cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of goal-sensitive health-related utility assessment procedures.

Purpose. To measure the degree to which people express willingness to trade life or health for nonmedical goals. Method. In 3 studies, outpatients provided important life goals. In study 1, patients performed time-tradeoff between life-years and goal achievement and chose between states that varied in goal achievement, life expectancy, and disability; in study 2, patients made choices that traded off health state and goal achievement; in study 3, patients performed time-tradeoff assessments in 3 different goal achievement contexts. Results. In study 1 (n = 58), participants were eager to trade life-years for goal achievement, trading, on average, 71% of their remaining life for certain achievement v. certain nonachievement or 54% of their remaining life for their expected likelihood of achievement v. nonachievement. Life expectancy, disability status, and goal achievement each had a significant main effect on utility. In study 2 (n = 54), participants equally preferred a moderately impaired health state w...
Aortic Valve Sparing and Restoration With Autologous Pericardial Leaflet Extension is an Effective Alternative in Pediatric Patients

We sought to evaluate the durability and efficacy of aortic valve repair with autologous pericardial leaflet extension in children. From 1997 through 2006, 54 patients underwent aortic valve repair with autologous pericardial leaflet extension at a mean age 8.4 ± 5.3 years (range, 0 to 17 years). Primary endpoints were early and late mortality, freedom of reoperation, and late valve function. Thirty-day and late mortality were one in 54 (1.8%) and two in 53 (3.7%), respectively. There were seven re-operations in six patients, and one patient was re-operated twice. Re-operations were re-repairs in four cases and replacements in three cases. The mean interval between original repair and re-operation was 4.3 ± 2.5 years. Mean severity grade of post-repair intraoperative aortic regurgitation (AR) was 0.3 (range, grade 0 to 4). At late follow-up, 87.7% of all patients had no AR or only a trace (grade 0-1). Seven patients (12.9%) had mild AR (grade 2-3) and none severe (grade 4); 94.4% had no aortic stenosis or only a trace (grade 0-1), 5.5% had mild (grade 2-3), and none severe. This technique delays potential complications from other approaches to valve pathology and allows a normal growth of the aortic annulus. Although, our data show that this technique has a low mortality and morbidity, more studies are needed to elucidate durability and late outcome.
Superplastic bonding of ferrous laminates

Abstract The feasibility of the solid-state bonding of similar and dissimilar ferrous materials over a wide range of carbon contents, below the eutectoid (A 1 ) transformation temperature has been demonstrated. Bonding is only readily obtained if one of the ferrous materials is superplastic. One advantage of employing such a low bonding temperature is that relatively minor metallurgical changes occur. Another advantage is that if one of the ferrous materials is very low in carbon and the other is not, then selective heat treatment, from just above the eutectoid temperature is possible. This concept is utilized to produce dual-hardness composites.
Microstructural Changes Due to Friction Stir Processing of Investment-Cast Ti-6Al-4V

Friction stir processing (FSP) was used to modify the coarse fully lamellar microstructure on the surface of investment-cast and hot isostatically pressed (HIP) Ti-6Al-4V plate. The α colony and platelet structure in the base material (BM) was refined such that the effective slip length was reduced from the α colony size of the BM, several hundred microns, to that of fine equiaxed primary α grains that are on the order of 1 μm. This change in the microstructure resulting from FSP is expected to increase fatigue crack initiation resistance making it beneficial for titanium components for aerospace applications. The as-cast coarse lamellar microstructure has superior fatigue crack growth resistance compared to other microstructures that can be obtained by thermomechanical processing. Thus, it is likely that an increase in fatigue life is obtainable by FSP. Given the growing interest in friction stir welding (FSW) and FSP of titanium alloys, we believe some consistent microstructural descriptors will help avoid confusion. Accordingly, we propose terminology to standardize the descriptions of the microstructures created during FSP and FSW of titanium alloys. We also describe the microstructure changes that occur in the stir zone (SZ), transition zone (TZ), and heat-affected zone (HAZ) during FSP of Ti-6Al-4V.
Permeability of Dictyostelium discoideum to Fucose and Uracil Following Growth‐Arrest Induced by Starvation, Hadacidin, and Cerulenin

The uptake of fucose and uracil by Dictyostelium discoideum in either a starvation or drug-induced growth-arrest state was studied. For both nutrients, the uptake was an energy-dependent process. The rate of fucose uptake remained constant for over four hours, while the uracil rate declined after about one hour, in starvation-induced growth-arrest. Under these conditions, fucose was found to be incorporated into membrane-associated glycoproteins and glycolipids, while uracil was incorporated into RNA. The rate of fucose uptake was the same for starvation or hadacidin-induced growth-arrest, but significantly lower for cerulenin-treated cells. In contrast, uracil uptake was slower in hadacidin-treated cells as opposed to starvation or cerulenin-induced growth-arrest cells. Further experiments showed that the incorporation rate of uracil into RNA was faster in hadacidin-treated cells than controls, and the cerulenin-treated cells were slower. The data suggest that the cells arrested in growth by nutrient deprivation retain the capacity to take-up and incorporate nutrients such as fucose and uracil and that pinocytosis is probably the process responsible for uptake.
Development and integration of a concurrently executing interactive user interface for the I-STAT protable clinical analyzer: A case study in real-time systems integration

A novel real-time scheduler was developed to implement an interactive user interface for an existing state-of-the-art, hand-held blood analyzer. A software-timer-based scheduler was designed and implemented and guaranteed schedulability analysis performed to ensure that all hard execution deadlines could be met at run time. An execution bandwidth preservation mechanism that increases the robustness and predictability of the scheduler is presented. The paper is a case study that describes the design and development process from a point of view that emphasizes the importance of the systems integration issues that were encountered.
An investigation of the induction of β-galactosidase in a broken spheroplast preparation of Escherichia coli

Abstract The synthesis of β-galactosidase by a particulate fraction prepared by digitonin lysis of penicillin spheroplasts of Escherichia coli has been examined. The preparation was found to contain viable cells with osmotic properties similar to those of spheroplasts. The activity of the particulate preparation in forming β-galactosidase is equivalent to the synthetic activity of a spheroplast preparation with an equal viable count under identical induction conditions. Other properties of the particulate preparation could not be distinguished from those of spheroplasts. Maximum levels of enzyme formed by the particulate preparation and by spheroplasts could only be demonstrated after treatment of the induced mixture with a detergent or with toluene. The synthesis of enzyme was decreased in both systems in the absence of added sucrose. The minimum concentration of isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside required for the formation of detectable amounts of enzyme was 2 × 10 −5 m with the particulate preparation as well as with growing cultures of the strain used. Lactose and melibiose did not induce the formation of β-galactosidase by the particulate fraction, but these materials also failed to induce the enzyme in spheroplasts under the experimental conditions used. The only absolute requirements for enzyme induction in both the particulate fraction and in spheroplasts were the inducer, isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactoside, and a mixture of amino acids. It is therefore concluded that the observed synthesis of β-galactosidase by this particulate preparation can be attributed almost entirely to the viable cells present in the preparation. Although the total number of viable cells of any of the preparations examined decreased during the five-hour induction period, the synthetic induction medium used was shown to be capable of supporting the growth of washed E. coli cells as determined by the increase in the number of viable cells when the penicillin normally present was omitted. This result suggests that the synthetic medium containing penicillin is capable of supporting the growth in size of spheroplasts during the induction period.
The determinants of regulators' preferences: Discrimination in electricity pricing

The rate structure is one of the key determinants of a regulated electric utility’s profits, and it also dem Section V provides concksions.
‘Even the Conservatives would be socialists’: British Labour, American Democrats and the postwar transatlantic political economy

This article analyses the impact of the pivotal British Labour victory of 1945 within the larger continuum of reform over market and property relations in the postwar transatlantic political economy of the United States and Great Britain. Despite the seeming divergence of the American and British political economies after 1945 – one under the rubric of the regulatory reforms of the liberal Democratic party (1933–53), the other under the nationalizing reforms of the socialist Labour party (1945–51), respectively – the two nations, I argue, progressed in the long term along complementary stages of development conditioned by their own historical circumstances. These included not only the impact of the Depression and World War II on each society, but also the distinctive legacy and timing of British and American social reforms throughout the twentieth century.
PIWI Expression and Function in Cancer

PIWI proteins, a subclade of the Argonaute family proteins, are expressed predominantly in the germline and bind to PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), which are 25-31 nucleotides in length. The PIWI/piRNA pathway plays critical roles in germline development by regulating transposons and other targets to maintain genome integrity. While the functions of PIWI in the germline have been extensively investigated, recent studies have accumulated evidence that the human PIWI proteins, HIWI and HILI, are aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancers. This review summarizes our knowledge of PIWI expression in cancer and discusses its possible role in tumorigenesis.
Photochemistry of the nucleoside membrane transport inhibitor 6-[(4-nitrobenzyl) thio]-9-(β-D-ribofuranosyl)purine

Abstract The photoactive site of 6-[(4-nitrobenzyl)thio]-9-(β- D -ribofuranosyl)purine, an inhibitor of nucleoside transport across cellular membranes, was studied by radical trapping. Homolytic cleavage of the sulfur-benzyl bond occurred and thiol coupling was observed.
Nonlinear Spin-Wave Theory for Antiferromagnets

The spin-wave interaction in simple antiferromagnets is studied at higher temperatures by a method similar to that of Bloch for ferromagnets. It is shown that the energy spectrum, the sublattice magnetization, and the internal energy of the system depend on a renormalization parameter $\ensuremath{\alpha}(T)$. This parameter satisfies an implicit equation from which its dependence on the temperature may be determined. It is found that the equation has a solution only up to a temperature ${T}_{max}$ which is within a few percent of the theoretical values of the N\'eel temperature. At very low temperatures the theory reduces to the Oguchi theory after all quantities are expanded in powers of the temperature. The parallel and perpendicular susceptibilities are also calculated.
Cultural and Economic Determinants of Managerial Perceptions of Quality

ABSTRACT The study investigates the impact of societal-level factors and organizational attributes on managerial perceptions of quality. The results are based on a cross-national study of managerial perceptions of quality utilizing data from the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Turkey. The study draws on Cheng (1994) by including the societal context into the analysis of organizations. It has been shown that the application of such an inclusive approach improves cross-national research by focusing on society-level variables in addition to the organizational-level variables. Models' coefficients are estimated using an Ordered Logit estimation method. The findings suggest that cultural factors are significant predictors of overall perceptions towards quality exhibited by managers. Specifically, the results indicate that managers from cultures with high levels of individualism and hierarchy tend to perceive quality processes differently than do their counterparts in other cultures.
Large-scale cultivation ofThiobacillus denitrificans to support pilot and field tests of a bioaugmentation process for microbial oxidation of sulfides

Thiobacillus denitrificans strain F has been successfully cultivated at a 1000-gal scale in a flocculated form that could be recovered by gravity settling. Repeated subculturing at this scale did not result in loss of flocculation, although only 45% of the total biomass in each batch prodtiction run was sufficiently flocculated to be recovered by gravity settling. Production costs for nutrients and utilities averaged $0.413/g dry wt of biomass recovered. Future work will focus on improving biomass recovery.
Open GIS and on-line environmental libraries

An essential component of an Environmental Information System is geographic or geospatial data coupled with geoprocessing functions. Traditional Geographic Information Systems (GIS) do not address the requirements of complex digital environmental libraries, but are now incorporating strategies for geodatabase federation, catalogs, and data mining. These strategies, however, depend on increased interoperability among diverse data stores, formats, and models. Open GIS™ is an abstration of geodata and a specification for methods on geographic features and coverages that enables compliant applications to exchange information and processing services. For EIS, Open GIS provides an architecture for selecting geodata at its most atomic level, fusing those data into structured information frameworks, analysing information using spatial operators, and viewing the results in informative, decision-supporting ways.
Lower bounds for minimum semidefinite rank from orthogonal removal and chordal supergraphs

Abstract The minimum semidefinite rank (msr) of a graph is the minimum rank among positive semidefinite matrices with the given graph. The OS-number is a useful lower bound for msr, which arises by considering ordered vertex sets with some connectivity properties. In this paper, we develop two new interpretations of the OS-number. We first show that OS-number is also equal to the maximum number of vertices which can be orthogonally removed from a graph under certain nondegeneracy conditions. Our second interpretation of the OS-number is as the maximum possible rank of chordal supergraphs who exhibit a notion of connectivity we call isolation-preserving. These interpretations not only give insight into the OS-number, but also allow us to prove some new results. For example we show that msr( G ) = |G| − 2 if and only if OS( G ) = |Gzsfnc − 2.
ELECTRICAL PHENOMENA IN NERVE II. CRAB NERVE

The resting and action potentials of the leg nerves of the spider crab are reduced by procaine, cocaine, iodoacetate, KCl, and veratrine. The first three agents depress the sensitivity of the resting potential to anoxia, while the last can be shown to augment it. Glucose sustains activity and the polarized state in the absence of oxygen, an effect blocked by iodoacetate; corresponding concentrations of lactate and pyruvate are inert under most experimental conditions. DDT and veratrine both induce repetitive activity following an impulse, but only the latter does so with a marked increase in negative after-potential. The negative after-potential induced by veratrine is decreased by KCl relatively more than the spike or the resting potential. Elevation of the calcium content of the medium increases this after-potential. Neither ion appreciably alters the time constant of repolarization. The recovery is more rapid than that obtained following prolonged activity of both veratrinized and unveratrinized nerves. Repolarization following a tetanus is accelerated by an increase in the volume of solution in contact with the fibers; associated with this is an augmentation of the positive after-potential which normally follows a bout of activity. Yohimbine induces a positive after-potential following individual spikes which is depressed by an elevation of the potassium or calcium content of the medium. These observations are discussed from the standpoint of the available evidence for the involvement of potassium at the surface of the fibers as regulated by a labile permeability and metabolism. The potassium liberated by the action potential, calculated from the polarization changes, agrees closely with an available analytical figure; less direct observations are also found to be consistent with this view.
Autonomy and Support The Dual Needs of Urban High Schools

High schools can be more effective if they develop an appropriate "culture. " This depends on both autonomy and support for the school.
Transcription of Endogenous and Exogenous R2 Elements in the rRNA Gene Locus of Drosophila melanogaster

R2 retrotransposons insert into the rRNA-encoding units (rDNA units) that form the nucleoli of insects. We have utilized an R2 integration system in Drosophila melanogaster to study transcription of foreign sequences integrated into the R2 target site of the 28S rRNA genes. The exogenous sequences were cotranscribed at dramatically different levels which closely paralleled the level of transcription of the endogenous R1 and R2 elements. Transcription levels were inversely correlated with the number of uninserted rDNA units, variation in this number having been brought about by the R2 integration system itself. Females with as few as 20 uninserted rDNA units per X chromosome had expression levels of endogenous and exogenous insertion sequences that were 2 orders of magnitude higher than lines that contained over 80 uninserted rDNA units per chromosome. R2 insertions only 167 bp in length exhibited this range of transcriptional regulation. Analysis of transcript levels in males suggested R2 insertions on the Y chromosome are not down-regulated to the same extent as insertions on the X chromosome. These results suggest that transcription of the rDNA units can be tightly regulated, but this regulation gradually breaks down as the cell approaches the minimum number of uninserted genes needed for survival.
Characterization and quantification of uncertainty in solid oxide fuel cell hybrid power plants

Abstract Distributed power generation is one of the most powerful applications of fuel cell technology. Several types of configurations have been hypothesized and tested for these kinds of applications at the conceptual level, but hybrid power plants are one of the most efficient. These are designs that combine the fuel cell cycle with other thermodynamic cycles to provide higher efficiency. The power plant in focus is the high pressure (HP)–low pressure (LP) solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC)/steam turbine (ST)/gas turbine (GT) configuration which is a part of the vision-21 program, which is a new approach, the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Office of Fossil Energy has begun, for developing 21st century energy plants that would have virtually no environmental impact. The overall goal is to effectively eliminate—at competitive costs—environmental concerns associated with the use of fossil fuels, for producing electricity and transportation fuels. In this design, coal is gasified in an entrained bed gasifier and the syn-gas produced is cleaned in a transport bed desulfurizer and passed over to cascaded SOFC modules (at two pressure levels). This module is integrated with a reheat GT cycle. The heat of the exhaust from the GT cycle is used to convert water to steam, which is eventually used in a steam bottoming cycle. Since this hybrid technology is new and futuristic, the system level models used for predicting the fuel cells’ performance and for other modules like the desulfurizer have significant uncertainties in them. Also, the performance curves of the SOFC would differ depending on the materials used for the anode, cathode and electrolyte. The accurate characterization and quantification of these uncertainties is crucial for the validity of the model predictions and hence is the main focus of this paper. This work performs a two-level uncertainty analysis of the fuel cell module: uncertainty associated with (1) model and (2) material used for anode, cathode and electrolytes. Following that the paper deals with the uncertainty analysis of the desulfurization reaction module based in particular on the activation energy and frequency factors for different sorbents used. This paper lays the basis for two analyses: (1) the effect of uncertainties on the trade-off surface obtained through a multi-objective optimization framework; (2) development of the “value of research” framework which is concerned with analyzing the trade-offs between allocation of resources for the reduction of uncertainties and benefits accrued to the objectives through this reduction [K. Subramanyan, U. Diwekar, The ‘value of research’ methodology applied to the solid oxide fuel cell/steam turbine/gas turbine hybrid power plant design, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., submitted for publication].
Maximizing aesthetics in lateral-tension abdominoplasty and body lifts

The aesthetic aspects of trunk and thigh contours are a frequent concern of both women and men. In the past two decades, liposuction has revolutionized the treatment of the aesthetic deformity of the body to the extent that it is now synonymous with body contour surgery. However, liposuction only deals with one element of body aesthetics. While excess fat deposits are the major component of body contour problems, skin laxity and skin contour irregularities (cellulite) are also a significant problem for many patients. In addition, rectus muscle diastasis in both women and men may play a role in the aesthetic deformity. Patient evaluation The ultimate success of body contour surgery is dependent as much on the accuracy of the initial patient assessment as it is on the technical expertise of the surgeon. Too often surgeons immediately categorize a prospective body contour patient by the surgical procedures that might be possible or that are requested by the patient, rather than based on careful study of the proportions and aesthetics of the patient’s body. Aesthetic body contour deformities frequently involve multiple areas of the trunk and thighs. The circumferential aesthetic unit of the trunk and thighs extends from the breasts to the knees. Surgery on one part of the aesthetic unit without consideration of its effect on the overall aesthetic balance of the body can lead to mediocre results and an imbalance in body contours. For example, lateral and posterior truncal deformities are commonly associated with abdominal deformities. Abdominoplasty without treatment of other truncal contour deformities will lead to aesthetic disharmony of the circumferential trunk. In addition, in patients who have aesthetic deformities of both the trunk and thighs, dramatic sculpturing of the trunk may create the visual illusion of much larger thighs, leading to an imbalance of the body aesthetic unit.
Histiocytoma cutis: a tumour of dermal dendrocytes (dermal dendrocytoma)

The histogenesis of histiocytoma (dermatofibroma) was investigated using new antibodies that demonstrate factor XIIIa (FXIIIa) positive cells and the monocyte macrophage cell series (MAC 387), in formalin fixed tissue. The distribution of S100 protein, vimentin and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) were also studied. The antibody against FXIIIa labelled the normal dermal population of fixed connective tissue cells (dermal dendrocytes) emphasizing their dendritic processes; cells that are widely distributed, but are most numerous in the papillary dermis. In contrast, the antibody, MAC 387 against monocyte derived macrophages, did not label this cell population. In 30 histiocytomas, intense labelling for FXIIIa was found peripherally, but labelling was rather weaker in cells situated centrally. Only a few cells labelled for S100 protein and with the monoclonal antibody MAC 387, but vimentin positivity was universal. UEA-I labelled only vessels in histiocytomas. However, FXIIIa labelling was negative in 16 dermatofibrosarcomas, three keloids and several other fibroproliferative lesions. These contrasting results with FXIIIa labelling have practical implications for diagnosis of benign and malignant spindle cell tumours of the skin. We conclude that histiocytomas (dermal dendrocytomas) take their origin from dermal fixed connective tissue cells, (dermal dendrocytes), but other spindle cell tumours may differ in histogenesis.
Impact of the morphological properties of thin TiO2 photocatalytic films on the detoxification of water contaminated with the cyanotoxin, microcystin-LR

Abstract This study investigated the use of thin transparent TiO2 photocatalytic films, prepared with novel sol–gel methods containing surfactants as templating materials, for the degradation of the cyanotoxin, microcystin-LR (MC-LR). MC-LR is an emerging contaminant from the Contaminant Candidate Lists (CCLs 1–3) of the USEPA. The effects of UV-A radiation, solution pH, initial toxin concentration, coated surface area of the TiO2 films and their structural properties (porosity, crystallinity and thickness) on the degradation rate of MC-LR were investigated. Photolysis did not occur with UV-A radiation. Acidic pH was more efficient for the degradation of MC-LR due to toxin interaction with the catalyst surface and increased adsorption into the porous films. The degradation profiles of the toxin at different initial concentrations were fitted with pseudo-first order kinetics. Films prepared with three coatings (0.3 μm thickness) had the best performance at acidic and neutral pH, while the exclusion of surfactant from the preparation method resulted in non-porous films with decreased performance. The parameter that mostly affected the degradation rate was the solution pH. The toxicity of the treated samples, evaluated by an in-house protein phosphatase 1 assay, indicated that treatment with the TiO2 photocatalytic films indeed resulted in complete removal of MC-LR's toxicity.
Low-cost on-line fault detection using control flow assertions

A control flow fault occurs when a processor fetches and executes an incorrect next instruction. Executable assertions, i.e., special instructions that check some invariant properties of a program, provide a powerful and low-cost method for on-line detection of hardware-induced control flow faults. We propose a technique called ACFC (Assertions for Control Flow Checking) that assigns an execution parity to a basic block, and uses the parity bit to detect faults. Using a graph model of a program, we classify control flow faults into skip, re-execute and multi-path faults. We derive some necessary conditions for these faults to manifest themselves as execution parity errors. To force a control flow fault to excite a parity error, the target program is instrumented with additional instructions. Special assertions are inserted to detect such parity errors. We have a developed a preprocessor that takes a C program as input and inserts ACFC assertions automatically. We have implemented a software-based fault injection tool SFIG which takes advantage of the GNU debugger. Fault injection experiments show that ACFC incurs less performance overhead (around 47%) and memory overhead (around 30%) than previous techniques, with no significant loss in fault coverage.
Angiographically silent very late stent thrombosis detected by optical coherence tomography in association with peri-stent staining and multiple interstrut cavities

A 56-year-old-man had unstable angina 7 years previously, which was treated with two sirolimus-eluting stents (SESs) in the proximal and mid-left anterior descending artery (LAD) and one SES in a diagonal branch. Five years later, he developed stent thrombosis in the mid-LAD SES that required treatment with two additional everolimus-eluting stents ( Panel A , lines outline stents). Intravascular ultrasound confirmed that all …
The Long History of Gaming in Military Training

The dual-use of games in both military and entertainment applications has a long history. This has taken the form of sand tables, miniatures, board games, and computer games. The current tension between entertainment and military applications over games is just the return of similar concerns that have surrounded gaming tools and technologies in previous generations. Dynamic representations of the physical world are interesting and useful tools in a number of fields, to include the military, city planning, architecture, education, and entertainment. Modern computer games contain technologies and tools that allow many different communities to accomplish similar goals.
The democracy of risk

As liberal democracies are forced to make ever more political decisions concerning the distribution of technological risk, the theory of democracy itself is evolving away from traditional liberal definitions of authority, equity, and self- interest. This essay argues that the environment of risk in which liberal democracies find themselves is one of great import for the definition of democracy. Risk and democracy share certain conceptual similarities as well as similar definitional difficulties. Therefore, successful policies for determining the accept ability and fair distribution of risk in society will necessitate a reconceptualization of democracy and its constituent ideas along more communitarian and participatory lines.
Developing cholinergic basal forebrain neurons are sensitive to thyroid hormone.

The influence of thyroid hormone on the development of cholinergic neurons in nucleus basalis was assessed in hyperthyroid, hypothyroid, and euthyroid rats by use of CAT immunohistochemistry and single- section Golgi-impregnation histology. Animals were made either hyperthyroid by daily injections of 1.0 micrograms/gm body weight triiodothyronine starting at postnatal day (P) 3 or hypothyroid by providing 0.4% propylthiouracil in the diet of dams from P2. Compared to developing control rats, increased exposure to thyroid hormone resulted in accelerated expression of CAT in nucleus basalis neurons. Overshoot in cell body size, a normal developmental phenomenon of cholinergic neurons in the basal nuclear complex, occurred earlier in hyperthyroid brains and was of a greater magnitude than in controls. Furthermore, increased numbers of primary dendrites and dendritic branchpoints accompanied by dendritic and perisomal filopodia-like structures were observed for nucleus basalis neurons in hyperthyroid rats. These dendritic changes persisted throughout the second postnatal month. After the fifth postnatal week, cell body sizes of these hyperthyroid CAT-positive neurons began to decrease and by P50 were significantly less than controls or similarly treated animals at earlier ages. By P64, the number of cholinergic neurons in nucleus basalis was appreciably less than in age-matched controls. Hypothyroidism resulted in a delay of normal CAT expression that persisted throughout the third postnatal week. After this time, CAT staining increased until normal immunoreactivity was attained in cell bodies, fibers, and terminal regions by P35. A deficit in thyroid hormone during development prevented overshoot in perikaryal size and resulted in diminished cross-sectional areas throughout the cholinergic nucleus basalis at all ages examined. Hypothyroidism also prevented the normal overproduction of dendrites in those cells and produced stunted dendritic trees at all ages examined. These morphological abnormalities persisted throughout the second postnatal month. The effects of thyroid hormone on cholinergic projection neurons in the rat brain appeared relatively selective for cells in the basal nuclear complex because neither hypothyroid nor hyperthyroid treatment produced changes in the cell body areas of the phenotypically similar CAT-positive neurons of the pontomesencephalotegmental complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Genomically Informed Surveillance for Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae in a Health Care System

ABSTRACT Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are an urgent public health concern. Rapid identification of the resistance genes, their mobilization capacity, and strains carrying them is essential to direct hospital resources to prevent spread and improve patient outcomes. Whole-genome sequencing allows refined tracking of both chromosomal traits and associated mobile genetic elements that harbor resistance genes. To enhance surveillance of CREs, clinical isolates with phenotypic resistance to carbapenem antibiotics underwent whole-genome sequencing. Analysis of 41 isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae, collected over a 3-year period, identified K. pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) genes encoding KPC-2, −3, and −4 and OXA-48 carbapenemases. All occurred within transposons, including multiple Tn 4401 transposon isoforms, embedded within more than 10 distinct plasmids representing incompatibility (Inc) groups IncR, -N, -A/C, -H, and -X. Using short-read sequencing, draft maps were generated of new KPC-carrying vectors, several of which were derivatives of the IncN plasmid pBK31551. Two strains also had Tn 4401 chromosomal insertions. Integrated analyses of plasmid profiles and chromosomal single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) profiles refined the strain patterns and provided a baseline hospital mobilome to facilitate analysis of new isolates. When incorporated with patient epidemiological data, the findings identified limited outbreaks against a broader 3-year period of sporadic external entry of many different strains and resistance vectors into the hospital. These findings highlight the utility of genomic analyses in internal and external surveillance efforts to stem the transmission of drug-resistant strains within and across health care institutions. IMPORTANCE We demonstrate how detection of resistance genes within mobile elements and resistance-carrying strains furthers active surveillance efforts for drug resistance. Whole-genome sequencing is increasingly available in hospital laboratories and provides a powerful and nuanced means to define the local landscape of drug resistance. In this study, isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterobacter cloacae with resistance to carbapenem antibiotics were sequenced. Multiple carbapenemase genes were identified that resided in distinct transposons and plasmids. This mobilome, or population of mobile elements capable of mobilizing drug resistance, further highlighted the degree of strain heterogeneity while providing a detailed timeline of carbapenemase entry into the hospital over a 3-year period. These surveillance efforts support effective targeting of infection control resources and the development of institution-specific repositories of resistance genes and the mobile elements that carry them.
A technique to derive time costs of data flow programs

The authors present a technique for analyzing the time cost behavior of data-flow programs that are loop free or contain non tested loops that meet certain constraints. It is assumed that the underlying computer system is a dynamic data-flow computer which has sufficient processors to support the execution of data-flow programs. The token model is modified to describe both the execution and time cost behavior. The technique is similar to some flow-analysis and graph-reduction techniques. In analyzing the time cost of a data-flow program, the technique first determines the number of tokens that pass through each edge in the program. All nodes that are neither input nor output nodes are then deleted. Every time a node or an edge is deleted, the time cost associated with it is properly distributed within the program. Since the resultant program only contains edges that connect input and output nodes, the time cost of the program can be easily obtained. Two examples are given to show the use of the technique. >
Beyond the Firstborn Son: Epidemiology to Enlighten the Pathogenesis of Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis is a long-trusted friend of the pediatrician and pediatric surgeon. The presentation of this disease is predictable, with development of progressive, projectile, nonbilious vomiting in a 2- to 6-week-old otherwise healthy infant. Most often it occurs in boys and firstborns, with white individuals being at increased risk. The diagnosis is easily confirmed by either physical examination or ultrasonography. The associated hypochloremic, hypokalemic, metabolic alkalosis is sufficiently characteristic that it predictably appears on medical school and board examinations. The preoperative fluid resuscitation is well known and used to teach medical students basic renal physiology. Most importantly, a brief operation (performed either laparoscopically or through a limited incision) returns a healthy infant to the arms of the relieved, new parents. 1 What more could one ask for from a disease?
Linkages of nitrate losses in watersheds to hydrological processes

A variety of factors can affect NO3 concentrations in surface waters, including atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition, fertilizer N inputs, wastewater N contaminants, internal N cycling processes (e.g. plant uptake, mineralization, nitrification, denitrification) and hydrological flowpaths. Elevated levels of N inputs to ecosystems due to anthropogenic influences may have profound effects, including alterations of biotic diversity and N cycling (Vitousek et al., 1997). The dominant N solute in surface and ground waters for those systems experiencing ‘N saturation’ is often NO3, with NH4 and dissolved organic N (DON) generally being of lesser importance. In contrast, DON often predominates in systems with lower total N (TN) concentrations. ‘Nitrogen saturation’ can be defined as an increase in NO3 when N sources exceed the biotic demand for this element. Stages of ‘N saturation’ in catchments have been described as a continuum with increasing NO3 concentrations and changes in the seasonal patterns of NO3 in surface waters (Stoddard, 1994). Elevated NO3 can contribute to freshwater acidification and coastal eutrophication.
Refraction by Time and Technology

This PDF file contains the editorial “Refraction by Time and Technology” for OE Vol. 48 Issue 09
Biomarkers and Predictors of Restorative Therapy Effects After Stroke

Many restorative therapies that promote brain repair are under development. Stroke is very heterogeneous, highlighting the need to identify target populations and to understand intersubject differences in treatment response. Several neuroimaging measures have shown promise as biomarkers and predictors, including measures of structure and function, in gray matter and white matter. The choice of biomarker and predictor can differ with the content of therapy and with the population under study, for example, contralesional hemisphere measures may be of particular importance in patients with more severe injury. Studies of training effects in healthy subjects provide insights useful to brain repair. Limitations of published studies include a focus on chronic stroke, however the brain is most galvanized to respond to restorative therapies in the early days after stroke. Multimodal approaches might be the most robust approach for stratifying patients and so for optimizing prescription of restorative therapies after stroke.
A 2 Gb/s 5.6 mW Digital LOS/NLOS Equalizer for the 60 GHz Band

The wide unlicensed bandwidth of a 60 GHz channel presents an attractive opportunity for high data rate and low power personal area networks (PANs). The use of single-carrier modulation can yield energy-efficient transmitter and receiver implementation, but equalization of the long channel response in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) conditions presents a significant challenge. A digital equalizer for 60 GHz channels has been designed for both line of sight (LOS) and NLOS channel conditions to meet the IEEE WPAN standard. Power consumption is minimized by using a parallelized distributed arithmetic (DA) architecture. A 2 mm × 2 mm test chip in 65nm CMOS implements a 6 tap feedforward and 32 tap feedback equalizer that can be configured to cancel the response of up to 72 symbols, and consumes 5.6 mW at 2 Gb/s throughput. The chip also includes a channel estimator based on a Golay correlator for setting the equalizer coefficients and estimating frequency and timing error.
Teachers in the Schoolhouse Panopticon: Complicity and Resistance.

This article illustrates how educational reforms subordinate elementary school teachers and reduce their opportunities for professionalism. Reflecting Foucault's image and discussion of the panopticon, educational administration and the public participate in monitoring teachers' practices, leaving teachers in an untenable position for professional autonomy and therefore opportunities to become professionals. In addition, teachers themselves are complicit in their own subordination and are left with limited opportunities for resistance. Qualitative data of new and veteran New York City schoolteachers provide the basis for the study; the current climate of accountability provides the backdrop for the discussion.
Television and Movie Representations of Salespeople: Beyond Willy Loman

This study investigates depictions of salespeople in movies and television between 1903 and 2005. Using a text analysis of 281 plot summaries, the study examines the descriptions and occupations of salesperson characters, the role of selling behaviors in plots, and salesperson character archetypes. Although the findings provide support for critics’ concerns about the negativity among these portrayals, the results indicate that there have been a wider range of archetypes, descriptions, and roles than what may be held by popular belief. With a few exceptions, the results also suggest that depictions have had remarkable similarities over time.
Extending the Scope of Application

To this point we have dealt with a somewhat limited setting, namely fixeddesign regression with but a single x-variable. In Chapter 9 it will be shown that the tests discussed in Chapters 7 and 8 have a much wider range of application. We shall consider some of the settings in which order selection tests are potentially useful. Our treatment of each setting will be more speculative and not nearly so comprehensive as in Chapters 7 and 8. The goal is not to state and prove an array of theorems on asymptotic distribution theory, but rather to provide a sense of the scope of application of order selection tests.
Establishing Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis infection and intestinal colonization

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has become a model system for studying the disease interaction between pathogens and the host. To determine whether the transparent nematode could serve as a useful model for Mycobacterium avium subspecies hominissuis (MAH) infection of the intestinal tract, worms were fed MAH and assayed for the effects of the bacterial infection on the worm. It was observed during feeding that viable MAH increases in the intestinal lumen in a time dependent manner. Ingestion of MAH was deemed non-toxic to worms as MAH-fed populations have similar survival curves to those fed E. coli strain OP50. Pulse-chase analysis using E. coli strain OP50 revealed that MAH colonize the intestinal tract, as viable MAH remain within the intestine after the assay. Visualization of intestinal MAH using histology and transmission electron microscopy demonstrates that MAH localizes to the intestinal lumen, as well as establishes direct contact with intestinal epithelium. Bacterial colonization appears to have a detrimental effect on the microvilli of the intestinal epithelial cells. The MAH ΔGPL/4B2 strain with a mutation in glycopeptidolipid production is deficient in binding to human epithelial cells (HEp-2), as well as deficient in its ability to bind to and colonize the intestinal tract of C. elegans as efficiently as wild-type MAH. These data indicate the C. elegans may serve as a useful model system for MAH pathogenesis and in determining the mechanisms used by MAH during infection and colonization of the intestinal epithelium.
New venture legitimacy: the conditions for angel investors

Favorable legitimacy judgments by potential resource providers are critical for the survival and growth of new ventures. We examine which aspects of a venture’s activities, structures, and outcomes, as conveyed by its narrative, are associated with legitimacy judgments by potential angel investors in a sample of 176 new venture proposals. We find that entrepreneurial ventures with quality top management teams, advisors, and developed products are viewed more favorably by angel investors and likely have better access to these investors. This research provides new insights into the establishment of legitimacy within the economically important angel capital market.
Antagonistic action of Lactobacillus acidophilus toward intestinal and foodborne pathogens in associative cultures

Lactobacillus acidophilus exerted antagonistic actions on growth of Staphylococcus aureus , Salmonella typhimurium , enteropathogenic Escherichia coli , and Clostridium perfringens when grown with each in associative cultures. S. aureus and C. perfringens were more sensitive to the inhibition than were S. typhimurium and E. coli . The amount of the antagonism produced varied among strains of L. acidophilus and could not be directly related to amounts of acid produced; hydrogen peroxide produced by the lactobacilli appeared to be partially responsible for the antagonistic interaction. The inhibitory effect was produced also under anaerobic conditions in a pre-reduced medium.
Credential Wallets: A Classification of Credential Repositories Highlighting Myproxy

In recent years, individuals have experienced an increased requirement for digitally identifying themselves, in both their work and personal lives. People typically have multiple credentials for digitally identifying themselves to different online software or services in different roles (for example, different credentials for work and home). We are looking for technology that allows users to manage their credentials conveniently and securely. This paper presents a classification of existing credential management software, highlighting the MyProxy online credential repository, an open source system for managing credentials in the Grid Security Infrastructure.
Copy number of the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli gene is not always neutral in sporadic colorectal cancers with loss of heterozygosity for the gene

Changes in the number of alleles of a chromosome may have an impact upon gene expression. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) indicates that one allele of a gene has been lost, and knowing the exact copy number of the gene would indicate whether duplication of the remaining allele has occurred. We were interested to determine the copy number of the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (APC) gene in sporadic colorectal cancers with LOH.