cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impacts of groundwater metal loads from bedrock fractures on water quality of a mountain stream

Acid mine drainage and metal loads from hardrock mines to surface waters is a significant problem in the western USA and many parts of the world. Mines often occur in mountain environments with fractured bedrock aquifers that serve as pathways for metals transport to streams. This study evaluates impacts from current and potential future groundwater metal (Cd, Cu, and Zn) loads from fractures underlying the Gilt Edge Mine, South Dakota, on concentrations in Strawberry Creek using existing flow and water quality data and simple mixing/dilution mass balance models. Results showed that metal loads from bedrock fractures to the creek currently contribute <1% of total loads. Even if background water quality is achieved upstream in Strawberry Creek, fracture metal loads would be <5%. Fracture loads could increase substantially and cause stream water quality standards exceedances once groundwater with elevated metals concentrations in the aquifer matrix migrates to the fractures and discharges to the stream. Potential future metal loads from an upstream fracture would contribute a small proportion of the total load relative to current loads in the stream. Cd has the highest stream concentrations relative to standards. Even if all stream water was treated to remove 90% of the Cd, the standard would still not be achieved. At a fracture farther downstream, the Cd standard can only be met if the upstream water is treated achieving a 90% reduction in Cd concentrations and the median stream flow is maintained.
Massage therapy by parents improves early growth and development

Abstract This study assessed the effects of moderate and light pressure massage on the growth and development of young infants. A recent study by Diego, Field, Sanders, and Hernandez-Reif (2004) showed that persons who were given moderate pressure massage, as compared with persons who received light massage or vibratory stimulation, experienced a decrease in heart rate, EEG changes associated with a relaxation response and positive affect, and the greatest decrease in stress. In the present study, mothers were instructed to massage their newborn infants once per day using either light or moderate pressure. The infants’ growth (i.e., weight, length, head circumference), sleep behavior, and performance on the Brazelton scale were assessed soon after birth and at one month of age. As compared to infants who received a light pressure massage, infants in the moderate pressure group gained more weight, were greater length, performed better on the orientation scale of the Brazelton, had lower Brazelton excitability and depression scores, and exhibited less agitated behavior during sleep.
Povidone-iodine spray technique versus traditional scrub-paint technique for preoperative abdominal wall preparation.

Abstract Objective: The study was conducted to compare povidone-iodine spray and traditional scrub-paint techniques in reducing abdominal wall bacteria during preoperative preparation. Study design: Sixty patients scheduled to undergo vaginal surgery were recruited for study. Cultures of the abdominal skin were performed before and after preparation with two techniques: A traditional 5-minute iodophor soap scrub-paint on one half and povidone-iodine aqueous spray on the other. Multiple pairwise comparisons were performed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. A P value of.05 was considered statistically significant in all analyses. Results: The mean number of colonies for spray after 1 minute was 1.83 ± 3.16, for spray after 3 minutes was 0.40 ± 1.15, and after 5-minute scrub was 0.87 ± 2.97. Both techniques, the spray after 3 minutes and the 5-minute scrub, were statistically more effective at reducing bacterial counts than the spray after 1 minute. There was no statistically significant difference between the spray after 3 minutes and the scrub techniques. Conclusion: Povidone-iodine applied as a spray and left to dry for 3 minutes appears as effective as the traditional scrub-paint technique in reducing abdominal wall bacteria before abdominal surgery. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2002;187:1434-7.)
Enhancement of phenylpropanolamine anorexia by proglumide in rats

Although a number of studies have characterized the anorectic state induced by phenylpropanolamine (PPA), the mechanism by which this drug suppresses appetite remains elusive. PPA inhibits gastric emptying at doses that also suppress appetite as does the gut hormone cholecystokinin (CCK). To evaluate whether PPA anorexia results via an action on gut CCK activity, rats in the present study were treated (IP) with either 0.9% saline or 150 mg/kg proglumide, a CCK receptor antagonist, 30 minutes before a 15 min feeding trial and then injected (IP) 5 min prior to the trial with either 0.9% saline, 5 mg/kg PPA, 10 mg/kg PPA, 8 ug/kg CCK or 16 ug/kg CCK. Although 150 mg/kg proglumide antagonized CCK anorexia, this dose of proglumide significantly enhanced the anorectic action of PPA. These results suggest that PPA does not act via an endogenous CCK system to suppress feeding.
Do Psychiatric Patients Do Better Clinically if They Live With Certain Kinds of Families

Many forms of severe mental illness have biological origins. Nonetheless, the kinds of family environments that psychiatric patients live in are reliably associated with how likely patients are to relapse. This article describes some characteristics of families that place patients at increased risk for relapse, and outlines the behaviors that such families engage in. Behavior in these families is not especially pathological, but because psychiatric patients may be especially sensitive to stress, even fairly common characteristics of family life may trigger underlying biological vulnerabilities that could eventually culminate in relapse.
Introduction: Cannabis: From Pariah to Prescription

SUMMARY Cannabis has been employed in human medicine for more than 4000 years. In the last century, political prohibition led to its disappearance from the conventional pharmacopoeia, but this trend is reversing due to the broad acceptance and application of this forbidden medicine by patients with chronic and intractable disorders inadequately treated by available therapeutics. This study addresses the “road back” for cannabis medicines, and reacceptance as prescription products. Current pharmacology of the two primary therapeutic phytocannabinoids, THC and CBD, is reviewed with respect to herbal synergy and as pertains to treatment of pain, spasm and the wide range of therapeutic applications and adverse effects of cannabis. In particular, the efforts of GW Pharmaceuticals to develop cannabis based medicine extracts (CBME) are documented including cultivation of genetically-selected medical-grade cannabis cloned strains in glass houses with organic and integrated pest management techniques, and their pr...
Memories of John N. Brady: scientist, mentor and friend

Friends and colleagues remember John N. Brady, Ph.D., Chief of the Virus Tumor Biology Section of the Laboratory of Cellular Oncology, who died much too young at the age of 57 on April 27, 2009 of colon cancer. John grew up in Illinois and received his Ph.D. with Dr. Richard Consigli at Kansas State University studying the molecular structure of polyomavirus. In 1984 John came to the National Institutes of Health as a Staff Fellow in the laboratory of Dr. Norman Salzman, Laboratory of Biology of Viruses NIAID, where he was among the first to analyze SV40 transcription using in vitro transcription systems and to analyze regulatory sequences for SV40 late transcription. He then trained with Dr. George Khoury in the Laboratory of Molecular Virology NCI, where he identified SV40 T-antigen as a transcriptional activator protein. His research interests grew to focus on the human retroviruses: human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), analyzing how interactions between these viruses and the host cell influence viral gene regulation, viral pathogenesis and viral transformation. His research also impacted the fields of eukaryotic gene regulation and tumor suppressor proteins. John is survived by his wife, Laraine, and two sons, Matt and Kevin.
GROUP DYNAMICS IN PROJECTS: DON'T FORGET THE SOCIAL ASPECTS

As faculty members, we have the opportunity to serve as references for our students. One of the questions potential employers invariably ask is, “How well does the student work with others?” The practicing engineer must have the knowledge required to function as a member of a team, combining each individual's expertise with the skills of others on the team. Numerous organizations, most notably the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), have put an emphasis on the need to prepare engineers to work in such an environment. To address this need, we have instituted a series of projects, joining graduate industrial and systems engineers and undergraduate civil engineers, focusing on statistical applications in civil engineering. The courses chosen to pilot this program allow us to explore the hierarchical issues in project management and give us a multidisciplinary setting for potential projects. This paper discusses the issues of teamwork, leadershi...
Isolating the effects of storm events on arctic aquatic bacteria: temperature, nutrients, and community composition as controls on bacterial productivity.

Storm events can pulse nutrients and carbon from soils and provide an important subsidy to food webs in oligotrophic streams and lakes. Bacterial nutrient limitation and the potential response of stream aquatic bacteria to storm events was investigated in arctic tundra environments by manipulating both water temperature and inorganic nutrient concentrations in short (up to 4 days) and long duration (up to 2 weeks) laboratory mesocosm experiments. Inorganic N and P additions increased bacterial production (14C-labelled leucine uptake) up to seven times over controls, and warmer incubation temperatures increased the speed of this response to added nutrients. Bacterial cell numbers also increased in response to temperature and nutrient additions with cell-specific carbon uptake initially increasing and then declining after two days. Bacterial community composition (determined by means of 16S DGGE fingerprinting) shifted rapidly in response to changes in incubation temperature and the addition of nutrients, within two days in some cases. While the bacteria in these habitats responded to nutrient additions with rapid changes in productivity and community composition, water temperature controlled the speed of the metabolic response and affected the resultant change in bacterial community structure, constraining the potential responses to pulsed nutrient subsidies associated with storm events. In all cases, at higher nutrient levels and temperatures the effect of initial bacterial community composition on bacterial activity was muted, suggesting a consistent, robust interaction of temperature and nutrients controlling activity in these aquatic systems.
Tumours of the small intestine in rats after intestinal x-irradiation.

CERTAIN effects of X-irradiation of the exteriorized or in situ intestine of Sprague–Dawley rats were previously reported from these Laboratories1. In view of the scarcity of information concerning the occurrence of tumours after exposure of the intestine to irradiation, survivors of that study, and their controls were kept for further observation. This communication reports the incidence of intestinal tumours among 51 rats that were irradiated at an age of 5 months and were killed between 9 and 30 months later. All but seven experimental and two control animals were killed because of the presence of tumours or other diseases. The nine rats were arbitrarily killed at an age of ten months at the conclusion of the period of experimentation.
Rapid natural killer cell recovery determines outcome after T-cell-depleted HLA-identical stem cell transplantation in patients with myeloid leukemias but not with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Natural killer (NK) cells are the first lymphocytes to recover after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) and can exert powerful graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects determining transplant outcome. Conditions governing NK cell alloreactivity and the role of NK recovery in sibling SCT are not well defined. NK cells on day 30 post-transplant (NK30) were measured in 54 SCT recipients with leukemia and donor and recipient killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotype determined. In univariate analysis, donor KIR genes 2DL5A, 2DS1, 3DS1 (positive in 46%) and higher numbers of inhibitory donor KIR correlated with higher NK30 counts and were associated with improved transplant outcome. NK30 counts also correlated directly with the transplant CD34 cell dose and inversely with the CD3+ cell dose. In multivariate analysis, the NK30 emerged as the single independent determinant of transplant outcome. Patients with NK30 >150/microl had less relapse (HR 18.3, P=0.039), acute graft-versus-host disease (HR 3.2, P=0.03), non-relapse mortality (HR 10.7, P=0.028) and improved survival (HR 11.4, P=0.03). Results suggest that T cell-depleted SCT might be improved and the GVL effect enhanced by selecting donors with favorable KIR genotype, and by optimizing CD34 and CD3 doses.
New building, old parasite: Mesostigmatid mites - An ever-present threat to barrier rodent facilities

Mesostigmatid mites are blood-sucking parasitic mites found in wild rodent populations. Periodically they can also become a problem for laboratory rodent colonies, particularly when building construction or renovations disturb colonies of commensal (building) rodents that had been acting as hosts. Mesostigmatid mites infest both rats and mice and, unlike the more common rodent fur mites (Myobia, Myocoptes, and Radfordia sp.), can survive for long periods in the environment and travel considerable distances in search of new hosts. They easily penetrate barrier caging systems, including individually ventilated cages, thus circumventing the usual precautions to protect rodents from infection. The two mites reported in laboratory rodent colonies, Ornithonyssus bacoti and Laelaps echidnina, also bite humans and have the potential to transmit zoonotic diseases. Once the mites gain access to a colony, eradication requires elimination of commensal rodent reservoirs in addition to insecticide treatment of both the laboratory rodents and the environment. In view of the undesirability of insecticide use in the animal facility, it is advisable to investigate the effectiveness of preventive treatments, such as environmental application of insect growth regulators or silica-based products. This article summarizes available information on mesostigmatid mites and their laboratory incursions, and provides suggestions for diagnosis, treatment, and control based on the authors experience with several outbreaks at a large academic institution..
Commercial Plant Breeding in South Africa

Abstract The commercial seed trade in South Africa is a self-dependant, well-disciplined industry which creates a challenging and rewarding environment for plant breeders to work in. Plant breeders are well trained in the underlying scientific disciplines and are working in state and private institutions. Crops which have been genetically improved include grain crops, pasture crops, ornamentals, vegetables and fruit species. Reproductive systems vary from cross-pollination and self-fertilization in the grain crops, to apomixis in most grasses and indigenous flora. Although the state is heavily involved in basic and crop supportive research, plant breeding is mostly in the hands of the private sector. Demands from industry to change the quality traits of grain used for food are putting a challenge to the breeder of the future. Students should be encouraged to qualify in the field of plant breeding and prepare themselves to line up breeding goals with biological, physical and chemical systems.
Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter: receiver model and performance analysis

The design, calibration, and performance of the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) receiver are described. The MOLA measurements include the range to the surface, which is determined by the laser-pulse time of flight; the height variability within the footprint determined by the laser echo pulse width; and the apparent surface reflectivity determined by the ratio of the echo to transmitted pulse energies.
Impacts of alternatives to out-of-home placement: a quasi-experimental study

School performance, delinquency rates, cost of services and time in out-of-home placement were compared for two groups of children, aged 8 to 17. The 125 comparison-group children entered out-of-home placements: residential treatment centers, group homes, foster homes, independent living quarters. The 115 experimental-group children entered services 3 years later, following the introduction of several programs designed to prevent or reduce the risk of placement. Of these children, 72 (63%) entered alternative programs (family treatment, day treatment, specialized family foster care, specialized independent living services) and 43 (37%) entered traditional out-of-home placements. School performance in both groups was quite poor, and no large differences in school performance between the groups were observed. Time-series analyses suggested that the impacts of traditional and alternative services on delinquency were similar. The alternative programs resulted in a marked decrease in the amount of time children were in placement and in the level of restrictiveness of placements. The programs resulted in moderate cost savings.
Profound reduction in brain embolization using an endoaortic baffle during bypass in swine

Abstract Background . Cerebral embolization during cardiopulmonary bypass is an important cause of neurologic injury. This study determined whether an endoaortic baffle catheter (Cardeon Cobra Catheter; Cardeon Corporation, Cupertino, CA) could substantially reduce cerebral embolization in a swine cardiopulmonary bypass model. Methods . Sixteen 60 kg pigs underwent cardiopulmonary bypass; 8 animals with the Cobra baffle (Cardeon Corporation, Cupertino, CA) deployed, and 8 with the same cannula without baffle deployment. The animals were embolized with 72,000 fluorescent microspheres (97 to 100 μm) at normothermia. At the end of the experiment, the brains were removed and microspheres were isolated from eight regions. Results . During embolization, the two groups were equivalent with regard to pump flow, mean arterial pressure, temperature, Hgb and PaCO 2 . Deployment of the Cobra baffle reduced embolization to every brain region. Deployment of the baffle reduced total brain embolization by 89%. There was a mean of 61 ± 60 emboli per gram in the control animals and 7 ± 24 emboli per gram in those animals in which the baffle was deployed. Conclusions . Cerebral embolization is profoundly reduced by use of the Cobra baffle aortic cannula. The application of this device may reduce postcardiac surgical neurologic injury.
Dopamine Modulates Effort-Based Decision-Making in Rats

Previous research has implicated dopamine as a modulating factor in choice behavior based on effort. The purpose of the present study was to determine the individual contribution of different dopamine receptors to effort-based decision making in rats. Rats were trained in a T-maze to choose a large-reward arm that contained 8 pellets of food over a small-reward arm that contained 2 pellets of food. The rats then were trained to climb progressively higher barriers to obtain the food from the large-reward arm. Using a discounting procedure on each test day, it was found that rats were more likely to choose the small-reward arm after treatment with the D1 antagonist, SCH-23390, or the D2 antagonist, haloperidol. The dopamine agonist, D-amphetamine, biased the rats toward choosing the large-reward arm and blunted the effects of SCH-23390 or haloperidol. Treatment with the D3 receptor antagonist, U99194, or the D3 receptor agonist, 7-OH-DPAT, did not alter choice behavior. These data indicate that D1 and D2 receptors are required for decisions based on effort.
Variability of Monthly Diurnal Cycle Composites of TOA Radiative Fluxes in the Tropics

AbstractEarth system variability is generated by a number of different sources and time scales. Understanding sources of atmospheric variability is critical to reducing the uncertainty in climate models and to understanding the impacts of sampling on observational datasets. The diurnal cycle is a fundamental variability evident in many geophysical variables—including top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) radiative fluxes. This study considers aspects of the TOA flux diurnal cycle not previously analyzed: namely, deseasonalized variations in the monthly diurnal cycle composites, termed monthly diurnal cycle variability. Significant variability in the monthly diurnal cycle composites is found in both outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and reflected shortwave (RSW). OLR and RSW monthly diurnal cycle variability exhibits a regional structure that follows traditional, climatological diurnal cycle categorization by prevailing cloud and surface types. The results attribute monthly TOA flux diurnal cycle variability to vari...
Factors that influence the selection and utilization of children’s medical insurance

AbstractThe researchers analyzed how different regions in the USA, family structure, ethnicity, and family income levels influenced the selection and utilization of medical care programs and services by American children. To prevent any possible bias in the analysis and to produce reliable results, an endogenous switching model was utilized in the study. The researchers found no statistically significant differences in the number of doctor visits and hospital stays between children with insurance and children without insurance. However, significant differences were determined regarding family structure, family income, geographic regions, and ethnicity. Children from single-parent families with insurance coverage (private, Medicaid, or SCHIP) had statistically higher rates of doctor visits and hospital stays than children from two-parent families with insurance coverage. Family income, region, and ethnicity variables all had significant impacts on the type of health insurance coverage that was reported for...
CDC semi-plenary: “On stock market modeling and trading: New problems for the control field”

The objective of this semi-plenary is to describe a new model for stock and option trading based on control theoretic considerations. The controller is taken to be the amount invested over time and we consider various measures of performance such as trading profit, draw-down and value at risk. In contrast to classical approaches to trading which are based on a stochastic Wiener process description for the evolution of the stock price, our new paradigm involves a rather standard low order state space model and control is implemented via a classical static output feedback. In addition to simplicity of this new formulation, another factor motivating this new line of research is the following: Approaches to trading in the literature, based on the use of a Wiener process for stock price prediction, typically involve the questionable assumption that historical volatility can be used “going forward.” Said another way, in the case of most past literature, price volatility is assumed to be time-invariant. In recognition of the time-varying “character” of volatility, our new approach does not include a stochastic model for the evolution of stock price. Instead, we simply treat the stock price as an external uncontrolled input belonging to a rather unstructured family P. Given the setting above, we seek to provide various robust performance certifications with respect to the family P. For example, an important goal is to robustly guarantee “excess returns” which exceed some standard benchmark such as buy-and-hold. Finally, the obvious should be noted: Robust performance guarantees involving the model do not imply that the same performance will result when a real time series for stock price is substituted for the price. Therefore, an integral part of this line of research involves extensive back-testing using data derived from real financial markets.
Segregating preventive maintenance work for factory performance improvement

The impact of Preventive Maintenance (PM) activity on the cycle time of a specific toolset or even the entire fab can be detrimental. Hence, there is strong incentive to determining the best way to carry out the required PM work content so as to optimize cycle time. In this paper, a model is proposed that optimizes the execution of PM's for a pre-determined PM work content, with the consideration of attached setups.
Neural specializations for language: a developmental perspective

Abstract Human language is the way it is partly because it was learned by infants, and the mature brain has some of the properties it has because it developed epigenetically. To understand the neural bases of human language, we need a neurology of language development. Rather than focus on the maturation of structures associated with adult language, this perspective suggests that we study the development of brain mechanisms which function efficiently at every point along a developmental continuum that leads to linguistic competence. This behavioral growth path extends from the neonate's orientation to indexical and affective aspects of the voice to the infant's analysis of phonetic information that is embedded within the voice. Development of linguistic capacity requires the operation of two highly specialized information processing systems, one that is broadly configured to handle a variety of social-vocal and referential functions and one that is narrowly adapted for grammatical analysis and computation. Since linguistic capacity is produced by the joint action of these systems, this is what neurolinguistic theory must explain.
On Performance Sensitivity of Optimal Control Systems.

Formulae for the differential, with respect to plant parameters of an optimized performance index (performance sensitivity), are extended to include hard (instantaneous) as well as soft (isoperimetric) constraints on the control. In particular, this extends to discontinuous and bang-bang controls the Pagurek-Witscnhausen result on the equality of such differentials for open and closed-loop optimal systems
Raising Red Flags: The Change in Deceptive Advertising of Weight Loss Products After the Federal Trade Commission's 2003 Red Flag Initiative

Abstract This study investigates whether the Federal Trade Commission's Red Flag initiative (2003), which asked the media to voluntarily cease running ads for over-the-counter weight loss products that contained facially false statements, reduced deception in such ads. Strengths of the study include a large sample of ads in both magazines and on television; an extended postguideline period; and examination of a wide variety of statements, including those that are clearly false, those that are potentially deceptive, and warnings. The results indicate that (1) the Federal Trade Commission's Red Flag initiative is associated with a significant reduction in almost all false and potentially misleading statements, (2) the reduction in deception was greater for ads on television than those in magazines, and (3) a significant number of ads in the postguideline period continued to include false and potentially misleading statements. There is suggestive evidence of offsetting behavior; specifically, at the time tha...
Queues with stochastic service rates

The purpose of this paper is to explore an extension of the output discipline for the Poisson input, general output, single channel, first-come, first-served queueing system. The service time parameter, μ, is instead considered a random variable, M. In other words, the service time random variable, T, is to be conditioned by a parameter random variable, M. Therefore, if the distribution function of M is denoted by FM(μ) and the known conditional service time distribution as B(t |μ), then the unconditional service distribution is given by B(t) = Pr {T ≤ t}. = ∫-∞∞ B(t |μ) dFM(μ). Results are obtained that characterize queue size and waiting time using the imbedded Markov chain approach. Expressions are derived for the expected queue length and Laplace-Stieltjes transforms of the steady-state waiting time when conditional service times are exponential. More specific results are found for three special distributions of M: (1) uniform on [1.2]; (2) two-point; and (3) gamma.
Cracking Down on the Cunhamenas : Renegade Amazonian Traders under Pombaline Reform

The 1750 Treaty of Madrid prompted Portuguese civil and ecclesiastical authorities under Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo (later the Marquis of Pombal) to strengthen crown control of the Brazilian Amazon. Pombal's brother, Francisco Xavier de Mendonca Furtado, governor and captain-general of the State of Grao-Para and Maranhao, and Bishop Fr. Miguel de Bulhoes e Sousa sought to supplant the missionaries, especially the Jesuits, and rein in autonomous backwoods Indian traders, called cunhamenas (Tupi for male in-law). The Lisbon Inquisition collaborated by prosecuting the infamous mameluco Pedro de Braga, a powerful interethnic intermediary on the Rio Negro, who was condemned for practicing indigenous rites and accepting multiple wives from tribal chiefs.
4,8‐Dimethyl‐2‐(4,4,5,5‐tetramethyl‐1,3,2‐dioxaborolan‐2‐yl)‐1,3,6,2‐dioxazaborocane

[1175712-33-0, 1177425-14-7, 1262977-13-8, 1303527-12-9] C12H25B2NO4 (MW 268.95) InChI = S/C12H25B2NO4/c1-9-7-15-8-10(2)17-13(16-9)14-18-11(3,4)12(5,6)19-14/h9-10,15H,7-8H2,1-6H3 InChIKey = IGLQSAGCEMHFPH-UHFFFAOYSA-N (reagent used as a boron source, in conjunction with a copper catalyst, to install a pinacol boronic ester onto electron-deficient alkenes and alkynes) Alternate Names: pinacolatodiisopropanolaminatodiboron; PDIPA diboron. Physical Data: decomposes before melting point is reached. Solubility: dichloromethane, acetonitrile, acetone, DMF, DMSO. Partially soluble in most nonpolar aprotic organic solvents, for example, THF and ethyl acetate. Form Supplied in: fluffy white solid. Analysis of Reagent Purity: purity is analyzed by 1H NMR (500 MHz, CD3CN) δ = 5.45 (s, br, 1H, cis), 5.18 (s, br, 1H, trans), 4.13–4.04 (m, 2H, cis; 1H, trans), 3.70–3.63 (m, 1H, trans), 3.32–3.27 (m, 1H, trans), 2.83 (dd, J = 11.7, 4.5 Hz, 2H, cis), 2.69 (dd, J = 11.5, 3.7 Hz, 1H, trans), 2.51–2.45 (m, 2H, cis), 2.27–2.22 (m, 1H, trans), 1.92–1.86 (m, 1H, trans), 1.15 (s, 12H, cis; 12H, trans), 1.13 (d, J = 6.2 Hz, 3H, trans), 1.12 (d, J = 6.2 Hz, 3H, trans), 1.07 (d, J = 6.0 Hz, 6H, cis); 13C NMR (125 MHz, CD3CN) δ = 81.40 (cis), 81.29 (trans), 70.68 (cis), 67.47 (trans), 66.82 (trans), 57.96 (trans), 57.82 (cis), 56.44 (trans), 24.71 (trans), 24.69 (trans), 24.65 (cis), 20.36 (cis), 19.04 (trans), 18.32 (trans); 11B NMR (160 MHz, CD3CN) δ = 35.51 (sp2-B), 8.95 (sp3-B); IR (NaCl) 3074, 2972, 2928, 2883, 1369, 1250, 1115, 1022, 970, 854, 806 cm−1; HRMS (ESI+): Calcd for C12H26B2NO4 [M+H]+: 270.2048, Found: 270.2046; Calcd for C12H25B2NNaO4 [M+Na]+: 292.1867, Found: 292.1865; Elemental analysis: Calcd for C12H25B2NO4: C, 53.59; H, 9.37; N, 5.21; Found: C, 53.69; H, 9.41; N, 5.14. Preparative Methods: the diboron reagent is readily prepared from commercially available bis(pinacolato)diboron and bis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine in 8:1 CH2Cl2/ether.1 The product precipitates and is isolated as a mixture of diastereomers. This material as a borylating agent is as effective as the enantiopure version. Purification: the white solid is filtered and washed with copious amounts of diethyl ether. Residual ether is removed under high vacuum. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: to help prevent autoxidation, store under nitrogen and refrigerate. Incompatible with strong acids, strong bases, and oxidizing agents. Rapidly hydrolyzes in water and alcoholic solvents and during TLC analysis.
Evaluation of the effects of an evidence-based practice curriculum on knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessed skills and behaviors in chiropractic students.

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an evidence-based practice (EBP) curriculum incorporated throughout a chiropractic doctoral program on EBP knowledge, attitudes, and self-assessed skills and behaviors in chiropractic students. Methods In a prospective cohort design, students from the last entering class under an old curriculum were compared with students in the first 2 entering classes under a new EBP curriculum during the 9th and 11th quarters of the 12-quarter doctoral program at the University of Western States in Portland, OR (n = 370 students at matriculation). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed using a 3-cohort × 2-quarter repeated cross-sectional factorial design to assess the effect of successive entering classes and stage of the students' education. Results For the knowledge exam (primary outcome), there was a statistically significant cohort effect with each succeeding cohort showing better performance ( P P Conclusions The implementation of the EBP curriculum at this institution resulted in acquisition of knowledge necessary to access and interpret scientific literature, the retention and improvement of skills over time, and the enhancement of self-reported behaviors favoring use of quality online resources.
Ion-Enhanced Chemical Reaction of XeF2 with Silicon by Modulated Molecular Beam Mass Spectrometry

The reaction of XeF/sub 2/ with the Si(100) surface was studied by modulated (10-1000 Hz) molecular beam-mass spectrometry in the temperature range 300-1300K and equivalent XeF/sub 2/ pressure of 5x10/sup -6/ to 10/sup -4/ torr. Simultaneous bombardment of the reacting surface by Ar/sup +/ was used to determine the extent of ion-enhancement of the reaction. In the absence of the ion beam, the main reaction product was SiF/sub 4/, which was formed with a reaction probability of approx. 5x10/sup -2/ at room temperature. In the presence of the ion beam three-products, SiF/sub 4/, SiF/sub 2/ and F/sub 2/ (or F), were detected with formation probabilities of approx. 1x10/sup 1/, 6x10/sup -2/ and 7x10/sup -2/ respectively. Increasing surface temperature reduced theion-enhanced reactivity.
Fiber Bragg grating flow sensors powered by in-fiber light

This paper presents an active fiber Bragg grating temperature and flow sensor based on self-heated optical hot wire anemometry. The grating sensors are directly powered by optical energy carried by optical fibers. In-fiber diode laser light at 910 nm was leaked out from the fiber and absorbed by the surrounding metallic coating to raise the temperature and change the background refractive index distribution of the gratings. When the diode laser is turned off, the grating is used as a temperature sensor. When the diode laser is turned on, the resonance wavelength and spectral width change of the self-heated grating sensor is used to measure the gas flow velocity. The grating flow sensors have been experimentally evaluated for different grating length and input laser power. The grating flow sensors have demonstrated a 0.35- m/s sensitivity for nitrogen flow at atmosphere pressure.
Clinical and genetic predictors of prognosis in myelodysplastic syndromes.

Myelodysplastic syndromes are a collection of clonal hematopoietic disorders with a wide range of clinical manifestations and eventual outcomes. Accurate prediction of a patient’s prognosis is useful to define the risk posed by the disease and which treatment options are most appropriate. Several models have been created to help predict the prognosis for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. The International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) has been the standard tool used to risk stratify MDS patients since its publication in 1997. Other models have since been created to improve upon the IPSS, including the recent Revised International Prognostic Scoring System. Most models include the presence or severity of peripheral blood cytopenias, the proportion of bone marrow blasts, and specific karyotype abnormalities. Other factors including age, performance status, co-morbidities, transfusion dependence, and molecular biomarkers can further refine the prediction of prognosis in some models. Novel, disease specific biomarkers with prognostic value in myelodysplastic syndromes including cell surface markers, gene expression profiles, and high resolution copy number analyses have been proposed but not yet adopted clinically. Somatic abnormalities in recurrently mutated genes are the most informative prognostic biomarkers not currently considered by clinical risk models. Mutations in specific genes have independent prognostic significance and, unlike cytogenetic abnormalities, are present in the majority of myelodysplastic syndrome cases. However, mutational information can be complex and there are challenges to its clinical implementation. Despite these limitations, DNA sequencing can refine the prediction of prognosis for myelodysplastic syndrome patients and has become increasingly available in the clinic where it will help improve the care of patients with myelodysplastic syndromes.
SMARTINT: A system for answering queries over web databases using attribute dependencies

Many web databases can be seen as providing partial and overlapping information about entities in the world. To answer queries effectively, we need to integrate the information about the individual entities that are fragmented over multiple sources. At first blush this is just the inverse of traditional database normalization problem - rather than go from a universal relation to normalized tables, we want to reconstruct the universal relation given the tables (sources). The standard way of reconstructing the entities will involve joining the tables. Unfortunately, because of the autonomous and decentralized way in which the sources are populated, they often do not have Primary Key - Foreign Key relations. While tables do share attributes, naive joins over these shared attributes can result in reconstruction of many spurious entities thus seriously compromising precision. Our system, SMARTINT is aimed at addressing the problem of data integration in such scenarios. Given a query, our system uses the Approximate Functional Dependencies(AFDs) to piece together a tree of relevant tables and schemas for joining them. The result tuples produced by our system are able to strike a favorable balance between precision and recall.
Molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis: achievements and challenges to current knowledge

Over the past 10 years, molecular methods have become available with which to strain-type Mycobacterium tuberculosis. They have allowed researchers to study certain important but previously unresolved issues in the epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB). For example, some unsuspected microepidemics have been revealed and it has been shown that the relative contribution of recently acquired disease to the TB burden in many settings is far greater than had been thought. These findings have led to the strengthening of TB control. Other research has demonstrated the existence and described the frequency of exogenous reinfection in areas of high incidence. Much recent work has focused on the phenotypic variation among strains and has evaluated the relative transmissibility, virulence, and immunogenicity of different lineages of the organism. We summarize the recent achievements in TB epidemiology associated with the introduction of DNA fingerprinting techniques, and consider the implications of this technology for the design and analysis of epidemiological studies.
Initial experience with Imacor hTEE-guided management of patients following transplant and mechanical circulatory support.

This study reviews an initial experience using a miniaturized transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe (ImaCor, Garden City, NY) with 3 patients in whom Imacor hTEE intervention was used as a point-of-care device to manage extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannula placement, cardiac hemodynamics, and postoperative cardiac pathophysiology. The management of transplant or mechanical circulatory support (MCS) patients is especially challenging: Transplanted hearts pose unique pathophysiological challenges, and MCS significantly alters pressure–volume–flow relationships. Real-time “hemodynamic” TEE (hTEE) can help provide effective management by direct visualization of cardiac filling and function and help guide hemodynamic management. In the authors’ initial experience, hTEE can provide point-of-care management following transplant or MCS.
Cyanide by Prussian Blue Spot Formation

Abstract A simple quantitative test for cyanide is described. Cyanide is released as the hydrocyanic acid and conducted through a prepared disk to form a prussian blue spot. This spot is visually or instrumentally compared to standard spots. Two μg of cyanide can be detected by this method.
The Success of College Students with Learning Disabilities: Factors Related to Educational Attainment

This study reports on the educational attainment of 62 college students with learning disabilities as compared to a sample of 58 peers matched on gender and ACT composite score (+/- 1 point or exact match). All students were native English speakers and were enrolled as degree candidates in a small, competitive, private, midwestern college. Groups were compared on age, high school preparation and performance, college grades, GPA at the end of each year of study, graduation and academic failure rate, and time taken to complete degree. Factors that may have influenced outcomes are discussed as are implications for college admissions officers, college students with learning disabilities, service providers, and academic advisors.
Lead-free solder implementation for automotive electronics

Lead-free solders for electronics have been actively pursued since the early 1990's here and abroad for environmental, legislative, and competitive reasons. The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS-US), the International Tin Research Institute (ITRI-UK), Swedish Institute of Production Engineering Research (IVF-Sweden), Japan Institute of Electronics Packaging (JIEP-Japan), Improved Design Life and Environmentally Aware Manufacture of Electronics Assemblies by Lead-free Soldering (IDEALS-Europe), and, more recently, the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI-US) have been aggressively seeking lead-free solutions. The automotive environment is one of the toughest since it includes chemicals both solvents and salt spray, wide temperature ranges, vibration, and humidity. A change in alloy requires extensive testing and durable materials. Tests of PWB surface finishes, Tg, and thickness will be described as they relate to lead-free solder implementation. Requirements for boards and components will also be discussed.
The energy gap of the lower band of superconducting niobium at T=0°K

Abstract It is seen that the discrepancy between the values of the lower band energy gap at T = 0°K of superconducting niobium obtained from recent thermal conductivity measurements and those previously obtained is due to the neglect of the interband coupling g sd .
Combined acute hyperglycemic and hyperinsulinemic clamp induced profibrotic and proinflammatory responses in the kidney

Increase in matrix protein content in the kidney is a cardinal feature of diabetic kidney disease. While renal matrix protein content is increased by chronic hyperglycemia, whether it is regulated by acute elevation of glucose and insulin has not been addressed. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether short duration of combined hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, mimicking the metabolic environment of prediabetes and early type 2 diabetes, induces kidney injury. Normal rats were subjected to either saline infusion (control, n = 4) or 7 h of combined hyperglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (HG+HI clamp; n = 6). During the clamp, plasma glucose and plasma insulin were maintained at about 350 mg/dl and 16 ng/ml, respectively. HG+HI clamp increased the expression of renal cortical transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and renal matrix proteins, laminin and fibronectin. This was associated with the activation of SMAD3, Akt, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes, and ERK signaling pathways and their downstream target events in the initiation and elongation phases of mRNA translation, an important step in protein synthesis. Additionally, HG+HI clamp provoked renal inflammation as shown by the activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and infiltration of CD68-positive monocytes. Urinary F2t isoprostane excretion, an index of renal oxidant stress, was increased in the HG+HI clamp rats. We conclude that even a short duration of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia contributes to activation of pathways that regulate matrix protein synthesis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the kidney. This finding could have implications for the control of short-term rises in blood glucose in diabetic individuals at risk of developing kidney disease.
Age-Related Influences of Prior Sleep on Brain Activation during Verbal Encoding.

Disrupted sleep is more common in older adults (OLD) than younger adults (YOUNG), often co-morbid with other conditions. How these sleep disturbances affect cognitive performance is an area of active study. We examined whether brain activation during verbal encoding correlates with sleep quantity and quality the night before testing in a group of healthy OLD and YOUNG. Twenty-seven OLD (ages 59–82) and 27 YOUNG (ages 19–36) underwent one night of standard polysomnography. Twelve hours post-awakening, subjects performed a verbal encoding task while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Analyses examined the group (OLD vs. YOUNG) by prior sleep quantity (total sleep time, TST) or quality (sleep efficiency, SE) interaction on cerebral activation, controlling for performance. Longer TST promoted higher levels of activation in the bilateral anterior parahippocampal in OLD and lower activation levels in the left anterior parahippocampus in YOUNG. Greater SE promoted higher activation levels in the left posterior parahippocampus and right inferior frontal gyrus in YOUNG, but not in OLD. The roles of these brain regions in verbal encoding suggest, in OLD, longer sleep duration may be linked to the ability to engage in functional compensation during cognitive challenges. By contrast, in YOUNG, shorter sleep duration may necessitate functional compensation to maintain cognitive performance, similar to what is seen following acute sleep deprivation. Additionally, in YOUNG, better sleep quality may improve semantic retrieval processes, thereby aiding encoding.
The Fantasy of Learning: Fantasy Football in a Sports Public Relations Course

Sports-related programs in higher education need to educate students in the professional use of evolving communication technologies. In addition, students need to develop soft skills, such as problem solving and critical thinking, while improving their practical use of technology. The purpose of this article is to introduce the use of fantasy sports in a sports management class, more specifically a sports public relations class, and discuss how students perceived the use of fantasy sports in course assignments. We explain how the use of fantasy sports assignments promoted social constructivist learning of students and helped students develop soft skills. We also identify the pedagogical challenges the fantasy sports assignments presented to students and instructors. We also offer summaries of students’ class reflections to demonstrate how such reflections echoed course learning outcomes.