cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coupling between rod photoreceptors in a vertebrate retina.

THE exquisite sensitivity of the scotopic visual system is well known to result, in large part, from a ‘pooling’ of the signals generated by the rod photoreceptors. It was once assumed that spatial integration of rod signals occurs at cellular sites proximal to the photoreceptors but recent evidence indicates that, in turtle and toad retinae, there is a marked spatial summation of the receptor potential recorded in a single rod1–3. In the snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina, we have estimated an individual rod to interact summatively with as many as 200 other rods3. Such pooling of signals at the input to the visual system will influence not only the sensitivity of the system but also spatial resolution of visual stimuli.
NALOXONE(Nal) POTENTIATES THE PLASMA CATECHOLAMINE(CA) RESPONSE TO ASPHYXIA IN THE FETUS

The effect of endogenous opioid peptide (EOP) blockade with Nal on the plasma CA response to asphyxia (hypoxemia+acidemia) was investigated in 6 chronically catheterized late gestation (>120 days) fetal lambs in utero. Animals were assigned randomly to receive either naloxone (1mg/kg) or saline on alternate days. Umbilical cord compression-induced hypoxemia (PO2<15 torr) was maintained for 15 minutes and resulted in the development of acidemia (pH<7.30) after 10 minutes. Fetal HR declined initially and then increased progressively to approach but not return to baseline, whereas BP continued to rise throughout the 15 minute observation. No difference was noted between control and Nal-treated fetuses in their blood gas or cardiovascular responses. Plasma norepinephrine(NE) concentrations increased from 528±121 to 4138±912 pg/ml in controls and from 719±186 to 6958±1439 in naloxone-treated fetuses(NS). In contrast, a 27-fold increase in plasma E levels were noted following EOP blockade (254±58 to 6944±847 pg/ml) compared to a 10-fold increase in the controls (143±45 to 1391±290 pg/ml; p<. 05). Thus, Nal potentiates the plasma E response to asphyxia. It is likely that EOP act as modulators of the sympathoadrenal response to severe stress in the fetus.
Immunocytochemical localization of a granuliberin-like peptide in Rana pipiens brain

Abstract The histamine-releasing peptide “granuliberin”, originally isolated from the skin of Rana rugosa , was localized by immunofluorescence within nerve cell bodies and fibers in the brain of Rana pipiens . The granuliberin-positive neurons were characterized ultrastructurally by electron microscopic observation of ultrathin sections stained either with immunoperoxidase or with conventional stains. Granuliberin-positive nerve cell bodies were seen throughout the hypothalamus, from the suprachiasmatic area rostrally to the full length of the periinfundibular grey matter caudally. Similarly positive nerve fibers were localized in the hypothalamus radiating upwards to the optic vesicles in the midbrain, extending through the preoptic area into the subpallium in the forebrain, and throughout the white matter surrounding the floor and lateral walls of the fourth ventricle in the brainstem. The granuliberin-positive nerve cells showed the presence of variable numbers of small cytoplasmic neurosecretory granules. Possessing an electron dense elongated core, and measuring 250–350 nm in their largest diameter. The functional significance of a granuliberin-like peptide in neurons of the frog brain is not known.
Fretting about FRET: Correlation between κ and R

Molecular dynamics simulations were used to examine the structural dynamics of two fluorescent probes attached to a typical protein, hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL). The donor probe (D) was attached via a succinimide group, consistent with the commonly-used maleimide conjugation chemistry, and the acceptor probe (A) was bound into the protein as occurs naturally for HEWL and the dye Eosin Y. The is found to deviate significantly from the theoretical value and high correlation between the orientation factor kappa and the distance R is observed. The correlation is quantified using several possible fixed A orientations and correlation as high as 0.80 is found between kappa and R and as high as 0.68 between kappa(2) and R. The presence of this correlation highlights the fact that essentially all fluorescence-detected resonance energy transfer studies have assumed that kappa and R are independent--an assumption that is clearly not justified in the system studied here. The correlation results in the quantities and differing by a factor of 1.6. The observed correlation between kappa and R is caused by the succinimide linkage between the D and HEWL, which is found to be relatively inflexible.
A beam approach to Kirchhoff depth imaging

Although Kirchhoff migration is currently the tool of choice for 3-D seismic prestack depth imaging, full volume imaging using Kirchhoff methods is costly for large surveys or interactive processing. This article describes a beam methodology for Kirchhoff imaging that leads to a theoretical speedup of up to two orders of magnitude over traditional implementations of Kirchhoff migration. Beam methodology has been used routinely in Amerada Hess for generating 3-D full-volume prestack depth images for the last several years.
Exploiting concept spaces for text retrieval

The Learning Systems Department at Siemens Corporate Research is investigating the use of concept spaces to increase retrieval effectiveness. Similar to a semantic net, a concept space is a construct that defines the semantic relationships among ideas. The current focus of our research is to exploit the information in such a structure to ameliorate known shortcomings of statistical retrieval methods while maintaining the statistical methods' robustness. Our initial concept space is extracted from WordNet, a manually-constructed lexical database developed at Princeton University.
The CSE Community Converges The First IEEE Computer Society Workshop On Computational Science And Engineering

The First IEEE Computer Society Workshop on Computational Science and Engineering brought together participants from academia, industry, and government to examine issues and activities in education, employment, research, and development. The 70 participants, who met in October 1996 at Purdue University, represented many viewpoints and came from several countries in Asia, Europe, and North America. They considered four basic questions for CSE:Who is doing what now?What is working well and why?What is not working well and why?What does the future hold?These questions permeated the 13 presentations, the three panels, and the many lively discussions during the workshop. The full agenda is available at http://www.cse.purdue.edu/ieee.workshop/Outline.html.This theme section in IEEE Computational Science & Engineering includes material from five of the presentations plus Steve Stevenson's personal view of the workshop. Dianne O'Leary explores the relationship between the two distinct, but still very similar, disciplines of CSE and applied mathematics. Tom Marchioro and Rubin Landau discuss the enormous educational challenges in CSE and describe interesting developments in using the World Wide Web to supplement traditional course work. Les Hatton presents a summary of his in-depth studies of the accuracy, correctness, and reliability of large production codes from science and engineering applications. It is disturbing reading and underscores the neglect that software quality has received in science and engineering (and in other areas too!). Efstratios Gallopoulos and Ahmed Sameh provide a view of the relationship between computing and science and of what computational scientists and engineers might be expected to do. And I sketch a scenario of the future evolution of scientific software systems, one that poses many challenges (and opportunities) for science, engineering, CSE, and computer science.
Testing effects in the recognition of words

The theory that a frequency discrimination dominates recognition performance was tested in three experiments by using new or wrong words (W words) several times during the test phase, each time being paired with a different old or right word (R word). The theory predicts a continuous decline in correct responding with each successive test. In two experiments the drop from the first to the second test occurred as expected, but there was no further drop from the second to the third test. In a third experiment using five tests, the drop was continuous but performance leveled off at 56% correct. The theory was further tested by repeated testing of R words, each time the pairing being with a different W word. The theory predicts that correct responding will increase from test to test. It did. There was very little decrement across the testing phase of 200 pairs for pairs with nonrepeated words.
Information processing deficits in Parkinson's disease during movement

The capacity to process information during movement selection and execution was studied in Parkinsonian patients and controls in a task involving movement of a hand-held stylus between two targets whose size and separation could be systematicaly varied. Movement time and accuracy were evaluated when the size and required accuracy of movements were changed to modify movement difficulty. Movement time and inaccuracy of patients with Parkinson's disease were exaggerated by increasing target separation so as to increase movement extent (target size held constant) or by decreasing target size (target separation held constant). The fact that these changes in task difficulty caused greater deterioration of performance for patients than for controls is consistent with previous studies indicating that Parkinsonian patients have deficits in executing high-velocity movements. These data also show that performance deficits by Parkinsonian patients can be brought out by increasing movement difficulty through requiring increased movement accuracy. These findings are interpreted in relation to the relative contribution of deficits in movement execution vs motor programming in the motor disorders of Parkinson's disease.
The Febrile Child-Missed Meningitis and Bacteremia

Abstract Children with fever often present to the emergency department (ED) for cart. Most have self-limited viral infections; some have life-threatening bacterial infections. Misdiagnosis of children with sepsis and meningitis are among the most common and most costly course for medical malpractice suits in emergency medicine. Unfortunately, there are no foolproof guidelines to prevent error in diagnosing a febrile child. Physicians are advised to use great caution if a febrile infant remains irritable and has persistent vomiting or lethargy during evaluation in the ED. If a patient does not seem improved after a period of observation and perhaps dehydration, hospital admission and empirical antibiotics arc recommended. Use particular caution when evaluating a child with fever and a petechial rash. Meticulous documentation of care provided to febrile infants and children may prevent a lawsuit in the cent of a poor outcome. In addition, it is imperative to arrange follow-up within 12 to 24 hours when there is concern about a baby's condition or when an infant's illness warranted a sepsis work-up. A follow-up phone call to the child's family may help clarify instructions and identify problems. Febrile patients who return to the ED for additional care should be carefully re-examined.
Monte Carlo calculation of efficiencies of right-circular cylindrical NaI detectors for arbitrarily located point sources

Abstract An efficient Monte Carlo program for calculation of total intrinsic efficiency, peak-to-total ratio and source intrinsic efficiency of bare right-circular cylindrical NaI(Tl) detectors from an arbitrarily located isotropic point source emitting photons of energy 1 MeV or below is outlined. Total variance reduction based on physical principles is used throughout to insure that each proton history is successful in order to minimize computer time. Results show close agreement with other Monte Carlo calculations for sources located along the detector axis and with experiments for sources located off-axis.
Suppression of Sr surface segregation in La1−xSrxCo1−yFeyO3−δ: a first principles study

Based on systematic first principles calculations, we investigate Sr surface segregation (SSS) in La1−xSrxCo1−yFeyO3−δ (LSCF) (a typical perovskite ABO3 compound), a bottleneck causing efficiency degradation of solid oxide fuel cells. We identify two basic thermodynamic driving forces for SSS and suggest two possible ways to suppress SSS: applying compressive strain and reducing surface charge. We show that compressive strain can be applied through doping of larger elements and surface coating; surface charge can be reduced through doping of higher-valence elements in the Sr- and B-site or lower-valence elements in the La-site and introducing surface A-site vacancies. The net effect of oxygen vacancy is to enhance SSS because its effect of increasing surface charge overrides its effect of inducing compressive strain, while Co substitution of Fe always enhances SSS because it induces tensile strain as well as increases surface charge. Our results explain the recent experimental observation of SSS suppression in LSCF by a La1−xSrxMnO3−δ (LSM) coating.
Growth and metabolic responses of Holstein calves fed broiler litter-based diets supplemented with l-carnitine

Abstract Thirty-nine growing Holstein calves (150.1±5.5 kg) were used to determine the effects of adding 3-hydroxy-4-N-trimethylaminobutyric acid ( l -carnitine) to diets containing excess crude protein, derived primarily from poultry litter, on growth performance and blood and rumen metabolites. Calves were blocked by body weight (BW) and fed one of the three experimental diets: (1) protein control diet (PC; 17.3% crude protein (CP)), 46.5% corn–soybean meal, 53.5% cottonseed hulls-hay, (2) broiler litter (BL; 22.7% CP), 55% broiler litter, 23% corn and soybean meal, 22% cottonseed hulls-hay, and (3) diet 2+250 ppm l -carnitine (BL+C). Calves were catheterized and intravenous (i.v.) glucose tolerance tests (IVGTTs) were conducted on the final day of the experiment. Mean dry matter intake, average daily gain (ADG), and gain:feed ratio through 42 days were higher (P l -carnitine had an 8% higher (P=0.003) efficiency of feed conversion. Total rumen volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations were higher (P=0.02) in calves fed the PC compared with those fed the two BL diets (58.2 versus 49.7 mM); however, supplemental l -carnitine did not alter VFA concentrations in calves fed BL. Plasma ammonia N did not differ among treatments. Plasma urea N concentrations were lower (P l -carnitine did not affect blood glucose concentrations or glucose clearance rate in calves fed diets containing broiler litter. Results suggest that supplemental l -carnitine may improve performance of calves fed excess levels of soluble protein.
Review of an in vitro microfluidic model of sickle cell vaso-occlusion

Vaso-occlusive events are responsible for the majority of morbidity and mortality in sickle cell disease. Predisposing conditions are unclear, and proximal causes have not been established. Despite decades of intense study, until recently there has not been a well-controlled in vitro model of sickle cell vaso-occlusion. We have reported the development and initial use of such a model. Our experimental device relies on microfluidic technology and has allowed the initial analysis of the in vitro process of vaso-occlusion in terms of control parameters such as driving pressure, local oxygen concentration and flow vessel size. Our work demonstrates the potential of this type of device to lead to greater understanding of vaso-occlusive pathology including the role of adhesion molecules and inflammatory factors and possibly to improvements in monitoring and searches for new treatments.
A numerical and experimental investigation of the buckling behavior of composite panels

Abstract The experimental buckling behavior of axially compressed, fiber-reinforced, circular cylindrical panels is compared with numerical predictions obtained from an energy-based, finite difference, computer program. Test specimens were clamped along the curved edges and either unsupported or simply supported along the straight edges. Numerical predictions were obtained for a perfect cylindrical geometry and for small axially symmetric initial imperfections. Agreement between experimental and numerical buckling behaviors are in good agreement for both types of boundary conditions.
A Nonparametric Investigation of Agricultural Production Behavior for U.S. Subregions

This research provides an empirical application of nonparametric techniques to determine whether agricultural production behavior in the United States and ten farm production regions over the period 1939 to 1982 has been inconsistent with the joint hypothesis of profit maximization, convex technology, and monotonic nonregressive technical change.
Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of two hemagglutinin loci, serotyping and agglutinating activity of Porphyromonas gingivalis isolates

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of two hemagglutinin loci were analyzed in 36 Porphyromonas gingivalis isolates from human and monkey origins using portions of hag A and hagB as probes. The P. gingivalis strains were differentiated into 9 RFLP groups based on the heterogeneity of the hag A locus and 10 different groups based on hybridization with hagB. Homology to hagA was detected in all human derived and all but three monkey derived strains. All P. gingivalis isolates exhibited DNA homologous to hagB. Multiple alleles of the hemagglutinin genes were detected for most P. gingivalis strains. No DNA homologous to either hemagglutinin gene could be detected in 6 other bacterial species tested. Serotyping and hemagglutination liters of each P. gingivalis isolate were obtained in an attempt to establish a correlation between these pheno-typic parameters and RFLP group. Although no correlations were found with these parameters, a correlation between RFLP group and invasiveness in the mouse abscess model was noted.
Association between antihypertensive agent use and hospital admissions in a managed care population.

ABSTRACT Background Utilization of medical care services has been used as a surrogate for outcome of patient compliance with treatment regimens. Antihypertensive treatment status and selection of drug agents may influence medical utilization. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between medically untreated hypertension and treated hypertension according to class of antihypertensive agent with the rate of hospitalization. Methods This is a retrospective, observational study on adult hypertensive patients based on claim data from a network-model HMO. The 12,548 patients were identified by ICD-9-CM hypertensive codes over a 3-year period. The hospital admission rate was the outcome measurement. The exploratory variables included antihypertensive treatment status and drug class. Patients’ age, gender, and coexisting medical conditions were treated as confounding factors. Descriptive analyses and multivariate regression analyses were performed. Results Coexisting medical conditions were significant factors in hospital admission rates. Compared with diuretic treatment, there were no differences in hospital admission rates among hypertensive patients treated with an angiotensin II antagonist or angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitor. Untreated patients or those treated with beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers experienced higher hospitalization rates (95% CI, 1.25–1.90, 1.03–1.44, and 1.08–1.46, respectively). Conclusions Compared with the major antihypertensive agents or no therapy for hypertension, diuretic or angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitor therapy may result in a reduced rate of hospital utilization.
Knowledge is (Not) Power: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for African-American Women

African-American women are more likely to be overweight or obese as compared to other ethnic groups. The purpose of this Qualitative Interpretive Meta-Synthesis (QIMS) was to explore the experiences that African-American women encounter when trying to eat healthily and maintain physical activity to inform practice and research. The QIMS included studies from various disciplines to understand the experiences of African-American women with eating healthily and being physically active. Five themes were identified: family; structured support; translating knowledge into behavior modifications; barriers to physical activity; and God is my healer. These themes enhance understanding of what African-American women know, their support system(s), and how cultural barriers impact nutrition and physical activity.
Routine EEG and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Relation to Long‐Term EEG Monitoring, Quantitative MRI, and Operative Outcome

Summary: Purpose: To investigate the relation among routine EEG, long-term EEG monitoring (LTM), quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and surgical outcome in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Methods: We evaluated 159 patients with intractable TLE who underwent an anterior temporal lobectomy between 1988 and 1993. The epileptogenic temporal lobe was determined by ictal LTM. A single awake-sleep outpatient EEG with standard activating procedures was performed before LTM. EEGs were analyzed by a blinded investigator. Results: MRI scans showed unilateral medial temporal atrophy (109 patients) or symmetrical hippocampal volumes (50 patients). The surgically excised epileptogenic brain tissue revealed mesial temporal sclerosis, gliosis, or no histopathologic alteration. Routine EEG revealed temporal lobe epileptiform discharges in 123 patients. Routine EEG findings correlated with the temporal lobe of seizure origin (p 0.20). Conclusions: Results of this study modified our approach in patients with TLE. Interictal epileptiform discharges localized to one temporal lobe on serial routine EEGs or during LTM may be adequate to identify the epileptogenic zone in patients with MRI-identified unilateral medial temporal lobe atrophy.
A predictive study of effective properties and progressive failure of tri-axially woven SiCf-SiC composites

Effective properties and progressive failure of SiC matrix composites reinforced by tri-axially woven fabrics of SiC fibres (SiCf) are predicted using micromechanics and the finite element method. Two different orientations (i.e., –55°-0°-55° and –45°-0°-45°) of the woven fabrics are considered in geometrical modelling. Three-dimensional unit cells with the matrix reinforced by the fabrics in such orientations are constructed and used. Homogenisation analyses are carried out using the unit cell-based finite element models. It is found that the –55°-0°-55° fabric orientation provides higher effective elastic moduli and exhibits a response closer to being isotropic than the –45°-0°-45° orientation. The effective properties obtained are then used to conduct a progressive failure analysis of the SiCf-SiC composites subjected to uni-axial tensile loading. The progressive failure analysis incorporates both geometrical and material non-linearities, and describes the progressive damage induced by crack initiation and propagation via a material degradation model. The Tsai-Wu failure criterion is used, and a two-parameter Weibull distribution is employed to account for the changes in strength with increasing specimen volume. Based on this progressive failure analysis, true stress-strain curves for the SiCf-SiC composites are obtained.
Novel Process for Solid State Reduction of Metal Oxides and Hydroxides

Recently the reductive expansion synthesis (RES) method was introduced as a means to create nano- and sub-micron metal particles and alloys by rapid heating of physical mixtures of urea with a metal nitrate. In the present work the generality of the RES method was demonstrated by creating metal micron and sub-micron particles from oxide and hydroxide precursors, and outlining the impact of temperature, precursor ratio, and gas flow rate on the product. For example, precursor selection impacted the temperature required for complete reduction, the amount of carbon present, and the size of the metal particles. For complete NiO reduction to micron scale particles, high urea content and a high temperature [ca. 1073 K (800 °C)] were required. In contrast, Ni(OH)2 was reduced to metal at far lower temperatures. Moreover, the Ni particles formed from NiOH were sub-micron (ca. 200 nm) in size and carbon encapsulated. Other parameter variations had a similarly significant impact. Indeed, the reciprocal relationship between inert gas flow rate and the extent of reduction supports the supposition that the primary mechanism of reduced metal particle formation is the reduction of metal oxide particles by gases produced by urea decomposition. Collectively these and other findings indicate the RES method can be manipulated to create a range of micron and sub-micron reduced metal particle architectures appropriate for different applications.
Influenza Immunization of Schoolchildren: Can We Interrupt Community Epidemics?

In this month's issue of Pediatrics electronic pages, White et al discuss the potential cost savings of immunizing schoolchildren.1 White and colleagues report that immunization of schoolchildren may have substantial benefits to society, particularly if performed in a group-based setting. Specifically, influenza immunization resulted in net savings of between $4 to $35 in their best-case scenario. Importantly, the cost savings were markedly robust through a range of sensitivity analyses, particularly for group-based as opposed to individual-initiated immunization. In addition, they suggest other potential beneficial effects, such as reduced school absenteeism, decreased transmission of influenza to others (including parents and the cost of missing work), and a reduction in the incidence of otitis media and its associated costs (at least in young children), likely would result from such a program. Currently, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices2 and the Red Book 3advise influenza immunization for children 6 months of age and older who are at high risk for complications of influenza. Immunization of children who do not have risk factors is not routinely recommended, emphasized, or particularly encouraged. Nonetheless, interest in the idea of immunizing otherwise healthy children against influenza is engendered by several observations and concerns: 1) Because children are the primary source of the “spread” of influenza, can we interrupt influenza outbreaks by mass immunization of schoolchildren? 2) Considering the huge direct and indirect costs of the yearly outbreaks of influenza does mass immunization of children make economic sense? 3) Because influenza illness is a universal experience, can we prevent a major cause of pain, suffering, and death in the population by mass immunization of school-aged children? 4) Should immunization of all school-aged children against influenza be elective or required? Would mass immunization of schoolchildren interrupt the spread of influenza leading to control of influenza in …
Gas-phase vibrational spectroscopy and ab initio calculations of Rb+(H2O)n and Rb+(H2O)nAr cluster ions

Abstract The competition between ion–water electrostatic interactions and water–water hydrogen bonding in cluster ions depends on several factors, including charge density of the ion and temperature of the system. Infrared photodissociation spectra of Rb + (H 2 O) n =2–5 and Rb + (H 2 O) n =1–5 Ar are presented here and compared to previous experiments involving potassium and cesium. The temperature, or internal energy, of hydrated rubidium cluster ions is controlled by varying the evaporative path available for cluster formation. Warmer clusters (with effective temperatures of ∼250–500 K) are formed by the evaporation of water, while colder clusters (∼40–120 K) can be formed by argon evaporation. Colder cluster ions tend to favor conformers with more hydrogen bonds compared to those cluster ions at warmer temperatures. Previous work from this laboratory has shown significant and dramatic differences between the spectra of hydrated potassium and cesium ions. With a charge density intermediate between that of K + and Cs + , Rb + plays an important role in bridging the gap in our previous studies.
EXCITATION OF ATOMS BY ION BOMBARDMENT NEAR THRESHOLD ENERGY.

Abstract Expressions for the cross sections for the excitations of atoms by ion bombardment near threshold energy are obtained for dipole and quadrupole transitions in terms of the generalized oscillator strength for the transition and the ion-atom hard sphere collision radius.
tRNAs Marked with CCACCA Are Targeted for Degradation

The CCA-adding enzyme [ATP(CTP):tRNA nucleotidyltransferase] adds CCA to the 3' ends of transfer RNAs (tRNAs), a critical step in tRNA biogenesis that generates the amino acid attachment site. We found that the CCA-adding enzyme plays a key role in tRNA quality control by selectively marking structurally unstable tRNAs and tRNA-like small RNAs for degradation. Instead of adding CCA to the 3' ends of these transcripts, CCA-adding enzymes from all three kingdoms of life add CCACCA. In addition, hypomodified mature tRNAs are subjected to CCACCA addition as part of a rapid tRNA decay pathway in vivo. We conjecture that CCACCA addition is a universal mechanism for controlling tRNA levels and preventing errors in translation.
X-ray Study of Preferred Orientation in Pyrolytic Boron Nitride

THE preparation of boron nitride by vapour phase deposition on a hot target has been reported by the British Ceramic Research Association1 and more recently by Belforti, Blum and Bovarnick2. In the latter publication, the deposits are described as having turbostratic layer disorder and a high degree of preferred orientation of the crystallites. In support of these claims the authors show two X-ray diffraction patterns obtained with a pyrolytic sample and a randomly oriented powder sample. The turbostratic layer disorder is evident from the two-dimensional lattice type reflexion (10) in the pyrolytic pattern and from the expansion of the unit cell height which is indicated by the shift of the (00l) reflexions to lower scattering angles. The relative intensities of the two patterns suggest the presence of some preferred orientation in pyrolytic boron nitride, but do not support the authors' contention that the basal planes of the crystallites are “essentially parallel to the deposition surface”.
Diagnosis and management of autism in childhood

#### Summary points Autism spectrum disorder is a commonly used umbrella term for a class of neurodevelopmental disorders characterised by a triad of deficits in social reciprocity, impaired communication, and repetitive restricted patterns of behaviour or interests. Symptoms are evident in early childhood, often before age 3 years, and result in functional impairment. Autism was first described in the 1940s; it was originally thought to be relatively rare because only the most severely affected people were identified. However, epidemiological studies have documented an increasing prevalence over the past 15 years, with one UK cohort study from 2006 reporting a prevalence rate of about one in 110 children compared with four to five cases per 10 000 before the 1990s.1 This reflects, in part, recognition of a broader phenotype of affected individuals who share impairments within the three core areas.2 It is crucial that general clinicians are familiar with the diagnosis and management of autism because the importance of early identification and intervention, and the benefit of supporting families in navigating the myriad of decisions once …
Deep proton tunneling in the electronically adiabatic and non-adiabatic limits: Comparison of the quantum and classical treatment of donor-acceptor motion in a protein environment

Analytical models describing the temperature dependence of the deep tunneling rate, useful for proton, hydrogen, or hydride transfer in proteins, are developed and compared. Electronically adiabatic and non-adiabatic expressions are presented where the donor-acceptor (D-A) motion is treated either as a quantized vibration or as a classical “gating” distribution. We stress the importance of fitting experimental data on an absolute scale in the electronically adiabatic limit, which normally applies to these reactions, and find that vibrationally enhanced deep tunneling takes place on sub-ns timescales at room temperature for typical H-bonding distances. As noted previously, a small room temperature kinetic isotope effect (KIE) does not eliminate deep tunneling as a major transport channel. The quantum approach focuses on the vibrational sub-space composed of the D-A and hydrogen atom motions, where hydrogen bonding and protein restoring forces quantize the D-A vibration. A Duschinsky rotation is mandated between the normal modes of the reactant and product states and the rotation angle depends on the tunneling particle mass. This tunnel-mass dependent rotation contributes substantially to the KIE and its temperature dependence. The effect of the Duschinsky rotation is solved exactly to find the rate in the electronically non-adiabatic limit and compared to the Born-Oppenheimer (B-O) approximation approach. The B-O approximation is employed to find the rate in the electronically adiabatic limit, where we explore both harmonic and quartic double-well potentials for the hydrogen atom bound states. Both the electronically adiabatic and non-adiabatic rates are found to diverge at high temperature unless the proton coupling includes the often neglected quadratic term in the D-A displacement from equilibrium. A new expression is presented for the electronically adiabatic tunnel rate in the classical limit for D-A motion that should be useful to experimentalists working near room temperature. This expression also holds when a broad protein conformational distribution of D-A equilibrium distances dominates the spread of the D-A vibrational wavefunction.
Secure and private search protocols for RFID systems

In many real world applications, there is a need to search for RFID tagged items. In this paper, we propose a set of protocols for secure and private search for tags based on their identities or certain criteria they must satisfy. When RFID enabled systems become pervasive in our life, tag search becomes crucial. Surprisingly, the problem of RFID search has not been widely addressed in the literature. We analyzed the privacy and security features of the proposed tag search protocols, and concluded that our protocols provide tag identity privacy, tag source location privacy, and tag-reader communication privacy. For the first time, we propose a formal method to securely search RFID tags which satisfy certain search criteria.
Patient views of continuity relationships with medical students.

Introduction: Continuity relationships between students and patients, that occur in a longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC), enrich medical students’ opportunities to learn from patients and provide patient-centered care. Patient preferences for continuity with a primary provider are well-documented, but little is known about patients’ experiences of continuity with students. This study examines patients’ perception of continuity with and care received by students.Methods: This qualitative study uses data from semi-structured interviews with 32 patients of LIC students at an academic medical center. Data were analyzed for themes about continuity and experiences of care provided by students.Results: Patients valued relationships with students over time and across settings. Students’ contributions to their care included enhanced access to and coordination of care, communication, patient education and wellbeing. Patients with substantial continuity and/or who were moderately or severely ill described their...
Productivity and Quality of Bermudagrass in a Cool Temperate Environment

In temperate environments a warm-season species is needed to provide forage during summer when the growth rate of cool-season forages is low. Management data for warm-season pasture is limited for the Appalachian region. A bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] selection RS1, has been identified which is capable of growth and persistence in areas where other cultivars of the species winterkill. A field study was conducted to determine RS1 bermudagrass productivity and quality as affected by a split application of 60, 120, 240, or 360 kg N ha −1 and a 2-, 4-, or 6-wk delay of initial harvest on a fine-loamy, mixed, mesic, Typic Hapludult (Gilpin) soil (...)
The Taste of Sodium

Sodium is crucial to physiological function. The responsibility for detecting it is assumed by the taste system, which devotes perhaps one quarter of its resources to the task. Sodium is transduced by passage into a subset of receptor cells, whose activity is relayed to the brain through a discrete gustatory channel. Responses in hindbrain, thalamus, and gustatory cortex identify the quality and concentration of sodium on the tongue. Coding of reinforcement may begin with the pons and ventral forebrain, particularly the lateral and medial hypothalamic nuclei. When body stores are sufficient, behavioral preference for sodium is mild, encompassing low concentrations and marked by weak avidity. This languid response disappears during sodium shortages. Avidity increases, and hypertonic concentrations are most preferred. This behavioral change may result from altered responsiveness in sodium-specific neurons that offer the sodium signal access to mechanisms of reinforcement. Thus, the taste system detects and recognizes sodium, and accords it a reward value commensurate with the needs of the animal.
Laminar Boundary Layer Flow and Heat Transfer With Favorable Pressure Gradient at Constant K Values

Approximate algebraic correlations for the two-dimensional laminar boundary layer flow and heat transfer with favorable pressure gradient at constant K Display Formula(≡vUe2dUedx) values were found by using Pohlhausen’s integral method. Two thermal boundary conditions were considered: constant wall heat flux and constant wall temperature. These correlations were tabulated and compared in the limits KRex → 0 and KRex → ∞ with the similarity solutions of the Blasius flow and the convergent-channel flow. The comparisons between these correlations and those obtained numerically from the STAN5 code were excellent. The results showed that the momentum boundary layer grows at the leading edge with an initial rate like the Blasius flow to a maximum value, then decreases and asymptotically approaches the behavior of a convergent-channel flow. As KRex increases, the skin friction coefficient decreases and approaches a constant; the Pohlhausen’s pressure gradient parameter Display Formula(Λ≡δ2vdUedx) increases from zero at the leading edge and approaches a constant. While hydrodynamically asymptotical solutions were obtained, no asymptotical thermal similarity was found. Skin friction coefficient and various integral parameters could be collapsed into a corresponding single curve when suitable normalization factors were chosen. The effects of Prandtl number and unheated starting length were also analyzed.Copyright © 1992 by ASME
Agroecosystem health, agroecosystem resilience, and food security

This paper lays out the relationships between three mutually reinforcing concepts associated with agroecosystems: (1) agroecosystem health, the extent to which an agroecosystem can meet human needs for all of its residents over time; (2) resilience, the capacity of a system to adapt, reorganize, and maintain key functions in the face of turbulent and unpredictable change in its environment; (3) food security, sufficient quantity and quality of food for everyone at all times. Agroecosystem health has been defined by a number of properties including the following: stability, sustainability, equitability, productivity, and autonomy, each in the context of specific spatial and temporal scales. Indicators that characterize biophysical and social conditions including soil health, biodiversity, topography, farm economics, land economics, and social organization can be combined using analytical hierarchy process to map agroecosystem health across a landscape. The resulting map may provide incentive and guidance for improving the conditions underlying agroecosystem health. Resilience and agroecosystem health overlap largely because both rely on diversity, in biological and physical as well as human cultural, social, and economic terms. The Agroecosystems Management Program at The Ohio State University has approached research and outreach to improve agroecosystem health, resilience, and food security by encouraging self-organizing social networks for economic development around local and regional agricultural supply chains, encouraging farm enterprise diversity at a wider range of farming scales, and conducting research to monitor and estimate the benefits of such diversification. Social media tools have been explored for connecting entrepreneurs at the planning stage, with the ultimate goal of improving the economic support for more diversified enterprises in agroecosystems. Although challenging, such adaptive management experiments may create and encourage new opportunities for managing agroecosystem health, and with it, resilient food production and security.
Sparsity-based estimation for target detection in multipath scenarios

We propose a sparsity-based estimation approach for detecting a moving target in multipath scenarios. We employ an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) radar to increase the frequency diversity of the system. Moreover, the multipath propagation increases the spatial diversity by providing extra looks at the target. First, we exploit the sparsity of multiple paths and the knowledge of the environment to develop a parametric OFDM radar model at a particular range cell. Then, to estimate the sparse vector, we apply a collection of multiple small Dantzig selectors (DS). We use the l 1 -constrained minimal singular value (l 1 -CMSV) of the measurement matrix to analytically evaluate the reconstruction performance and demonstrate that our decomposed DS performs better than the standard DS. We provide a few numerical examples to illustrate the performance characteristics of the sparse recovery.
From Phenomenon to Phenotype and from Phenotype to Gene: Forward Genetics and the Problem of Sepsis

Genetic tools (especially classical tools) have enlightened our understanding of biology as no other approach could. Mendel, Morgan, Bridges, and their heirs began with phenotypic traits and ended with genes. At first, the chemical identity of genes was not known, and even after years of methodologic refinement, more years of effort were needed to find the gene and the mutational difference that caused a particular phenotype. Chemistry has now outraced phenotypic analysis; all the genes are suddenly known, but most of their functions are not. The greatest challenge confronting all fields in biology is to establish correspondence between genes and discrete biologic functions. Sepsis is a devastating problem that has eluded a solution, despite the introduction of highly effective antimicrobial agents. Sepsis is an orchestrated process, understood in broad outline, but not in all details. Which genes are involved in the pathogenesis of sepsis? As in the golden age of genetics, the answer requires the solution of phenotypic puzzles, which, in turn, requires the creation of phenotypes.
Molecular monitoring to improve outcomes in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase: importance of achieving treatment-free remission.

Imatinib was the first BCR-ABL1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) developed for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML); subsequently, the introduction of more potent BCR-ABL1 TKIs has raised expectations regarding the speed and depth of response. This review discusses how molecular monitoring is being used as an integral part of the treatment regimen to achieve improved outcomes in patients with CML. The long-term prognostic implications of achieving early molecular response to TKI therapy and the feasibility of maintaining treatment-free remission will also be discussed in light of current clinical data. Am. J. Hematol. 90:242–249, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
iTRAQ reagent-based quantitative proteomic analysis on a linear ion trap mass spectrometer

For proteomic analysis using tandem mass spectrometry, linear ion trap instruments provide unsurpassed sensitivity but unreliably detect low mass peptide fragments, precluding their use with iTRAQ reagent-labeled samples. Although the popular LTQ linear ion trap supports analyzing iTRAQ reagent-labeled peptides via pulsed Q dissociation, PQD, its effectiveness remains questionable. Using a standard mixture, we found careful tuning of relative collision energy necessary for fragmenting iTRAQ reagent-labeled peptides, and increasing microscan acquisition and repeat count improves quantification but identifies somewhat fewer peptides. We developed software to calculate abundance ratios via summing reporter ion intensities across spectra matching to each protein, thereby providing maximized accuracy. Testing found that results closely corresponded between analysis using optimized LTQ-PQD settings plus our software and using a Qstar instrument. Thus, we demonstrate the effectiveness of LTQ-PQD analyzing iTRAQ reagent-labeled peptides, and provide guidelines for successful quantitative proteomic studies.
Production of 4-ethylphenol from 4-hydroxycinnamic acid by Lactobacillus sp. isolated from a swine waste lagoon.

Aims: To determine the source material and the responsible micro-organisms of 4-ethylphenol production in swine lagoon sediment slurries. Methods and Results: Swine lagoon sediment was blended and incubated with tryptone–yeast extract broth containing 10 mmol l−1 each of 4-hydroxycinnamic as well as other phenolics. 4-Ethylphenol was only produced from 4-hydroxycinnamic acid. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analysis indicated that the microbial community was substantially altered from inclusion of 4-hydroxycinnamic acid. Serial dilutions and selective plating were employed to isolate a culture capable of 4-hydroxycinnamic acid conversion to 4-ethylphenol. Morphological and ribosomal gene analysis indicated the isolate to be a Lactobacillus sp., Lactobacillus sp. pep8 converted 4-vinylphenol, but not 4-hydroxy-3-phenylpropionate, to 4-ethylphenol and did not convert 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid to 4-ethyl-2-methoxyphenol. A p-coumaric acid decarboxylase (pdc) gene identical to Lact. plantarum pdc genes was cloned from Lactobacillus sp. pep8. Conclusions: Swine lagoon sediments produce 4-ethylphenol from 4-hydroxycinnamic acid due, in part, to the activity of Lactobacillus spp. Significance and Impact of the Study: 4-Ethylphenol, a malodourant of swine and beef wastes, is generated from plant materials by indigenous lactobacilli suggesting that altering the amount dietary of plant material may influence levels of 4-ethylphenol in the wastes.
Buckling of regular, chiral and hierarchical honeycombs under a general macroscopic stress state.

An approach to obtain analytical closed-form expressions for the macroscopic ‘buckling strength’ of various two-dimensional cellular structures is presented. The method is based on classical beam-column end-moment behaviour expressed in a matrix form. It is applied to sample honeycombs with square, triangular and hexagonal unit cells to determine their buckling strength under a general macroscopic in-plane stress state. The results were verified using finite-element Eigenvalue analysis.