cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bioengineering of microorganisms for C3 to C5 alcohols production.

Production of renewable fuels and chemicals is an absolute requirement for the sustainability of societies. This fact has been neglected during the past century as cheap and abundant, yet not renewable, sources of hydrocarbons were available. Since fossil fuel availability is decreasing, biological production of fuels and chemicals has been proposed to be a potential alternative to fossil sources. Higher alcohols (from C3 to C5) are useful substitutes for gasoline because of their high energy density and low hygroscopicity and are important feedstocks for other chemicals. Some Clostridia species are known to naturally ferment sugars to isopropanol and 1-butanol. However, other C3 to C5 alcohols are not produced in large quantities by natural microorganisms. A non-fermentative strategy to produce a broad range of higher alcohols has been devised using the ubiquitous keto acid biosynthetic pathways. This review provides a current overview of these different strategies.
Pavlovian autoshaping procedures increase plasma corticosterone levels in rats.

Abstract Pavlovian autoshaping conditioned responses (CRs) are complex sequences of conditioned stimulus (CS)-directed skeletal-motor responses that are elicited by CS objects predictive of food unconditioned stimulus (US). Autoshaping CRs are observed under conditions known to be conducive to elevations in plasma corticosterone levels, as, for example, in response to the eating of food as well as in response to signals predictive of food. Two experiments investigated the relationships between Pavlovian autoshaping procedures, the performance of Pavlovian autoshaping CRs, and plasma corticosterone levels in male Long–Evans rats. In Experiment 1, rats in the CS–US paired group (n=30) were given 20 daily sessions of Pavlovian autoshaping training wherein the insertion of a retractable lever CS was followed by the response-independent presentation of the food US. Tail blood samples obtained after the 20th autoshaping session revealed higher plasma corticosterone levels in the CS–US paired group than in the CS–US random control group (n=10). In Experiment 2, rats (n=35) were assessed for basal plasma corticosterone levels 2 weeks prior to autoshaping training. Plasma samples obtained immediately following the first autoshaping session, and prior to the acquisition of lever-press autoshaping CR performance, revealed higher plasma corticosterone levels in the CS–US paired group (n=24) relative to basal levels. This effect was not observed in the CS–US random control group (n=11). Data suggest that corticosterone release is a physiological endocrine Pavlovian CR induced by lever CS–food US pairings during Pavlovian autoshaping procedures, rather than a by-product of autoshaping CR performance. Implications of the link between autoshaping procedures and corticosterone release are discussed.
EXPLOITING INSTRUCTION REUSE TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF DUAL INSTRUCTION EXECUTION

Dual instruction execution (DIE) is an effective instruction-level temporal redundancy technique to improve the datapath reliability against transient errors for superscalar microprocessors. However, previous study shows that the performance overhead of dual instruction execution on an out-of-order core is substantial, primarily due to the serious resource contention problems such as the ALU bandwidth. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to reducing the performance overhead of DIE without compromising the datapath reliability. In the proposed scheme, both the primary and the duplicate instructions of DIE can exploit the ECC-protected instruction reuse buffer (IRB) for mitigating the resource contention of DIE by minimizing the number of dynamic instructions executed, leading to better performance without impacting the reliability of DIE. Our experiments indicate that the proposed approach can reduce the performance loss of dual instruction execution by up to 70.8%, with 51.1% on average, and can reduce the performance loss of DIE–IRB by up to 17.2%, with 7.1% on average, while providing reliability comparable to DIE or DIE–IRB.
Some Physical Properties of Milk. VI. The Voluminosity of Caseinate Complex in Milk, and Reconstituted Sediments

Summary Six liquids ranging from 1.80 to 0.0% casein were prepared by centrifuging a sample of milk. One fraction of sediment was reconstituted with water to contain 5.325% casein. Half of this suspension was diluted with an equal weight of water, and such dilutions repeated until six concentrations of sediment were obtained. Viscosities were measured at 15 temperatures from 4 to 70° C. At each temperature in each of four series of five or six pairs of values for relative fluidity and casein concentration, the slope d ( φ/φ′ )/ dC was calculated by least squares. Voluminosities were then calculated by the equation V = 0.4 d ( φ/φ′ )/ dC . Approximate average values of V ranged from 6.45 ml/g at 4° C. to 2.24 ml/g at 70° C, when φ′ was the fraction containing least casein. Corresponding values when φ′ was water were 5.42 and 2.95 ml/g.
Mirex residues in wild populations of the edible red crawfish (Procambarus clarki)

Despite laboratory evidence of the extreme sensitivity of crawfish to the insecticide mirex, field studies and monitoring reveal no evidence of massive die-off or noticeable population declines. The residues obtained were so low as to be well below the levels capable of causing mortality of juvenile crawfish in the laboratory. It was concluded, therefore, that the present use of mirex in southcentral Louisiana is not an important threat to the crawfish industry.
ENHANCEMENT FACTOR OF GAS ABSORPTION ACCOMPANIED BY REVERSIBLE CYCLIC CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Theoretical effect of mass transfer by reversible cyclic chemical reactions is studied in this paper. On the basis of the film theory, an analytical equation has been derived to express the enhancement factor of gas absorption with first-order reversible cyclic chemical reactions. The finite difference method has been used to study the enhancement of gas absorption with second-order reversible cyclic reactions. The results indicate that the gas absorption rate is enhanced by the forward reaction rate, while is suppressed by the backward reaction. Although the diffusivity has some effects on enhancement factor, the influence is not as much as that of reaction rate. The theoretical equations are used to predict the enhancement factors for absorptions of carbon dioxide in acidic solution and l-butene in liquid phosphoric acid.
The Ratio of the Geometric Mean to the Arithmetic Mean for a Random Sample from a Gamma Distribution

Abstract Let X 1, …, Xn denote a random sample from an unknown member of the family of two-parameter gamma densities x > 0, α > 0, k > 0. Define U to be the ratio of the geometric mean to the arithmetic mean, U = (Π Xi )1/n /(Σ Xi/n). The density of U is derived in a useable form which is exact for the interval e -2π/n < u < 1. Large-sample properties of U are also considered.
An experimental model combining microdialysis with electrophysiology, histology, and neurochemistry for studying excitotoxicity in spinal cord injury. Effect of NMDA and kainate.

We used an experimental model that we previously developed to characterize the damage caused by the agonists of glutamate receptors,N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) and kainate, in the spinal cord in vivo, thereby testing further the utility of this model. Microdialysis was used to, administer the toxins and to sample the release of other substances in response to these agents. The blockage of electrical conduction was monitored by recording the amplitudes of evoked potentials during administration of the damaging substances, and damage was assessed, by postmortem histological examination. The released amino acids in microdialysates were measured by HPLC. Administration of 5 mM NMDA+5mM kainate into the gray matter blocked most postsynaptic responses and caused the release of amino acids. Administration of 10 mM NMDA and 10 mM kainate significantly destroyed cell bodies near the fiber. The advantage of this model is that histological, neurochemical, and electrophysiological parameters were obtained in the same experiment.
Asymptomatic adult patients with aortic stenosis: should they ever have aortic valve replacement?

Presently, conventional wisdom is that an asymptomatic patient, even with severe aortic stenosis (AS), can be followed medically. The basis for this recommendation is that sudden death as the first “symptom” in an asymptomatic patient is rare. Unfortunately, symptoms are subjective and can be ignored or explained away by both patient and physician, and once symptoms are recognized, sudden death accounts for at least one third of the deaths from AS in unoperated patients. There is evidence that once AS becomes severe, ischemia and fibrosis occur rapidly, setting up the possibility of heart failure and sudden death even after successful valve replacement. Aortic valve replacement should be performed before extensive fibrosis occurs. Multiple studies have shown that in severe AS, symptoms will occur rapidly when there is heavy valve calcification, an aortic valve area <0.8 cm, an annual rate of progression of aortic valve velocity of ≥0.3 m/sec, or a positive exercise stress test. These findings are excellent evidence that asymptomatic patients with severe AS and any of the above findings should be considered for aortic valve replacement.
The ontogeny of a hippocampus-dependent response in two rodent species.

Spontaneous alternation, a form of unlearned behavior which is related to inhibition, the hippocampus, and the cholinergic system, was studied ontogenetically in rats and guinea pigs. Although there was considerable individual variability, the typical rat first began to display alternation behavior at about 27–28 days of age. In the guinea pig alternation was above chance even in the first week of life and fully adult rates were found in all subjects 10 days old or older. These ages are highly comparable to those reported for the maturation of the granule cells of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in these species ( Altman and Das, 1965 , Altman and Das, 1967 ). The present findings thus support the postulate of those authors that the hippocampus does not function in an adult manner until the differentiation of these neurons is essentially complete. The present rat results are in close agreement with those of several other studies of the ontogeny of hippocampus-dependent behavior and with two studies of the development of the adult reaction to cholinolytic and cholinomimetic drugs. Evidence was presented suggesting that in some of the more emotionally reactive subjects the early handling and/or testing may have retarded hippocampal development.
Writing Better Sentences: Sentence-Combining Instruction in the Classroom

ABSTRACT Constructing well-formed sentences is 1 area of writing that may be particularly difficult for less skilled writers and writers with learning disabilities. Many of these writers may benefit from direct, systematic instruction in sentence-construction skills. A writing intervention called sentence combining is 1 way to teach these important skills. The authors explain the importance of sentence skills and the difficulties that writers may experience with sentences, summarizing the practical results and implications from recent empirical studies. The authors also discuss suggestions for creating sentence combining activities and teaching sentence.
Measurements Of The Properties Of Wintertime Fog And Haze In West Germany: A Preliminary Report On Project "Meppen 80"

This report presents a summary of major design features of and some early results from a program of measurements of optical and physical properties of fog and haze recently conducted for a period of six weeks in wintertime conditions in West Germany. Measurements included vertical soundings of fog and haze density in the lower few hundred meters of the atmosphere, nearly continuous aerosol particle size distributions in the 0.115 to 77.5 μm radius range, visibility and transmissometer data, liquid water content measurements, and quantitative LIDAR observations. Samples of measurements and results of some preliminary analysis are included.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The relationship of the two-photon vector model to the coherent excitation of polyatomic molecules

Abstract The relationship between multiphoton coherent excitation and the two-photon vector model of Grischkowsky, Loy and Liao is demonstrated. In particular, it is shown that the recent work of Letokhov and Makarov emphasizes the adiabatic following approximation of the vector model while that of Larsen and Bloembergen corresponds to the sudden approximation.
CRL-1072 enhances antimycobacterial activity of human macrophages through interleukin-8

CRL-1072 is a poloxamer surfactant that kills mycobacteria more effectively within macrophages than in broth cultures. Human macrophages treated with CRL-1072 synthesized interleukin-8 (IL-8), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in a dose-dependent manner. About 3000 pg of IL-8 per million human macrophages accumulated in cultures treated with 100-1500 ng of poloxamer, with mRNA message for IL-8 induced as early as 2 h. As macrophages do not have IL-RA receptors, a transwell culture was used to study the chemotactic and activating effects of IL-8 between CRL-1072-treated human macrophage effectors and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) targets. PMN were activated by IL-8 and secreted hydrogen peroxide and myeloperoxidase (MPO). MPO derived from PMN, in turn, activated monocytes for an enhanced killing of intracellular Mycobacterium avium. The ability of CRL-1072 to modulate macrophage-mediated activation of neutrophils and receive a feedback activation signal may form one mechanism by which its antimycobacterial activity is achieved in vivo.
Acid−Base Chemistry on Crystalline Ice: HCl + NH3

The chemical interaction of (i) HCl, (ii) NH3, and (iii) HCl + NH3 with crystalline ice has been examined as a function of temperature (T = 80−150 K) utilizing FTIR spectroscopy. The infrared spectra reveal the formation of ionic hydrates for HCl and molecular hydrates for NH3. The acid−base reaction leads to the formation of the ammonium ion, NH4+. While it is produced to a limited extent between 80 and 140 K, NH4+ is a dominant species above 140 K. All species appear as lower amorphous hydrates for T = 80−140 K. Dramatic changes in the spectra occur above 140 K as higher crystalline hydrates are formed. This temperature coincides with the amorphous to crystalline phase transformation of ice. This change appears to be due to a greater number of water molecules on the surface that are available for hydration and crystallization.
Growth of Large Single-Grain Quasicrystals from high-Temperature Metallic Solutions

Abstract Flux-growth techniques have been successfully applied to the preparation of several families of quasicrystals and related approximant phases. Large (up to 1 cm 3 ) single-grain samples have been obtained for icosahedral R–Mg–Zn (R=Y, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho and Er), decagonal Al–Ni–Co, icosahedral Al–Pd–Mn, icosahedral Al–Ga–Pd–Mn, and the ξ′ Al–Pd–Mn approximant phase. The samples are obtained by slowly cooling ternary (or quaternary) melts of a composition that intersects the primary solidification surface of the desired phase in the equilibrium ternary alloy phase diagram (i.e. this is a self-flux technique). The technique clearly reveals the growth habit, and results in remarkably strain-free quasicrystals.
Bank risk taking and changes in the financial condition of banks' small and midsized commercial customers, 1978–1988 and 1988–1991

This study examines the pattern of bank risk taking through the 1980s and early 1990s, as reflected in the reported financial condition of banks' small and midsized customer firms. Using industry data published in Robert Morris Associates'Annual Statement Studies, we examine the ten-year period 1978–1988 to ascertain changes in the financial condition of banks' commerical customers during the 1980s, and the following three-year period 1988–1991, to determine financial condition changes in customer firms during the early 1990s. Empirical results suggest banks' small and midsized commercial clientele shifted toward riskier organizations From 1988 to 1988, confirming the popularized notion of banks' increased tolerance for risk during the 1980s. From 1988 to 1991, however, banks' client firms evidenced a pattern of risk reduction, which is consistent with the argument that banks have retrenched in their risk taking in recent years, shifting back toward a more financially sound customer base.
Large plasma-membrane depolarization precedes rapid blue-light-induced growth inhibition in cucumber

Blue-light (BL)-induced suppression of elongation of etiolated Cucumis sativus L. hypocotyls began after a 30-s lag time, which was halved by increasing the fluence rate from 10 to 100 micromoles m-2 s-1. Prior to the growth suppression, the plasma-membrane of the irradiated cells depolarized by as much as 100 mV, then returned within 2-3 min to near its initial value. The potential difference measured with surface electrodes changed with an identical time course but opposite polarity. The lag time for the change in surface potential showed an inverse dependence on fluence rate, similar to the lag for the growth inhibition. Green light and red light caused neither the electrical response nor the rapid inhibition of growth. The depolarization by BL did not propagate to nonirradiated regions and exhibited a refractory period of about 10 min following a BL pulse. Fluence-response relationships for the electrical and growth responses provide correlational evidence that the plasma-membrane depolarization reflects an event in the transduction chain of this light-growth response.
Quantitative analysis of the exercise tolerance test for determining the severity of coronary artery disease

Results were compiled from the literature on the use of the exercise tolerance test to identify patients with severe coronary artery disease. Pooled estimates of sensitivity and specificity were derived for the ability of the exercise tolerance test to identify three-vessel or left main coronary artery disease. There was great variability among the studies examined in the estimated sensitivity and specificity of a given criterion for severe coronary artery disease. This variability could not be explained by reported variations in study design. The findings suggest that the accuracy of the exercise tolerance test and other tests cannot be properly interpreted without much greater detail presented in the literature on patient selection and test administration.
Optimization of Tribological Properties of Silicon Dioxide during the Chemical Mechanical Planarization Process

Chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) has been proved to achieve excellent global and local planarity, and, as feature sizes shrink, the use of CMP will be critical for planarizing multilevel structures. Understanding the tribological properties of a dielectric layer in the CMP process is critical for successful evaluation and implementation of the materials. In this paper, we present the tribological properties of silicon dioxide during the CMP process. A CMP tester was used to study the fundamental aspects of the CMP process. the accessories of the CMP tester were first optimized for the reproducibility of the results. The coefficient of friction (COF) was measured during the process and was found to decrease with both down pressure and platen rotation. An acoustic sensor attached to this tester is used to detect endpoint, delamination, and uniformity. The effects of machine parameters on the polishing performance and the correlation of physical phenomena with the process have been discussed.
Numerical Studies of Fractional Statistics

Recent years have shown an upsurge of interest in the physics of fractional statistics. In this same period, a number of authors have chosen to approach the rather knotty problem of many anyons using exact numerical calculations for small systems. In the following, I will attempt to review and summarize the works known to me which fall under this category. I will discuss both the methods used (including a detailed discussion of the problem of boundary conditions for anyons on multiply-connected spaces), and the results obtained. Finite-size studies have provided interesting and useful results in a number of areas, each of which is addressed below: tests of the mean-field theory of statistics; investigation of possible superfluid or superconducting properties in the ground state; and elucidation of possible macroscopic signatures of broken time-reversal symmetry for both one and many planes of anyons.
Certification of COTS Software in NASA Human Rated Flight Systems

Adoption of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products in safety critical systems has been seen as a promising acquisition strategy to improve mission affordability and, yet, has come with significant barriers and challenges. Attempts to integrate COTS software components into NASA human rated flight systems have been, for the most part, complicated by verification and validation (V&V) requirements necessary for flight certification per NASA s own standards. For software that is from COTS sources, and, in general from 3rd party sources, either commercial, government, modified or open source, the expectation is that it meets the same certification criteria as those used for in-house and that it does so as if it were built in-house. The latter is a critical and hidden issue. This paper examines the longstanding barriers and challenges in the use of 3rd party software in safety critical systems and cover recent efforts to use COTS software in NASA s Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) project. It identifies some core artifacts that without them, the use of COTS and 3rd party software is, for all practical purposes, a nonstarter for affordable and timely insertion into flight critical systems. The paper covers the first use in a flight critical system by NASA of COTS software that has prior FAA certification heritage, which was shown to meet the RTCA-DO-178B standard, and how this certification may, in some cases, be leveraged to allow the use of analysis in lieu of testing. Finally, the paper proposes the establishment of an open source forum for development of safety critical 3rd party software.
Plenary Speaker 2: Microwave technologies: The first century

Summary form only given. The talk describes the history of microwave technologies, reaching back to the late 1800s, a time of experimentation with spark-gaps and waveguides up to 60GHz. Marconi and Hertz also investigated this regime, but turned their attention to low frequencies. For decades crude galena rectifiers were used for detectors, setting the stage for the later development of semiconductor diodes. The triode tube was a great leap for radio, but not as a source of microwave power, due to its long transit times. The 1920 Barkhausen-Kurz oscillator made use of this transit time to generate frequencies up to 700MHz. Once the idea of exploiting transit times was out of the box, the majority of microwave power sources for the next several decades were based on such methods and some invoked the use of crossed magnetic and electric fields. The cavity magnetron, today found in every home, was invented in 1937 by Boot and Randall at Birmingham University in England. It possessed the astonishing ability to instantly convert simple DC power into RF power in the centimetre range of wavelengths with hitherto unimaginable efficiency. It was followed by a rash of amazing electron tubes with mysterious names: the klystron, twystron, dematron, amplitron, and the scary-sounding carcinotron. Later semiconductor devices would generate their own list of odd abbreviated names: BARRIT, TED, IMPATT, TRAPATT and LSA. The commercialization of radio communication systems has led to a greater emphasis on two imperatives: very high performance, and extremely low cost. Modern microwave technologies have moved into a new commodity phase, like plastics or steel. However, it is safe to say “You ain't seen nuthin' yet!”.
Educational leadership and management of knowing: the aesthetics of coherentism

Examines the coherentist project for educational administration of professors Colin Evers and Gabriele Lakomski from a critical and pragmatic perspective. It is argued that Evers and Lakomski really have three projects going: the first project seeks to ground coherence as a solution to the problems of educational administration research upon the history of educational administration inquiry philosophies since the Second World War. The second project attempts to justify the worth of coherency as a research philosophy upon purely logical grounds. A third, and most recent, (practical) project draws upon evidence from leadership practice to prove coherentism’s usefulness for school administration. Concludes that, rather than supporting their post‐positivist philosophic underpinnings, Evers and Lakomski’s third project finds them moving toward a raw pragmatism. Also concludes that coherentism is best redescribed from a pragmatic aesthetic perspective, a point of view that provides a potentially more meaningful way of understanding the relationship of coherentist theorizing and leadership action in contemporary schooling.
On groups generated by two positive multi-twists: Teichmuller curves and Lehmer's number

From a simple observation about a construction of Thurston, we derive several interesting facts about subgroups of the mapping class group generated by two positive multi-twists. In particular, we identify all configurations of curves for which the corresponding groups fail to be free, and show that a subset of these
The nursing shortage in the United States of America: an integrative review of the literature

Aim. The aims of this paper are to review the literature to determine what factors are contributing to the nursing shortage in the United States of America (USA) and discuss possible solutions to this current and future nursing shortage. Background. The need for nurses is often depicted as cyclical in nature. Throughout history, the USA has experienced a series of nursing surpluses and shortages. However, the current shortage has been characterized as being unlike those experienced in the past. Trends of an ageing Registered Nurse (RN) workforce and limited supply to fill the impending vacancies are some of the unique aspects that bring a new dimension to an old problem. Today's nursing shortage will not be resolved by simply returning to the solutions of yesteryear, and strategies to reduce its impact will have to be more creative and focus on the long-term. Methods. Integrative literature review of published literature on the current nursing shortage in the USA from 1999 to 2001. Discussion. Four main areas were identified as the major contributors to the nursing shortage in the USA: the ageing RN workforce; declining enrolment; the changing work climate; and the poor image of nursing. Solutions to the shortage followed similar themes to the contributing factors and encompassed four main areas: exploring recruitment efforts; exploring retainment efforts; improving the image of nursing; and supporting legislation that helps to rectify the shortage. Conclusion. There is firm evidence that the USA amidst a nursing shortage. Much is known about the many contributing factors but now nurses need to become proactive to help secure the future of their workforce. By forming partnerships within the profession and with other influential parties, nurses can be in the forefront of resolving their workforce issues.
Security of statistical databases compromise through attribute correlational modeling

Statistical databases seek to provide accurate aggregate information to legitimate users, while protecting the confidentiality of individuals' information. This study develops, defines, and applies a statistical technique for the compromise of confidential information in a statistical database. Attribute Correlational Modeling (ACM) recognizes that the information contained in a statistical database represents real world statistical phenomena. As such, ACM utilizes the correlational behavior existing among the database attributes in order to compromise confidential information. The technique is applied to the 1980 U.S. Census Database and is found to be effective as a compromise tool. The contribution of the study is additional knowledge of the degree of security of confidential statistical databases. Knowledge of additional threats to security may lead to the eventual ability to identify high privacy risk databases, and possibly to reduce that degree of risk.
Latent concept expansion using markov random fields

Query expansion, in the form of pseudo-relevance feedback or relevance feedback, is a common technique used to improve retrieval effectiveness. Most previous approaches have ignored important issues, such as the role of features and the importance of modeling term dependencies. In this paper, we propose a robust query expansion technique based onthe Markov random field model for information retrieval. The technique, called latent concept expansion, provides a mechanism for modeling term dependencies during expansion. Furthermore, the use of arbitrary features within the model provides a powerful framework for going beyond simple term occurrence features that are implicitly used by most other expansion techniques. We evaluate our technique against relevance models, a state-of-the-art language modeling query expansion technique. Our model demonstrates consistent and significant improvements in retrieval effectiveness across several TREC data sets. We also describe how our technique can be used to generate meaningful multi-term concepts for tasks such as query suggestion/reformulation.
Teaching Students With Autism in Natural Environments: What Educators Need From Researchers

A representative sample of the literature in the field of autism was reviewed to ascertain the potential impact of the available information on the development of educational programs to teach students with autism to function in a wide variety of heterogeneous community environments. Limitations in the research literature were identified with regard to the artificial nature of settings, tasks, materials, teaching formats, and curriculum content. Suggestions are made as to ways in which research efforts can be directed towards enabling educators to better assist these students to function more independently and ultimately to live, work, and recreate in a variety of noninstitutional environments.
Use of rocuronium in a pregnant patient with an open eye injury, receiving magnesium medication, for preterm labour.

We present a case where rocuronium 80 mg (3 x ED95) was used in a rapid sequence induction in a 80-kg pregnant patient with an open eye injury. The patient was also receiving magnesium 2 g h-1 i.v. for preterm labour. The expected duration for neuromuscular block of rocuronium in the absence of magnesium would be approximately 53 min; with infusion of magnesium, the duration of neuromuscular block was prolonged four-fold (215 min). It is important to remember that magnesium potentiates the effects of all non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents, including rocuronium.
Familial infantile olivopontocerebellar atrophy

Infantile olivopontocerebellar atrophies are rare progressive, fatal, neurologic conditions characterized pathologically by loss of neurons and gliosis in the cerebellum, pons, and inferior olivary nuclei in early life. The clinical and pathologic features of 2 brothers who presented in early infancy with failure to thrive and neurologic deterioration leading to death by the age of 5 months are reported. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain of Patient 1 disclosed progressive pontocerebellar atrophy. Both siblings had identical patterns of neuronal loss consistent with olivopontocerebellar atrophy at postmortem examination. Serum biochemical abnormalities of low thyroid binding globulin, hypoalbuminemia, and low cholesterol, suggestive of the carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome, were also present in both patients.
Influence of 1-aminoethoxyvinylglycine hydrochloride and α-naphthalene acetic acid on fruit retention, quality, evolved ethylene, and respiration in apples

Effects of 1-aminoethoxyvinylglycine hydrochloride (AVG or Aviglycine HCl or ReTain) and αnaphthalene acetic acid (NAA) on fruit retention, fruit quality, eveloved ethylene, and respiration in ‘Rome Beauty’ and three ‘Delicious’ apple cultivars (Malus domestica Borkh.) were studied. The experimental trees were treated with either AVG, applied at 120 g a.i. per 935 L . ha -1 or NAA, applied at the rate of 10 ppm at 1870 L . ha -1 . The AVG treatment was applied four weeks before anticipated harvest date while the NAA treatment was applied 7 days before harvest. In both 'Delicious' and 'Rome' apples, application of AVG maintained fruit retention and firmness but reduced starch hydrolysis, ethylene evolution, and respiration as compared to the NAA treatment. In the later harvests, fruit weights in NAA-treated trees were slightly higher than those treated with AVG. Fruit retention, maturity and quality differences between AVG and NAA treatments were more pronounced as the time past from the commercial harvest dates. Based on this study, application of AVG is more effective than NAA in preventing fruit drop and delaying fruit maturity and thus storage life of apples.
Phase shift in loudspeakers

A simple method of measuring the phase characteristic of a loudspeaker is described and typical phase curves are given for moving-coil and electrostatic loudspeakers. Distortion in correlation functions measured with an electrostatic loudspeaker is described and related to the phase characteristic of the speaker.
Sticky CSMA/CA: Implicit synchronization and real-time QoS in mesh networks

We propose a novel approach to QoS for real-time traffic over wireless mesh networks, in which application layer characteristics are exploited or shaped in the design of medium access control. Specifically, we consider the problem of efficiently supporting a mix of Voice over IP (VoIP) and delay-insensitive traffic, assuming a narrowband physical layer with CSMA/CA capabilities. The VoIP call carrying capacity of wireless mesh networks based on classical CSMA/CA (e.g., the IEEE 802.11 standard) is low compared to the raw available bandwidth, due to lack of bandwidth and delay guarantees. Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) could potentially provide such guarantees, but it requires fine-grained network-wide synchronization and scheduling, which are difficult to implement. In this paper, we introduce Sticky CSMA/CA, a new medium access mechanism that provides TDM-like performance to real-time flows without requiring explicit synchronization. We exploit the natural periodicity of VoIP flows to obtain implicit synchronization and multiplexing gains. Nodes monitor the medium using the standard CSMA/CA mechanism, except that they remember the recent history of activity in the medium. A newly arriving VoIP flow uses this information to grab the medium at the first available opportunity, and then sticks to a periodic schedule, providing delay and bandwidth guarantees. Delay-insensitive traffic fills the gaps left by the real-time flows using novel contention mechanisms to ensure efficient use of the leftover bandwidth. Large gains over IEEE 802.11 networks are demonstrated in terms of increased voice call carrying capacity (more than 100% in some cases). We briefly discuss extensions of these ideas to a broader class of real-time applications, in which artificially imposing periodicity (or some other form of regularity) at the application layer can lead to significant enhancements of QoS due to improved medium access.
An Efficient Sampling Survey Design to Estimate Pink Shrimp Population Abundance in Biscayne Bay, Florida

Abstract We developed an efficient sampling design-based approach using fishery-independent surveys to estimate population abundance of pink shrimp Penaeus duorarum over time in Biscayne Bay, Florida. We initially implemented quarterly stratified random sampling (StRS) using nine habitat strata and determined that average pink shrimp density (numbers/m2) was highest in late fall and lowest in spring and late summer. Coefficient of variation of the quarterly surveys, expressed as percent standard error/mean density, ranged from 5.8% to 14.3%. We found StRS to be more efficient (i.e., with lower variance) than simple random sampling (SRS) in most seasons. Statistical analyses suggested that pink shrimp densities were dependent on the biophysical habitat variables of bottom substrate, depth, and salinity. We also noted ontogenetic shifts in these relationships that were particularly pronounced at the onset of sexual maturation. Poststratification analysis was used to further evaluate several alternative habi...
The Feeding of Alcohol in Liquid Diets: Two Decades of Applications and 1982 Update

The technique of feeding ethanol as part of a totally liquid diet was invented two decades ago and its successful application for the intervening period is reviewed. This technique results in much higher ethanol intake than with conventional procedures. As a consequence, various complications observed in alcoholics were reproduced in animal models, including fatty liver, hyperlipemia, various metabolic and endocrine disorders, tolerance to ethanol and other drugs, physical dependence and withdrawal, the fetal alcohol syndrome and, in the baboon, liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. Variations of the liquid diet formulation are compared and three standardized basic formulas are being proposed for the rat: (1) a regular diet, comparable to the diet previously referred to as the "Lieber-DeCarli Formula" and suitable for most experimental applications, particularly those intended to mimic the clinical situation in which the various effects of alcohol occur in the setting of liver changes characterized by a fatty liver; (2) a low fat diet comparable in all respects to the preceding diet but with a lower fat content, intended to minimize the hepatic changes; and (3) a high protein formula particularly useful in those circumstances in which an oversupply of dietary protein might be recommended (i.e., pregnancy and lactation).
200-pass picosecond-pulse transmission through a regenerative recirculating fiber loop

We demonstrate picosecond-pulse transmission over 20 Mm using an all-optical 3R regenerator cascaded 200 times. Bit-error rate curves and cross-correlations show good pulse quality and a 1-dB penalty compared to back-to-back.
DOC cycling in a temperate estuary: A mass balance approach using natural 14C and 13C isotopes

We measured dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and their corresponding D 14 C and d 13 C values in order to study the sources and fates of DOC in the York River Estuary (Virginia, U.S.A.). The D 14 C and d 13 C values of DOC and DIC at the freshwater end-member indicate that during periods of moderate to high flow, riverine DOC entering the York was composed of decadal-aged terrestrially organic matter. In nearly all cases, DOC concentrations exceeded conservative mixing lines and were therefore indicative of a net DOC input flux from within the estuary that averaged 1.2 m ML 21 d 21 . The nonconservative behavior of DOC in the York River Estuary was also apparent in carbon isotopic mixing curves and the application of an isotopic mixing model. The model predicted that 20‐38% of the DOC at the mouth of the estuary was of riverine (terrestrial 1 freshwater) origin, while 38‐56% was added internally, depending on the isotopic values assigned to the internally added DOC. Measurements of D 14 C and d 13 C of DOC and DIC and marsh organic matter suggest that the internal sources originated from estuarine phytoplankton and marshes. The isotopic mixing model also indicates a significant concomitant loss (27‐45%) of riverine DOC within the estuary. Changes in DOC concentration, D 14 C-DOC, and d 13 C-DOC were also measured during incubation experiments designed to quantify the amounts, sources, and ages of DOC supporting the carbon demands of estuarine bacteria. Results of these experiments were consistent with an estuarine source of phytoplankton and marsh DOC and the preferential utilization of young ( 14 C-enriched) DOC in the low-salinity reaches of the York. However, the average removal of riverine DOC by bacteria accounts for only ;4‐19% of the riverine pool; therefore, other significant sinks for DOC exist within the estuary.
Genetic dissection of eosinophilic esophagitis provides insight into disease pathogenesis and treatment strategies

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the esophagus that is compounded by both genetic predisposition and aberrant responses to environmental antigens, particularly those that are food derived. Data have indicated a unique transcriptional response in vivo that defines EoE and that appears to be partially attributable to the T H 2 cytokine IL-13. Moreover, a number of genetic risk variants in proinflammatory and epithelial cell genes associate with EoE susceptibility, demonstrating novel heritable mechanisms that contribute to disease risk. Here we discuss recent advances in our understanding of the intrinsic (genetic) and extrinsic (environmental) components that illustrate the complex nature of EoE.
The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children: an Information-Processing Analysis and Critique

The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children is reviewed from an information-processing point of view. The article points out five major positive features of the test: its (a) attempt to provide a theoretical basis for intelligence testing, (b) assessment of the ability to deal with novelty, (c) attempt to integrate psychometric and information-processing paradigms, (d) attempt to achieve culture-fairness and norm representation, and (e) attempts to ensure examinees' comprehension of tasks. The article also points out major negative features of the test: its (a) misrepresentation of support for the theory underlying the test, (b) noncorrespondence between definition and measurement of intelligence, (c) inadequate aptitude-achievement distinction, (d) overemphasis on rote learning, and (e) questionable empirical support in studies directly testing the construct validity of the test. On balance, the assessment is unfavorable, and it is not recommended that the test be used in place of its major competitors, ...
Absence of age-related decline in total blood volume in physically active females.

Total blood volume (TBV) is an important determinant of cardiovascular functional capacity and the ability to maintain homeostasis during acute thermal and orthostatic stress. The primary aim of the present study was to test the hypotheses that TBV is 1) decreased with age in healthy, sedentary females, 2) not decreased with age in physically active females, and 3) directly related to maximal aerobic activity [maximal O2 consumption (VO2max)] in women of different ages and physical activity levels. An additional aim was to determine whether the use of hormone-replacement therapy in postmenopausal women is associated with altered TBV. Resting supine plasma volume (modified Evans blue dye technique) was measured in 25 postmenopausal women [12 sedentary (post-S), 13 physically active (post-PA; mean values, respectively, age 60 and 58 yr, and VO2max = 23 and 40 ml.kg-1.min-1)] and 27 premenopausal women [12 sedentary (pre-S), 15 physically active (pre-PA; mean values, respectively, age 29 and 31 yr, and VO2max = 35 and 54 ml.kg-1.min-1)]. TBV was lower in post-S (61 ml/kg) compared with pre-S (73 ml/kg) but not in post-PA (82 ml/kg) compared with pre-PA (87 ml/kg). It was also lower in post-S compared with post-PA. The lower TBV in post-S relative to pre-S and post-PA was related to lower plasma and estimated red blood cell volumes. Volumes did not differ between users and nonusers of hormone replacement. TBV was directly related to VO2max among all subjects (r = 0.65). It is concluded that 1) aging is associated with a decrease in TBV due to reductions in both plasma and erythrocyte cell volumes in healthy, sedentary females; 2) total blood, plasma, and red blood cell volumes are maintained with age in physically active females; 3) TBV is directly related to maximal aerobic capacity in females; and 4) TBV is not different in postmenopausal women using versus not using hormone-replacement therapy.
A new variety of Draba pedicellata and a lectotype for D. cusickii (Brassicaceae)

Abstract A new variety of Draba pedicellata and a lectotype for D. cusickii (Brassicaceae). Brittonia 56: 107–114. 2004.—A closely related group of Great Basin endemic drabas, Draba cusickii O. E. Schulz, D. sphaeroides Payson, and D. pedicellata (Rollins & R. A. Price) Windham, are described, keyed, and discussed in order to put D. pedicellata var. wheelerensis N. H. Holmgren, var. nov. in perspective. Draba cusickii is endemic to Steens Mountain of southeastern Oregon, and D. sphaeroides is known only from three mountain ranges in Elko County, Nevada, whereas D. pedicellata is more widespread in mountain ranges of eastern Nevada in Elko, Eureka, Nye, and White Pine counties. Draba pedicellata var. pedicellata occupies most of the range of the species, with var. wheelerensis being restricted to the Snake Range, just to the east of the range of the typical variety.
Ultrasounds and Other Types of Communication

Humans potentially can hear between 20 and 20,000 Hz; with age, older human ears often lose part of this range (Yahner 2001). Sounds above 20,000 Hz typically are considered as ultrasounds, such as those of bats, which produce sounds between 25,000 and 140,000 Hz. The term echo refers to the fact that signals are sent out and they bounce back to the sender.
Online education in cytotechnology programs: a pilot study.

Introduction The University of Nebraska Medical Center’s cytotechnology program has received requests for an on-line program. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that on-line education with virtual microscopy (VM) achieves similar screening and interpretation skills as traditional teaching methods using light microscopy (LM). Materials and methods The pilot phase was conducted using the first two courses in the program. The students were divided into two groups; traditional and virtual. The virtual group replaced LM with VM, while the traditional group utilized traditional teaching methods. At the end of the two courses, the virtual group was shown how to use LM and was given glass slide examinations. Results The mean of the female genital tract (FGT) screening quizzes and exams of the traditional group was 92.5; the mean for the virtual group was 86.8. For the respiratory tract (RT) course, the traditional group had a mean of 96 for their screening exams while the virtual group’s was 85.3. The glass slide examinations (FGT Mean = 98, RT Mean = 95.3) given to the virtual group at the end of the pilot study demonstrated their ability to apply screening and interpretation skill learned from VM to LM. Conclusion The study concludes that screening and interpretation skills of the traditional and virtual groups were similar. It appears possible to train students using VM as the sole method of teaching. The study will be extended to another cohort of students using the entire curriculum to further demonstrate the soundness of these results.