cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antivenin therapy in the emergency department

Venomous animal injuries constitute a significant medical problem worldwide. It is estimated that 40,000 people die annually from venomous snakebite alone. The total morbidity and mortality due to venomous reptiles, arthropods, and marine animals is unknown. The majority of venomous injuries are found in developing countries where the combination of rural populations, high density venomous animal species, and inadequate medical facilities generate a serious public health problem. While venomous animal injuries are less of a problem in the United States, when they do occur they may become a difficult problem to manage and often a major life threat.‘-” Emergency medicine physicians are likely to be involved wth the diagnosis and management of a venomous injury because of their position at the vanguard of the medical system. As in many other emergent conditions, the initial therapy is extremely important and will influence the final outcome of the envenomation. The definitive treatment of envenomation injuries, especially those due to snakebite, is antivenin
What is the optimum phased array coil design for cardiac and torso magnetic resonance

To determine the optimum configuration of a phased array MR coil system for human cardiac applications, the sensitivity of 10 flexible array designs operating under ideal conditions was calculated at 13 points circling the myocardium of a model torso whose geometry was determined from healthy volunteers. The array geometries that were evaluated included continuous strips of 2, 4, 6, and 10 circular coils of diameter equal to half the torso thickness wrapped laterally around the torso, 2 pairs of coils located on the left side of the chest and back, clusters of 3 coils in 2 orientations, clusters of 4 and 6 coils, and a hybrid cross of 6 coils. The 4-, 6-, and 10-coil strip arrays out-performed the other designs for a given number of coils, yielding average theoretical sensitivity improvements of 45%, 53%, and 55% relative to a single flexible coil positioned at the point closest to the anterior myocardium, compared with about 30% for 4- and 6-coil clusters and the 2-pair geometry (P < 0.02). A flexible 4-coil strip array was constructed for a clinical 1.5 T scanner with 15-cm diameter circular surface coils on flexible circuit board. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of this coil at the 13 cardiac locations was measured in 15 normal volunteers and compared with the SNR measured in images acquired with standard commercial MR coils: a body coil, a flexible torso array, a general purpose flexible coil, and, in 4 subjects, a dual array coil. In the prone orientation, the average myocardial SNR improvement of the 4-coil strip array was 650% relative to the whole body coil, compared with 310-340% for the other commercial coils (P < 0.00005). The twofold advantage over the commercial coils persisted in supine studies (P < 0.00005, n = 5). Thus, flexible circumferential phased arrays of strips of surface coils of diameter comparable with the depth of the heart generally out-perform many other standard geometries for a given number of coils, and can yield dramatically improved SNR over coils available for general use in the torso.
Adiponectin Regulates Bone Mass via Opposite Central and Peripheral Mechanisms through FoxO1

The synthesis of adiponectin, an adipokine with ill-defined functions in animals fed a normal diet, is enhanced by the osteoblast-derived hormone osteocalcin. Here we show that adiponectin signals back in osteoblasts to hamper their proliferation and favor their apoptosis, altogether decreasing bone mass and circulating osteocalcin levels. Adiponectin fulfills these functions, independently of its known receptors and signaling pathways, by decreasing FoxO1 activity in a PI3-kinase-dependent manner. Over time, however, these local effects are masked because adiponectin signals in neurons of the locus coeruleus, also through FoxO1, to decrease the sympathetic tone, thereby increasing bone mass and decreasing energy expenditure. This study reveals that adiponectin has the unusual ability to regulate the same function in two opposite manners depending on where it acts and that it opposes, partially, leptin's influence on the sympathetic nervous system. It also proposes that adiponectin regulation of bone mass occurs through a PI3-kinase-FoxO1 pathway.
A self-similar invariance of critical binary Galton-Watson trees

A coding of hierarchical structure in finite directed tree graphs was introduced by Robert Horton in 1945; after a modification by Strahler in 1952, this has become a standard river network code defined as follows. Edges along a path adjoining a source (valence 1 vertex) to a junction (valence 3 or higher vertex) are coded as order 1. Such a path of order 1 edges is also referred to as an order 1 stream. Having defined edges and streams of order i, one now recursively defines edges and streams of order i+1 by the rule that the `order 1' streams of the tree obtained by pruning the streams of order i (and lower) are assigned order i+1. This code has helped to identify a number of naturally occurring patterns in river network structure as well as in other naturally occurring dendritic structures. Let Ti,j(s) denote the number of order j < i junctions in a stream s of order i and let T ¯ i ,j denote the sample average over all such streams s of order i. Empirically it has been observed that T ¯ i ,j is, allowing small-sample fluctuations, approximately a function of i-j for large classes of river networks. A calculation of Ronald Shreve published in 1969 revealed that ETi,j = ½2i-j for the critical binary Galton-Watson distribution. This is our starting point. In particular, we introduce a more general notion of stochastic self-similarity and show that within a class of Galton-Watson trees both this and the consequent mean Toeplitz property are characteristic of the critical binary offspring distribution. In addition, we obtain interesting conditioned limit theorems corresponding to the invariance of the critical binary branching process under a pruning dynamic in the space of finite rooted trees.
The generic model of psychotherapy: An empirical investigation of patterns of process and outcome relationships

What is effectively therapeutic about psychotherapy? The generic model of psychotherapy provides an empirically valid conceptual representation of psychotherapy process and outcome relationships that begins to answer this question. It provides a theoretical foundation from which research investigating complex process-outcome relationships common to all psychotherapies can proceed. Moreover, the generic model is of sufficient breadth to direct empirical investigations of general principles of psychotherapeutic change. At the same time, it is of sufficient specificity to guide research that has relevance for the practicing clinician. The findings reported here also demonstrate the utility of the generic model for guiding exploratory psychotherapy research that aims to identify emerging patterns of relationships between process and outcome.
Addition of supplementary foods and infant growth (2 to 24 months).

Objective: To determine the effect of adding supplementary foods on infant growth 2 to 8 and 12 to 24 months.Methods: Length (cm/month) and weight (kg/month) of white infants (n = 94) were measured five to nine times from 2 to 24 months of age. Mothers reported birth weights, infants’ ages at first introduction of supplementary food, illnesses and information sources about infant feeding. Simple linear regression equations were used to compute slopes for each child (unit changes in length and in weight by age). Stepwise linear regression was used to determine the effect on weight and length slopes by the introduction of supplementary foods (e.g., an infant’s age when cereal, fruit, juice, vegetables and a meat cluster were first added) to the diet. Breast feeding (months duration or ever fed), illness scores and gender were covariates in the regression models.Results: A significant model (F = 10.09, p = .002) for weight gain (2 to 8 months) showed that gender explained 10% of the variance; for length slop...
Whatever Happened to “Urbanism”? A Comparison of Premodern, Modernist, and HOPE VI Morphology in Three American Cities

In the United States, urban form and design changed tremendously during the twentieth century. From the early twentieth century, a time when small-scale, highly diverse city blocks or what Douglas Rae called “urbanism” predominated, urban redevelopment came to be dominated by large-scale modernist superblocks, often promoted by federal policy. In the last two decades of the century, some urban designers argued for recapturing the physical qualities of the premodern city, while others argued that large-scale, autonomous city areas were both inevitable and ideal. This study undertakes a morphological investigation of three “twice-cleared” urban sites in three American cities—Boston, Chicago, and New Orleans—to measure the changes occurring in eight morphological variables. The study examines three eras: 1910, when all three sites were dominated by small-scale buildings and city blocks, or premodern development; 1950, when all three sites had been redeveloped for Modernism-inspired public housing; and 2010, ...
A comprehensive carbon capture and storage infrastructure model

Abstract In this paper we present a spatial optimization model that comprehensively models carbon capture and s torage (CCS) infrastructure, from source -to -sink. The model optimally and simultaneously chooses at which sources and how much CO2 should be captured, at which reservoirs (or sinks) and how much CO2 should be injected and stored, where a pipeline network should be constructed and at what capacity, and how to distribute CO2 among the networked sources and reservoirs. A key contribution of the model is the ability to link sources and reservoirs using a realistic and capacitated pipeline network.
A human B-lymphoblastoid cell line constitutively producing Epstein-Barr herpesvirus and JHK retrovirus

The human B-lymphoblastoid cell line, designated JHK-3, with pre-B-cell characteristics, chronically produces two viruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and JHK virus, an apparently novel retrovirus. The JHK-3 cells are much more productive of extracellular EBV than the high-producer marmoset line B95-8. The extracellular virus of the JHK-3 EBV strain is relatively fragile, more broadly dispersed in an ultracentrifuged sucrose gradient than the B95-8 EBV and more susceptible to disruption by combined treatment with urea and dithiothreitol. By restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, the JHK-3 EBV strain resembles the EBV strain FF-41. The JHK-3 cells also produce an incompletely characterized, relatively fragile, enveloped, icosahedral RNA virus that contains Mn(++)-dependent reverse transcriptase. JHK virions measure 85 nm in ultrathin sections, much smaller than other Retroviridae. The JHK virus exhibits a distinctive morphogenesis, most nearly resembling C-type retroviruses. The JHK-3 cell line provides a human cell model for investigating virus/virus interactions and their pathogenetic affects on host cells which chronically and simultaneously produce DNA and RNA viruses.
Evolution from BCS to BEC superfluidity in the presence of spin-orbit coupling

We discuss the evolution from BCS to Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) superfluids in the presence of spin-orbit coupling for a balanced mixture of ultracold fermions. The dependence of several thermodynamic properties, such as chemical potential, order parameter, pressure, entropy, isothermal compressibility, and spin susceptibility tensor on the spin-orbit coupling and interaction parameter at low temperatures are analyzed. We studied both equal Rashba and Dresselhaus (ERD) and the Rashba-only (RO) spin-orbit coupling. Comparisons between the two cases reveal several striking differences in the corresponding thermodynamic quantities. Finally, we propose measuring the isothermal compressibility and spin susceptibility as a way of detecting the effects of the spin-orbit coupling.
Talent identification and development in education (TIDE)

Talents emerge from general ability as a confluence of genetic dispositions, home and school experiences, and students' unique interests and learning styles. Gagne (1985) delineated a general pattern of talent development in youth, and other researchers (Bloom, 1985; Gagne, 1985; Keating, 1979; MacKinnon, 1978; Tannenbaum, 1983; Taylor, 1978; and Reis & Renzulli, 1986) have explicated the nature and development of talents. Our own model is represented in Figure 1. We see genetic factors as determining potential strengths and setting limits to the extent of talent development. Those who are likely to go on to high level talent development will exhibit precocity early on. Abilities, aptitudes, and intelligences emerge as a result of experiences, motivations, and styles. Creative insight skills (Davidson & Sternberg, 1984) a functional knowledge base (Glaser, 1984), and metacognitive creativity skills (Beyer, 1987) provide the final underpinning for the emergence of specific talents.
Configurational relationships between naturally occurring cyclic plant acids and glucose; transformation of quinic acid into shikimic acid.

Abstract The transformation of quinic acid into shikimic acid by means of the methylene derivatives of these acids has been described. Thus the configuration of the carbon atoms 3,4 and 5 of quinic acid has been shown to be the same as in shikimic acid, which had previously been configurationally related to D -glucose. 3-cyano-lobelanine has been synthesized from dihydroshikimic acid nitrile, benzoyl acetic acid, and monomethyl amine under conditions sufficiently mild so that they might exist in plant or animal organisms.
Phase Behavior of Partially Miscible Ethylene-Styrene Copolymer Blends

Blends of ethylene-styrene copolymers were studied as a model system for miscibility of R-olefin copolymer blends. The phase behavior of partially miscible copolymers, with styrene content difference of 9-10 wt %, was characterized by phase diagrams. Blends were rapidly quenched from the melt to retain the phase morphology, and the volume fractions of the two phases were obtained from AFM phase images. Assuming monodisperse polymers, the phase composition was approximated by extrapolation of the relationship between blend composition and phase volume fraction. The blends exhibited an upper critical solution temperature (UCST). With decreasing molecular weight and decreasing styrene content difference, the blends became more miscible and the UCST decreased. However, the interaction parameter extracted from the phase compositions varied with molecular weight, contrary to expectations, and did not show the expected squared dependence on styrene content difference. Much better results were obtained with an approach that considered the molecular weight distribution. Although the polydispersity of ethylene-styrene copolymers is relatively small, the analysis indicated that phase composition depended on initial blend composition. The parameter obtained with this approach was independent of molecular weight and was proportional to the square of the styrene content difference. The solubility parameter difference extracted from the parameter agreed with literature values.
Influence of Chemical Interactions on the Surface-Enhanced Infrared Absorption Spectrometry of Nitrophenols on Copper and Silver Films

The surface-enhanced infrared spectrometry of nitrophenols on copper and silver films has been investigated. When molecules with strong electron-withdrawing groups, such as nitro groups, are adsorbed to coinage-group metals, sizeable changes in the infrared spectrum are observed. These changes can be attributed to donor−acceptor interactions between the nitro group and the metal which change the structure of the molecule. These chemical changes cause spectroscopic changes which influence the suitability of surface-enhanced infrared absorption for use in hyphenated techniques.
Entorhinal verrucae correlate with surface geometry

Entorhinal verrucae are unique, small elevations on the surface of entorhinal cortex, formed due to distinctive clustering of large neurons in entorhinal layer II. In Alzheimer’s disease, the verrucae atrophy as a result of neurofibrillary tangle formation and concomitant neuronal loss. Previously, we found significant decreases in verrucae height, width, surface area, and volume even in the mildest stage of Alzheimer’s disease. In this report, we introduce a new method for analyzing verrucae prominence using measures of their curvature. Smoothed surfaces and curvatures were generated using FreeSurfer ( http://surfer.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu ) from 100 μm3 ex vivo MRI isosurfaces. We examined the positive and negative components of mean curvature AreaNorm(H+/-) and Gaussian curvature AreaNorm(K +/−) in entorhinal cortex. A significant difference was found between entorhinal (n=10) and non-entorhinal cortices (n=9) for both AreaNorm(H+/-) and AreaNorm(K +/−). We also validated our curvature analysis through a comparison with previously published verrucae measures derived from manual labels of individual verrucae. A significant positive correlation was found between mean verrucae height and AreaNorm(H+/-). Both mean verrucae height and volume were significantly positively correlated with AreaNorm(K +/−). These results demonstrate that K and H are accurate metrics for detecting the presence or absence of entorhinal verrucae. Curvature analysis may be a useful and sensitive technique for detecting local surface changes in entorhinal cortex.
Superconductivity in the niobium and scandium monosulfide systems at pressures up to 20 kbar

Abstract The superconducting properties of niobium and scandium monosulfides have been studied as a function of pressure up to 20 kbar. For ScS the transition temperature T c falls at a rate of 2.0 × 10 −5 K bar −1 and for NbS T c rises at a rate of 2.8 × 10 −5 K bar −1 . All samples behaved as ordinary type II superconductors with upper critical fields which ranged from 0.2 to 1.0 T. From the value of the upper critical field the electrical resistivity of these powder samples can be estimated; ScS is found to be a rather good metal with a resistivity of about 20 μΩ cm just above T c .
Primaquine Diphosphate: Inhibition of Newcastle Disease Virus Replication

The response of Newcastle disease virus replication to primaquine, an antimalarial drug, was examined in chicken embryo cells (CEC). Virus-induced hemadsorption was completely inhibited by 250 μg of primaquine per ml. At lower concentrations, hemadsorption inhibition was dose dependent. Primaquine retarded virus-induced redistribution of receptor sites on the host cell plasma membrane as shown by the failure of infected, drug-treated CEC to be agglutinated with concanavalin A. The production of infectious progeny virus was substantially inhibited by the addition of primaquine at various times postinfection. When the drug was added early in the virus replication cycle, viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthesis was inhibited; however, when the drug was added late in the cycle, stimulation of RNA synthesis was observed. Primaquine was also shown to retard the incorporation of [ 14 C]amino acids into proteins of virus-infected CEC. We suggest that the major role of primaquine is inhibition of protein synthesis; this results in changes in: hemadsorption, redistribution of lectin receptors, release of progeny, and virus-induced RNA synthesis.
Bifunctional Acyltransferase/Decarboxylase LnmK as the Missing Link for β-Alkylation in Polyketide Biosynthesis

β-Alkylations contribute to the vast structural diversity displayed by polyketide natural products. A unified pathway has been proposed for introduction of both β-methyl and β-ethyl branches catalyzed by hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase homologues that utilize acetyl- or propionyl-S-acyl carrier protein (ACP) as a substrate. While the origin of acetyl-S-ACP has been established, that of propionyl-S-ACP remains unknown. Here we report the characterization of LnmK from the leinamycin biosynthetic machinery as a bifunctional acyltransferase/decarboxylase (AT/DC) that derives propionyl-S-ACP from methylmalonyl-CoA, accounting for the missing link of the β-ethyl or propionyl branch in polyketide biosynthesis. LnmK represents an emerging family of novel AT/DC enzymes and could be exploited by combinatorial biosynthesis methods to engineer novel polyketides, especially those with β-alkyl branches.
New insights into the genetic mechanism of IQ in autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) comprise a number of underlying sub-types with various symptoms and presumably different genetic causes. One important difference between these sub-phenotypes is IQ. Some forms of ASD such as Asperger’s have relatively intact intelligence while the majority does not. In this study, we explored the role of genetic factors that might account for this difference. Using a case–control study based on IQ status in 1657 ASD probands, we analyzed both common and rare variants provided by the Autism Genome Project (AGP) consortium via dbGaP (database of Genotypes and Phenotypes). We identified a set of genes, among them HLA-DRB1 and KIAA0319L, which are strongly associated with IQ within a population of ASD patients.
Increased intracellular glycerophosphoinositol is a biochemical marker for transformation by membrane-associated and cytoplasmic oncogenes

Abstract Transformation of rodent fibroblasts by cytoplasmic (mos, raf) and membrane-associated (ras, src, met, trk), but not nuclear (myc, fos) oncogenes results specifically in a very significant elevation of intracellular levels of glycerophosphoinositol (GPI). This elevation is specifically associated with the transformed state of the cells and not merely with their active state of proliferation. The basal phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity of the same cells is also significantly stimulated in vivo. Our results are consistent with the notion that the elevated levels of GPI result from deacylation of lysophosphatidylinositol released by the enhanced PLA2 activity. GPI isa water-soluble, easily detectable metabolite which may constitute a convenient biochemical marker for malignant transformation by this particular group of oncogenes.
Renal Cell Carcinoma with Extension into Right Atrium

Symptoms of renal cell carcinoma include flank pain, a palpable mass, and hematuria. At sonographhy, the tumor is frequently a contour-deforming renal mass that is less echogenic than normal renal ...
The Effects of Classification Structure on Organized Free Recall in Children.

Abstract A sorting presentation procedure was used to study the effects of three classification schemes (self-generated, thematic, or taxonomic) on the organized free recall of second and fifth graders. Recall and clustering were significantly higher for subjects who used self-generated organizations than for subjects given the experimenter-prescribed taxonomic classification. The results indicated that memory performance benefitted when the organization of stimulus materials was consonant with children's personal classification structures.
Participatory Communication for Social Change: The Relevance of the Theory of Communicative Action

Communication for social change refers to an approach to development communication disassociated from the tradition of modernization theory and focuses on participatory communication. However, the literature on participatory communication for social change contains a variety of definitions specifying exactly what participatory communication is. Various definitions focus on project planning, implementation, evaluation, interpersonal communication, radio, participatory communication as a means to an end, participatory communication as an end in itself, and more. There is also debate over whether social marketing and entertainment-education can be employed in a participatory manner. This chapter reviews past and current approaches, arguing that Habermas’s theory of communicative action provides a useful approach to the definitional problem. It presents a scheme for differentiating among kinds of communication for social change using this theory’s classification of action types, differentiating communicative ...
The changing power equation in hospitals.

This research traces the origins, development, and reasons for change in the power equation in the U.S. hospitals between physicians, administrators and accountants. The paper contains three major sections: a review of the literature concerning authority, power, influence, and institutional theory; a review of the development of the power of professions, especially physicians, accounting and healthcare administrators, and the power equilibrium of a hospital; and, a discussion of the social policy implications of the power struggle. The basis for physicians' power derives from their legal ability to act on which others are dependent, such as choosing which hospital to admit patients, order tests and procedures for their patients. The Federal Government's prospective payment system and the hospitals' related case-mix accounting systems appear to influence the power structure in hospitals by redistributing that power. The basis of the accountants' power base is control of financial information. Accountants have a definite potential for influencing which departments receive financial resources and for what purpose. This moves hospital accountants into the power equation. The basis of the hospital administrators' power is their formal authority in the organization. Regardless of what actions federal government agencies, hospital accountants, or hospital administrators take, physicians are expected to remain the dominant factor in the power equation. Without major environmental changes to gain control of physician services, only insignificant results in cost containment will occur.
On the spectral density and asymptotic normality of weakly dependent random fields

For weakly stationary random fields, conditions on coefficients of “linear dependence” are given which are, respectively, sufficient for the existence of a continuous spectral density, and necessary and sufficient for the existence of a continuous positive spectral density. For strictly stationary random fields, central limit theorems are proved under the corresponding “unrestricted ϱ-mixing” condition and just finite or “barely infinite” second moments. No mixing rate is assumed.
On-board SRAM signal density stress prediction

Static Random Access Memory (SRAM) chips undergo several types of stress in the field. Existing work has concentrated primarily on humidity and thermal stress; there has been relatively little emphasis on signal density stress prediction. Objectives of this study were to (1) explore the impact of signal density stress on SRAM functionality, (2) observe thermal profile differences under signal density stress over time, (3) predict stress levels using artificial neural network models, and (4) develop a generic methodology for signal density stress prediction. An 8051 programming board containing an SRAM chip was used. Two kinds of signal density stress were investigated - varying the content written to memory, and varying signal frequency in accessing SRAM through flash memory. Preliminary experiments suggest that both types of stress impact the SRAM thermal profile. Thermal profile data were used to build back propagation neural network models; 70% of the data was used to build the models and 30% was used for testing. Various neural network training functions and topologies were used to predict chip stress level given thermal profile data. Data from both the die area and the entire chip were used. For both types of stress, using data from the die area in a network with a 3-3-1 topology yielded the lowest average error rate - 1.3% for data content stress level prediction and 7.6 % for signal frequency stress level prediction. The trainRP function resulted in a lower error rate than other training functions that were evaluated.
Numerical study of the linear stability of immiscible displacement in porous media

In this paper the linear stability of immiscible displacement in porous media is examined by numerical methods. The method of matched initial value problems is used to solve the eigenvalue problem for displacement processes pertaining to initially mobile phases. Both non capillary and capillary displacement in rectilinear flow geometries is studied. The results obtained are in agreement with recent asymptotic studies. A sensitivity analysis with respect to process parameters is carried out. Similarities and differences with the stability of Hele-Shaw flows are delineated.
The trajectory of fatigue in adult patients with breast and ovarian cancer receiving chemotherapy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the trajectory of fatigue and determine the feasibility of exploring physiologic mechanisms of fatigue in adult patients receiving chemotherapy for breast and ovarian cancer. DESIGN Descriptive, longitudinal, repeated measures. SETTING Outpatient ambulatory cancer centers within two large, academic, teaching hospitals with overnight hospital stays in general clinical research centers. SAMPLE Seventeen adult participants with either early-stage breast or ovarian cancer receiving chemotherapy for the first time. METHODS Demographic questionnaire; Piper Fatigue Scale (PFS); hemoglobin, bilirubin, melatonin, and weight change were measured at baseline, three months, and approximately six months. PFS also was collected at three additional two-week nadir, post-treatment, measurement points. Descriptive statistics and repeated analysis of variance measures were used to analyze data. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Fatigue, hemoglobin, bilirubin, melatonin, and presence of other comorbid disease. FINDINGS Subjective fatigue was experienced by the majority of patients receiving chemotherapy. It was irregular over time, intensified at three months, and continued after treatment ended. The physiologic trajectory of fatigue from baseline to three months indicated a significant change over time in hemoglobin in the breast cancer group (p = 0.02) and in nighttime melatonin levels for both breast and ovarian cancer groups (p = 0.03). Although not significant, daytime melatonin levels changed over time from baseline to six months. CONCLUSIONS Fatigue fluctuates during the course of chemotherapy treatment and does not cease after treatment ends. Preliminary findings suggest that fatigue mechanisms may have an undetermined physiologic basis. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Assessment of cancer treatment-related fatigue must be ongoing, even after treatment ends. Findings suggest an awareness of the importance of understanding fatigue mechanisms to enable future testing of research-based interventions.
Some thoughts on peer review

From time to time, we like to invite the members of our Board of Editors to comment on a matter of current interest, either related to publishing or to research in library and information science. This time we took the theme of peer review, the focus of “The manuscript reviewing process,” by Lutz Bornmann and Hans-Dieter Daniel, published in this issue. We sent a preprint of the article to the Board, along with a series of questions, and a number of our Board colleagues were gracious enough to share their thoughts in response to a series of questions.
A Modified Procedure for the Separation of Acidic Amino Compounds Using a Sulfonated Polystyrene Resin

Summary The polystyrene ion-exchange chromatographic method of Moore and Stein (4) was modified to permit more rapid elution and to eliminate the need for temperature control. This was achieved by altering the pH of the buffer from 3.42 to 4.0 and the concentration of the buffer from 0.1 M to 0.06 M . These changes permitted more rapid elution, resulting in a shortening of the procedure by about 75%. In addition, the column could be operated between 20 and 30° C. without affecting the results. Eleven acidic amino compounds were found to be separated by this method. In addition to those separated by Moore and Stein, serine phosphate and glutamine also were separated.
Stable insulin secreting ducts formed by reprogramming of cells in the liver using a three gene cocktail and a PPAR agonist

With the long-term aim of developing a new type of therapy for diabetes, we have investigated the reprogramming of liver cells in normal mice toward a pancreatic phenotype using the gene combination Pdx1, Ngn3, MafA. CD1 mice were rendered diabetic with streptozotocin and given a single dose of Ad-PNM, an adenoviral vector containing all three genes. Ad-PNM induced hepatocytes of the liver to produce insulin, and the blood glucose became normalized. But over several weeks, the insulin-positive cells were lost and the blood glucose rose back to diabetic levels. Simultaneous administration of a peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor agonist, WY14643, caused remission of diabetes at a lower dose of Ad-PNM and also caused the appearance of a population of insulin-secreting ductal structures in the liver. The insulin-positive ducts were stable and were able to relieve diabetes in the long term. We show that the effect of WY14643 is associated with the promotion of cell division of the ductal cells, which may increase their susceptibility to being reprogrammed toward a beta cell fate.
Analytical Investigation of Damping Enhancement Using Active and Passive Structural Joints

The low inherent damping of large space structures has prompted considerable research into active and passive damping augmentation. This paper discusses the development and analysis of improved joints for large space structures. These joints are able to give space structures higher levels of passive damping without significantly increasing the structure's weight or complexity. Two types of joint designs will be considered: passive joints and active joints. In each case, the force normal to a frictional interface is varied yielding a connecting joint with increased damping performance. A single-degree- of-freedom joint and a system consisting of two elastic beams connected by a single active/passive joint are considered. It is shown that these new types of joints enhance the energy dissipation from interconnected flexible structures in a relatively simple and robust way. Numerical simulation results are presented and discussed.
Sesquiterpene lactones. Psilotropin from psilostrophe cooperi

Abstract Psilotropin (I) is a sesquiterpene dilactone which differs from vermeerin (V) in the stereochemistry of the γ-lactone ring. The stereochemistry of the δ-lactone fusion is ambiguous, and that of the C-10 methyl group has not been established.
Depth first generation of long patterns

ABSTRACT In this paper we present an algorithm for mining long patterns in databases. The algorithm nds large itemsets by using depth rst search on a lexicographic tree of itemsets. The focus of this paper is to develop CPU-e cient algorithms for nding frequent itemsets in the cases when the database contains patterns which are very wide. We refer to this algorithm as DepthProject, and it achieves more than one order of magnitude speedup over the recently proposed MaxMiner algorithm for nding long patterns. These techniques may be quite useful for applications in areas such as computational biology in which the number of records is relatively small, but the itemsets are very long. This necessitates the discovery of patterns using algorithms which are especially tailored to the nature of such domains.
Cultural landscapes: balancing nature and heritage in preservation practice

Cultural landscapes: balancing nature and heritage in preservation practice, edited by Richard Longstreth, Minneapolis, University of Minnesota Press, 2008, 218 pp. The complexities of community de...
Rearrangement of nitrogen fixation genes during heterocyst differentiation in the cyanobacterium Anabaena

Nitrogen fixation by the cyanobacterium Anabaena is carried out in heterocysts, specialized, non-dividing cells which differentiate under conditions of ammonia or nitrate deprivation. In Anabaena, heterocyst differentiation is accompanied by rearrangement of some nitrogen fixation genes. A site-specific recombination between an 11 base-pair direct repeat sequence flanking the nif K and nif D genes removes 11 kilobases of intervening DNA, resulting in juxtaposition of the two genes and an alteration of the nif D protein-coding sequence.
Clinical results of simultaneous adjacent interdigital neurectomy in the foot.

Fifteen patients (19 feet) who underwent simultaneous surgical excision of two primary interdigital neuromas in adjacent web spaces of the foot were studied retrospectively. There were 11 female patients (73%). The average age of the patients was 54.4 years. Other causes of multiple web space tenderness were excluded prior to surgical resection of both neuromas. At an average follow-up of 68.6 months (range, 32–113 months), 10 feet (53%) had complete resolution of symptoms and six feet (31%) had minimal residual symptoms. Three feet in two patients (16%) continued to have significant pain after surgery.One sequela of the procedure was dense sensory loss of the plantar aspect of the third metatarsal head to the tip of the third toe. There was also proximal dorsal sensory loss to the second, third, and fourth toes which was a function of the type of incision used. The sensory loss did not cause disability in the patients, but did cause some awkwardness with nail care.Resection of adjacent interdigital neuro...
Selective laparoscopic probing for a contralateral patent processus vaginalis reduces the need for contralateral exploration in inconclusive cases

Abstract Background/Purpose: Repair of an indirect inguinal hernia is the most common procedure performed by pediatric surgeons, yet the need for contralateral exploration remains controversial. This prospective study evaluated the use of laparoscopy combined with the selective use of probing to determine the presence or absence of a contralateral patent processus vaginalis (CPPV). Methods: A consecutive series of 75 of the author's patients presenting with a unilateral inguinal hernia were studied. Laparoscopy was performed through the known hernia sac with CO 2 insufflation utilizing a 4-mm 70° telescope to inspect the contralateral inguinal region. A patent processus was diagnosed when an obvious opening through the internal ring was identified. In some patients this evaluation was found to be inconclusive because of the inability to determine accurately the length of the patent processus or to rule out a patent processus obscured by a veil of peritoneum. This group of patients was then evaluated selectively with a silver probe placed under direct vision through a 14-gauge intravenous catheter placed through the abdominal wall on the side in question to manipulate the peritoneum and directly measure the length of the potentially patent processus. A patent processus greater then 1.5 cm was considered positive. Results: A total of 54 patients (72%) had a conclusive laparoscopic evaluation of the contralateral inguinal region with a CPPV clearly absent in 38 and an obvious CPPV present in 16. A total of 21 patients (28%) had inconclusive laparoscopy finding and were evaluated further with probing. The probing technique changed the determination of a CPPV in15 patients (12 positive to negative and 3 negative to positive; P =.029, Fisher's Exact test). Probing resulted in a decrease in the overall rate of identification of a CPPV from 45% to 32%. Conclusion: In inconclusive cases, the addition of selective probing to the laparoscopic evaluation for a CPPV reduces the number of patent processus vaginalis found and the need for contralateral inguinal exploration. J Pediatr Surg 35:1151-1154. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Potentiation of Fcε Receptor I–activated Ca2+ Current (ICRAC) by Cholera Toxin: Possible Mediation by ADP Ribosylation Factor

Antigen-evoked influx of extracellular Ca(2+) into mast cells may occur via store-operated Ca(2+) channels called calcium release-activated calcium (CRAC) channels. In mast cells of the rat basophilic leukemia cell line (RBL-2H3), cholera toxin (CT) potentiates antigen-driven uptake of (45)Ca(2+) through cAMP-independent means. Here, we have used perforated patch clamp recording at physiological temperature to test whether cholera toxin or its substrate, Gs, directly modulates the activity of CRAC channels. Cholera toxin dramatically amplified (two- to fourfold) the Ca(2)+ release-activated Ca(2+) current (I(CRAC)) elicited by suboptimal concentrations of antigen, without itself inducing I(CRAC), and this enhancement was not mimicked by cAMP elevation. In contrast, cholera toxin did not affect the induction of I(CRAC) by thapsigargin, an inhibitor of organelle Ca(2+) pumps, or by intracellular dialysis with low Ca(2+) pipette solutions. Thus, the activity of CRAC channels is not directly controlled by cholera toxin or Gsalpha. Nor was the potentiation of I(CRAC) due to enhancement of phosphoinositide hydrolysis or calcium release. Because Gs and the A subunit of cholera toxin bind to ADP ribosylation factor (ARF) and could modulate its activity, we tested the sensitivity of antigen-evoked I(CRAC) to brefeldin A, an inhibitor of ARF-dependent functions, including vesicle transport. Brefeldin A blocked the enhancement of antigen-evoked I(CRAC) without inhibiting ADP ribosylation of Gsalpha, but it did not affect I(CRAC) induced by suboptimal antigen or by thapsigargin. These data provide new evidence that CRAC channels are a major route for Fcin receptor I-triggered Ca(2+) influx, and they suggest that ARF may modulate the induction of I(CRAC) by antigen.
Machine-Assisted Search Preference Evaluation

Information Retrieval systems are traditionally evaluated using the relevance of web pages to individual queries. Other work on IR evaluation has focused on exploring the use of preference judgments over two search result lists. Unlike traditional query-document evaluation, collecting preference judgments over two search result-lists takes the context of documents, and hence takes the interaction between search results, into consideration. Moreover, preference judgments have been shown to produce more accurate results compared to absolute judgment. On the other hand result list preference judgments have very high annotation cost. In this work, we investigate how machine learned models can assist human judges in order to collect reliable result list preference judgments at large scale with lower judgment-cost. We build novel models that can predict user preference automatically. We investigate the effect of different features on the prediction quality. We focus on predicting preferences with high confidence and show that these models can be effectively used to assist human judges resulting in significant reduction in annotation cost.
Serum dependent growth of primary cultured differentiated fetal rat hepatocytes in arginine-deficient medium.

Fetal rat hepatocytes in primary monolayer cultures multiply in arginine-deficient medium. Both the “recovery efficiency” and the final cell density of the cultured cells are proportional to the concentration (0–15%, v/v) of dialyzed fetal bovine serum in the medium. Stationary-phase cells divide again following addition of fresh serum to the culture. After two to three generations of growth, the chromosome number of these cells remains diploid [2N = 42]. Cross-feeding (of a subpopulation of arginine-requiring liver-derived cells by parenchymal arginine-synthesizing cells) and cellular degradation of various serum proteins do not account for sources of arginine required for cell multiplication in this culture system. Because these cultured hepatocytes utilize ornithine for arginine biosynthesis, and because ornithine enhances the rate and the amount of cell multiplication, it is more likely that the multiplying cells are parenchymal arginine-synthesizing hepatocytes. At least two classes of serum factors are required for the growth of cultured fetal rat hepatocytes: one stimulates cell multiplication; the other is required for cellular survival and/or attachment to the culture dish. These factors have been partially separated by fractionation with ammonium sulfate; they are non-dialyzable, heat labile, and sensitive to changes in pH.
Electronic and Chemical Phenomena at Cu(In, Ga)Se2/CdS Heterojunctions and Their Implications for Photovoltaic Devices

The surface chemical composition of Cu(In, Ga)Se2 (CIGS) alloys and CIGS/CdS interfaces are characterized by photoelectron emission spectroscopy. The results show that there is a severe but shallow (1-2 atomic layers) Cu depletion at {112} surfaces of CuInSe2 epitaxial films, consistent with earlier results. The depletion is not due to the existence of ordered defect compounds, but likely a result of the reconstruction of polar CIGS surfaces. Cd was found incorporated into the top 1-2 atomic layers of Cu-poor surfaces of CIGS, which may explain the n-type surface inversion in finished devices. These results and others formed the basis of a numerical model of CIGS solar cells. It is argued from the experimental and simulation results that the performance of devices based on high Ga content alloys may be reduced by failure to dope the surface of CuGaSe2 sufficiently n-type. The effect of observed defect states on the energy gap is considered, in particular with respect to pinning of the Fermi level near the heterojunction. By contrast, devices based on high In-content alloys show strong surface inversion in CIGS/CdS heterojunctions, which is suggestive of an effect of Cd incorporation in the CIGS surface.
The Effectiveness of Several Performance Bounds for Capacitated Production, Partial-Order-Service, Assemble-to-Order Systems

We consider an assemble-to-order (ATO) system: Components are made to stock by production facilities with finite capacities, and final products are assembled only in response to customers' orders. The key performance measures in this system, such as order fill rates, involve evaluation of multivariate probability distributions, which is computationally demanding if not intractable. The purpose of this paper is to develop computationally efficient performance estimates. We examine several ideas scattered in diverse literatures on approximations for multivariate probability distributions, and determine which approach is most effective in the ATO application. To do so, we first tailor different approximation ideas to the ATO setting to derive performance bounds, and then compare these bounds theoretically and numerically. The bounds also allow us to make connections between capacitated and uncapacitated ATO systems and gain various insights.
The effect of trap spacing on the capture of brown tree snakes on Guam

Trapping is central to the integrated control programme to deter brown tree snakes from entering the outbound cargo 1ow from Guam. Trapping brown tree snakes is e!ective, but labour intensive. Increasing inter-trap spacings without loss of e3cacy could substantially increase the e3ciency of e!orts to prevent dispersal of this species. Inter-trap spacings of 20, 30 and 40 m along perimeter trap lines were compared using recaptures of tagged brown tree snakes. No di!erences were found among the di!erent spacing distances for the distribution of recapture times. The results indicate that for some situations, snake trapping may be extended or made more e3cient by increasing the distances between traps. Published by Elsevier Ltd.