cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lifespan, age, size-specific mortality and dispersion of colonies of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius

Colonies of social insects such as ants have species-typical life history attributes that include mature colony size, mortality rate, size at first reproduction, lifespan, reproductive investment and many others. A population of over 400 colonies of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, was repeatedly resurveyed over 6 years, producing a record of deaths, births, colony sizes and relocations. From these data the life span, growth rate and colony-size-specific mortality rates were determined. Colonies averaged about 2500 workers and ranged from less than 500 up to 10,000. The annual mortality rate of colonies decreased from about 25% for the smallest colonies, to about 6% for mid-sized colonies. Under steady-state assumptions, these extrapolate to lifespans of about 4 and 17 year, respectively. Over 90% of the largest colonies were still alive after 6 years, so that their lifespan could not be reliably determined, but probably exceeded 30 years or more. As new colonies grew, their probability of surviving increased, but many colonies stabilized at less than maximum size, thus remaining subject to the mortality rates characteristic of their size, not age. At the level of the whole population, colonies were significantly clumped, probably as the result of habitat heterogeneity. Large colonies were associated with more open areas. Colonies with more and/or larger neighbors had moderately higher mortality rates. This rate increased as size asymmetry increased. The need for demographic data on ant species with a range of mature colony sizes is discussed.
Structural, Kinetic, and Computational Characterization of the Elusive Arylpalladium(II)boronate Complexes in the Suzuki–Miyaura Reaction

The existence of the oft-invoked intermediates containing the crucial Pd–O–B subunit, the “missing link”, has been established in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. The use of low-temperature, rapid injection NMR spectroscopy (RI-NMR), kinetic studies, and computational analysis has enabled the generation, observation, and characterization of these highly elusive species. The ability to confirm the intermediacy of Pd–O–B-containing species provided the opportunity to clarify mechanistic aspects of the transfer of the organic moiety from boron to palladium in the key transmetalation step. Specifically, these studies establish the identity of two different intermediates containing Pd–O–B linkages, a tri-coordinate (6-B-3) boronic acid complex and a tetra-coordinate (8-B-4) boronate complex, both of which undergo transmetalation leading to the cross-coupling product. Two distinct mechanistic pathways have been elucidated for stoichiometric reactions of these complexes: (1) transmetalation via an una...
Screening for osteoporosis among post-menopausal women in community pharmacy.

Objectives: To identify postmenopausal women with risk of osteoporosis through quantitative ultrasound imaging (QUI) and to value the medical intervention after the determination of the bone mineral density (BMD).Methods: Cross-sectional descriptive study developed in a community pharmacy. During the month of June of 2005 the community pharmacy enrolled postmenopausal women into the study. Women in treatment with calcium, vitamin D, hormone replacement therapy, estrogen receptor modulators, calcitonin or biphosphonates were considered criteria for exclusion. To all the women that consent to participate, the pharmacist measured BMD with the device Sahara Hologic Ultrasound Bone Densitometer at right calcaneus. Following the World Health Organization, women were classified as osteoporotic if their T-Score was less than -2.5 and as osteopenic if their T-Score ranged between -2.5 and -1.0.Results: Of the 100 women screened, 11 (11%) presented risk of osteoporosis and 61 (61%) of osteopenia. The 18.5% postmenopausal women with body mass index lesser than 30 presented risk of osteoporosis and the 63.0% osteopenia.Conclusions: The QUI constitutes a useful tool in community pharmacy for the screening of osteoporosis and it supposes a greater integration of the community pharmacy within the health care.
Trends in the Pharmacokinetics of Drug-Receptor Interactions

The opportunity to speak about receptor mathematics on the ancient and beautiful island of Sicily is both a challenge and an inspiration. Sicily, after all, was the home both of the mad philosopher Empedocles of Agrigento (c. 495–35 BCE), who might be said to have first dimly envisioned something like receptors [Kirk, Raven, and Schofield, 1983], and of the greatest mathematician up to the time of Isaac Newton, Archimedes of Syracusa (d. 212 BCE), who, unlike his predecessors, did not disdain to use approximate methods to achieve a practical result [Struik, 1987]
Environmental Performance Evaluation of Direct Metal Laser Sintering through Exergy Analysis

Abstract Additive manufacturing is rapidly emerging as an alternative to conventional manufacturing, including subtractive processes, often attributed to its claim for sustainable product development, e.g., reduced cost, reduced energy and material use, and the distributed production of tailored consumer products. However, many of these benefits remain unsubstantiated for large-scale production. The aim of the research herein is to identify the systemic contributors to environmental impacts for additive manufacturing using exergy analysis and life cycle impact assessment. These methods have been previously applied to evaluate the environmental performance of conventional and non-conventional manufacturing processes. Thus, they offer a validated approach to evaluate the environmental impacts of additive manufacturing with respect to systemic material and energy losses. In this study, the environmental impacts of direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) of iron metal powder is characterized by performing a thermodynamic analysis of the resources and energy utilized and lost from cradle-to-gate. It is found that only 6% of total process inputs in DMLS contribute to material processing, while 94% is lost as bulk waste, heat, and work. Life cycle impact assessments are performed to characterize the environmental impacts of these losses using single issue indicator (Global Warming Potential, GWP) and aggregate indicator (ReCiPe 2008) methods. The results show that electricity consumption is a key contributor to the focal process and its related upstream processes. The systemic GWP impact for DMLS was found to be 7.2 kg CO 2 equivalent. ReCiPe 2008 indicates damage to human health outweighs damage to ecosystem quality (E=84%, H=58%, I=51%) and resource availability (E=74%, H=29%, I=19%) for the DMLS process.
The impact of team characteristics and context on team communication: An integrative literature review

Many studies on teams report measures of team communication; however, these studies vary widely in terms of the team characteristics, situations, and tasks studied making it difficult to understand impacts on team communication more generally. The objective of this review is systematically summarize relationships between measures of team communication and team characteristics and situational contexts. A literature review was conducted searching in four electronic databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Ergonomics Abstracts, and SocINDEX). Additional studies were identified by cross-referencing. Articles included for final review had reported at least one team communication measure associated with some team and/or context dimension. Ninety-nine of 727 articles met the inclusion criteria. Data extracted from articles included characteristics of the studies and teams and the nature of each of the reported team and/or context dimensions-team communication properties relationships. Some dimensions (job role, situational stressors, training strategies, cognitive artifacts, and communication media) were found to be consistently linked to changes in team communication. A synthesized diagram that describes the possible associations between eleven team and context dimensions and nine team communication measures is provided along with research needs.
Human Placental Adenosine Kinase: Purification and Characterization

The regulation of adenosine metabolism is an important factor in the determination of the biological properties of this compoundl. Although the deamination of adenosine has been carefully characterized, only a limited amount of information is available concerning its phosphorylation in mammalian tissue. We have undertaken the purification and characterization of human placental adenosine kinase (E. C.2.7.1.20), which catalyzes the reaction: $$Adenosine + ATP \to AMP + ADP$$
Multiplex DNA Biosensor for Viral Infection Diagnosis Using SERS Molecular Sentinel-on-Chip

The development of sensitive and selective techniques for multiplex detection of DNA biomarkers is paramount for clinical diagnosis. Various multiplex DNA detection techniques have been reported. However, most of these techniques require multiple incubation and/or washing steps or target sequence labeling. In this work, we demonstrated a unique multiplex DNA biosensor for viral infection diagnosis using the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) “Molecular Sentinel-on-Chip” (MSC) technique. The sensing mechanism is based upon the change of SERS intensity when Raman labels tagged at 3′-ends of molecular sentinel nanoprobes are physically displaced from the Nanowave chip’s surface upon target DNA hybridization. SERS measurements were performed immediately following a single hybridization reaction between the target single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) sequences and the complementary molecular sentinel nanoprobes immobilized on the Nanowave chip without requiring target labeling (i.e., label-free assay), secondary hybridization, or post-hybridization washing, thus reducing the assay time and lowering cost. Two nucleic acid transcripts, interferon alpha-inducible protein 27 (IFI27) and interferon-induced protein 44-like (IFI44L), are used as model systems for the multiplex detection concept demonstration. These two genes are well known for their critical role in host immune response to viral infections and can be used as molecular signature for viral infection diagnosis. The results indicate the effectiveness and potential of the MSC technology for multiplex DNA detection for point-of-care diagnostics and global health applications.
E*Trade Securities, Inc., Pioneer On-Line Trader, Struggles to Stay on Top

E*Trade revolutionized the securities brokerage industry by creating Internet trading. E*Trades original strategy was to deliver cost savings to customers while amortizing fixed costs over a greater number of accounts. In 1997, several competitors established Internet sites and E*Trade was dethroned as the price leader. Its management team introduced a strategic initiative to transform the company into a financial, one-stop shop for investors. The initiative included expanding its information technology, improving its marketing and advertising program, and developing new strategic alliances. By early 1999, E*Trade had established a popular Web site offering the convenience and control of automated stock, options, and mutual fund order placement at low commission rates. E*Trades success pleased management but was challenged by fierce competition and emerging ethical and operational problems.
Abstract 4150: MDM4 expression is increased in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma with PRKACA-DNAJB1 fusion protein

Introduction: Fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC) is a rare variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that preferentially affects young adults with no underlying liver disease. Overall patient outcome is poor due to the lack of effective treatment options. Recent studies have shown a 400 kb pair deletion resulting in DNJAB1-PRKACA fusion transcript and protein in majority of FL-HCC tumors. The exact oncogenic mechanism of this fusion protein is yet to be elucidated. In our previous studies we had noted upregulation of p53 and phosphorylated p53 in tumor samples compared to normal liver tissue without expected p53-induced apoptosis. Since MDM4 (a.k.a. MDMX or HDMX), a known negative regulator of p53, is overexpressed in various human cancers, we sought to examine its role in dysregulation of p53 signaling pathway in FL-HCC containing PRKACA-DNAJB1 fusion. Methods: We analyzed 7 FL-HCC tumors containing DNAJB1-PRKACA fusion protein and 5 non-neoplastic samples. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) on formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded sections was performed using primary anti-MDM4 antibody. Diaminobenzidine (DAB) substrate kit was utilized to detect the signal and the slides were counterstained with hematoxylin. The nuclear MDM4 expression was assessed using immune reactive score (IRS) in a blinded manner. The IRS gives a range of 0-12 as a product of multiplication between positive cells proportion score (0-4) and staining intensity score (0-3). We also analyzed transcript levels of MDM4 from tumor and non-neoplastic liver samples on 4/7 patients. Reactions were performed in duplicates and MDM4 was normalized to GAPDH. Results: We found that the percentage of positive MDM4 cells ranged from 0 to 80 in normal liver samples (5/7 patients) and 10 to 100 in tumor samples (7/7 patients). The IRS score of MDM4 ranged from 0 to 6 in non-neoplastic liver tissue and 2 to 12 in tumor tissue. Statistically, the IRS score of MDM4 protein expression was significantly upregulated in tumor samples in comparison to non-neoplastic samples (P=0.0098). Additionally, the MDM4 transcript levels in 2/4 tumors examined were increased by 2- and 180-fold, respectively, compared to non-neoplastic liver tissue. Conclusion: The overexpression of MDM4 protein in FL-HCC patients with PRKACA-DNAJB1 suggests that the p53 effector function of DNA repair or induction of apoptosis may be dysregulated by increased MDM4 expression. Further studies targeted at blocking MDM4 inhibition of p53 activity in FL-HCC will be important in determining its contribution to tumor cell survival and proliferation. Citation Format: Anju Karki, Juan Putra, Michael LaQuaglia, Antonio Perez-Atayde, Khashayar Vakili. MDM4 expression is increased in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma with PRKACA-DNAJB1 fusion protein [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4150.
Persistent genital arousal disorder: Treatment by neurolysis of dorsal branch of pudendal nerve.

BACKGROUND Persistent genital arousal disorder (PGAD) is a woman's perception that she is in a state of sexual arousal, without the ability of arousal to be satisfied by orgasm. It is the hypothesis of this study that PGAD results from a minimal degree of nerve compression of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve. If this is true, PGAD could be treated by neurolysis of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve. METHODS A retrospective chart review from 2010 through 2018, of those women having neurolysis of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve for PGAD. The main outcome measures were the pre-operative and post-operative changes in clitoral symptoms (arousal, numbness, pain). RESULTS Eight women included in this study were followed more than 26 weeks since surgery (mean = 65, range = 26-144 weeks). Seven of these women had the surgery bilaterally, and each of these had an excellent result, meaning elimination of the arousal symptoms, and the ability to resume normal sexual intercourse. The patient with unilateral decompression of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve was the only patient who had some, versus complete improvement in arousal symptoms. Of the seven women that had pain, six had complete relief and one had partial relief. No major surgical complications were observed. CONCLUSION The relief of arousal symptoms by neurolysis of the dorsal nerve to the clitoris supports the hypothesis that PGAD is due to a minimal degree of compression of the dorsal branch of the pudendal nerve.
Semantic Analysis of Online Dentist Review: Toward Assessing Safety and Quality of Dental Care

Safety and quality measurement of dental care is important but shows a lack of standardized measure concept set. In recent years, patient review websites (PRW) emerged as a widely used platform for health consumers, including dental patients. The massive patient online reviews (POR) are a rich data source that captures various aspects of safety and quality of dental care, such as patient experience, cost, clinical efficiency, outcomes, etc. However, PORs consist of both structured data (e.g., ratings) and unstructured data (e.g., comments in free text). The processing of textual data is costly for traditional qualitative methods. This study aims to jointly leverage automated text processing and expert evaluation to extract safety and quality related semantic information from dental PORs. As an exploratory study, we sampled dental PORs of Los Angeles, California from RateMDs. Using the National Quality Measures Clearinghouse (NQMC) domain framework as a reference, we identified salient topics relating to clinical quality measures (e.g., patient experience), healthcare delivery measures (e.g., cost, management), etc. We also identified topics relevant to safety and quality but were not covered by any domains of NQMC, suggesting a possible gap of concepts. Finally, our study demonstrated great potential of adopting informatics, specifically, social media computing in POR study of dental care.
More Auspicious Shores: Barbadian Migration to Liberia, Blackness, and the Making of an African Republic

More Auspicious Shores chronicles the migration of Afro-Barbadians to Liberia. In 1865, 346 Afro-Barbadians fled a failed post-emancipation Caribbean for the independent black republic of Liberia. They saw Liberia as a means of achieving their post-emancipation goals and promoting a pan-Africanist agenda while simultaneously fulfilling their 'civilizing' and 'Christianizing' duties. Through a close examination of the Afro-Barbadians, Caree A. Banton provides a transatlantic approach to understanding the political and sociocultural consequences of their migration and settlement in Africa. Banton reveals how, as former British subjects, Afro-Barbadians navigated an inherent tension between ideas of pan-Africanism and colonial superiority. Upon their arrival in Liberia, an English imperial identity distinguished the Barbadians from African Americans and secured them privileges in the Republic's hierarchy above the other group. By fracturing assumptions of a homogeneous black identity, Banton ultimately demonstrates how Afro-Barbadian settlement in Liberia influenced ideas of blackness in the Atlantic World.
The Effect of Acutely Administered Propofol on Forced Swim Test Outcomes in Mice

Objective: Propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) is a gamma-aminobutyric acid type A agonist intravenous anesthetic agent used in outpatient settings. Based on anecdotal reports of improved mood in humans following propofol-induced anesthesia, the impact of acute propofol treatment alone or in combination with subchronic fluoxetine dosing was tested on forced swim test (FST) performance. Design: Seventy-two adult male mice (C57/BL6, CRL-provided) were pretreated daily with saline or fluoxetine (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) (21 days for cohort 1; 24 days for cohort 2). At 24 hours after the last pretreatment injection, the mice received saline or propofol (35 or 50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally). Then, 45 minutes later, the mice underwent a five-minute FST. Immobility time was quantified and evaluated with a custom video-analysis software program. Results: A one-way analysis of variance indicated statistically significant effects of propofol on immobility time in cohorts 1 and 2. A comparison performed using Dunnett's method revealed that propofol 50 mg/kg (p < 0.05) but not 35 mg/kg (p = not significant) reduced immobility time as compared with in the saline-saline control group (difference between means of 38.42 and 16.46 seconds, respectively). Conclusion: In comparison with saline, propofol significantly decreased immobility time during the FST, which models depression and resilience to stress. Our preclinical results are consistent with a small open-label study of propofol used in treatment-resistant depression recently reported by Mickey BJ, White AT, Arp AM, et al (2018). Further investigation of propofol regarding its potential antidepressant effects seems warranted.
Retrospective analysis of sharps injuries among medical students and residents

Background: Medical students and residents are at higher risk of sharps injuries (SIs) as a result of various factors, including the lack of experience, skills, technical expertise and risk perception. SIs place these individuals at higher risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus. There is a wealth of research regarding SIs among health-care workers who are professionals/employees, but not as much among medical students and residents. Aim: The aim of this retrospective analysis was to analyse the various factors and relationships between sharps injuries and medical students/residents at a University in the United States. Methods: The sharps injuries exposure logs of medical students and residents at the University, from 2006 January to September 2018, were analysed using SPSS software. Results: Residents had a higher rate of SIs versus medical students. The prevalence percentage of SIs among residents was 10.99%, whereas 2.22% in medical students. SIs increased with the number of training years among medical students and residents, especially among residents in and after their 5th year. July and September had the highest frequency of SIs. Suture and hollow-bore needles were the most common medical device associated with SIs among medical students and residents, whereas, among the residents, scalpel blades and surgical instruments were also frequently encountered. Conclusion: Medical schools and training hospitals could use this information to formulate plans and policies in the training of medical students and residents to reduce the risk of SIs among these groups.
ENCUENTROS: Decolonizing the Academy and Mobilizing for Justice:

In this article, we try to capture a moment when we were relatively steady in our belief that as persons working in/through the academy, we are accountable to the temblores, to take up the project ...
High-Frequency Evaluation of Two-Level Voltage-Source and Current-Source Inverters with Different Output Cables

Overvoltages and other transient phenomena caused by the fast switching characteristics of wide-bandgap (WBG) power switches in hard-switched voltage-source inverters (VSIs) has raised concerns about their use in motor drives. A comparative study of the transient phenomena in WBG-based two-level VSIs and current-source inverters (CSIs) has been carried out using different lengths of non-shielded and shielded cables to connect the inverter and machine. Experimental test results are presented that highlight the transient phenomena of the two inverters during machine excitation. Overvoltages and capacitive charging currents at multiple locations in the motor drive system are documented, including conducted common-mode (CM) EMI and dc bus leakage current. The results highlight advantages of CSIs over VSIs for reducing transient overvoltages, charging current spikes, and CM EMI, particularly for long cables.
Walking the popular education spiral - an account and analysis of participatory action research with teacher activists

This article features an account and analysis of a participatory action research (PAR) project that involved the author and five teacher activist co-researchers. This piece has two principal aims. ...
Effective Purification of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals with High Quantum Yield and High Colloidal Stability via Gel Permeation Chromatography

Inorganic halide perovskites such as CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) have emerged as an intriguing alternative to chalcogenide and pnictide nanocrystals due to their ease of preparation, narrow emission pea...
Cancer, cognition, and COVID: delivering direct-to-home teleneuropsychology services to neuro-oncology patients

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic induced rapid adoption of telemedicine services for neuro-oncology patients at an increased risk of infection. Neuropsychological assessment is important to neuro-oncology care yet challenging to complete outside of a structured testing environment. Teleneuropsychology (TNP) has been explored in limited populations and proven feasible and reliable. Conducting TNP visits directly to patients' home (DTH) had minimal prior study. Methods: We used two voluntary surveys to examine acceptance (patients) and feasibility (providers) of DTH-TNP at two regionally diverse medical institutions providing neuropsychological services to neuro-oncology patients from April to September 2020. Results: A total of 119 patients were scheduled during the study period, 79 of whom completed neuropsychological testing via DTH-TNP. Neuropsychology providers completed surveys on 68 of these encounters (86%). In 98% of cases, neuropsychologists were able to achieve or partially achieve the individually defined goals of their assessment. Common problems reported included patient dysregulation (16%) and slow/unreliable internet (15%). Of the 52 patients who responded, 98% were satisfied with the DTH-TNP experience, and 92% would recommend the virtual visit to others. All respondents felt understood by the examiner (100%) and the majority denied technical difficulties (90%), communication challenges (94%), or privacy concerns (98%). Patients reported reduced risk of infection and saved travel time as favorable aspects of DTH-TNP. Conclusions: These preliminary results suggest neuro-oncology patients find DTH-TNP acceptable and neuropsychologists find it a feasible practice, while also recognizing its limitations. Results suggest that further study of DTH-TNP (eg, reliability, validity) for neuro-oncology patients is warranted.
Generation Gaps Revisited

Abstract There has been a lot of recent interest in so-called “steady state” genetic algorithms (GAs) which, among other things, replace only a few individuals (typically 1 or 2) each generation from a fixed size population of size N. Understanding the advantages and/or disadvantages of replacing only a fraction of the population each generation (rather than the entire population) was a goal of some of the earliest GA research. In spite of considerable progress in our understanding of GAs since then, the pros/cons of overlapping generations remains a somewhat cloudy issue. However, recent theoretical and empirical results provide the background for a much clearer understanding of this issue. In this paper we review, combine, and extend these results in a way that significantly sharpens our insight.
Estrogen withdrawal in chick oviduct. Characterization of RNA synthesized in isolated nuclei using a mercurated precursor.

Abstract 1. As a prerequisite for analyzing the effect of estrogen on transcription in chick oviduct, we describe suitable methods for the synthesis (under conditions restricting reinitiation), and isolation of RNA transcripts from oviduct nuclei in vitro, utilizing mercurated UTP (Hg-UTP) as an RNA precursor and chromatography on sulphydryl-Sepharose (SH-Sepharose) to recover mercurated RNA (Hg-RNA). The techniques described include treatment of Hg-RNA with p- hydroxymercuribenzoate , to improve the efficiency of binding to SH-Sepharose, and elution of Hg-RNA from SH-Sepharose after treatment with 60% formamide at 90°C, to eliminate contamination by aggregated nucleic acid. 2. RNA synthesized by endogenous form B RNA polymerase (using either UTP or Hg-UTP as precursor) was recovered in nuclear lysates in the form of 30–85-S heterogeneous RNA · protein complexes, and after removal of protein, was 10–12 S in size. 3. The nature of RNA transcripts synthesized in vitro was examined by hybridization. More than 90% of the RNA was complementary to “unique” DNA sequences, and 50–60% of the hybridized RNA could be competed with homologous, steady-state nuclear RNA, indicating a significant degree of homology between in vitro transcripts and in vivo RNA. The level of homology was similar whether RNA synthesis was performed in low salt, or in high salt in the presence of heparin. Possible reasons for only partial competition in these experiments are discussed. 4. Withdrawal of estrogen from chicks leads to a 50% reduction in endogenous RNA polymerase activities in nuclei within 48 h. Similar levels of competition with Hg-RNA transcripts for “unique” DNA were obtained using oviduct nuclear RNAs isolated before or after estrogen withdrawal, and even with liver nuclear RNA. Thus, in oviduct, those sequences present in primary transcripts, and analyzed under our experimental conditions, are present in different hormonal states and also in other chick tissues.
Occam factors and model independent Bayesian learning of continuous distributions

Learning of a smooth but nonparametric probability density can be regularized using methods of quantum field theory. We implement a field theoretic prior numerically, test its efficacy, and show that the data and the phase space factors arising from the integration over the model space determine the free parameter of the theory ~‘‘smoothness scale’’ ! self-consistently. This persists even for distributions that are atypical in the prior and is a step towards a model independent theory for learning continuous distributions. Finally, we point out that a wrong parametrization of a model family may sometimes be advantageous for small data sets.
Prospects for Trade in the North American Steel Industry

This steel industry was selected for this study because it is a major basic industry in each of the three countries and because the industry faces intense global trade competition. This paper briefly reviews the technologial and operational differences between minimills and integrated mills. Also, the evolution of global steel demand is related and compared to industry structure in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. "Finally, empirically estimated price and income elasticies are used to evaluate the impact of changes in export and import voluntes by product line that have occurred in the United States and Canada following the US-Canada Free Trade Agreement. By reviewing the recent changes in trade patterns following the 1989 implementation of that Agreement, projections may be made about the impact of NAFTA on the steel industry in the three countries.
Allosteric properties of a pyruvate kinase isoenzyme from rat liver cells in culture.

Abstract A cell-line in culture derived from adult rat liver was used as a source of a pyruvate kinase isoenzyme (PK-III) for kinetic studies. The culture conditions of the cells were found to affect the kinetic properties of the enzyme in a crude preparation. When the enzyme was extracted from cells maintained without glucose in the medium the substrate-velocity curve with phosphoenolpyruvate was sigmoidal in shape with an apparent Km of 0.33 mm. However, when the enzyme was extracted from cells maintained in the presence of glucose up to the time of harvest the substrate-velocity curve was hyperbolic with an apparent Km of 0.05 mm. These two forms have been designated PK-IIIa and PK-IIIb, respectively, and appear to be the same as two similar forms known to exist in adipose tissue. Differences in inhibition by ATP and the amino acids l-alanine and l-phenylalanine were found. The IIIa form of the enzyme was more susceptible to the inhibitors than the IIIb form. Fructose diphosphate was able to relieve amino acid inhibition of PK-IIIb but not of PK-IIIa. The two forms of the enzyme were found to be interconvertible in vitro. The A to B transition could be mediated by fructose-P2 or by magnesium ions, whilst the B to A transition was mediated by EDTA, ATP, or citrate. The possible role of these two forms of the enzyme in metabolic regulation is discussed with the proposal that PK-IIIa is the inactive form of the enzyme and must be converted to PK-IIIb for enzyme activity.
Bacteria important during winemaking.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the bacteria that are important during winemaking. Numerous bacterial species are present during the vinification process. The extent to which these species grow determines the types and concentrations of many substances that contribute to the aroma and flavor of a wine. Growth of bacterial species, such as Acetobacter / Gluconobacter , Lactobacillus , and Pediococcus , may cause spoilage of a wine through the production of off-flavors and aromas. Certain bacterial strains produce substances in wine such as biogenic amines and ethyl carbamate precursors that are of public health concern. Many interactions occur between different bacterial species and with the wine yeast Saccharomyce s. These interactions may be beneficial or detrimental to wine quality depending on the species involved. The chapter discusses the impact of the microorganisms on wine quality, public health concerns, and the interactions that occur between these microorganisms and Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Future research should include investigating the contribution of malolactic bacteria to wine flavor, the impact of Pediococcus species on the sensory qualities of wine, and the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of Saccharomyces by Lactobacillus species and the inhibition of malolactic fermentation by wine yeast.
Deposition of Particles in Human Mouth-Throat Replicas and a USP Induction Port.

Abstract Background: Oral inhalation is the common route of drug delivery to pulmonary airways. In general, deposition in the oropharyngeal airways from a drug-delivery device makes up a substantial portion of the emitted dose, which affects the dose delivered to the lung. Studies with airway replicas made from cadaver or magnetic resonance imaging scans show that for micrometer-sized particles, impaction is the dominant deposition mechanism. Several deposition studies in oropharyngeal replicas found that the deposition efficiency can be correlated with the mouth inlet velocity and inlet mouthpiece diameter. Other studies show that the deposition efficiency is best correlated with the mean diameter of internal geometry and the mean velocity based on the mean diameter. Method: We investigated the mouth inlet diameter, as well as internal airway dimensions and their influence on oropharyngeal deposition based on experimental data from this study. Several human oropharyngeal replicas with different mouth inl...
Genotyping of Mycoplasma pneumoniae isolates using real‐time PCR and high‐resolution melt analysis

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is an important respiratory pathogen, accounting for up to 25% of community-acquired pneumonia, and is a common cause of hospitalized pneumonia in otherwise healthy adults and children. Mycoplasma pneumoniae isolates can be classified into two main genomic groups (type 1 and type 2) based on sequence variation within the gene encoding the major adhesion molecule P1. Although numerous publications have described real-time PCR assays for the detection of M. pneumoniae, none has been able to discriminate the two genomic types. Here, a real-time PCR assay that can distinguish each type of M. pneumoniae utilizing high-resolution melt-curve analysis is reported. Using this method, 102 isolates obtained from patients from 1965 to the present, including those from recent outbreaks, were typed along with reference strains M129 (type 1) and FH (type 2). The results show that 55 isolates (54%) can be classified as type 1 and 47 isolates (46%) as type 2, and 100% correlation was demonstrated when compared with a standard PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism typing procedure. Typing of isolates obtained from recent outbreaks in the USA has revealed the presence of both types. This assay provides a rapid, reliable and convenient method for typing M. pneumoniae isolates and may be useful for surveillance purposes and epidemiological investigations, and may provide insight into the biology of M. pneumoniae distribution within populations.
The Dynamic Structure of Arterioles

Arterioles are the blood vessels in the arterial side of the vascular tree that are located proximal to the capillaries and, in conjunction with the terminal arteries, provide the majority of resistance to blood flow. Consequently, arterioles are important contributors to the regulation of mean arterial pressure and tissue perfusion. Their wall consists of cellular and extracellular components that have been traditionally classified as conforming three layers: an intima containing endothelial cells sited on a basement membrane; a media made of an internal elastic lamina apposed by one or two layers of smooth muscle; and an adventitia composed mostly of collagen bundles, nerve endings and some fibroblasts. These components of the arteriolar wall are dynamically interconnected, providing a level of plasticity to the arteriolar wall that blurs the traditional boundaries of a rigid layered classification. This MiniReview focuses on the structural conformation of the arteriolar wall and shows how wall components interact spatially, functionally and temporally to control vascular diameter, regulate blood flow and maintain vascular permeability.
Distinct Roles in Lymphoid Organogenesis for Lymphotoxins α and β Revealed in Lymphotoxin β–Deficient Mice

Abstract Lymphotoxin α (LTα)–deficient mice revealed critical roles for LTα in lymphoid organogenesis, but it is not clear whether LTα functions through an LTα homotrimer (LTα 3 ) or LTα/β heterotrimers. We generated LTβ-deficient mice and found them to lack Peyer's patches, peripheral lymph nodes, splenic germinal centers, and follicular dendritic cells. Unlike LTα-deficient mice, LTβ-deficient mice had cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes. Furthermore, the mesenteric lymph nodes had germinal center–like regions, although these structures appeared to lack follicular dendritic cells. The absence of cervical and mesenteric lymph nodes in LTα-deficient mice, and yet their presence in LTβ-deficient mice and in mice deficient in tumor necrosis factor receptor types I and II, suggest that LTα 3 may signal via an as yet unidentified receptor.
Predominant leg pain is associated with better surgical outcomes in degenerative spondylolisthesis and spinal stenosis: results from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT).

Study design As-treated analysis of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial. Objective To compare baseline characteristics and surgical and nonoperative outcomes in degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS) and spinal stenosis (SpS) patients stratified by predominant pain location (i.e., leg vs. back). Summary of background data Evidence suggests that DS and SpS patients with predominant leg pain may have better surgical outcomes than patients with predominant low back pain (LBP). Methods The DS cohort included 591 patients (62% underwent surgery), and the SpS cohort included 615 patients (62% underwent surgery). Patients were classified as leg pain predominant, LBP predominant, or having equal pain according to baseline pain scores. Baseline characteristics were compared between the 3 predominant pain location groups within each diagnostic category, and changes in surgical and nonoperative outcome scores were compared for 2 years. Longitudinal regression models including baseline covariates were used to control for confounders. Results Among DS patients at baseline, 34% had predominant leg pain, 26% had predominant LBP, and 40% had equal pain. Similarly, 32% of SpS patients had predominant leg pain, 26% had predominant LBP, and 42% had equal pain. DS and SpS patients with predominant leg pain had baseline scores indicative of less severe symptoms. Leg pain predominant DS and SpS patients treated surgically improved significantly more than LBP predominant patients on all primary outcome measures at 1 and 2 years. Surgical outcomes for the equal pain groups were intermediate to those of the predominant leg pain and LBP groups. The differences in nonoperative outcomes were less consistent. Conclusion. Predominant leg pain patients improved significantly more with surgery than predominant LBP patients. However, predominant LBP patients still improved significantly more with surgery than with nonoperative treatment.
Domain is a moving target for relational learning

The domain for relational learning was manipulated by varying the training set size for pigeons that had learned the same/different (S/D) concept. Six pigeons that had learned a S/D task with pairs of pictures with a set size of 1024 picture items had their training set size reduced to 8 items. Training on the reduced 8-item set was followed by transfer testing that was repeated four times. Transfer performance following reduction of the training set to 8 items was 9.2% less than it had been when the pigeons were trained with the 1024-item set, but 25.8% above chance. This partial abstract-concept learning remained constant over the four tests with novel stimuli. The results show that a broad domain established by a large expanding training set can once again become restricted by further training with a small training set.
Experimental study of directional solidification of aqueous ammonium chloride solution

Directional solidification experiments have been carried out using the analog casting system of NH4Cl-H2O solution by cooling it from below with a constant-temperature surface ranging from -31.5 C to +11.9 C. The NH4Cl concentration was 26 percent in all solutions, with a liquidus temperature of 15 C. It was found that finger convection occurred in the fluid region just above the mushy layer in all experiments. Plume convection with associated chimneys in the mush occurred in experiments with bottom temperatures as high as +11.0 C. However, when the bottom temperature was raised to +11.9 C, no plume convection was observed, although finger convection continued as usual. A method has been devised to determine the porosity of the mush by computed tomography. Using the mean value of the porosity across the mush layer and the permeability calculated by the Kozeny-Carman relationship, the critical solute Rayleigh number across the mush layer for onset of plume convection was estimated to be between 200 and 250.
Natural selective attention: orienting and emotion

The foundations of orienting and attention are hypothesized to stem from activation of defensive and appetitive motivational systems that evolved to protect and sustain the life of the individual. Motivational activation initiates a cascade of perceptual and motor processes that facilitate the selection of appropriate behavior. Among these are detection of significance, indexed by a late centro-parietal positivity in the event-related potential, enhanced perceptual processing, indexed by a initial cardiac deceleration, and preparation for action, indexed by electrodermal changes. Data exploring the role of stimulus novelty and significance in orienting are presented that indicate different components of the orienting response habituate at different rates. Taken together, it is suggested that orienting is mediated by activation of fundamental motivational systems that have evolved to support survival.
Optical absorption spectra, crystal-field analysis, and electric dipole intensity parameters for europium in Na3[En(ODA)3]-2NaClO4·6H2O

Locations and assignments of 61 crystal-field levels are reported for Eu3+ in the trigonal Na3[Eu(oxydiacetate)3]· 2NaClO46H2O system. These energy levels span the 0-37400 cm− energy region, and they were located and assigned from optical emission spectra and from axial and orthoaxial (σ and π-polarized) absorption measurements on single crystals. The assigned crystal-field levels span 22 different multiplet manifolds, with principal parentages derived from seven different f6 Russell-Saunders terms (2F, 5D, 5L, 5H, 5F, 5I, and 5K). The assigned levels are analyzed in terms of a 26-parameter electronic Hamiltonian in which six of the parameters are defined to represent the 4f-electron/crystal-field interactions for Eu3+ ions located at sites with trigonal dihedral (D3) symmetry. Quantitative line intensities are reported for 39 individual 4f→4f (crystal-field) transitions observed in the low-temperature (10 K) absorption spectra, and these intensity data are analyzed in terms of a general parametric model for 4f→4f transition intensities in lanthanide systems. The energy and intensity parameterizations provide a basis for calculating the 4f→4f absorption spectra of Eu3+ in Na3[Eu(oxydiacetate)3]· 2NaClO4·6H2O over a wide spectral range and excellent agreement between calculated and experimentally measured spectra is obtained. Several of the intensity parameters determined to be important in this study carry information of particular significance to understanding the structural and mechanisticbases of lanthanid
Association in Long-Evans hooded rats of red cell 2,3-diphosphoglycerate levels with hemoglobin types

Two sublines of commercially available Long-Evans hooded rats have been developed by genetic selection. These sublines have widely differing levels of erythrocyte 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) due to different alleles at a single genetic locus. In the present work, it is shown that rats from the commercial population are also polymorphic at a hemoglobin locus, probably involving two alleles of the IIIβ-globin chain locus. Particular hemoglobin types have been found to be strongly associated with certain DPG types, not only in the high-DPG and low-DPG lines but also in the commercial population. Two explanations for this association are considered. One is a single-locus hypothesis, with hemoglobin allelic variation causing DPG variation, and the other is a two-locus hypothesis, with marked linkage disequilibrium.
The difference in microwave oven ownership and use in London, U.K. and Atlanta, Georgia

In the present study of microwave oven ownership and use, three hypotheses were tested with data from 100 households in London, U.K. and 100 households in Atlanta, Georgia. The data were collected with a survey instrument administered by door-to-door interviews. The results of the study show that microwave owners are younger, have higher incomes, Larger families, and are more innovative than non-owners. The study also revealed that country of residence made a great difference in level of use. Households from Atlanta, Georgia, are younger, have larger families, have microwaves with many more features, and have owned a microwave longer than low level microwave users. The research reinforces the need for cross-cultural studies of this type.
Developing sampling plans for spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae): those who don't remember the past may have to repeat it.

Data from 13 literature sources were used to develop bootstrap estimates of Taylor coefficients for two different species groups of spider mites. These generic coefficients were used to develop constant precision and binomial sampling plans that were tested with a data set of five different species collected from eight different crops. For both sampling plans, acceptable precision and estimates of mean population levels were obtained with the generic Taylor coefficients. The existence of generic parameters may speed technology transfer from larger, better-studied systems to minor crop systems.