cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does a focal neurologic deficit contraindicate operation in a patient with endocarditis

Abstract Background . As many as 40% of patients with left-sided bacterial endocarditis will sustain a neurologic insult. The importance of a neurologic change as an indication or a contraindication for valve replacement remains controversial. Methods . We performed a retrospective analysis of the records of 33 patients admitted to the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center between January 1, 1978, and June 30, 1996, with a diagnosis of endocarditis and a neurologic change. Results . All 33 patients had echocardiographic or pathologic evidence of left-sided endocarditis; 23 were seen with focal neurologic findings and had a mortality rate of 22% (5 of 23), and 10 patients were seen with nonfocal, diffuse encephalopathy and had a mortality rate of 60% (6 of 10) ( p p = not significant). In 71% (10 of 14) of the surgical patients, the operation was done within 1 week of the neurologic event. Additional neurologic deterioration occurred in 18.2% (2 of 11) of survivors in the surgical group and 9.1% (1 of 11) in the medical group ( p = not significant). Conclusions . Choosing therapy for a patient with endocarditis and a neurologic change remains a difficult challenge. Initial findings of nonfocal, global dysfunction on examination are a predictor of a poor outcome. By comparing surgical and medical groups derived from the same series of patients, it is clear that patients with bacterial endocarditis and central nervous system changes face substantial mortality regardless of intervention. However, these data demonstrate that when compared with a similar group of medical patients, surgical patients who require and receive operation early in the course of their illness do comparatively well. Improving outcomes by delaying surgical intervention may serve to "select out" hardier patients but will lead to the death of patients who might benefit from such intervention.
Antibodies: Alternatives to Antibiotics in Improving Growth and Feed Efficiency

Abstract The consolidation of poultry since the 1950s largely depended upon two primary management tools: vaccination and antibiotics. These two tools allowed for the prevention of both bacterial and viral infections that could greatly impact poultry raised in large numbers. Antibiotics were also found to improve poultry growth and feed efficiency over 10% when fed below therapeutic levels. Hence, by the late 1950s, the use of antibiotics for improving growth and feed efficiency in consolidated poultry flocks was commonplace. Early in the discovery of antibiotics, the development of resistance was always a concern, particularly in humans’ consuming animal products that were fed antibiotics. While science never conclusively supported this concern, advocate groups persuaded users of poultry products to avoid foods derived from animals fed antibiotics. Scientists studied the theories supporting the mechanism(s) by which antibiotics improve growth. Products to improve animal performance in the absence of antibiotics have included: enzymes, competitive microbial species, precolonization of the gastrointestinal tract with favorable microbial species, and dietary additives that inhibit microbial attachment to the intestinal mucosa. A recent addition to dietary substances that improve growth and feed efficiency in poultry and other species are egg antibodies that specifically target processes involved in the immune regulation of growth. Antibodies to neuropeptides and the rate-limiting enzyme, phospholipase A2, in eicosanoid synthesis are presented, along with the hypothesized mechanism of action. Evidence suggested that egg antibodies offer a new strategy in improving the efficiency of animal performance.
HIGH-TEMPERATURE VISCOSITIES OF SODA-SILICA GLASSES*

A careful study of the viscosities of glasses composed of silica and between 22 and 40% soda shows that viscosity-composition isotherms are smooth curves. The sharp minima at about 34% Na2O (and possibly at about 26% Na2O) observed by Preston1 are found to be entirely absent. Neither time nor shearing stress has any effect upon observed viscosities in the region investigated as long as temperature constancy has been established. A study of deviations, i.e., of individual points from the smooth isotherms, shows that these are all within the expected limits of experimental error.
Radicalization in the Persian Gulf: Assessing the potential of Islamist militancy in Saudi Arabia and Yemen

Islamist militancy in Saudi Arabia and Yemen ebbs and flows, but it is a recurring phenomenon that has underlying regional, political, and cultural determinants. Successes against specific terrorist threats are negated in the long term by the failure of these countries to undertake political and institutional reforms that might undermine existing elite alignments and challenge entrenched interests. This article investigates the key fighting groups in these countries, their motivation for engaging in violence, the methods by which they recruit and activate militants, and the environments in which further radicalization may occur. While Islamist militancy potentially threatens the entire Gulf region, Saudi Arabia and Yemen are pivotal states that deserve an in-depth look because of their ongoing troubles with radical Islamism. Each of these countries has Sunni extremists associated with Jihadi Salafism and the Al Qaeda transnational movement, a Sunni-Shiite fault line that has produced sectarian earthquakes...
Singular perturbation of absolute stability

Absolute stability of the Lur'e-Postnikov class of non-linear systems is considered under the singular perturbations.
Religion and Habitus: Exploring the Relationship Between Religious Involvement and Educational Outcomes and Orientations Among Urban African American Students:

Large, lingering, and recently widening gaps in educational achievement exist amid growing differences in access to educational opportunity along lines of race and socioeconomic status among American students. Recognizing these gaps and developing strategies for eliminating them is essential. Previous research has documented a positive relationship between religious involvement and a wide range of adolescent outcomes. Most importantly, for the purposes of this article, these outcomes include educational resilience, attainment, and achievement. However, relatively little is known about the factors behind the relationship between religious involvement and educational outcomes especially for those students most often marginalized within the mainstream education system. This article seeks in particular to explore the influence of religious involvement on the educational outcomes of urban African American adolescents. It draws primarily on the work of Pierre Bourdieu and Christian Smith in constructing a theor...
EXCITABLE MEMBRANE ULTRASTRUCTURE : I. Freeze Fracture of Crayfish Axons

Cross-sectioned and cross-fractured crayfish axons display regions in which axon and Schwann cell surface membranes are regularly curved and project into the axoplasm. At these regions (projections) the two membranes run precisely parallel, separated by a gap of 130–140 A. Longitudinal fractures through the axons expose the inner fractured surface of either the internal (face A) or the external (face B) leaflet of axon and adjacent Schwann cell surface membranes. On both membranes the projections appear as elongated structures oriented with the long axis parallel to the long axis of the nerve fiber. On face A of the axon surface membrane they are seen as elongated indentations 0.5–1.2-µm long, 0.12–0.15-µm wide. The indentations contain parallel chains of globules. The chains repeat every 120–125 A and are oriented obliquely in such a way that if one looks at the axon surface from the extracellular space, the axis of the chains is skewed counterclockwise to the long axis of the indentations by an acute angle (most often 55–60°). The globules repeat along the chain every 80–85 A. Globules of adjacent chains are in register in such a way that the axis on which globules of neighboring chains are aligned forms an angle of 75–85° with the axis of the chains. The complex structure can be defined as a globular array with a rhomboidal unit cell of 80–85 x 120–125 A. On face B of the axon surface membrane the complementary image of these structures is seen. The projections of the Schwann cell surface membrane also contain groupings of globules; however, these differ from those in the axonal projections in size, pattern of aggregation, and fracture properties. Several possible interpretations of the meaning of these membrane specializations could be proposed. They could be: (a) structures involved in the mechanism of excitation, (b) regions of presumed metabolic couplings, and (c) areas of cell-to-cell adhesion.
Providing DoS resistance for signature-based broadcast authentication in sensor networks

Recent studies have demonstrated that it is feasible to perform public key cryptographic operations on resource-constrained sensor platforms. However, the significant energy consumption introduced by public key operations makes any public key-based protocol an easy target of Denial-of-Service (DoS) attacks. For example, if digital signature schemes such as ECDSA are used directly for broadcast authentication without further protection, an attacker can simply broadcast fake messages and force the receiving nodes to perform a huge number of unnecessary signature verifications, eventually exhausting their battery power. This paper shows how to mitigate such DoS attacks when digital signatures are used for broadcast authentication in sensor networks. Specifically, this paper first presents two filtering techniques, the group-based filter and the key chain-based filter, to handle the DoS attacks against signature verification. Both methods can significantly reduce the number of unnecessary signature verifications when a sensor node is under DoS attacks. This paper then combines these two filters and proposes a hybrid solution to further improve the performance.
Invariant face recognition

In this paper, we investigate human face recognition for facial images involving a high degree of in-plane and out-of-plane 3-D distortions such as rotation. In the proposed technique, we investigate the problem of invariant face recognition by considering four different classes of images. A small subset of images is used for every class to create a composite image, which represents each class. The proposed technique is implemented by using the fringe-adjusted filter-based joint transform correlator (JTC) technique due to its superior performance over alternate JTCs and the feasibility of its implementation in the optical domain. Furthermore, the utilization of the synthetic discriminant function to generate the composite image for enhancing the correlation output is also investigated. Computer simulation results are presented to show the validity of the proposed technique. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 30: 418–423, 2001.
Ru(II) and Os(II) nucleosides and oligonucleotides: Synthesis and properties

A general and versatile method for the site-specific incorporation of polypyridine RuII and OsII complexes into DNA oligonucleotides using solid-phase phosphoramidite chemistry is reported. Novel nucleosides containing a [(bpy)2M(3-ethynyl-1,10-phenanthroline)]2+ (M = Ru, Os) metal center covalently attached to the 5-position in 2‘-deoxyuridine are synthesized, and their electrochemical as well as photophysical properties are studied. The RuII nucleoside exhibits a rather long-lived excited state in phosphate buffer pH 7.0 (τ = 1.08 μs) associated with a relatively high emission quantum efficiency (φ = 0.051). The solvent dependence of the absorption and emission spectra is consistent with an emissive MLCT state where charge localization takes place on the extended heterocycle-linked phenanthroline. In contrast, the OsII-containing nucleoside is quite nonemissive in aqueous environment (τ = 0.027 μs, φ = 1 × 10-4). The metal-containing nucleosides are converted into their phosphoramidites and are utilized...
Electrocardiographic abnormalities and 30-year mortality among white and black men of the Charleston Heart Study.

BACKGROUNDThe long-term predictive significance of a single ECG tracing for mortality was explored among the white and black men of the Charleston Heart Study.METHODS AND RESULTSThe 1960 baseline tracings of men ages 35 to 74 in the Charleston Heart Study cohort were coded according to the Minnesota classification. Tracings were categorized as being normal or having minor or major abnormalities. The 30-year vital status was ascertained for the cohort, and the association between ECG findings and coronary and all-cause mortality was evaluated. The proportion of black men with major abnormalities at the 1960 baseline examination was almost twice that of white men. Rates of all-cause mortality increased with severity of abnormalities for white and black men. The absolute excess risk for black men with major abnormalities was 23.3 per 1000 person-years and 12.8 for white men. The excess risk for coronary mortality was 7.3 for white men and 6.5 for black men.CONCLUSIONSMany of the findings in this study confir...
Na+H+ antiport during fertilization of the sea urchin egg is blocked by W-7 but is insensitive to K252a and H-7

Abstract Fertilization of the sea urchin egg initiates or accelerates a number of metabolic activities, which have been causally linked to a rise in cytoplasmic pH due to increased Na + H + antiport. Two possible regulatory pathways linking sperm-egg fusion to the activity of the antiporter are activation of protein kinase C (PKC) and Ca 2+ , calmodulin (CaM)-dependent kinase. This report presents the effects of protein kinase inhibitors on antiporter activation during fertilization and treatment with PKC agonists, dioctanoylglycerol or phorbol diester. Protein kinase inhibitors, K252a and H-7 blocked the action of PKC agonists, without inhibiting cytoplasmic alkalinization during fertilization. In contrast, W-7 blocked fertilization-induced rise in cytoplasmic pH, without altering the actions of PKC agonists. These results suggest that the Na + H + antiporter may be regulated by PKC or Ca 2+ , CaM-dependent kinase activities, but activation of the antiporter during fertilization is Ca 2+ , CaM-dependent, despite production of diacylglycerols by hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositols.
Through the Looking Glass: How Reflective Learning Influences the Development of Young Faculty Members

Background: Faculty development is needed that will influence clinical teachers to better enable them to transmit humanistic values to their learners and colleagues. Purpose: We sought to understand the processes whereby reflective learning influenced professional growth in a convenience sample of young faculty members. Methods: We analyzed appreciative inquiry narratives written over 4 years using the constant comparative method to identify major underlying themes and develop hypotheses concerning how reflective learning influenced participants in the faculty development program. Six of the participants and the facilitator were participant observers in the qualitative analysis. Results: Group support, validation, and cohesion led to adoption of common values that informed the professional development of the participants over 4 years of the study. Common values influenced the group members as they progressed in their careers. Conclusions: Faculty development programs that focus on humanism and reflective ...
First Report of Spruce Needle Drop Associated with Setomelanomma holmii on Spruce in Illinois

Spruce needle drop (also known as sudden needle drop of spruce, both referred to as SNEED) is a condition consistently associated with the fungus Setomelanomma holmii. While the pathogenicity of this fungus is still under investigation, it has been reported to cause the discoloration and needle drop of older needles on white spruce (Picea glauca) and Colorado blue spruce (P. pungens) (1). In the spring and summer of 2011, the University of Illinois Plant Clinic received several samples of Norway spruce (P. abies) and Colorado blue spruce branches that all exhibited the same symptoms: browning of older needles followed by needle drop. Solitary, black, globose, 105 to 230 μm diameter pseudothecia were observed on the upper surface of the branches and bud scales with a dissecting microscope. Many of the fruiting structures contained setae. When examined under a compound microscope, asci were bitunicate, 60 to 100 × 10.5 to 15 μm (mean 71.9 × 12.7 μm), and contained eight pale brown, three-septate, 15.5 to 22.5 × 5.5 to 9 μm (mean 19.4 × 5 μm) ascospores. On the basis of the asci and ascospores, the fungus was tentatively identified as S. holmii. To confirm the identification, single-ascospore colonies were cultured on acid potato dextrose agar. DNA was extracted from the mycelia of a single colony and amplified with PCR using universal fungal primers (2). The amplified DNA was sequenced and assembled using the primers NS1, NS3, NS5, and NS7 in the forward direction and NS2, NS4, NS6, and NS8 in the reverse direction (2). When the consensus sequence was compared with all accessions in the National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank nucleotide collection, it had 100% homology to the S. holmii 18S ribosomal gene (Accession No. AY161121, isolated from a sample of P. pungens collected in France). S. holmii was first observed in the United States in 1998 (1). Although it has been tentatively identified on the basis of morphological characteristics in many states in the Midwest, this is the first time it has been conclusively identified in Illinois to our knowledge. Additionally, this is the first time Norway spruce has been confirmed as a host of S. holmii based on genetic sequencing in Illinois. Sporulation has been observed from mid-May through early August. Currently, the presence of S. holmii has been confirmed in 14 counties in central and northern Illinois. References: (1) A. Rossman et al. Can. J. Bot. 80:1209, 2002. (2) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. M. A. Innis et al. eds. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1990.
Usefulness of Noninvasive Estimate of Pulmonary Vascular Resistance to Predict Mortality, Heart Failure, and Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Patients With Stable Coronary Artery Disease (from the Heart and Soul Study)

Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) is an important hemodynamic variable that affects prognosis and therapy in a wide range of cardiovascular and pulmonary conditions. We sought to determine whether a noninvasive estimate of PVR predicts adverse outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Using Doppler echocardiography we measured the estimated PVR (defined as the ratio of the tricuspid regurgitant velocity [TRV] to the velocity–time integral [VTI] of the right ventricular outflow tract [RVOT]) in 795 ambulatory patients with stable coronary artery disease. Participants were categorized by quartiles of the TRV/VTIRVOT ratio. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for all-cause mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and adverse cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or stroke). After 4.3 years of follow-up there were 161 deaths, 44 deaths from cardiovascular causes, 103 heart failure hospitalizations, and 120 adverse cardiovascular events. Compared with patients in the lowest TRV/VTIRVOT quartile, those in the highest quartile were at increased risk of all-cause mortality (unadjusted HR 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 2.5), heart failure hospitalization (unadjusted HR 2.9, 95% confidence interval 2.0 to 4.3), and adverse cardiovascular events (unadjusted HR 2.0, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 2.9). After multivariate adjustment, patients in the highest quartile were at increased risk of heart failure hospitalizations (adjusted HR 2.5, 95% confidence interval 1.3 to 4.7). In conclusion, a noninvasive estimate of PVR (TRV/VTIRVOT ratio) predicts mortality, heart failure hospitalization, and adverse cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease.
Commutation properties of automorphism groups and mappings of von Neumann algebras

Abstract We prove a commutation theorem for point ultraweakly continuous oneparameter groups of automorphisms of von Neumann algebras. If α t , is such a group in Aut( R ) for a von Neumann algebra R , we show the equivalence of the following three conditions on an ultraweakly continuous linear transformation μ: R → R : (a) μ commutes weakly with the infinitesimal generator for α t ; (b) μ ° α t = α t ° μ , t ∈ R ; and ( c ) μ leaves invariant each of the spectral subspaces associated with α t . A simple condition which is applicable when μ is an automorphism is pointed out.
Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R. by BIVAND, R. S., PEBESMA, E. J., and GOMEZ‐RUBIO, V.

Applied Spatial Data Analysis with R (R. S. Bivand, E. J. Pebesma, and V. Gomez-Rubio) Jay M. Ver Hoef Bayesian Disease Mapping: Hierarchical Modeling in Spatial Epidemiology (A. B. Lawson) J. Law Disease Surveillance: A Public Health Informatics Approach (J. S. Lombardo and D. L. Buckeridge, editors) Iris Pigeot Survival Analysis for Epidemiologic and Medical Research (S. Selvin) M. G. Valsecchi Survival and Event History Analysis: A Process Point of View (O. O. Aalen, O. Borgan, and H. K. Gjessing) Patricia Grambsch Nonlinear Dimensionality Reduction (J. A. Lee and M. Verleysen) Haonan Wang Model Selection and Model Averaging (G. Claeskens and N. L. Hjort) Thomas M. Loughin Meta-Analysis of Binary Data Using Profile Likelihood (D. Bohning, R. Kuhnert, and S. Rattanasiri) Eloise Kaizar Wavelet Methods in Statistics with R (G. P. Nason) Jeffrey S. Morris Adaptive Design Theory and Implementation Using SAS and R (M. Chang) Feifang Hu Ecological Models and Data in R (B. M. Bolker) Rachel M. Fewster Applied Multiway Data Analysis (P. M. Kroonenberg) Renato Coppi Brief Reports by the Editor Sampling of Populations: Methods and Applications, 4th edition (P. S. Levy and S. Lemeshow) Applied Survival Analysis: Regression Modeling of Time-to-Event Data, 2nd edition (D. W. Hosmer, S. Lemeshow, and S. May) SAS for Data Analysis: Intermediate Statistical Methods (M. G. Marasinghe and W. J. Kennedy) Advances in Mathematical and Statistical Modeling (B. C. Arnold, N. Balakrishnan, J. M. Sarabia, and R. Minguez, editors) An Introduction to Generalized Linear Models, 3rd edition (A. J. Dobson and A. G. Barnett) Design and Analysis of Bioavailability and Bioequivalence Studies, 3rd edition (S.-C. Chow and J.-P. Liu)
Comparison of Experimentally Measured and Computed Second-Mode Disturbances in Hypersonic Boundary-Layers

Abstract : Experiments were carried out in the Boeing/AFOSR Mach 6 Quiet Tunnel at Purdue University and the Sandia National Laboratories Hypersonic Wind Tunnel at Mach 5 and 8. The purpose was to measure second-mode boundary-layer instabilities on a 7 deg half-angle cone at zero angle of attack using surface pressure sensors. Second-mode waves were successfully measured at all three Mach numbers, including under both noisy and quiet conditions. The most amplified second-mode disturbance frequencies compared well to the linear Parabolized Stability Equations computed by the STABL software suite. The eigenfunctions are also reported, to aid in the development of new instrumentation methods. The e(expn N) method is used in an attempt to determine the N factor for transition onset prediction in both tunnels.
EVALUATION OF IOHEXOL AS A GASTROINTESTINAL CONTRAST MEDIUM IN NORMAL CATS

The non-ionic, iodinated contrast medium, iohexol (240 mg I/ml) was evaluated as a gastrointestinal (GI) contrast medium in cats. Iohexol, both undiluted and diluted with tap water, was administered via a percutaneous endoscopically-placed gastrotomy (PEG) tube to 4 mature clinically normal cats. The dilution of contrast medium administered was 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3, and doses were 10 ml/kg and 5 ml/kg body weight. All combinations of dilution and dose of iohexol provided adequate visualization of the contrast medium column within the GI tract, and results were not significantly different than those observed using 30% w/v barium sulfate. Dehydration and diarrhea were not observed after contrast medium administration, but vomiting occurred within 15–30 minutes after administration of undiluted iohexol in all experimental cats. Renal opacification did not occur on exposures made through a 2 hour period, and dilution in transit was not apparent.
Write noise in magnetic-film memories due to current diffusion in the ground plate

In magnetic-film memories which have the bit current returning through a ground plate, the write noise, i.e., the sense-line voltage caused by the bit-current pulse, contains a slowly decaying component. Theoretical and experimental results show that the time derivative of this component, which should be as small as possible for best rejection by the sense system, can be reduced by 1) appropriately stratifying the ground plate, 2) keeping the ground plate at a low temperature, or 3) terminating the bit-sense line with a suitable RC network. The experiments were carried out using a scale model of the bit-sense line, with the physical dimensions, the time scale, and the resistivity of the conductors all being increased by the same factor. Electrical properties of such a scale model are identical to those of the simulated system.
"Developing Theories from Research on Chinese Overseas Investment: Practices, Trends, and Direction"

We conduct a detailed analysis of 138 peer-reviewed journal articles published in the last twelve years (2001-2012) from a variety of research disciplines which focus on Chinese outward foreign dir...
Symmetry of the order parameter for high-temperature superconductivity

Abstract Whatever its microscopic origins, it seems likely that the superconductivity in the copper-oxides can be described by an appropriate Ginzburg-Landau theory. The possible order parameters and free energies are then determined by the symmetry breaking of the phase transition alone. The group-theoretically allowed states are enumerated here for singlet and triplet superconductors in orthorhombic and tetragonal crystals. As well as broken gauge, time reversal and rotational symmetries, broken translational symmetry states are also investigated. Experiments that might distinguish the various possible states are reviewed, concentrating especially on experiments where the outcomes are determined by the symmetry properties of the order parameter alone. These include Josephson effects, transition splitting, spontaneous strain and magnetism, critical and Gaussian fluctuations, collective modes and vortices. Current experimental results on the high-Tc materials are discussed where relevant, although in many...
High-frequency alternating-current inductive heating in a toroidal stellarator

Inductive heating of a stellarator plasma at frequencies higher than the inverse of the resistive diffusion time is studied experimentally. Two magnetic field configurations are investigated: a classical stellerator and a doublestar: a stellarator with two large magnetic islands. Profiles of plasma density, temperature, and induced toroidal current are measured, and it is found that in both configurations the induced current exhibits a substantial (approx.180/sup 0/) phase shift within the plasma. The observed current profiles cannot be described by the classical (rigid-conductor) skin effect and are interpreted in terms of the plasma response to the externally driven modulation of the geometry of the magnetic surfaces.
Generation and pathogenicity of an NB-tropic SL3-3 murine leukemia virus.

Abstract A 428-base pair region of the gag gene of a molecular clone of the SL3-3 murine leukemia virus (MuLV) was replaced with allelic sequences that contain the NB-tropic determinants of the Moloney MuLV. SL3-3NB, the ecotropic virus derived from this modified clone, rapidly induced T-cell lymphoblastic lymphomas in the Fv-1n mouse strains CWD and NIH Swiss and the Fv-1b strain, B10.Br. By Southern blot assay, each of the CWD tumors and all but one of the B10.Br tumors that were tested contained recombinant proviruses. The envelope genes of the B10.Br recombinant viruses retained the SL3-3NB 5′ p15E (TM) gene sequences (type I env), whereas the CWD recombinants did not (type II env). The production of type I env recombinants by B10.Br mice is a characteristic that is shared with other mouse strains that express the H-2k haplotype. The results indicate that the inserted Moloney virus gag sequences conferred NB-tropism to SL3-3NB and did not interfere with the expression of SL3-3 pathogenic determinants or the formation of recombinant viruses.
Self-expanding stent-assisted middle cerebral artery recanalization: technical note

Introduction Investigation into pharmacological and mechanical means of improving recanalization rates by intraarterial therapy has led to technological development. Angiographic recanalization has been associated with improvement in clinical outcome. A clot retriever has recently joined an imperfect armamentarium for intraarterial stroke therapy. In this report, we describe successful recanalization of an acute thrombotic occlusion of the inferior division of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) achieved with a self-expanding stent.
Effects of the MEK inhibitor, SL-327, on rewarding, motor- and cellular-activating effects of d-amphetamine and SKF-82958, and their augmentation by food restriction in rat

Rationale Food restriction (FR) enhances learned and unlearned behavioral responses to drugs of abuse and increases D-1 dopamine (DA) receptor-mediated activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 MAP kinase in nucleus accumbens (NAc). While a role has been established for ERK signaling in drug-mediated associative learning, it is not clear whether ERK regulates unconditioned behavioral effects of abused drugs. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine whether blockade of ERK signaling, using the brainpenetrant MEK inhibitor, SL-327, decreases behavioral or NAc cellular responses to acute drug treatment and their augmentation by FR. Materials and methods Separate experiments assessed the effects of SL-327 (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) on (1) the reward-potentiatingeffectof D-amphetamine in an intracranial self-stimulation protocol, (2) the locomotor-activating effect of the D-1 agonist, SKF-82958, and (3) Fos-immunostaining induced in the NAc by SKF-82958. Results FR rats displayed enhanced responses to drug treatment on all measures. SL-327 had no effect on sensitivity to rewarding brain stimulation or the rewardpotentiating effect of D-amphetamine. The MEK inhibitor, U0126, microinjected into the NAc was also without effect. The locomotor-activating effect of SKF-82958 was unaffected by SL-327. In contrast, SL-327 decreased NAc Fosimmunostaining and abolished the difference between feeding groups. Conclusions These results support the conclusion that ERK signaling does not mediate unlearned behavioral responses to drug treatment. However, the upregulation of ERK and downstream transcriptional responses to acute drug treatment may underlie the reported enhancement of rewardrelated learning in FR subjects.
Detection of Faults in Programmable Logic Arrays

A new fault model is proposed for the purpose of testing programmable logic arrays. It is shown that a test set for all detectable modeled faults detects a wide variety of other faults. A test generation method for single faults is then outlined. Included is a bound on the size of test sets which indicates that test sets are much smaller than would be required by exhaustive testing. Finally, it is shown that many interesting classes of multiple faults are also detected by the test sets.
Chirp-free nanosecond laser amplifier for precision spectroscopy.

We describe a simple method for greatly reducing optical phase perturbations in a nanosecond pulsed dye amplifier. The laser dye mix is tailored to produce a susceptibility near zero at the operating wavelength. Frequency shifts are reduced to less than 3 MHz, and frequency chirping to less than 10 MHz, without significant loss of amplified power. This technique has been used to improve the accuracy of precision far-UV wavelength measurements in H2 to ∼7 parts in 109.
Plant Population Effects on Growth and Yield in Water-Seeded Rice

Initial management strategies, such as established plant stand, significantly affect rice (Oryza sativa L.) crop development, grain yield, and final profits. Critical rice plant population for optimum yield differs greatly among various cultural systems. The objectives of this study were to: (i) characterize effects of increasing plant population on tillering, yield components, yield, and phytomass development in continuously flooded, direct water-seeded rice culture; and (ii) identify which crop development parameters are associated with optimum grain yield in this cultural system (...)
ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF BLACK AND WHITE SUPERVISORS IN PROBLEM SOLVING GROUPS1

The article compares the attitudes and behaviors of African Americans and white supervisors in the U.S. Data concerning leader behavior was collected with simulated work groups using the one-way mi...
Goals in geotechnology

I have often thought that the end of proliferation of societies in specialized science would only come when there were enough societies so that everyone could be an officer. In these days when the tendency is to fragment fields, any movement to combine is to be applauded. I am glad the American Meteorological Society is meeting with the American Geophysical Union. Growth of world population and its attendant problems force us to think of the world as a limited closed system, and, to tackle these problems in society, we must consider it as a complex of air, land, fresh water, seas, and space around us because each of these elements interacts with the others.
p190 RhoGTPase-Activating Protein Links the β1 Integrin/Caveolin-1 Mechanosignaling Complex to RhoA and Actin Remodeling

Objective—To determine whether the β1 integrin/caveolin-1 signaling complex plays a role in shear stress regulation of RhoA activity . Methods and Results—Hemodynamic shear stress influences the phenotype of the endothelium. Integrins and RhoA are essential components in the process that allows endothelial cells to adapt to flow. However, the signaling mechanisms that relay from integrins to RhoA are not well defined. Bovine aortic endothelial cells were subjected to laminar shear stress (10 dyne/cm2) for up to 6 hours. β1 integrin blockade inhibited Src family kinases and p190RhoGAP tyrosine phosphorylation observed after the immediate onset of shear stress. Depletion of caveolin-1 blocked the decline in p190RhoGAP tyrosine phosphorylation observed at later points by sustaining Src family kinase activity. The manipulation of β1 integrin and caveolin-1 also altered shear regulation of RhoA activity. More importantly, cells depleted of p190RhoGAP showed faulty temporal regulation of RhoA activity. Each of ...
Probing the helical tilt and dynamic properties of membrane-bound phospholamban in magnetically aligned bicelles using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Abstract Wild-type phospholamban (WT-PLB), a Ca2 +-ATPase (SERCA) regulator in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, was studied using TOAC nitroxide spin labeling, magnetically aligned bicelles, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to ascertain structural and dynamic information. Different structural domains of PLB (transmembrane segment: positions 42 and 45, loop region: position 20, and cytoplasmic domain: position 10) were probed with rigid TOAC spin labels to extract the transmembrane helical tilt and structural dynamic information, which is crucial for understanding the regulatory function of PLB in modulating Ca2 +-ATPase activity. Aligned experiments indicate that the transmembrane domain of wild-type PLB has a helical tilt of 13° ± 4° in DMPC/DHPC bicelles. TOAC spin labels placed on the WT-PLB transmembrane domain showed highly restricted motion with more than 100 ns rotational correlation time (τc); whereas the loop, and the cytoplasmic regions each consists of two distinct motional dynamics: one fast component in the sub-nanosecond scale and the other component is slower dynamics in the nanosecond range.
Defects in DNA lesion bypass lead to spontaneous chromosomal rearrangements and increased cell death.

Rev3 polymerase and Mph1 DNA helicase participate in error-prone and error-free pathways, respectively, for the bypassing of template lesions during DNA replication. Here we have investigated the role of these pathways and their genetic interaction with recombination factors, other nonreplicative DNA helicases, and DNA damage checkpoint components in the maintenance of genome stability, viability, and sensitivity to the DNA-damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). We find that cells lacking Rev3 and Mph1 exhibit a synergistic, Srs2-dependent increase in the rate of accumulating spontaneous, gross chromosomal rearrangements, suggesting that the suppression of point mutations by deletion of REV3 may lead to chromosomal rearrangements. While mph1Δ is epistatic to homologous recombination (HR) genes, both Rad51 and Rad52, but not Rad59, are required for normal growth of the rev3Δ mutant and are essential for survival of rev3Δ cells during exposure to MMS, indicating that Mph1 acts in a Rad51-dependent, Rad59-independent subpathway of HR-mediated lesion bypass. Deletion of MPH1 helicase leads to synergistic DNA damage sensitivity increases in cells with chl1Δ or rrm3Δ helicase mutations, whereas mph1Δ is hypostatic to sgs1Δ. Previously reported slow growth of mph1Δ srs2Δ cells is accompanied by G2/M arrest and fully suppressed by disruption of the Mec3-dependent DNA damage checkpoint. We propose a model for replication fork rescue mediated by translesion DNA synthesis and homologous recombination that integrates the role of Mph1 in unwinding D loops and its genetic interaction with Rev3 and Srs2-regulated pathways in the suppression of spontaneous genome rearrangements and in mutation avoidance.
Flood and debris flow interactions with roads promote the invasion of exotic plants along steep mountain streams, western Oregon

This study examines the interactions among geomorphic and biogeographic processes that govern the invasion by two contrasting exotic plant species—a shrub, scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and an herb, foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), over several decades of road and stream networks in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in western Oregon. Distributions of C. scoparius and D. purpurea were mapped along hillslopes and streams in 1993, 2002, and 2003. The mapped distributions were related to debris flow pathways and changes in stream morphology interpreted from field surveys and air photos over the period 1993 to 2003. Laboratory trials examined the response of seed germination to scarification (to test effects of transport by debris flows), soaking (to test effects of fluvial transport), and substrate texture (to test effects on establishment). C. scoparius and D. purpurea were present along roads and in clearcuts in the Andrews Forest from the 1970s to 2003, but invaded the stream (Lookout Creek) only after debris flows and floods during an extreme storm in 1996. Laboratory trials demonstrated that seeds could germinate on a variety of substrates after scarification and flood transport. Mapping and air photo/GIS analysis indicated that the distributions of exotic plants were located on freshly scoured bars and floodplains adjacent to the active channel, downstream of seed sources along roads that were connected to the main stem of Lookout Creek by road ditch drainage systems, and debris flow paths. This paper outlines a conceptual model for the invasion of exotic plants, highlighting the connectivity between road and stream networks provided by geomorphic processes in steep forested landscapes.
EatA, an Immunogenic Protective Antigen of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Degrades Intestinal Mucin

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality due to infectious diarrhea in developing countries for which there is presently no effective vaccine. A central challenge in ETEC vaccinology has been the identification of conserved surface antigens to formulate a broadly protective vaccine. Here, we demonstrate that EatA, an immunogenic secreted serine protease of ETEC, contributes to virulence by degrading MUC2, the major protein present in the small intestinal mucous layer, and that removal of this barrier in vitro accelerates toxin access to the enterocyte surface. In addition, we demonstrate that vaccination with the recombinant secreted passenger domain of EatA (rEatAp) elicits high titers of antibody and is protective against intestinal infection with ETEC. These findings may have significant implications for development of both subunit and live-attenuated vaccines against ETEC and other enteric pathogens, including Shigella flexneri, that express similar proteins.
Do Lions Have Manes? For Children, Generics Are About Kinds Rather Than Quantities

Generic statements (e.g., ‘‘Lions have manes’’) make claims about kinds (e.g., lions as a category) and, for adults, are distinct from quantificational statements (e.g., ‘‘Most lions have manes’’), which make claims about how many individuals have a given property. This article examined whether young children also understand that generics do not depend purely on quantitative information. Five-year-olds (n = 36) evaluated pairs of questions expressing properties that were matched in prevalence but varied in whether adults accept them as generically true (e.g., ‘‘Do lions have manes?’’ [true] vs. ‘‘Are lions boys?’’ [false]). Results demonstrated that children evaluate generics based on more than just quantitative information. Data suggest that even young children recognize that generics make claims about kinds.
The impact of acceptance and commitment training and multicultural training on the stigmatizing attitudes and professional burnout of substance abuse counselors

Empirically validated methods for reducing stigma and prejudice toward recipients of behavioral health-care services are badly needed. In the present study, two packages presented in 1-day workshops were compared to a biologically oriented educational control condition in the alleviation of stigmatizing attitudes in drug abuse counselors. One, Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT), utilized acceptance, defusion, mindfulness, and values methods. The other, multicultural training, sensitized participants to group prejudices and biases. Measures of stigma and burnout were taken pretraining, posttraining, and after a 3-month follow-up. Results showed that multicultural training had an impact on stigmatizing attitudes and burnout post-intervention but not at follow-up, but showed better gains in a sense of personal accomplishment as compared to the educational control at follow-up. ACT had a positive impact on stigma at follow-up and on burnout at posttreatment and follow-up and follow-up gains in burnout exceeded those of multicultural training. ACT also significantly changed the believability of stigmatizing attitudes. This process mediated the impact of ACT but not multicultural training on follow-up stigma and burnout. This preliminary study opens new avenues for reducing stigma and burnout in behavioral health counselors.
The Epidemiology of Viral Hepatitis in Children in South Texas: Increased Prevalence of Hepatitis A along the Texas-Mexico Border

An initial retrospective study of 194 children demonstrated a high prevalence of hepatitis A but not hepatitis B or C infection among children living along the Texas-Mexico border. A larger prospective study of hepatitis A was conducted with 285 children (aged 6 months to 13 years) living in 3 sociodemographically dissimilar areas of South Texas. Children living in colonias along the border had a significantly higher prevalence of hepatitis A virus infection (37%) than children living in urban border communities (17%) or in a large metropolitan area (San Antonio [6%]). Independent risk factors for hepatitis A infection included increased age, colonia residence, and history of residence in a developing country. Use of bottled water (vs. municipal or spring/well water) and years of maternal secondary education were protective. Improved sanitation or routine hepatitis A vaccination in early childhood may reduce the prevalence of hepatitis A in these areas.
Improving the Safety Net for Single Mothers Who Face Serious Barriers to Work

Summary Rebecca Blank explores a weakness of the welfare reforms of the mid-1990s—the failure of the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program to address the plight of so-called “hard to employ” single mothers and their children. TANF has moved many women on the welfare caseload into work, but the services it provides are not intensive or flexible enough to meet the needs of women with multiple disadvantages who find it difficult to get and keep full-time
Supporting Breast-feeding When a Woman Is Homeless

PURPOSE. This case study demonstrates use of standardized nursing languages in the care of new mothers in community settings. DATA SOURCES. The author collected data from clinical practice as an instructor in a baccalaureate nursing program and from the research literature. DATA SYNTHESIS. The appropriate nursing diagnoses, outcomes, and interventions were identified in partnership with the new mother. CONCLUSIONS. This case shows that NANDA International (NANDA-I), the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC), and the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC) are useful to direct nursing care in community settings. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING. When teaching nursing students in a baccalaureate program, nurse faculty can use NANDA-I, NOC, and NIC classifications to guide the growing practice of nursing students in community settings.
Critical Remarks on the Interpretation of Quantum Theory

1. Reality and interpretation. Dualism of interpretation. The corpuscular statistical interpretation of the wave density and the wav interpretation of discontinuities of energie represent untenable absolute standpoints as against the relativity of quantum theory. 2. Kinematics of diffraction. Equivalence of Huyghens’ resonance and corpuscular transmissions of momentum. Length as a wave attribute, momentum as a corpuscular attribute. The compromises of the absolutists are based on overinterpretations. Modified meaning of the uncertainty relation. Classical versus wave and corpuscular view. 3. Quantum dynamics. Expansion of the range in space, contraction of the range of momentum. Corpuscular process relating wave data, wave process relating corpuscular data. The prototype of quantum dynamics. Prestabilized harmony between waves and particles. 4. Fluctuations. Particles and waves appear as limit cases of fluctuations. Classical and quantum theoretical undeterminacy. The emission of α-particles and α-beats.
Health effects of welding.

Many of the epidemiology studies performed are difficult to compare because of differences in worker populations, industrial settings, welding techniques, duration of exposure, and other occupation...