cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies of cationic gold(I) complexes: Preparation of tris(trans-cyclooctene)gold trifluoromethanesulfonate

trans-Cyclooctene forms stable π-olefin complexes with aurous chloride and trifluoromethanesulfonate (triflate). The latter can be isolated as the tris trans-cyclooctene complex which shows no tendency for disproportionation of gold(I) to gold(III). It is compared to analogous cationic complexes from copper (I) and silver(I) triflates. Oxidative addition and electron transfer reactions of olefin—gold(I) complexes to afford gold(III) and gold(II) species, respectively, are examined. Attempts to prepare the simple and the coordinatively unsaturated phosphine complexes of gold(I) triflate are also described.
Validity and reliability of patient-reported outcomes measurement information system instruments in osteoarthritis.

Objective Evaluation of known-group validity, ecological validity, and test–retest reliability of 4 domain instruments from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) in osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Methods We recruited an OA sample and a comparison general population (GP) sample through an internet survey panel. Pain intensity, pain interference, physical functioning, and fatigue were assessed for 4 consecutive weeks with PROMIS short forms on a daily basis and compared with same-domain Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) instruments that use a 7-day recall. Known-group validity (comparison of OA and GP), ecological validity (comparison of aggregated daily measures with CAT instruments), and test–retest reliability were evaluated. Results The recruited samples matched the demographic characteristics (age, sex, race, and ethnicity) of the US sample for arthritis and the 2009 Census for the GP. Compliance with repeated measurements was excellent at >95%. Known-group validity for CATs was demonstrated with large effect sizes (pain intensity 1.42, pain interference 1.25, and fatigue 0.85). Ecological validity was also established through high correlations between aggregated daily measures and weekly CATs (≥0.86). Test–retest validity (7-day) was very good (≥0.80). Conclusion PROMIS CAT instruments demonstrated known-group and ecological validity in a comparison of OA patients with a GP sample. Adequate test–retest reliability was also observed. These data provide encouraging initial data on the utility of these PROMIS instruments for clinical and research outcomes in OA patients.
L-spaces and S-spaces in P(ω)☆

Abstract We show that CH implies that P (ω) , when equipped with the Vietoris topology, has a subspace which is an L-space and a subspace which is an S-space. This is an immediate consequence of the following purely combinatorial result: CH implies the existence of an ω1-sequence 〈xα: α P (ω) such that (1) if α X β ⊂ ∗ X α ; (2) if I ⊆ω1 is unaccountable, then there are distinct α, β ∈ I with Xβ ⊆Xα.
Semantics of update operations for an extended entity-relationship model

The Entity-Category-Relationship (ECR) model extends the Entity-Relationship (ER) model with the concepts of subclass and generalisation categories. In this paper semantics of update operations for the ECR model are discussed. The proposed update operations can be implemented as an interactive data manipulation language. This language is based on algebraic operators that can be invoked graphically to operate on ECR diagrams. A method of implementing the graphical ECR interface for accessing relational database systems is proposed.
A Description of the Design and Costs of an Insanity Acquittee Conditional Release, Monitoring, and Revocation System

Conditional release, monitoring, and revocation are important components of insanity acquittee systems because they help to balance public safety with the treatment needs of insanity acquittees. We describe a state conditional release system within the United States that uses existing personnel to assess risk and make release decisions as another model for how to design and implement an insanity acquittee conditional release system. The State of Missouri's system had low costs per client associated with monitoring insanity acquittees in the community. However, substantial time commitments by actors in the mental health and criminal justice systems were required to ensure a high level of public safety in the release process. In addition, hospitalization was used extensively to protect public safety, which in part has resulted in insanity acquittees occupying approximately 50% of the state's long-term public psychiatric hospital beds. It is possible that other jurisdictions may be able to design insanity ac...
The effect of colonoscopy preparation quality on adenoma detection rates

Background Colonoscopy reduces the risk of colorectal cancer mortality by removing precancerous adenomas. The detection rate of subcentimeter ( Objective To compare the adenoma detection rates of small (6-9 mm) and diminutive (≤5 mm) adenomas in patients with poor and fair quality preparations with those with adequate quality preparations. Design Cross-sectional study and multivariable, hierarchical model. Setting Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Patients This study involved 8800 colonoscopies performed from 2001 to 2010. Main Outcome Measurements Preparation quality rating, polyp size, and polyp histology. Results Preparation quality was rated as fair in 2809 (31.9%) and poor in 829 (9.4%) colonoscopies. In patients with poor compared with adequate quality, the detection rate was lower for diminutive adenomas (odds ratio [OR] 0.57; 95% CI, 0.47-0.70) but not for small adenomas (OR 0.84; 95% CI, 0.65-1.07). There were no differences in the detection rate of diminutive (OR 1.08; 95% CI, 0.94-1.24]) or small (OR 1.09; 95% CI, 0.94-1.27) adenomas in patients with fair compared with adequate quality preparation. Detection of advanced histology in patients with poor preparation quality was lower than in those with adequate quality ( P = .027; 3.3% vs 5.0%), but there was no difference in those with fair compared with adequate quality ( P = .893; 4.9% vs 5.0%). Limitations Single-center study; no standardization of preparation quality or size measurements. Conclusions A fair preparation quality rating does not decrease the detection rate for adenomas of any size or for advanced histology, suggesting that fair quality may be considered adequate and that follow-up intervals may not need to be shortened. Poor preparation quality decreases the detection rate of diminutive adenomas and advanced histology, suggesting substandard colonoscopy performance.
Looped time-lens compression for generation of 3.5 nJ femtosecond pulses from a CW laser

We generate 516 fs pulses at 3.5 nJ energy from a continuous wave 1.55 mum source without mode-locking. Our system is compact, all-fiber, and allows continuous tuning of pulse width and center wavelength.
Deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens reduces ethanol consumption in rats.

Abstract Recent studies have shown that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has an inhibitory effect on drug-seeking behaviors including reinstatement responding for cocaine. The objective of the present study was to expand on these findings by assessing the effects of DBS on behaviors related to alcohol consumption. The specific aim of this study was to determine whether DBS delivered to either the shell or core of the NAcc would reduce ETOH intake in rats using a two-bottle choice limited access procedure. Long Evans rats were induced to drink a 10% ethanol solution using a saccharin fading procedure. Bipolar electrodes were implanted bilaterally into either the core or shell of the NAcc. During testing animals received DBS 5 min prior to and during a 30-minute test session in which both ETOH and water bottles were accessible. Current was delivered at amplitudes ranging from 0 to 150 µA. ETOH consumption was significantly reduced from baseline levels at the 150 µA current for both shell and core electrode placements. A significant current effect was not found for water consumption for either site. These results provide evidence that DBS delivered either to the nucleus accumbens core or shell subregions can significantly reduce ethanol intake in the rat.
Long-lifetime Ru(II) complexes as labeling reagents for sulfhydryl groups.

We report the synthesis and spectral properties of two long-lifetime highly luminescent Ru(II) complexes containing either a sulfhydryl reactive iodoacetamido group or a less reactive chloroacetamido group, [Ru(bpy)2(5-iodoacetamido-1,10-phenanthroline)](PF6)2and [Ru(bpy)2(5-chloroacetamido-1,10-phenanthroline)](PF6)2, respectively, where bpy is 2,2′-bipyridine. Ru(bpy)2(phen-IA)](PF6)2was covalently linked to human serum albumin (HSA) and human immunoglobulin G (IgG). The photoluminescence lifetime of protein-bound probes approaches 1 μs under ambient conditions. In the absence of rotational motions, this probe displayed an anisotropy of 0.18 for excitation at 472 nm. Anisotropy decay data were used to determine the overall rotational correlation times of HSA and IgG. These long-lifetime sulfhydryl-reactive probes can be used to recover microsecond rotational motions and/or domain motions of proteins and/or macromolecular complexes.
An Equilibrium Analysis of Hedging with Liquidity Constraints, Speculation, and Government Price Subsidy in a Commodity Market

We develop a simple commodity model to analyze (i) the effects of hedgying with liquidity constraints, due to producers' inability to bear unlimited trading losses, (ii) the role of speculation in the process of risk allocation between consumers and producers, and (iii) the equilibrium implications of government price subsidies to the producers. We find that (1) liquidity constraints can cause futures prices to exhibit mean reversion, which then makes speculation profitable; (2) speculation tends to make futures price volatility an increasing function of futures price; and (3) government price subsidy, if actively hedged by the producers, serves, to lower the futures risk premium and reduce futures volatility. COMMODITY SPOT AND FUTURES PRICES are determined by the following types of market participants: producers, consumers, speculators, and governments. Producers have generally taken short futures positions in order to hedge against price declines. Consumers have generally taken long futures positions in order to hedge against price increases. Speculators, who neither produce nor intend to consume the commodity, are present in the spot and futures markets for the purpose of making a profit. Governments play significant roles in the markets by providing producers with various support programs, and in some cases, by directly intervening in the markets to affect commodity prices or adjust inventory levels. The traditional approach to commodity futures pricing has been based on the theory of storage.1 As Fama and French (1987, 1988) show, this approach to commodity pricing is particularly useful for explaining the basis movement as a function of inventory levels, based on the hypothesis that the marginal convenience yield on inventory declines at a decreasing rate as
Creating intentional spaces for sustainable development in the Indian trans-Himalaya: reconceptualizing globalization from below

In an era of globalization, multifaceted and complex changes have increasingly interconnected geographically dispersed places. A central question of globalization studies concerns whether top-down forces of globalization are forging a global culture or whether processes of globalization from below are able to push back against homogenization by appropriating global forces rather than simply being overwhelmed by them. In this paper, I develop the concept of intentional spaces to show how ideas move globally and how local communities appropriate these ideas, revealing the actual practices that happen in the middle of top-down and bottom-up processes of globalization. I identify three types of ‘intentional spaces’ – physical, pedagogical, and ideological – to document the middle: where top down global forces meet local responses, and how these processes unfold. These intentional spaces enable processes of globalization from below, particularly the development of a mode of critical education that is both poli...
Common Rheumatologic Diseases in Elderly Patients

Objective To review common rheumatologic disorders that affect elderly patients and emphasize the unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges inherent in the management of rhenmatologic diseases in this age-group. Design We summarize our approach to treatment and management of specific rheumatologic problems in geriatric patients and discuss pertinent studies from the literature. Results Among the spectrum of rheumatologic disorders frequently encountered in the elderly population are polymyalgia rheumatica, flbromyalgia, giant cell arteritis, crystalline arthropathies (gout and pseudogout), and degenerative joint disease. The initial manifestations of these rheumatologic diseases in elderly patients may differ from the typical findings in younger patients. Geriatric patients may have nonspecific complaints, a decline in physical function, or even confusion. Because of physiologic changes associated with aging and a decrease in functional reserves, elderly patients are susceptible to adverse effects of pharmacologic therapy (including nonste- roidal anti-inflammatory medications, corticosteroids, narcotic analgesics, allopurinol, and colchicine). Clinicians should be alert for such problems as hepatotoxicity and occult gastrointestinal blood loss. Comorbid conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment may complicate management strategies and may limit the goals of both surgical intervention and rehabilitation programs in elderly patients. Conclusion Rheumatologic disorders in geriatric patients pose special challenges to.prlmary-care physicians. In the selection of optimal pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapeutic modalities, clinicians should focus on maintaining or improving the patient's quality of life and level of independent function.
Management of infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia in North America

The in-hospital management of infants with BPD includes minimizing the duration of mechanical ventilation and avoiding the use of high inspired oxygen concentrations while maintaining adequate oxygenation. Fluid restriction, bronchodilators, and diuretic therapy can improve lung function and reduce the need for supplemental oxygen and high ventilator settings, but do not change the ultimate course of these infants. Corticosteroids also improve lung function and accelerate weaning from oxygen and mechanical ventilation, but their use during the first weeks of life is associated with worse neurological outcome. Adequate nutrition plays an important role in lung injury protection and recovery. Infants with severe BPD frequently develop pulmonary hypertension and may benefit from the use of pulmonary vasodilators. Outpatient management must be carefully planned and carried out by experienced multidisciplinary teams. Social and financial issues must be addressed with the family and caregivers. Home oxygen and mechanical ventilation therapy are used frequently after discharge and require specialized staff and equipment. Maintenance of oxygenation and proper nutritional support are critical aspects in the post-discharge management of these infants. Immunizations and RSV prevention are also important to prevent infections in these vulnerable immunocompromised patients.
Compressed tablets; weight variation.

The effect of granulation particle size on the weight variation of compressed tablets was studied, using statistical quality control procedures. Batches of lactose-starch granulation particles ranging in size from 3,045 to 324 microns and separated into narrow-size ranges were compressed in a single-punch tablet press. As the particle size decreased, the tablet weight variation decreased, passed through a minimum at 400 to 800 microns and then increased. Data from a somewhat similar experiment involving sodium chloride was found to give a minimum at 200 to 500 microns.
Improving Wetland Mitigation Site Identification Through Community Distribution Modeling and a Patch-Based Ranking Scheme

Current wetland mitigation practices do not fully recover wetland function, often due to poor mitigation site selection. Improved mitigation site selection methods are needed to efficiently assess the suitability and quality of potential wetland mitigation sites at broad spatial scales. We present a novel application of maximum entropy-based predictive distribution models coupled with a patch-based ranking scheme to identify potential wetland mitigation sites and contrast their effectiveness relative to a conventional “expert opinion” model. We used hydrogeologic and landscape features and widely available wetland community distribution data to predict locations of wetlands that were previously unknown, destroyed, or biologically rare in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin in the northeastern United States. An “expert opinion” model predicted wetland occurrence based on topographic slope and soil type. Maximum entropy-based models predicted an independent sample of wetland locations well (Area Under the Curve = 0.86–0.98; 92 % correct classification rate) and dramatically outperformed the “expert opinion” model (62 % correct classification rate). A patch-based ranking scheme, which incorporated additional influences on wetland quality, ranked sites with biologically important wetland plant communities highly among model-identified wetlands. We conclude that integration of maximum entropy-based predictive modeling and patch-based ranking can effectively identify high quality wetland mitigation sites.
Digital systems and competitive responsiveness: The dynamics of IT business value

The mechanics of competition involve perception and reaction to competitor moves. Both incur delays that can be reduced by digital systems. Using system dynamics and the Red Queen paradigm, we modeled the impact of IT investments on response delays and business value, with the following results: (a) value has significant transient components; (b) value depends on investment level and the relative delays of competitors; and (c) relative delays affect the first-mover advantage. These results show that when assessing the value of IT investments, it is important to consider (a) the temporal pattern of benefits, not just their total magnitude, and (b) the impact of ongoing moves by competitors.
Biologic bases for international fetal growth curves.

. A simple, inexpensive method for assessing maternal nutritional status during pregnancy was sought to control for nutrition in the development of fetal growth curves for diverse populations. Triceps skinfold thickness was measured at intervals throughout pregnancy in 60 Ethiopian women. In normally nourished pregnancies this measurement increases in the first two trimesters and decreases in the third, reflecting early pregnancy storage of fat and its release in late gestation to meet the increasing energy needs of the fetus. Ethiopian women who had skinfold thickness increases and decreases as great as those in the United Kingdom (UK) had neonates as heavy as those in the UK. This may mean that Ethiopian fetuses have the same growth potential as those in the UK and that the same growth curves can be used for the two populations. Skinfold thickness measurements may be the means by which nutrition can be controlled as a growth factor in determining the intrinsic fetal growth potentials of diverse populations.
Recent advancement on testing and modelling methodologies in rollover analysis

Rollover crashes are the most complicated and yet least understood incidents among all the vehicle crashes. Many rollover safety research projects have been conducted experimentally and analytically to investigate the underlying principles and causes of vehicle accidents and develop rollover test procedures, test methodologies and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE)-based rollover models to evaluate the nature of rollover crash events pertaining to both vehicle and occupant kinematics. Studies of the vehicle and/or occupant kinematics during rollover crashes, in turn, help to understand occupant injury mechanisms for developing countermeasures towards improved rollover occupant protection. In recent years, many significant advances in rollover safety researches have been made towards better rollover safety. This paper reviews some recent progress on rollover research in the literature. Future trends and potential needs in rollover analysis are presented based on reviews of these state-of-the-art technological and methodological progressions on rollover safety.
Measurement of the Morphology of High Surface Area Solids: Porosimetry of Agglomerated Particles

Abstract Mercury intrusion porosimetry is a primary method of characterizing the morphology of high surface area solids. Based on a series of pressed microspheres, we have developed a three-dimensional interconnected network model for the void structure. As contrasted to the conventional model involving nonintersecting cylindrical pores (which are neither), a new perspective on porosimetry is discussed. Intrusion is controlled by constrictions, “throats,” in the structure and extrusion is controlled by openings, “pores,” in the structure. Because porosimetry is sequential, there is statistical deviation between the actual and measured “throats” and “pores.” This comparison between scanning porosimetry data and the simulation of porosimetry provides a consistent method for interpreting the morphology of agglomerated particles.
Phylogeny of a neural cell adhesion molecule

The phylogeny of adhesion among cells derived from neural tissue has been examined using a combination of functional and immunological analyses. The presence of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) was evaluated with respect to NCAM-specific antigenic determinants attached to a polypeptide chain with appropriate electrophoretic properties. By these criteria, NCAM-like molecules were detected in all embryonic and adult vertebrates tested, and an adult mollusc, but not in an adult insect, crustacean, or nematode. The functional assays measured adhesiveness by simple aggregation of neural membrane vesicles, as well as by NCAM-specific binding between membranes from different species. The presence of the NCAM antigen in vertebrate membranes correlated with binding activity in both the NCAM-specific and general adhesion assays, implying that the adhesiveness of these membranes largely reflects NCAM-mediated binding. The results also indicate that NCAM function has been conserved during the evolution of vertebrates, and supports the possibility that mechanisms of nerve-nerve, nerve-muscle, and nerve-glial interaction, which have been demonstrated previously to involve NCAM, may be similar for many chordates. Whereas NCAM was not detected in adult fly and worm, these species did express NCAM-like antigens transiently during early development. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that NCAM is required during several periods of development, and that the functions of this molecule in nematodes and insects may be distinct from or a subset of those that occur in vertebrates. The expanded role of the molecule represented by its expression during later stages of vertebrate development may thus have been an important contribution to the evolution of chordates.
In Situ Electron Microscopy Four‐Point Electromechanical Characterization of Freestanding Metallic and Semiconducting Nanowires

Electromechanical coupling is a topic of current interest in nanostructures, such as metallic and semiconducting nanowires, for a variety of electronic and energy applications. As a result, the determination of structure-property relations that dictate the electromechanical coupling requires the development of experimental tools to perform accurate metrology. Here, a novel micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) that allows integrated four-point, uniaxial, electromechanical measurements of freestanding nanostructures in-situ electron microscopy, is reported. Coupled mechanical and electrical measurements are carried out for penta-twinned silver nanowires, their resistance is identified as a function of strain, and it is shown that resistance variations are the result of nanowire dimensional changes. Furthermore, in situ SEM piezoresistive measurements on n-type, [111]-oriented silicon nanowires up to unprecedented levels of ∼7% strain are demonstrated. The piezoresistance coefficients are found to be similar to bulk values. For both metallic and semiconducting nanowires, variations of the contact resistance as strain is applied are observed. These variations must be considered in the interpretation of future two-point electromechanical measurements.
Profitability in Business Cycle Theory and Forecasting

Abstract Given the Important connections among profitability, investment, and economic activity, a profitability indicator can be used to assess where the economy is in the business cycle. Rising profitability suggests that the economy is on a secular growth path, while a peak or fall in profitability suggests that growth is slowing and the economy is headed for recession. One measure of profitability is to divide total business sector profit by total wages paid to labor. Let this variable be called the PW ratio. This paper's research shows that the PW ratio leads recessions, and that it takes two to six quarters of decline in PW before the onset of recession. PW clearly peaks in stage three of the business cycle. The evidence demonstrates that the PW ratio compares favorably with other indicators used by forecasters. The paper concludes that wages are not responsible for squeezing profits until stage seven on average, and fluctuations in profit over the cycle exceed that of wages and the gap grows in late expansion.
Plant species persistence and turnover on small Bahamian islands

I conducted surveys of the plant species occupying 136 small islands in the Exuma Cays and 58 small islands near Andros, Bahamas. Most species occurred on relatively few islands, and most islands contained relatively few species. Identities of the most common species differed between the two archipelagos. Comparisons with earlier surveys revealed species extinctions and immigrations. Turnover was relatively low on both a per island and a per species basis on both archipelagos, although significant spatial variation in turnover rates between archipelagos was found. Most islands experienced no turnover; islands on which turnover did occur were larger and had higher species richness. Likewise, most species did not turnover, although much variation existed in turnover rates among those that did. Experimental introductions of two species to very small islands naturally devoid of vegetation revealed that these islands could support plant life. One species survived on eight of ten islands for >9 years, including the effects of a moderate (class 2) hurricane. This hurricane caused substantial damage and loss of plant biomass, but resulted in no species extinctions on 30 small islands. Data for the small islands in this region, now spanning almost a decade, reveal that most populations are persistent over periods of years to decades, rarely going extinct or immigrating. Even moderate hurricanes seem to have little impact on species compositions.
Generating natural-language like robot motion command set through machine learning

A learning user interface (LUI) for commanding robot motions in a natural-language like form is presented. Unlike other natural language interfaces, it has the ability to learn how to execute a motion command from the demonstration given by the user. An effective learning algorithm is developed by restricting the learning domain to motions and spatial relationships. The LUI has the ability to generalize the concept learned from a demonstration to other situations. The LUI allows the robot operator to issue qualitative, natural-language like motion commands rather than precise numeric commands involving coordinate specifications. This capability speeds up robotic operations in many applications, especially in unstructured environments such as hazardous waste clean-up and underwater exploration. >
Dynamic Regulation of RGS2 Suggests a Novel Mechanism in G-Protein Signaling and Neuronal Plasticity

Long-term neuronal plasticity is known to be dependent on rapid de novo synthesis of mRNA and protein, and recent studies provide insight into the molecules involved in this response. Here, we demonstrate that mRNA encoding a member of the regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) family, RGS2, is rapidly induced in neurons of the hippocampus, cortex, and striatum in response to stimuli that evoke plasticity. Although several members of the RGS family are expressed in brain with discrete neuronal localizations, RGS2 appears unique in that its expression is dynamically responsive to neuronal activity. In biochemical assays, RGS2 stimulates the GTPase activity of the alpha subunit of Gq and Gi1. The effect on Gi1 was observed only after reconstitution of the protein in phospholipid vesicles containing M2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. RGS2 also inhibits both Gq- and Gi-dependent responses in transfected cells. These studies suggest a novel mechanism linking neuronal activity and signal transduction.
A special ordered set approach for optimizing a discontinuous separable piecewise linear function

We give a special ordered set (SOS) approach that optimizes a discontinuous separable piecewise linear function, even when a mixed-integer programming (MIP) model is not available for it. When a MIP model is available, our SOS model gives a linear programming relaxation bound that is as good as the MIPs.
Discovering cis-regulatory RNAs in Shewanella genomes by Support Vector Machines.

An increasing number of cis-regulatory RNA elements have been found to regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally in various biological processes in bacterial systems. Effective computational tools for large-scale identification of novel regulatory RNAs are strongly desired to facilitate our exploration of gene regulation mechanisms and regulatory networks. We present a new computational program named RSSVM (RNA Sampler+Support Vector Machine), which employs Support Vector Machines (SVMs) for efficient identification of functional RNA motifs from random RNA secondary structures. RSSVM uses a set of distinctive features to represent the common RNA secondary structure and structural alignment predicted by RNA Sampler, a tool for accurate common RNA secondary structure prediction, and is trained with functional RNAs from a variety of bacterial RNA motif/gene families covering a wide range of sequence identities. When tested on a large number of known and random RNA motifs, RSSVM shows a significantly higher sensitivity than other leading RNA identification programs while maintaining the same false positive rate. RSSVM performs particularly well on sets with low sequence identities. The combination of RNA Sampler and RSSVM provides a new, fast, and efficient pipeline for large-scale discovery of regulatory RNA motifs. We applied RSSVM to multiple Shewanella genomes and identified putative regulatory RNA motifs in the 5′ untranslated regions (UTRs) in S. oneidensis, an important bacterial organism with extraordinary respiratory and metal reducing abilities and great potential for bioremediation and alternative energy generation. From 1002 sets of 5′-UTRs of orthologous operons, we identified 166 putative regulatory RNA motifs, including 17 of the 19 known RNA motifs from Rfam, an additional 21 RNA motifs that are supported by literature evidence, 72 RNA motifs overlapping predicted transcription terminators or attenuators, and other candidate regulatory RNA motifs. Our study provides a list of promising novel regulatory RNA motifs potentially involved in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Combined with the previous cis-regulatory DNA motif study in S. oneidensis, this genome-wide discovery of cis-regulatory RNA motifs may offer more comprehensive views of gene regulation at a different level in this organism. The RSSVM software, predictions, and analysis results on Shewanella genomes are available at http://ural.wustl.edu/resources.html#RSSVM.
Missing Elements in U.S. Financial Reform: A Kubler-Ross Interpretation of the Inadequacy of the Dodd-Frank Act

The success of any treatment plan depends on how completely the problems it targets have been diagnosed. The precrisis bubble in securitization can be traced to incentive conflict that allows national safety nets to subsidize leveraged risk-taking. Safety-net subsidies encouraged regulation-induced innovations that enabled firms to take hard-to-monitor risks and to make themselves politically, administratively, and economically difficult for government officials to fail and unwind. This paper summarizes the incentive conflicts that led creditors and internal and external supervisors to short-cut and outsource due diligence. The Dodd-Frank strategy of reform does not adequately acknowledge or address these conflicts. The key step needed is to develop an effective statistical metric for measuring the ex ante value of safety-net support in the aggregate and at individual institutions. To accomplish this, government and industry need to rethink the informational obligations that insured financial institutions and their regulators owe to taxpayers as investors and to change the way that information on industry balance sheets and risk exposures is reported, verified, and used. Without reforms in the practical duties imposed on industry and governmental officials and in the way these duties are enforced, financial safety nets will continue to expand and their expansion will undermine financial stability by generating large rewards for creative and aggressive risk-takers that are smart enough to cash in their share of safety-net benefits before they evaporate.
On the extremum seeking of model reference adaptive control in higher-dimensional systems

We develop a method for the model reference adaptive control (MRAC) of first order systems via extremum seeking. We show, in special cases in which there exists a partial knowledge of parameter values, proofs of global and exponential convergence of both the tracking and parameter tracking errors. We then extend the proposed method from first order systems to linear systems of any higher dimensions. We prove that our method has similar properties as MRAC. Results are partially illustrated through simulations of a simplified roll rate model of a fixed wing aircraft.
Flared phacoemulsification tips to decrease ultrasound time and energy in cataract surgery.

Abstract Purpose: To determine the effect on ultrasound (US) time and energy of using flared phacoemulsification tips in cataract surgery. Setting: Private referral practice of Pacific Cataract & Laser Institute, Chehalis, Washington, USA. Methods: One surgeon using the Allergan Medical Optics Diplomate phacoemulsification machine performed cataract surgery by a single divide-and-conquer technique. A prospective nonmasked consecutive study group (n = 262) was selected from patients operated on with phaco tips flared by 25%. A consecutive control group (n = 440) was selected from patients having surgery using the same technique except for the use of straight phaco tips. The study group had cataract surgery over a 5 week period and the control group, over an earlier 10 week period. Two weeks separated the groups. Cases complicated by vitreous loss were eliminated. The 2 groups were compared by age, sex, total phaco time (TPT, the total time ultrasound energy was applied), and equivalent phaco time (EPT, the product of the phaco time elapsed and the phaco energy). Results: One patient in each group was eliminated for vitreous loss during surgery. There were no significant differences in age, sex, or eye between the 2 groups. The study group had a mean TPT of 29.2 seconds ± 11.7 (SD) (range 0 to 88 seconds) and a mean EPT of 16.4 ± 8.6 seconds (range 0 to 67 seconds). The control group had a mean TPT of 34.4 ± 16.1 seconds (range 0 to 130 seconds) (P Conclusion: Flared ultrasonic phacoemulsification tips significantly reduced the US time and energy used in cataract surgery.
Interactions among nitrogen fixation and soil phosphorus acquisition strategies in lowland tropical rain forests.

Paradoxically, symbiotic dinitrogen (N2) fixers are abundant in nitrogen (N)-rich, phosphorus (P)poor lowland tropical rain forests. One hypothesis to explain this pattern states that N2 fixers have an advantage in acquiring soil P by producing more N-rich enzymes (phosphatases) that mineralise organic P than non-N2 fixers. We assessed soil and root phosphatase activity between fixers and non-fixers in two lowland tropical rain forest sites, but also addressed the hypothesis that arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonisation (another P acquisition strategy) is greater on fixers than non-fixers. Root phosphatase activity and AM colonisation were higher for fixers than nonfixers, and strong correlations between AM colonisation and N2 fixation at both sites suggest that the N–P interactions mediated by fixers may generally apply across tropical forests. We suggest that phosphatase enzymes and AM fungi enhance the capacity of N2 fixers to acquire soil P, thus contributing to their high abundance in tropical forests.
Differences in Keratoconus as a Function of Gender

Purpose To characterize gender differences in the Collaborative Longitudinal Evaluation of Keratoconus (CLEK) Study. Design Observational, longitudinal study. Methods A total of 1209 subjects at 16 clinics. For eye-specific categorical variables, the number of eyes per subject with the characteristic was counted. For eye-specific continuous variables, the mean of both eyes was calculated. Multivariate linear (for continuous outcomes) and logistic (for categorical outcomes) regression models were created for each baseline characteristic with statistically significant ( P ≤ .05) differences between men and women. Age, race, education, and corneal curvature were covariates. Results The women were older, more likely to report a family history of keratoconus, more likely to be nonwhite, and less likely to complete college than men. Vogt's striae and monocular and binocular high-contrast entrance acuity were the only visual characteristics that varied between men and women in the multivariate model. Women were more likely than men to report ocular symptoms of dryness and complaints based upon a composite score of ocular symptoms. Women reported more hours per day of near work and were less likely to report the ability to wear contact lenses for enough hours to permit reading at home in the evening. Women reported more visits to their eye care practitioner during the previous 12 months. NEI-VFQ results revealed differences in self-reported difficulty with distance activities and driving. Conclusions Gender differences exist in patient history, vision, and ocular symptoms in keratoconus patients.
Microbial degradation of polyesters: Polycaprolactone degraded by P. pullulans†

Polycaprolactone is degraded by the mold P. pullulans in the presence of other nutrients. The weight loss from solid polymer films covered by a nutrient agar gel on which colonies are growing is used to establish comparative rates of degradation. There is substantial loss (16 mg/cm2 surface area) from a whole polymer of low (2,000) molecular weight in three weeks at 30°C. A high (30,000) molecular weight whole polymer degrades about 0.15 as much in the same time period. A fraction in the same range (38,000) but with a narrower molecular weight distribution shows no significant loss. This indicates that whole polymers of high molecular weight may lose only a portion of their distribution by microbial degradation in short-term tests. This hypothesis is tested by making mixtures of high (61,000) molecular weight with low (2,000) molecular weight polymer. Degradation is directly proportional to the low molecular weight content in these short-term tests with a single species of mold. Other workers have shown previously that in long-term, soil-burial tests, even a high (40,000) molecular weight polycaprolactone is essentially completely degraded after one year.
Heating Capacity of ReBound Shortwave Diathermy and Moist Hot Packs at Superficial Depths

Context: The effectiveness of a new continuous diathermy unit, ReBound, as a heating modality is unknown. Objective: To compare the effects of ReBound diathermy with silicate-gel moist hot packs on tissue temperature in the human triceps surae muscle. Design: Crossover study. Setting: University research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 12 healthy, college-aged volunteers (4 men, 8 women; age = 22.2 ± 2.25 years, calf subcutaneous fat thickness = 7.2 ± 1.9 mm). Intervention(s): On 2 different days, 1 of 2 modalities (ReBound diathermy, silicate-gel moist hot pack) was applied to the triceps surae muscle of each participant for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, the modality was removed, and temperature decay was recorded for 20 minutes. Main Outcome Measure(s): Medial triceps surae intramuscular tissue temperature at a depth of 1 cm was measured using an implantable thermocouple inserted horizontally into the muscle. Measurements were taken every 5 minutes during the 30-minute treatment...
Florida's Fair Trade Fight:

which stands alone among all of the recent holdings3 by the highest state courts. The result of this decision was that manufacturers and wholesalers marketing their trademarked and branded goods in that state apparently could not enforce uniform resale prices with the aid of Florida courts.4 An attempt to avoid this decision has been made through a I949 Florida Fair Trade Act5 which attempts, by legislative declaration as well as by substantive and procedural changes in the statute, to nullify all of the major reasons for unconstitutionality as given by the Florida Supreme Court. The situation is therefore lined up for another round in a con-
Knowledge Design: A Conceptual and Curricular Challenge

The field of graphic design has much to offer to the emerging area referred to as knowledge design. Graphic designers have a well-developed understanding of the spatial organization of information and user experience, the rhetorical force of display, and other fundamentals of visual communication. But knowledge design requires additional analytic and technical skills. Many of these involve understanding the way content is modeled by the design of data systems, as well as the ways functionality has to be structured into a design. But knowledge design goes beyond user experience since it takes into account every aspect of the full life cycle of a digital project from analysis of its components to the information architecture and structure, to understanding standards and metadata, network protocols, intellectual property issues, interoperability and sustainability. This article argues that curriculum development in this field would benefit from the participation of graphic designers.
Dietary Requirement of the Boll Weevil for Arginine and the Effect of Arginine Analogues on Growth and on the Composition of the Body Amino Acids

Quantitative dietary requirements of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, for arginine were determined by feeding an amino acid diet containing different amounts of arginine. Citrulline produced good growth and development when it was substituted for arginine, but no growth occurred when ornithine was substituted. Canavanine was toxic and inhibited growth of the boll weevil. This toxic effect could be partially reversed by arginine. Homoarginine did not appear to be toxic, and, when combined with arginine, it alleviated the toxicity of canavanine. A method is described for the qualitative analysis of the amino acids in boll weevils by thin-layer chromatography. The contents of free and protein-bound amino acids were determined in weevils fed several rearing diets and in those fed diets containing analogues. Canavanine was not found in eggs and adults of boll weevils fed larval or adult diets containing this analogue. Homoarginine was found in the free amino acids of all samples, but not the protein.
Bioterror and "bioart"--a plague o' both your houses.

In response to the September 11, 2001, attacks and heightened concern about bioterrorism, the U.S. government increased research funding for developing countermeasures to bioterrorism and passed ne...
Introduction to Special Issue: Integrating Technology Within Classroom Practices

The purpose of this special issue to provide teachers with ideas and resources on how to integrate technology into evidence-based practices in their classroom. The articles featured in this special...
A clinical investigation of persons with at least 10 years untreated HIV infection

Objective To investigate the status of residents with at least ten years untreated HIV infection.Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was performed to investigate untreated HIV infected residents in 7 counties,Henan province.We collected the information of infection routes,infection time,the status of spouse,income and perceived social cognition and etc.All participants had medical examination and were tested for CD4+ T cell counts,viral loads and HCV co-infection.Results The study had 101 persons with at least 10 years untreated HIV infection.HCV co-infection was confirmed in 84(83.17%) participants.The majority(67.33%) of the HIV infected persons were between 36 and 45 years old.Body mass index(BMI) was above 18.5 for the most of the HIV infected persons(97%) and was 24.25 on average.The average CD4+ T cell count was 530.50(444.75-686.75)cells/μl.Nineteen(18.8%)HIV infected participants had long-term non-progressive disease development.The proportion of CD4+/CD8+ was significantly higher in the group with long-term non-progressive disease development than in the group with progressive disease development(z=1.860,P=0.002).Conclusions A decent proportion of at least 10 years HIV infected persons were still in good physical condition without any antiviral treatment.It is important to improve the physical fitness and the life quality of HIV infected persons.
Effects of High Temperature Stress on Super Hybrid Rice Guodao 6 During Flowering and Filling Phases

Super hybrid rice Guodao 6 was used to analyze its tolerance against natural high temperature stress with different sowing times in field and a greenhouse treatment with controlled high temperature(40-42℃) during flowering to filling was conducted in 2005 and 2006.Differences in seed setting rate under different treatments were observed and heat injury index,grain yield and yield components were analyzed.Compared with control hybrid rice Xieyou 46,Guodao 6 showed stable yield and spikelet fertility and lower heat injury index under high temperature stress,indicating higher tolerance to high temperature.The spikelet sterility was positively correlated with daily average temperature,especially with daily maximum temperature and the coefficients of correlation for Guodao 6 were 0.8604 and 0.9850(P0.05),respectively.Meanwhile,daily maximum temperature showed less effect on seed setting rate than daily average temperature during filling,their coefficients of correlation for Guodao 6 were 0.7352 and 0.9317(P0.05),respectively.
Health care administrator: heal thy organizational self.

Many problems in today's group practice marketplace exist because organizations are confused about what constitutes the "business" side of health care in relationship to its philanthropic past. Eugene Dawson Jr., Ph.D., examines some of these problem conditions and offers suggestions on coping with the changing environment.