cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SELF-ADMINISTERED VERSION OF THE STEVENS PLACEMENT READINESS SCALE

Summary.-A self-edministered version of the Srevens Placement Readiness Scale is presented. Reliability and validiry of the self-administered scale were assessed and the new instrument was a satisfactory approximation of the original scale. Readiness for job placement has been examined by Stevens (3) who developed a ten-dimensional, five-point scale to assess an individual's ability to define, locate, and obtain a desired job. Following an exploratory interview, the counselor uses the scale to measure whether the respondent demonstrated a high, moderate, or low placementreadiness related to employment goals and job-seeking behaviors. Placement readiness is the abiliry ro identify a desired job in a desired location, meet the necessary qualifications, and be able and/or willing to take effective action to obtain that job (2). The reliability of placement-readiness evaluations was subjected co a test-retest of 24 subjects' ratings, using the Pearson product-moment coefficient. An r of .87 was obtained (3). The authors are involved in the placement and supervision of student interns in an undergraduate social work program. Time was not available to conduct exploratory interviews with students, which ruled out the possibility of using the Stevens's scale. A self-administered scale was developed which would perform the same functions of the Stevens's insrrument. An example of one item from the self-administered scale follows. Responses are listed in order of job readiness, with specification responses presented first (5 points) and then descending in value to the responses indicating passivity (1 point). In practice, these were randomly scrambled when presented to subjects to avoid the possibility of response sets. Reference Forms I have identified the persons I will use for references. I am still identifying the persons I will need for references.
Meropenem in the treatment of complicated skin and soft tissue infections

Meropenem is a broad-spectrum carbapenem antibiotic with excellent activity against many pathogens associated with complicated skin and soft tissue infections (cSSTIs). At least three studies have shown meropenem to have good clinical efficacy and to be well tolerated in the treatment of cSSTIs. Two open-label studies compared meropenem 500 mg every 8 hours (total evaluable n=146) with imipenem/cilastatin 500mg every 6 hours (n=147). Clinical efficacy rates in evaluable patients 7-14 days after end of treatment were similar, 92% and 100% in meropenem-treated groups versus 89% and 100% in groups receiving imipenem/cilastatin. An additional prospective, randomized, double-blind study evaluated meropenem 500mg every 8 hours (261 evaluable patients) versus imipenem/cilastatin 500 mg every 8 hours (287 patients). Clinical efficacy rates of meropenem and imipenem/cilastatin 7-28 days after end of treatment were 86.2% and 82.9%, respectively. Meropenem was well tolerated in all studies. Carbapenems are currently recommended as appropriate for initial treatment of certain cSSTIs such as those likely to involve mixed and/or multidrug-resistant pathogens. Meropenem is an effective and safe alternative for monotherapy when used for appropriate types of cSSTIs. Higher doses (ie, 1 g every 8 hours) should be considered for treatment of cSSTIs in higher-risk patients where Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a suspected or documented pathogen.
Geminate recombination and relaxation of molecular bromine

Abstract Picosecond absorption spectra and kinetics of room temperature Br 2 /CCl 4 solutions following 532 nm excitation are presented. Excitation at 532 nm results in predissociation followed by rapid recombination into the ground or electronically excited A 3 Π 1u and A′ 3 Π 2u states. Approximately 60% of the molecules are trapped in the A′ 3 Π 2u state, which has a room temperature lifetime of =5.5 ns. The spectra also indicate that vibrational relaxation in the ground-state manifold is complete within =140 ps.
The kinetics of cellular segregation reactions

Abstract Cellular segregation reactions, such as discontinuous precipitation and pearlite formation, often accomplish the segregation solely by diffusion along the cell boundary as it sweeps through the original unsegregated phase. Previous theories, which have assumed that the reaction is diffusion controlled, have been inadequate in describing many of its quantitative aspects. If the diffusion is limited to the advancing cell boundary, the lamellae of the cells or nodules cannot reach equilibrium composition at any non-zero growth rate and for this reason the growth rate of the cells can no longer be determined by the diffusion rates alone. It is concluded that at least two controlling kinetic processes are required to describe such a complex reaction. A simple model, which, in addition to diffusion control, assumes that the cell boundary moves with a velocity proportional to the net free energy decrease (taking into account the incompleteness of the segregation as well as the creation of lamellae surfaces), reproduces many of the observed features of these processes. Among these are the incompleteness of the segregation and the interlamellar spacing.
Executive Guidelines for Evaluating Consultants

This research investigates issues regarding the evaluation of corporate and institutional consultants. There is considerable information to assist those who conduct research, but little to facilitate the evaluation of others who perform it. This study integrates ideas found in the literature with those of the researcher who has been a consultant and a client, together with empirically generated executive input. The author conducts a series of personal interviews with corporate and institutional individuals on the client-consultant interface. The information comes from publicly-held and privately-owned organizations in both profit and not-for-profit sectors. The findings lead to an improved understanding of how consulting efficiencies can be enhanced.
Sex Role Portrayals in Turkish Television Advertisements: An Examination in an International Context

ABSTRACT This study compares Turkish advertisements with advertisements in the United States, Mexico, and Australia using Hofstede's masculinity index to predict sex-role portrayals of men and women as well as gender-specific themes depicted in advertisements. In a manner consistent with Hofstede's well known taxonomy, sex role differences between men and women in the context of themes such as productivity are found in masculine countries of the U.S., Australia, and Mexico while in the feminine country of Turkey sex-role differences between men and women are minimal and feminine values of relationship orientation are more often depicted. Practical implications of these findings for the international marketer are discussed.
Cortisol secretion and change in sleep problems in early childhood: Moderation by maternal overcontrol

Childhood sleep problems are prevalent and relate to a wide range of negative psychological outcomes. However, it remains unclear how biological processes, such as HPA activity, may predict sleep problems over time in childhood in the context of certain parenting environments. Fifty-one mothers and their 18-20 month-old toddlers participated in a short-term longitudinal study assessing how shared variance among morning levels, diurnal change, and nocturnal change in toddlers' cortisol secretion predicted change in sleep problems in the context of maternal overprotection and critical control. A composite characterized by low variability in, and, to a lesser extent, high morning values of cortisol, predicted increasing sleep problems from age 2 to age 3 when mothers reported high critical control. Results suggest value in assessing shared variance among different indices of cortisol secretion patterns and the interaction between cortisol and the environment in predicting sleep problems in early childhood.
Charged pion photoproduction from 12C with excitation of analog states

Abstract Differential cross sections of π + ( π − ) photoproduction near threshold on a 12 C target with excitation of the 12 B( 12 N) analog levels are calculated. Charged pion photoproduction excites predominantly the spin flip states, so that such an experiment may determine the degree of spin flip strength of the ΔT =1 levels.
MicroRNAs in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and severe autoimmune disease that affects joint tissues, bone, and cartilage. However, the pathogenesis of RA is still unclear. Autoantibodies such as rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide are useful tools for early diagnosis, monitoring disease activity, and predicting prognosis. Recently, many groups have focused their attention on the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of RA, as well as a potential biomarker to monitor RA. In fact, the expression of some microRNAs, such as miR-146a, is upregulated in different cell types and tissues in RA patients. MicroRNAs in RA could also be considered as possible future targets for new therapeutic approaches.
Treatment trends and factors associated with survival in T1aN0 and T1bN0 breast cancer patients.

Breast conservation therapy (BCT) and adjuvant hormonal therapy for estrogen-receptor positive breast cancers have become standard of care. Our objectives were to evaluate trends in the surgical management and adjuvant therapy for early-stage breast cancer and to identify factors predicting survival. Using the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), patients with node-negative breast cancers less than 1 cm (T1aN0M0 and T1bN0M0) from 1993–2004 were identified. The time periods of 1993–1994, 1998–1999, and 2003–2004 were compared to analyze trends in surgical management and adjuvant therapy. Cox Proportional Hazards modeling was used to examine factors predicting survival. Overall, 123,212 cases of T1aN0M0 or T1bN0M0 breast cancer were identified. The use of breast conservation surgery increased from 61.3% in 1993/1994 to 78.3% in 2003/2004 with a concomitant decrease in the use of mastectomy. The use of radiation therapy also increased from 51.9% in 1993/1994 to 62.0% in 2003/2004. Adjuvant hormonal therapy administration rose sharply from 26.7% in 1993/1994 to 44.7% in 2003/2004. After adjusting for potential confounders, the difference in 5-year survival rates for T1a (94.3%) and T1b (93.1%) tumors was marginal (P = .04). Age, grade, size, and failure of BCS patients to receive radiation therapy and hormonal therapy were independent predictors of a higher likelihood of death. BCS utilization increased over time, but mastectomy rates may still be considered high given the small size of tumors in this cohort and the percent of patients eligible for BCT. The use of hormonal therapy increased significantly over the past decade. Further investigation into patient and physician factors affecting treatment choices is needed if BCT and hormonal therapy utilization is to increase.
Dictyostelium aggregate-less mutant plasma membranes.

Abstract This investigation concerns a freeze-fracture study of the plasma membranes of aggregate-less mutants 67 and 20-2 derived from the wild-type slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum V 12 M 2 . These mutants cannot respond chemotactically to cAMP and consequently are incapable of normal fruiting body formation. Freeze-fracture studies of Agg 67 and 20-2 amoebae revealed that the average diameters of the plasma membrane particles were almost identical to the wild-type strain V 12 M 2 vegetative amoebae. Although exposure to cAMP effected a 1.4 × increase in average particle size in the V 12 M 2 amoebae membranes, those in the mutant cell types did not increase in average diameters. The state of the plasma membrane and its regulatory role in the cell cycle and cell differentiation is discussed.
Changing incidence, type, and natural history of conduction defects after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background Cardiac conduction defects occur after cardiac surgery. We hypothesized that population aging and increased use of β-blockers would increase the incidence of new conduction defects after coronary surgery. Methods We examined the medical records of 800 coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients (400 from 1991 and 400 from 2001). Exclusion criteria included the following: preexisting conduction defect, permanent pacemaker, and perioperative atrial fibrillation, leaving 303 and 269 patients, respectively, included in the two study years. The incidence, type, and persistence of new conduction defects were determined from the preoperative, postoperative, and the predischarge electrocardiogram. Multivariate analysis identified predictors of new defects. Results Study populations were well-matched. There was a marked decrease in the incidence of new postoperative conduction defects from 1991 (19%) to 2001 (6%). There was also a change in the most frequently occurring block, from a right-bundle-branch-block in 1991 (10%) to first-degree atrioventricular block (3%) in 2001. Finally, conduction defects in 1991 were more transient. While 19% of 1991 patients showed a conduction defect early postoperatively, only 9% were persistent. In 2001, the incidence of conduction defects at discharge (7%), was equivalent to that early postoperatively (6%). Predictors of new conduction defects included year of operation, age, intraaortic balloon counterpulsation, number of vessels bypassed, and crystalloid cardioplegia. Conclusions Our results were the opposite of those predicted. Our report identifies a changing incidence, type, and natural history of conduction defects after CABG. Our comparison demonstrated a decrease in the incidence of new conduction defects, as well as a qualitative change in the defects identified. Multivariate analysis provided predictors of new conduction defects after CABG.
Esterase and hydrase activity of carbonic anhydrase-I from primate erythrocytes

Abstract Carboxylic esterase activity toward the acetate and butyrate esters of α- and β-naphthol is associated with two forms of erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase (CA-I, CA-II) in man (Tashian et al. , 1963) and other primate species. Of 22 primate species tested, erythrocyte CA-I from the rhesus macaque ( Macaca mulatta ) and doguera baboon ( Papio doguera ) were among those forms showing high specific esterase activity; in comparison, human and chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes ) CA-I exhibit moderate esterase activity. This report compares the hydrolase and hydrase activities of partially-purified CA-I from human, chimpanzee, baboon, and rhesus hemolysates.
Integrating biodiversity representation with multiple criteria in North-Central Namibia using non-dominated alternatives and a modified analytic hierarchy process

A protocol is developed for the incorporation of multiple criteria, including spatial design and socio-political criteria, into the design of conservation area networks. This protocol begins with the identification of the non-dominated set of alternatives, where each alternative is a network of conservation areas that satisfies biodiversity representation targets. This set is then refined to identify a finally preferred alternative using a modification of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. This modification ensures that the results obtained are identical to those that would be obtained using standard multiattribute value theory while allowing the use of the transparent preference method of the Analytic Hierarchy Process. The final stage of the protocol consists of sensitivity analyses to test the robustness of the ranking of the alternative set. The protocol is applied to a practical data set from northern Namibia to identify a set of land units that can be targeted for biodiversity conservation beyond the existing national parks.
Multiple anthropogenic stressors exert complex, interactive effects on a coral reef community

Multiple natural and anthropogenic stressors impact coral reefs across the globe leading to declines of coral populations, but the relative importance of different stressors and the ways they interact remain poorly understood. Because coral reefs exist in environments commonly impacted by multiple stressors simultaneously, understanding their interactions is of particular importance. To evaluate the role of multiple stressors we experimentally manipulated three stressors (herbivore abundance, nutrient supply, and sediment loading) in plots on a natural reef in the Gulf of Panama in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Monitoring of the benthic community (coral, macroalgae, algal turf, and crustose coralline algae) showed complex responses with all three stressors impacting the community, but at different times, in different combinations, and with varying effects on different community members. Reduction of top–down control in combination with sediment addition had the strongest effect on the community, and led to approximately three times greater algal biomass. Coral cover was reduced in all experimental units with a negative effect of nutrients over time and a synergistic interaction between herbivore exclosures and sediment addition. In contrast, nutrient and sediment additions interacted antagonistically in their impacts on crustose coralline algae and turf algae so that in combination the treatments limited each other’s effects. Interactions between stressors and temporal variability indicated that, while each stressor had the potential to impact community structure, their combinations and the broader environmental conditions under which they acted strongly influenced their specific effects. Thus, it is critical to evaluate the effects of stressors on community dynamics not only independently but also under different combinations or environmental conditions to understand how those effects will be played out in more realistic scenarios.
Quality Circles and Employee Withdrawal Behaviors: A Cross-Organizational Study

This article proposes a new theoretical approach to quality circles (QCs) and reports the results of a cross-organizational test of that theory. Improved attendance and retention were predicted as a result of the boundary-tightening effect of quality circles on employee work units. Study participants were 675 employees from five diverse organizations: a bank, a utility, a manufacturing plant, a hospital, and a university. Results supported the hypotheses, in that turnover was reduced following the circle interventions and absenteeism for circle members remained stable, whereas it rose substantially for noncircle employees. The QC intervention, by tightening the boundary around employees `immediate work units, counteracts the effects of a fragmenting system (the organization) in relation to its suprasystem (the environment). It is proposed that this systems perspective offers a more parsimonious interpretation of quality circle effects than existing QC models.
Word Segmentation as General Chunking

During language acquisition, children learn to segment speech into phonemes, syllables, morphemes, and words. We examine word segmentation specifically, and explore the possibility that children might have general-purpose chunking mechanisms to perform word segmentation. The Voting Experts (VE) and Bootstrapped Voting Experts (BVE) algorithms serve as computational models of this chunking ability. VE finds chunks by searching for a particular information-theoretic signature: low internal entropy and high boundary entropy. BVE adds to VE the ability to incorporate information about word boundaries previously found by the algorithm into future segmentations. We evaluate the general chunking model on phonemically-encoded corpora of child-directed speech, and show that it is consistent with empirical results in the developmental literature. We argue that it offers a parsimonious alternative to special-purpose linguistic models.
Gα13 Mediates a Signal That Is Essential for Proliferation and Survival of Thymocyte Progenitors

G protein signaling via the Gα12 family (Gα12 and Gα13) has not been well studied in T cells. To investigate whether Gα12 and Gα13 are involved in thymopoiesis, we expressed the regulator of G protein signaling domain of p115RhoGEF to inhibit Gα12 and Gα13 during thymopoiesis. Fetal thymus organ cultures seeded with p115ΔDH-expressing progenitor cells showed impaired thymopoiesis with a block at the CD4−CD8−CD44−CD25+ (DN3) stage. Using Gα13 or Gα12 minigenes, we demonstrated that Gα13, but not Gα12, is required for thymopoiesis. T progenitor cells expressing p115ΔDH showed reduced proliferation and increased cell death. T cell receptor stimulation of the fetal thymus organ cultures did not rescue the block. Overexpression of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl2 rescued the defect in DN3 cells and partially rescued T cell development. Therefore, Gα13-mediated signaling is necessary in early thymocyte proliferation and survival.
A multi-tiered scheme for interference control in a wireless system

We analyze a scheme that combines ARQ, FEC, frequency hopping (FH) and traffic rate control to mitigate the effects of interference on the performance a fixed wireless system. ARQ is ineffective because of excessive retransmissions; FEC also becomes ineffective when excessive coding redundancy is required for adequate error correction. When interference is widespread across the channels, FH becomes ineffective as well. Additional interference control may therefore be needed. In this paper, we study two heuristic schemes that throttle the incoming traffic rate according to the level of interference in the transmission channels, where FH, ARQ and FEC are already employed. We analyze and compare the throughput, delay and loss of the two rate controls in combination with FEC and FH. The results show that by optimizing it with respect to a measure of power (throughput/delay), one of the schemes performs best across the load, and its performance can be further enhanced by FEC.
The economics of aquaculture insurance: An overview of the U.S. pilot insurance program for cultivated clams

One important issue affecting the continued growth and success of the aquaculture industry is risk management. Aquaculture producers face a number of production risks (e.g., weather, disease) that substantially affect their output quantity and quality. Crop insurance is one important potential mechanism for managing these risks, but aquaculture has historically had limited insurance availability in the United States, in part because of unique challenges associated with implementing crop insurance programs in aquatic settings. The Cultivated Clam Pilot Insurance Program, which began in 2000 in four Atlantic Coast states, is the first United States, federal crop insurance program for aquaculture. This program experienced relatively high loss ratios in the early years of the program, but substantial modifications beginning with the 2004 crop year resulted in a significant improvement in actuarial performance. Experiences with clam insurance can provide insight into the potential development and application o...
Agricultural Landscape Preferences Implications for Agritourism Development

This study examines residents’ preferences for agricultural landscape features when engaging in agritourism activities by addressing two objectives: (1) to identify the features of agricultural landscapes that are more appealing to current and potential agritourists and (2) to compare those perceptions across respondents from different genders, agritourism experience, and agricultural attachment. Data were collected through an online survey conducted among three nonrandom panels of residents from Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Texas (250 per state). Results showed that respondents liked most landscape features commonly found in an agritourism farm, especially natural and cultural ones. Among these, the most preferred features they would like to see are wildlife, water resources, historic elements, and farm animals, suggesting that these can serve as farm pull attractions. Multivariate analyses of variance showed significant differences in landscape preferences across gender, levels of agritourism experience,...
Appraisal of the Pediatric End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium Training Program

Major deficiencies continue to exist in pediatric palliative and end-of-life nursing education. The End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC)-Pediatric Palliative Care (PPC) train-the-trainer curriculum was developed to create a nursing education program to improve care for children and their families confronted with life-threatening illnesses (www.aacn.nche.edu/ELNEC). Two ELNEC-PPC training programs were held in August 2005 and August 2006. The purpose of this article is to present data from the precourse and 12-month postcourse follow-up of participants who attended the two courses. Findings from these assessments demonstrate a positive link between educational initiatives and clinical outcomes.
Very large scale ReliefF for genome-wide association analysis

Most common diseases are the result of complex nonlinear interactions between multiple genetic and environmental components. There is thus a pressing need for new computational methods capable of detecting nonlinearly interacting single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) that are associated with disease, from amidst up to hundreds of thousands of candidate SNPs. Recently, some progress has been made using feature selection algorithms based on weights from the ReliefF data mining algorithm on sets of up to 1500 SNPs. However, the accuracy of ReliefF does not scale up to the sizes needed for truly large genome-scale SNP association studies. We propose a population-based variant dubbed VLSReliefF, which mitigates this performance drop by stochastically applying ReliefF to SNP subsets, and then assigning each SNP the maximum ReliefF weight it achieved in any subset. A heuristic method is proposed for determining the optimal subset size as a function of heritability, sample size, and order of interactions. Aggressive iterative pruning of SNPs with low VLSReliefF weights can be used for nonlinear feature identification in genome scale SNP sets. The method is validated using a variety of computational experiments on synthetic datasets of up to 100,000 SNPs.
Economic Aspects of British Colonialism in Kenya, 1895 to 1930

This dissertation has two parts. The intent of the first is to establish the importance of the economic benefits which accrued to the British economy by virtue of Britain's relationship with certain territories in her empire. The intent of the second and major part is to analyze one of these territories, Kenya, in terms of the implications and consequences for its economic development of its colonial status. Kenya's colonial period, particularly its first twenty-five years as a British territory-1895 to 1930-was the period when the basic outlines of the modem Kenyan economy were conceived and then implemented by imperial officials. The latter totally transformed the patterns of economic behavior among the African populations, orienting African life thereafter toward economic objectives derived from London's perception of the needs of her imperial economy. This dissertation seeks to ascertain why, how, and with what consequences this economic transformation was effected. Contrary to the assertions of some scholars in the field, by the end of the nineteenth century, Britain had developed a coordinated set of significantly beneficial economic relationships with her colonial possessions, including those rapidly acquired after 1870.1 The latter, often called "the new empire," comprised chiefly territories in Asia and Africa. Britain developed them into important suppliers of food and raw materials and usually, to a lesser degree, into absorbers of British capital and manufactured exports.2 In these exports, Britain confronted growing, world-wide competition, chiefly from Germany and the United States. She also faced, internally, the advanced stages of the decline of her agriculture alongside a steady concentration of productive assets. Consequently, the pressure for secure sources of food and raw materials mounted with the search for secure outlets for exports and capital. Between 1870 and 1913 the British manufacturing industry sharply increased its dependence on imports of raw materials. Before World War I almost 50 percent of British pig iron production used imported ores, while between 80 and 100 percent of tin, copper, lead, and zinc consumed was imported. All raw cotton and an increasing share of raw wool consumed had to be imported as well. By 1910 the share of imports
Comparison of Pulmonary/Nasal CYP2F Expression Levels in Rodents and Rhesus Macaque

Naphthalene is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant that results in dose-dependent and tissue-, species-, and cell-selective necrosis of murine Clara cells upon exposure. Naphthalene is metabolized by CYP2F to a 1,2-epoxide, the first and obligate step in events leading to cytotoxicity. The studies reported here examine the relationship between levels of transcript (mRNA) and CYP2F protein in the respiratory tract of rodents with tissue susceptibility to injury. In both mice and rats, the lung contains more CYP2F transcript than liver; levels in kidney were undetectable. Mice expressed 4- and 8-fold greater CYP2F transcript in lung and liver tissue, respectively, than rats. Quantitative immunoblot blot analysis of CYP2F in airway subcompartments revealed mice to have 30- (minor daughters/terminal bronchioles), 20- (major daughter), 40- (trachea), and 6- (parenchyma) fold higher levels of CYP2F protein than rats. Within the lungs of both rodent species, the highest CYP2F expression was found in the distal airways. The kidney contained undetectable amounts of CYP2F; multiple immunoreactive bands in liver precluded quantification. The olfactory epithelium contains the greatest amount of cytochrome P450 protein of all tissues studied in the rat, consistent with the observed pattern of in vivo injury. Overall, these studies in rodents demonstrate a strong association between CYP2F expression levels and susceptibility to naphthalene-induced cytotoxicity. Of all primate tissues studied, only the nasal ethmoturbinates contain quantifiable amounts of CYP2F, roughly 10- and 20-fold less than the corresponding tissues in rats and mice, respectively. These results suggest that rhesus macaques may be refractory to naphthalene-induced pulmonary injury.
Junction-Related Sertoli Cell Cytoskeleton in Testosterone-Treated Hypophysectomized Rats

Testosterone is the principal hormone necessary for insuring the completion of normal spermatogenesis. However, its precise role in spermatid maturation is not clear. In hypophysectomized rats, testosterone can maintain spermiogenesis if replaced soon after surgery. Delaying treatment results in a reduction in the number of mature spermatids. In culture, testosterone and FSH are required to maximize spermatid attachment to binding-competent Sertoli cells. This binding event is an essential step in the process of spermiogenesis and is dependent on components of the Sertoli cell cytoskeleton. The present study was undertaken to determine the binding competency of Sertoli cells and their junctional interaction with spermatids in the hypophysectomized rat after immediate testosterone replacement and after delayed testosterone replacement. Hypophysectomized rats treated with immediate testosterone replacement had peripheral distribution of Sertoli cell f-actin and vinculin, structurally intact Sertoli ectoplasmic specializations facing step 8 spermatids, and daily sperm production similar to these parameters as observed in intact controls. In the delayed treatment group, these parameters were abnormal and were similar to those observed in the untreated hypophysectomized animals. The results suggest that testosterone can maintain binding competency of the Sertoli cell and normal Sertoli-spermatid junctional interaction but cannot restore them.
A Pattern-Based Approach to Cloud Transformation

With the growing interest in cloud computing, more and more businesses are looking not only to migrate their applications to the cloud but also to transform them to better leverage capabilities that are provided by cloud platforms or to enable new business models that are facilitated by the cloud. One problem clients face in this area is a lack of experience and knowledge as to how best to accomplish this transformation. We propose a Cloud Transformation Advisor (CTA) which helps users to select appropriate enablement patterns from a knowledge base of best practices when performing transformation planning. This knowledge base uses a structured representation to capture application information, cloud platform capability information, and enablement pattern information in order to facilitate pattern selection. We describe this representation and a mathematical model which leverages it to choose the "best" combination of patterns for a given transformation problem. We present an example which illustrates the approach, and describe the usage of the CTA.
Correlation of Antimicrobial Resistance with β-Lactamases, the OmpA-Like Porin, and Efflux Pumps in Clinical Isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii Endemic to New York City

Acinetobacter baumannii strains resistant to all β-lactams, aminoglycosides, and fluoroquinolones have emerged in many medical centers. Potential mechanisms contributing to antimicrobial resistance were investigated in 40 clinical isolates endemic to New York City. The isolates were examined for the presence of various β-lactamases, aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes, and mutations in gyrA and parC. Expression of the genes encoding the β-lactamase AmpC, the efflux systems AdeABC and AbeM, and the OmpA-like porin was also examined by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. No VIM, IMP, KPC, OXA-23-type, OXA-24-type, or OXA-58 β-lactamases were detected, although several isolates had acquired blaSHV-5. Most cephalosporin-resistant isolates had increased levels of expression of ampC and/or had acquired blaSHV-5; however, isolates without these features still had reduced susceptibility to cefepime that was mediated by the AdeABC efflux system. Although most isolates with ISAba1 upstream of the blaOXA-51-like carbapenemase gene were resistant to meropenem, several remained susceptible to imipenem. The presence of aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes and gyrase mutations accounted for aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone resistance, respectively. The increased expression of adeABC was not an important contributor to aminoglycoside or fluoroquinolone resistance but did correlate with reduced susceptibility to tigecycline. The expression of abeM and ompA and phenotypic changes in OmpA did not correlate with antimicrobial resistance. A. baumannii has become a well-equipped nosocomial pathogen; defining the relative contribution of these and other mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance will require further investigation.
Abstract 183: Genetic Determinants of CD39 Expression and Platelet Aggregation

Introduction: CD39 is an ATP and ADP hydrolyzing ectonucleotidase found on the endothelium, leukocytes and platelets. Prior work has shown that the genotype at the single nucleotide polymorphism rs10748643 correlates with CD39 expression (GG:high, AG:intermediate, AA: low) in lymphocytes. However the influence on CD39 expression in platelets is unresolved. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine whether the rs10748643 genotype associates with low-dose ADP-induced platelet aggregation ex vivo. Methods: Whole blood was obtained from healthy volunteers not on aspirin (baseline) and then treated with aspirin for 14 days (81 mg). Serum thromboxane levels were also measured to demonstrate ASA adherence. Platelet rich plasma was generated and platelet aggregation in response to 2.5 uM ADP was measured. DNA from whole blood was isolated and used for genotyping at rs10748643 by the Vanderbilt DNA Resources Core. Results: The study population included 65 subjects.Genotyping revealed 23 GG, 28 AG and 14 AA...
Location of a polypeptide sequence within the alpha-subunit of the acetylcholine receptor containing the cholinergic binding site.

Proteolytic fragments of the alpha-subunit of the acetylcholine receptor of Torpedo electric organ were generated by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, and their ability to bind alpha-bungarotoxin was assessed following resolution on polyacrylamide gels and transfer to nitrocellulose. The position of the smallest fragment (Mr = 17,000) with toxin-binding activity was located within the primary sequence of the alpha-subunit by isolation and chemical characterization. The amino acid sequence at its amino terminus is Val-Asn-Gln-Ile-Val-Glu, which is identical to a unique sequence on the alpha-subunit beginning at Val 46. Based on considerations of the apparent molecular weight of this polypeptide fragment, the enzyme specificity of V8 protease, analysis of the partial amino acid composition, and the position of various identifying landmarks of the primary sequence of the alpha-subunit, the carboxy terminus is restricted to an acidic amino acid residue between Asp 152 and Asp 180. The apparent affinities of the 17-kDa polypeptide for alpha-bungarotoxin (IC50 = 100 nM) and d-tubocurarine (IC50 = 0.4 mM) were not significantly different from the values obtained for the undigested alpha-subunit, suggesting that the 17-kDa polypeptide contains all of the essential elements present on the alpha-subunit that are necessary for the binding of both of these cholinergic ligands. A second toxin-binding fragment (Mr = 19,000) was also identified. Although the amino terminus of this polypeptide fragment has not been determined directly, its position relative to Asn 141, the site of N-glycosylation, was established, and it appears that its amino terminus cannot be located any closer to the amino terminus of the alpha-subunit than Asp 152. If this tentative assignment is correct, then the region of the alpha-subunit involved in binding cholinergic ligands is more closely defined as occurring within the segment of the primary sequence of the alpha-subunit that the 17- and 19-kDa polypeptide fragments have in common, i.e., an overlapping sequence maximally bounded by Asp 152 and Asp 180.
Interstitial duplication of proximal 22q: Phenotypic overlap with cat eye syndrome

We describe a child with downslanting palpebral fissures, preauricular malfunctions, congenital heart defect (total anomalous pulmonary venous return), unilateral absence of a kidney, and developmental delay with an apparent interstitial duplication of proximal 22q. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed duplication of the IGLC locus, and C-banding of the duplicated region was negative. The duplication appears to involve 22q11.2-q12. Although the child has neither colobomas nor microphthalmia, he shows phenotypic overlap with with the cat eye syndrome, which is caused by a supernumerary bisatellited chromosome arising from inverted duplication of the short arm and proximal long arm of chromosome 22. Further molecular studies of this patient should help to define the regions responsible for the manifestations of cat eye syndrome. 17 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
Word sense disambiguation via human computation

One formidable problem in language technology is the word sense disambiguation (WSD) problem: disambiguating the true sense of a word as it occurs in a sentence (e.g., recognizing whether the word "bank" refers to a river bank or to a financial institution). This paper explores a strategy for harnessing the linguistic abilities of human beings to develop datasets that can be used to train machine learning algorithms for WSD. To create such datasets, we introduce a new interactive system: a fun game designed to produce valuable output by engaging human players in what they perceive to be a cooperative task of guessing the same word as another player. Our system makes a valuable contribution by tackling the knowledge acquisition bottleneck in the WSD problem domain. Rather than using conventional and costly techniques of paying lexicographers to generate training data for machine learning algorithms, we delegate the work to people who are looking to be entertained.
A study of velocity kinematics for hybrid manipulators with parallel-series configurations

The velocity kinematics of a hybrid robotic mechanism comprising both serial and parallel closed chains is studied. The hybrid manipulator has six degrees of freedom, which features a three-degree-of-freedom in-series actuated module mounted on the moving plate of a three-degree-of-freedom in-parallel actuated manipulator. Methods of solution for forward (direct) and inverse problems are established for each of the serial-chain and the parallel-chain components. Constant compatibility conditions necessary for arriving at meaningful velocity solutions are identified. A joint rate solution for the combined hybrid system is formulated and its validity demonstrated. The method is based on a velocity decomposition scheme that in effect decouples the interplay between the serial and the parallel structures. The condition of geometric singularity is addressed. >
Evaluation of Nobuto Filter Paper Strips for the Detection of Avian Influenza Virus Antibody in Waterfowl

SUMMARY. The utility of using Nobuto paper strips for the detection of avian influenza antibodies was examined in mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) experimentally infected with low pathogenic avian influenza viruses. Blood was collected 2 wk after infection and was preserved either as serum or whole blood absorbed onto Nobuto strips. Analysis of samples using a commercially available blocking enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed comparable results (≥96% sensitivity for all methods) between sera stored at −30 C and the Nobuto strip preservation method even when the Nobuto strips were stored up to 3 mo at room temperature (RT). Significant differences were detected in the ratio of sample absorbance to negative control absorbance for Nobuto strips stored at RT compared with sera stored at −30 C, although these differences did not affect the ability of the test to reliably detect positive and negative samples. Nobuto strips are a convenient and sensitive alternative to the collection of serum samples when m...
Behavioral disturbances in Parkinson's disease.

Treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) is complex and often involves addressing behavioral changes in addition to the movement disorder. Patients with PD are susceptible to any psychiatric condition seen in the general population; some disorders, such as depression and anxiety, may result from PD-related neuropathological changes. Medicationrelated hallucinations are seen in many PD patients who are treated with dopaminergic agents for motor symptoms. Cognitive impairment is also seen and can be multifactorial. Treatment of behavioral symptoms in PD can greatly improve patients“ overall function and quality of life. As surgical interventions to treat motor symptoms, such as deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus of the substantia nigra, become more prevalent, the behavioral effects of these procedures must also be addressed,
Sensors and Sensibilities

We live in a world of increasingly universal connectivity. Yet our legal system presumes that people are isolated from one another. In a diverse array of doctrinal areas, law encodes the assumption that direct tracking of individual activities is the exception, rather than the rule. With the diffusion of new technologies, this expectation will be undermined. A profusion of networked sensors will pose novel challenges for many areas of the law. Hundreds of millions of camera-enabled mobile phones and networked webcams are already in the hands of individuals throughout the world. Billions of wireless radio-frequency identification tags will soon be deployed. Location-sensing capabilities will be built into a growing range of equipment. Intelligent handheld digital devices will turn every individual into a networked information gathering and dissemination point. Inadvertent private actions, rather than conscious government surveillance, will increasingly dominate the tracking and monitoring of the physical world and its inhabitants. A common initial response will be to ban or restrict the technologies that threaten settled expectations. Yet the sensors will not be stopped so easily. In the end, social norms will define the canvas upon which law operates to regulate information exchanges. Against that backdrop, law will gradually evolve to accommodate changed circumstances. The best way to avoid conflicts and uncertainties along the way will be to surface the hidden assumptions that technology is calling into question.
Estimates of the heights and weights of family members: accuracy of informant reports

OBJECTIVE: Information about the accuracy of family informant estimates of height and weight should assist investigators in evaluating the costs and benefits of using this type of data in genetic study designs. DESIGN AND METHOD: To assess the accuracy of family informant estimates, 374 first-degree relatives from 94 Caucasian families, gave estimates about the heights and weights of their first degree relatives. These estimates were compared with measured heights and weights to determine their accuracy. RESULTS: Informant estimates were highly predictive of measured heights (r=0.95), and weights (r=0.94), but informants systematically overestimated heights (mean=1.4 cm) and underestimated weights of their family members (mean=4.1 kg). CONCLUSIONS: On average, height estimates were generally within 1% of the measured height and weight estimates were within 3–5% of the measured weight. Therefore, these proxy measures can provide useful data, when measured or self-reported heights and weights are not available.
The short-term side effects of the insecticidal treatment of Clear Lake, Lake County, California, in 1962.

Clear Lake, Lake County, California, was treated to control the Clear Lake gnat, Chaoborus astictopus Dyar & Shannon, during the summer of 1962 with 3 ppb methyl parathion. Concurrent with this control project, information was gathered on representatives of the major trophic groups. This data was compared with similar data gathered at the same time the previous non-treatment year to determine if any immediate side effects of the insecticide were manifest. Although it was impossible to study all the organisms involved with the treatment, results indicated a possible depressing effect only upon the zooplankton levels. No direct effects on the bottom fauna, other than C. astictopus , or on the fishery were observed.
Observations on Chytridiaceous Parasites of Phanerogams. XXVIII. Physodermas on Sium Suave

Two Physodermas have been found on the umbellifer Sium suave. Physoderma Type I on submerged parts forms large conspicuous black pustules on stem and petiole and target spots on the leaflet lamina ...
Inhibition of local nitric oxide synthase increases homeostatic efficiency of tubuloglomerular feedback

Nephron filtration rate (SNGFR) and proximal tubular reabsorption are coordinated by the processes of tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) and glomerulotubular balance (GTB). We examined the role of nit...
Study on applying Delphi method for screening evaluation indexes of health literacy of Wuhan residents

Objective To establish an objective evaluation index system of health literacy of Wuhan residents.Methods The Delphi method was used,the experts were selected for consultation according to the study subjects,and large field survey was conducted with this index system.Results The age of most experts was above 40,almost all the experts had the title of assistant professor or above,and the working years were above 20;two rounds of consultation-response rate was 100%,the means of two rounds of authority were both 0.87.Sixty one tertiary indexes were selected by using the standard of selecting importance-score means,variation coefficient,the difficulty degree and distinction degree of field survey to evaluate three parts of health literacy:health knowledge,behavior and skill.Conclusion The initiative representiveness and authoritativeness are good The objectivity,reliability and operability of the index system are acceptable.The screened indicators can be used to construct the evaluation indexes of health literacy for Wuhan residents.