cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proteinase inhibitor proteins as genetic markers for identifying high protein potato clones

A preliminary screening method is described for selecting potato clones with a high probability of their having high protein content. The clones were selected on the basis of their total concentrations of two proteinase inhibitor proteins, Inhibitors I and II. The top 10% of clones selected for high inhibitor content included 80% of the clones that contained the highest total protein concentrations. The inhibitor concentrations used for screening were determined by a simple immunological assay directly utilizing potato juice. The applicability of the method was demonstrated with data from 194S. andigina clones. Ten of the 194 clones contained over 8% total protein and 8 were among the upper 10% of the clones preselected by inhibitor concentrations. Two clones were identified that exhibited over 10% total protein, dry weight.
Particle assemblies in astrocytic plasma membranes are rearranged by various agents in vitro and cold injury in vivo.

Distinct aggregates of small intramembranous particles and assemblies characterize the P-face of freeze-fractured astrocytic membranes. To test the lability of the assemblies, astrocytes were treatedin vitro with different chemical agents andin vivo by cold injury. The assemblies appeared either to contain or be associated with protein because exposure to medium containing cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis, led to a sharp decrease in assemblies, down to 1% of the control levels within three hours. To ascertain whether the assemblies were tethered to the cytoskeleton, the cells were treatedin vitro with disruptors of microtubules (colchicine) or microfilaments (cytochalasins); the assemblies became consistently rearranged. Protein denaturants, urea and guanidine HC1, brought about a selective aggregation of assembly with assembly. The lectin, concanavalin A, did not alter the distribution of the assemblies within the plane of the membrane fracture. Surface replicas ofin vitro, non-fractured, astrocytes revealed surface particles which did not resemble assemblies.In vivo, the plasma membranes of astrocytes were altered within minutes of cold injury to the brain surface. In the centre of the lesions, damaged astrocytes had assemblies that were clumped luce those ofin vitro astrocytes exposed to denaturants. In the periphery of the lesions, however, the assemblies did not aggregate but increased in number.
Cytological observations on genome homology in eight interspecific hybrids ofPhalaenopsis

Cytological analysis of eight interspecific hybrids ofPhalaenopsis, (2n=38), intra-as well as intersectional, involving eight species, revealed various degrees of genome homology. The species can be divided into two groups. Within each of the groups a strong genome homology occurs. The first group comprises the speciesP. amabilis, P. stuartiana, P. sanderiana, P. aphrodite andP. equestris, all having similar genomes of small chromosomes. The second group includesP. lueddemanniana, P. mannii andP. amboinensis, having genomes comprising larger chromosomes. In addition, the genomes of the latter three species have a different average chromosome size. Cytological evidence for differences in length at somatic metaphase as well as in metaphase I configurations in hybrids of species of the second group is presented. Hybrids between representative species of the first and the second group show poor to fair genome homology. The implications of the cytological observations for the classification ofPhalaenopsis are discussed.
Outbreak of ocular disease associated with naturally-acquired canine herpesvirus-1 infection in a closed domestic dog colony.

Objective To describe clinical and virological findings of an outbreak of ocular disease attributed to naturally-acquired primary canine herpesvirus-1 (CHV-1) infection in a closed domestic dog colony. Animals studied Twenty-seven 10- to 16-week-old laboratory Beagles. Procedure Complete ophthalmic examinations were performed and ocular samples collected for CHV-1 polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation. Results The prevalence of ocular morbidity was 100% in examined dogs. Lesions were restricted to the ocular surface and included bilateral conjunctivitis (100% of dogs); punctate, dendritic, or geographic ulcerative keratitis (26% of dogs); and non-ulcerative keratitis (19% of dogs). Conjunctival petechiae were detected in 22% of dogs. Punctate and dendritic corneal ulcers were frequently organized into discrete groups or linear arrangements. Non-ulcerative keratitis appeared clinically as a perilimbal ring of superficial corneal vascularization and leukocyte infiltration. CHV-1 was detected in ocular samples by polymerase chain reaction or virus isolation in all dogs sampled. Conclusions In susceptible populations of domestic dogs, CHV-1 may be associated with outbreaks of highly contagious ocular infection in the absence of concurrent overt systemic disease. This naturally-acquired outbreak of CHV-1 infection provides an opportunity to report the spectrum and prevalence of ocular lesions associated with primary ocular CHV-1 infection in dogs. Conjunctivitis was the most frequent ocular lesion detected. Ulcerative and non-ulcerative keratitis were less prevalent and of variable clinical appearance. Dendritic ulcerative keratitis, a classic and relatively specific ocular lesion associated with alphaherpesvirus infection, was detected in < 20% of dogs.
Micromechanical modeling of the dynamic fracture process during rock blasting

Abstract A numerical model based on Newton's second law of motion is applied to the study of the fracture process induced in rock by blasting. The numerical model is a discrete representation of rock using point masses or particles which are interconnected through massless springs. The resulting mesh simulates the deformational response of a material subjected to dynamic loading. Material inhomogeneities that are characteristic of geologic material are incorporated into the numerical simulation. The results generated from initial simulations of rock blasting indicate that the discrete model is capable of simulating various dynamic fracture phenomena including crack branching and tortuous propagation. In this paper, a few simulations of rock blasting are presented and qualitative observations, based on the modeling results, regarding the damage process are discussed.
Intracellular recording from phrenic motoneurons receiving respiratory drive in vitro.

Abstract Stable, long-term (2–4 h) intracellular recordings were obtained from phrenic motoneurons receiving respiratory drive in an in vitro neonatal rat brainstem spinal cord preparation. Several passive and active phrenic motoneuron properties in vitro, including resting membrane potential, inspiratory drive potentials, and threshold depolarization levels, are similar to those in the adult mammal in vivo. Manipulations of the extracellular fluid environment by the addition or washout of chemicals affecting motoneuronal activity and spinal synaptic transmission of respiratory drive did not affect the quality of the intracellular recordings. These results establish the feasibility of long-term intracellular recording from the in vitro brainstem spinal cord preparation for studies of cellular and synaptic mechanisms underlying control of respiratory movements.
Silone'S Celestino V and the Fabula of the Evolution of a Soul

This study explores the intra-textual and inter-textual connections existing between Pietro del Morrone, elected Pope Celestino V, the protagonist of Silone's L'avventura d'un povero cristiano and Pietro Spina, the author's main character of Vino e pane, Ed egli si nascose, and Il seme sotto la neve. Both characters undertake parallel journeys, but whereas Pietro Spina's voyage is essentially secular in nature, Pietro del Morrone's is essentially mystical. With a political revolutionist on the one hand and a religious leader on the the other, Silone, by reinterpreting history, shows us a dual pattern of behavioral tenet.
INSIGHT: subunit functions of the steroid/thyroid receptor family.

Two articles appearing in this month’s issue highlight the next phase in the complexities of the steroid/thyroid receptor family of gene regulatory proteins. Vegeto et al. (1) and Tung et al. (2) using related approaches, have arrived at new observations regarding the potential function of receptor subunits. Both studies add fuel to the argument that says up-regulation and downregulation by these proteins are two sides of the same coin and are entirely cell and gene-context specific. Both papers use the human progesterone receptor (PR), a protein known to be expressed as two different molecular-weight forms. Both forms bind progesterone and in fact are identical except for the N-terminus, which is 164 amino acids longer in form B (PRB) than in the smaller one (PRA). Both bind their ligand with the same kinetics, and both are capable individually of progesterone-dependent regulation of reporter genes in test cells. Now these groups find that form B (the larger form) is active in transient transfection assays in several different cell types. Moreover the report by Tung et a/. (2) shows that ligands previously regarded as “antagonists” such as RU38486 are agonists when PRB is present alone. The notion that these ligands can be agonists in certain circumstances is not new, but previous reports of this activity have shown a requirement for the receptor to be truncated at its c-terminus for agonist activity to be manifest (3-5) or for elevated intracellular phosphorylation to exist (6). The implication of this finding is that the two forms of receptor must somehow interact in the normal physiological context in a way which permutes the structure of PRB to make the RU compound behave as an antagonist. This role for PRA implies that it interacts with PRB and perturbs the structure of its companion in an important way. This latter point is dealt with experimentally very nicely in both papers. The report by Vegeto et al. (1) shows that PRA is inactive by itself in two of the three cell types they tried, but it is a powerful repressor of the activity of PRB. Furthermore, this repressive activity can be achieved with any of three different “antagonists” bound to PRA. Both groups make the remarkable observation that DNA binding activity is not required for this event, at least not sequence-specific interactions of the classical kind. Tung’s group extends the obser-
The Temporal Aliasing Formulas for the Tandem Mission of Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon

Abstract The temporal aliasing formulas are derived for the Tandem Mission of Jason-1 and the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX)/Poseidon. Previously, aliasing formulas were derived for a single satellite or a constellation of coordinated satellites, wherein the coordination is such that the collective samplings appear as if they were carried out by a single satellite. In this vein, Jason-1 and TOPEX/Poseidon are coordinated spatially but not temporally. The problem is treated as a general problem about the temporal phasing between any two satellites that are coordinated spatially so that the Tandem Mission is just one special case, whereas the temporally coordinated case is another special case. The present results do agree with the formulas for a constellation of coordinated satellites when the temporal phasing yields temporal coordination, as they should. The benefit of temporal coordination shows itself as having a higher spatial resolution for temporally aliased features. The physical implication is...
N-t-Butyl Benzothiazole Sulfenimide a New Long-Delay, Slow-Curing Primary Amine Based Accelerator.

TBSI is a new accelerator which provides: Long scorch delay and slow cure rate High modulus development Improved reversion resistance Excellent storage stabilityTBSI can be used for: Replacement of secondary amine-based sulfenamide accelerators Scorchy or difficult to process compounds Compounds exposed to prolonged cure cyclesMaintaining adhesion of rubber to brassed steel10)
Gene transfer with inducible nitric oxide synthase decreases production of urea by arginase in pulmonary arterial endothelial cells

Nitric oxide (NO) is a vasodilator produced from L-arginine (L-Arg) by NO synthase (NOS). Gene therapy for hypertensive disorders has been proposed using the inducible isoform of NOS (iNOS). L-Arg also can be metabolized to urea and L-ornithine (L-Orn) by arginase, and L-Orn can be metabolized to proline and/or polyamines, which are vital for cellular proliferation. To determine the effect of iNOS gene transfer on arginase, we transfected bovine pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (bPAEC) with an adenoviral vector containing the gene for iNOS (AdiNOS). As expected, NO production in AdiNOS bPAEC was substantially greater than in control bPAEC. Although urea production was significantly less in the AdiNOS bPAEC than in the control bPAEC, despite similar levels of arginase I protein, AdiNOS transfection of bPAEC had no effect on the uptake of L-Arg. Inhibiting NO production with Nomega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester increased urea production, and inhibiting urea production with L-valine increased nitrite production, in AdiNOS bPAEC. The addition of L-Arg to the medium increased urea production by AdiNOS bPAEC in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, in these iNOS-transfected bPAEC, the transfected iNOS and native arginase compete for a common intracellular pool of L-Arg. This competition for substrate resulted in impaired proliferation in the AdiNOS-transfected bPAEC. These findings suggest that the use of iNOS gene therapy for pulmonary hypertensive disorders may not only be beneficial through NO-mediated pulmonary vasodilation but also may decrease vascular remodeling by limiting L-Orn production by native arginase.
Analytic calculation of phase diagrams for charged dipolar colloids with orientation-averaged pair potentials

Molecular thermodynamics is used to calculate phase diagrams for aqueous charged dipolar colloids or globular proteins. Because normal pressures are not important for condensed systems, here a phase diagram is a plot of temperature versus colloid concentration. Properties of the fluid phase are obtained from the random-phase approximation, whereas those for the solid phase correspond to a perfect crystal. Crystal structures considered are face-centered and body-centered cubic. For each phase, the Helmholtz energy is determined by the sum of a hard-sphere reference term and a perturbation term that uses a potential of mean force for pairs of charged, dipolar colloids that also interact through dispersion forces. In view of different screening effects on charge–charge repulsion and dipolar attraction, the net electrostatic term features an extremum at intermediate ionic strengths leading to a non-monotonic dependence of the phase behavior on salt concentration. Illustrative phase diagrams are shown as a function of colloid charge, dipole moment, and ionic strength of the aqueous medium. Calculated results show that the phase diagram is sensitive to the structure assumed for the solid phase.
New horizons: future directions in neurotoxicology.

Neurotoxicology is a relatively young discipline that has undergone significant growth during the last 25 years. During the late 1970s and 1980s, numerous national and international conferences and...
PM3-CI calculation of Diels-Alder transition structures of hetero dienophile addition to butadiene: comparison with PM3 and ab initio generated transition structures

Abstract Transition structures for Diels-Alder addition of formaldehyde, formaldimine, diazene, and nitrosyl hydride to butadiene were studied with ab initio and PM3-CI methods. Activation energies were evaluated and compared with the different methods. The order of the reactivity of the hetero dienophiles was predicted on the basis of the frontier orbital energies, and ab initio and semiempirical calculations of the reaction barriers were performed. These energies were used to predict the stereoselectivity of the reactions. It was concluded that the ab initio calculations tend to generate transition structures with a very small degree of asynchronicity, whereas, PM3-CI on the other hand, tends to generate highly asynchronous transition structures. That is specially pronounced in the case when one of the two new forming bonds in the transition structures is CN. All of the studied methods predict high endo vs. exo NH addition of hetero dienophiles to butadiene thus suggesting the usefulness of these reactions in stereoselective organic syntheses.
Enhanced growth of myelodysplastic colonies in hypoxic conditions

Objective To determine the response of bone marrow progenitor cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) to culture in physiologic oxygen tension. Methods Methylcellulose progenitor assays using both unfractionated bone marrow mononuclear cells (MNCs) and purified CD34 + progenitors were performed in atmospheric oxygen (18.6% O 2 ) or one of two levels of hypoxia (1% and 3% O 2 ). Assays were performed using normal donor marrow, MDS patient marrow, acute myelogenous leukemia marrow or peripheral blood blasts, chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) marrow MNCs, and blast crisis CML peripheral blood. Results The majority of MDS samples showed decreased colony-forming units (CFU) in 18.6% O 2 compared to normal controls, as expected. However, in either 1% or 3% O 2 , 9 of 13 MDS samples demonstrated augmentation of CFUs beyond that observed in normal controls, with 6 of 13 demonstrating a greater than ninefold augmentation. This effect is cell autonomous, as it persisted after purification of CD34 + progenitor cells. Additionally, the augmented response to physiologic oxygen tension is specific to MDS, as it was not observed in either acute or chronic myelogenous leukemia samples. Conclusion These results suggest that the reported decrease in MDS CFUs reflects greater sensitivity of MDS progenitors or their progeny to the nonphysiologic oxygen tensions routinely used in vitro , rather than a true decrease in progenitor frequency. Importantly, these experiments for the first time describe an experimental system that can be used to study the growth of primary cells from patients with MDS.
Decrease in perfusion of cerebral capillaries during incomplete ischemia and reperfusion.

The effect of unilateral, incomplete cerebral ischemia on CBF, unidirectional flux of α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and sodium, and number of perfused capillaries during ischemia and reperfusion was...
Thrombolysis for Acute Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis in a Tertiary Care Setting

Background In 2008, the Surgeon General made a Call to Action for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis (DVT), and for the first time, the 2008 American College of Chest Physicians guidelines for treatment of acute lower extremity DVT (ALE DVT) were revised to include thrombolysis as a grade 2B recommendation. Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) therapy for patients with ALE DVT without contraindications can result in more complete clot dissolution than anticoagulation alone and may prevent the long-term sequelae of DVT. We sought to determine the percentage of inpatients with ALE DVT at a tertiary medical center who were candidates for CDT therapy and whether these patients were appropriately offered such treatment. Methods A hospital administrative database search from a tertiary medical center between January 2007 and December 2007 revealed 667 patient admissions associated with a diagnosis of DVT by International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes (451-451.99, 453-453.99). Computerized hospital records were then searched for information regarding medical history, comorbidities, contraindications to thrombolysis, symptoms, imaging findings, and treatment. Results Of the 667 patient admissions, 157 (24%) had ALE DVT, 31% had upper extremity DVT, 17% carried an old diagnosis DVT, and 28% had venous thromboses in other vessels. Of those 157 patients with ALE DVT, 60 (38%) had proximal iliofemoral or extensive femoral DVT that would be candidates for thrombolysis. Of the 60 patients, only 10 (17%) had no major contraindication thrombolysis. Of these, one was offered CDT but refused treatment, four did not receive consults for thrombolysis; five (9%) were offered CDT and were treated. However, of these 60 patients, 50 (83%) patients had severe illness and major and often multiple contraindications to thrombolysis. Conclusion Although the majority of patients identified in the 2007 inpatient database with ALE DVT and an absence of contraindications to thrombolysis were appropriately offered CDT therapy, patients in such a tertiary inpatient setting typically have severe medical comorbidities that precluded the use of thrombolysis. Future studies assessing the expanding role of CDT in patients with ALE DVT should focus on outpatient settings or nontertiary care hospitals, where patients are likely to have fewer contraindications to thrombolytic therapy.
Weed population and crop yield response to recommendations from a weed control decision aid

Selecting among the diverse options available to manage weeds requires varied knowledge. This study field-tested the performance of a decision aid model that integrates biological and economic factors to make weed control recommendations. The model was parameterized using data from the literature and subjected to sensitivity analysis. Tactics generated from the resulting model were compared with standard-herbicide weed control in continuous corn (Zea mays L.) having a long-term history of various tillage and herbicide application regimes. The model recommended preemergent and postemergent weed control based on weed seed and weed seedling densities, respectively. Using standard-herbicide weed control resulted in fewer weed seeds in the soil each year compared with model-based weed control. Variation among model-based weed control treatments applied to plots with different management histories was eliminated over the course of the study as weed populations shifted in response to weed control practices. The result was a 98% relative abundance of foxtail (Setaria spp.) seedlings after 3 yr of model-based treatments, compared with 70% in standard-herbicide treatments. In 1994, the model reduced herbicide use and weed control treatment costs, but often reduced corn yields and net economic returns. In 1995, model-based treatments maintained or increased corn yields and net returns. In 1996, however, model-based treatments consistently reduced corn yields and net returns. Variability in control treatment effectiveness and weed-crop interaction greatly affected the performance of the model. The use of decision-aid models in weed management is still a developing technology. Interactions of the weed seed bank, weed emergence, treatment effectiveness, weed-crop interference, and environmental conditions are very complex. The model could become a valuable tool for producers if consistency of weed control were improved by better understanding and modeling of threshold levels and accounting for weed seed production and by adding data on weed emergence, seed production, yield loss, and control efficacy.
Evaluation of Effects on Trees of Past Movements on the San Andreas Fault, Northern California

Fault movement accompanied by surface rupture can fracture, twist, or tilt trees that grow on the surface break of the fault. Trees growing near, but not on, the fault may be felled or topped as a result of ground motion. Changes in growth rate of trees may relate to hydrologic and topographic changes or from “release effects” caused by death of neighboring trees. Many other causes such as landslides, wind, and fire can produce similar effects and must be considered when using trees to date past movements on the San Andreas fault. The effects of tilting of trees growing on surface ruptures seem to provide the least ambiguous evidence of past movement on the fault, but few ancient trees that record multiple movements in the past were found. A redwood tree near Fort Ross was tilted between 1400 A.D. and 1650 A.D.; tilting is tentatively attributed to movement on the San Andreas fault. The same tree also records two other tilts, and in 1906 the base of the tree was fractured by faulting. In contrast, a redwood tree possibly 500 to 600 yrs old in Woodside grows only 10 ft (3 m) from the 1906 surface rupture and yet no effects in growth rate or tilt record the event.
New insights into the evolutionary history of biological nitrogen fixation

Nitrogenase, which catalyzes the ATP-dependent reduction of dinitrogen (N2) to ammonia (NH3), accounts for roughly half of the bioavailable nitrogen supporting extant life. The fundamental requirement for fixed forms of nitrogen for life on Earth, both at present and in the past, has led to broad and significant interest in the origin and evolution of biological N2 fixation. One key question is whether the limited availability of fixed nitrogen was a factor in life's origin or whether there were ample sources of fixed nitrogen produced by abiotic processes or delivered through the weathering of bolide impact materials to support this early life. If the latter, the key questions become what were the characteristics of the environment that precipitated the evolution of this oxygen sensitive process, when did this occur, and how was its subsequent evolutionary history impacted by the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis and the rise of oxygen in the Earth's biosphere. Since the availability of fixed sources of nitrogen capable of supporting early life is difficult to glean from the geologic record, there are limited means to get direct insights into these questions. Indirect insights, however, can be gained through phylogenetic studies of nitrogenase structural gene products and additional gene products involved in the biosynthesis of the complex metal-containing prosthetic groups associated with this enzyme complex. Insights gained from such studies, as reviewed herein, challenge traditional models for the evolution of biological nitrogen fixation and provide the basis for the development of new conceptual models that explain the stepwise evolution of this highly complex life sustaining process.
BIOLOGICALLY BASED DEFICIT IN THE IDENTIFIED PATIENT: INDICATIONS FOR PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL STRATEGIES

The phrase “identified patient” has attracted a wide following among family therapists representing a variety of approaches to family therapy. It is based on the assumption that persons referred for psychotherapeutic treatment are often incorrectly labeled “patients” when, in fact, their symptoms are manifestations of family, not individual, dysfunction or pathology. It is the thesis of this article that when biologically based deficits in the identified patient are a salient determinant of interpersonal dysfunction, such reframing is inappropriate. Psycho-educational strategies for treating families of persons with such physically based conditions as learning disability, attention deficit disorder, epilepsy, autism, and various medical illnesses and handicaps, are recommended.
Articles published in six school psychology journals from 2005-2009: Where's the intervention research?

This article reports on a content analysis of six school psychology journals spanning the years 2005–2009, with a particular focus on published intervention research. The analysis showed that (a) research articles were the most frequently published, with the largest category being descriptive research; (b) the percentage of intervention studies was higher (9.3%) than previously reported but lower than reported in special education journals (15.9%); (c) of the published interventions, the most frequent design was quasi-experimental, followed by single-subject research; (d) most intervention studies were conducted in school settings utilizing children in kindergarten through Grade 5, followed as a distant second by middle school settings; (e) the preponderance of intervention studies were academic or social/behavioral, with emotional interventions being the least represented; and (f) of the academic interventions, the most widely studied dimension was reading, followed as a distant second by math. The findings are discussed in terms of their relevance for addressing the research-to-practice gap as well as their implications for school psychology research and practice.
EVOLUTION OR EXTINCTION: WHERE ARE BANKS HEADED?

The banking industry represents an interesting and important case study of how changes in technology and regulation influence business strategy and organizational design. A narrow focus on traditional bank products and performance measures would lead one to conclude that banking is a declining industry. Such a focus, however, would miss most of the innovations in banking–most notably, the move to “off-balance-sheet” activities–that have been taking place in recent years. A broader perspective shows banks evolving in ways that are enabling them to provide the same basic functions as before, but in new, more efficient ways. In the past, most banks thought of themselves as delivering a set of specific, largely unrelated products to different sets of customers. Today many banks are pursuing strategies that aim to strengthen their ability to perform various functions–for example, financial planning for retail clients, or raising capital for middle market companies–that tend to cut across the old product boundaries. As a result, and in contrast to most industrial firms, many banks are offering a more diversified range of products and services than ever before with the aim of exploiting potential synergies among those products. Such major changes in banks' strategies are in turn leading to fundamental changes in their “organizational architecture.” Some banking activities that were once controlled by a rigid management hierarchy are now being decentralized, whereas other functions that were largely decentralized are being subjected to more central coordination to help realize potential economies of scale and scope. Along with these changes in decision-making authority, banks are also being forced to rethink their internal performance evaluation and incentive compensation systems. As an ever larger portion of their activities continues to move off balance sheet, more and more banks are deciding that conventional accounting measures of bank operating performance such as ROA and ROE are inadequate, and that economic measures of performance like RAROC and EVA are needed to reflect the new reality of where banks are putting their capital at risk, and whether the rates of return they are earning on their different activities are high enough to reward their shareholders.
Training a patient safety work force: the patient safety improvement corps.

The Patient Safety Improvement Corps (PSIC) is a nationwide training program that is a key component of the patient safety initiative operated by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The goal of the PSIC is to increase the number and capacity of health care professionals with core patient safety skills/tools, given a deficit of such individuals. AHRQ developed the PSIC based upon feedback from states concerning their anticipated patient safety responsibilities and lack of resources to address them (Teleki 2007). This paper presents methods and findings of an evaluation of the PSIC undertaken within the larger evaluation of AHRQ's patient safety initiative. It specifically addressed the infrastructure component of the system framework used in that larger evaluation (see Farley and Battles 2008, in this issue). Our goal was to assess the PSIC's contribution to building a national infrastructure supporting effective patient safety practices.1
Sodium Methyldithiocarbamate Exerts Broad Inhibition of Cellular Signaling and Expression of Effector Molecules of Inflammation

Sodium methyldithiocarbamate (SMD) is one of the most abundantly used conventional pesticides in the United States. At dosages relevant to occupational exposure, it causes major effects on the immune system in mice, including a decreased resistance to sepsis. This lab has identified some of the mechanisms of action of this compound and some of the immunological parameters affected, but the global effects have not previously been assessed. The purpose of the present study was to conduct transcriptomic analysis of the effects of SMD on lipopolysaccharide-induced expression of mediators important in innate immunity and inflammation. The results revealed broad effects on expression of transcription factors in both branches of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling (MyD88 and TRIF). However, TLR3 and interferon signaling pathways were decreased to a greater extent, and assessment of the effects of SMD on polyinosinic polycytidylic acid–induced cytokine and chemokine production revealed that these responses mediated by TLR3 were indeed sensitive to the effects of SMD, with inhibition occurring at lower dosages than required to inhibit responses to other immunological stimuli tested in our previous studies. In the downstream signaling pathways of these TLRs, functional analysis also revealed that NF-κB activation was inhibited by SMD, as indicated by gene expression analysis and a reporter construct in mice. A previously unreported effect on luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone pathways was also observed.
Software Product Lines: Report of the 2009 U.S. Army Software Product Line Workshop

Abstract : The Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute held the U.S. Army Software Product Line Workshop on February 11, 2010. The workshop was a hands-on meeting to share Army and Department of Defense product line practices, experiences, and issues and to discuss specific product line practices and operational accomplishments. Participants reported encouraging progress on Army software product lines. This report synthesizes the workshop presentations and discussions.
PV reliability determination from I-V measurement and analysis

We discuss the measurement and analysis of current vs. voltage (I-V) characteristics of photovoltaic (PV) cells and modules for reliability determination. We discuss both the error sources in the measurements and the strategies to minimize their influence. These error sources include the sample area, spectral errors, temperature fluctuations, current and voltage response time, contacting, and degradation during testing issues. Information that can be extracted from light and dark I-V includes peak power, open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, series and shunt resistance, diode quality factor, dark current, and photo-current. The quantum efficiency provides information on photo-current nonlinearities, current generation and recombination mechanisms.
Sound Pressure Levels Measured in a University Concert Band: A Risk of Noise-Induced Hearing Loss?

Researchers have reported public school band directors as experiencing noise-induced hearing loss. Little research has focused on collegiate band directors and university student musicians. The present study measures the sound pressure levels generated within a university concert band and compares sound levels with the criteria set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Additionally, the immediate effects of sound exposure are described by temporary threshold shifts (TTS), collected from pre- and postrehearsal hearing screenings. Time-weighted averages were computed from the sound pressure levels and compared to the permissible noise limits established by OSHA and NIOSH. None of the time-weighted averages exceeded the permissible noise limits; however, there were 139 temporary TTSs (greater than 10 dBA) measured from pre- to postrehearsal. Presumably, university concert band musicians are exposed to sound levels th...
Optimal oblivious path selection on the mesh

In the oblivious path selection problem, each packet in the network independently chooses a path, which is an important property if the routing algorithm is to be independent of the traffic distribution. The quality of the paths is determined by the congestion C, the maximum number of paths crossing an edge, and the dilation D, the maximum path length. So far, the oblivious algorithms studied in the literature have focused on minimizing the congestion while ignoring the dilation. An open question is whether C and D can be controlled simultaneously. Here, we answer this question for the d-dimensional mesh. We present an online algorithm for which C and D are both within O(d/sup 2/) of optimal. The algorithm uses randomization, and we show that the number of random bits required per packet is within O(d) of the minimum number of random bits required by any algorithm that obtains near-optimal congestion. For fixed d, our algorithm is asymptotically optimal.
Adaptive testing, oracle generation, and test case ranking for Web services

Web services and service-oriented architecture are emerging technologies that are changing the way we develop and use computer software. Due to the standardization of Web services related description languages and protocols, as well as the open platforms, for the same Web service specification, many different implementations can be offered from different service providers. This paper presents an adaptive group testing technique that can test large number Web services simultaneously and effectively. Based on a case study, experiments are performed to validate the correctness and effectiveness of the technique.
Lack of Effect of Ascorbic and Citric Acids on Calcium Metabolism of Chickens

Five experiments were carried out in which various levels of calcium and ascorbic acid or citric acid were fed to adult male chickens, young chickens, or young coturnix. Observations were made on body weight, feed efficiency, plasma calcium and tibia mineral content. One percent dietary ascorbic acid had no adverse effect on body weight, tibia ash or tibia calcium content of adult male chickens over a 224-day period, even at calcium levels as low as 0.026% of the diet. In growing chicks, body weight and plasma calcium and tibia mineral content varied with the calcium level of the diet, but were not influenced by ascorbic acid even at 0.65% of the diet. Citric acid at the same molar level was also ineffective in altering calcium metabolism in growing chickens. Growing coturnix showed differences in growth and tibia ash content with 0.4% and 0.85% calcium, but there were no pronounced effects caused by dietary ascorbic acid. There is no evidence in this work that these relatively high levels of ascorbic acid or citric acid have any adverse effect on calcium metabolism because of their chelating properties.
Exterior stable domain segmentation integral equation method for scattering problems

This paper is concerned with the development of an exterior domain segmentation method for the solution of two- or three-dimensional time-harmonic scattering problems in acoustic media. This method, based on a variational localized, symmetric, boundary integral equation formulation leads, upon discretization, to a sparse system of algebraic equations whose solution requires only O(N) multiplications, where N is the number of unknown nodal pressures on the scatterer surface. The new procedure is analogous to the one developed recently1 except that in the present formulation we avoid completely the use of the hypersingular operator, thereby reducing the computational complexity. Numerical experiments for a rigid circular cylindrical scatterer subjected to a plane incident wave serve to assess its accuracy for normalized wave numbers, ka, ranging from 0 to 30, both directly on the scatterer and in the far field, and to confirm that, contrary to standard boundary integral equation formulations, the present procedure is valid for critical frequencies.
Measurement of atmospheric surface pressure with a satellite-borne laser

A laser system operating in the oxygen A band (near 0.76 mu) can be used to measure surface pressure by determining absorptance inside and outside of the bands. An accuracy of 10 mbar may require thirty pulses, using a 1-m(2) receiver. A systems analysis shows that internal noise is negligible and that background is not serious, even in daylight. As compared with the corresponding method using the sun, the laser method can be used at night, can discriminate cloud vs surface reflections, and may be able to determine altitude, pressure, and temperature at selected points in the atmosphere. An early test in a manned orbiting satellite is proposed. If successful, the method will have important applications to the projected Global Atmospheric Research Program, to cloud studies, and to oceanography.
Mechatronics for computer data storage devices

This paper describes the technical challenges and the application of advanced control methodologies to meet the challenges in the design of servo systems for data storage devices such as hard disk drives (HDDs). Though an emphasis is on control applications to hard disk drives, the challenges and methodologies are broadly applicable to other precision machines. "Mechatronics" in the title emphasizes that the design of control algorithms for modern machines is not an isolated activity by control engineers in the development of products, which is indeed a synergistic integration of mechanical hardware design, sensor and actuator selections and control algorithms.
The Impact of Process on Virtual Teams: A Comparative Analysis of Waterfall and Agile Software Development Teams

Studies have shown that task type, social context, and time mediates virtual teams (Martins, Gilson, & Maynard, 2004; Townsend, Hendrickson, & DeMarie, 2002), yet no studies have been conducted comparing the process that the virtual teams are using to complete a task. Two global virtual teams from the same corporation who are using two different software development methodologies, waterfall and agile, were compared to understand the impact that process has on virtual teams. Interviews were conducted with both teams and their responses were coded using the constructs in Adaptive Structuration Theory. The results show that the software development process used by a virtual team does impact the team’s culture, orientation toward change, and ultimately the quality of the product they are developing. Careful consideration should be made by software development organizations when deciding which development process they should deploy, given the important implications for virtual team dynamics and product outcomes.
African Americans: Description of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income Participation and Benefit Levels Using the American Community Survey

The authors use American Community Survey (ACS) data to compare Social Security and Supplemental Security Income program participation and benefit levels of African Americans with those of the general population. The ACS data show that African Americans are more likely to be Supplemental Security Income recipients, and less likely to be Social Security beneficiaries. Higher rates of poverty, disability, and mortality among African Americans mean that they are also more likely to rely on Social Security survivor and disability benefits than are other beneficiaries.
Measuring the sensitivity of southern Wisconsin lake ice to climate variations and lake depth using a numerical model

The sensitivity of lake ice phenology to climatic variations is tested using a numerical lake-ice model (LIMNOS). The model simulates the evolution of ice and snow cover by time-integrating equations of vertical heat conduction through ice and snow. The required input variables are mean lake depth, air temperature and moisture, wind speed, solar radiation, snowfall, and cloudiness. The model simulates the ice-on and ice-off dates of three southern Wisconsin lakes to within 1 week of their historical averages, despite large differences in mean depth. Using hourly meteorological data from 196 l-l 990 as inputs, LIMNOS simulates the annual ice-on and ice-off dates of Lake Mendota with a median absolute error of only 2 d and 4 d, respectively. The atmospheric variables are altered to determine the sensitivity of Lake Mendota ice phenology to climate change. The simulated ice-off date shows stronger sensitivity than the ice-on date to air temperature changes, and the sensitivity of both dates is greater for climatic warmings than toolings. Increased snowfall causes a monotonic delay in the breakup date, whereas decreased snowfall nonlinearly hastens ice decay.
Abstract A18: Spatial analyses reveal increased incidence of large cell lung carcinoma in specific regions of Maine that differ in men and women

Lung cancer is a major cause of death among cancers in the U.S. Environmental exposures to tobacco or radon are considered the two highest risks for lung cancer. Maine is one of the top 15 states with the highest rates of lung cancer in the U.S., with smoking rates that vary from 20–30% across counties. We recently reported on spatial variations in radon exposure. In this study, we investigated if there were spatial regions of excessive lung cancer by gender in Maine, and if these might overlay the high radon exposure regions. Age-adjusted lung cancer incidence rates in Maine were compared to those of the US overall, using NCI SEER and CDC databases. Data for all lung cancer cases in Maine reported during 1995–2006 were obtained from the Maine Cancer Registry. Population data used Base U.S. Census 2000 data. Lung cancer incidence was adjusted for age and population density. We assessed the spatial distribution of lung cancer by subtype, using spatial scan statistic, assuming a discrete Poisson distribution. We did not adjust for race as Maine is 95% white. We also examined spatial variations by pathology sub-types classified as adenocarcinoma, small cell carcinoma, large cell carcinoma. Within Maine, Washington County, which also has the highest smoking rate, reported the highest lung cancer incidence rates [men: 131.7 (110.5,156.2); women: 73 (58.5, 90.5), compared to Maine overall (men: 97.2 (93.9,100.5); women: 66.6 (64.2, 69.1) or the US (men: 84.3 (84.1, 84.5); women: 55.8 (55.6, 55.9)]. Maine is a rural, mostly nonagrarian state, with significant health disparities due to poverty, access to healthcare and geographic isolation. In considering other disadvantaged populations, lung cancer incidence rates for Maine men and women were higher than those reported for U.S. blacks, Hispanics and American Indians. Our results showed small “hotspots” for lung cancer overall with RR greater than 1 for females (RR 1.8, p 0.03) in eastern Washington County, and for males (RR 1.7, p 0.03) in northern Washington County and in the Pittsfield Region, Somerset County. No significant differences were detected in spatial distribution for adenocarcinoma or small cell carcinoma. The most striking geospatial regions with RR greater than 1 were detected for large cell lung cancer in Washington County, one of the poorest counties in the U.S. Women exhibited very high rates (RR 5.3, p 0.002) along the southern coastal region of Washington County while men exhibited very high rates (RR 3.7, p 0.04) within a smaller region in northern coastal Washington county where we have mapped use of pesticide sprays. Published literature linking large cell carcinoma with smoking is ambivalent. Washington County and the Pittsfield Region have air and water radon exposures below 4 pCi. There are no heavy industry or highways that could implicate particulate matter. In conclusion, we found statistically significant spatial regions (p