cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Martian cratering revisited - Implications for early geologic evolution

Improved crater statistics from varied Martian terrains are compared to lunar crater populations. The distribution functions for the average Martian cratered terrain and the average lunar highlands over the diameter range 8–2000 km are quite similar. The Martian population is less dense by approximately 0.70 from 8 to 256 km diameter and diverges to proportionally lower densities at greater diameters. Crater densities on Martian "pure" terra give a lower limit to the Mars/Moon integrated crater flux of 0.75 since the last stabilization of the respective planetary crusts. The crater population >8 km diameter postdating the Martian northern plains is statistically indistinguishable from that population postdating the lunar maria. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to constrain plausible mechanisms of crater obliteration. The models demonstrate that if the crater density difference between the lunar and Martian terra has been due to resurfacing processes, random intercrater plains formation cannot be the sole process. If plains preferentially form in and obliterate larger craters, then the observed Martian distribution retains its "shape" as the crater density decreases. This result is consistent with the morphology of Martian intercrater plains.
Three-dimensional MR imaging of pulmonary vessels and parenchyma with NC100150 injection (Clariscan).

The influence of increasing doses of NC100150 Injection (Clariscantrade mark) and echo times on visualization of pulmonary vessels and parenchyma was evaluated. The effects of 0.5, 1, 2, 4, and 8 mg Fe/kg NC100150 Injection and echo times (TE) of 1.1, 1.8, 2. 2, and 4.3 msec were determined in six dogs using breath-hold three-dimensional (3D) spoiled gradient-echo magnetic resonance (MR) sequence. At 2 mg Fe/kg and TE of 1.1 msec, the signal-to-noise ratio of the central pulmonary arteries and parenchyma was significantly increased (5.3 +/- 2.2 to 50.3 +/- 2.4) and (2.2 +/- 0. 9 to 6.4 +/- 1.1), respectively. Using the TE of 1.1 msec, signal intensity in the main arteries continued to increase with increasing dose. Moreover, the enhancement of pulmonary parenchyma and microvasculature had a positive dose response. 3D MR imaging with ultrashort echo time and 2 mg Fe/kg NC100150 Injection produces angiograms with strong vascular contrast and allows qualitative assessment of pulmonary parenchyma and microvasculature.
Effect of water temperature on dermal exposure to chloroform

We have developed and applied a new measurement methodology to investigate dermal absorption of chloroform while bathing. Ten subjects bathed in chlorinated water while breathing pure air through a face mask. Their exhaled breath was delivered to a glow discharge source/ion trap mass spectrometer for continuous real-time measurement of chloroform in the breath. This new method provides abundant data compared to previous discrete time-integrated breath sampling methods. The method is particularly well suited to studying dermal exposure because the full face mask eliminates exposure to contaminated air. Seven of the 10 subjects bathed in water at two or three different temperatures between 30 degrees C and 40 degrees C. Subjects at the highest temperatures exhaled about 30 times more chloroform than the same subjects at the lowest temperatures. This probably results from a decline in blood flow to the skin at the lower temperatures as the body seeks to conserve heat forcing the chloroform to diffuse over a much greater path length before encountering the blood. These results suggest that pharmacokinetic models need to employ temperature-dependent parameters. Two existing models predict quite different times of about 12 min and 29 min for chloroform flux through the stratum corneum to reach equilibrium. At 40 degrees C, the time for the flux to reach a near steady-state value is 6-9 min. Although uptake and decay processes involve several body compartments, the complicating effect of the stratum corneum lag time made it difficult to fit multiexponential curves to the data; however, a single-compartment model gave a satisfactory fit.
Doctrine and Practice in Social Security Pension Reforms

This article describes the debate taking place about the most appropriate way for States to provide for retirement income for their citizens. The main doctrinal approaches reflected in this debate are analysed in relation to the actual outcomes of state practice. The key issue is argued to be one not of economic or social policy but of political culture. Reform efforts are surveyed on the basis of the starting points and paths followed in particular countries. The critical problem is found to be how to build a pension system that is realistically based on the actual economic, social, and political conditions of a country.
The effects of written attempts prior to correct visual presentation on spelling acquisition and retention

Abstract Students learned difficult spelling words via three different teaching methods. They either saw the correct spelling before attempting it, or could attempt to spell the word once, or several times, prior to viewing the correct spelling. Results showed that attempting to spell and test the words before viewing them facilitated acquisition of the words. The teaching methods did not differentially influence long-term retention. The locus of the effects of some teaching methods, when the words are thoroughly learned, is to be found during initial acquisition rather than evidenced in retention. Asking students to generate and test spellings prior to correct presentation facilitates encoding and acquisition of the correct spelling.
Study of the polymer surfaces with improved resolution FRES

We have developed a time-of-flight detector system which improves the resolution of standard He+ forward recoil spectrometry (FRES) to better than 300 A. The technique was used to determine the shape of the concentration profile at the surface of polymer blends of deuterated polystyrene (d-PS) and protonated polystyrene (PS). The results are discussed in terms of the predictions of mean field theories.
2,5-Anhydro-d-mannitol increases hepatocyte sodium: transduction of a hepatic hunger stimulus?

To test the hypothesis that decreased hepatocyte ATP is transduced into a hepatic neuronal signal via a change in sodium pump activity, we examined the effect of 2,5-anhydro-d-mannitol (2,5-AM), which stimulates feeding behavior in rats, on intracellular sodium levels using 23Na nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Isolated hepatocytes suspended in agarose beads were superfused with either 2.5 mM 2,5-AM or fructose in the presence of the paramagnetic shift reagent, thulium(III)(1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetra(methylenephosphonate)). Superfusion with 2,5-AM decreased hepatocyte ATP and increased intracellular sodium levels compared with superfusion with either fructose or shift reagent alone starting within 15 min of exposure, reaching a maximum level of 120% of baseline by 30 min and declining gradually thereafter over the next 90 min. Superfusion with fructose, which also decreased hepatocyte ATP but by less than half the amount seen with 2,5-AM, had no significant effect on cellular sodium levels. The results support the hypothesis that changes in sodium pump activity could participate in transducing a hunger stimulus associated with hepatocyte energy status into a signal for hunger.
Impact of Endovascular-assisted In Situ Saphenous Vein Bypass Technique on Hospital Costs

Our initial experience with endovascular-assisted in situ saphenous vein bypass (EISVB) showed patency rates to be comparable to those with conventional in situ bypass, and resulted in a significant reduction in wound-related complications and hospital length of stay (LOS). Here we evaluate the relative costs of these two approaches. Forty-four patients underwent 46 EISVB procedures using endovascular cannulation and coil occlusion of the saphenous vein side branches. Costs for each patient for the operation, the associated hospital stay, and any postoperative care were assessed. These costs were compared to those of the last 46 conventional open in situ bypass procedures as an historical comparison group. The two groups were statistically similar for all parameters except distal outflow target, with the comparison group having statistically more pedal bypasses (p = 0.004). Subset analysis was performed by subdividing each operative group, into those with popliteal and those with distal bypasses. The results of our analysis led us to conclude that the shorter LOS following EISVB more than compensates for the initial cost incurred by the side branch occlusion system. This shorter stay translates into an overall cost savings for EISVB compared to the cost of conventional in situ bypass. The reductions in wound-related morbidity and recovery time postoperatively with EISVB add an additional long-term cost benefit.
Infant 'Babbling' in a Nonhuman Primate: Complex Vocal Sequences with Repeated Call Types

The pygmy marmoset is a small South American primate with a complex social system based on cooperative breeding. Infant pygmy marmosets are extremely vocal; most of their calling is a repetitive pattern of mixed call types that is babbling-like. In a longitudinal study of vocal development in 8 infant pygmy marmosets, we recorded more than 750 calling bouts which occurred in a wide range of behavioural contexts. The infants used 16 different call types that we grouped into three categories: Adult-Like (acoustic structure consistent with that of adult calls), Adult-Variant (acoustic structure with some adult features and some variable features), and Infant (absent from the adult repertoire). The calling bouts were highly conspicuous in their duration (ranging up to more than 6.5 min/bout), complexity (up to 10 different call types/bout), and call rate with nearly 3 calls/s. When the infants were older, their call rate slowed and they shifted to using several of the Adult-Like calls with greater frequency, and used fewer Adult-Variant types. The infants did not use the Adult-Like call types appropriately when compared to the typical adult usage of those types. Caregivers were significantly more likely to respond to an infant when it was vocalizing than when it was not.
STAPHYLOCOCCAL ALPHA-HEMOLYSIN: DETECTION ON THE ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE BY IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE.

Purified staphylococcal α-hemolysin (but not the toxoid) was demonstrated on the surface of rabbit and human erythrocytes by immunofluorescence. This occurred during the period of maximal hemolysis and was a transient event. These findings have been analyzed in relation to previous data on the kinetics of leakage of both small and complex molecular constituents of the erythrocyte.
Motion of Liquid Drops Through Complex 3D Clothing

This study was concerned with the numerical simulation of a moving drop through a fabric due to a wettability gradient. The wettability gradient was introduced by varying the contact angle along the staggered fibers of a fabric. The unsteady laminar Navier-Stokes equation was solved using a fixed Eulerian unstructured grid. The Volume of Fluid Model (VOF) was used to account for tracking the gas/liquid interface. A water drop was placed on top of the fabric with an initial velocity, and the motion of the drop through the fabric was studied. Several computer simulations under different conditions such as the distance between fibers, contact angle distribution, and drop initial velocity were performed, and the results were compared with each other. In order to verify the accuracy of the computational model, the motion of a drop on a surface due to a wettabily gradient was simulated as a benchmark.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Reduction of sucrose preference in the hamster by gymnemic acid

Abstract The effects of gymnemic acid (GA) treatment of the tongue of the hamster were studied in a brief exposure two-bottle preference test which paired 0.04 M sucrose with distilled water. Sucrose preference was significantly reduced following GA compared to preference following a control treatment. This behavioral effect occurs under conditions similar to those used electrophysiologically when GA reduces the recorded gustatory response magnitude to sucrose in the hamster. The merits of the hamster as a non-human model for the action of GA are discussed.
Worst-case analysis of discrete systems based on conditional abstractions

Recently, a methodology for worst-case analysis of systems with discrete observable signals has been proposed. We extend this methodology to make use of conditional system abstractions that are valid only in some system states. We show that the response-time analysis for single-processor systems is particularly well suited for use of such abstractions. We use an example to demonstrate that significantly better response-time bounds can be obtained using conditional abstractions.
The occipital, otic, basicranial and pterygoid regions of the Gorgonopsia

This paper is based on information derived from a sectioned skull of Cynariops robustus Broom, a prepared skull of Cynariops longiceps Olson, prepared and sectioned specimens of Captorhinus, Dimetrodon and various cynodonts, and the literature dealing with these forms. In the otic region, it is shown that the internal auditory meatus, the fallopian aqueduct and the semicircular canals change but little in the series from Captorhinus to the cynodonts. Certain structures, the fenestra ovalis, which becomes progressively smaller, the vestibule, which lies progressively more ventral to the floor of the brain case, the recessus lagenacochlea, which increases in size, and the prootic, which enlarges, show progressive change. The fenestra rotundum is discussed at length. It is absent in Captorhinus, just back of the fenestra ovalis in the Gorgonopsia and Dimetrodon, and confluent with the foramen jugularis in the Cynodontia. The length and relationships of the parasphenoid in the Gorgonopsia are offered as evidence supporting the theory of the homology of the reptilian parasphenoid and the mammalian vomer. The sphenethmoid complex in Cynariops is divided into two elements, a basal member, the presphenoid, and a dorsal member, identified as the orbitosphenoid but possibly incorporating a portion of ossified mesethmoid as well. The comparative studies point out certain basic trends of evolution in the Synapsida, and indicate the level of evolutionary development of the groups studied.
How to develop and sustain a peer-mentored research work group

Most collaborative research models in nursing focus on hierarchical structures in which an identified expert or leader directs and/or guides others in conducting research. The authors propose a peer-mentored model of collaborative research that promotes collegial participation, maximizes the use of each member's expertise, and enhances skill development within the group. This article is a description of the evolution of the Dementia Research Work Group within the Decker School of Nursing at Binghamton University. Emphasis is placed on how to create and nurture a peer-mentored research work group as well as what has been learned from the process.
Interfirm Relational Drivers of Customer Value

Abstract This article integrates social network and exchange theory to develop a model of customer value based on three relational drivers: relationship quality (the caliber of relational ties), contact density (the number of relational ties), and contact authority (the decision-making capability of relational contacts). The results suggest that the value generated from interfirm relationships derives not only from the quality of customer ties (e.g., trust, commitment, norms), as is typically modeled, but also from the number and decision-making capability of interfirm contacts and the interactions among relational drivers. Moderator analysis of customer characteristics suggests that increasing contact density benefits sellers that have customers with high employee turnover rates, whereas building relationships with key decisions makers generates the highest returns among customers that are more difficult to access. The conceptual model of the impact of interfirm relational drivers on customer value recei...
Surgical Correction of a Simian Foot

Congenital varus deformity of the first metatarsal can be secondary to the abnormal insertion of abductor hallucis, a space-occupying lesion of the first web space, or hypoplasia of the metatarsal. We report a unique case where all three factors were present in one foot. This was combined with talipes equinovarus, which gave the appearance of a simian or hand-like foot.
What explains long memory in futures price volatility

Long memory in futures price volatility is a well-documented stylized fact with implications for market efficiency, risk management, forecasting and option pricing bias. The implications of long-memory differ, however, based on whether it is of a ‘fractional’ or of a ‘stochastic’ type. The aims of this article are to determine, in the case of agricultural commodity futures data, which type better describes price volatility and also to evaluate several competing explanations for findings of long memory. The evidence presented here finds little support for three out of four potential explanations, namely, excessive noise in the volatility measure, bias in the long-memory estimator and understated SEs of the long-memory parameter. For the data considered, price volatility appears to be most likely generated by a nonfractional long-memory process such as a stochastic break or stochastic unit root.
The evaluation of artificial intelligence systems in medicine.

Abstract This paper discusses the underlying issues in the evaluation of computer systems which apply artificial intelligence in medicine. Three different levels of evaluation are described: (1) the subjective evaluation of the research contribution of a developmental prototype, (2) the validation of a system's knowledge and performance, and (3) the evaluation of the clinical efficacy of an operational system. The paper outlines a number of evaluation issues at each level, and discusses how previous artificial intelligence in medicine evaluations fit into this framework.
Abstract A40: Six1 is dependent on its coactivator Eya2 to mediate tumor progression in the MCF7 mammary carcinoma cell line

The homeobox transcription factor Six1 is a critical mediator of embryonic development. In adults, upregulation of Six1 has been associated with a number of cancers where it not only promotes proliferation and survival, contributing to tumorigenesis, but also upregulates the TGFβ pathway, brings about an EMT‐like transformation, and promotes metastasis. The Eya coactivator family is critical for Six1‐mediated transcriptional activation in development. Our research is aimed at identifying what role the Eya family plays in Six1‐mediated breast cancer progression. Examination of publicly available microarray data sets revealed that although high levels of Six1 significantly correlates with a shortened time to metastasis in breast cancer patients, presence of the Eya1‐Six1 or Eya2‐Six1 transcriptional complex correlates with a further reduced time to metastasis as well as with a significant decrease in survival time in breast cancer patients. Utilizing Six1 overexpressing MCF7 breast carcinoma cells with stable knock down of Eya2, we have found that lack of Eya2 reverses Six1‐induced upregulation of the TGFβ pathway. Additionally, most Six1‐induced EMT properties, including increased β‐catenin responsive transcription and increased levels of the mesenchymal marker Fibronectin, were reversed with loss of Eya2. Overall, these data implicate Eya2 as a critical coactivator that is necessary for most of the metastasis‐associated properties induced by Six1. Thus, as Six1 and Eya are not normally expressed in most adult tissues, the Six1‐Eya interaction may be a valuable future drug target whose inhibition should result in limited side effects while potently targeting the tumor and its associated metastases. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):A40.
Fiber Optic Thermal Health Monitoring of Composites

A recently developed technique is presented for thermographic detection of flaws in composite materials by performing temperature measurements with fiber optic Bragg gratings. Individual optical fibers with multiple Bragg gratings employed as surface temperature sensors were bonded to the surfaces of composites with subsurface defects. The investigated structures included a 10-ply composite specimen with subsurface delaminations of various sizes and depths. Both during and following the application of a thermal heat flux to the surface, the individual Bragg grating sensors measured the temporal and spatial temperature variations. The data obtained from grating sensors were analyzed with thermal modeling techniques of conventional thermography to reveal particular characteristics of the interested areas. Results were compared with the calculations using numerical simulation techniques. Methods and limitations for performing in-situ structural health monitoring are discussed.
Learning and memory impairment in adult rats due to severe zinc deficiency during lactation

In a series of three experiments, adult rats who suffered severe zinc deficiency and/or undernutrition during lactation were tested in a 17-arm radial maze for working memory, reference memory, forgetting and learning. In Experiment 1, eight out of 17 arms were baited. The zinc deficient (ZD) and undernourished (PF) rats revealed a learning deficit when compared to adequately nourished rats (AL). ZD rats also appeared to display a loss of working memory. No evidence of loss of reference memory was observed among any of the groups. A reverse learning procedure was used in Experiment 2 to test the same rats used in Experiment 1. ZD rats were significantly inferior in performance of the reverse learning task compared to the AL and PF rats. No significant differences in performance were noted between the AL and PF rats. Although all groups displayed forgetfulness from Experiment 1 to Experiment 2, no significant differences in forgetfulness were evidenced among the groups. In Experiment 3, all 17 arms were baited. The ZD rats displayed a significant working memory deficit as compared to the AL and PF rats. No significant differences in working memory between the AL and PF rats occurred. The possibility that the differences in performance were due to differences in food motivation or attention was considered and rejected. It was concluded that ZD rats experienced a severe learning deficit and some working memory deficit while the PF rats experienced a mild learning deficit as compared to the AL rats.
Perception of the Missing Fundamental by Chinchillas in the Presence of Low-Pass Masking Noise

The pitch of the missing fundamental (F0) is one of the principal psychological attributes of human pitch perception. Behavioral responses to harmonic tone complexes having missing F0s were measured in chinchillas using operant conditioning and stimulus generalization. Animals were trained to discriminate between tone complexes having a 500-Hz F0 and a 125-Hz F0. When animals were tested with tone complexes having the same F0s, but where the F0s were missing, responses were similar to those obtained when the F0s were present, suggesting that missing F0 sounds were perceptually equivalent to F0 present sounds. Behavioral responses to F0 present and missing F0 stimuli were similar in the presence of low-pass masking noise, suggesting that the perception was not due to the reinsertion of the F0 through cochlear nonlinearities. Gradients in behavioral responses were observed when the F0s of test complexes were systematically varied, suggesting the existence of a psychological dimension related to F0. Behavioral responses were related to the F0 rather than to spectral differences among test stimuli when the F0 and spectrum were varied independently. The results indicate that chinchillas possess a pitch-like perception of the missing F0 that is unlikely to arise from cochlear distortion products.
Evaluating Sediment Accretion on a Relic Oyster Reef in Mobile Bay, Alabama

Abstract Sediment traps were deployed at Fish River Reef (FRR), a relic oyster reef on the eastern side of Mobile Bay, and at Cedar Point Reef (CPR), a productive oyster reef on the western side of Mobile Bay, Alabama, from July through October 1999. Sediment accretion at FRR was two to three times greater than sediment accretion at CPR. The proportions of particulate organic matter and ash in the sediment at the two sites were similar. The proportion of coarse to fine sediment at CPR was greater than at FRR. Also, the sediment at FRR was black and had a sulfide odor suggesting anoxia, while the sediment at CPR was brown and odorless. Various fishes and invertebrates colonized the sediment traps at CPR, while those at FRR were devoid of live organisms. Oyster spat had settled on the shells in the traps at CPR but not on those at FRR. Results suggest that in order to restore oysters at FRR, cultch material should be dispersed during periods of peak larval settlement to prevent inhibitory levels of siltatio...
Cell Size Distributions of Soil Bacterial and Archaeal Taxa

Cell size is a key ecological trait of soil microorganisms that determines a wide range of life history attributes, including the efficiency of nutrient acquisition. However, because of the methodological issues associated with determining cell sizes in situ, we have a limited understanding of how cell abundances vary across cell size fractions and whether certain microbial taxa have consistently smaller cells than other taxa. In this study, we extracted cells from three distinct soils and fractionated them into seven size ranges (5 μm to 0.2 μm) by filtration. Cell abundances in each size fraction were determined by direct microscopy, with the taxonomic composition of each size fraction determined by high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Most of the cells were smaller than cells typically grown in culture, with 59 to 67% of cells <1.2 μm in diameter. Furthermore, each size fraction harbored distinct bacterial and archaeal communities in each of the three soils, and many of the taxa exhibited distinct size distribution patterns, with the smaller size fractions having higher relative abundances of taxa that are rare or poorly characterized (including Acidobacteria, Gemmatimonadetes, Crenarchaeota, Verrucomicrobia, and Elusimicrobia). In general, there was a direct relationship between average cell size and culturability, with those soil taxa that are poorly represented in culture collections tending to be smaller. Size fractionation not only provides important insight into the life history strategies of soil microbial taxa but also is a useful tool to enable more focused investigations into those taxa that remain poorly characterized.
The effect of tolerances in conical flow Pierce guns II&#8212;The perturbed flow in the magnetic field

The first-order perturbations to a beam initially in nonrippling Brillouin flow, which results from several common manufacturing errors in conical flow Pierce guns, are calculated. The manufacturing errors are changes in cathode-anode spacing, changes in cathode curvature, tilt, and transverse displacement of the cathode-focus electrode assembly, and tilt and transverse misalignment of the whole gun to the magnetic field. Errors in cathode-to-focus electrode spacing are not discussed. The tolerances which destroy the rotational symmetry of the gun are shown to cause the smooth beam to perform a helical motion; the tolerances which preserve the symmetry are shown to produce an undulating beam. Using the results of Part I of this paper [1], the magnitudes of individual gun tolerances are related to the effects they produce in the magnetic field. A method of setting limits to the individual gun tolerances is presented and illustrated by calculating tolerances for a gun used in an X-band traveling-wave tube. The calculated tolerances are found to have values which may readily be achieved by careful engineering.
NEED: High-technology delivery systems

The National Engineering Education Delivery System (NEEDS) consists of a database of multimedia lesson modules and networked courseware studios, offices, and classrooms. Delivery systems, the computer workstations and peripherals used to create, access, and display lesson modules from the NEEDS database, are found at each step in the process of bringing a lecture from the conceptual planning stage to the actual classroom presentation. Current and future delivery systems work is examined. >
Single-link failure detection in all-optical networks using monitoring cycles and paths

In this paper, we consider the problem of fault localization in all-optical networks. We introduce the concept of monitoring cycles (MCs) and monitoring paths (MPs) for unique identification of single-link failures. MCs and MPs are required to pass through one or more monitoring locations. They are constructed such that any single-link failure results in the failure of a unique combination of MCs and MPs that pass through the monitoring location(s). For a network with only one monitoring location, we prove that three-edge connectivity is a necessary and sufficient condition for constructing MCs that uniquely identify any single-link failure in the network. For this case, we formulate the problem of constructing MCs as an integer linear program (ILP). We also develop heuristic approaches for constructing MCs in the presence of one or more monitoring locations. For an arbitrary network (not necessarily three-edge connected), we describe a fault localization technique that uses both MPs and MCs and that employs multiple monitoring locations. We also provide a linear-time algorithm to compute the minimum number of required monitoring locations. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed monitoring technique.
Testing the Acceptance of Asthma Model With Children and Adolescents

Older school-age children and early adolescents with asthma have demonstrated and verbalized difficulty in accepting their condition. Although researchers have explored adult acceptance, few have explored child or adolescent acceptance. The purpose was to explore the fit of the data to a specified latent variable acceptance of asthma model. School-age children and early adolescents (N = 118), ages 9 to 14 years enrolled in Grades 4 to 9, diagnosed with asthma and their parents completed self-report instruments. EQS was used for structural equation modeling analyses. The specified model was a good fit to the data and accounted for more than 70% in the explained variance of vigilance, 30% of participation in life activities, 25% of taking control, and 20% of asthma health behaviors. Support for the model possess implications for development of theory-based education and counseling interventions to support participation in life activities by targeting cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial aspects of living...
G-CSF-lentivirus administration in rats provided sustained elevated neutrophil counts and subsequent EPO-lentivirus administration increased hematocrits.

Background Towards gene therapy treatment of patients with neutropenia, characterized by neutrophil counts < 500 cells/µl, we investigated the ability of lentivirus vectors to provide sustained granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) delivery and to permit transgene expression from a second virus administration in a preclinical rat model. Methods Rats were injected intramuscularly (IM) with 24 × 106 and 9 × 106 infectious units (IU) of a VSV-G-pseudotyped self-inactivating (SIN) lentivirus encoding rat G-CSF cDNA and containing cPPT and PRE elements. To determine the effectiveness of a second virus administration treated rats and a naive rat received erythropoietin (EPO)-lentivirus IM. Rats were monitored for neutrophil and red blood cell production. Lentivirus antibodies were assayed by virus-neutralizing assay and ELISA. Results High and low dose virus administration increased neutrophil counts to 5660 ± 930 cells/µl (mean ± SD) and 4010 ± 850 cells/µl, respectively, that were sustained for > 17 months and were significantly higher than controls counts of 1890 ± 570 cells/µl (p⩽0.0002). Rats treated with EPO-virus produced significantly increased hematocrits (HCT) (63.1 ± 4.3% vs. 46.0 ± 3.2%, p 0.1). Only genomic DNA from muscle at injection sites was positive for provirus suggesting lack of virus spread. Conclusions G-CSF-lentivirus administered IM provided elevated, sustained neutrophil counts that were unchanged by subsequent EPO-lentivirus administration. Significantly increased hematocrits were obtained following EPO-lentivirus delivery. These data support the treatment of patients with severe chronic neutropenia by dosed lentivirus delivery IM. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Within-Plant Distribution of Cabbage Looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) on Cotton: Development of a Sampling Plan for Eggs

Environ. Entomol 11: 251-254 (1982) This paper reports the within- lant distribution of cabbage looper on cotton through results in a greater proportion of eggs being oviposited on mainstem leaves, and closer to the mainstem terminal. As the plants age and increase in size, the eggs are found higher on the plant. The larvae appear to prefer leaves 5 to 10 nodes from the terminal. The average age of leaves being consumed by cabbage looper is estimated. A sampling plan for cabbage looper eggs based on mainstem leaves for estimating the optimal sample size for a iven level of reliability is presented, taking into account plant age, time. Mainstem leaves receive t i e largest percentage of eggs. Increased plant density
Two-dimensional turbulent convection in a toroidal duct of a liquid metal blanket of a fusion reactor

Convection in a horizontal duct aligned with a uniform magnetic field is analysed computationally. The motivation of the study is the concept of a liquid metal blanket for a tokamak fusion reactor, in which ducts are oriented toroidally, i.e. parallel to the main component of the magnetic field. Computations of two-dimensional (streamwise-uniform) flows appearing at very strong magnetic fields and of three-dimensional flows in long domains are conducted. Non-uniform volumetric internal heating is applied, while the walls are maintained at a constant temperature. Two-dimensional or nearly two-dimensional turbulent convection is found at high Grashof and Hartmann numbers typical for fusion reactor conditions. The turbulence results in stronger mixing and more uniform distribution of wall heat flux, indicating promising potential of this concept of the blanket.
Locally Rational Decision Making: The Distracting Effect of Information on Managerial Performance

This paper describes a phenomenon called "locally rational" decision-making, in which the mere presence of information may have dysfunctional consequences even if decision makers do not process the information incorrectly. Using the results from an experiment conducted with a strategic market simulation game, we find that the accessibility of information results in a disposition to focus on those components of decision-making most clearly addressed by the information. If these are not the components most closely tied to success, overall performance may in fact suffer. The decision-making process is thus "locally rational" since it may be optimal with respect to specific components of a larger plan, but globally suboptimal with regard to ultimate outcomes and for the organization as a whole. We describe the implications of the phenomenon for the use of market-related data in managerial decision-making.
A new technique to reject DC-link voltage ripple for inverters operating on programmed PWM waveforms

A new proposal to reject DC-link voltage ripple in inverters operating on programmed PWM (pulse width modulation) waveforms is examined in detail. It is demonstrated how continuous elimination of harmonics is achieved at the inverter output while simultaneously rejecting the DC-link voltage ripple. Thus, with the proposed technique, high-quality voltage is guaranteed at the inverter output terminals even with a substantial low-frequency voltage ripple on the DC-link. A thorough modeling of this technique, along with the tradeoffs involved in acquiring the immunity to DC-link ripple, is illustrated in detail. Potential applications of the proposed technique are in fixed and variable frequency inverters for power supplies and AC motor drives which experience voltage ripple in the DC-link, such as when fed from a weak AC-system which is frequently unbalanced. A design procedure and the digital implementation of the proposed technique are described. Selected results are verified experimentally on a laboratory inverter. >
Impact of the National Institutes of Health Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis (NIH FSGS) clinical trial on the treatment of steroid-resistant FSGS

Idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) is among the most common, morbid and treatment-resistant conditions faced by nephrologists. While glucocorticoids have traditionally been the mainstay of initial treatment, they induce remission in only a minority of patients. A variety of other immunosuppressants have been utilized against steroid-resistant FSGS, but few have been rigorously examined in well-controlled trials. Recently, the results were published from a National Institutes of Health (NIH)-sponsored multicenter randomized trial comparing cyclosporine (CSA) with a combination of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and pulse dexamethasone (DEX) for the treatment of steroid-resistant FSGS. No difference in treatment effectiveness was shown between the two groups, and adverse effects were comparable. This was the largest randomized trial ever undertaken in FSGS, but it was unfortunately underpowered to show clinically relevant differences in response rates. This shortcoming, along with particularities of the study population and outcome measures, makes it challenging to draw definitive conclusions from the trial results. Despite these limitations, the trial does provide valuable insights into treatment strategies for FSGS and offers important lessons for planning future research.
Quantum Control of Two-Photon Fluorescence in Solution

A novel, compact, high-resolution phase modulator in reflective mode is presented here and used to control the two-photon induced fluorescence of R6G in solution.
Adaptation versus selection: the origins of metastatic behavior.

During the formation of a primary tumor, premalignant cells acquire a series of genetic and epigenetic changes that enable them to proliferate in the absence of growth factors, to resist proapoptotic stimuli, and to stimulate angiogenesis ( [1][1]). Each of these acquired traits confers a distinct
Role of Sonography in Clinically Occult Femoral Hernias

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this article is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of sonography in clinically occult femoral hernias and to describe our sonographic technique. METHODS The clinical and imaging data for 93 outpatients referred by general surgeons, all of whom underwent sonographic evaluation and surgery, were reviewed retrospectively. Of these, 55 patients who underwent surgical exploration for groin hernias within 3 months of sonography and met all inclusion criteria were included in the study. The sonographic technique involves using the pubic tubercle as an osseous landmark to identify and appropriately visualize the femoral canal. The Valsalva maneuver is then used to differentiate the movement of normal fat (a potential pitfall) from true herniation in the femoral canal. Surgical findings were used as the reference standard by which sonographic results were judged. Two-by-two contingency tables were used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. RESULTS In these 55 patients, surgery revealed 15 femoral hernias. Eight femoral hernias occurred in women, and 7 occurred in men. For diagnosing femoral hernias, sonography demonstrated sensitivity of 80%, specificity of 88%, a positive predictive value of 71%, and a negative predictive value of 92%. True-positive cases of femoral hernias have a sonographic appearance of a hypoechoic sac with speckled internal echoes. When examining during the Valsalva maneuver, a femoral hernia passes deep to the inguinal ligament, expands the femoral canal, displacing the normal canal fat, and effaces the femoral vein. CONCLUSIONS Sonography can exclude femoral hernias with high confidence in light of its exceptional negative predictive value. With attention to technique and imaging criteria, the diagnostic accuracy of sonography can be enhanced.
ZnO/CuO Heterojunction Branched Nanowires for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Generation

We report a facile and large-scale fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) ZnO/CuO heterojunction branched nanowires (b-NWs) and their application as photocathodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar hydrogen production in a neutral medium. Using simple, cost-effective thermal oxidation and hydrothermal growth methods, ZnO/CuO b-NWs are grown on copper film or mesh substrates with various ZnO and CuO NWs sizes and densities. The ZnO/CuO b-NWs are characterized in detail using high-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopies exhibiting single-crystalline defect-free b-NWs with smooth and clean surfaces. The correlation between electrode currents and different NWs sizes and densities are studied in which b-NWs with longer and denser CuO NW cores show higher photocathodic current due to enhanced reaction surface area. The ZnO/CuO b-NW photoelectrodes exhibit broadband photoresponse from UV to near IR region, and higher photocathodic current than the ZnO-coated CuO (core/shell) NWs due to improv...
Picture in Picture: Interpolation and Framing, Past and Present in David Trueba’s Soldados de Salamina

One distinctive feature of Soldados de Salamina is the frequent intercalation of shots of archival (or apparently archival) material, in black and white, and of re-enactment scenes, usually in greenish tones. Another is the multiplicity of framing effects in the main action, involving still photographs, static and moving images on screens, and observed images and reflections. The interpolations always bring the past into contact with the present, while the framing effects draw from both past and present. Through her investigations, the protagonist Lola undergoes a gradual psychological transformation. All the intercalations and framing effects are marshalled around her, and drive this change, document it, and bring out its implications. Ultimately, Lola’s experiences and discoveries have a clear bearing on the situation of the post-Transition generation in Spain, and her efforts to negotiate past and present and Nationalist and Republican legacies point a way forward beyond reductive understanding and att...
Structural progression in clusters of ionized water, (H2O)n=1-5(+).

Ionized water clusters serve as a model of water-splitting chemistry for energetic purposes, as well as postradiolytic events in condensed-phase systems. Structures, properties, and relative energies are presented for oxidized water clusters, (H2O)n=1–5+, using equation-of-motion coupled-cluster theory approaches. In small clusters, an ion–radical contact pair OH···H3O+ is known to form upon ionization. The transition from n = 4 to n = 5 molecules in the cluster, however, is found to demarcate a size regime in which a propensity for the ion and radical to separate exists. This trend is consistent with recent experimental vibrational analyses. Decomposition of the cluster energetics reveals that preferential solvation of the hydronium cation by water serves as the dominant driving force for this pair separation, which should persist in larger clusters and bulk water ionization.
Evaluation of Sampling Techniques for Three Biological Control Agents of Carduus Thistles

Suction, visual, and pan sampling were evaluated in relation to their efficiency for population estimates of Rhinocyllus conicus, Trichosirocalus horridus, and Cassida rubiginosa. The duration of suction did not influence their removal from musk thistle rosettes. Significantly fewer R. conicus adults were removed from thistle rosettes in a simulated grazed habitat than in an ungrazed habitat. No differences occurred in removal by suction sampling between habitats for either T. horridus or C. rubiginosa. Removal by suction sampling was not dependent on density. Suction sampling and visual searches provided for equal numbers of R. conicus for short ( 50 cm) thistles. More T. horridus were found by suction sampling than by visual counts for all thistle height categories. Pan sampling yielded nearly equal numbers of T. horridus and slightly fewer R. conicus and C. rubiginosa when compared with visual counts. The pan technique was less variable. Relative net precision estimates indicated that the pan technique was superior in overall efficiency to visual counts for each insect.
Antimicrobial Stewardship Strategies in Nursing Homes: Urinary Tract Infections

Deciding if a nursing home resident should receive an antimicrobial for a suspected urinary tract infection is challenging. One of the most frequently reported reasons nursing home staff suspect presence of a urinary tract infection (UTI) is change in a resident’s mental status. However, a change in mental status may be due to numerous causes, such as presence of underlying conditions like dementia, or reaction to a new medication. The evaluation for a UTI when a resident experiences change in mental status is further confounded by the high prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria, which leads to positive urine cultures in nursing home residents. Various organizations recommend testing and/or treating residents for UTIs only when they have presence of localizing signs and symptoms in order to reduce prescribing antimicrobials to residents with asymptomatic bacteriuria. Unnecessary antimicrobial use is contributing to the emergence of multidrug-resistant organisms and the increase in Clostridium difficile infections. Antimicrobial stewardship programs take measures to reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use including monitoring antibiotic use for residents with suspected urinary tract infections and reviewing the use of diagnostic tests as a driver for antibiotic use. Furthermore, additional methods such as educating nursing home staff on hand hygiene, urinary catheter use, and criteria for identifying signs and symptoms of a urinary tract infection along with discussing and including antimicrobial use in end-of-life goals may also aid in reducing antimicrobial use for UTIs. However, determining when a resident should be treated for a urinary tract infection is difficult, and more research is needed to help clinicians distinguish nursing home residents who have bacteriuria from the residents who have true urinary tract infections.
Residues in Food and Feed Topic Area at the 13th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry.

The organizers of two symposia in the “Residues in Food and Feed” topic area held at the 13th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry introduce the papers that were contributed to this special section in the Journal. The symposia were titled “Taking Advantage of Advanced Analytical Tools” and “Going from Macro to Micro: The Future of Sample Processing in Residue Analytical Methods”. The oral and poster sessions generated much interest and discussion among the attendees, and some highlights are described in this introductory paper.