cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Agricultural Biotechnology, Socioeconomic Issues, and the Fourth Criterion

Introduction The Fourth Criterion Farmers, Rural Communities, and the Food System Agribusiness and Industry Consumers Science and Technology Transfer Developing Countries and the Global Economy Strategies for Incorporating the Fourth Criterion Keywords: agricultural biotechnology
Pesticide Exposure and Heat Exhaustion in a Migrant Agricultural Worker: A Case of Labor Trafficking

To our knowledge, there are no published reports of heat exhaustion and pesticide exposure in a labor trafficked patient in the literature. Here we represent the case of J.C.J.L., who was labor trafficked. He presented to a local emergency department with heat exhaustion and pesticide exposure related to working conditions in a Mississippi corn field. Unfortunately, while he received medical treatment, his labor trafficking condition was missed. Emergency departments should be equipped to assess for human trafficking and connect trafficked persons with the resources they need. Emergency physicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for human trafficking among migrant workers presenting with occupation-related complaints.
Abstract 232: Comprehensive metabolic profiling and vulnerabilities to metabolic inhibitors among small cell lung cancer subtypes

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine tumor that constitutes approximately 14% of all lung cancers diagnosed in the United States. Despite recent advances in treatment options, recurrence is a major challenge and long-term survival remains poor underscoring the importance of investigating mechanisms of treatment resistance and therapeutic strategies. Interestingly, our laboratory has recently uncovered evidence for the classification of SCLC into distinct subtypes, each with unique gene expression patterns and therapeutic vulnerabilities. These subtypes are characterized by differential expression of the transcription factors ASCL1, NEUROD1, or POU2F3. A fourth subtype is negative for all three transcription factors and has prominent expression of immune genes, thus is termed the Inflamed subtype. These subtypes are associated with differences in drug sensitivity, biomarker signatures, and mechanisms of cellular growth. One facet of tumor biology that has not been explored across the subtypes, or in SCLC in general, is the metabolic mechanisms of energy generation. Although metabolic reprogramming from mitochondrial respiration to glycolysis is considered a major hallmark of cancer, increasing evidence suggests that mitochondrial or amino acid dependencies may also contribute to treatment resistance. Therefore, understanding the metabolic demand, particularly among the subtypes, is critical for the development of new therapies. To address this, gene set enrichment analysis was applied to 81 human SCLC tumors categorized by subtype, and revealed differential gene expression correlating to pathways such as fatty acid metabolism in POU2F3 and reactive oxygen species in Inflamed that was confirmed by reverse phase protein analysis (RPPA). Further, we evaluated nutrient requirements, glycolysis dependence, and mitochondrial function in human SCLC cell lines and found differences in glucose uptake and subsequent lactate generation between the subtypes suggesting that glycolysis inhibition may be effective in particular subsets. Based on this, we then tested the efficacy of PFK-158 (glycolysis inhibitor) on cellular proliferation and metabolic function in these cell lines, which revealed variations in susceptibility dependent on subtype classification. Together, this data serves to enhance the current understanding of SCLC mechanisms of growth and provides evidence for metabolic inhibition as a potential therapeutic opportunity. Citation Format: Kasey R. Cargill, Carl M. Gay, Robert J. Cardnell, You-Hong Fan, Qi Wang, Lixia Diao, Jing Wang, Lauren A. Byers. Comprehensive metabolic profiling and vulnerabilities to metabolic inhibitors among small cell lung cancer subtypes [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 232.
The intersection between integrative medicine and neuropathic pain: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Neuropathic pain is a debilitating condition caused by lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system. Integrative modalities such as yoga, acupuncture, and massage are evidenced therapies for pain management. Additionally, medical cannabis and cannabinoids are emerging therapies for treatment of neuropathic pain (4,28). The authors of this study report a case of chronic neuropathic pain treated with integrative interventions. Case Presentation The patient is a 71-year-old female with a past medical history of chronic neuropathic pain in her lower back and legs, degenerative arthritis, restless leg syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, and severe, chronic anxiety, presenting with worsening neuropathic pain. After over a decade of unsuccessful allopathic treatment, the patient sought out a more integrative approach to her pain management. A regimen of acupuncture, massage, gentle yoga, and medical cannabis was recommended. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to continue most of the integrative modalities and reported a significant increase in pain. The patient then joined a weekly Mind and Body program and began acupuncture treatments again, reporting a steady improvement in pain. Conclusion The patient's chronic neuropathic pain was effectively treated using an integrative approach, with a combination of acupuncture, massage, yoga, mind-body approaches, and medical cannabis. While this case originally presented similarly to other cases of chronic neuropathic pain, it is unique in that it demonstrates the importance of an individualized complex approach, highlighting the patient's driven engagement in integrative modalities and medical cannabis.
Harnessing Nutrition and Physical Activity for Breast Cancer Prevention and Control to Reduce Racial/Ethnic Cancer Health Disparities

There are well-known racial/ethnic disparities in the prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity, as well as breast cancer risk and survival. However, most of the current scientific evidence that serves as a foundation for nutrition and physical activity guidelines is based on studies conducted in predominantly non-Hispanic White populations. Similarly, exercise, diet, or lifestyle intervention trials for breast cancer prevention and survivorship are scarce in racial/ethnic minority populations. We review the current evidence for racial/ethnic disparities in obesity and breast cancer risk and survival (we are focusing on obesity, because this is considered an ASCO priority, and studies conducted in the United States), discuss the evolution of nutrition/physical activity guidelines for cancer prevention and control, and provide an overview of lifestyle interventions, including barriers and facilitators in implementation and dissemination science among minority populations underrepresented in research. There is a critical need to include racially/ethnically diverse populations in cancer prevention and control research or to specifically target minority populations in which disparities are known to exist to achieve much needed health equity.
MMSE Bounds Under Kullback–Leibler Divergence Constraints on the Joint Input-Output Distribution

This paper proposes new lower and upper bounds on the minimum mean squared error (MMSE). The key idea is to minimize/maximize the MMSE subject to the constraint that the joint distribution of the input-output statistics lies in a Kullback–Leibler divergence ball centered at some Gaussian distribution. The bounds are shown to hold for a larger family of distributions than the Cramer–Rao bound and are shown to be sharper than the Cramer–Rao bound in some regimes.
Diagnosing Acute Heart Failure in the Pediatric Emergency Department Using Point-of-Care Ultrasound.

Abstract Background Acute heart failure (AHF) in children is associated with significant disease burden with high rates of morbidity, mortality, and resource utilization. These children often present to the emergency department with clinical features that mimic common childhood illnesses. Cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can be an effective tool for rapidly identifying abnormal cardiac function. Case Reports This case series documents 10 children presenting with AHF between 2016 and 2019 and demonstrates how pediatric emergency physicians used cardiac POCUS to expedite their diagnosis, management, and disposition. All cardiac POCUS was performed before comprehensive echocardiograms were completed. One case is described in detail; the other cases are summarized in a Table. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Early recognition of AHF is critical to reduce pediatric morbidity and mortality. With proper training, cardiac POCUS can be an effective adjunct and should be considered for the early diagnosis and treatment of infants and children with AHF.
Emergence of seasonal delay of tropical rainfall during 1979–2019

Tropical rainfall exhibits a prominent annual cycle, with characteristic amplitude and phase representing the range between wet and dry seasons and their onset timing, respectively. Previous studies note enhanced amplitude over ocean and delayed phase over land in model projections of global warming, underpinned by first-order physical principles. However, it is unclear whether these changes have emerged in observations. Here we use gridded precipitation datasets to report a seasonal delay of 4.1 ± 1.1 and 4.2 ± 0.9 days (P < 0.05) during 1979–2019 over the northern tropical land and Sahel, respectively. Most of the delay is driven by external forcings, dominated by greenhouse gases (GHG) and anthropogenic aerosols (AER). Increasing GHG and decreasing AER in the recent decades delay rainfall by producing a moister atmosphere, thus increasing its lag in response to seasonal solar forcing. As GHG increase and AER decrease, these seasonal delays are projected to further amplify in the future. Tropical rainfall exhibits cyclic north–south migration tracking the warmer hemisphere, and climate warming will delay this seasonally over land. Climate models and gridded precipitation data suggest a delay of about 4 days since 1979 is now detectable over Northern Hemisphere land and the Sahel.
Family history of asthma influences outpatient respiratory outcomes in children with BPD

Introduction Preterm children with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are at increased risk for intermittent and chronic respiratory symptoms during childhood and adult life. Identifying children at higher risk for respiratory morbidities in the outpatient setting could help improve long-term outcomes. In this study, we hypothesized that a family history of asthma (FHA) is a risk factor for higher acute care usage and respiratory symptoms in preterm infants/children with BPD, following initial discharge home. Methods Subjects were recruited from the Johns Hopkins Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia outpatient clinic between January 2008 and February 2020 (n = 827). Surveys were administered to caregivers and demographics and clinical characteristics were obtained through chart review. Results Demographic features associated with FHA included public health insurance, lower median household income, and nonwhite race. Children with FHA had higher odds of emergency department (ED) visits, systemic steroid use, nighttime respiratory symptoms, and activity limitations. There was no association between FHA and BPD severity. Conclusion This study found that children with BPD and FHA were more likely to have respiratory symptoms and acute care usage during the first 3 years of life and that FHA was associated with lower socioeconomic status. Although there was no association between FHA and BPD severity, FHA could predict an increased likelihood of both ED visits and need for systemic steroids in infants/children with BPD followed in the outpatient setting.
International Public Procurement: Innovation and Knowledge Sharing

Public procurement is continuing to evolve both conceptually and organizationally. That evolution accelerated since the 1990s as governments at all levels came under increasing pressures to “do more with less.” Indeed, all governmental entities of rich and poor countries are struggling in the face of: unrelenting budget constraints; government downsizing; public demand for increased transparency in public procurement; and greater concerns about efficiency, fairness, and equity. In addition, public procurement professionals have faced a constantly changing environment typified by rapidly emerging technologies, increasing product choice, environmental concerns, and the complexities of international and regional trading agreements. Further, policy makers have increasingly used public procurement as a tool to achieve socioeconomic goals.
Vedolizumab: A New Opponent in the Battle Against Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are chronic inflammatory disorders affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that encompass Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). In these disease sta...
THE EFFECT OF MEASLES, GAMMA GLOBULIN MODIFIED MEASLES, AND ATTENUATED MEASLES VACCINE ON THE COURSE OF TREATED TUBERCULOSIS IN CHILDREN.

1. Wild measles in our series of INH-treated children with tuberculosis exerted a deleterious effect on the course of the tuberculosis. 2. Gamma globulin modified measles had a similar effect on the course of tuberculosis. 3. The effect of measles on the tuberculosis appeared 2 weeks to 3 months after the measles, manifesting itself as an increased pulmonary infiltration or as an increased number of gastric washings positive for M. tuberculosis. 4. These relapses occurred at about the time or soon after the time when the depressed tuberculin reactivity returned to its original positive state. 5. Vaccine measles caused by live attenuated measles vaccine did not produce any evident deleterious effect on the course of childhood tuberculosis while under isoniazid therapy. The effect of vaccine measles on the course of untreated tuberculosis is not known. 6. Where feasible, children in high risk areas should be checked for tuberculosis before being given live attenuated measles vaccine. If tuberculosis is found, at least 4 months of isoniazid therapy is recommended after administration of live measles vaccine.
Patterns of Use of Topical Skin Adhesives in the Emergency Department

Objectives: The objective was to determine patterns of use of topical skin adhesives (TSA) for laceration repair. The authors hypothesized that TSA use would be more common in children and facial lacerations. Methods: This was a structured retrospective chart review. The setting was a suburban, university-based emergency department (ED) with an emergency medicine (EM) residency; the annual census is 85,000 visits. Charts from consecutive patients presenting with lacerations in the summer of 2008 (June 2008 through August 2008) were reviewed. Demographic, clinical, and wound characteristics were extracted from electronic medical records by trained investigators using structured data collection forms. Characteristics of lacerations repaired with TSA or other closure devices were compared with bivariate and multivariate analyses using odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: A total of 755 patients presented to the ED with lacerations over the study period, of whom primary closure was used in 667; nine were excluded because the method of closure was unknown. The most common methods of laceration closure were sutures (485), adhesives (88), and staples (86). Adhesives were used to close 27% of facial lacerations, compared to 4% of all other body locations (difference = 23%, 95% CI = 18% to 29%), and in 20% of pediatric versus 8% of adult lacerations (difference = 13%, 95% CI = 7% to 18%). Adjustment for other potential patient and wound characteristics showed that adhesives were more likely to be used to close facial lacerations (OR = 10.0 CI, 95% CI = 5.5 to 18.0) and lacerations in children (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = 1.1 to 3.0) and less likely to be used as laceration length increased (OR = 0.6, 95% CI = 0.4 to 0.8). Adhesive use was not statistically associated with patient sex or race, laceration edges or shape, or the need for deep sutures. Forty-three percent of adhesive wounds were closed with no anesthetic, and a topical agent was used in another 48%. In contrast, a local anesthetic agent was injected in 87% of sutured wounds (p < 0.001) and 73% of stapled wounds (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Topical skin adhesives are used more often for children, facial lacerations, and short lacerations. Use of adhesives may improve patient comfort as need for injecting a local anesthetic is reduced. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:670–672 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Structural defect characterization of silicon dendritic web ribbons

An EBIC study of the cross section of silicon dendritic web ribbon has revealed that recombination-active structural defects are mainly concentrated in the inner part of the ribbon, particularly at and near the twin plane, whereas the material near the surface has significantly fewer defects. An analysis of the distribution of etch pits due to slip dislocations created by shear stress indicates that a minimum in the dislocation density is frequently observed in the ribbon adjacent to the dendrite.
Steal this movie - automatically bypassing DRM protection in streaming media services

Streaming movies online is quickly becoming the way in which users access video entertainment. This has been powered by the ubiquitous presence of the Internet and the availability of a number of hardware platforms that make access to movies convenient. Often, video-on-demand services use a digital rights management system to prevent the user from duplicating videos because much of the economic model of video stream services relies on the fact that the videos cannot easily be saved to permanent storage and (illegally) shared with other customers. In this paper, we introduce a general memory-based approach that circumvents the protections deployed by popular video-on-demand providers. We apply our approach to four different examples of streaming services: Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, Spotify, and Netflix and we demonstrate that, by using our technique, it is possible to break DRM protection in a semi-automated way.
Politics, institutional structures, and the rise of economics: A comparative study

Our modernity has been a witness to the dramatic rise of economics around the world. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, the study of the economy has evolved from a loose discursive "field," with no clear and identifiable boundaries, into a fully "professionalized" enterprise, relying on both a coherent and highly formalized disciplinary framework, and extensive practical claims in administrative, business, and mass media institutions. Perhaps more than any other form of knowledge, economics has participated in the rationalization of our "life-world," to use Habermas's phrase, by extending its logic into ever more remote areas of our everyday experience. At first glance, the expansion of the discourse and profession of economics may be understood as a fairly homogeneous, world-level, trend of societal rationalization. Certainly, the dominant intellectual form in economic science (largely derived from the Anglo-Saxon tradition) generally presents itself as a universalistic paradigm. Its main rhetorical tool - model-building - is often taken-for-granted as a "natural" product of the cumulative development of scientific knowledge. And since professions derive much of their authority and social legitimacy from the delimitation of a coherent and widely shared domain of knowledge, we may regard modern economics' claims to expert monopoly as a logical extension of its own internal theoretical and methodological strength. The extensive jurisdictional prerogatives of economists thus seem to be legitimated by the fact that their discipline constitutes undoubtedly the most well-bounded and organized scholarly enterprise in the social scientific field.
How to monitor nuclear shuttling

Publisher Summary Nuclear shuttling is used to regulate the onset of cell cycle events and the access of cytoplasmic proteins to the cell periphery. Some proteins may shuttle continuously in and out of the nucleus, whereas others may undergo regulated entry and exit. The existence of nuclear shuttling as a regulatory mechanism for a particular protein may not always be obvious from the localization pattern of the protein at steady state. This chapter describes a variety of ways in which it can be evaluated whether a protein that appears static at steady state actually shuttles through the nucleus. Demonstrating that a nuclear protein shuttles involves finding conditions that reveal its ability to be exported out of the nucleus. A protein that appears to be cytoplasmic at steady state may also shuttle, but the rate of nuclear export may be greater than the rate of nuclear import. Demonstrating that a cytoplasmic protein shuttles involves finding conditions that clearly reveal the existence of a nuclear pool that is exported.
A heuristic for data path synthesis using multiport memories

Recently there has been a trend for the designer to group registers into register files for efficiently implementing large VLSI chips. Multiport memories provide an effective way for such an implementation. Interconnection minimization (such as multiplexers and tristate buffers) has become more difficult with the use of multiport memories. A heuristic is presented which performs functional units and connection allocation tasks simultaneously to get better results for application specific designs assuming that registers have already been grouped to multiport memories. Experiments on benchmarks show very promising results. >
EsxB, a secreted protein from Bacillus anthracis forms two distinct helical bundles

The EsxB protein from Bacillus anthracis belongs to the WXG100 family, a group of proteins secreted by a specialized secretion system. We have determined the crystal structures of recombinant EsxB and discovered that the small protein (∼10 kDa), comprised of a helix-loop-helix (HLH) hairpin, is capable of associating into two different helical bundles. The two basic quaternary assemblies of EsxB are an antiparallel (AP) dimer and a rarely observed bisecting U (BU) dimer. This structural duality of EsxB is believed to originate from the heptad repeat sequence diversity of the first helix of its HLH hairpin, which allows for two alternative helix packing. The flexibility of EsxB and the ability to form alternative helical bundles underscore the possibility that this protein can serve as an adaptor in secretion and can form hetero-oligomeric helix bundle(s) with other secreted members of the WXG100 family, such as EsxW. The highly conserved WXG motif is located within the loop of the HLH hairpin and is mostly buried within the helix bundle suggesting that its role is mainly structural. The exact functions of the motif, including a proposed role as a secretion signal, remain unknown.
Dermatological findings in 61 mutation‐positive individuals with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome

Background The RASopathies are a class of human genetic syndromes that are caused by germline mutations in genes which encode components of the Ras/MAPK pathway. Cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome is characterized by distinctive craniofacial features, congenital heart defects, and abnormalities of the skin and hair.
Variation associated with an Aegilops umbellulata chromosome segment incorporated in wheat.

THE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique for the analysis of soluble plant proteins has amply demonstrated its usefulness and capacity to be repeated1,2. Using the method of disk electrophoresis3,4 it is possible to resolve the proteins into a number of fractions, based on their electrophoretic mobility and the molecular sieving action of gels, with high reproducibility. The technique is being used in this laboratory to investigate variation in the spectrum of soluble plant proteins associated with known genetic loci, chromosome segments and individual chromosomes. The observations reported here show variation in protein pattern associated with a chromosome segment from Aegilops umbellulata Zhuk. transferred to Triticum aestivum L. ssp. vulgar (Vill., Host) Mac Key, variety ‘Chinese Spring’ by Sears5. This is of interest as a well analysed example of introgression or translocation of genetic material between allied genera which incorporated resistance to leaf rust (Puccinia triticina Eriks.) in bread wheat. Recent reports indicate that the umbellulata segment is substituted for a terminal piece of the wheat chromosome 6B (ref. 6), is inherited as a single dominant7, and controls seedling and field resistance to common races of leaf rust.
Use of stack simplifies M68HC11 programming

Abstract This application note from Motorola provides a tutorial on the use of the stack in an embedded microcomputer. A thorough understanding of the stack and its role in the creation and manipulation of local variables is essential to the real-time programmer. The topics covered by this application note are: the operation of the M68HC11's stack and the instructions that manipulate it; the use of local and global variables; subroutine parameter passing and the stack; the use of the MC68HC11's instruction set to support local variables and parameter passing.
Human histamine N-methyltransferase gene: structural characterization and chromosomal location.

Abstract Histamine N-methyltransferase (HNMT) catalyzes the Nτ-methylation of histamine. The level of HNMT activity in human red blood cells is controlled by a common genetic polymorphism. We previously cloned and expressed a cDNA for human kidney HNMT, and we have now determined the structural organization of the human HNMT gene as a step toward studies of the genetic regulation of levels of HNMT activity in human tissue. Structural characterization of the HNMT gene was performed by use of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based strategy. The gene was approximately 34 kb in length and contained 6 exons. All exon–intron splice junction sequences conformed to the “GT-AG” rule. The longest transcript isolated after 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends indicated that transcription initiation occurred 252 nucleotides 5′-upstream from the cDNA translation initiation codon.HNMTmapped to human chromosome 2. Structural characterization of the gene for HNMT will make it possible to study molecular genetic mechanisms involved in the regulation of this important enzyme in humans.
Lifespan of lymphocytes.

T and B lymphocytes comprise heterogeneous populations of cells at various stages of differentiation and activation. T-and B-cell subsets have different roles in the maintenance of immune homeostasis, and their functional differences are reflected by their respective lifespans. This review briefly summarizes the available data on lymphocyte lifespan, including the kinetics of T- and B-cell development in the primary lymphoid organs and the proliferative behavior of naive, effector and memory lymphocytes in the peripheral lymphoid compartment.
Radial dependence of decay times of emissions from injected impurities in alcator A tokamak

The characteristics of EUV emissions from the ionization states of injected impurities which exist outside the core of the Alcator A plasma (r/a ≥ 0.5) are presented. These results are compared with the emissions from the core ionization states to investigate their radial dependence. In deuterium discharges, the ionization states of silicon which exist outside the core (e.g. Si XII) have shorter decay times than those of the core states (e.g. Si XIII), but the scalings of the decay times with plasma current and toroidal field are similar for the two ionization states in the two regions. The difference between the decay times of the ionization states in the two regions increases as the mass of the background ion is increased (3He and 4He discharges). The behaviour of other injected impurities (Al, Fe, and Mo) is presented; it is also observed that the decay times of the ionization states of these impurities which exist outside of the plasma core are shorter than the corresponding core states. The difference in the decay times is modelled with a computer code and is found to be qualitatively consistent with a radially constant spreading diffusion coefficient with no (inward) convection.
Hierarchical Commensurate and Power Prior Models for Adaptive Incorporation of Historical Information in Clinical Trials

Bayesian clinical trial designs offer the possibility of a substantially reduced sample size, increased statistical power, and reductions in cost and ethical hazard. However when prior and current information conflict, Bayesian methods can lead to higher than expected type I error, as well as the possibility of a costlier and lengthier trial. This motivates an investigation of the feasibility of hierarchical Bayesian methods for incorporating historical data that are adaptively robust to prior information that reveals itself to be inconsistent with the accumulating experimental data. In this article, we present several models that allow for the commensurability of the information in the historical and current data to determine how much historical information is used. A primary tool is elaborating the traditional power prior approach based upon a measure of commensurability for Gaussian data. We compare the frequentist performance of several methods using simulations, and close with an example of a colon cancer trial that illustrates a linear models extension of our adaptive borrowing approach. Our proposed methods produce more precise estimates of the model parameters, in particular, conferring statistical significance to the observed reduction in tumor size for the experimental regimen as compared to the control regimen.
Uncertainties achievable for uranium isotope-amount ratios: estimates based on the precision and accuracy of recent characterization measurements

Certified reference materials (CRMs) recently characterized by the NBL for isotope-amount ratios are: (i) CRM 112-A, Uranium (normal) Metal Assay and Isotopic Standard, (ii) CRM 115, Uranium (depleted) Metal Assay and Isotopic Standard, and (iii) CRM 116-A, Uranium (enriched) Metal Assay and Isotopic Standard. NBL also completed re-characterization of the isotope-amount ratios in CRM 125-A, Uranium (UO2) Pellet Assay, Isotopic, and Radio-chronometric Standard. Three different TIMS analytical techniques were employed for the characterization analyses. The total evaporation technique was used for the major isotope-amount ratio measurement, the modified total evaporation technique was used for both the major and minor isotope-amount ratios, and minor isotope-amount ratios were also measured using a Conventional technique. Uncertainties for the characterization studies were calculated from the combined TIMS data sets following the ISO Guide to the expression of uncertainty in measurement. The uncertainty components for the isotope-amount ratio values are discussed.
Psychological and physiological differences between good and poor sleepers.

PHYSIOLOGICAL, PERSONALITY, AND EEG SLEEP PATTERNS OF 16 POOR-SLEEP GROUP (PSG) SS WERE COMPARED WITH 16 GOOD-SLEEP GROUP (GSG) SS. COMPARED WITH GOOD SLEEPERS, POOR SLEEPERS HAD LESS SLEEP TIME, A HIGHER PROPORTION OF STAGE 2 SLEEP, MARKEDLY LESS REM SLEEP DESPITE A SIMILAR NUMBER OF REM PERIODS, MORE AWAKENINGS, AND REQUIRED MORE TIME TO FALL ASLEEP. SIGNIFICANT PHYSIOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROUPS WERE OBSERVED DURING ALL STAGES OF SLEEP AND DURING A PRESLEEP PERIOD. PERSONALITY TEST RESULTS CLEARLY INDICATED A MUCH HIGHER PROBABILITY OF SYMPTOMATIC COMPLAINTS AMONG POOR SLEEPERS AS WELL AS A STRONG POTITIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DREAMING AND INDEXES OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY. THIS STUDY DID NOT RESOLVE CAUSE AND EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PHYSIOLOGICAL VARIABLES, PERSONALITY MEASURES, AMOUNT OF DREAMING, AND GOOD AND POOR SLEEP; HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT EEG, PHYSIOLOGICAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DIFFERENCES WERE DEMONSTRATED. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)
Erratum to: ParA resolvase catalyzes site-specific excision of DNA from the Arabidopsis genome

Erratum to: Transgenic Res (2009) 18:237–248DOI 10.1007/s11248-008-9213-4Due to an unfortunate turn of events, one author’sname was omitted in the original publication. Thecorrect representation of the authors and their afﬁl-iations are listed above and below and should betreated as deﬁnitive by the reader.
TU-C-AUD B-08: Identification of a 3D Dosimeter Best-Suited for Use by the RPC

Purpose: To characterize several 3D dosimeters and identify one that is best‐suited for use by the RPC in its anthropomorphic phantoms. This study will also provide useful data to other researchers when selecting a 3D dosimeter. Method and Materials: Three different dosimeters were investigated in this study: PRESAGE™ (a polyurethane and leuko dye dosimeter), and BANG® and PAGAT polymergels. Each dosimeter was characterized to determine the dose response, linearity, reproducibility, spatial stability, and dose resolution. Both MRI and OCT were used to identify the best‐suited imaging modality for each polymergel formulation. Goals were established for each parameter. These were used to evaluate the dosimeters' characteristics and identify the dosimeter best‐suited for use by the RPC. Results: Each 3D dosimeter demonstrated a useful dose range up to 10 Gy. Only the BANG® dosimeter provided a linear dose response over this range. The uncertainty in the determination of the response of the dosimeter was ∼2% when imaged with OCT; however, MRI yielded uncertainties < 1%. The low uncertainties achievable with MRI resulted in improved dose resolution. OCT required shorter imaging times than MRI;OCT produced planar images in 30 seconds. The BANG and PAGAT dosimeters displayed overshoots in response adjacent to regions of high dose gradient. No response overshoots were observed in PRESAGE™ dosimeters irradiated with steep gradients. The intra and inter‐batch reproducibilities of PRESAGE™ exceed the goals established for these parameters. The spatial stability and reproducibility of the polymergel formulations is in progress. Conclusion: This study provides a framework for evaluating 3D dosimeters and identifying one best‐suited for a particular use. This study also provides the first comparison of polymergels characterized with both MRI and OCT. The investigation was supported by PHS grant CA 10953 awarded by the NCI, DHHS.
Come to the river: Using spirituality to cope, resist, and develop identity

This chapter describes and discusses spiritual lives of African American female college students, including elements of coping, resisting, and developing identity.
Passive cavity transverse-mode stability and its influence on the active cavity mode properties for unstable optical resonators

Passive-cavity transverse-mode stability properties such as the transverse-mode discrimination ratio and aberration sensitivity are analyzed. The influence of the diffractive formation of the transverse-mode field distribution on the aberration sensitivity is studied, along with the relationships between this sensitivity measure and the diffractive transverse-mode discrimination in a cavity. It is shown that the passive unstable-cavity mode stability properties are connected with the properties of the central core region of the resonator that is defined by the cavity Fresnel zone structure. Specifically, the transverse-mode discrimination or separation ratio with any perturbation or aberration source is a maximum when there is a constructive interference along with the cavity optic axis between the edge scattered converging wave field from the feedback aperture and the dominant geometric mode of the cavity.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Molecular techniques for the analysis of soil microbial processes: Functional gene analysis and the utility of DNA microarrays

Traditional methods for the analysis of soil processes are based on measuring and modeling the distribution of chemical compounds and determining their transformation rates. These approaches have formed the basis of our understanding of soil biogeochemical processes, and they have demonstrated the fundamental role of microbes in regulating these processes, but they do not provide a complete view of the complexity of the microbial contribution to soil function. Recent research has revealed the tremendous diversity of microorganisms responsible for catalyzing a variety of soil processes. Such functional redundancy within soil microbial communities may have significant impacts on process rates and ecosystem stability. Therefore, the analysis of functional diversity and its dynamics in the environment is essential for understanding the biogeochemistry of soil systems. Until recently, methodological limitations hindered investigation of the relationship between microbial diversity and soil processes. Over the last decade, innovative molecular approaches to the study of natural microbial communities and the functional genes responsible for biogeochemical processes have given us new insight into this relationship. One new approach, DNA microarray analysis, promises to be especially useful for the analysis of these functional genes.
A Self-Immolative Strategy for 1,2-Elimination of Homallyl Sulfones to 1,3-Dienes

Abstract Treatment of homoallyl sulfones with t-butyl lithium at low temperature affords ortho-lithio sulfones which undergo intramolecular deprotonation to produce 1,3-dienes.
Newly blind persons using virtual environment system in a traditional orientation and mobility rehabilitation program: a case study

This paper presents a virtual reality system (the BlindAid) developed for orientation and mobility training of people who are newly blind. The BlindAid allows users to interact with different virtual structures and objects via auditory and haptic feedback. This case study aims to examine if and how the BlindAid, in conjunction with a traditional rehabilitation programme, can help people who are newly blind develop new orientation and mobility methods. Follow-up research based on this study, with a large experiment and control group, could contribute to the area of orientation and mobility rehabilitation training for the newly blind. The case study research focused on A., a woman who is newly blind, for 17 virtual sessions spanning ten weeks, during the 12 weeks of her traditional orientation and mobility rehabilitation programme. The research was implemented by using virtual environment (VE) exploration and orientation tasks in VE and physical spaces. The research methodology used both qualitative and quantitative methods, including interviews, questionnaire, videotape recording, and user computer logs. The results of this study helped elucidate several issues concerning the contribution of the BlindAid system to the exploration strategies and learning processes experienced by the participant in her encounters with familiar and unfamiliar physical surroundings. [Box: see text].
Unreliability in Student Evaluation of Teaching Questionnaires: Focus Groups as an Alternative Approach

The conventional method used to measure teaching effectiveness is the student evaluation of teaching questionnaire (SET). Research on the validity and reliability of SETs is vast, though riddled with inconsistencies. The many “myths” of SETs are investigated and the incongruities are demonstrated. We hypothesize that the discrepancies in empirical studies come from misunderstanding and inappropriate actions by students. To address the complexity inherent in these problems, we suggest the use of focus groups as an alternative approach or complement to the standard SETs. A recommended format and guidelines for running classroom focus groups are provided. Institutional constraints and implementation concerns are addressed as well. This article lays the foundation for implementing a change in student assessment of teaching by proposing a method to compensate for bias in SETs, using focus groups as an evaluation tool, either as a stand-alone process or as a supplement to current methods.
Declining serum concentrations of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin and ruptured ectopic pregnancy

Abstract Declining values of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin may be associated with ectopic pregnancy or missed abortion. Sonography may not always establish a definitive diagnosis. A case is presented where expectant management of declining levels resulted in rupture of an ectopic pregnancy. Declining values of the β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin should not give the clinician a false sense of security in managing first-trimester pregnancy disorders.
Perioperative adverse events after minimally invasive abdominal sacrocolpopexy

Objective Our first objective was to compare peri- and postoperative adverse events between robotic-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (RSC) and conventional laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) in a cohort of women who underwent these procedures at a tertiary care center. Our second objective was to explore whether hysterectomy and rectopexy at the time of sacrocolpopexy were associated with these adverse events. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of women who underwent either RSC or LSC with or without concomitant hysterectomy and/or rectopexy from 2006-2012. Once patients were identified as either having undergone RSC or LSC, the electronic medical record was queried for demographic, peri-, and postoperative data. Results Four hundred six women met study inclusion criteria. Mean age and body mass index of all the women were 58 ± 10 years and 27.9 ± 4.9 kg/m 2 . The women who underwent RSC were older (60 ± 9 vs 57 ± 10 years, respectively; P = .009) and more likely to be postmenopausal (90.9% vs 79.1%, respectively; P = .05). RSC cases were associated with a higher intraoperative bladder injury rate (3.3% vs 0.4%, respectively; P = .04), a higher rate of estimated blood loss of ≥500 mL (2.5% vs 0, respectively; P = .01), and reoperation rate for pelvic organ prolapse (4.9% vs 1.1%, respectively; P = .02) compared with LSC. Concomitant rectopexy was associated with a higher risk of transfusion (2.8% vs 0.3%, respectively; P = .04), pelvic/abdominal abscess formation (11.1% vs 0.8%, respectively; P P Conclusion Peri- and postoperative outcomes after RSC and LSC are favorable, with few adverse outcomes. RSC is associated with a higher rate of bladder injury, estimated blood loss ≥500 mL, and reoperation for recurrent pelvic organ prolapse; otherwise, the rate of adverse events is similar between the 2 modalities. Concomitant rectopexy is associated with a higher rate of postoperative abscess and osteomyelitis complications.
Export Agriculture and the Expansion of Urban Slum Areas

. Many of the richest people have all or a large part of their accumulated wealth in land, yet the men and women who work the land are usually their country's most poverty-stricken. The landowning elite is very powerful because land has been concentrated in few hands. In the Third World' of less developed countries (LDCs) and in the United States this situation in the last four decades has led to an emphasis on export crops and a restructuring of agriculture to produce them. Brazilis an example of this change, which has led to deforestation and multiplication of the hungry, homeless and alienated, the new “barbarians within the gates.” Comparable developments are seen in the U.S., threatening fiscal and political stability in many countries.
Turbulent forced diffusion flames

A microscale, νβ ∼ νσβ13 is introduced for turbulent diffusion flames, where η and σβ respectively, are the Kolmogorov scale and the flame Schmidt number. In terms of this scale, the turbulent mass transfer integrated over a length l of a liquid fuel is shown to be M′= νBlνβ , where μ is the dynamic viscosity and B is the transfer number, B=(Y0∞Qν0M0−Hw)hfg , where YO is the mass fraction of oxidizer, YO∞ its ambient value, Q the heat release for a simple global chemical reaction, and vO and MO the oxidant stoichiometric coefficient and molecular weight, respectively, hw = cp(Tw - T∞), cp the specific heat of gas, Tw and T∞ the fuel and ambient temperatures, respectively, and hfg the heat of evaporation. It is shown by the similarity between the mass and momentum transfer, M′μB=Cf being the drag coefficient, and that M′μB(M′μBB=0)=Cf(Cf)B=0=1(1+B)34 where the subscript B = 0 for the case without boundary mass transfer. The agreement between the model and the sparse experimental data is reasonable.
Application of tri-oxalato compounds as reagents for tests under the microscope

In view of the limiting concentrations listed in Table III, the authors recommend the use of potassium tri-oxalatoferrate (III) as a reagent for cobaltous ion. Nickel does not interfere with this test. The other tests listed are not recommended because of their unfavorable limiting concentrations. Because of the instability of the iron and especially of the cobalt complex, it is recommended that reagent solutions of these tri-oxalato compounds be freshly prepared before use.
Modeling of the recycling particle flux and electron particle transport in the DIII-D tokamak

One of the most difficult aspects of performing an equilibrium particle transport analysis in a diverted tokamak is the determination of the particle flux which enters the plasma after recycling from the divertor plasma, the divertor target plates or the vessel wall. An approach which has been utilized in the past is to model the edge, scrape-off layer (SOL), and divertor plasma to match measured plasma parameters and then use a neutral transport code to obtain an edge recycling flux while trying to match the measured divertor D(x emissivity. Previous simulations were constrained by electron density (n{sub e}) and temperature (T{sub e}), ion temperature (T{sub i}) data at the outer midplane, divertor heat flux from infrared television cameras, and n{sub e}, T{sub e} and particle flux at the target from fixed Langmuir probes, along with the divertor D{sub {alpha}} emissivity. In this paper, we present results of core fueling calculations from the 2-D modeling for ELM-free discharges, constrained by data from the new divertor diagnostics. In addition, we present a simple technique for estimating the recycling flux just after the L-H transition and demonstrate how this technique is supported by the detailed modeling. We will show the effect which inaccuracies in the recycling flux have on the calculated particle flux in the plasma core. For some specific density profiles, it is possible to separate the convective flux from the conductive flux. The diffusion coefficients obtained show a sharp decrease near a normalized radius of 0.9 indicating the presence of a transport barrier.
Do Members of Racial Minority Groups Have an Affinity With Serious Crime? An Empirical Analysis

The overrepresentation of Blacks and Latinos in the arrest statistics is no longer a new finding but whether this trend is due to selective law enforcement or differential involvement in crime needs a more forceful and empirically grounded attention than has so far been proffered. Using data from a large midwestern police department, the total count of 11,293 arrests conducted from January through December 2005 were examined. A higher arrest rate was affirmed for Blacks and Latinos. In addition, the data provided considerable support for existence of zeal in discretional arrest for Blacks and Latinos but only a remote possibility of differential involvement in criminal behavior for the 2 racial minority groups.