cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Catalytic Domain of Eukaryotic DNA Topoisomerase I

Eukaryotic type IB topoisomerases catalyze the cleavage and rejoining of DNA strands through a DNA-(3'-phosphotyrosyl)-enzyme intermediate. The 314-amino acid vaccinia topoisomerase is the smallest member of this family and is distinguished from its cellular counterparts by its specificity for cleavage at the target sequence 5'-CCCTT downward arrow. Here we show that Topo-(81-314), a truncated derivative that lacks the N-terminal domain, performs the same repertoire of reactions as the full-sized topoisomerase: relaxation of supercoiled DNA, site-specific DNA transesterification, and DNA strand transfer. Elimination of the N-terminal domain slows the rate of single-turnover DNA cleavage by 10(-3.6), but has little effect on the rate of single-turnover DNA religation. DNA relaxation and strand cleavage by Topo-(81-314) are inhibited by salt and magnesium; these effects are indicative of reduced affinity in noncovalent DNA binding. We report that identical properties are displayed by a full-length mutant protein, Topo(Y70A/Y72A), which lacks two tyrosine side chains within the N-terminal domain that contact the DNA target site in the major groove. We speculate that Topo-(81-314) is fully competent for transesterification chemistry, but is compromised with respect to a rate-limiting precleavage conformational step that is contingent on DNA contacts made by Tyr-70 and Tyr-72.
Comparison of the effect of two minor tranquilizers on escape behavior

Four groups of Ss were dosed with different compounds while being tested on an impossible visual discrimination. It was found that the Ss treated with either of two minor tranquilizers (CDP or Serax) spent significantly less time on an escape platform than did Ss treated with tween-80 (the solvent for Serax) or water (the solvent for CDP).
Trust: a Fort Knox medical commodity.

Abstract “Often the confidence of the patient in his physician does more for the cure of his disease than the physician with all his remedies.”1, 2
Performance of lines selected for fast‐and slow‐hatching times and crosses among them 1

1. Males of a control line and two lines selected for fast‐ and slow‐hatching were mated to females of the same three pure lines and three crosses between them. Hatchability, egg weight and hatching time were measured. 2. No significant differences were found between genetic groups in hatchability. 3. Groups containing the fast‐hatching line genotypes were significantly smaller in egg weight than those not containing this line. 4. Significant differences in hatching time existed between male lines and between female lines within pure and cross‐line parent types while no differences were observed between the female parent types and no interactions of male by female lines occurred. 5. It was concluded that inbreeding in the pure lines (10%) did not affect any of the variables measured. 6. The results on hatching time support the conclusion that little genetic variance other than additive variance is involved for this trait.
Analyzing Sequencing Reactions from Bacteriophage M13 by Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry

The current demand for improved DNA sequencing methodologies posed by the Human Genome Project has spurred the investigation of alternatives to gel electrophoresis. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry has great potential for the rapid analysis of DNA fragments. Mock Sanger sequencing mixtures have been successfully analyzed by MALDI by pooling synthesized oligonucleotides corresponding to the M13 bacteriophage sequence. More recently, analyses of Sanger sequencing fragments enzymatically generated from synthetic templates of 45 or 50 bases were reported. In the present study, these feasibility demonstrations are extended to show MALDI sequencing from the M13 bacteriophage DNA template commonly used in actual Sanger sequencing. The results show sequence determination for extension products up to 35 bases in length. Different desalting and purification procedures were investigated and it was found that salt could be efficiently reduced by removal of the template in a post-reaction step. Work in progress to stabilize DNA by chemical modification, employed in conjunction with the methods described here, should enable significant extension of the length of readable sequence.
A review of ontology based query expansion

This paper examines the meaning of context in relation to ontology based query expansion and contains a review of query expansion approaches. The various query expansion approaches include relevance feedback, corpus dependent knowledge models and corpus independent knowledge models. Case studies detailing query expansion using domain-specific and domain-independent ontologies are also included. The penultimate section attempts to synthesise the information obtained from the review and provide success factors in using an ontology for query expansion. Finally the area of further research in applying context from an ontology to query expansion within a newswire domain is described.
Fine-needle aspiration cytology of extramedullary hematopoiesis (myeloid metaplasia)

Myeloproliferative disease may be associated with extramedullary hematopoiesis (EH). Clinically, however, the differential diagnosis of solid masses in these patients includes not only EH but also inflammatory lesions and malignant neoplasms, including granulocytic sarcoma. We report the fine-needle aspiration (FNA) cytology of extramedullary hematopoiesis in five patients with a history of myeloproliferative disease. All of the masses developed subsequent to the diagnosis of myeloproliferative disease. Two of the patients had chronic myelogenous leukemia, one had essential thrombocythemia, and two had an unspecified chronic myeloproliferative disorder. The patients ranged in age from 50 to 88 years, and all presented with solid masses involving the kidney (two aspirates), liver (one aspirate), and lymph nodes (three aspirates). One of the lymph node aspirates was from a paratracheal lymph node. Cytologically, the lesions were composed of varying numbers of hematopoietic cells from all three hematologic cell lines. The Diff-Quik stain was especially helpful in the recognition of the hematopoietic cells such as granulocytic precursors, eosinophils, and megakaryocytes. In several cases, the megakaryocytic component was particularly prominent. In one case, the Factor VIII immunoperoxidase stain was used to confirm the megakaryocytic lineage of the multinucleated cells. The cytologic differential diagnosis, which includes granulocytic sarcoma, inflammatory disorders, and other lesions containing multinucleated giant cells, is discussed.
The manumeter: a wearable device for monitoring daily use of the wrist and fingers.

Nonobtrusive options for monitoring the wrist and hand movement are needed for stroke rehabilitation and other applications. This paper describes the “manumeter,” a device that logs total angular distance travelled by wrist and finger joints using a magnetic ring worn on the index finger and two triaxial magnetometers mounted in a watch-like unit. We describe an approach to estimate the wrist and finger joint angles using a radial basis function network that maps differential magnetometer readings to joint angles. We tested this approach by comparing manumeter estimates of total angular excursion with those from a passive goniometric exoskeleton worn simultaneously as seven participants completed a set of 12 manual tasks at low-, medium-, and high-intensity conditions on a first testing day, 1-2 days later, and 6-8 days later, using only the original calibration from the first testing day. Manumeter estimates scaled proportionally to the intensity of hand activity. Estimates of angular excursion made with the manumeter were 92.5% ± 28.4 (SD), 98.3% ± 23.3, and 94.7% ± 19.3 of the goniometric exoskeleton across the three testing days, respectively. Magnetic sensing of wrist and finger movement is nonobtrusive and can quantify the amount of use of the hand across days.
Spatial and Temporal Distribution of Threadfin Shad in a Southeastern Reservoir

Abstract The spatial and temporal patchiness of limnetic fishes is not well understood but has important implications for biological interactions as well as for sampling strategies. We used hydroacoustics to assess the distribution of threadfin shad Dorosoma petenense in Lake Norman, North Carolina, a large, multipurpose reservoir. We sampled three transects on four consecutive days and nights in April, July, and October to enable us to characterize threadfin shad on both daily and seasonal time scales. We used a patch recognition algorithm to analyze echo-integrated hydroacoustic data in order to define patches and related patch characteristics (numbers, density, area, and mean depth). Threadfin shad in Lake Norman were patchily distributed and exhibited strong, generally consistent patterns in patch number, fish density, size, and depth. During most surveys we observed 12–16 patches/km with fish densities exceeding twice the average background density, and 1–2 patches/km with fish densities 50 times the...
Application of poly(cyclophosphazene) for potentiometric detection of tributyl phosphate vapor

Potentiometric sensing layer for detection of tributyl phosphate (TBP) in the concentration range from 1.1 ppb up to 8.8 ppm is described. The high sensitivity to TBP is based on a specific charge-transfer interaction that occurs between iodine species and the oxygen atom of the phosphoryl group of TBP. The iodine is incorporated electrochemically or chemically into a chemically inert poly(cyclophosphazene-benzoquinone), PPBQ. matrix. The bulk involvement of the new material in the interaction with the TBP vapor leads to modulation of its Fermi level. The number of' moles of charge shared by the TBP with thc sensitive layer is between 0.8 to 0.9 in the range of concentrations between 0.27 and 8.8 ppm. The interaction is highly reversible and reproducible.
Cephalopod dynamic camouflage

Everyone knows what camouflage is and how it works. And many people (some scientists included) think chameleons are the masters of color change. Wrong on both counts. In this primer, I provide an overview of recent work on the mechanisms and principles of rapid adaptive camouflage of cephalopods — octopus, cuttlefish and squids. These strange but capable marine invertebrates can camouflage themselves against almost any background, a feat well appreciated by Aristotle, and one never mastered by any land animal.
Strong calcium phosphate cement‐chitosan‐mesh construct containing cell‐encapsulating hydrogel beads for bone tissue engineering

Calcium phosphate cement (CPC) can conform to complex cavity shapes and set in situ to form bioresorbable hydroxyapatite. The aim of this study was to introduce cell-encapsulating alginate hydrogel beads into CPC and to improve the mechanical properties using chitosan and fiber mesh reinforcement. Because the CPC setting was harmful to the MC3T3-E1 osteoblast cells, alginate was used to encapsulate and protect the cells in CPC. Cells were encapsulated into alginate beads, which were then mixed into three pastes: conventional CPC, CPC-chitosan, and CPC-chitosan-mesh. After 1 day culture inside the setting cements, there were numerous live cells and very few dead cells, indicating that the alginate beads adequately protected the cells. Cell viability was assessed by measuring the mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity, using a Wst-1 colorimetric assay. Absorbance at 450 nm (arbitrary units) (mean ± SD; n = 5) was 1.36 ± 0.41 for cells inside conventional CPC, 1.29 ± 0.24 for cells inside CPC-chitosan composite, and 0.73 ± 0.22 for cells inside CPC-chitosan-mesh composite. All three values were similar to 1.00 ± 0.14 for the control with cells in beads in the cell culture medium without any CPC (Tukey's at p = 0.05). Flexural strength for conventional CPC containing cell-encapsulating beads was 1.3 MPa. It increased to 2.3 MPa when chitosan was incorporated. It further increased to 4.3 MPa with chitosan and the reinforcement from one fiber mesh, and 9.5 MPa with chitosan and three sheets of fiber mesh. The latter two strengths matched reported strengths for sintered porous hydroxyapatite implants and cancellous bone. In summary, cell-encapsulated-alginate-CPC constructs showed favorable cell viability. The use of chitosan and mesh progressively improved the mechanical properties. These strong, in situ hardening, and cell-seeded hydroxyapatite cements may have potential for bone tissue engineering in moderate stress-bearing applications. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Spatial impact of burglar alarms on the decline of residential burglary

Private security could be given a greater role in the crime prevention infrastructure. The growth of private security industry has raised new challenges for researchers and policy-maker over years. Its contribution to crime prevention has been under-utilized, under-researched and underestimated. In particular, the deterrent effect of burglar alarms and their impact on crime have not been adequately researched. The data of residential burglary incidents and residential burglar alarm permit records are integrated with a geographical information system program to analyze a spatial impact of alarms on burglary at the city-wide level. The current study focuses on data pertaining to Newark, New Jersey and shows that (i) dense concentrations of alarm installations exist, (ii) these concentrations are in considerable proximity, and (iii) they are isolated from the hotspots of burglary incidents. Such a pattern is taken as evidence of ‘diffusion of benefits’, suggesting that residential alarms have a beneficial impact by decreasing burglary incidents.
Manufacturer Predicted And Measured REAR Values In Adult Hearing Aid Fitting: Accuracy And Clinical Usefulness

Audiologists may fit hearing aids using real-ear aided response (REAR) values predicted by manufacturer's fitting software, rather than actual measured REARs. This study examined how well one manufacturer's software was able to predict REARs for a DSP behind-the-ear product in 41 adults (N = 79 ears) under four conditions (two hearing loss configurations and two inputs). Results showed that for all ears tested, measured REAR values were significantly different from predicted for most of the audiometric frequencies for all four test conditions. Discrepancies between measured and predicted REAR values were greater in males’ ears than females’. Few ears’ REAR values (≤12%) were judged to be clinically similar to predicted. Results suggest audiologists should consider using individual real-ear measures in adult hearing aid fittings until manufacturer software is shown to accurately predict real-ear hearing aid performance.
Response to long-term selection in early maturing maize synthetic varieties

Long-term continuous selection is essential for germplasm improvement. However, choice of germplasm for long-term genetic improvement might limit the success of germplasm enhancement programs. The objective of this research was to report the response to long-term selection in early maturing North Dakota (ND) synthetic varieties. We wanted to determine whether the performance of three ND maize synthetic varieties was improved by long-term mass selection (M) and if the performance of one of them was improved by long-term modified ear-to-row (MER) selection. The evaluation of long-term selection response was performed at two plant densities. An experiment in a randomized complete block design with split-plot arrangement was used to evaluate NDSM(M), NDSAB(M), NDSCD(M), and NDSAB(MER) under 75,000 and 42,500 plants per hectare across seven environments. Long-term mass selection for grain yield and stalk lodging resistance in NDSM(M), NDSAB(M), and NDSCD(M) was not successful, since there were no significant changes in grain yield or stalk lodging in these populations at either low or high densities. On the other hand, long-term modified ear-to-row selection was effective for grain yield improvement in NDSAB(MER). Grain yield increased non-linearly from 3.9 Mg ha−1 in cycle 0 to 5.0 Mg ha−1 in cycle 12 at a rate of 2.5% per cycle. Interaction between plant density and genotype was not detected even though selection was performed at relatively low densities (20,000 plants ha−1 for mass selection and 50,000 plants ha−1 for ear-to-row selection). The confirmation of a lack of interaction between plant density and genotype suggests that selection at low plant densities might still be able to provide high-density stress resistance through density-independent genotypes, allowing progeny testing across multiple locations with better accuracy and fewer resources. Selection methods that emphasize both additive and dominance effects such as full-sib recurrent selection are recommended to maximize genetic improvement of advanced population cycles of early maturing synthetics.
Economic reforms, efficiency and productivity in Chinese banking

This paper analyzes the impact of banking reforms on efficiency and total factor productivity (TFP) change in Chinese banking industry. Using an input distance function, we find that joint-equity banks are more efficient than wholly state-owned banks (WSOBs). Furthermore, both WSOBs and joint-equity banks are found to be operating slightly below their optimal size, suggesting potential advantages in expansion of their businesses. Overall, TFP growth was 4.4% per annum for the sample period 1993–2002. Joint-equity banks experienced much higher growth in TFP (5.5% per annum) compared to the WSOBs (1.4% per annum).
Decomposition of solid peroxydisulfates

Abstract Conversion of ammonium and potassium peroxydisulfates to the pyrosulfates has been studied using DSC and TG. The TG curves show that both of these compounds lose oxygen in a single step. Extensive fragmentation of the crystals occurs as oxygen is lost. For conversion of K2S2O8 to K2S2O7, ΔH = − 57.2 ± 6.3 kcal mol−1 and E2 = 86.4 ± 6.2 kcal mol−1. The heat of fusion of the K2S2O7 produced was found to be 12.4 ± 2.6 kcal mol−1. For conversion of (NH4)2S2O8 to the pyrosulfate, ΔH = − 82.8 ± 8.3 kcal mol−1 and E2 = 65.4 ± 6.7 kcal mol−1.
Optimization Considerations in Design Reliability by Stress-Strength Interference Theory

Reliability of a component can be computed if the probability distributions for the stress and strength are known. The factors which determine the parameters of the distributions for stress and strength random variables can be controlled in design problems. This leads to the problem of finding the optimal values of these parameters subject to resource and design constraints. Some optimization models are discussed. The special structure of these models is exploited to develop the optimization techniques which are illustrated by simple design examples.
A quantitative framework for modeling and analyzing flash memory wear leveling algorithms

Flash memory is emerging as an enabling technology rapidly changing the landscape of storage systems via its many desirable properties such as low power consumption and high random I/O throughput. However, due to its physical characteristics, flash cells have limited erase (program) cycles. To increase endurance and reliability, flash memory based devices employ certain wear leveling algorithms. But so far there hasn't been a rigorous mathematical tool to analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of various wear leveling algorithms. In this paper, a mathematical framework is presented to model whole block wear leveling in flash-based devices using probabilistic models of workloads, strategies and wear level states. Then equations are derived for the distribution of wear levels to enable quantitative analysis and evaluation of wear leveling algorithms for flash memory based devices.
Effect of tillage practices on vertical distribution of Phytophthora sojae

Workneh, F., Yang, X. B., and Tylka, G. L. 1998. Effect of tillage practices on vertical distribution of Phytophthora sojae. Plant Dis. 82:1258-1263. The vertical distribution of Phytophthora sojae was investigated in soil samples collected in the spring of 1994 from soybean fields at 62 locations in I llinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota. In the fall of 1995, soil samples were collected from 18 add itional locations in Illinois and Iowa. Each location consisted of a pair of no-till and c onventional-till fields, and soil samples were collected from arbitrarily selected locations in each field at 0- to 7.5-cm and 7.5- to 15-cm depths. Separate intensive sampling was made in the spring of 1995 from two pairs of adj acent no-till and conventional-till fields at the Iowa State University Northeast Research Farm, in which samples were collected from 0- to 30-cm depth in increments of 5 cm. Samples were assayed for P. sojae with the use of a leaf-disk bioassay. In the 1994 regional samples, there was greater recovery of P. sojae (P ≤ 0.05) at 0- to 7.5-cm depth in the no-till samples than in the conventional-till samples for all states except Minnesota. The fall 1995 samples from Illinois followed a similar trend (P = 0.05); whereas samples from Iowa showed no significant difference between tillage systems. At depths greater than 7.5 cm, there was generally no difference in detection frequency of P. sojae between tillage systems. Samples from the Northeast Research Farm followed patterns of vertical distribution similar to those of the regional samples. In no-till fields, the detection frequency of P. sojae was greatest near the soil surface; two to three times greater than that of the conventional- till fields at this depth. In the c onventional-till fields, however, the frequency of recovery peaked at 20 cm and was comparable at these depths to those of no-till fields. There was a positive correlation between the percentage of leaf disks colonized and residue dry weights in the no-till fields ( r = 0.84, P = 0.04; and r = 0.86, P = 0.03) but not in the conventional- till fields ( r = ‐0.06, P = 0.90; and r = ‐0.60, P = 0.17). The recovery of P. sojae in greater frequency near the soil surface in no-till fields than in c onventional-till fields suggests that the potential for damping-off may be greater in no- till fields than in c onventional-till fields.
Polymers containing cyanoimidazole pendant groups

Dicyanoimidazole (I) was attached to a polystyrene backbone in order to prepare polymers containing electron-accepting pendant groups to complement the existing body of electron-donating polymers. The preparation of poly[4,5-dicyano-1-(vinylbenzyl)imidazole] (III), poly[4,5-dicyano-1-(vinylbenzyl)imidazole-co-9-(vinylbenzyl) carbazole] and attempted polymerization of 4,5-dicyano-1-vinylimidazole are described. Cyclic voltammetry and charge transfer studies are used to characterize the electron-accepting strength of the cyanoimidazole model compounds. These studies show that while cyanoimidazoles are moderate electron acceptors, they do not form charge transfer complexes with the donor molecules investigated.
Two-dimensional Doppler echocardiographic correlation of dipyridamole-thallium stress testing with isometric handgrip.

Abstract To determine how frequently new wall-motion abnormalities that are indicative of ischemia accompany thallium redistribution, 47 consecutive patients underwent two-dimensional echocardiography during routine dipyridamole-thallium stress testing. A secondary aim of the study was to determine whether the addition of isometric handgrip exercises to the standard dipyridamole imaging protocol increased the frequency of wall-motion abnormalities or thallium redistribution. Echocardiograms and thallium scans were independently interpreted, and wall-motion abnormalities that appeared with dipyridamole, handgrip exercise, or both were compared with results of thallium imaging. Five of 24 patients with thallium redistribution had new wall-motion abnormalities, and the extent (number of segments) of thallium redistribution in these five patients was significantly greater than in those who did not have wall-motion abnormalities ( p
Preliminary characterization of a Mycobacterium abscessus mutant in human and murine models of infection.

The ability to persist in the host after the establishment of infection is an important virulence determinant for mycobacteria. Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterial species which causes a variety of clinical syndromes in humans. We have obtained a rough, wild-type human clinical isolate of M. abscessus (M. abscessus-R) and a smooth, attenuated mutant (M. abscessus-S) which spontaneously dissociated from the clinical isolate. We have found that M. abscessus-R is able to persist and multiply in a murine pulmonary infection model in contrast to M. abscessus-S, which is rapidly cleared. To understand the basis for this difference, we characterized the behavior of these variants in human tissue culture models of infection. M. abscessus-R is able to persist and multiply in human monocytes, while M. abscessus-S is deficient in this ability. Both of these variants are phagocytized by human monocytes. M. abscessus-R resides in a phagosome typical for pathogenic mycobacteria with a tightly adherent phagosomal membrane. In contrast, M. abscessus-S resides in a “loose” phagosome with the phagosomal membrane separated from the bacterial cell wall. Both M. abscessus variants also have distinctive growth patterns in a recently described fibroblast-mycobacterium microcolony assay, with M. abscessus-R exhibiting growth characteristics similar to those previously reported for virulent M. tuberculosis and M. abscessus-S exhibiting growth characteristics similar to those previously reported for avirulent M. tuberculosis. In both the monocyte infection assay and the murine pulmonary infection model, numerous infected mononuclear phagocyte aggregates develop at sites of M. abscessus-R infection, but are absent with M. abscessus-S infection. We conclude that a mutation has occurred in the M. abscessus-S variant which has altered the ability of this organism to persist and multiply in host cells and that this may be related to the phenotypic changes we have observed in our tissue culture models of infection.
STATIC ANALYSIS OF TORQUE AND COUPLER DRIVEN SPHERICAL FOUR-BAR MECHANISMS WITH AN APPLIED LOAD

Spherical four-bar mechanisms are classically designed to be driven via a torque applied to the input link. This paper presents a comparison of the resulting statics associated with this method of actuating a spherical four-bar versus actuating the mechanism with the force applied directly to the coupler. A force may be applied in this fashion via a spherical-prismaticspherical, or SPS, chain mounted between the ground frame and the coupler with the prismatic joint actuated. The spherical fourbar linkage with the SPS chain connected directly to the coupler defines a spatial analogue to the Stephenson III six-bar mechanism. Moreover, this work builds on previously derived static models of spherical four-bars by considering the additional loading issues associated with links at different radii and the forces that arise from an external load on the coupler.
Hollow polymer microneedle array fabricated by photolithography process combined with micromolding technique

Transdermal drug delivery through microneedles is a minimally invasive procedure causing little or no pain, and is a potentially attractive alternative to intramuscular and subdermal drug delivery methods. This paper demonstrates the fabrication of a hollow microneedle array using a polymer-based process combining UV photolithography and replica molding techniques. The key characteristic of the proposed fabrication process is to define a hollow lumen for microfluidic access via photopatterning, allowing a batch process as well as high throughput. A hollow SU-8 microneedle array, consisting of 825μm tall and 400 μm wide microneedles with 15-25 μm tip diameters and 120 μm diameter hollow lumens was designed, fabricated and characterized.
A 300 to 3600 bps multi-rate HF parallel tone modem

There have been many HF modems developed for voice frequency (3 kHz) operation. To achieve a certain bit rate it has been customary to select a particular waveform, error-control code and signalling protocol specifically for that rate. This methodology is unsuitable in adaptive systems, that regularly reconfigure the modem bit rate, because of the time needed to re-establish useful information flow after every configuration change. In this paper we describe a 16-tone parallel-tone modem that avoids this problem by making the information rate determined solely by the coded modulation selected. Results are given for rates of 300, 600, 1200, 2400 and 3600 bits per second (bps) on CCIR multipath fading channels. The results show that this multi-rate modem offers superior performance to contemporary modems while also supporting rate adaptation.
Wire-guided catheter exchange after failed direct laryngoscopy in critically ill adults

Abstract Study Objective To describe a technique for tracheal intubation after failed direct laryngoscopy using a Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) to secure the airway and to establish ventilation, and as a conduit for fiberoptic intubation utilizing a pre-packaged, convenient, and commercially available wire-guided catheter exchange kit. Design Retrospective case series. Setting University hospital. Measurements The cases of 5 critically ill adult patients who required intubation for respiratory failure, and in whom direct laryngoscopy was unsuccessful and unanticipated, were reviewed. Difficult intubation was defined as ≥ two attempts by direct laryngoscopy and use of an airway adjunct/alternate airway device, or ≥ three attempts by direct laryngoscopy. Occurrence of hypotension, hypoxemia, and the time required to accomplish the intubation were recorded. Main Results Patients' tracheas were intubated in the emergency department (n = 2), the intensive care unit (n = 2), and the radiology department (n = 1). An Eschmann endotracheal tube (ETT) introducer was used in 4 of the 5 patients, and a GlideScope was used in the fifth patient. After failed direct laryngoscopy, an LMA Classic was inserted to gain an airway, after which a fiberoptic bronchoscope and wire-guided catheter exchange set was used to change the LMA to a conventional ETT. Ventilation was maintained via the LMA with an attached bronchoscope adapter throughout the procedure. Conclusions In all 5 patients, the trachea was successfully intubated within three minutes on the first attempt, using a wire-guided exchange, without hypoxemia or hypotension.
Social Ostracism in Task Groups: The Effects of Group Composition:

Social ostracism-being ignored or excluded-threatens needs for self-esteem, belongingness, control, and meaningful existence. In the conventional laboratory paradigms, a lone participant is ostracized by either confederates or imagined group members and then completes measures of threatened needs. This approach prohibits asking questions about the group dynamics involved in ostracism situations, such as conditions under which sources of ostracism choose to ignore targets and the communication between them. This new paradigm for studying social ostracism uses unstructured group discussions in which an uninformed member is ignored. In an experiment using three-person, mixed-gender groups, we found that the psychological threat associated with being ignored during group discussion depended on the group's composition. Being a target of ostracism hurt more when the pair of sources included one in-group (same sex) and one out-group (opposite sex) member compared with when both sources belonged to the out-group (opposite sex).
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension as an incidental finding on MRI

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension due to a spinal CSF leak is an enigmatic cause of not only headache but also coma, parkinsonism, and dementia.1 We report a group of patients who were found to have the typical MRI findings of spontaneous intracranial hypotension without any clinical symptoms. ### Case reports. #### Case 1. A 44-year-old man requested screening for intracranial aneurysms after his sister had an aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. MRI showed diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement and brain sagging (figure). CT myelography showed an opening pressure of 8 cm H2O and an extensive thoracic CSF leak (figure). The patient denied any current or previous neurologic symptoms. He …
Verb retrieval in brain-damaged subjects. 2 : Analysis of errors

Abstract Verb retrieval for action naming was assessed in 53 brain-damaged subjects by administering a standardized test with 100 items. In a companion paper (Kemmerer & Tranel, 2000), it was shown that impaired and unimpaired subjects did not differ as groups in their sensitivity to a variety of stimulus, lexical, and conceptual factors relevant to the test. For this reason, the main goal of the present study was to determine whether the two groups of subjects manifested theoretically interesting differences in the kinds of errors that they made. All of the subjects' errors were classified according to an error coding system that contains 27 distinct types of errors belonging to five broad categories—verbs, phrases, nouns, adpositional words, and “other” responses. Errors involving the production of verbs that are semantically related to the target were especially prevalent for the unimpaired group, which is similar to the performance of normal control subjects. By contrast, the impaired group had a significantly smaller proportion of errors in the verb category and a significantly larger proportion of errors in each of the nonverb categories. This relationship between error rate and error type is consistent with previous research on both object and action naming errors, and it suggests that subjects with only mild damage to putative lexical systems retain an appreciation of most of the semantic, phonological, and grammatical category features of words, whereas subjects with more severe damage retain a much smaller set of features. At the level of individual subjects, a wide range of “predominant error types” were found, especially among the impaired subjects, which may reflect either different action naming strategies or perhaps different patterns of preservation and impairment of various lexical components. Overall, this study provides a novel addition to the existing literature on the analysis of naming errors made by brain-damaged subjects. Not only does the study advance our knowledge of the relatively underinvestigated topic of action naming errors, but it also approaches the analysis from the point of view of a detailed, theoretically motivated, and reliable error coding system.
Role of nitric oxide as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the canine pyloric sphincter

Experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that enteric inhibitory neurotransmission in pyloric muscles is mediated by NO. Junction potentials were recorded with intracellular microelectrodes from cells near the myenteric and submucosal surfaces of the circular muscle layer. Inhibitory junction potentials (IJPs) were apamin sensitive and were reduced by arginine analogues [NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester (L-NAME) and NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA)]. The effects of arginine analogues were reversed by L-arginine. Inhibition of IJPs unmasked excitatory JPs (EJPs) in the myenteric region and increased excitability of cells in the submucosal region. IJPs were also reduced by oxyhemoglobin. As with arginine analogues, reduction in IJPs increased EJP amplitude. Combination of L-NAME and oxyhemoglobin completely blocked IJPs, suggesting that NO, or an NO-containing compound, mediated the enteric inhibitory nerve responses. Exogenous NO hyperpolarized membrane potential, and these responses were also reduced by apamin. The magnitude of the responses to a given dose of NO was similar in cells of the myenteric and submucosal regions, suggesting that relatively smaller IJPs in submucosal cells may be due to a lower density of enteric inhibitory innervation in the submucosal region. The effects of NO were mimicked by 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) and M & B 22948, a specific cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, suggesting that the hyperpolarization response to NO may be mediated by enhanced production of cGMP. IJPs were also prolonged by M & B 22948. IJPs and NO disrupted normal electrical rhythmicity in cells in the myenteric region. This may provide a basis for inhibitory effects of enteric inhibitory nerve stimulation on sphincter pressure in pyloric canal in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Effects of a General Response Style on Cross-Cultural Comparisons Evidence from the Teaching and Learning International Survey

This paper investigates the integration of response styles (extreme and midpoint responding and socially desirable responding) and their effects on self-reports among 76,887 teachers from 18 countries in the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS). Socially desirable responding (with a positive and a negative impression management factor) and 17 core constructs related to the teaching profession were measured with Likert scales; extreme and midpoint response styles were derived from these measures. Using factor analysis, a general response style was extracted with socially desirable and extreme response styles as positive indicators and midpoint response style as a negative indicator. This general response style was more strongly correlated with constructs of personal involvement, such as teacher efficacy and job satisfaction, than constructs with less personal involvement, at both the individual and country level; however, statistical correction for response styles had negligible effects on the size of cross-cultural differences and country rankings in any construct. We conclude that the general response style can be interpreted as response amplification versus moderation, and that there is no indication that correcting for the general response style increases the validity of cross-cultural comparisons of TALIS teacher data.
The Impact of a Randomly Assigned Time and Place Management Initiative on Work and Retirement Expectations

This article examines the causal relationship between a workplace flexibility arrangement and retirement expectations. The data come from a unique large-scale randomly assigned time and place management (TPM) initiative that recently took place at a regional healthcare system in the United States with more than 9,000 employees. A difference-in-differences approach was used to assess treatment impacts among older full-time career employees and comparisons were made with a nationally representative group of older Americans from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). We found evidence that the TPM initiative had a statistically significant impact on employees’ retirement expectations; employees in the treatment group were more likely than those in the control group to expect to remain with the organization until retirement, though treatment impacts dissipated somewhat toward the end of the study. The results indicate that workplace flexibility could be one solution to promote continued work later in life, as flexible work arrangements have the potential to impact retirement expectations and patterns of labor force withdrawal.
Electrophysiology of pumpkin seeds: Memristors in vivo

Leon Chua, the discoverer of a memristor, theoretically predicted that voltage gated ion channels can be memristors. We recently found memristors in different plants such as the Venus flytrap, Mimosa pudica, Aloe vera, apple fruits, and in potato tubers. There are no publications in literature about the existence of memristors in seeds. The goal of this work was to discover if pumpkin seeds might have memristors. We selected Cucurbita pepo L., cv. Cinderella, Cucurbita maxima L. cv Warty Goblin, and Cucurbita maxima L., cv. Jarrahdale seeds for this analysis. In these seeds, we found the presence of resistors with memory. The analysis was based on cyclic voltammetry where a memristor should manifest itself as a nonlinear two-terminal electrical element, which exhibits a pinched hysteresis loop on a current-voltage plane for any bipolar cyclic voltage input signal. Dry dormant pumpkin seeds have very high electrical resistance without memristive properties. The electrostimulation by bipolar sinusoidal or triangular periodic waves induces electrical responses in imbibed pumpkin seeds with fingerprints of memristors. Tetraethylammonium chloride, an inhibitor of voltage gated K(+) channels, transforms a memristor to a resistor in pumpkin seeds. NPPB (5-Nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)benzoic acid) inhibits the memristive properties of imbibed pumpkin seeds. The discovery of memristors in pumpkin seeds creates a new direction in the understanding of electrophysiological phenomena in seeds.
Archbishop Wulfstan's Ecclesiastical History of the English People

ABSTRACTThe present article surveys and analyses the myriad historical allusions in the writings of Archbishop Wulfstan in order to reconstruct a coherent historical perspective informing the composition of many of his works. Wulfstan's hortatory efforts to reform contemporary morals are predicated upon an argument about the maintenance and loss of divine favour. According to Wulfstan, the English arrived with divine favour, a series of West Saxon kings advanced God's laws and were supported by him in turn, but crimes against the Church and the martyred King Edward resulted in the withdrawal of God's favour. The narrative that emerges from Wulfstan's historical allusions extends from the migration period to the reign of AEthelred, but the amount of detailed knowledge behind this narrative appears rather limited. The seven English kings mentioned by name in Wulfstan's writings (Alfred, Edward the Elder, AEthelstan, Edmund, Edgar, Edward the Martyr and AEthelred) ruled within one century of his lifetime, and t...
Date Collections in New World Archaeology

This paper has two goals. One is to examine how archaeologists have used large collections of archaeologically derived "dates" to illustrate general principles about how these collections should be interpreted. The other is to review the collection of archaeomagnetic dates now on record from Hohokam archaeological sites in southern Arizona, in light of the conclusions provided by the first part of the paper. It seems that there is a significant pattern in the series of Hohokam hearth dates from Classic Period sites. This pattern may be the result of systematic changes in the prehistoric behavior underlying these dates, or it may be the result of systematic laboratory problems. In either case, attention is drawn to the uneven distribution of Hohokam hearth dates in order to pose research questions. The bar graph treatment of dates used here has precedent in similar treatment by archaeologists of other date collections, Some examples are reviewed below to provide background to this series analysis of an archaeoniagnetic date collection.
166 CHILD MALTREATMENT TRAINING AND KNOWLEDGE AMONG PEDIATRIC, EMERGENCY MEDICINE, AND FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENTS

Introduction Despite the steady rise in the prevalence of child abuse over the past 20 years, the training of physicians and residents in the assessment of physical and sexual abuse remains inadequate. Resident training is not standardized across the U.S. and comprehensive child maltreatment curricula are available only among a limited number of programs throughout the country. Data regarding the quality and quantity of current training and its impact on resident knowledge and skills are lacking. The goal of this study was to assess the training, comfort, and knowledge related to the medical management of child maltreatment among pediatric, emergency medicine (EM), and family medicine (FM) residents. Methods A 25-item anonymous survey was distributed to approximately 118 pediatric, EM, and FM residents from five residency programs at one medical school in southeastern Virginia. Surveys were completed by 75 residents for a return rate of 64%. Results There were significant differences in training and knowledge across all three specialties, with pediatric residents consistently outperforming their colleagues in EM and FM. Eighty-one percent of all residents were not able to correctly identify three anatomic structures from a color photograph of female genitalia. Other significant findings will be reviewed, along with plans for expanding the scope of this study and its implications for future resident education. Conclusions Residents9 training and knowledge related to the medical management of child abuse remain highly variable by specialty. Statewide and national data are needed in order to develop a more comprehensive picture of the extent and effectiveness of residency training in the area of child maltreatment. The availability of such data will facilitate efforts toward the development of a standardized curricula in child maltreatment for residency programs throughout the United States.
’This is not the play’: Shakespeare and Space Opera in Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga

In the sixth book of her award-winning science fiction series the Vorkosigan Saga, Lois McMaster Bujold offers an important fact about her main character, Miles Vorkosigan: at a young age, he memorized all of Shakespeare’s Richard III, and, years later, he can still recite it, complete with falsetto voices for the female characters.1 In the series, Richard III provides a mirror for Miles’s political situation and some of his personal characteristics: Miles stands only a few steps from the throne of a tri-planetary empire at the end of a bloody civil war, and was raised as the current Emperor’s foster brother. He is deformed, with a hunched back, brittle bones, and a scarred body. He is charismatic and persuasive in situations where persuasion should be impossible, and he can be utterly ruthless when it suits him.
Drugs and Pregnancy

Human Teratology Principles Counselling and Evaluation of the Drug Exposed Patient Legal Considerations Antimicrobial Agents Cardiovascular Drugs Antiasthma Agents Analgesics Anticonvulsant Drugs Anticoagulants, Thrombolytics, and Haemostatics Psychotropics Antineoplastic Drugs Immunosuppressants Endocrine Disorders Contraception, Treatment for Infertility, and General Hormonal Therapy Use of Dermatologics Antihistamines, Decongestants, and Expectorants Gastrointestinal Medications Tocolytics Nutritional and Dietary Supplementation Anaesthetic Agents and Surgery Use of Diagnostic Agents Occupational Exposures Introduction to Substance Abuse Drug Overdoses Alcohol Use Amphetamine Abuse Cannabinoid Use Cocaine Abuse Use of Hallucinogens Opiate Abuse Inhalant Abuse Tobacco Use Other Substances Abused.
Heparin Enhances Transfection in Concert with a Trehalose-Based Polycation with Challenging Cell Types

Improving the delivery of nucleic acids to diverse tissue types in culture is important for translating genome editing for regenerative cell therapies. Herein, we examine the effect of transfection media additives, such as the sulfated glycosaminoglycan heparin, in dramatically increasing pDNA delivery efficiency and transgene expression in a wide variety of cell types. Polyplexes formed by combining pDNA and Tr4, a cationic glycopolymer containing repeated trehalose and pentaethylenetetramine groups, were treated with low concentrations of heparin prior to in vitro transfection with plasmid DNA. Polyplex formulations were found to be stable and form ternary complexes upon heparin addition according to dynamic light scattering and ethidium bromide dye exclusion assays. Heparin-coated polyplexes offer significant increases (approximately 4-fold) in GFP expression compared to polyplexes prepared with Tr4 only in primary fibroblasts, U87, and HepG2 cells. Heparin was also shown to increase GFP expression in ...