cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patients with Disorders of Consciousness in the Real World.

In their Target Article, Peterson et al. (2021) ask whether providing new and developing health care resources, including advanced neuroimaging technologies, to patients with disorders of conscious...
Combinatorial Aspects of An Odd Linkage Property for General Linear Supergroups

Let G = GL(m|n) be a general linear supergroup, and Gev be its even subsupergroup isomorphic to GL(m) ×GL(n). In this paper, we use the explicit description of Gev-primitive vectors in the costandard supermodule ∇(λ), the largest polynomial G-subsupermodule of the induced supermodule ${H^{0}_{G}}(\lambda )$ , for (m|n)-hook partition λ, and properties of certain morphisms ψk to derive results related to odd linkage for G over a field F of characteristic different from 2.
Intensive Care Unit Volunteer “Transition Guides:” A prospective study on improving the patient transfer experience

ABSTRACT Purpose This study was conducted to measure the impact of a volunteer “Transition Guide” on patient experience and psychological stress during the transition from ICUs to general medical and surgical wards. Methods Between July 2017 and February 2020, medical and surgical patients from nine ICUs at a single tertiary care hospital were accompanied by a uniquely trained volunteer Transition Guide to aid them at the time of transfer to general medical/surgical wards, when available. If a Transition Guide was not available, they were transferred without one. The following day, patients were surveyed with a tool assessing overall satisfaction, multiple aspects in the domain of communication, and psychological stress associated with the transition process. When available, family members and ward nurses who admitted patients from the ICU were surveyed. Results Target enrollment was 300 patients in each group. Due to COVID-19 and institutional restrictions on volunteers, only 264 underwent transfer with a Guide, while 305 transferred without. Of all patients approached, 96% without a Guide and 95% with a Guide completed the survey. Patients who were accompanied by a Transition Guide reported a better overall transition, better communication, greater understanding, better resolution of concerns, and less stress than those who did not have a Transition Guide (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion Among a cohort of formerly critically ill patients subsequently transferred to general medical and surgical wards, the presence of a volunteer Transition Guide significantly improved patient experience, enhanced patient communication and understanding, and reduced stress associated with the transfer process. Hospitals may consider this expanded and specialized role for volunteerism in the health care setting to improve patient-centered outcomes.
TU-CD-207-02: Quantification of Breast Lesion Compositions Using Low-Dose Spectral Mammography: A Feasibility Study

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of measuring breast lesion composition with spectral mammography using physical phantoms and bovine tissue. Methods: Phantom images were acquired with a spectral mammography system with a silicon-strip based photon-counting detector. Plastic water and adipose-equivalent phantoms were used to calibrate the system for dual-energy material decomposition. The calibration phantom was constructed in range of 2–8 cm thickness and water densities in the range of 0% to 100%. A non-linear rational fitting function was used to calibrate the imaging system. The phantom studies were performed with uniform background phantom and non-uniform background phantom. The breast lesion phantoms (2 cm in diameter and 0.5 cm in thickness) were made with water densities ranging from 0 to 100%. The lesion phantoms were placed in different positions and depths on the phantoms to investigate the accuracy of the measurement under various conditions. The plastic water content of the lesion was measured by subtracting the total decomposed plastic water signal from a surrounding 2.5 mm thick border outside the lesion. In addition, bovine tissue samples composed of 80 % lean were imaged as background for the simulated lesion phantoms. Results: The thickness of measured and known water contents was compared. The rootmean-square (RMS) errors in water thickness measurements were 0.01 cm for the uniform background phantom, 0.04 cm for non-uniform background phantom, and 0.03 cm for 80% lean bovine tissue background. Conclusion: The results indicate that the proposed technique using spectral mammography can be used to accurately characterize breast lesion compositions.
Ultra-Low Power Integrated Wireless Nodes for Sensor and Actuator Networks

In earlier chapters, it was described how the capability to build and deploy dense wireless networks of heterogeneous nodes collecting and disseminating wide ranges of environmental data enables a multiplicity of exciting scenarios. To mention just a few: smart homes with optimized environmental control and energy management, coordinated media delivery, integrated security, identification and personalization, robot control and guidance in automatic manufacturing environments, warehouse inventory, integrated patient monitoring, diagnostics and drug administration in hospitals, and interactive toys and museums. The mind-boggling opportunities emerging from these technologies indeed give rise to new definitions to the terms “ubiquitous computing” and “user interface”. Regardless of the specific application, however, they all rely on a network of ubiquitously-distributed sensor, compute and actuation nodes, which are integrated and embedded into the fabrics of our daily living environment. This explains why the name “ambient intelligence” is often attributed to such environments. Widespread deployment of these ubiquitous networks requires that some economic and physical realities are met. More precisely, the physical implementation of an individual network node is constrained by three important metrics: cost, size and power. A true ubiquitous deployment is only economically feasible if the cost of the individual elements is ignorable, or, in other words, the electronics have become disposable. Depending upon the intended market and the number of nodes required for a single deployment, this translates to price points per node ranging from $10 to substantially below $1. Achieving a node cost this low requires a minimal number of components, a high level of integration, simple and cheap packaging and assembly, and avoidance of any expensive components and/or technologies. In addition, the cost for the deployment and the maintenance of the network should be ignorable.
THE DYNAMIC FORMATION OF WILLINGNESS TO PAY: AN EMPIRICAL SPECIFICATION AND TEST

In a static setting, willingness to pay for an environmental improvement is equal to the compensating variation. However, in a dynamic setting willingness to pay may also contain a commitment cost. In this paper we incorporate the dynamic nature of the value formation process into a stated preference study designed to test whether there is an important dynamic component (commitment cost) in stated preference values. The results clearly indicate that stated preference values can contain commitment costs and that these can be quite large: respondents offered the opportunity to delay their purchasing decisions until more information became available were willing to pay significantly less for improved water quality than those facing a now-or-never decision. These results have important consequences for the design and interpretation of stated preference data.
Decentralized reconfigurable control for large-scale systems with application to a segmented telescope test-bed

Designing a decentralized reconfigurable control (DRC) system is considered for large-scale systems. The objective of the DRC system is to achieve performance requirements under normal and sensor failure situations. The objective is accomplished by integrating three schemes of: Nominal controller, fault detection and isolation, and reconfigurable controllers. These schemes have a decentralized structure for the reason that the implementation of a centralized reconfigurable control system for large-scale systems is usually not feasible with existing digital signal processors. However, with a decentralized approach the total task of the reconfigurable control system is divided into a number of relatively small tasks, which can be implemented by a number of processors working in parallel. The proposed design is demonstrated in reality on a segmented telescope test-bed.
The (surprising) computational power of the SDN data plane

A software defined network (SDN) separates the centralized control plane from the distributed data plane. This approach simplifies control logic at the cost of a heavy burden on the software-based controller and potential long reaction time to data plane events. One solution to this problem is to distribute control logic to multiple controllers spread across the network. Such a solution, however, requires additional mechanisms to enforce correctness properties (e.g., consistency) among the controllers and it still does not fully eliminate latency, as controller decisions happen in software. In this paper, we explore a novel approach to this problem: configuring the rules used by the data plane switches to allow these switches to effectively handle latency-sensitive network management tasks without the direct intervention of the control plane. We are not suggesting to add distributed control logic capability to the switches, we are instead exploring the feasibility of encoding such logic using the standard forwarding rules already available to these devices. To this end, we formally model a network of SDN switches, and then prove using tools from computability theory that such systems are capable of simulating polynomial space Turing Machines, indicating a surprising amount of computational power.
Housing Market Characteristics and Estimation of Housing Wealth in Turkey

Home ownership is one of the most preferred forms of wealth accumulation for households in Turkey. Given the important functions performed by the housing asset, this paper provides a comprehensive look at the housing market characteristics during 1987-2006 period in Turkey. On the basis of these characteristics, the paper develops an estimation of quarterly housing wealth series using primary sources on housing stock, residential construction and average floor area prices obtained from building census, construction and occupancy permit statistics. Unlike the previous literature using the total number of households in the population, the housing wealth is estimated using urban dwellings with occupancy permits in order to capture the collateral channel, through which home owners can borrow from the financial institutions using their legally documented homes as collateral. Since there is a substantial undocumented and unauthorized dwelling stock in Turkey, using this methodology to measure the housing wealth will avoid the potential problems associated with identifying the extent of illegal housing. The movements of the estimated housing wealth series are consistent with the developments in the construction sector, and therefore it can be successfully used in econometric models analyzing the relationship between the housing wealth and consumption behaviour of households in Turkey.
Alpha adrenergic involvement in heart metabolism: effects on adenosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate, adenosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase, guanosine cyclic 3',5'-monophosphate, and glucose transport.

In the perfused rat heart the alpha adrenergic agonist phenylephrine, at concentrations of 0.1-50 µM, increased the adenosine cyclic 39,59-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase activity ratio in a dose-dependent manner. In all cases there was a corresponding increase in glycogen phosphorylase activity. When phenylephrine concentrations greater than 1 µM were used, there was a significant increase in cAMP associated with the rise in protein kinase activity; however, the modest increase in kinase activity produced by concentrations less than 1 µM was not accompanied by any detectable increase in cAMP. The beta adrenergic blocking agent propranolol did not inhibit activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase in hearts treated with low concentrations (1 µM or less) of phenylephrine, but did reduce the greater activation seen in hearts treated with higher concentrations (5 µM or more) of the drug. Phentolamine (1 µM), an alpha adrenergic blocking agent, was found to potentiate the effect of phenylephrine concentrations greater than 5 µM. When animals were treated with reserpine 18 hr prior to death, activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by phenylephrine was still evident. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine potentiated the effect of phenylephrine on all parameters measured. Calcium was necessary for the activation of protein kinase by low (1 µM or less) but not high (5 µM or greater) concentrations of the drug. Although 1 µM phenylephrine produced a slight activation of heart protein kinase when used alone, it reduced the ability of beta adrenergic agonists (e.g., isoproterenol) to activate the enzyme. Epinephrine, which has both alpha and beta adrenergic components, was a more effective activator of heart cAMP-dependent protein kinase when its alpha component was blocked with phentolamine than when epinephrine was used alone. These observations indicate that kinase activation is principally through a beta adrenergic mechanism. Epinephrine also increased glucose transport by a process which was blocked by phentolamine but not propranolol. Phenylephrine, in the presence of 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, significantly increased guanosine cyclic 39,59-monophosphate levels. This increase was blocked by the alpha antagonist phentolamine but not by the beta antagonist propranolol.
Military Commissions and National Security Courts After Guantánamo

In the aftermath of 9/11, definitional uncertainty as to the status and rights of detainees has contributed to unending violations of civil and political rights for thousands of individuals held world-wide either directly by, or on behalf of, the United States. While various terms have been used to label detainees including enemy combatant, illegal belligerent, and enemy belligerent, all fail to define the rights such individuals should be granted. Admittedly, this process has been made more difficult by a continued inability - perhaps unwillingness - to define the conflict in a consistent manner. Is this a war? Is this a "war on terror"? Is this police action? Considering this definitional uncertainty, the critical question becomes where to appropriately try these detainees - how to try these individuals while protecting classified intelligence and also maintaining individual rights. In this essay, I propose that detainees are neither prisoners of war nor criminals in the traditional sense; rather they are a "hybrid" of both. To that end, I recommend that the appropriate term for post 9/11 detainees is "individuals suspected of involvement in terrorism." This definition adopts aspects from both the prisoner of war and criminal law paradigms, thereby creating what I have called a "hybrid paradigm." The hybrid paradigm seeks to balance - or maximize - the legitimate rights of the individual with the equally legitimate national security rights of the state. Furthermore, it seeks to move beyond the amorphousness that has defined much of the debate over the last seven years. To try these individuals, I suggest a hybrid "domestic terror court" that would allow for an in camera review of confidential intelligence information presented by the prosecutor and a representative of the intelligence services. A properly constituted domestic terror court - comprised of judges schooled in understanding intelligence reports and intelligence gathering procedures, and aware of the necessity of preserving constitutional rights - is the proper starting point in moving forward with post 9/11 terrorist prosecutions. The proposed hybrid paradigm will ensure both the state's obligations to keep intelligence and matters of national security confidential as well as the defendant's right to a fair trial.
Testosterone Replacement in Androgen-Deficient Men With Ejaculatory Dysfunction: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Context: Low T levels have been associated with ejaculatory dysfunction (EjD) in cross-sectional studies; however, the efficacy of T replacement in improving EjD has not been studied in a randomized controlled trial. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of T replacement in androgen-deficient men with EjD. Design: A multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, 16-week trial with T solution 2% versus placebo. Setting: Medical centers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Patients or Other Participants: Seventy-six men with one or more EjD symptoms, including delayed ejaculation, anejaculation, reduced ejaculate volume, and/or reduced force of ejaculation, and two total T levels <300 ng/dL (<10.41 nmol/L) measured with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Interventions: Sixty milligrams of T solution 2% or placebo applied to the axillae for 16 weeks. Main Outcome Measures: The primary outcome was a change in the score of the three-item Male Sexual Health Questionnaire-Ejaculatory ...
DESIGN OF A NOVEL COMPLIANT TRANSMISSION FOR SECONDARY MICROACTUATORS IN DISK DRIVES

One of the bottlenecks limiting the data density in conventional disk drives is the resonant frequency of the suspension arm connecting the actuator and the read-write elements. In this paper we present a compliant transmission to be integrated with a secondary microactuator to deal with this limitation. The compliant transmission was designed to reduce overall footprint. This paper presents an optimization scheme which maximizes energy efficiency while constraining natural frequency, maximum stress, and axial loading. The final design meets both kinematic and dynamic criteria.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Pu in coastal marine environments

Abstract Analysis of water samples from the New York Bight area and Narragansett Bay reveals that a small fraction of the total Pu (probably Pu (III + IV) species) is continuously removed to the sediments at a rate similar to that of the particle-reactive isotope 228 Th. A more “soluble” Pu species appears to be released at times from the sediments to the water column in these nearshore regions. Sediments in shallow areas of the New York Bight south of Rhode Island and Narragansett Bay have high Pu inventories and relatively deep penetration of this element, although the net sediment accumulation rate is generally low ( 2 yr). The high Pu inventories can be explained if both sediment resuspension and sediment mixing are assumed to be the major controlling factors for the effective transfer of Pu from the water column to the sediments. By simultaneous modelling of the depth distribution of three tracers which operate on vastly different time scales: 234 Th (half-life 24 days), 210 Pb (half-life 22 years) and 239,240 Pu (introduced into the environment during the past 30 years), bioturbation rates ranging from 4 to 32 cm 2 /yr in the surface mixed layer (5–10 cm thick) and from 0.3 to 2.5 cm 2 /yr in the layer below (up to 40 cm thick) and net sediment accumulation rates of approximately zero to 0.14 g/cm 2 yr were calculated for these areas.
Microstructure and Creep Behavior of Silicon Nitride and SiAlONs

Microstructural evolution of silicon nitride (Si3N4) and SiAlON materials and its influence on creep resistance is reviewed. Grain size, grain morphology, and the ratio of α- to β-phase grains play a part in resistance to creep. The glassy, intergranular phase typically has the strongest influence on creep. Creep data are usually obtained using uniaxial tensile or compressive tests, where creep in tension is controlled by cavitation and grain boundary sliding controls creep in compression. The impression creep methodology is also reviewed. An additional creep mechanism, dilation of the SiAlON grain structure, was found to be active in impression creep.
Constructing Common Factors from Continuous and Categorical Data

The method of principal components is widely used to estimate common factors in large panels of continuous data. This article first reviews alternative methods that obtain the common factors by solving a Procrustes problem. While these matrix decomposition methods do not specify the probabilistic structure of the data and hence do not permit statistical evaluations of the estimates, they can be extended to analyze categorical data. This involves the additional step of quantifying the ordinal and nominal variables. The article then reviews and explores the numerical properties of these methods. An interesting finding is that the factor space can be quite precisely estimated directly from categorical data without quantification. This may require using a larger number of estimated factors to compensate for the information loss in categorical variables. Separate treatment of categorical and continuous variables may not be necessary if structural interpretation of the factors is not required, such as in foreca...
ARBOREALITY AND MORPHOLOGICAL EVOLUTION IN GROUND BEETLES (CARABIDAE: HARPALINAE): TESTING THE TAXON PULSE MODEL

One-third to two-thirds of all tropical carabids, or ground beetles, are arboreal, and evolution of arboreality has been proposed to be a dead end in this group. Many arboreal carabids have unusual morphological features that have been proposed to be adaptations for life on vegetation, including large, hemispheric eyes; an elongated prothorax; long elytra; long legs; bilobed fourth tarsomeres; adhesive setae on tarsi; and pectinate claws. However, correlations between these features and arboreality have not been rigorously tested previously. I examined the evolution of arboreality and morphological features often associated with this habitat in a phylogenetic context. The number and rates of origins and losses of arboreality in carabids in the subfamily Harpalinae were inferred with parsimony and maximum-likelihood on a variety of phylogenetic hypotheses. Correlated evolution in arboreality and morphological characters was tested with concentrated changes tests, maximum-likelihood, and independent contrasts on optimal phylogenies. There is strong evidence that both arboreality and the morphological features examined originated multiple times and can be reversed, and in no case could the hypothesis of equal rates of gains and losses be rejected. Several features are associated with arboreality: adhesive setae on the tarsi, bilobed tarsomeres, and possibly pectinate claws and an elongated prothorax. Bulgy eyes, long legs, and long elytra were not correlated with arboreality and are probably not arboreal adaptations. The evolution of arboreal carabids has not been unidirectional. These beetles have experienced multiple gains and losses of arboreality and the morphological characters commonly associated with the arboreal habitat. The evolutionary process of unidirectional character change may not be as widespread as previously thought and reversal from specialized lifestyles or habitats may be common.
Protect thyself: How affective self-protection increases self-interested, unethical behavior

Abstract In this research, we draw on the characteristics of disgust—an affective state that prompts a self-protection response—to demonstrate that experiencing disgust can also increase self-interested, unethical behaviors such as cheating. This series of studies contributes to the literature demonstrating context-specific effects on self-interested, unethical behavior. Specifically, we show that innocuous emotion-eliciting cues can elicit a focus on the protection of one’s own welfare, leading people to engage in self-interested behaviors that are unethical. This research provides evidence that the importance of clean physical environments may extend beyond visual beautification of surroundings to include economic behaviors.
Changes of amino acid gradients in brain tissues induced by microwave irradiation and other means

Focused microwave irradiation to the head (FMI) has been used extensively by neurochemists for rapid inactivation of enzymatic activity in brain tissues and the preservation, for in vitro analysis, of in vivo substrate concentrations. Periodically the suitability of this technique for regional studies has been questioned. Evidence has now been obtained, on the basis of altered concentration gradients for GABA and taurine from the Substantia Nigra (SN) to an Adjacent Dorsal Area (ADJ), that FMI not only inactivates enzymes, but also facilitates rapid diffusion of small molecules from areas of high concentrations to adjacent areas of lower concentration. To a lasser extent, the implantation of plastic injection cannulas also decreased these concentration gradients. These results offer clear evidence that FMI is ill suited and unreliable for studies designed to map and compare the “in vivo” regional concentrations of diffusible organic molecules (such as amino acids) in brain tissues. Any invasive technique that compromises membrane barriers is likely to produce smaller similar effects.
Combining fuzzy information: an overview

Assume that each object in a database has m grades, or scores, one for each of m attributes. For example, an object can have a color grade, that tells how red it is, and a shape grade, that tells how round it is. For each attribute, there is a sorted list, which lists each object and its grade under that attribute, sorted by grade (highest grade first). Each object is assigned an overall grade, that is obtained by combining the attribute grades using a fixed monotone aggregation function, or combining rule, such as min or average. In this overview, we discuss and compare algorithms for determining the top k objects, that is, k objects with the highest overall grades.
Whales: transition in translation

General Features of the Paleobiological Evolution of Cetacea. By G. A. Mchedlidze. Balkema:1984. Pp.139 + plates. Dfl. 65, 16.50, 26.
Efficiency/reliability design requirements at low output voltage levels

Higher efficiency and reliability are needed in the rectification used to produce low output voltages. To this end, the application of driven synchronous rectifier circuits is investigated. One reliability problem of such circuits, the "double-on" resulting from storage time, is illustrated for low output voltages obtained from rectification of the square-wave outputs of low input voltage converters. A comparison of the rectification efficiency and reliability of driven transistor synchronous rectifiers with that of barrier diodes indicates that the choice of rectifiers in low output voltage applications is dependent on both the source and output voltage levels of the application
Generalized Hierarchical Facility Locations

This note presents an improved formulation of the hierarchical facility location-allocation problem. It is a generalized model in the sense that the rules for allocating demand types to facility types are general and the “successively inclusive,” “successively exclusive” and “locally inclusive-successively exclusive” allocations that have appeared in the literature are special cases of this model.
Assessing the effectiveness of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award model with municipal government

Abstract This study examines the applicability of the MBNQA 2002 criteria to the government sector and contributes to the growing body of literature that addresses the need for performance metrics for government organizations. As the MBNQA is being proposed and pilot tested in government organizations, this work provides support for the transference and application of the model to government services in a municipal government. This study demonstrates the first structural model test using Partial Least Square (PLS) of an instrument that was based on a one-to-one item to criteria correspondence. We collected data from a city government and used PLS to analyze the survey data and tested the MBNQA model fit. The findings of this study show that the proposed Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) criteria-based instrument provides a viable set of measures for a municipal government to review and measure their business (organization) processes. These measures can enhance decision making about resource allocations because such measures allow evaluation of processes and a better understanding of the integration among these processes.
FUNCTIONAL STRATEGIES OF CHAPARRAL SHRUBS IN RELATION TO SEASONAL WATER DEFICIT AND DISTURBANCE

The study of interspecific variation in plant ecological strategies has revealed suites of traits associated with leaf life span and with maximum levels of water deficit (measured as leaf water potentials). Here, the relationship between these sets of traits was examined in a study of 20 co-occurring chaparral shrubs that vary in leaf habit, rooting depth, and regeneration strategies. Leaf life span (LLS) and minimum seasonal water potentials (ψmin) were not significantly correlated, suggesting that they are associated with independent aspects of functional variation. Multiple regression analyses of a large suite of physiological, functional, and phenological attributes in relation to these two “anchor traits” supported this view. Short LLS was significantly associated with high specific leaf area, high carbon assimilation and leaf nitrogen (per mass), early onset of growth, and a multistemmed, short stature growth form. This suite of traits was also associated with opportunistic regeneration following physical disturbance. Area-based gas exchange was not tightly linked to LLS. Low ψmin (i.e., greater water deficit) was associated with high wood density, small vessel diameters, thin twigs, low leaf area : sapwood area ratios, and early onset of leaf abscission. Among the evergreen species, this suite of traits was most characteristic of post-fire seeders, which depend on high drought tolerance for post-fire regeneration of seedlings. Plant stature was the only trait associated with both the LLS axis and the ψmin axis of functional variation. A two-dimensional strategy space, approximately defined by LLS and ψmin, can be used to distinguish contrasting strategies of drought tolerance vs. avoidance, and alternative modes of regeneration following fire and other disturbance. This conceptual scheme illustrates the strength of a trait-based approach to defining plant strategies in relation to resource availability and disturbance.
Evidence for publication bias in video game violence effects literature: A meta-analytic review

Violence in video games has come under increasing research attention over the past decade. Researchers in this area have suggested that violent video games may cause aggressive behavior among players. However, the state of the extant literature has not yet been examined for publication bias. The current meta-analysis is designed to correct for this oversight. Results indicated that publication bias does exist for experimental studies of aggressive behavior, as well as for non-experimental studies of aggressive behavior and aggressive thoughts. Research in other areas, including prosocial behavior and experimental studies of aggressive thoughts were less susceptible to publication bias. Moderator effects results also suggested that studies employing less standardized and reliable measures of aggression tended to produce larger effect sizes. Suggestions for future violent video game studies are provided.
Meiotic Diapause: How a Sperm Signal Sets You Free

Major sperm protein, a cytoskeletal molecule required for the amoeboid motility of sperm in Caenorhabditis elegans, also functions as a signaling molecule that regulates the rates of meiotic maturation and ovulation. Recent work has begun to uncover new genes required for the response to this signal in both somatic and germ line cells.
Thio-sugars IV: Design and synthesis of S-linked fucoside analogs as a new class of α-L-fucosidase inhibitors

Abstract α-1-Thio- l -fucose derivative 4 and 5 as new α-fucosidase inhibitors (K I = 4.6, and 5.9 μM) have been synthesized in three steps by base catalyzed coupling with bromonitromethane followed by reduction of the nitro group with sodium borohydride/cobalt chloride complex and acetylation.
Evaluation of the Thermodynamic Properties of H2 Binding in Solid State Dihydrogen Complexes [M(η2-H2)(CO)dppe2][BArF24] (M = Mn, Tc, Re): an Experimental and First Principles Study

The solid state complex [Mn(CO)dppe_2][BArF^(24)] was synthesized, and the thermodynamic behavior and properties of the hydrogen absorption reaction to form the dihydrogen complex [Mn(η^2-H_2)dppe_2][BArF^(24)] were measured over the temperature range 313–373 K and pressure range 0–600 Torr using the Sieverts method. The absorption behavior was accurately described by Langmuir isotherms, and enthalpy and entropy values of ΔH° = −52.2 kJ/mol and ΔS° = −99.6 J/(mol K) for the absorption reaction were obtained from the Langmuir equilibrium constant. The observed binding strength was similar to metal hydrides and other organometallic complexes, despite rapid kinetics suggesting a site-binding mechanism similar to physisorption materials. Electronic structure calculations using the LANL2DZ-ECP basis set were performed for hydrogen absorption over the organometallic fragments [M(CO)dppe_2]^+ (M = Mn, Tc, Re). Langmuir isotherms derived from calculation for absorption onto the manganese fragment successfully simulated both the pressure–composition behavior and thermodynamic properties obtained from experiment. Results from calculations for the substitution of the metal center reproduced qualitative binding strength trends of 5d > 3d > 4d previously reported for the group 6 metals.
Steroid psychosis: a review for neurosurgeons

Steroids are beneficial in neurological illness, but have many serious side effects. Having observed several patients with severe steroid psychoses, which greatly prolonged their hospitalizations, the authors sought to improve understanding of this entity. A literature review was conducted. The incidence of severe psychiatric symptoms was estimated in a meta-analysis of 2,555 patients to be 5.7 % and the incidence of any psychiatric symptoms was 18.6 % in patients receiving >80 mg/day of prednisone (12 mg/day dexamethasone). Dose is not predictive of time of onset, severity, type, or duration of symptoms. Symptoms can develop rapidly following exposure to even low doses and with oral, epidural, or intra-articular administration. Glucocorticoid effects on the brain fall into three categories: genomic, non-genomic, and neurotrophic/neurotoxic and can be permanent. Excessive glucocorticoid exposure may result in decreased production of endogenous neurosteroid molecules, resulting in unopposed glucocorticoid effects. Treatment includes early recognition, steroid withdrawal when appropriate, reduction in stimulation, and medication. Atypical antipsychotics like olanzapine and risperidone may cause fewer dystonic reactions and extrapyramidal symptoms than typical antipsychotics like haloperidol, and therefore, are often recommended as first line treatment. Steroids are powerful medications with many undesirable side effects. They should be used with caution. More research is needed on their effects on the human central nervous system.
Simplified framework for predicting changes in public health from performance standards applied in slaughter establishments

Selection of microbiologic standards for application to raw meat and poultry commodities should consider the public health benefits of such standards. This study describes a simplified framework for quantifying the public health benefits of a microbiologic performance standard. An example, based on the newly implemented Salmonella performance standard for raw broiler chicken carcasses in the United States, provides projections for annual human Salmonella illnesses avoided by industry compliance with the standard, as well as a measure of industry burden to achieve such compliance. In this example, illnesses avoided are proportional to reductions in the industry's frequency of contaminated carcasses.
Rapid detection and quantitation of BRAF mutations in hairy cell leukemia using a sensitive pyrosequencing assay.

BRAF protooncogene is an important mediator of cell proliferation and survival signals. BRAF p.V600E mutation was recently described as a molecular marker of hairy cell leukemia (HCL). We developed and validated a pyrosequencing-based approach that covers BRAF mutational hotspots in exons 11 (codon 468) and 15 (codons 595 to 600). The assay detects BRAF mutations at an analytical sensitivity of 5%. We screened 16 unenriched archived bone marrow aspirate samples from patients with a diagnosis of HCL (n = 12) and hairy cell leukemia–variant (HCL-v) (n = 4) using pyrosequencing. BRAF p.V600E mutation was present in all HCL cases and absent in all HCL-v. Our data support the recent finding that BRAF p.V600E mutation is universally present in HCL. Moreover, our pyrosequencing-based assay provides a convenient, rapid, sensitive, and quantitative tool for the detection of BRAF p.V600E mutations in HCL for clinical diagnostic testing. Upon completion of this activity you will be able to: The ASCP is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. The ASCP designates this journal-based CME activity for a maximum of 1 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit ™ per article. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. This activity qualifies as an American Board of Pathology Maintenance of Certification Part II Self-Assessment Module. The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose. Questions appear on p 161. Exam is located at [www.ascp.org/ajcpcme][1]. [1]: http://www.ascp.org/ajcpcme
Context-dependent effects of symbiosis: Zoanthidea colonization generally improves Demospongiae condition in native habitats

In order to reconcile existing data and hypotheses on the relationship outcomes of Caribbean Zoanthidea-Demospongiae symbioses, the context-dependent survival and growth (metrics of host sponge condition) were monitored for 8–12 months, with and without Zoanthidean symbionts, in native (coral reef) and novel (mangrove) habitats. Experiments repeated over space and time revealed significant positive effects of Zoanthidea colonization on metrics of host condition and indicated that the outcome of these symbioses can shift from mutualism to parasitism when transplanted to novel habitats. Although the precise mechanisms of the symbioses remain obscured and most of the species associations have not been examined, these experiments demonstrate an example where relationship outcomes are more conserved across their evolutionary history than host associations.
Thymine metabolism in Escherichia coli. I.

Abstract 1. The limited utilization of exogenous thymine by Escherichia coli and other bacteria is not solely the result of permeability restrictions, but is related to the availability of deoxyribosyl donors. When these are furnished in the medium, particularly as purine deoxyribonucleosides, exogenous thymine is readily taken up by the cells and utilized for synthesis of DNA. 2. This behavior provides the basis of a convenient technique for the specific labeling of DNA of bacterial strains which are not thymine auxotrophs. 3. The “potentiation” of thymine utilization by deoxyribonucleosides occurs in the presence of chloramphenicol, and thus does not require synthesis of thymidine phosphorylase or other inducible enzymes. 4. Thymidine phosphorylase (thymidine:orthophosphate deoxyribosyl transferase, EC 2.4.2.4) appears to regulate the cellular uptake of thymine, and is localized near the surface of E. coli. This conclusion is based on the release of the enzyme into the medium when the cells are subjected to an osmotic shocking procedure.
Problems associated with low-solubility compounds in aquatic toxicity tests: theoretical model and solubility characteristics of aroclor 1254 in water

Abstract A theoretical model of the behavior of substances having low water-solubility is presented and discussed with respect to aqueous bioassay. Ultracentrifugal techniques were used in an attempt to study size distributions of Aroclor 1254 aggregates in aqueous emulsions. Results indicate strong adsorption from emulsion by surfaces and a water-solubility at 20°C of less than 0.1 μg 1 −1 in distilled water and approximately 40% of that value in water containing 30g1 −1 NaCl. Implications with regard to aqueous bioassay are discussed.
Part-Time Workers as Missing Persons in Organizational Research

Although a substantial and growing percentage of the United States labor force, part-time workers have been neglected in organizational research and viewed narrowly in popular and economic literature. Part- and full-time employees appear to differ in at least four important respects, and these relevant variables should be included in comparative studies of these workers. Methodological and policy problems are discussed.
Simplified technique for percutaneous transrenal arteriovenous dialysis graft creation in a swine model.

Purpose To investigate the experimental creation of a percutaneous arteriovenous graft via the renal vessels using a simplified technique and to report on its safety, complications, and 1-month follow-up. Materials and methods Transrenal arteriovenous grafts were created from the renal artery to the renal vein in six swine. Using a combined transfemoral and percutaneous approach, a 7 mm × 150 mm stent graft was deployed to create a renal vein limb, and a 6 mm × 150 mm stent graft was deployed to form the renal artery limb. The external portion of the arterial limb was telescoped into the venous limb to form one continuous loop and was placed into a subcutaneous pocket. The duration and technical success of the procedure were recorded. Shunt patency was assessed by auscultation and angiography, as well as by necropsy and histopathology. Results Arteriovenous graft creation was technically successful in all six animals with rapid arteriovenous shunting documented with angiography at completion. The mean procedure duration was 84 minutes (range, 70–130 minutes). Auscultation and angiography revealed that four of the six shunts were occluded at 4 weeks. Moderate (50% to 75%) diffuse in-stent angiographic stenosis was present in the two remaining animals. No technical complications occurred. Midterm complications of localized and gradual concentric stenosis due to mural thrombosis occurred in three animals. Graft infection resulting in late abrupt thrombosis occurred in four animals. Conclusions Transrenal arteriovenous graft creation using the simplified technique can be performed safely in swine. Delayed complications including graft infection and in-stent stenosis must be addressed prior to use of the technique in clinical settings.
Automaticity without extensive training: the role of memory retrieval in implementation of task-defined rules.

Although the concept of automaticity is closely associated with extensive rote training, previous studies have shown that task-defined stimulus–response (S–R) mappings can be implemented in parallel and involuntarily, without much training, as if they are automatically processed. An irrelevant task context may trigger a task-defined rule because the rule is actively maintained in working memory, resulting in erroneous implementation of that rule. However, the present study demonstrated that active maintenance of task rules is not necessary for their automatic implementation. Instead, the results are consistent with the memory view of automaticity, according to which task-defined S–R rules are implemented via automatic retrieval of S–R episodes.
Development and validation of CNS (compressible Navier-Stokes) for hypersonic external flows

CNS, a new computational fluid dynamics procedure, has been developed to aid in hypersonic vehicle design. The code can be used to model the entire external flow around hypersonic vehicle shapes, from the captured shock at the nose to the beginning of the wake. Unlike space-marching codes, the technique allows axially separated flow regions to be modeled. Validation trials using sphere-cone data reveal good solution accuracy for the surface pressure and flowfield temperature.
Pediatric tectal plate gliomas: a review of clinical outcomes, endocrinopathies, and neuropsychological sequelae

Pediatric tectal plate gliomas are indolent slow-growing gliomas that often present with increased intracranial pressure or incidentally on routine brain imaging. We investigated clinical outcomes, endocrinopathies, and neuropsychological sequelae associated with tectal plate gliomas. Twenty-six patients with tectal plate glioma were identified in a 20-year retrospective review. Clinical outcomes, treatments, endocrine function, neuropsychological testing outcomes and radiographic imaging were reviewed for possible signs correlating with tumor progression. Among 26 patients, 19 presented with signs or symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (73 %) versus an incidental finding in 7 (27 %). Median follow-up was 46 months (range 8-143 months). Six of 26 (23 %) experienced progressive disease after diagnosis. Five of 26 (19 %) required more than one surgical procedure due to failure of initial endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Seven of 26 had history of endocrine dysfunction, of which, five presented with endocrine dysfunction (precocious puberty or short stature), 1 developed menstrual irregularities after surgical intervention and 1 had preexisting pan hypopituitarism. Of 12 patients with available neuropsychological testing, eleven had at least one indicator of executive functioning in the low-average to impaired range. While tectal plate gliomas have been considered indolent tumors that are rarely progressive, 23 % of patients in our cohort experienced disease progression and required further therapy. Neurocognitive deficits may occur, while endocrine deficiency is uncommon. Regular multidisciplinary oncology follow-up, routine monitoring with MRI and formal neurocognitive evaluation are imperative to provide early recognition of disease progression or recurrent hydrocephalus and to improve school functioning in this population.
Search for correlation between geomagnetic disturbances and mortality

Statistical evaluation of death rates in the U.S.A. from heart diseases or stroke did not show any correlation with measured geomagnetic pulsations and thus do not support a claimed relationship between geomagnetic activity and mortality rates to low frequency fluctuations of the earth's magnetic field.
Psychiatric effects of thyroid hormone disturbance

Abstract Neuroendocrine disorders often present and/or are associated with psychiatric signs and symptoms. The author reviews the literature on psychiatric findings in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and provides recommendations for diagnostic and treatment procedures.
Dynamic personalization of web sites without user intervention

A novel online recommender system builds profiling models and offers suggestions without the user taking the lead.