical processes can lead to a wide variety of hot-Jupiters albedos.
Understanding the Role of c-Jun and Jun B Transcription Factors in Skin Cancer Developments

Skin cancer affects more Americans than all other cancers combined, with well over 1 million Americans diagnosed with melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers each year (Federman, 2009). Therefore, a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in skin cancer development is of great importance. Cancer development is, in part, under genetic control, and transcription factors (TFs), which are sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins that control transcriptional activation or repression and thus control cell growth, are important in this process. Although most TFs perform this function alone, these molecules often recruit partners to form multiunit complexes (Brach et al., 1996), which can alter the TF-binding specificity and thus alter the response.
Teachers' perspective: Developing and implementing an sts curriculum

This article explores science TEACHERS' perceptions of and consequent decisions about the development and implementation of a nontraditional science curriculum. It is a case-study analysis that examines the perceptions of 14 secondary teachers of a model science/technology/society (STS) curriculum designed to promote scientific literacy. Although the TEACHERS' decisions varied on whether to accept, alter, or reject the STS curriculum, they shared similar concerns about the development and implementation of this multidisciplinary curriculum. There existed a common set of five factors that the teachers believed to be critical, and that strongly affected their daily teaching decisions. This study offers insights into how science teachers perceive an STS curriculum, and the influence those perceptions have on their teaching decisions. It explores curricular issues from the frame of reference of teachers, the key factor in successfully implementing innovations.
Urban Stasis and the Politics of Alternative Development in the United States

The search for alternative urban development often confronts the despairing conclusion that political conditions in American cities foreclose any real possibilities of change. In this article we challenge that view. We argue that debates about alternative urban development in the U.S. overemphasize urban industrial transition as a process of rupture, whereby strong business-led political regimes displace an old economic order in favor of a new corporate-centered, FIRE-oriented, downtown development model. In contrast, we suggest many cities have experienced post-industrial neoliberalism in more muted fashion, characterized by a condition of political economic stasis, where old industries and political interests persist alongside new economic strategies and developments. A brief discussion of Akron, Ohio, Lexington, Kentucky, and Tacoma, Washington illustrates the dynamics at work in such cities. We argue that stasis and the weakness of the mainstream orthodoxy in some cities provide a context in which alt...
Sliding wear behavior of high velocity oxy-fuel and high power plasma spray-processed tungsten carbide-based cermet coatings

Abstract Tungsten carbide (WC)-based composites are widely used for fabricating bulk components employed in various wear applications requiring a combination of high toughness, high hardness, and good strength. For some applications, it has been shown that there are several advantages to replacing a bulk WC-based component by a WC-coated steel substrate. In the present study, coatings of two WC-based cermet compositions (12Co–WC and 10Ni–WC) were produced on steel substrates using two thermal spraying techniques: high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) and high power plasma spraying (HPPS). The performance of the resulting coatings was compared using carbon disks as counterparts in sliding wear tests. During these trials, the coefficient of friction between the two sliding parts was monitored at regular intervals. For each couple, the wear of both the coating and the carbon disk during the trial was determined by measuring the weight loss following the test. Analysis of the wear debris and of the wear track on both the coating and carbon disk was performed using a scanning electron microscope. The study showed that although the coefficient of friction was approximately the same for all the couples under investigation regardless of the thermal spraying technique used to deposit the coatings, there were differences in the wear performance. In particular, the results indicated that the rotors having HPPS-deposited coatings, which had a higher level of porosity, exhibited better wear resistance than the HVOF-processed coatings. A similar trend was observed for the wear of the corresponding carbon-graphite stator for the various couples. The results have been interpreted in terms of the effect of porosity on the role of debris in the friction and wear process.
Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of Gold Nanoshells

Using the TDLDA method, we investigate how the polarizability of the d electrons of the gold atoms influences the electronic and optical properties of metallic nanoshells. It is shown that a polarizable jellium background can introduce a significant shift of the plasmon resonances. The results of the study show that the theoretically calculated optical absorption spectra for gold nanoshells with a gold sulfide core are in excellent agreement with experimental data.
Modeling endogenous monetary stock behavior. A Simultaneous Transfer Function approach

A structural model of demand and supply of money for the U.S. economy is estimated by the relatively new Simultaneous Transfer Function Method. This approach is motivated by (1) a need to impose valid identifying restrictions on the model and (ii) to facilitate a systematic specification search process. The endogeneity of monetary stock is effectively dealt with at two levels. Policy-wise endogeneity is handled by defining the money supply variable as a ratio of observed and exogenous monetary stock (based on reserves supplied by the Fed). Statistical endogeneity is captured in a Simultaneous Equations System. Empirical results show that commercial banks are able to alter observed monetary stock behavior when the profitability of creating new loans (deposits) increases. This accommodation is, expectedly, fairly small and instantaneous.
Beauty pairs and charm semileptonic decays from fermilab E653

Abstract We present new results on form factor ratios from 305 events of D + → K 0 ∗ μ + ν , and preliminary results on production properties and lifetimes from 10 directly-observed b b pairs. The data were obtained in a 600 GeV/c π − beam using by the hybrid emulsions spectrometer of Fermilab experiment E653.
Requested Information Provided by the Three Major United States Toroidal Magnetic Fusion Facilities: Report of the 2005 FESAC Facilities Panel, Vol. 2

This is Volume 2 of a report of a panel established by the U.S. Department of Energy Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) charged to review the three major U.S. fusion facilities. The Panel requested input from each of the three major U.S. toroidal magnetic fusion facilities. The request included an invitation to each facility program director to provide a document that addressed in detail the panel charge. This paper consists of the three documents that were received in response to that request.
Comparison of open and robot-assisted pelvic lymphadenectomy for prostate cancer.

Abstract Purpose: We evaluated whether there were differences in the lymph node yield and incidence of nodal metastasis among patients undergoing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy (LAD) and open radical retropubic prostatectomy with either a standard or extended node dissection. Patients and Methods: Data were collected retrospectively on all patients undergoing radical prostatectomy with pelvic LAD at our institution between January 2006 and December 2008. Patients in group 1 (n = 60) underwent robot-assisted standard LAD, those in group 2 (n = 64) had open standard LAD, and group 3 patients (n = 43) were treated with open extended LAD. Statistical comparison was then made between the three groups stratified by histologic grade and pathologic stage. Results: The mean lymph node yield was 8.2 for group 1, 7.6 for group 2, and 14.8 for group 3. The overall incidence of positive nodes in each group was 3.3%, 1.6%, and 18.6%, respectively. There were no differences between the ...
Homeotic Complex (Hox) gene regulation and homeosis in the mesoderm of the Drosophila melanogaster embryo: the roles of signal transduction and cell autonomous regulation

In this paper we evaluate homeosis and Homeotic Complex (Hox) regulatory hierarchies in the somatic and visceral mesoderm. We demonstrate that both Hox control of signal transduction and cell autonomous regulation are critical for establishing normal Hox expression patterns and the specification of segmental identity and morphology. We present data identifying novel regulatory interactions associated with the segmental register shift in Hox expression domains between the epidermis/somatic mesoderm and visceral mesoderm. A proposed mechanism for the gap between the expression domains of Sex combs reduced (Scr) and Antennapedia (Antp) in the visceral mesoderm is provided. Previously, Hox gene interactions have been shown to occur on multiple levels: direct cross-regulation, competition for binding sites at downstream targets and through indirect feedback involving signal transduction. We find that extrinsic specification of cell fate by signaling can be overridden by Hox protein expression in mesodermal cells and propose the term autonomic dominance for this phenomenon.
Interdisciplinarity and boundary work: challenges and opportunities for agrifood studies

Despite its vigor, agrifood studies research faces two fault lines: the durability of disciplines, and challenges in engaging non-academic stakeholders. In this essay, I use the concept of boundary work from social studies of science and technology to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for more engaged interdisciplinary research in agrifood studies. I draw on recent field visits to several “sustainable food chain” research projects funded through the Rural Economy and Land Use Programme (RELU), an innovative interdisciplinary research initiative of the UK Research Councils, to highlight the contradictory nature of boundary work in interdisciplinary research. Involving efforts both to bridge interfaces and to separate, exclude and manage other disciplines or stakeholders, boundary work is inherent to interdisciplinarity. Innovations in the organizational culture of projects and in the larger structural context for research can multiply the more generative potential of boundary work, and also yield more and better interdisciplinary research in agrifood studies.
Molar Mass Dependent Growth of Poly(ε-caprolactone) Crystals in Langmuir Films

Poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) samples with number average molar masses (Mn) ranging from 3.5 to 36 kg.mol-1 exhibit molar mass dependent nucleation and growth of crystals, crystal morphologies, and melting properties at a temperature of 22.5 degrees C in Langmuir films at the air/water (A/W) interface. At surface area per monomer, A, greater than approximately 0.37 nm2.monomer-1, surface pressure, Pi, and surface elasticity exhibit molar mass independent behavior that is consistent with a semidilute PCL monolayer. In this regime, the scaling exponent indicates that the A/W interface is a good solvent for the liquid-expanded PCL monolayers. Pi-A isotherms show molar mass dependent behavior in the vicinity of the collapse transition, i.e., the supersaturated monolayer state, corresponding to the onset of the nucleation of crystals. Molar mass dependent morphological features for PCL crystals and their subsequent crystal melting are studied by in situ Brewster angle microscopy during hysteresis experiments. The competition between lower segmental mobility and a greater degree of undercooling with increasing molar mass produces a maximum average growth rate at intermediate molar mass. This behavior is analogous to spherulitic growth in bulk PCL melts. The plateau regions in the expansion isotherms represent the melting process, where the polymer chains continuously return to the monolayer state. The magnitude of Pi for the plateau during expansion decreases with increasing molar mass, indicating that the melting process is strongly molar mass dependent.
Redox potential in acetone―butanol fermentations

In batch and continuous cultivations ofClostridium acetobutylicum ATCC 824 on lactose, a strong relationship was observed between redox potential of broth and the cellular metabolism. The specific productivity of butanol as well as of butyric acid was found to be maximum at a redox potential of -250 mV. The specific production rate of butyric acid decreased rapidly at redox potentials. For butanol, however, it achieved a lower but stable value. This was true for dynamic as well as steady states. The continuous fermentations involving lactose exhibited sustained oscillations at low dilution rates. These oscillations appear to be related to butanol toxicity to the growth of cells. At higher dilution rates where butanol concentrations were relatively low, no such oscillations were observed. It can be concluded that broth redox potential is an excellent indicator of the resulting fermentation product partitioning.
Systematic review of hypofractionated radiation therapy for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most prevalent solid tumor diagnosed in men in the United States and Western Europe. Conventionally fractionated external beam radiation therapy (1.8-2.0 Gy/fraction) is an established treatment modality for men in all disease risk groups. Emerging evidence from experimental and clinical studies suggests that the α/β ratio for prostate cancer may be as low as 1.5 Gy, which has prompted investigators around the world to explore moderately hypofractionated radiation therapy (2.1-3.5 Gy/fraction). We review the impetus behind moderate hypofractionation and the current clinical evidence supporting moderate hypofractionated radiation therapy for prostate cancer. Although hypofractionated radiation therapy has many theoretical advantages, there is no clear evidence from prospective, randomized, controlled trials showing that hypofractionated schedules have improved outcomes or lower toxicity than conventionally fractionated regimens. Currently, hypofractionated schedules should only be used in the context of clinical trials. High dose rate brachytherapy and stereotactic body radiation therapy (fraction size 3.5 Gy and greater) are alternative approaches to hypofractionation, but are beyond the scope of this report.
On the Path to World Class Retention

Retention of students from the first to second year of engineering programs has long been recognized as an important and challenging hurdle. The Mechanical Engineering Department at RIT has implemented several changes to its first year programs and student support services during the preceding five years, which have resulted in a significant increase in one-year retention. During the 2005-06 academic year, additional support services were provided to first year learning communities in combination with course offering logistics modifications. Additional focus was placed on building a firm relationship between each student and their faculty adviser. Six initiatives were studied during the 2005-06 academic year, resulting in a projected first year retention rate of 98% at the institution, and 96% retention within the mechanical engineering department.© 2006 ASME
The assessment of disability related to vision performance-based measure in diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose To validate a third-generation performance-based measure of visual function titled “Assessment of Disability Related to Vision” (ADREV) in a study population of patients with diabetic retinopathy. Design Prospective, cross-sectional study. Methods Patients with nonproliferative or proliferative diabetic retinopathy, free from ocular comorbidity, were recruited from a single institute and completed the ADREV, the 25-Item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VFQ-25), and a clinical ophthalmic examination. Correlation, regression, and bootstrap analysis were conducted to determine the relationship between ADREV scoring and each of the study's clinical and self-report measures of visual ability, while controlling for potential confounders. Results Ninety-one patients with diabetic retinopathy completed the study and analysis showed that the ADREV total and subscale scores shared a stronger relationship with the clinical measures of visual function than did the VFQ total and subscale scores. Regression analysis revealed that binocular visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, and better eye visual field were the best predictors of ADREV performance. Conclusions The ADREV performance measure is a valid instrument for the assessment of disability related to vision in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, the assessments provided by ADREV were more related to traditional clinical indicators of visual impairment than were the results of the self-report measure, specifically the VFQ-25.
Monkey in the Middle: The Status of Hanuman in Popular Hinduism

La statut de Hanuman (ou Hanumat) dans l'hindouisme populaire. Hanuman (grand heros), roi des singes, est un personnage celebre de Ramayana
Prolactin receptors: a comparison between chloramine-T and lactoperoxidase iodination

The binding properties of chloramine-T iodinated oPRL (using a modified iodination procedure) to prolactin receptors of female rat liver membrane particles were compared with those of lactoperoxidase iodinated oPRL. The results indicated that both iodination methods provided 125l-oPRLs which were suitable for receptor binding studies. Our results suggested that chloramine-T 125l-oPRL was even better than lactoperoxidase 125l-oPRL in terms of lower nonspecific binding. The chloramine-T iodinated oPRL was used to study the prolactin receptors in rat ovaries and DMBA induced rat mammary tumors. The results showed that the amount of prolactin receptors in rat ovaries was related to the plasma level of prolactin as it had been reported in liver by other investigators. The study of prolactin receptors in rat mammary tumors indicated that the prolactin receptor content of hormone dependent mammary tumors was much higher than that of hormone independent mammary tumors.
Ductile Fracture of U-Notched Bend Specimens of Spheroidized AISI 1095 Steel

Ductile fracture was studied in U-notched, bend specimens of spheroidized AISI 1095 steel. The role of microstructure in void initiation and growth was investigated. The stress and strain states were controlled by varying the acuity of the notch and the bending load. Preferential sites for void formation were found to range from the sharp corners of inclusions to two closely spaced carbide particles. Voids formed preferentially along characteristic slip lines, indicating an important role of plastic instability in ductile frac-ture. The results are compared to those of previous studies and discussed in terms of the mechanism of fracture.
TRIBOLOGY ISSUES IN MACHINING

Abstract Machining is the process of shaping materials into useful articles by removing the unwanted material. In traditional machining processes such as in cutting and grinding, the unwanted material is removed by mechanical means using a cutting tool. Since the tool makes contact with the workpiece and either the tool, the workpiece, or both are in motion, tribology (i.e., the study of rubbing or sliding) becomes an important issue. Tribology has a crucial and significant role as an enabling technology, since tool wear is a major problem in the production of reliable and cost-effective products. This paper reviews recently published articles related to the wear of cutting tools and grinding wheels. These papers are classified into such areas as the wear process, measurement of wear, reduction of wear through the use of different cutting tools and abrasive materials, strategies used to monitor wear during machining and grinding, and in-process control of machining to compensate for tool wear.
Vector greedy algorithms

Our objective is to study nonlinear approximation with regard to redundant systems. Redundancy on the one hand offers much promise for greater efficiency in terms of approximation rate, but on the other hand gives rise to highly nontrivial theoretical and practical problems. Greedy-type approximations proved to be convenient and efficient ways of constructing m-term approximants. We introduce and study vector greedy algorithms that are designed with aim of constructing mth greedy approximants simultaneously for a given finite number of elements. We prove convergence theorems and obtain some estimates for the rate of convergence of vector greedy algorithms when elements come from certain classes.
A view from the other side (engineering education)

A former General Electric engineer and manager who turned to teaching dispels seven common myths about academia. These myths are that academia is highly inefficient; those who can't practice, teach; teaching is a nice way to retire; tenure breeds mediocrity; only people with practical experience should teach; the US lost its competitive edge in manufacturing because of research-dominated engineering schools; and the MBA distorts engineers' values. >
What are discourse markers

Abstract This paper is an attempt to clarify the status of discourse markers. These lexical expressions have been studied under various labels, including discourse markers, discourse connectives, discourse operators, pragmatic connectives, sentence connectives, and cue phrases. Although most researchers agree that they are expressions which relate discourse segments, there is no agreement on how they are to be defined or how they function. After reviewing prior theoretical research, I define discourse markers as a class of lexical expressions drawn primarily from the syntactic classes of conjunctions, adverbs, and prepositional phrases. With certain exceptions, they signal a relationship between the interpretation of the segment they introduce, S2, and the prior segment, S1. They have a core meaning, which is procedural, not conceptual, and their more specific interpretation is ‘negotiated’ by the context, both linguistic and conceptual. There are two types: those that relate the explicit interpretation conveyed by S2 with some aspect associated with the segment, S1; and those that relate the topic of S2 to that of S1. I conclude by presenting what appears to be the major classes according to their function.
Covariance Partition Priors: A Bayesian Approach to Simultaneous Covariance Estimation for Longitudinal Data

The estimation of the covariance matrix is a key concern in the analysis of longitudinal data. When data consist of multiple groups, it is often assumed the covariance matrices are either equal across groups or are completely distinct. We seek methodology to allow borrowing of strength across potentially similar groups to improve estimation. To that end, we introduce a covariance partition prior that proposes a partition of the groups at each measurement time. Groups in the same set of the partition share dependence parameters for the distribution of the current measurement given the preceding ones, and the sequence of partitions is modeled as a Markov chain to encourage similar structure at nearby measurement times. This approach additionally encourages a lower-dimensional structure of the covariance matrices by shrinking the parameters of the Cholesky decomposition toward zero. We demonstrate the performance of our model through two simulation studies and the analysis of data from a depression study. Th...
Competitive outcomes depend on host genotype, but not clavicipitaceous fungal endophytes, in Lolium perenne (Poaceae)

UNLABELLED • PREMISE OF THE STUDY Cool-season grasses infected by endophytic fungal symbionts sometimes show improved tolerance of herbivory and abiotic stresses, but the potential effects of endophytes on host competitive ability are unclear. This study examined intraspecific competition among variable genotypes of Lolium perenne with and without the endophyte Epichloe festucae var. lolii (Clavicipitaceae, Ascomycota) to assess the effect of infection on competitive outcomes.• METHODS Eleven host genotypes distributed among infected plants of four cultivars of L. perenne were used for two pairwise competition experiments. In the greenhouse, an infected or uninfected ramet of each genotype was grown alone and paired in competition with a ramet of an uninfected genotype of a native accession of L. perenne. Tiller numbers and root and shoot dry mass were determined for targets and competitor plants after 15 wk.• KEY RESULTS Competition and host genotype had highly significant effects on all measured variables. However, endophyte-mediated effects on hosts were minor, and those that occurred depended on genotype. In addition, endophytic status of target plants did not influence tiller number or dry mass in 10 of 11 competitor genotypes, although these native genotypes did significantly vary in their competitive performance.• CONCLUSIONS Genotypic variation among cultivars and accessions from native populations of L. perenne determines the effect of both intraspecific competition and infection by a fungal endophyte. However, in the absence of herbivory, asexual clavicipitaceous endophytes may not be as important to host success in competitive environments as previously thought in this globally important grass species.
Minimizing morbidity in endoscopic pituitary surgery: outcomes of the novel nasoseptal rescue flap technique.

ObjectiveThe novel nasoseptal rescue flap has been proven to provide complete coverage of dural defects that may be encountered during endoscopic pituitary surgery through cadaveric studies. In this case series, the authors report outcomes from the first cohort of patients who had a nasoseptal rescue flap raised prior to surgery.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingUniversity of North Carolina–Chapel Hill.Subjects and MethodsPatients requiring nasoseptal rescue flaps were identified from the senior author’s database.ResultsNasoseptal rescue flaps were harvested in 26 consecutive patients, with only 7 (27%) patients actually requiring use of the rescue flap for skull base reconstruction due to intraoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Six patients had low-flow CSF leaks, whereas 1 patient had a high-flow CSF leak. Nineteen patients had pituitary adenomas, whereas 7 patients had Rathke cleft cyst. Mean follow-up time was 6 months (range, 1-16 months). Since surgery, no patients have present...
Importance of Periodic Reeducation of Hospital-Based Nurses in Capillary Blood Glucose Monitoring and an Evaluation of the Usefulness of Reflectance Meters

Precision and accuracy of capillary blood glucose measure ments performed by general staff nurses were assessed before and after a modest reeducation pro gram both with and without the use of reflectance meters. A total of 380 capillary glucose determinations were performed by nurses and the hospital laboratory on the same samples. Prior to reeducation, nurses using meters were more accurate than those reading visually, but no difference was found in precision. Reeducation improved precision equally in both groups while improving accuracy only in the group using meters. While glucose readings with the use of reflectance meters were statistically more accurate than those read visually, the percentage of readings within 10 % and 20 % of the laboratory readings was the same. Thus, the increased accuracy observed with meters may have little practical significance, suggesting that their use might better be based on other consider ations, such as user confidence, convenience, cost, and quality control. Periodic...
Use of XAD-2 Macroreticular Resin for the Recovery of Aldicarb and its Metabolites in Drinking Water

Abstract A simplified method for the determination of aldicarb and its oxidation products, aldicarb sulfoxide, and aldicarb sulfone, in water has been developed. Aldicarb and its metabolites are adsorbed on Amberlite XAD-2 polymer resin and then eluted with acetone. The eluate is analyzed for aldicarb and aldicarb sulfoxide by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection at 254 nm. Total aldicarb residues can be determined by a colorimetric method. Typical detection limits in drinking water are 1 μg/1.
EUS-guided tissue acquisition: an evidence-based approach (with videos)

safe and accurate and achieve a high diagnostic yield. The key relevant outcomes of EUS-TA include specimen adequacy, diagnostic yield, accuracy, and adverse events. There are several limitations and technical challenges associated with this procedure. Low diagnostic yield (false-negative diagnosis) is the most important pitfall, with the potential to negatively impact patient outcomes by inappropriate patient care. A recent review reported a falsenegative diagnoses rate of 4% to 45% in solid pancreatic masses, 21% to 53% in pancreatic cystic neoplasms, and 6% to 14% in lymph nodes. 3 This usually is as a result of sampling errors (related to improper EUS-TA, errors in image recognition, experience of the endosonographer, and lesion characteristics). 3-5 Several variables have been studied to optimize outcomes associated with EUS-TA. These include performance of EUS-FNA versus FNB, needle gauge, use of a stylet and suction, number of passes, sampling technique, presence of an on-site cytopathology evaluation (OCE) during the procedure, and the skill and experience of the endosonographer and the cytopathologist. The aims of this technical review were as follows: (1) perform a systematic review of variables that impact outcomes (diagnostic yield/accuracy and adverse events) related to EUS-TA and (2) provide evidence-based recommendations regarding techniques related to EUS-TA.
Combining schema and instance information for integrating heterogeneous data sources

Determining the correspondences among heterogeneous data sources, which is critical to integration of the data sources, is a complex and resource-consuming task that demands automated support. We propose an iterative procedure for detecting both schema-level and instance-level correspondences from heterogeneous data sources. Cluster analysis techniques are used first to identify similar schema elements (i.e., relations and attributes). Based on the identified schema-level correspondences, classification techniques are used to identify matching tuples. Statistical analysis techniques are then applied to a preliminary integrated data set to evaluate the relationships among schema elements more accurately. Improvement in schema-level correspondences triggers another iteration of an iterative procedure. We have performed empirical evaluation using real-world heterogeneous data sources and report in this paper some promising results (i.e., incremental improvement in identified correspondences) that demonstrate the utility of the proposed iterative procedure.
Three-photon absorption in cadmium selenide quantum dots

The nonlinear optical properties of CdSe quantum dots were studied. Strong three-photon absorption was observed at wavelengths where the dot samples were nearly transparent at low energy levels but at which bulk CdSe is opaque.
Everyday and Academic Thinking: Implications for Learning and Problem Solving.

It is suggested that some of the difficulties students experience in solving academic problems are due to their failure to distinguish between those skills needed for everyday thinking and those needed for academic thinking. It is argued that certain characteristics of everyday thinking are ill-matched to the needs of formal education, and that the failure to identify contexts in which intentional cognition is required may prevent successful problem solving. As evidence for this view, research is discussed which shows that the comprehension failures of poor readers are often associated with their inadequate comprehension monitoring skills; but, it is also shown that effective monitoring skills can be taught. The possibility of extending these intervention procedures to foster problem solving in science and math are discussed. Everyday and Academic Thinking
Ionic liquids for and by analytical spectroscopy

In this mini-review we highlight two aspects of ionic liquids that to date have either no or limited studies. They are (1) exploitation of unique features of ionic liquids to develop novel spectroscopic methods and (2) development of novel spectroscopic methods, for the sensitive and accurate determination of thermal physical properties of ionic liquids. In the first category, we will describe several novel methods which were developed utilizing unique properties of ionic liquids for measurements which are not possible otherwise. They include the sensitive and accurate method to determine enantiomeric compositions of a variety of pharmaceutical products with different size, shape, and functional groups. This method is based on the use of a chiral IL which serves both as a solvent and also as a chiral selector. Ionic liquids have also been successfully used to substantially enhance the sensitivity of thermal lens measurements. In the second category, we will describe recent development in which transient grating technique and thermal lens technique have been successfully used for the sensitive, accurate, nondestructive determination of thermal physical prop- erties of ILs.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Proficiency Testing Program for the HIV-1 BED Incidence Assay

The HIV-1 BED incidence assay was developed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and since 2005 has been available as a commercial kit for use in HIV-1 incidence surveillance. A BED-specific proficiency testing (PT) program was initiated in 2006 that included a panel of eight coded specimens (six unique and two duplicates) to participating laboratories. The number of participating laboratories increased from 12 to 38 from 2006 to 2009. Overall, 96.1% of the laboratories reported results, and 95.4% of those reporting achieved a 100% score. The observed mean normalized optical density (OD-n) values of all participants correlated well with the expected OD-n values for all specimens (R2 = 0.98) used for seven PT rounds. BED testing demonstrated high reproducibility among all laboratories, with an agreement of 99.3% (574/578) between initial and confirmatory classification and regression statistics of R2 = 0.96, slope = 1.022, and intercept = 0.0066. Reproducibility among duplicate specimens was very high during each PT round, with mean deviation of 1.8%. Analysis of controls and calibrator specimen for all 343 runs showed a coefficient of variation of ca. 20% for raw ODs in the dynamic range, which was reduced to <10% when the OD was normalized (OD-n). Most laboratories that failed the PT assessment had transcriptional errors, kit reagent problems, or specimen handling errors. Thus, the BED-specific PT program enabled us to track performance of different laboratories conducting the BED assay while identifying areas for improvements. This program will also serve as a template for future PT programs for new incidence assays as they become available.
“C” Trigonocephaly syndrome: Report of a child with agenesis of the corpus callosum and tetralogy of Fallot, and review

We report on a new case of the Opitz "C" trigonocephaly syndrome. Our patient had agenesis of the corpus callosum, an anomaly seen only twice previously, and tetralogy of Fallot, described only once before. A review shows that a combination of conotruncal heart defects and midline brain anomalies characterizes patients with this entity.
Alcoholism and incest: Improving diagnostic comprehensiveness

This article is designed to underscore the similarities in characteristics between alcoholic and incestuous family operations. Hopefully, readers will develop a more acute appreciation and understanding of the frequency of occurrence of both of these behaviors in the same family. The author contends that too often alcoholism will be diagnosed, while the incest is diagnostically missed or vice versa. To best insure that recidivism of either the alcohol or incest can be avoided, the author believes it is important to comprehensively diagnose and then treat appropriately.
Expanding the Political Present

“Nothing we have created, in politics or literature, is necessary….” —Richard Poirier Theory expressing new dimensions of man's political predicaments has rarely emerged from well-accredited academic quarters. Yet political scientists have come to hope that their own discipline, imaginatively pursued, might nevertheless yield comprehensive theories for coming to terms with man's present and prospective situations. To cope with emergencies—if not those of the year 1984 then those of the now more fashionable year 2000—they have proceeded to delineate possible futures. It is hardly necessary to document how industriously they have been extrapolating from the present, becoming interested in simulating, linear programming, gaming, and projecting into the future. With methodological ingenuity and resourcefulness, practitioners of futuristics have provided a new literature which is unconventional, exciting, and at times intriguingly surrealistic. Like Bentham's and Saint-Simon's more buoyant pieces, it has all the trappings of authentic radical thought: it appears to challenge the prevailing intellectual and institutional boundaries. Yet in view of the ideological constraints inherent in every professional discipline, it would be surprising if the new blueprints and scenarios were to inspire men to transcend the present political order, if the new Utopians (to use Robert Boguslaw's apt label) acknowledged something other than the prevailing system of psychological, economic, and industrial norms as their point of departure. They understandably begin with the present, that which is .
Domain specific considerations of metadata for cultural heritage

This poster proposes a theoretical framework for rethinking metadata for cultural heritage, and is motivated by the author's experience and observation of the challenges of descriptive metadata for cultural heritage. Descriptive metadata plays a key role in managing and providing access to cultural resources and in automatic reasoning on large data sets. Several metadata schemes are available in the domain of cultural heritage (i.e., VRA, CDWA, CCO, MIDAS, CIDOC-CRM, CIMI, SPECTRUM, and Object ID1); however, most of them have not systematically addressed the domain specific requirements of metadata. Thus, it is useful to rethink how intellectual developments of cultural heritage affect domain specific requirements of descriptive metadata. The concept of cultural heritage has evolved semantically and intellectually in the last fifty years. These developments have created different conceptions of what is perceived "cultural heritage". One of the consequences of these developments is the popularity of interpretive approaches to cultural heritage. Studying the requirements of these new approaches to cultural heritage reveals the insufficiencies of the existing descriptive metadata schemes. This study suggests that the systematic analysis of the new conceptions of cultural heritage and its different aspects provides a better insight for understanding domain specific considerations of descriptive metadata for cultural heritage.