cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shared Decision Making: The 9-Item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire Does Not Discriminate Between Surgeons.

Purpose To determine if shared decision making (SDM) scores vary between individual otolaryngologists in a large specialty clinic. Methods Consecutive patients that consented to surgery were surveyed using the 9-item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9), a validated scale for SDM. Demographic details included the respondent's age, gender, education level, marital status, whether the consent was for themselves or their child, whether surgery was for malignancy, and surgery being performed. Scores were evaluated for all demographic variables, as well as individual surgeons, surgeons' gender, age category, and subspecialty. Results A total of 233 patients completed the surveys. No significant differences were found among individual and total scores for SDM when compared among or between patient demographics (p > 0.05). A total of 10 surgeons for whom five or more SDM-Q-9s were completed were included in the study. No significant difference was found when SDM was evaluated for surgeon characteristics as well (p > 0.05). Conclusion SDM scores do not vary between these otolaryngologists.
Effect of induction intensity on survival in patients with acute myeloid leukemia.

e19004Background: Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) has traditionally been treated frontline with intensive induction chemotherapy in patients fit enough for this treatment. The FDA has approved several...
Historical Dynamics of Disruption in Science and Technology

Theories of scientific and technological change largely view discovery and invention as recombinative processes, wherein prior accumulated knowledge serves as the basis for future progress. Recent ...
HELLO: improved neural network architectures and methodologies for small variant calling.

Modern Next Generation- and Third Generation- Sequencing methods such as Illumina and PacBio Circular Consensus Sequencing platforms provide accurate sequencing data. Parallel developments in Deep Learning have enabled the application of Deep Neural Networks to variant calling, surpassing the accuracy of classical approaches in many settings. DeepVariant, arguably the most popular among such methods, transforms the problem of variant calling into one of image recognition where a Deep Neural Network analyzes sequencing data that is formatted as images, achieving high accuracy. In this paper, we explore an alternative approach to designing Deep Neural Networks for variant calling, where we use meticulously designed Deep Neural Network architectures and customized variant inference functions that account for the underlying nature of sequencing data instead of converting the problem to one of image recognition. Results from 27 whole-genome variant calling experiments spanning Illumina, PacBio and hybrid Illumina-PacBio settings suggest that our method allows vastly smaller Deep Neural Networks to outperform the Inception-v3 architecture used in DeepVariant for indel and substitution-type variant calls. For example, our method reduces the number of indel call errors by up to 18%, 55% and 65% for Illumina, PacBio and hybrid Illumina-PacBio variant calling respectively, compared to a similarly trained DeepVariant pipeline. In these cases, our models are between 7 and 14 times smaller. We believe that the improved accuracy and problem-specific customization of our models will enable more accurate pipelines and further method development in the field. HELLO is available at https://github.com/anands-repo/hello
Synthesis and evaluation of dual-action kanglemycin-fluoroquinolone hybrid antibiotics.

Abstract Bacterial resistance threatens the utility of currently available antibiotics. Rifampicin, a cornerstone in the treatment of persistent Gram-positive infections, is prone to the development of resistance resulting from single point mutations in the antibiotic’s target, RNA polymerase. One strategy to circumvent resistance is the use of ‘hybrid’ antibiotics consisting of two covalently linked antibiotic entities. These compounds generally have two distinct cellular targets, reducing the probability of resistance development and potentially providing simplified pharmacological properties compared to combination therapies using the individual antibiotics. Here we evaluate a series of semi-synthetic hybrid antibiotics formed by linking kanglemycin A (Kang A), a rifampicin analog, and a collection of fluoroquinolones. Kang A is a natural product antibiotic which contains a novel dimethyl succinic acid moiety that offers a new attachment point for the synthesis of hybrid antibiotics. We compare the activity of the Kang A hybrids generated via the acid attachment point to a series of hybrids linked at the compound’s naphthoquinone ring system. Several hybrids exhibit activity against bacteria resistant to Kang A via the action of the partnered antibiotic, suggesting that the Kang scaffold may provide new avenues for generating antibiotics effective against drug-resistant infections.
Toward a Semispecific, Multidimensional, Threshold Model of Maltreatment

Nonorganic failure to thrive (NOFT) is not well understood. Among the few points that are accepted are the idea of the severity of the problem, defined in terms of number of children affected (Altemeier, O’Connor, Sherrod & Vietze, in press) and sequelae (Hufton & Oates, 1977; White et al., 1980). One of the definitional aspects that is fairly generally accepted is that NOFT that occurs in very young infants is different from NOFT (often called psychosocial dwarfism) that occurs in toddlers or young children (Green, Campbell & David, 1984; Money, Annecillo & Kelley, 1983). Beyond that, NOFT appears to be a form of maltreatment, sometimes viewed as related to abuse or as a precursor to abuse (Koel, 1979; Oates, 1982), but more aptly viewed as a form of neglect, probably because it arises more through acts of omission than commision. However, the manner in which NOFT relates to other forms of maltreatment has not adequately been clarified or addressed thoroughly. Books giving a general overview of maltreatment invariably mention NOFT, although, unfortunately, few devote much space to it (e.g., Giovannoni & Becerra, 1979; Oates, 1982; Pelton, 1981). There are no books entirely focused on the psychological aspects of NOFT, although there are medically oriented ones (e.g. Accardo, 1982; Patton & Gardner, 1963).
Low-power high-speed continuous-time /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ modulators

A low-power high-speed architecture for /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ modulators is proposed. Results are presented for a first-order /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ modulator constructed using a low-power fully-differential current-mode continuous-time integrator with a sampling frequency of 128 MHz. Deleterious effects due to glitches associated with the feedback D/A converter are circumvented through simple modifications of the system-level timing. The results are in good agreement with the theoretical limits: for an oversampling ratio of 128, behavioral simulations predict a maximum dynamic range of 56.9 dB for an input signal amplitude of -3 dB. Power dissipation for the first-order /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ modulator is 1 mW in a 1.2 /spl mu/m CMOS process with a 3.3 V power supply.
Theodore Schroeder and the Pre-1919 Defenses of Free Speech: The Case for Freedom of Sexual Expression

The modern First Amendment began with a turn of the clock, on a Monday on March 13, 1919, the moment of the release of Justice Holmes’s seminal opinion in Schenck v. United States. At that pinpoint in time, First Amendment history was reconfigured and the liberty-denying past gradually began to fade away in the years and opinions that followed. Holmes laid his claim to the conceptual turf and what followed is what we call modernity. True, Learned Hand had his moment, too, in 1917 with his district court opinion in Masses Publishing Co. v. Patten. But that opinion, for all its insights, took on meaning primarily as a comparative point to the work of the Great Holmes. And then there is the work of Zechariah Chafee, the scholar who lent his own measure of staying power to the Holmesian notion of free speech law. Before these three Harvard men, however, there was Utah born man who came onto the First Amendment scene, a man far less credentialed and polished, a University of Wisconsin Law School trained lawyer who championed a libertarian creed and contested the will of a very powerful man, Anthony Comstock. That radical lawyer, whose name and work have largely remained cabined in the confines of forgotten history, was Theodore A. Schroeder. Like Holmes, he too had a vision of free speech law. What follows is the first of a series of articles that introduces the reader to Schroeder and his many works concerning free expression. Those works first took root not in political speech, but in area of freedom far more important to the progressives of his day – sexual expression. We come to his story thirteen years before Holmes’s glorious moment in 1919, on an occasion when Messrs. Schroeder and Comstock were to debate the topic of sexual expression. Several months later, Theodore Schroeder published an article in the Albany Law Journal (“The Constitution and Obscenity Postal Laws”), which is the main focus of this article. Drawing on a measure of history and analysis, the aim is to provide the reader with an idea of how Schroeder conceptualized his vision of free speech freedom.
Multiband superconductivity of Ta 4 Pd 3 Te 16 from Te p states

${\mathrm{Ta}}_{4}{\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}{\mathrm{Te}}_{16}$ is a recently discovered superconductor that has been suggested to be an unconventional superconductor near magnetism. We report electronic structure calculations showing that despite the layered crystal structure the material is an anisotropic three-dimensional (3D) metal. The Fermi surface contains prominent one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) features, including nested 1D sheets, a 2D cylindrical section, and a 3D sheet. The electronic states that make up the Fermi surface are mostly derived from Te $p$ states with small Ta $d$ and Pd $d$ contributions. This places the compound far from magnetic instabilities. The results are discussed in terms of multiband superconductivity.
Chemical Composition of Spiny Dogfish (Squalus suckleyi) Harvested in Alaska

Spiny dogfish is an underutilized yet abundant species harvested as bycatch in Alaska. The research goal was to determine the nutritional composition of dogfish by-products and compare results with headed and gutted (H&G) dogfish. Large differences existed in lipid content between the heads (1.8% w/w), H&G (9.2% w/w) and livers (65.4% w/w). The overall omega-3 fatty acid content ranged from 75.7 to 162 mg/g lipids in all tissues. Cholesterol content was significantly higher in livers (602 mg/100 g tissue) than in heads or H&G. Values for three potentially limiting amino acids ranged in the tissues from 2.6 to 2.8% w/w for methionine, 4.2 to 5.2% w/w for threonine and 6.9 to 8.8% w/w for lysine. Dogfish livers are a good source of fish oil, while heads and H&G are rich in protein and low in ash, which make these two products ideal raw materials for production of fish hydrolysates. Practical Applications This research is part of an ongoing effort to increase utilization and value of underutilized Alaska fish species and their respective by-products. Spiny dogfish caught from Alaska waters has some economic value as human food; however, an obstacle in processing and marketing shark fillets is the fact that its muscle tends to deteriorate quickly under refrigerated storage. Understanding the chemical composition and nutritional value of dogfish and its by-products is the first step to promote development of value-added products from these raw materials.
Petroleum hydrocarbon toxicity studies. II. Animal and human response to vapors of Varnish Makers' and Painters' Naphtha

Abstract The suggested hygienic standard for inhalation of Varnish Maker's and Painters' Naphtha (VM&P naphtha) for man is 2.0 mg/liter (430 ppm) based upon inhalation studies with rats and dogs and the sensory response of human subjects. Inhalation of substantially saturated vapor for more than a few minutes constitutes a hazard to life. Rats tolerated saturated vapor at room temperature for 7.5 min but loss of coordination and convulsions occurred in 15 min or more. The single 4-hr inhalation LC50 for rats was 16 mg/liter (3400 ppm), and the highest concentration producing no visible signs of discomfort was 4.4 mg/liter (940 ppm). Rats that survived the 65-day inhalation schedule of 5.8, 2.8, and 1.3 mg/liter (1200, 600, and 280 ppm) were challenged with 27 mg/liter (5800 ppm) for 6 hr. All treated rats were more resistant in terms of mortality than were either their air controls or naive controls of the same age and sex. Only the rats at the 2.8-mg/liter level showed any tendency to prolong the median time to death. Cats responded with signs indicative of severe central nervous system effect when subjected to 19 mg/liter (4100 ppm) for 4 hr. All cats survived the 4-hr exposure, which indicates they are at least as resistant as rats to single 4-hr inhalation. There were no dosage-related statistically significant differences between the controls and the rats and beagles that inhaled 2.8 mg/liter or 1.3 mg/liter for 6 hr daily, 5 days each week for 13 wk. The odor threshold for VM&P naphtha as determined in sniff tests by a panel of six people was found to be on the order of 0.004 mg/liter (0.86 ppm). During a 15-min inhalation period, four of seven subjects had upper respiratory tract irritation and three of seven eye irritation at 4.1 mg/liter (880 ppm). Olfactory fatigue occurred but 10 min in fresh air restored acuity.
Comparison of theoretical and experimental performance of 10 hp switched reluctance motor

The authors present a comparison of the computed and measured performances of a 10 hp Oulton switched reluctance motor (SRM). The derivatives of the flux linkages with respect to rotor position angle and with respect to current excitation as a function of time are calculated. Using these results, calculated current waveforms of the SRM for different loads and speeds are compared with experimental results. The calculated and experimental instantaneous current, average torque, input power, efficiency, losses and temperature rise of the SRM are compared when pulsed voltage excitation is applied to the motor windings. In all cases there is quite good agreement between the theoretical and experimental results. In addition, the measured total losses, efficiencies and temperature rises for a 10 hp SRM and different induction motors of the same ratings are presented. >
The combined use of fibrinolytic and anticoagulant agents. Laboratory and clinical considerations.

Abstract The therapeutic goal in thromboembolism includes not only clot dissolution but also the maintenance of vascular patency. Clinical and experimental evidence, as well as theoretic considerations, suggest that a sequence of clot dissolution followed by a recurrence of thrombosis may occur when fibrinolytic therapy is relied upon exclusively. Concomitant use of anticoagulant drugs appears to offer the best current method for avoiding this sequence. Heparin, because of its mechanism of action, prompt onset of effect and easy reversibility, seems to provide the most desirable anticoagulant supplement to fibrinolytic therapy. To insure that no increased hemorrhagic risk attends this combined thrombolytic-anticoagulant program, the dosage-response characteristics of each type of fibrinolytic agent should be accurately defined. Evidence suggesting antagonism between thrombolytic and anticoagulant agents in vivo has not been encountered but several aspects of this problem require further study. Failure to provide protection against a recurrence of thrombosis after initial fibrinolytic therapy can not only lead to misinterpretation of experimental data regarding the efficacy of fibrinolytic drugs but also may prevent attainment of optimum clinical results in man. While further development of fibrinolytic agents may obviate or alter the need for combination therapy, the concurrent use of fibrinolytic and anticoagulant drugs appears to provide the optimum therapeutic approach to thromboembolism at the present time.
CCAAT Enhancer-binding Protein α Is Required for Interleukin-6 Receptor α Signaling in Newborn Hepatocytes

The acute phase response is an evolutionarily conserved response of the liver to inflammatory stimuli, which aids the body in host defense and homeostasis. We have previously reported that CCAAT enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) is required for the induction of acute phase protein (APP) genes in newborn mice in response to lipopolysaccharide. In this paper, we describe a mechanism by which C/EBPα knock-out mice are unable to induce APP gene expression in response to inflammatory stimuli. We demonstrate that the lack of acute phase response in C/EBPα knock-out mice is because of a hepatocyte autonomous defect. C/EBPα knock-out hepatocytes do not activate STAT3 in response to recombinant interleukin (IL)-6, indicating a defect in the IL-6 pathway. C/EBPα knock-out hepatocytes also do not show activation of other IL-6 receptor (IL-6R)-mediated Janus kinase substrates, gp130, SHP-2, and Tyk2. Further examination of the IL-6 pathway demonstrated that C/EBPα knock-out hepatocytes have decreased IL-6Rα protein levels caused, in part, by reduced protein stability. However, other components of the IL-6 pathway are intact, as demonstrated by rescue of STAT3 activation and APP gene induction with recombinant-soluble IL-6R linked to IL-6 cytokine (Hyper-IL-6) or with another gp130 signaling cytokine, Oncostatin M. In conclusion, C/EBPα is required for the proper regulation of IL-6Rα protein in hepatocytes resulting in a lack of acute phase protein gene induction in newborn C/EBPα null mice in response to lipopolysaccharide or cytokines.
Accumulation of host-specific toxin produced by Cochliobolus carbonum during pathogenesis of maize

During penetration and colonization of susceptible maize leaves, the foliar pathogen Cochliobolus carbonum race 1 released the cyclic tetrapeptide toxin required for genotype-specific pathogenicity. Inoculation fluids on the leaf surface and extracts of leaf tissue contained the host-specific toxin by 12 and 18 h, respectively, after inoculation. Quantities of the toxin in inoculated leaf tissue increased during the development of necrotic lesions. The following preparations did not contain detectable quantities of the host-specific toxin: extracts of leaf tissue from susceptible or resistant isolines inoculated with the weakly virulent race 2; leaf extracts of the resistant genotype inoculated with race 1; and extracts of non-germinated conidia of either race. The results indicate that the pathogen produces and releases the toxin by the time of leaf penetration and that, in the susceptible interaction, the toxin accumulates by the time defence responses in the host must be suppressed.
More Adventures in Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy is a procedure that can provide a selective eradication of neoplastic disease if sufficient drug, light, and oxygen are available. As this description suggests, it involves the photosensitization of malignant tissues to irradiation with photons in the visible range. While not suitable for tumors at unknown loci, it can be of use for eradication of cancer at surgical margins and therapy at sites where substantial surgery might otherwise be involved. Drug development has been delayed by several factors including the reluctance of major pharmaceutical firms in the United States to invest in this technology along with some unwise approaches in the past.
A Biomechanical Analysis of Matched Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone and Double-Looped Semitendinosus and Gracilis Tendon Grafts

Biomechanical testing was done on 15 matched pairs of central-third bone-patellar tendon-bone and double-looped semitendinosus-gracilis grafts harvested from 15 cadaveric knees. Load to failure, composite graft stiffness, and the modulus of elasticity were calculated for each graft. Specimens were from 2 female and 13 male donors (average age, 40 years; range, 17 to 53). Average load to failure for the patellar tendon grafts was 1784 N (+/- 580), compared with 2422 N (+/- 538) for the hamstring tendon grafts (significantly different). There was no statistically significant difference in stiffness between grafts (patellar tendon, 210 N/mm; hamstring tendon, 238 N/mm). The elastic modulus was 225 MPa (+/- 129) for the patellar tendon grafts and 145 MPa (+/- 58) for the hamstring tendon grafts (significantly different). The average cross-sectional area for the hamstring tendon grafts was 57 mm2, compared with the 45 mm2 for the patellar tendon grafts. The hamstring tendon grafts were significantly stronger than the matched central-third patellar tendon grafts, but the two grafts were similar in stiffness. The patellar tendon grafts had a higher modulus than the hamstring tendon grafts.
Ancient culture and modern science (sensing techniques)

The cultural treasures of the ancient Japanese city of Nara are briefly described. Attention is given to the use of modern technology to study cultural artifacts, e.g. the use of a fiberscope to detect a religious figure in a stone coffin. Other techniques used include: X-ray photography; infrared photography; and infrared television. >
Towards a New Model of Exploitation: The Case of Racial Domination

Introduces a new approach to exploitation, and uses it to reinterpret the economic significance of racism, generally, and the underclass specifically. The extent of exploitation in labour processes is the product of two factors: whether workers have an “exit option” of ready alternative employment; and how completely labour exchanges specify the labour that will actually be done. The state of these two factors, in turn, depends on the social and historical setting of production. Uses this conception to reinterpret the effect of racism on economic outcomes – this suggests that the increasing number of permanently unemployed people in inner‐city ghettos have an important effect on the racially‐differentiated patterns of exploitation and on the overall level of exploitation in contrast with the perspective that the “underclass” is isolated from the rest of society.
Theory of single-photon transport in a single-mode waveguide. I. Coupling to a cavity containing a two-level atom

The single-photon transport in a single-mode waveguide, coupled to a cavity embedded with a two-level atom, is analyzed. The single-photon transmission and reflection amplitudes, as well as the cavity and the atom excitation amplitudes, are solved exactly via a real-space approach. It is shown that the dissipations of the cavity and of the atom, respectively, affect distinctively on the transport properties of the photons and on the relative phase between the excitation amplitudes of the cavity mode and the atom.
Chemical order in the glassy As x S 1-x system: An x-ray-absorption spectroscopy study

We have examined chemical ordering in the glassy ${\mathrm{As}}_{\mathrm{x}}$${\mathrm{S}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{x}}$ system by determining the effect of composition on the local structure of these chalcogenide glasses using x-ray-absorption spectroscopy. Structural changes associated with composition indicate that with increasing S content, the S-rich glasses on the As site have a similar local structure to crystalline ${\mathrm{As}}_{2}$${\mathrm{S}}_{3}$ (orpiment), but the As-S-As linkages are replaced by As-S-S linkages at higher S concentration. In As-rich glasses a breakdown of the local ${\mathrm{AsS}}_{3}$ configuration is evident and the formation of As-As bonds is observed. Further comparison between As-rich alloys and crystalline ${\mathrm{As}}_{4}$${\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ (realgar) suggests that a significant fraction of disordered ${\mathrm{As}}_{4}$${\mathrm{S}}_{4}$ molecular fragments is contained in the As-rich region.
CHINESE JURISPRUDENCE AND HONG KONG LAW

On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong, a colony (euphemistically called dependent territory) of Britain, was returned to the fold of the motherland, China, as a Special Administration Region, with a high degree of autonomy. Ten years on, we find that the common law system established by the British in Hong Kong, as guaranteed by the Basic Law, survived and thrived. A cursory review of legal and social science literature shows that there is little scholarly discourse or public debate on the proper jurisprudence standards to be applied in the making and evaluation of Hong Kong legislation. This research raises a most fundamental policy qua jurisprudence issue: Should Hong Kong law be formulated, applied or evaluated with indigenous legal standards and local jurisprudence principles, based on Asian values, Chinese culture and/or Hong Kong ethos? In so doing, this article questions the appropriateness and challenges the legitimacy of adopting Western jurisprudence principles in shaping and evaluating the Hong Kong legal ...
Counting Vehicles in Highway Surveillance Videos

This paper presents a complete system for accurately and efficiently counting vehicles in a highway surveillance video. The proposed approach employs vehicle detection and tracking modules. In the detection module, an automatically trained binary classifier detects vehicles while providing robustness against view-point, poor quality videos and clutter. Efficient tracking is then achieved by a simplified multi-hypothesis approach. First an over-complete set of tracks is created considering every observed detection within a time interval. As needed, hypothesized detections are generated to force continuous tracks. Finally, a scoring function is used to separate the valid tracks in the over-complete set. Our tracking system achieved accurate results in significantly challenging highway surveillance videos.
Bilayer Edges Catalyze Supported Lipid Bilayer Formation

Supported lipid bilayers (SLB) are important for the study of membrane-based phenomena and as coatings for biosensors. Nevertheless, there is a fundamental lack of understanding of the process by which they form from vesicles in solution. We report insights into the mechanism of SLB formation by vesicle adsorption using temperature-controlled time-resolved fluorescence microscopy at low vesicle concentrations. First, lipid accumulates on the surface at a constant rate up to ∼0.8 of SLB coverage. Then, as patches of SLB nucleate and spread, the rate of accumulation increases. At a coverage of ∼1.5 × SLB, excess vesicles desorb as SLB patches rapidly coalesce into a continuous SLB. Variable surface fluorescence immediately before SLB patch formation argues against the existence of a critical vesicle density necessary for rupture. The accelerating rate of accumulation and the widespread, abrupt loss of vesicles coincide with the emergence and disappearance of patch edges. We conclude that SLB edges enhance vesicle adhesion to the surface and induce vesicle rupture, thus playing a key role in the formation of continuous SLB.
Replacing Fallow with Continuous Cropping Reduces Crop Water Productivity of Semiarid Wheat

Water supply frequently limits crop yield in semiarid cropping systems; water defi cits can restrict yields in drought-aff ected subhumid regions. In semiarid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-based cropping systems, replacing an uncropped fallow period with a crop can increase precipitation use effi ciency but reduce wheat productivity. Our objective was to analyze crop sequence and environmental eff ects on water use, components of water productivity, and net returns of winter wheat (WW) in a semiarid region. A fi eld study was established to evaluate eight 3-yr crop sequences, including a wheat phase followed by a feed grain phase (corn (Zea mays L.) or grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)) and an oilseed phase (OS; spring canola (Brassica napus L.), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), sunfl ower (Helianthus annuus L.), or none (fallow)). Standard measurements included crop water use (WU), canopy leaf area index at anthesis, biomass, grain yield, and yield components. Net return (NR) was calculated as the diff erence between crop revenue and total operating costs. Replacing an uncropped fallow period with an OS crop reduced water productivity responses of WW (biomass, grain yield, and NR) by 18, 31, and 56%, respectively, relative to that of WW grown aft er fallow. Th ese responses to continuous cropping corresponded to reductions in all components of a water-limiting yield production function. Th e modest water productivity observed (0.28-0.62 kg m -3 ), relative to a reported global range of 0.6 to 1.7 kg m -3 , indicates opportunity to improve wheat water productivity through management and genetic gain.
Assessment of 210Pb data from Canadian lakes using the CIC and CRS models

Much discussion has centered around which 210Pb dating method should be used, the constant initial concentration (CIC) model or the constant rate of supply (CRS) model. In this study, the activity data from 22 lacustrine sediment cores from the Canadian prairies were used to compare the determination of sediment accumulation using the two models. Other relative and absolute dating techniques have been used to calibrate the methodology. For half of the core sites examined, the mass sedimentation rate was constant, and thus both the CIC and CRS models were found to be valid. For the other half, variability was observed in the CRS mass accumulation rate trend. The validity of the CIC model for these cores was dependent on the degree of variability of the mass sedimentation rate. Where the variability is moderate to high, the CRS model may be more satisfactory. Caution should be exercised when using chronological data determined with the CRS model, however, as the accuracy of chronology in the lower reaches of a profile is questionable.
Enhancement in PIXE analysis

Abstract The enhancement in proton induced X-ray emission analysis (PIXE) due to secondary excitation by bremsstrahlung, secondary electrons, target—target collisions, Auger electrons and primary induced X-rays is discussed. Primary induced X-rays are concluded to be the only source of importance. The enhancement is investigated as a function of proton energy and sample thickness, and the calculated values are shown to be within 5% agreement with experimental results obtained from a NBS Standard Steel sample.
Marcus Theory: Thermodynamics CAN Control the Kinetics of Electron Transfer Reactions

Although it is generally true that thermodynamics do not influence kinetics, this is NOT the case for electron transfer reactions in solution. Marcus Theory explains why this is so, using straightforward physical chemical principles such as transition state theory, Arrhenius’ Law, and the Franck-Condon Principle. Here the background and applications of Marcus Theory are presented, with special emphasis given to biological redox reactions. Interesting conclusions that arise from the theory are also discussed. These include the nonlinear contribution of reorganization energy (λ) to the activation free energy (ΔG⧧), as well as the existence of a defined “normal range” of reaction cell potential (ΔE°): Only if ΔE° is within this range does a reaction of lower λ have a lower ΔG⧧; outside of this range, the lower-λ reaction will have the higher ΔG⧧.
Individualized approach to the surgical treatment of tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia.

BackgroundTetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia is a heterogeneous group of defects, characterised by diverse sources of flow of blood to the lungs, which often include multiple systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries. Controversy surrounds the optimal method to achieve a biventricular repair with the fewest operations while basing flow to the lungs on the native intrapericardial pulmonary arterial circulation whenever possible. We describe an individualized approach to this group of patients that optimizes these variables.MethodsOver a consecutive 10-year period, we treated 66 patients presenting with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia according to the source of the pulmonary arterial flow. Patients were grouped according to whether the flow of blood to the lungs was derived exclusively from the intrapericardial pulmonary arteries, as seen in 29 patients, exclusively from systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries, as in 5 patients, or from both the intrapericardial pulmonary and collateral arteries, as in the remaining 32 patients. We divided the latter group into 9 patients deemed simple, and 23 considered complex, according to whether the pulmonary arterial index was greater than or less than 90 millimetres squared per metre squared, and whether the number of collateral arteries was less than or greater than 2, respectively.ResultsWe achieved complete biventricular repair in 58 patients (88%), with an overall mortality of 3%. Repair was accomplished in a single stage in all patients without systemic-to-pulmonary collateral arteries, but was staged, with unifocalization, in the patients lacking intrapericardial pulmonary arteries. Complete repair without unifocalization was achieved in all patients with the simple variant of the mixed morphology, and in 56% of patients with the complex variant. The average number of procedures per patient to achieve complete repair was 1, 2.2, 3.8, and 2.6 in patients with exclusively native intrapericardial, simple and mixed, complex and mixed and exclusively collateral pulmonary arterial flow, respectively.ConclusionsAn individualized approach based on the morphology of the pulmonary arterial supply permits achievement of a high rate of complete intracardiac repairs, basing pulmonary arterial flow on the intrapericardial pulmonary arteries in the great majority of cases, and has a low rate of reoperation and mortality.
Live attenuated rabies virus co-infected with street rabies virus protects animals against rabies

While current rabies post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is highly effective, it is costly and the vaccination regimen is complicated, requiring both inactivated vaccines and immunoglobulins. A one-dose rabies vaccine for human PEP remains a long-term goal. Here, we describe development of a highly attenuated rabies virus ERAg3m, with a mutation in the glycoprotein (G) gene and a switch of the G gene with the matrix protein gene in the viral genome. After a one-dose intramuscular vaccination, the ERAg3m virus protected 100% of mice and hamsters from lethal challenge. In co-infections, using a lethal dose of street rabies virus mixed with ERAg3m, 100% of hamsters and 90% of mice survived and were protected against subsequent infection. A mock co-infection, using inactivated commercial human rabies vaccine and a lethal dose of street rabies virus, protected 100% and 40% of hamsters and mice, respectively. In co-infections, when vaccine was administrated in the left leg and challenge virus in the right leg, the ERAg3m virus protected 40% of mice, while the inactivated vaccine showed no protection. Therefore, live attenuated rabies virus when given pre-exposure or co-infected with street rabies virus, is capable of preventing rabies in two different animal models. Overall, this highly attenuated live rabies virus offered better protection than the inactivated vaccine.
Encouraging long-term compliance with breast self-examination: The evaluation of prompting strategies

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of two prompting interventions on promoting long-term compliance with breast self-examination (BSE). Subjects were 83 faculty and staff at a state university who volunteered to learn BSE at a 1-hr workshop. Following the workshop, subjects were randomly assigned to one of three experimental conditions: phone-prompt group, mail-prompt group, or control group. Prompted subjects received BSE reminders twice a month for 7 months. Performance of BSE was assessed by an ongoing, indirect behavioral measure. Results indicated that the prompts, particularly those delivered by phone, were effective in encouraging initial performance of BSE. However, for all conditions, BSE decreased over the course of the study. The implications of these findings are discussed, and recommendations for future research are presented.
Preparation of beta brass by mechanical alloying of elemental copper and zinc

Abstract Mechanical alloying has been employed to create ordered bcc beta brass from two separate starting compositions of fcc copper and hcp zinc. The formation of the B2 structure is evident after 1 2 hour of alloying. Another by-product is a deformation martensite phase formed after 2 hours of milling. Further work will include developing a better understanding of the microstructural processes involved. Of particular interest will be attempts to determine the effect that temperature has on the mechanism of alloy formation by this technique.
Undergraduate Student Experiences with Composite Materials

Composite materials are being used in a variety of important strategic lightweight applications, especially in aerospace structural designs. Undergraduate students need greater exposure to this critical area of engineering materials selection and design than most curricula currently provide. Mechanical and aerospace engineering undergraduate students at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) have had a number of opportunities to learn hands-on skills in designing with composites and fabricating a number of structural components. They have had these opportunities in undergraduate student competitions and associations such as the NASA Great Moon Buggy Race, the Formula SAE team, and the UAH Charger Rocket Works Club. Additionally, real industrial applications of composites are learned through co-operative employment experiences. This paper describes some of the experiences that UAH undergraduate students have encountered.
Racial differences in treatment-seeking delays among heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND: Treatment-seeking delays for heart failure (HF) symptoms are significantly high. However, earlier studies did not closely examine race as a characteristic that could potentially influence delay times. The purpose of this study was (1) to describe racial differences in treatment-seeking delays for HF symptoms and (2) to identify racial differences in hospital readmission rates, functional status, and total length of stay. METHODS AND RESULTS: A retrospective chart review of all patients admitted with HF at a Veterans Administration facility was conducted. The study sample consisted of 753 patients: 456 Caucasians (60.6%), 220 African Americans (29.2%), 41 Asians (5.4%), and 36 Hispanics (4.8%). The average prehospital delay time was 2.9 +/- 0.7 days. Mean delay times were significantly longer for African Americans than for Caucasians, Asians, and Hispanics (P =.019). African Americans also had significantly higher readmission rates (P =.001) and lower functional status (higher New York Heart Association functional class) (P =.034). There were no significant racial differences in total length of stay for HF admissions. CONCLUSION: The current study supports that racial differences exist in treatment-seeking behaviors for HF symptoms, hospital readmission rates, and functional status. A better understanding of treatment-seeking behaviors of HF patients with different racial characteristics may be key to early recognition and prevention of complications in this high-risk population; it may be beneficial in identifying patients at risk for treatment delays and potentially poorer outcomes.
Implicit-specification errors and automatic, trace-based debugging

Students learning computer organization and assembly language programming often have difficulty understanding the relationship between hardware functions and software instructions. This paper describes how a software tool can help students understand the organization and use of the Motorola 68000 processor family. XSIM68K employs a graphical interface to enhance a traditional “black box” simulator so that students can observe first-hand the effect of a running program on registers, memory, and I/O devices. Multiple data representations allow the student to choose the most appropriate format for data entry and display, which reduces confusion and eliminates conversion mistakes.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Disordered Vitamin D Metabolism in Chronic Kidney Disease: Updating the “Trade-off” Hypothesis

The discovery of fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) has clarified much of our understanding of abnormalities in phosphorus and vitamin D metabolism in chronic kidney disease (CKD). FGF23 is a bone-derived hormone that promotes phosphaturia and decreases the synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)(2)D). The primary systemic stimuli of FGF23 secretion are increased 1,25(OH)(2)D levels and increased dietary phosphorus intake. In kidney failure, FGF23 levels increase early and steadily rise with progression of kidney disease, likely as an appropriate physiologic adaptation to maintain normal phosphorus balance by helping to augment urinary phosphate excretion in conjunction with increased parathyroid hormone levels and by decreasing gut phosphorus absorption through decreased 1,25(OH)(2)D. In the long term, this compensation may become maladaptive by causing a progressive decline in 1,25(OH)(2)D levels with attendant consequences such as secondary hyperparathyroidism. Moreover, excess FGF23 levels have been independently linked with cardiovascular disease and mortality, suggesting that chronically elevated FGF23 levels may directly contribute to adverse CKD outcomes. Together, these findings have sparked increased interest in elucidating the potential interconnections between dietary phosphorus intake, FGF23, and clinical outcomes in patients with CKD. In addition, given that treatment with activated vitamin D compounds stimulates FGF23, these data have raised important new questions about the optimal use of activated vitamin D compounds in the management of bone and mineral disorders in CKD.
Habitat use by black bears in relation to conspecifics and competitors

Sympatric black bears (Ursus americanus) and brown bears (Ursus arctos) are common in many boreal systems; however, few predator assemblages are known to coexist on a single seasonally abundant large prey item. In lowland southwestern interior Alaska, black bears and brown bears are considered the primary cause of moose (Alces alces) calf mortality during the first 6 weeks of life. The objective of this study was to document habitat use of global-positioning system (GPS)-collared black bears during peak and non-peak seasons of black bear-induced and brown bear-induced moose calf mortality within southwestern interior Alaska, in spring 2002. We compared habitats of GPS-collared black bears to those of presumably uncollared black bears and brown bears at their moose calf mortality sites. Results from this study suggest that GPS-collared black bears use similar habitat as conspecifics more than expected during the peak period of black bear predation on moose calves, whereas they use habitat in proportion to home range availability during the peak in brown bear predation on moose calves. Sex-specific Ivlev’s electivity indices describe greater than expected use of mixed-deciduous forest and needleleaf forest by male GPS-collared black bears during the peak of moose calf predation, whereas females have a tendency to use these habitats less than expected. Juvenile GPS-collared black bears largely use the same habitat as other sympatric predators during the peak of moose calf predation, whereas during the non-peak period juveniles use opposite habitats as adult GPS-collared black bears. The outcome of this study offers possible explanations (e.g., sex, age) for spatial overlap or segregation in one member of a complex predator guild in relation to a seasonal pulse of preferred prey.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Considerations Regarding Interphase Formation in Thermosetting Composite Systems

Abstract Thermodynamic and kinetic treatments are employed to analyze the role of preferential adsorption and diffusion in the formation of interphase regions in thermosetting composities. The thermodynamic analyses show that a driving force exists for the preferential adsorption of amines onto carbon fiber surfaces in amine-epoxy systems. Scaling analyses, based on kinetic considerations, lead to the identification of reaction-diffusion time regimes that control interphase formation in sized and unsized fiber systems. These considerations provide guidelines for the selection of material formulations and processing conditions that may be used to tailor behavior of the interphase region in thermosetting composites.
Synchrotron radiation calculations for the artificial radiation belt

Synchrotron radiation from the artificial radiation belt is calculated in some detail. The angular distribution of the electrons and of the synchrotron radiation is considered. Omnidirectional electron fluxes due to Van Allen, Frank, and O'Brien and Brown and Gabbe are used to derive directional fluxes. Temperatures as a function of frequency and of the geomagnetic latitude at 30 Mc/ s are calculated. Results are compared with measurements.
Inhibition of pupariation in Sarcophaga bullata

THE classical test used as the bioassay for the insect moulting hormone, ecdysone, is based on the failure of the posterior part of ligatured larvae of Calliphora erythrocephala (or other fly species) to tan unless an adequate dose of ecdysone is administered. It is crucial for the success of the test to select larvae at the right stage of development, and as closely as possible to the critical time for pupariation1. Larvae ligatured before the critical stage of natural ecdysone release may eventually pupariate in the front part where the hormone originates, but will never do so in the hind part. Post-critically ligatured larvae have had sufficient ecdysone released into the haemolymph previous to ligature to induce tanning in the hind parts. It is evident that at this time the anterior parts must also be post-critical. In larvae ligatured at this stage the anterior parts usually contract to the puparium and tan whereas the posterior parts merely tan without change in shape. The occurrence of tanning in the posterior part alone is therefore a paradox. Fraenkel2 along with the description of the “Calliphora assay” also reported that ligatured larvae occasionally tanned only in the posterior region. Several investigators have been subsequently surprised by this phenomenon of “anterior inhibition”, but there has been no agreement as to its cause.
The synthesis of bromopentammineosmium(III) halides

Abstract Certain observations relative to Dwyer and Hogarth's methods for the synthesis of bromopentammineosmium(III) and hexammineosmium(III) salts are recorded here together with hitherto unreported physical properties of specific compounds of the former type.
George Bentham (1800–1884): the life of a botanist's botanist

ABSTRACT George Bentham (1800–1884) is seen as a pre-eminent botanist whose prodigious output was in part connected with his freedom from obligations other than his work and his legal background. The first 25 years of his life were spent in a variety of circumstances, the Bentham family being widely connected with European society; Bentham had no formal education. After some years of uncertainty as to his career, he married in 1833 and spent the rest of his life on taxonomic botany, producing some of the classic works of the nineteenth century. As a person, Bentham seems to have been rather shy and diffident about receiving honours. In the 1850s both he and his colleagues questioned his status as a botanist: was he an amateur or not? He was active in a number of institutions (the Horticultural, Zoological and in particular the Linnean societies, where he was president 1862–1874), although he generally preferred to follow others when trying to institute change. His manifest achievements as a botanist can o...