cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BMI Is Causally Associated With Pulmonary Artery Pressure But Not Hemodynamic Evidence of Pulmonary Vascular Remodeling

Background There is an unclear relationship of obesity to the pathogenesis and severity of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH). Research Question Is BMI casually associated with pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) and/or markers of pulmonary vascular remodeling? Study Design and Methods The study design was a two-sample inverse-variance weighted Mendelian randomization. We constructed two BMI genetic risk scores from genome-wide association study summary data and deployed them in nonoverlapping cohorts of subjects referred for right heart catheterization (RHC) or echocardiography. A BMI highly polygenic risk score (hpGRS) optimally powered to detect shared genetic architecture of obesity with other traits was tested for association with RHC parameters including markers of pulmonary vascular remodeling. A BMI strict genetic risk score (sGRS) composed of high-confidence genetic variants was used for Mendelian randomization analyses to assess if higher BMI causes higher PAP. Results Among all subjects, both directly measured BMI and hpGRS were positively associated with pulmonary arterial pressures but not markers of pulmonary vascular remodeling. Categorical analyses revealed BMI and hpGRS were associated with PVH but not PAH. Mendelian randomization of the sGRS supported that higher BMI is causal of higher systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP). Sensitivity analyses showed sPAP-BMI sGRS relationship was preserved when either individuals with PAH or PVH were excluded. In the echocardiographic cohort, BMI and hpGRS were positively associated with estimated PAP and markers of left heart remodeling. Interpretation BMI is a modifier of pulmonary hypertension severity in both PAH and PVH but is only involved in the pathogenesis of PVH.
Design of amphiphilic peptide nanofibers

Abstract Peptide molecules self-assemble into a variety of supramolecular nanostructures. The interactions among the peptide molecules can be controlled by intrinsic properties of the amino acid side chains and by conjugation of molecules to the reactive sites. Noncovalent interactions among the peptide molecules provide opportunities for fabrication of aggregates through self-assembly method. The peptide self-assembly is affected by external stimuli similar to secondary structures in proteins. The peptide self-assembly can be programmed by stimuli-responsive molecules and the programmable molecules are used for fabrication of bioinspired functional materials. In addition to natural amino acids, various synthetic amino acids are also used to create a diverse set of self-assembling building blocks. Orthogonal protecting group chemistry and solid-phase peptide synthesis methods provide vast opportunities for synthesis of diverse peptides and enable development of supramolecular functional materials. In this chapter, design principles, applications, and characterizations of the amphiphilic peptides will be discussed.
Wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak have mixed effects on below‐canopy temperatures in a Rocky Mountain subalpine forest

AIM: Fine‐scale topography and canopy cover can play an important role in mediating effects of regional‐scale climate change on the below‐canopy environment in mountain forests. The aim of this study was to determine how below‐canopy temperatures in a high‐elevation Rocky Mountain forest have been affected by canopy change resulting from severe wildfire and spruce beetle outbreak within the last 10–15 years. LOCATION: Eastern San Juan Mountains, Colorado, USA. TAXON: Picea engelmannii, Abies lasiocarpa, Dendroctonus rufipennis. METHODS: We used a network of sensors to record temperatures for a full year in burned and beetle‐impacted areas. Using a Bayesian model that accounted for spatial structure in temperatures, we derived covariate parameters to determine the relative influence of topographic variables (elevation, aspect, slope, topographic position and solar radiation), live tree basal area and burned/unburned status on average daily maximum and minimum temperatures (Tmax, Tmin) in summer and winter. RESULTS: Model parameters indicated that burned areas were warmer than unburned forest, with three of four average temperature variables (summer Tmax, winter Tmax, and winter Tmin) having >95% likelihood of a positive temperature difference in burned versus unburned locations. Mean temperature changes for these variables ranged from 0.41 to 0.74°C. Conversely, canopy loss in unburned, beetle‐killed forests did not meaningfully affect Tmax but resulted in slight cooling of Tmin. Modelled temperature changes resulting from 100% overstorey mortality were −1.29°C for summer Tmin (95% credible interval: −0.027 to −2.56°C) and −1.31°C for winter Tmin (95% credible interval: 0.17 to −2.79°C). MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that severe wildfire may exacerbate effects of climate change and increase the probability of ecosystem transitions. However, the effects of bark beetle outbreaks are more complex. Cooling of overnight minimum temperatures may counteract warming trends, but an increase in diurnal temperature ranges may have uncertain ecological consequences.
Evaluation of Cracking Resistance of Tire Rubber–Modified Asphalt Mixtures

AbstractCracking is an expensive asphalt concrete (AC) pavement distress to repair. Fatigue and reflective cracking are the two primary types of cracking that impact AC pavement service life. Fatig...
Measurement and modeling of bulk viscosity for polystyrene melts

Bulk viscosity describes the irreversible resistance to the rate of volume change. Bulk viscosity, which is more than ten thousand times higher than shear viscosity, has been ignored in the field of polymer processing for the past decades. Bulk viscosity may play an important role for compressible polymer melts undergoing strong compression during processing, especially during the packing and holding stage in injection molding. In this study, bulk viscosity of an amorphous Polystyrene melt is investigated through measurements, modeling, and implementation in an injection molding simulation. The results demonstrated that bulk viscosity can be derived from a cooling rate-controlled PVT (pressure-specific volume–temperature) measurement. A new pressure-specific volume–temperature–cooling rate model was developed to obtain smooth and reliable bulk viscosity results. Furthermore, a Cross-William–Landel–Ferry–Arrhenius model was found capable of describing the dependence of temperature, rate of volume change, and mechanical pressure on bulk viscosity of this polymer melt. The proposed modeling was first verified using the non-equilibrium PVT and then was implemented into an injection molding simulation. Simulation results showed that the effects of bulk viscosity not only prevent the material from changing its size but also reduce mechanical pressure variations during the injection molding packing stage.
An Advance Study on Dairy Buffalo Development through Investment in Genetic Improvement

Dairy products are an important source of animal protein in Asian countries, especially for nutritionally vulnerable groups and vegetarians. As a result, the approach to increasing domestic milk supply is to increase buffalo milk yield through genetic improvement from the sperm of a selected buffalo sire with a high predicted milk difference. As a case study, data was collected from Artificial Insemination Centers in Egypt to use a dynamic mathematical investment model to estimate the rate of return (IRR) on genetic investment. Aside from the economic variables, the reproductive characteristics and feed efficiency are the most important variables in IRR. The anticipated most likely amount of IRR, 19.71%, was feasible. An increase of 10% in the number of conception services, age at First Calving, and service period would reduce the IRR by 7.51 percent. The IRR would drop by 9% if feed efficiency dropped by 10%. IRR would be reduced by 7% if feed costs, semen prices, and milk prices all fell by 10%. To import buffalo sires' semen of high predicted milk difference at moderate prices till establishment, domestic genetic merit is required.
Remote characterization of chloride content in oven-dried concrete specimens by using synthetic aperture radar image models

Abstract Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging is a remote sensing technique capable of performing noncontact subsurface inspection of dielectric materials like Portland cement concrete. Such techniques can be applied to field inspection of concrete structures and laboratory material characterization. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the application of SAR imaging on characterizing chloride content inside oven-dried concrete specimens, using a 10-GHz central frequency SAR imaging sensor. Twelve concrete panel specimens (0.3x0.3x0.05 m3) with a 0.45 water-to-cement ratio were manufactured in six groups of different chloride contents (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% of cement weight). Five SAR image-based parameters were developed from each SAR image of concrete specimens for chloride, including integrated SAR amplitude of back reflection I int b , integrated amplitude I int , average maximum amplitude I - max , critical contour area A c , and average Gaussian curvature of critical contour K avg . A parametric analysis on the combined use of different numbers of SAR image parameters was carried out to determine the optimal application of SAR image parameters on the chloride detection problem in this paper. From our result, it is found that, for the purpose of chloride detection inside concrete specimens using single SAR parameter, integrated amplitude I int shows the best performance. When using two SAR image parameters, combination of integrated amplitude I int and critical contour area A c shows the best performance among other two-parameter combinations. When using three SAR image parameters, combination of integrated amplitude I int , critical contour area A c , and average maximum amplitude I - max shows the best performance among other three-parameter combinations. Furthermore, it is interesting to report that combination of three SAR image parameters ( I int , A c , and I - max ) provides the overall best performance among all other combinations for the chloride detection problem in oven-dried concrete specimens.
Police Reform and Development Within the Context of Peacekeeping Deployments

This chapter examines the reform and development of police agencies in post-conflict countries as a component of peacekeeping missions. This clearly involves multifaceted phenomena. A brief history of the changes in peacekeeping missions will be outlined, with a discussion on the approach to reforming police organizations in post-conflict nations. The weakness in the approach to transnational police reform and capacity development and current provision of assistance to undertake this reform will be thoroughly examined. A detailed analysis of the methods used to reform police organizations in post-conflict nations, specifically the issue of deploying a gendarmerie-type police model to post-conflict nations, will conclude this discussion.
Mechanisms of vesicular stomatitis virus-induced cytopathic effects: II. Inhibition of macromolecular synthesis induced by infectious and defective-interfering particles

Abstract The alteration of cellular macromolecular synthesis in cells infected with either infectious VSV (B particles) or defective-interfering (DI) particles has been investigated in LLC-MK2 and BHK-21 cells. In both cell types, B or DI particles inhibit cellular nucleic acid and protein synthesis. The DI particles used do not possess transcriptase activity. Inhibition of host nucleic acid synthesis occurs sooner in BHK-21 cells infected with either B or DI particles than in LLC-MK2 cells. In contrast, the inhibition of host protein synthesis by either particle occurs earlier in LLC-MK2 cells. Host polypeptide synthesis in LLC-MK2 cells infected with uv-inactivated virus is inhibited with kinetics similar to the kinetics of inhibition seen in DI particle-infected cells. Heat-inactivated virus has no effect on cellular protein synthesis. These results suggest that neither transcriptional nor translational events are required for the inhibition of host macromolecular synthesis, and, as in the case of morphological alterations, an input viral component(s) can bring about these events.
Polypeptide Chain Termination: PURIFICATION OF THE RELEASE FACTORS, R1 AND R2, FROM ESCHERICHIA COLI

We have extensively purified the release factors R1 and R2 from Escherichia coli. These proteins can each mediate polypeptide chain termination. The physiological substrate for this reaction is a completed polypeptide chain in a peptidyl-transfer RNA-messenger RNA-ribosome complex. The reaction consists of recognition of a chain-terminating signal in the mRNA and hydrolysis of the peptidyl-tRNA ester bond, releasing the polypeptide chain. For the purification we were guided by two kinds of assay, the hexapeptide release assay and the formylmethionine release assay, each named according to the molecule released in a model reaction analogous to physiological chain termination. The two factors have different codon specificities, R1 acting in response to UAG or UAA, and R2 in response to UGA or UAA. Both factors were purified from a 1-kg batch of frozen E. coli MRE600 by a scheme which carried the material through four steps before reaching a branch point at the fifth step, when R1- and R2-rich fractions were produced. The two fractions were then treated similarly but separately through three more steps. The products were studied by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using both routine and sodium dodecyl sulfate techniques. For the 6.4 mg of purified R1, we estimate 85% purity after 2,000-fold purification. For the 9.4 mg of purified R2, we estimate 99% purity after 1,500-fold purification. Our results indicate that each release factor consists of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 44,000 for R1 and 47,000 for R2. We calculate that there are about 500 molecules of R1 and 700 molecules of R2 per E. coli cell.
Closed Neighborhoods in Open Cities: The Politics of Socio-Spatial Change in Urban China

China’s market reforms, beginning in the 1980s, have brought “boom times” to some areas of the country and “hard times” to others. While areas in the coastal southeast experienced unprecedented opportunity and growth, those urban economies and societies firmly rooted in the socialist command system found themselves a step behind the rest of China and faced with choices of how to adapt to a new market economy. The various trajectories of cities in China’s northeast, the traditional rust belt, provide an excellent laboratory in which to explore the dynamics of local state intervention during periods of rapid economic change. This paper draws on the experiences of two of those cities, Harbin and Dalian, focusing on how municipal government interventions, particularly interventions in urban physical infrastructure and spatial organization, in the late 1980s and the 1990s determined which groups would benefit and which groups would suffer under the new market economy. The cities of Dalian and Harbin both began the reform period with similar socio-economic conditions: state-owned enterprise domination of the local economy, a large working class engaged in heavy industry, and the socialist work unit (danwei) as the spatial and social building block of urban society. Yet, while Dalian sought and achieved preferential “open city” status in 1984, Harbin’s more conservative elites instead attempted to revive the socialist economy and rescue large state-owned enterprises. The spatial and political orders that now characterize these cities bear the imprints of these choices; Harbin remains a city of socially organized, working class neighborhoods, while Dalian’s periphery receives a great deal of foreign direct investment and new migration at the expense of city center neighborhoods. My research examines the political process of spatial change and stagnation, examining how urban officials sought to carve out space for anchoring new economic activities and transform spaces dominated by the privileged groups of the ancien regime with varying degrees of success. Whereas a great deal of scholarly literature has focused on the dynamics of market reform and urbanization in China, scholars have yet to take up variation in urban experiences in a sophisticated comparative framework. This research draws on fourteen months of archival research and fieldwork as well as suburban level GIS spatial modeling to situate China’s urban political economy within a comparative theoretical context. Specifically, I engage the work of political and social geographers who concentrate on the relationship between class struggle and change in the built environment. Drawing on David Harvey’s (1976) and Logan and Molotch’s (1977) concepts of exchange versus use value of urban space developed to explain urban change in the developed world, I argue that the processes of urban expansion and renewal, heretofore treated as entirely separate processes in China, work in tandem to create and destroy class-based spatial constituencies.
Tryptophan Synthetase β2 Subunit PRIMARY STRUCTURE OF THE PYRIDOXYL PEPTIDE FROM THE PSEUDOMONAS PUTIDA ENZYME

Abstract Two labeled peptides were found in tryptic digests of NaB3H4-reduced, performic acid-oxidized Pseudomonas putida β2 subunit. These two pyridoxyl peptides were identical except for the presence or absence of an NH2-terminal arginyl residue. The tryptic peptides which comprise the two halves of the pyridoxal phosphate-binding segment were isolated from digests of nonreduced, performic acid-oxidized protein. The primary structure deduced for this region of the protein is: [see PDF for sequence].
Ozone–Bromide Interactions

As utilities consider changing their primary disinfection practices from free chlorine to ozone to provide pathogen control while minimizing chlorinated disinfection by-product (DBP) formation, the potential for producing ozonation DBPs like bromate ion must be addressed. This article focuses on the interactions, not only of molecular ozone and bromide ion, but also of radical species with bromide ion. The data evaluations include discussions of reaction products, potential for bromate ion formation, reaction kinetics, and the effect of various water quality parameters and treatment conditions on bromate ion formation. Based on evaluation of existing data, areas requiring new or intensified research efforts are identified. An additional aspect of this article is a presentation of most available data on the minimization of bromate ion formation during ozonation. A summary of bromate ion removal processes after ozonation has been incorporated. Keywords: methyl bromide; ethylene dibromide; fumigate; electrolytic chlorine; ion chromatography; ozonation; disinfection; ammonia; hydrogen peroxide
Environmental and safety assessment of the inertially confined direct drive laser fusion power reactor SIRIUS-P

Environmental and safety analyses have been performed for SIRIUS-P, and its target factory and fuel reprocessing facilities. Both the C/C composite chamber and steel-reinforced concrete shield would easily qualify as Class A low level waste (LLW). Due to the high /sup 14/C activity, the Li/sub 2/O solid breeder and TiO/sub 2/ coolant would only qualify for Class C LLW. The radiological dose to the population in the vicinity of the reactor site due to the routine release of tritium is 0.56 mrem/yr. During a loss of coolant accident (LOCA) or loss of flow accident (LOFA), the whole body (WB) early dose at the site boundary (1 km) only amounts to 1.55 and 58.2 mrem for the chamber and shield, respectively. The WB early dose at the site boundary due to the Li/sub 2/O and TiO/sub 2/ are 93.5 /spl mu/rem and 93 mrem, respectively. A 100% release of the 156.3 g of tritium contained inside the reactor containment at any moment would produce a WB early dose on the order of 1.4 rem. Even though the target factory processes a total of 580,000 targets/day, the total tritium inventory along the production line is limited to only 285 g. The maximum WB early dose projected as a result of a severe accident involving the target factory of SIRIUS-P would be limited to 2.57 rem. In addition, a 100% release of the tritium contained in the fuel reprocessing facility would only result in a WB early dose of 640 mrem. The use of N-stamp nuclear grade components in SIRIUS-P can be avoided due to the low off-site doses.
A dual frequency retrodirective array with reduced surface waves

A one-dimensional, dual frequency, active retrodirective array is proposed. Microstrip circular patch antennas with four shorting pins are used as array elements to suppress surface waves. The proposed design eliminates undesired coupling between array elements due to surface waves present in conventional microstrip antenna arrays in order to improve array performance. The antenna array uses circularly polarized microstrip elements with higher gain than conventional microstrip antennas. The proposed retrodirective array operates at 2.4GHz for the interrogating signal and 5.8GHz for the retransmitted signal, using up-converting mixers. The Design procedure, simulation results and experimental measurements are presented.
Sting Operations, Undercover Agents and Entrapment

This paper undertakes an economic analysis of "sting" operations, in which the authorities induce, or tempt, an individual to commit a crime or comparable rule violation. The paper considers the rationales for this law enforcement technique, including its potential advantages over alternative techniques such as ex post apprehension of offenders. Two functions of sting operations are emphasized and analyzed: (1) the informational function of identifying likely offenders; and (2) the behavioral function of deterring offenses. The paper examines the tensions between these functions, and offers a model of desirable sting operation policy.
Differential effect of aluminum on the blood-brain barrier transport of peptides, technetium and albumin.

Aluminum is a neurotoxin capable of altering membrane structure and function. We investigated whether aluminum also can affect saturable transport across membranes using the blood-brain barrier as our model. Mice were given i.p. or i.v. aluminum (up to 100 mg/kg) as the chloride salt and the disappearance from the brain of several centrally administered substances was measured. We found that aluminum rapidly and profoundly inhibited the saturable system that transports the small, N-tyrosinated peptides Tyr-MIF-1 and the enkephalins from the brain to the blood by acting as a noncompetitive inhibitor. In contrast, the disappearance from the brain of technetium pertechnetate (a substance also transported out of the brain by a different saturable system), albumin or D-Tyr-MIF-1 (a stereoisomer of Tyr-MIF-1 that was confirmed not to be transported by the carrier system) was not affected by aluminum. Aluminum also did not alter either the saturable or nonsaturable component of the uptake of Tyr-MIF-1 by erythrocytes. These findings suggest that one mechanism by which aluminum may induce neurotoxicity is by selective alteration of the transport systems of the blood-brain barrier.
Physical experiments of transpressional folding

Abstract In order to understand the process of folding in obliquely convergent settings, we formed folds within a shear box capable of creating homogeneous transpressional deformations. Folds were created in a single layer of stiff mixed plasticine and silicone that overlay a Newtonian silicone, for a variety of plate convergence angles. As small amplitude folds became visible, they were parallel to the long axis of the horizontal finite strain ellipse. With increasing deformation, the fold hinges rotated parallel with the long axis of the horizontal finite strain ellipse for all angles of convergence. This parallelism indicates that fold hinges, once formed, rotate with the horizontal strain ellipse rather than as material lines. The experiments highlight several interesting effects of transpression dynamics. The fold hinges initiate parallel to either ṡ 1 or ṡ 2 and are parallel to either S 1 or S 2 with increasing deformation. Neither infinitesimal strain (stress) nor finite strain is resolvable solely from fold geometry. Further, the net amount of contraction determined by folding across the zone was overestimated in all cases except pure contraction. This effect is obvious for the case of wrenching, where folding implies that the zone contracts if elongation parallel to the fold hinge is not considered. Therefore, attempts to balance cross-sections in transpressional zones will tend to overestimate contraction unless the wrench component of deformation is addressed. This result is validated by applying the modeling results in folding in central California adjacent to the San Andreas fault, where cross-section balancing indicates higher amounts of contraction than predicted by plate motion.
Characterization of a bone-specific alkaline phosphatase in chick limb mesenchymal cell cultures

Abstract Previous morphometric and biochemical studies suggested that osteoblasts develop in cultures derived from phenotypically unexpressive stage 24 chick limb mesenchymal cells. Others have shown that osteoblast expression is marked by an increase in bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity. Our results indicate that chick limb mesenchymal cells develop alkaline phosphatase activity that is identical to that of the chick embryonic bone-specific isoenzyme. The alkaline phosphatase isozymes were partially purified from samples of chick intestine, liver, stage 38 embryonic limbs, and cultures of stage 24 limb mesenchymal cells. These tissues were separately extracted with butanol, acetone precipitated, redissolved, and passed over a DEAE-Sephacel ion-exchange column and ion-filtration column (Sephadex A-25). From the data obtained during this purification scheme, we conclude that the alkaline phosphatase from stage 38 limbs (bones) and Day 4 cultures are identical, and this activity is different from the enzyme purified from intestine and liver. The cell culture isozyme has an apparent Km, heat lability, response to specific inhibitors, electrophoretic mobility, and molecular weight similar to those of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase. These observations support the view that osteoblastic progenitor cells are present in the stage 24 limb mesenchyme and that under specific culture conditions, bone development can be uniquely observed in vitro.
ORGANIZATIONAL DECISION‐MAKING AS HIERARCHICAL LEVELS OF DRAMA*

In conducting a longitudinal examination of eight long-term complex decision processes in two Fortune 500 heavy manufacturing companies the authors developed a six-level framework of decision complexity. The levels range from: (1) instantaneous decision choices to (2) decision actions (3) decision events (4) mini-decision processes (5) decision processes and (6) decision theatres. They vary in time, numbers of participants, and in the integrative effort required to formulate and implement them. Thus, one problem with the word ‘decision’is that it is used to mean many different things in organizational settings. Each lower level of ‘decision’was found to combine with ‘decisions’of the same level and to be embedded within higher levels, resulting in a nested hierarchy of simultaneously occurring processes.
Novel inter-core-cladding lithium niobate thin-film-coated fiber modulator/sensor

An fiber modulator/sensor has been fabricated by depositing a lithium niobate sol-gel thin film between the core and cladding of a fiber preform. The preform is then drawn into 125 um fiber. The proposed design of lithium niobate cylinder fibers can enhance the existing methdology for detecting sound waves under water utilizing the acoustooptic properties of lithium niobate. Upon application of a stress or strain, light propagating inside the core, acording to the principle of total internal reflection, escapes into the cladding because of the photoelastic boundary layer of lithium niobate. Test results of the lithium niobate fiber reveal a reduction in the 1550 nm, 4 mW source with applied tension. The source power from an ordinary quartz fiber under the same stress condition remained invariant to applied tension.
Solar-Powered Microwave Transmission for Remote Sensing and Communications

A solar-powered microwave transmission system is proposed for remote sensing and communications purposes. We present in this paper a proof of concept to operate solar-powered microwave transmission and an investigation of microwave interactions with atmospheric plasmas. In this conceptualized system, a solar thermophotovoltaic system is considered to produce direct current electricity, which is then used to power solid-state microwave transmitters. The results from these simulations provide insights on how to produce an economically and environmentally conscientious energy source, which can be used for remote-sensing and communication applications. However, it is expected that microwaves may interact with ionospheric plasmas, primarily in the E-region to induce large-scale fluctuations in plasma density and geomagnetic fields with threshold wave electric-field intensities of ~ 1 V/m. After we determine the instability thresholds, we can use them to set up the safe operation range of solar-powered microwave transmission.
Influence of genotype and diet on steer performance, manure odor, and carriage of pathogenic and other fecal bacteria. II. Pathogenic and other fecal bacteria.

This study assessed the influence of cattle genotype and diet on the carriage and shedding of zoonotic bacterial pathogens and levels of generic Escherichia coli in feces and ruminal contents of beef cattle during the growing and finishing periods. Fifty-one steers of varying proportions of Brahman and MARC III [0 (15), [fraction one-quarter] (20), [fraction one-half] (7), and [fraction three-quarters] Brahman (9)] genotypes were divided among 8 pens, such that each breed type was represented in each pen. Four pens each were assigned to 1 of 2 diets [100% chopped bromegrass hay or a diet composed primarily of corn silage (87%)] that were individually fed for a 119-d growing period, at which time the steers were switched to the same high-concentrate, corn-based finishing diet and fed to a target weight of 560 kg. Feces or ruminal fluid were collected and analyzed at alternating intervals of 14 d or less. Generic E. coli concentrations in feces or ruminal fluid did not differ (P > 0.10) by genotype or by growing diet in the growing or finishing periods. However, the concentrations in both feces and ruminal fluid increased in all cattle when switched to the same high-corn diet in the finishing period. There was no effect (P > 0.25) of diet or genotype during either period on E. coli O157 shedding in feces. Forty-one percent of the steers were positive for Campylobacter spp. at least once during the study, and repeated isolations of Campylobacter spp. from the same steer were common. These repeated isolations from the same animals may be responsible for the apparent diet (P = 0.05) and genotype effects (P = 0.02) on Campylobacter in feces in the finishing period. Cells bearing stx genes were detected frequently in both feces (22.5%) and ruminal fluid (19.6%). The number of stx-positive fecal samples was greater (P < 0.05) for [fraction one-half] Brahman steers (42.9%) than for [fraction one-quarter] Brahman (25.0%) or [fraction three-quarters] Brahman steers (22.2%), but were not different compared with MARC III steers (38.3%). The greater feed consumption of [fraction one-half] Brahman and MARC III steers may have resulted in greater starch passage into the colon, accompanied by an increase in fecal bacterial populations, which may have further improved the ability to detect stx genes in these cattle. There was no correlation between either ADG or daily DMI and the number of positive samples of E. coli O157, Campylobacter spp., or stx genes, which agrees with our current understanding that these microorganisms occur commonly in, and with no measurable detriment to, healthy cattle.
Ionic and osmotic environment of developing elasmobranch embryos

The elasmobranchs display a variety of ionic and osmotic environments for developing embryos. Oviparous species protect their eggs with a tough, fibrous capsule which is highly permeable to ions and urea even at oviposition. Thus the embryonic tissues are bathed by a solution ionically similar to sea water. In the more advanced reproductive style of Squalus acanthias (a lecithotrophic live bearer) early embryos in egg capsules are retained in utero and bathed in a solution osmotically similar to maternal plasma. Several months into the 22 month gestation period the embryos can iono- and osmoregulate in a uterine solution resembling sea water. Embryos of more advanced viviparous species develop in a solution that is ionically and osmotically similar to maternal plasma. Iono- and osmoregulation by these embryos would appear to be unnecessary. Clearly, in the oviparous elasmobranchs, the ability of the embryo to regulate salts and urea is present at the earliest stage of development. The need for elasmobranch embryos to regulate osmolytes was reduced or delayed as viviparity evolved.
Wrapper-based computation and evaluation of sampling methods for imbalanced datasets

Learning from imbalanced datasets presents an interesting problem both from modeling and economy standpoints. When the imbalance is large, classification accuracy on the smaller class(es) tends to be lower. In particular, when a class is of great interest but occurs relatively rarely such as cases of fraud, instances of disease, and regions of interest in largescale simulations, it is important to accurately identify it. It then becomes more costly to misclassify the interesting class. In this paper, we implement a wrapper approach that computes the amount of under-sampling and synthetic generation of the minority class examples (SMOTE) to improve minority class accuracy. The f-value serves as the evaluation function. Experimental results show the wrapper approach is effective in optimization of the composite f-value, and reduces the average cost per test example for the datasets considered. We report both average cost per test example and the cost curves in the paper. The true positive rate of the minority class increases significantly without causing a significant change in the f-value. We also obtain the lowest cost per test example, compared to any result we are aware of for the KDD Cup-99 intrusion detection data set.
Conflict induced fixation of stereotyped lever pressing responses

A conflictful situation was produced by a schedule in which a discriminated response which had previously been associated with the reward was not consistently rewarded or punished and pressure was applied to force a response. About 15 sessions of the insoluble problem after the acquisition of a soluble problem produced behavioral fixation.
Impact of economic structure change on energy intensity in Yunnan Province

Based on analysis the basic trend of Yunnan's energy economy, through the energy intensity structure decomposition analytic method, this paper analyses and researches the effect of economic structural change on energy intensity in Yunnan Province. The research shows that structural changes played a certain promotion effect on the energy intensity change in the industrial level; the power of energy intensity decline in Yunnan Province, mainly from the increased efficiency of energy use; after some further analysis we found the reason of rapid decline of energy intensity in Yunnan Province is basically due to the increased efficiency of energy use in the secondary industry, which offset the fluctuations of other industry in energy intensity as well as energy intensity increased by industrial structural changes. After the analysis we draw the following conclusion: there already have certain progresses of reduce the energy intensity through adjust the economic structure of Yunnan, but there still have potential; the economic structure promoted still should take the industrialization as the main direction, and developed the tertiary industry vigorously. In order to reduce energy intensity, promoting the energy efficiency through system innovation and technology introduction is still needed. For the above situations, this paper puts forward some corresponding proposals.
Gram-Negative Resistance in the Intensive Care Unit:

Gram-negative resistance is an increasingly important consideration when initiating empiric antimicrobial therapy in intensive care units. Infection with a resistant organism has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality as well as increased hospital cost. Gram-negative resistance in intensive care units will likely continue to increase. Clinicians must aggressively manage infections in the intensive care unit while practicing the appropriate steps to minimize future resistance. This review article summarizes the epidemiology, risk factors, mechanisms of resistance, and management of infections due to resistant gram-negative organisms.
Compartmental control of mineral formation: adaptation of a biomineralization strategy for biomedical use

Abstract A common biomineralization strategy is the use of lipid vesicle compartments to sequester ions, control ion transport, and to control the shape and size of inorganic mineral particles deposited within developing tissues. In this paper, we describe an adaptation of this bioinspired strategy for inducing rapid formation of calcium phosphates for potential medical and dental use. Calcium and inorganic phosphate salts were separately loaded into temperature-sensitive liposomes composed of 90% 1,2-bis(palmitoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 10% 1,2-bis(myristoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. Leakage of calcium and inorganic phosphate from liposomes stored at room temperature was negligible over a period of several weeks. Calcium-loaded liposomes released entrapped calcium when heated to 36–37°C, while phosphate-loaded liposomes released entrapped inorganic phosphate (Pi) at slightly lower temperatures (33–34°C). Release of entrapped ions at this temperature was due to increased permeability of phospholipid bilayers at the lipid chain melting temperature. Aqueous suspensions containing mixtures of calcium and Pi-loaded liposomes formed calcium phosphate mineral when heated to 37°C, as indicated by a rapid drop in suspension pH from 7 to approximately 5. This result was consistent with diffusion of both calcium and phosphate ions out of the liposomes and their reaction to form calcium phosphate mineral. Such a strategy could be used in medical and dental procedures to induce rapid inorganic mineral formation from an injectable liposome-containing fluid. This was illustrated by applying a liposome suspension to warm human dentin and enamel surfaces, which resulted in deposition of calcium phosphate minerals onto the tissue substrates.
Rotation to simple processes: the effect of alternative rotation rules on observed patterns in time-ordered measurements

Two types of rotation are well known in psychometrics. The first of these is rotation to simple structure, widely known particularly in factor analysis and multidimensional scaling. Rotation to simple structure applies to the case where only a single scaling solution is available, and one wishes to array the configuration in a particular way relative to its axes; usually in such a way that each point projects as much of its variance as possible on a single axis and as little as possible on each of the other axes. The second type of rotation applies when two scaling solutions are available and one wishes to compare them to each other. In this case, one rotates one or both of the solutions until they fit as well as possible to each other by some criterion. Sometimes rescaling, stretching and shrinking may be involved. This type of rotation is usually referred to as “Procrustes” rotation. Neither of these rotation schemes is appropriate, howerver, when time series measurements are available. In the time-series situation, one is not particularly interested in the structure of the solution at any time, nor even in the comparison of any two structures adjacent in time. Rather one is interested in the underlying processes which may be found in the time series. The kinds of processes which emerge from a time series of multidimensional measurements, however, are heavily dependent on the rotation rules by which one relates each of the structures in the time series of structures to each of the others. In the present article, we discuss a weighted least squares rule, and illustrate the situations under which it is appropriate for discovering processes underlying time series measurements for Galileo-type scaling data. An example dealing with social perceptions of time is presented.
Workshop on the U.S. Antarctic Meteorological Data Delivery System

The Polar Coordination and Information Section, Division of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation (DPP/NSF) sponsored a meeting of 28 representatives from organizations that collect, process, transmit, archive, or use meteorological data collected at U.S. Antarctic stations. This workshop, convened by the World Data Center (WDC) A for Glaciology/ National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado at Boulder on September 10–11, 1987, considered the present flow of data from Antarctic stations to the end users. A set of recommendations was drafted and delivered to DPP/ NSF to address problem areas in collecting, archiving, and accessing the data. Charles Steams, University of Wisconsin, Madison, chaired the session, which was organized by Roger Barry, Director of WDC/NSIDC, and Claire Hanson, User Services, WDC/NSIDC.
The role of peritoneal drainage for intestinal perforation in infants with and without necrotizing enterocolitis.

Abstract Background/Purpose : This report reviews our experience using peritoneal drainage (PD) as initial therapy for intestinal perforation in premature infants with and without necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Methods : A chart review was conducted of 18 consecutive premature infants who underwent PD for intestinal perforation from 1995 to 1998. Infants were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of eight infants who had intestinal perforation without evidence of NEC. Group 2 consisted of 10 infants who had perforation associated with evidence of NEC. A cohort of 10 infants with intestinal perforation treated with primary laparotomy between 1990 and 1995 was identified by chart review for historical control. Results : All infants improved immediately after PD. In group 1, all survived. Seven (88%) recovered systemically after PD. Of these, five (63%) never required laparotomy. Two (25%) required delayed laparotomy. One infant (12%) failed to continue to improved 48 hours after PD and underwent urgent laparotomy and recovered. In group 2, eight (80%) infants survived. Six (60%) recovered from NEC after PD, but five required delayed laparotomy for obstruction or persistent drainage. Four infants (40%) failed to progress from their initial improvement after PD. Three underwent laparotomy; two recovered and one had total intestinal necrosis and died. The fourth infant died without exploration and total intestinal necrosis was discovered during autopsy. Thus, seven of eight survivors (88%) in group 2 required laparotomy at some point in their course. Conclusions : In premature infants with intestinal perforation, PD allows acute improvement and usually systemic recovery. In infants without evidence of NEC, PD may afford definitive treatment. In contrast, infants with evidence of NEC will likely require laparotomy, but initial PD may allow systemic stabilization and recovery of much of the involved intestine before laparotomy.
Evapotranspiration losses for pepper under plastic mulch and shallow water table conditions

Use of literature crop coefficient (Kc) values for quantifying evapotranspiration (ETc) under non-standard conditions such as plastic mulch, shallow water table, and sub-tropical conditions can lead to inaccurate ETc estimates. A 5-year experiment was conducted for fall crop growing seasons in south Florida to quantity bi-weekly ETc and Kc for bell pepper grown under shallow water table and plastic mulch environments using large drainage lysimeters. The ETc values varied from 205 to 320 mm with a seasonal average of 267 mm. Average Kc values for bell pepper for development, mid-season, and late stages were 1.05, 1.21, and 1.28, respectively. Higher than literature initial Kc values were due to rainfall and use of sub-irrigation system to maintain artificially high water table which results in high soil moisture in the bare soil area—such high moisture results in high evaporation. The Kc values from this study were statistically higher than literature values. Use of literature Kc values resulted in underestimating ETc by 27–37%. The Kc values would provide improved estimates of sub-irrigated pepper ETc in subtropical Florida and elsewhere with similar environment.
The ethics of marketing cancer

Abstract Cancer care is big business and there are significant opportunities for unethical marketing practices by various segments of the industry. Because the target population is especially vulnerable, it is essential that strict ethical guidelines are adopted and that appropriate oversight be put in place to ensure compliance. The primary stakeholders for marketing are pharmaceutical companies and large medical centers striving for increased market share. The target populations for marketing of cancer include practitioners as well as consumers. The latter group is especially vulnerable because of fears and anxiety related to their diagnosis. Recommendations for cancer marketing include: (1) ensuring fair and balanced promotion of cancer services, (2) avoiding exaggeration of claims in the context of reputational marketing, (3) providing data and statistics to back up direct and implied assertions whenever possible and (4) defining eligible patient groups in the context of marketing for research.
Some suggestions for measuring predictive performance

The performance of a prediction or measurement method is often evaluated by computing the correlation coefficient and/or the regression of predictions on true (reference) values. These provide, however, only a poor description of predictive performance. The mean squared prediction error (precision) and the mean prediction error (bias) provide better descriptions of predictive performance. These quantities are easily computed, and can be used to compare prediction methods to absolute standards or to one another. The measures, however, are unreliable when the reference method is imprecise. The use of these measures is discussed and illustrated.